Across recorded human history there have been certain ages that have defined us, literally guided our advancement as a society.  With each of these seminal ages, a set of skills and attributes that were essential to not only our ability to survive but thrive emerged.

We have come a long way across the agricultural age, the industrial age, the services age and found our way into the information age.  Man’s brute force has slowly been replaced as most important for human productivity; it has been supplanted by cognitive brain power and creativity. 

The Importance of Brain Power

Enter the innovation age.  Today the individuals who have the keys to opportunity are those individuals who can creatively extract and reinvent the application of information and technology to innovatively solve problems and create new opportunities.  We live in an age where a university student like Mark Zuckerburg can turn an idea like Facebook into a mutli-billion dollar enterprise, making him the youngest billionaire on the planet, while many kids his age haven’t even figured out how to clear their acne up.

While not everyone can be a Mark Zuckerburg, each of us must perform with a level of creativity, adaptability and cognitive efficiency in this era of economic volatility and  downsizing if we are to be creators of change rather than victims of change.

One of the less conspicuous, yet highly precarious problems we face in this new age is the growing awareness that in our race forward we may have left one indispensable resource behind.  Researchers are becoming increasingly convinced that there is an inseparable link between physical fitness and cognitive performance.

The Nexus Between Movement and Mental Health

According to the National Institutes of Mental Health (HIMH), approximately 1 in 18 people– that’s 14.4 million individuals in the United States–suffers from depression.  In the UK that number is estimated to be over 3 million people, over one million in Australia and approaching two million in Canada.

According to Dr. Robert Sapolsky, professor of biology and neurology at Stanford University, chronic depression is linked to a decrease in cognitive function due the degenerative effect that glucocorticosteroid stress hormones have on the hippocampus. Frank Forencich, author of the brilliant book “Change Your Body, Change The World” asserts that lack of physical movement and loss of what the Journal of Applied Physiology termed Paleolithic Rhythm in 2002, very well may be a direct cause in the escalating incidence of depression seen in developed nations.

Conversely, exercise psychologist Andrea Dunn, Ph.D., of the Cooper Institute in Dallas, explains that exercise is a promising treatment for depression because “It affects the biology in the brain in the same way that anti-depressant drugs do,” she says. As with anything in life it’s not just what we do but how we do it that makes the difference.

Dr. John Ratey of Harvard in his ground-breaking book “Spark” states: “Continuous movement that challenges coordination and motor learning may have an efficacious effect on learning overall.”

With the average age of retirement steadily increasing, the ability to condition our mind and body to learn throughout our lifespan may be as important to our financial survival as exercise is to our physical survival.

ViPR Improves Cognitive Function

The ViPR is a versatile training and conditioning tool that introduces three dimensional motion and loading within an individual’s threshold of ability, challenging sensory acuity within all the movement systems of the body.

This tool can be utilized through a proprioceptive continuum affording an effective workout to suit virtually anyone’s level of ability.  The benefit of this tool is not just that it improves movement efficiency, cardiovascular conditioning and high caloric expenditure, but that it creates the perfect environment for cognitive conditioning as well.

As the VIPR engages us in physical play, our blood gets pumping, which elevates our levels of Brain Derived Neurotropic Factors (BDNF).  This strengthens our connections in the brain, possibly creating new neurons for Long-Term Potentiation (forming of memories). Our levels of Insulin Growth Factor IGF-1 increase to aid in energy metabolism in the body and work cooperatively with BDNF to facilitate learning in the brain.

As oxygen demand elevates so does our levels of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) to build new capillaries in the body and brain.  This also aids permeability of the blood-brain-barrier for more effective transport of other important factors such as Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF-2) working synergistically to expand our cortical real estate.

As we have fun challenging ourselves to learn new movements we:

All of this turns exercise and play into physical and performance training.

In light of the emerging evidence a question we must ask as individuals and as a society is, can we successfully move forward into the 21^st century in the absence of effective movement?

Carl Cotman, Director of the Institute For Brain Aging and Dementia states, “One of the features of exercise, which is sometimes not appreciated in studies, is an improvement in the rate of learning, and I think that’s a really cool take home message…because it suggests that if you’re in good shape, you may be able to learn and function more efficiently.”

Dr. Stefan Klein in his book “The Science of Happiness” writes, “by moving we can gently manipulate the neurons in our brain, coaxing the organism into the condition that it otherwise experiences in moments of happiness-and from the appropriate physiological signals, the brain, in turn, automatically generates positive feelings.”

