In the last 6 months I have seen a change in the way people are training and how gymnasiums are being equipped. This change is the biggest revolution since the introduction of electronic cardiovascular equipment into the Fitness Centre and it’s the new game changer. In my 19 years of strength and conditioning experience, the last half a year has been the most exciting.
Dumbells are being pushed to the side and kettlebells are replacing them. Non-slip rubber matting is replacing carpet. Chin-up apparatus is taking the place of latpulldown machines. Fitness Centres are becoming real places to train again and less of a place to put on false mirror muscles. Fitness is fun and everyone is challenging themselves with innovative training programs, exercises and equipment.
In the 1990’s the buzz was “functional fitness”, but we have moved beyond that. Prehab has replaced rehab and weaknesses are being attacked rather than avoided.
What are the future improvements from here? I can quickly identify two:
1. Understanding and utilising rest.
You wouldn’t buy a racehorse, flog it week-in, week-out and then expect it to win races would you? But this is what many trainers are doing – expecting their clients to get a personal best each week, train so hard that they collapse or have delayed muscle soreness for a week. Start to train and not drain. Smart trainers employ periodisation steps and put unloading weeks into programs. At the moment I can’t see many people doing this.
2. Technique enhancement
The best trainers accept nothing less than perfect when it comes to technique. It’s the foundation we build upon and if it’s not right from the start your clients are training toward an injury. The best trainers understand everyone will have their own personal variations to the way they lift, push and pull, but the basics such as solid foot support, a strong posterior chain, concentration and correct breathing apply to everyone.
The elite trainers knows it takes over 10 times the number of repetitions to unlearn something – so they get it right in the first place with constant reinforcement of correct technique.
Not doing these things yet? Risk being left behind if you don’t.
Dr. Aaron Anderson
Sport Scientist & Osteopath
somaosteo.com.au
I agree that it is a very exciting time to be involved in re-shaping and educating in this most important field of somatic awareness and exploration.
Many thanks,
Mark