Building strength and stamina is the priority of the exercise portion of our program.
Building strength to us, is practicing the simple movements that the average adult can typically perform to help maintain the strength and muscles needed for these movements.
Stamina to us is being able to repeatedly perform these basic movements in combination with cardio exercises while maintaining good technique..
And being able to recover quickly enough after a set of exercises or duration or work.
When a client has learned the major movements that build the foundation of our program, they would join our group class where we train with these major movements and variations of them.
The Major movements are Squats, Hip Hinge, Single Leg, Pull upper body (backward, downward, upward, Push upper body (forward, upward, downward), core (torso raise, leg raise, rotation, lateral, stability, posterior).
The video below shares the first day of our 6 week cycle where each day has certain major movements as the focus.
Overview for the day
Our clients can see this overview the night before so they can mentally prepare for the workout.
They can think about what movements they can do and what movements they might need to substitute with a modification to fit their fitness capability.
Main Objective for the day
Stretching and warming up is the first thing clients learn during our beginner's program because this is a great way to assess how might certain muscle groups feel..
And to loosen up tightness that was built up up to this point in their day.
The objective for this day is both Strength and Stamina.
The main movement patterns for this day is Deadlift (Hip Hinge) + Pull up (upper body Pull downward) + Burpee/Push up (upper body push forward) + core leg raise + core stable
A) Mobility / Activation
Even after the warm up and stretching before class, the class practices a few specific exercises to prepare for the movements that day.
Sled push - to get the blood flowing, especially in the lower body to prepare for Deadlift and overall body warming up
Cat camel - activate and loosen up the muscles near the spine
90 90 - create mobility in the hips
Standing Samson Hamstring stretch - stretch the hip flexors and hamstrings
When lifting heavier weights, starting off the higher repetitions with lighter weights of those specific movements is always good practice like you see for the deadlift, bent over row, and floor press/ push up.
B) Workout
The first part of our workout this day prioritized Strength
Members had 14 minutes to complete the exercises below.
Do one set of 12 Deadlifts.. Then 6-10 Pull ups.. Then do 10 Deadlifts with a heavier weight.. and so on..
For this day we kept the same weight for the 8-8-8 of deadlifts
C) Stamina
This was the Stamina section of the workout and was the assessment to improve these combination of exercises.
The goal was to complete 5 sets of the 3 movements below within 10 minutes but our members know not compromise safety for the workout.
Each member was instructed to move at a consistent and manageable pace for the first half to 3/4 of the workout and give it a good push toward the end.
D) Core
Some days we incorporate core into the workout and some days it's separated like this day.
Members continuously performed the knee raise for 30 seconds.
Then held the knee raise or V-sit for the follow 30 seconds.
And finally rested 30 seconds before completely 4 total sets of this section.
Cool down
We end the day with a Cooldown walk or cardio of choice and a select group of stretches.
Members are encouraged to move and stretch throughout the day after the workout to promote blood flow and recovery of the worked muscles and body parts.
This can seem like a lot at first glance but as members review the workouts ahead of time and get used to the exercises..
It's a smooth transition of warming up, working hard and cooling down to be on the rest of your day.