A society that is not happy does not play, and in the absence of play there is an ensuing absence of creativity.  In today’s world, without optimal learning and creativity, there is no productivity; where there is no productivity there is no hope of longevity. Tools such as the VIPR not only afford us the luxury of a better quality of life for ourselves, but also present us with an opportunity to create a better, brighter, happier and more productive future for our children.

It is now that time of year where our biggest sports both in participation and from a spectators perspective have played their Grand finals and they start to draw down, relax for a little while and then get back on the band wagon to prepare for next year.

All professional sporting teams have a wide review and analysis to see what went right, what went wrong and what needs changing to ensure that the next season is bigger and better.

If we look at the teams that performed well and overcame huge obstacles including injuries to key players, we can see that they have a successful plan and they stick to it. More importantly they were able to initiate it. Successful teams need successful coaches with plans to get things done.

If the coach cannot communicate his message well and get it across to the players, there will be no success. I believe one of the major reasons professional coaches lost their jobs this year was due to the inability to get their message across and not communicate with their players effectively.

As teachers and coaches, we understand that people learn in different ways and at different speeds. Quite often we have to adapt the way we coach to enable us to reach in and grab the athlete and connect on their level. Here is a simple template for coaching for success that will help us get the message across when we are trying to coach kids regardless of their age.

Learning and growing starts with the ‘why’ we do what we do. We have to understand how the actions are performed and be able to translate that. Our kids will then understand why they’re doing the skills and the drills. Kids are highly inquisitive with very limited attention spans so if we simplify our explanations as to the reasons why, they are far more likely to engage in the task. Quite often we focus on the big picture and forget about the first step or the steps in between that allow the brain and body to cope with the action they are required to perform.

Remember our first stage of learning is the neural loop, the ability of the brain to comprehend and interpret the signal to generate a response. The brain does not recognise muscles only movement. In Strength and Conditioning we often look at the skill or the action as a whole, when what we need to do is break it down to a simpler form. Without a solid foundation there is no performance executed skill.

In my last article, Issue 31 – Training the Brain First*, I spoke about how the motor, cognitive and attitude, affect the skill outcome through the way we teach but also how the kids process and learn the actions. Let’s now have a look at the table below in some further detail. This will explain how to correct our coaching, change our cues, improve performance and in the long run improve the athletic outcome. When an athlete’s performance is not successful it may be related to the athlete’s ability to learn but also the way that we are coaching the skill. 

 The first column looks at how we teach and how they learn. The second column refers to obstacles or reasons why they are unable to perform the skill and the third column shows how we as coaches can modify the way we coach or explain the skills for a better performance outcome.

If we build their physical confidence it can be physically perceived. A great example of this is a team who are highly successful then go into a long losing streak for no apparent reason. You quite often hear the commentators say that they have lost the will to win! They may not be doing anything different but they have lost their confidence in their ability to perform. If you give game plan clarity and be the solution you will have someone who is strong and cohesive.

We need to lead by example, keep things simple but also demonstrate clearly. This lays the foundation to easy learning where the mind can process the skill from what it sees into a reaction for a good outcome. This internal information/communication process becomes more efficient and automatic with each repetition of the movement. This underlines the importance of ‘perfect practice’, as learning poor or dysfunctional skills will only continue to enhance and encourage a dysfunctional movement.

There are 3 stages of learning for skill acquisition. These are not just applied to sport but any process that uses thought development.

Cognitive = THINK

Initially the athlete must think (consciously and cognitively) about the movement each time to command the action. The neuromuscular system lays down these new patterns which become the roadmap for the future coordination of the movement to occur. At this stage in the learning process movements are typically slow and awkward as the athlete is consciously trying to control every aspect of the movement.  Performance is generally poor and the coach must provide more frequent and detailed feedback to help the athlete accomplish the skill acquisition successfully. It is important that both the coach and the athlete recognize that each movement will occur slowly and deliberately. If the athlete tries to move faster than capable of commanding the action, the movement will be inefficient, the potential for injury is increased, and they will continue to promote future dysfunctional patterns.   

