FUNCTIONAL TRAINING
Being able to get on and off of the floor is an important skill we may take for granted until it actually becomes difficult for us. In fact, inability to get on and off the floor is related to risk of falling. There is a functional assessment test, the Sit to Rise Test, which looks at a person’s ability to sit on the floor criss-cross style and rise back up again, including how they perform this task. The test is out of 10 points; you get 5 points if you are able to sit without using any support (hand, forearm, knee, or side of leg) and 5 points if you are able to rise without using any support. One point is subtracted for use of each support.
There is a study from 2012 that has gotten a good amount of attention over the years regarding this Sit to Rise test. A Brazilian physician and researcher in exercise and sports medicine found that participants with a score in the low range (0-3), had an associated 6-fold higher all-cause mortality. This is a rather drastic, and perhaps anxiety-inducing conclusion, as it indicates that your ability to perform this test well is associated with your lifespan. There were, however, limitations to this study, including the fact that correlation does not equal causation – for example, having a bad knee or shoulder does not mean that you are going to die soon.
So what is the take away? If you cannot perform the Sit and Rise Test with a perfect 10, do not fear; chances are it does not predict your eminent death. However, it is never too late to start practicing. If the method used in the Sit to Rise Test is too difficult or painful to perform now, try performing it in a different way that feels more comfortable and appropriately challenging, such as moving onto your side, then hands and knees, then kneeling, then standing. With practice, you can improve the ease with which you perform it, how many times you can perform it, and how you comfortable you feel performing it. Being able to lift and control your own body weight, which is at the heart of functional movement, is a vital life skill not only for safety, but pleasure.
To learn more about functional movement, including how to improve yours and incorporate it into your workouts, check out my blog on Functional Movement!
According to the fitness world, there are 7 “Functional Movements”: Squat, Lunge, Hinge/Bend, Push, Pull, Twist, & Walk/Carry. However, functional movements are not limited to these - any movement that involves the whole body moving in ways that mimic everyday things we do is considered functional. To learn more about functional movement, including how to improve yours and incorporate it into your workouts, check out my blog on Functional Movement!
As discussed in the previous post, there are considered to be 7 Functional Movements in the fitness world. As a physical therapist and martial artist, I incorporate these movements, as well as some of other movement patterns including rolling, crawling, step up/downs, and hopping/jumping.
Laura is demonstrating a side plank and 2 progressions of a standard side plank. A side plank is a great core exercise that engages not only the abdominals, but also the scapular stabilizers and hip & gluteal muscles.
These are a couple of my favorite whole body core exercises using a physioball: ball curls in front plank on foam, and hamstring curls in bridge position
Tony is performing knee taps in extended plank on a BOSU ball. This is a great whole body core exercise. If you don’t have a BOSU ball, you can perform it on a chair resting against a wall (so it doesn’t slide), or directly on the floor. Tony is performing the exercise with ankle weights for increased challenge.
These are a couple more of my favorite whole body core exercises: front plank on foam with hip extension, and extended plank with rows with a weight.
According to US Department of Health and Human Services, adults should get 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week. It is important to get both cardiovascular and strengthening exercise, as both are necessary for your health and function. Movement gets your blood flowing and improves mobility of joints and soft tissues, which can feel like natural body lubrication.
Do you know what counts as moderate intensity exercise? According to the Center for Disease Control, it is exercising at an intensity that gets your heart rate up to 50-70% of your heart rate max (HRmax).
Do you know how to calculate your HRmax? When you're performing moderate intensity exercise, you should have a light sweat, and be able to speak sentences but not carry out a full conversation. Vigorous intensity exercise is getting your heart rate up to 70-85% of your HRmax. When you're performing vigourous intensity exercise, you should be fully sweating and not able to speak more than a word or two at a time. DM me or visit www.brainbodysynergy.com to learn more about how to get the right type of exercise for you!
Weight-bearing exercise helps promote improved bone density, and we predominantly weight-bear through our legs with our daily activities. An alternative or precursor to push-ups that involves weight-bearing through the arms is weight shifting on hands. You can perform on a bench or table to make it easier, or on the floor to make it harder. A progression of this exercise is adding shoulder taps, which involves single arm weight-bearing.
Double time! Having trouble finding time to fit your workout in? Workouts don’t have to be long to be effective - the important thing is to get your heart rate up for a sustained time, even small, and keep that body moving throughout the day!
This video may be in fast forward, and it’s important to get your body moving and heart rate up, but slow, controlled movement is also important. It helps improve your motor control, muscle endurance, and brain body synergy! 🧠
Do you know why is it so important to move and get your heart rate up? Increasing your heart rate trains your body to move oxygen and blood to your muscles more efficiently, which helps your muscles use that fuel more economically. It’s also linked to improving metabolism including glucose regulation. Exercise is medicine!
Laura is demonstrating an exercise that's not only good for core and scapular stability, but also the bones in your upper body, as it is weight-bearing, which helps promote bone growth.
Exercise isn’t just good for your brain, it’s good for your bones! Like muscle, bone is living tissue that responds to exercise by becoming stronger. Weight-bearing and resistance exercises are the best types of exercise to promote bone density. Weight-bearing exercises force you to work against gravity. For the lower body, weight-bearing exercises include walking, hiking, jogging, climbing stairs, dancing, and jumping activities, such as jumping jacks, which can also improve bone density in the spine. For the upper body, weight-bearing exercises include push-ups and planks. Resistance exercises include lifting weights or using resistance bands, and exercises that involve controlling your own body weight, such as pull-ups. Squats & lunges (lower body) and dips (upper body) are examples of exercises that are both weight-bearing and resistive. Check out my blog on Bones to learn more about how cool bones are and ways to improve their health!
I get asked daily is stretching important? The short answer is yes! Stretching can improve your range of motion & flexibility, and improve your function. It also feels good, especially once you get into a habit of doing it. There are several types of stretching, but the 2 types I am highlighting are Dynamic Stretching & Static Stretching. Watch the video below to learn more tips on stretching!
