Are you training your body or just your muscles? We look into the latest trend in fitness:

movement-based training functional

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The trends

H e a v y w e i g h t l i f t i n g a n d f i x e d m a c h i n e t r a i n i n g a r e b e c o m i n g t h i n g s o f t h e p a s t

The fitness industry is in a constant state of flux, always on the lookout for the next best thing. In the late 70’s, it was the era of barbells and dumbbells. Body builders who later became larger-than-life superstars like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone were the pioneers of the era. Come the 80’s, the fitness industry, in an attempt to appeal to the fairer sex, spurred the growth of aerobics while ushering in a decade of at-home workouts – Jane Fonda, leg warmers, headbands anyone? In the 90’s, machines invaded the market with high-tech isolation exercise machines gaining huge popularity. The whole industry took an entirely new turn in the early 2000’s when it was found that working out muscles in isolation wasn’t effective for everyday fitness. Fitness science pointed toward more effective forms of exercise such as high intensity interval training and functional training like Crossfit and Boot Camps. Now the latest trend to hit the industry is known as movement based training (also called dynamic movement and functional movement), with celebrities such as Hugh Jackman and Sylvester Stallone incorporating it into their routines. “The reason we do all that movement is because Hugh’s in his early 40s now and he needs to be agile and be able to move and react quickly on set.” Says Michael Ryan, Jackman’s personal trainer. “A lot of his time, he’s on wires and he’s asking his body to do things that some twenty year olds would struggle to do, but because of the way he trains he exceeds at them.”

The trends

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What is movement-based training?

U s i n g f u n c t i o n a l m o v e m e n t s t o i m p r o v e o v e r a l l s t r e n g t h , f l e x i b i l i t y a n d a g i l i t y

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What is movement-based training? Movement-based training uses the body’s natural movement patterns to improve functional strength, aerobic and anaerobic capability. It’s about training the body in a way that’s complementary to its design. While exercise in isolation helps build those all-for-show, beach body muscles, it’s been proven that movement-based training is far more effective at improving overall fitness and strength. The other key component to movement-based training is that it challenges you in the three planes of motion leading to a more balanced workout. Most traditional exercise programs focus on only one plane, the sagittal plane (front to back), while the other planes are sorely neglected: the frontal plane (side to side) and transverse (rotation) planes.

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The benefits

G a i n i n c r e a s e d f u n c t i o n a l s t r e n g t h a n d m o b i l i t y i n t h e g y m t o u s e i n e v e r y d a y l i f e

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Thought to be at least 50% more effective than fixed machine training, while providing the perfect blend of aerobic and anaerobic exercise, the benefits of movement-based training are numerous. Not only is this form of training scientifically proven to help increase muscle activation and accelerate weight loss, it also enhances performance in life in general. As all exercises are fully functional, a person’s day-to-day strength, flexibility and agility inevitably improve. So, be it walking the dog, carrying a toddler or simply unloading heavy groceries, movement-based training will make these daily tasks feel easier than ever.

The benefits

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How to do it

T h e r e a r e c o u n t l e s s w a y s t o i n t r o d u c e m o v e m e n t - b a s e d t r a i n i n g i n t o y o u r r o u t i n e

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How to do itHere are some tools that can help you incorporate movement-based training into your fitness lifestyle: ViPR are durable portable tubes that are used to mimic loaded movement. They were inspired by the heavy loads that farmers carry in day-to-day life, resulting in what many refer to as ‘farm strength’. You can buy a ViPR tube for home use or use them at gyms like Fitness First.

Suspension training uses a system of ropes and webbing called a “suspension trainer” to allow the user to work against their own body weight while doing movement based exercises. The most popular brands being TRX and Rip60, with many gyms now providing group classes on how to use them.

Kettlebells are a cast-iron or steel weight (resembling a cannonball with a handle) used to perform ballistic exercises. It’s a big component in Crossfit and Strength & Conditioning gyms. You can purchase Kettlebells for home use or get some kettlebell training in at most commercial gyms.

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Group-up

You often get the best results while training with others

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If classes or group training are more your thing, Fitness First offers Freestyle™ Group Training that is based on their Dynamic Movement Training (which is similar to Movement based training). Classes are 30 minutes long and programming is based around the primal movement pattern philosophy of squat, lunge, bend, push, pull and twist movements – 3 dimensional multi-plane exercises. Their classes are:

HIIT: Exercises that work at high intensity and pace. Maximise your output and elevate the heart.

Power: Exercises that focus on fast-pace movements with heavy resistance. Works the whole body and enhances athletic performance.

Strength: Exercises that focuses on strength-based loads. Builds total body functional strength, muscular endurance, and promotes lean muscle mass with strength-based loads.

So the next time you’re at the gym, ask yourself are you training your body or are you just training your muscles?

Group-up

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