Associative = Integrate

Through repetition the motor program becomes more efficient, the neuromuscular coordination becomes smoother and the movement is more natural. The athlete no longer needs to think about every detail of the process as the efficiency, speed and accuracy of the movement execution are all increased. The coach can focus feedback on more refined movement details and begin to increase the intensity and complexity of the skill.  

Autonomic = Intuitive

The final stage in the learning process occurs when the skill execution becomes automatic. Practice will always make any skill more efficient.  Every great athlete practices skills for hours every day. Achieving automatic skill acquisition is the ultimate goal of movement training as the athlete can now execute the skill with little to no technical feedback from the coach. The coach can concentrate on motivation and on increasing the difficulty and intensity of the skill to further challenge the athlete.

The most important aspect of coaching is one of being the ‘active coach’. By this I mean you have to be involved in all steps of the coaching process, hands on to effectively steer the path of the athlete from the initial skill right through to game day.  You need to be able to analyze the how and why we do things and be open to change and correction.

Here are my last few tips to using the template and becoming a successful coach. You are probably already a successful teacher and do all of the things mentioned above. But to do this well as a coach, we need to set the correct path and empower the athlete take control.

Coach from all angles – Be visually aware 100% of the time. When communicating with a specific athlete the coach must always be aware of the room and what the rest of the group is doing. The active coach will constantly assess and correct with instant feedback.

Be a confident, clear communicator – Give clear, concise instructions and stay positive when giving feedback. 

Anticipate– Never be surprised. Be observant and proactive when a problem does occur. Every problem has a solution and every situation can be turned into an advantage if it is approached with the right attitude. 

Set the tone- Kids often take their cues in attitude, personality, and behavior from their coaches. Come into each training session in a positive frame of mind. Bring your energy. As the coach, energy is your most important tool to motivate athletes. If you seem disinterested your athletes will disconnect form the workout as well.

Coach with purpose– An effective active coach is not a fitness taskmaster or Boot camp Sergeant. Your ability to instruct, observe, and correct is much more important to an athlete’s development that simply yelling for more effort.

Read the athletes – Observe your athletes physically and mentally.  Take your cue for each workout or training session by the athletes’ attitude, energy and level of focus. Have a plan for each session but be ready to change instantly. If your plan is for an intense session but you determine that the athletes are not physically or mentally ready, adjust accordingly. Similarly, if they are keyed up and ready to push harder you may need to increase the level of the workout to match their energy and intensity. Know the ‘Athletic Movement’ system and toolbox so that you can adapt to different needs each day.     

 Engage athletes – The art of motivation is in the development of creative and effective programs that create a passion and desire in your athletes to improve. The ability to engage athletes may mean the difference between motivating them to keep training hard or allowing them to get mentally fatigued and unable to dig deep enough to find that next gear to push to improve.

Fuel competition – With most athletes, adding some level of competitiveness to the drills and exercises will inspire them to step up their level of intensity. Count the number of repetitions or foot contacts in a drill or keeping track of the time it takes to accomplish a task will not only up the level of effort but also help the athlete set personal objectives for each time they perform the exercise.  

Remember to focus on the mission and jump in with confidence!

*Email QPEC for this Issue

References:

Twist Sports Conditioning Certifications and the new Combine 360 Measurement and Sport Training Certifications.  

Low Back Pain (LBP) is one of the most common conditions treated by physiotherapists in Australia. More recent work done by Peter O’Sullivan and colleagues¹ has allowed us to better classify patterns of movement dysfunction in clients presenting with LBP and thus apply more specific treatment plans.

A common presentation is that of adults presenting with LBP which is aggravated by walking, standing and running. The pain is often relieved by sitting down or various stretches that put the lumbar spine into flexion.

O’Sullivan (2005) describes the pattern of “Active extension”. When a client with this pattern is asked to bend forwards they will flex from their hips and thoracic spine whilst the lumbar spine remains in extension or neutral. The lumbar spine may start to flex toward the end of range of flexion. When questioned, these clients may have had a previous flexion injury, such as a lifting injury, and as a result protected the spine from any flexion for a period. Even after the injury had healed they still subconsciously avoided flexion to the point that the lumbar spine becomes virtually fixed in extension. They have often seen physios/trainers who have given them “core stability” exercises which has resulted in making them even more rigid.

If the lumbar spine is always in extension there is considerable loading of the posterior structures, mainly the facet joints, which then become inflamed and painful. Exercise such as walking and running which results in some extension loading will often aggravate the pain. An exercise such as lying on your back and pulling both knees up to your chest (flexion of the lumbar spine which puts the lumbar facets into the opposite direction) often relieves the pain.

