In the last few days I was going through some strength & conditioning webinars and books and there was this one illustration that truly reflects the way I think we should train and build up our programs.
The Bucket Hierarchy by Brendon Rearick
There are 4 buckets we need to fill in, making sure not to over flow them (over training) or under fill, which means we don't have enough.
So first we need to make sure we MOVE WELL, before we move often, which is the Functional Movement Screen philosophy.
So if I have a limited range of motion at the shoulders, no matter what I do I won't be a good swimmer until I don't fix that mobility problem. If I cannot get my arms over head, I won't be able to paddle the water.
Then comes STRENGTH. Never put strength on top of a dysfunction, so if I struggle with my shoulder mobility, it's not a good idea to press weights over my head. There is a high risk of injury. Most of the time, those people who lack shoulder mobility but do overhead presses, they compensate at the lower back. They need to arch their lumbar spine, putting to much pressure there. So if you don't have good shoulder mobility, but want to press overhead anyway, do me a favour and sit down on a bench with your lower back supported. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't work on that shoulder mobility.
And then comes POWER. We need to have enough strength to absorb force. Without that we won't be able to move explosively and powerful. I guess you've never seen a weak, powerful person. When you have enough training experience and enough strength I recommend to do the explosive exercises always in the first part of your training session. To move fast and powerful, you need to be rested and fresh. My favourite power exercise is the Kettlebell Swing. It really works on your posterior chain, which is very important and you can really feel your whole body working as one unit.
And finally we have our CONDITIONING bucket. Probably some people won't agree here with me. In my opinion it's not a great idea to get fit by running, you need to be fit to run. Why? Because if you don't work on your movement first, probably there will be flaws in your gait cycle (e.g. turning your feet out or knees inward...). 60% of the people who start running on their own get injured sooner or later. You also need to have strength to absorb the ground and you need to have power to force energy and propel yourself forward. And conditioning is repeating power output over and over again. Not mentioning your heart rate. If you start getting fit by running, your heart rate will be to high, putting your heart at risk.
Always find the smart ways to get fit and always plan in long term. Being fit and healthy should be a way of living, not a 3-month goal. Choose exercises which suit you and always try to improve your movements and posture.
If you have any question or need help with your training program, do not hesitate to contact me.
תגובות