Okay, so here we go ...
We all know that the human body is one of the most complex designs on the planet, and for decades, we have tried our best to understand how it works. I am going to try and simplify the human physiology as best as I can.
We have over 600 muscles in our body, which is supported by a skeleton. Our muscles are responsible for moving our skeletal frame to do whatever it is we want it to do. Some of these activities include walking, running, jumping, carrying, swimming, climbing, cycling, rowing, dancing, martial arts, and so on.
So many instructors talk about posture, and yet, so many of the general public have awful postures. And as a result, end up with a variety of spinal irregularities and lower back problems. The correct posture we all should adopt involves engaging the Kinetic Chain. According to Dr Arthur Steindler, a kinetic chain is "... a combination of several successively arranged joints constituting a complex motor unit." In other words, we need to engage several muscle groups that attach to one's spine and hips in order to keep our body in an upright position for optimal movement.
Most of the corporate world sit down for lengthly hours every day without any exercise at all. People need to understand how important it is to look after their bodies for a better quality of life, being able to be active later in life. I have seen so many individuals of all ages with postural irregularities which is why I have put together this website detailing a bit more about the type of training I have found works best for everyone looking to improve their movement, balance, performance and overall health.
In my opinion, there are five aspects to a complete exercise training programme:
Strength - resistance training such as squats or pushups
Stamina - this involves fitness and endurance
Power - uses explosive movements often seen in sports
Flexibility - the ability to bend and stretch the body in various planes of motion
Stability - this is where core/balance training is so important
When it comes to strength training, the type of strength I am referring to is body strength. It is far more beneficial to be able to lift your own body weight than it is to lift a 100kg barbell above your chest.
Having stamina simply means that one is able to move far distances over a prolonged period of time using the body's oxygen intake in an efficient way to allow for endurance performances.
As far as power is concerned, it is well documented that explosive exercises are imperative to increase muscle fibre contraction and increase your performance. By activating your muscles maximally during an explosive exercise, they respond accordingly and you will not only increase your speed, but reduce the risk of injury.
Being flexible is of utmost importance when it comes to movement, and yet, it is the most neglected area of training. I have never understood why. You will also reduce your risk of getting injured.
I dedicate a lot of my training to core training. Your core is your torso. By getting you to stabilise your own body, you will have a strong base from which your arms and legs can move you. Core training will strengthen your torso and help you to improve your performance in all areas of your life, even your posture.
Functional training is just that - it helps you function in everyday life. The exercises you perform with resistance are very similar to the movements you would do at home, at work, or on holiday, etc. These movements include twisting, bending, lifting, and so on.