Both sway back postures and lordotic/kyphotic postures will aggravate this pattern as the lumbar facets are generally in extension in standing with both these postural types.

Fortunately, this pattern of low back can be relatively easy to improve with corrective exercise. As always, correct diagnosis and treatment planning should be instigated by a qualified health professional such as a physiotherapist.

Step one is to check whether the client can actually posteriorly tilt the pelvis (which results in low lumbar flexion) as many are stuck in anterior tilt. Put the client with their back, head and shoulders against a wall, feet about 10 cm off the wall and the knees and hips bent slightly. Put your hand behind the small of their low back and ask them to squash your hand. Many will only be able to posteriorly tilt slightly and some not at all. This then becomes exercise number one, performed either in supine or in crook lying. Once you can regain some posterior pelvic tilt, and relative low lumbar flexion, you can then work on the muscles that can hold them in a better position when running.

Nearly always the hip flexors will be tight so introduce exercises to lengthen these such as stretches, postural correction and strengthening the antagonist. The antagonist of course is the gluteals, mainly glut max. If you can restore some posterior pelvic tilt, lengthen the hip flexors, strengthen glut max and improve standing posture you will nearly always help this client group.

This is obviously a simplistic exercise plan and each client needs individual assessment and exercise prescription.

References

 ¹ O’Sullivan, P 2005 Diagnosis and classification of chronic low back pain disorders: maladaptive movement and motor control impairments as underlying mechanism. Man Ther 2005 Nov;10(4):242-55.

Primarily used in balance training, the BOSU helps to improve your core strength and expand your range of motion. The goal is to make sure your body is able to work as a unit rather than as individual segments. Too often the focus with exercising is on target areas so the core is overlooked. Yet working on this area of the body will help you to get the most out of the efforts you put into your training and on the other areas of your body. In short, the BOSU helps to bring your body together for the best possible result.

When you use the BOSU you will find your body is encouraged to work as a complete unit to support the exercise throughout the body as opposed to splitting its focus to just particular muscles or muscle groupings. For example, the ankles and the knees have to start working with each other to support and achieve their goals. Such movements will help you not only with every day movements but for sports and for endurance.

Keep in mind your brain plays a vital role in all of this too. The brain has to send the correct messages to the body. In effect, the BOSU changes the range of movement to send messages to the brain in order to tell the joints and the muscles to start lining up with each other differently. This will help you to get the position you need for certain functions to be performed to the best of their ability. As your core gets stronger you will find your movements are more defined and enhanced with these improvements showing in ways you never thought possible.

As you take part in core strengthening through BOSU, you will be teaching the fibers of the nerves to respond to your movements in a particular way. The range of motion it will offer you is going to help you to have an edge over the competition with the sports you play. If you aren’t using BOSU to help you with improving your core strength then you are selling yourself short of the real results your workouts can offer.

BOSU offers you a complete workout for the core of your body. At the same time the exercises are fun, which really helps keep regular interest at an all time high. This is a balance training program that can revitalize the movements of your body in an enjoyable and positive way. BOSU is also a great companion to any planned expansion to your functional training efforts.

In addition to strengthening your body, the BOSU system helps you to reshape your mind in connection with the body. That is the difference between your workout and that of other people around you. It is going to be what gives you the edge and that keeps your risk of injuries very low. As your level of strength increases you can move on to more challenging BOSU exercises. The program is designed for anyone to benefit from regardless of what your current fitness level happens to be. At the same time you are getting stronger and more flexible, you will also be getting an amazing cardio workout. This will help with your endurance as well as assisting in keeping the heart active and healthy.

This is one training tool for overall fitness you don’t want to pass up. BOSU has been scientifically proven to help enhance core strength. If you want to get stronger, faster, more coordination, or just be better fit overall, you need to incorporate BOSU into your daily workout regime. It’s fun, beneficial and a great way to continue to increase your core strength now and into the future.

Functional training is a type of exercise which prepares the body for various forms of activity common in our daily lives. It was originally employed by physical therapists and rehabilitation staff in order to restore strength and response to the body after accidents. However functional training has found a new lease of life in assisting with a variety of different day-to-day activities through increasing the range of motion, strength and ability for the individual through a variety of different tasks.

Things such as lifting, bending and back strength benefit enormously from functional training. Whilst most people with a keen interest in fitness are usually quite flexible and fit, even the healthiest person can discover problems or have difficulty participating in these types of activities, especially later in life. Functional training therefore is a great way of warding against injury now and into the future, as well as providing a host of benefits to your fitness level.

Functional training can lead to better muscular balance and joint stability, in turn decreasing your risk of injury as a result. Focusing on the body’s natural ability to move in multi-directional and multi-planar ranges of motion, functional training uses your own body motion to train with, improve on and extend. Functional training also shows substantial gain in strength and balance in those who use it on a regular basis and has also proven as a type of exercise which improves joint motion, making it ideal for people in various states of recovery from injury, age or fitness level.

The exercises within functional training have a high focus on the strengthening of abdominal muscles and back muscles. Through strengthening these muscles overall, your strength and balance will create more efficient movement patterns which lead to better core strength and less injuries. But strength is not the only benefit. Coordination improves through training or retraining the muscles to work together and the joints are also stabilized and the range of motion is increased.

However, despite the benefits, some common misconceptions deter people from taking up functional training. Two of the most common of these misconceptions are functional training leads to a bulking up and a loss of flexibility. Functional training does indeed work the muscles, but intrusive or unflattering bulk of your physique will not be a by-product of this process. Nor does this working of the muscles in either men or women lead to a loss of flexibility and in fact, studies show functional training actually improves flexibility overall.

For those who like variety, there are plenty of types of exercises you can take part in for functional training. The goal is to offer resistance. The use of dumbbells, kettle bells, ViPR’s and even cable machines are all highly effective. The highly portable and travel friendly resistance tube is also a great friend to functional training. Due to the choice available, it is a good idea to do plenty of research before you start. That way you can find the right exercises to match and compliment your current fitness regimes and sporting activities.

The goal for functional training should be to slowly but steadily progress during your workouts. Pay attention to the signals you get from your body so you can continue to move forward at a good pace. Be mindful to change your functional training routine on a regular basis so as to remain well rounded in your approach and result.

One of the best ways to get the most out of functional training is with a coach or a personal trainer. As professionals who understand both your level of fitness and what areas for improvement you may have, working with a coach or trainer can really help you understand where your focus should lie and when it is time to transition to different exercises and what is right for you.

Now is the time to make functional training part of your lifestyle. From competitive edge through to long lasting health and fitness benefits received, functional training offers a practical, useful and important type of exercise with a proven track record in improving a person’s quality of life.

Weight training has been the bane of the time and space deprived self conscious or people who do not wish to make expensive purchases such as gym memberships or high cost equipment. Whether you’re difficultly lies in the sheer size of the equipment through to the lack of time or money required to exercise within a gym setting, weight training may now be a real possibility for anyone who wishes to participate through resistance tubing.

Light weight, flexible and entirely portable, resistance tubing began as a solution to the needs of physical therapists and rehabilitation nurses who needed something which could assist their patients in increasing their muscle strength by applying progressive added resistance through load bearing activity without the heavy burden of traditional weights. Made from rubber, nylon and PVC, this incredibly light but strong piece of equipment gives a portable space saving solution to your at home weight training needs.

With resistance tubing you can take it anywhere you go. It can be used when you are at home, when you are on vacation, and when you travel for work. Now there is no reason why you can’t fulfill your goal of getting stronger and in better overall condition. What is even more remarkable is resistance tubing is more effective that various types of weight machines and pulleys.

How is that possible? Most weight training machines are designed to help you with specific target areas and work specific muscles in certain ways. While there is benefit to be gained from this approach, there is also a downside in the way the brain and body relate during weight training. Your brain will send signals telling the body to only do the minimum amount of effort required to complete a specific activity and through this message meant for efficiency, the potential to work a wider range of muscles is ignored. When you use resistance tubing, you pit your body’s own strength against itself, meaning multiple muscular and neurological places are simultaneously challenged. The body approaches this style of weight training in a well rounded manner, giving greater overall benefit when you exercise.

The very design of resistance tubing means you will be utilizing your entire body. You can work out the upper and lower body with resistance tubing and lift the equivalent of your own body weight. Resistance tubing also allows you to engage in a full range of motion and as a result, your muscles will become stronger, longer and better exercised.

There are various styles of resistance tubing which caters for all levels of fitness. Being so light weight, affordable and easily stored, you can have a range of resistance tubing products to suit your individual needs ready as your fitness level increases. In addition, there is a great choice of exercises you can try and do with the resistance tubing, so even the fussiest exerciser will find weight training activities to enjoy. Each of exercise is also carefully designed to maximize the full range of motion so your workout gives you the kind of results and benefits you are looking for.

Resistance tubing offers a great alternative for anyone looking to weight train without the headaches of storing bulky equipment, expensive gym memberships or for those who have busy calendars. Through its portability and lightweight nature, resistance tubing is the ideal companion for the busy jet-setting executive or the time deprived mum looking to sneak in ten minutes of training into their packed schedule. Easy to use, strong, effective and designed to suit a variety of budgets and lifestyles, resistance tubing provides choice and access to fantastic calorie burning exercises for people of all ages and fitness levels.

Going to the gym or having a personal trainer is not for everyone. There are some healthy, fit and active people who prefer to gain their fitness through competing in actual sporting events. Whether you are a regular competitor in weekly local sporting events, an elite athlete or just someone who loves the thrill of playing and competition associated with organized sports, Sports Conditioning Drills can really add an extra layer of challenge and fitness to your performance and help you get the most out of the sporting activities you love to do.

Sports Conditioning Drills allows us to perform the sporting activity better and more fluently through training the body at a slower pace and replicating and repeating the these movements until we become proficient and are able to carry them out at the speed we do them in the competition or game. This gives us that sense of effortless grace and expertise we often see from our sporting heroes on TV. As they too practice these Sports Conditioning drills relative to their sport. Sports conditioning drills rely on a combination of improving mainstays such as your strengths, agility, speed, and balance whilst choosing various skills associated with your sport to practice and master as individual tasks outside of regular training and game play. The process is as easily employed and rewarding as it is for beginners to experts and is a fantastic alternative to sports people who find the gym, exercise regimes or personal trainers not to their liking. When you begin to master a variety of skills for the sport of your focus, then you can see how it all fits together. Combined with a workout focused on improving your overall fitness, the benefits can start to show in a matter of weeks.

The key to using sports conditioning drills to improve your overall level of fitness is to take a realistic look at where you are right now. Take some time to think about the movements needed in your sport of choice for a moment. Visualize the components which make up your sport, whether they be running, kicking, equipment control or areas of movement and identify ways in which you could strengthen these key areas to your benefit. Then develop a workout plan designed to help you to address any weak spots you may have, as well as focusing strengths in such a way as to support other areas of your game.

For those of you who find exercise regimes and circuits tedious, the Sports Conditioning Drills can really help provide a positive and exciting way of building up your fitness level. If you are involved in a sport such as soccer for example which requires great ball control, setting yourself targets and goals in terms of holding and moving the ball from foot to knee to chest and back again as a self competition can be really addictive a challenge and help during the all important time when you need to protect the ball from attack on the field. Or if you are looking to improve your headers, practicing squats as your landing position as you jump as a regular drill will satiate the competitive spirit as your start to learn and master the technique, and ignite interest quickly in the drill through seeing marked improvement in your leg strength, speed and stamina on the field.

By combining self challenge with a useful skill which translate into improvement in your game play, sports conditioning drills answer the prayers of countless sports people looking to better their abilities through seeing a measurable and tangible result for their efforts beyond simple improved fitness levels. Everything you do on a daily basis including lifting, bending, or twisting will be easier for you to do plus the time and energy spent doing the drills will directly relate to your chosen sport. Your chance of injury is also reduced. Injuries can occur both while playing sports and doing regular daily activities. By employing sports conditioning drills, you increase your muscle fitness, stamina and range of motion, which directly lowers your chance of hurting yourself through accidentally making use of a muscle in play which doesn’t see regular or extensive exercise. This makes sports conditioning drills the perfect addition to a sport lovers health and exercise routine.

The general consensus has been stability balls are just for rolling around on. Our eyes may have been opened a little by their use in physical therapy, however, experimentation and regular use of the stability ball to date has been fairly limited. As part of an active and full fitness regime, the stability ball can have a multitude of benefits. Here are some terrific uses for the stability ball which could add diversity, difference and extra levels of performance to your work outs!

Back and core strength are at the heart of bodily fitness. The stability ball can be used to strengthen your back muscles and your core fitness in a variety of different ways. When working with dumbbells or machines, you can use a stability ball as a bench substitute. By doing so, you are able to isolate the specific muscle groups that will be worked and focus on areas which need improvement in order to gain a more rounded approach to your muscular exercise. In addition to working traditionally exercised groups of muscles, you can even target muscle groups which you simply cannot with the same workout when using the bench. By changing the angle of your movements, you will get a better overall workout. Your overall muscle strength will also improve quicker when using the stability ball in preference to the bench style of work out.

When choosing to include a stability ball in your workout, you change your routine of exercise. Muscles which may not receive as much opportunity to be worked then others will be included when you use a stability ball. At the same time your level of balance, flexibility, and coordination will improve. Any athlete or fitness professional knows improving these three basic foundations of body control and fitness will have a significant impact on how well you are able to perform. Another benefit is also found in reducing the chance of a serious injury occurring while you are practicing or playing the sport by employing better techniques and a higher level of sustained fitness and muscle preparation.

Stability balls can also be used in warm-ups and warm downs. The all important stretch before and after your workout will really benefit from some very simply inclusions of the stability ball. For example, balancing on it with your abdominals is a great way to stretch various muscles all at once. If you are looking for new ways to tone and shape your gluts, the stability ball will also happily join in, and intensify the effects of traditional butt exercises. People who suffer from knee or thigh problems, or wishing to strengthen these areas can also make use of a stability ball when doing a host of different exercises including knee folds and even Pilates.

Like any change to an existing fitness regime, the inclusion of a stability ball should be done with a good level of understanding of your new piece of equipment. Even the most seasoned of athlete or fittest of people takes time to get used to the stability ball and controlling it, so do not allow yourself to be discouraged when you first begin incorporating it into your fitness regime. Conversely, it’s important not to skip preliminary tests of your new product and incorporate it straight ahead to avoid injury. Give yourself some time to adjust to the stability ball and how it moves before you use any types of exercise equipment in conjunction with it. Once you feel confident and have mastered basic control of your stability ball, then go about introducing it to your workout routine. A little patience in the beginning will certainly be rewarded with positive results!

Stability balls offer a variety of positive reasons for including them in your workout. They help increase the intensity of your traditional exercises on the usual muscle groups, as well as reaching others which have not previously gained benefit with the same work out. They increase strength in balance and core fitness and add efficiency to your fitness regime. All sorts of exercises including warm ups and warm downs are improved when including this flexible, multi-purpose piece of equipment to your work out. The stability ball also enjoys a long life cycle as it is adaptable to your fitness level. Through time saving, a new addition to your workout and something which will continue to challenge you, a stability balls is a fantastic edition to anyone who wishes to increase their own fitness, or see genuine results in benefits in clients to gyms, personal training and all kinds of coaching.

Are you looking for a great way to get into shape for 2010? If so, ViPR (Vitality Performance and Reconditioning) may be just what you have been looking for. Voted the #1 workout in the UK, ViPR offers a host of benefits to anyone who is looking to not only improve their fitness and strength, but also increase workout efficiency and stave off the boredom which can be associated with the same old routine!

ViPR is regarded as the evolution of free weights, where strength meets movement and together they combine to make the body work as one instead of isolation of a muscle part or group. This focuses on multi-planar and Multi-directional movements that we would use in every day life. This is very important because the brain does not recognize individual muscles or joints but only recognizes what motion is required to move the body in the correct way. The ViPR does this so well because it load the body up the way it should be used and forces all of the muscles to work together creating stronger muscles and joints that help us to move more efficiently. Through its unique formula, ViPR encourages and trains your body to move how it should. It is this range of movement which offers you a better level of strength as well as a better overall result as it gives a more all encompassing full body workout.

Designed out of high density rubber, ViPR uses the four pillars of human movement:

• gravity infused, (which is working through and against gravity)
• stretch-to-shorten, (deceleration or shortening to acceleration which is lengthening)
• Multi planar and multi directional (mimicking what and how our body moves in various directions)
• Integrated (the body working together as one unit and the muscles firing in the correct sequential order with no isolation of movement).

It is similar in appearance to a log and offers hand grips so that you can use the tool for a variety of great exercises. The weights range from 4 kg to 20 kg, catering for any fitness level or exercise. Flexible, challenging, adaptable and limited only by your imagination, the VIPR has over 9000 different types of exercises and these vary from strength to reconditioning or performance based, so there is something there for everyone’s fitness level to choose from.

Enjoying such variety, the ViPR is ideal for those who find exercise routines repetitive, or those looking to continually challenge their bodies through a more holistic approach to exercise. Using the different weight ranges from the 4kg through to the 20kgThrough the weight range, levels of fitness can be continually improved through upping the ante or improve tone and fitness of arms and legs through lifting, resistance and more.

Those who are already using ViPR as a regular within their fitness training across a wide cross section of the sport and fitness community are reporting better strength, flexibility and importantly, a reduction in the risk of movement related injuries. The ViPR can be thrown, dropped, dragged, lifted and more, offering a great way for people or all different levels of fitness and sport participation to tailor it’s use to their unique needs. It is also safe for the kids too. Through its adjustable weight, multiple uses and rubber material, as well as its ability to be used as anything from a medicine ball through to a speed ladder to a dumbbell makes it a must have inclusion to teenage fitness programs and training for organized sports.

The ViPR offers a range of solutions to meet your fitness needs, without complicated jargon or pages upon pages of time consuming study.

As a product with such application to fitness and sport and such flexibility in use as part of its design, it isn’t hard to see why the ViPR was voted the #1 workout in the UK for 2010. It is already making headway into the gyms and homes of countless fitness enthusiasts worldwide and is set to revolutionize workouts for young and old alike.

Our country is surrounded by water. We live with it and need it to sustain everything in everyday life. The majority of our body is also composed of water and this provides vital cooling and heating properties, filtration and purification.

Our history sees us as an active country traditionally performing well and dominating in most water activities.

Water exercise is fast becoming a tool utilised by all people in some shape or form. Today we will focus on the benefits of Deep Water Training and who is using it.

Aqua training is widely used by many groups of people. It is seen as a way to achieve general fitness and strength, increase cardio output and assist in the rehabilitation of injury. Quite often you can turn on the sports report and there are the team sports using water as a recovery session. Deep water training takes this training to the next level, where it combines all aspects of fitness but provides the other 2 main ingredients, variety and fun.

Deep water is a great alternative to use for training especially when there is a shortage of space in the shallow end where predominantly swimming lessons take place.

Deep water emphasises the following properties:
•  Drag
•  Resistance
•  Buoyancy
•  Gravity
•  Change in direction

Using these principles we can conduct a full body workout and no matter who your clients are, get great results.

The benefits of Deep-Water Training apply to all groups of people including athletes, injured undergoing rehabilitation and general population from children to elderly.

This exercise is non-impact and increases CV output with no muscle soreness. It increases our flexibility and range of movement and allows us to do movements efficiently that we may not be able to do on land. The water also allows us to break down key sports skills so we can retrain or perform the exercise under competition simulated conditions without the impact repetition.

Deep-water training is one of the best forms of exercise to retrain the proprioceptors for correct range of movement and is ideal for progressing clients onto the strength phase after injury. When we injure ourselves, our Golgi tendons and stretch reflex actions are lost and quite often there is muscle wastage around the supporting joint. By stimulating the muscles through the range of movement in deep water, we can accomplish full range of motion sooner without the worry of continuous impact and further injury or swelling.

Our elderly and overweight clients are highly suited to this type of training because it is not intimidating. The majority of these clients find it hard to do regular exercise because there are often issues with balance, impact on joints and elevated heart rates. This makes it difficult for them to sustain exercise for long periods of time. This group quite often has other medical issues that will affect their exercise levels and these are minimised by utilising the water principles.

For our athletes continuous repetitions under load in competition conditions can create overloads and stress on the joints. Deep water allows us to slow the movements down analyse technique in a simulated environment, correct technique flaws and provide variety in training programs.

Deep water training uses buoyancy belts for the best results, as it adds intensity through all ranges of motion with the drag, resistance buoyancy and change in direction. However the exercises can be done without any equipment.

Overall, whether you are looking at a challenge for your clients, focusing on rehabilitation for strength and range of movement, or just a bit of fun and variety, Deep Water Training is a low cost alternative that can provide an extra revenue stream for groups or Personal Trainers.

So what are you waiting for? Get down to your local pool, try some deep water training and find out why “Water Works for all!”

By Ken Baldwin
International & National Presenter
President of the IDEA Water Committee