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The Right Gym for You

Good morning!

There seems to be a new gym opening every week and many of them have some type of unique new approach. Along with the typical gyms, you now have options such as: pure barre, Orange Theory, 9Round, and now a slew of body building competition gyms, and CrossFit gyms continue to thrive. There certainly is no shortage of workout choices.

I think it is awesome that there is an increased number of gyms and that there are unique choices that may attract someone to go to one. There certainly is a varied opinion as to which gym is the best for your getting in shape, but the truth is; all of gyms have great value if you get there and if you are guided in a healthy way.

Strength and cardiovascular training are not only critical but are a must for us. Without them, our physical structure and wellbeing will digress as we age. Our bodies are not static, minute by minute, they are either improving (that run this morning improved your cardio vascular system) or they are weakening (skipping strength training is reducing the strength of your bones).

Not so long ago, the approach to strength training was fairly basic, either free weights or use a machine. These approaches did not prove to be successful for the majority and hence the creation of unique gyms that offered specific structure. The success of the new gyms has been that more people are getting there, but the results have been mixed. Physical therapist will tell you that there has been dramatic increase in injuries since the advent of some of the new gyms and workout trends.

While I think it is great that people are getting motivated by some of the unique gyms that continue to popup, I am also not a fan of a workout of the day that does not take into account of the individuals functional state. Millions of people go to these fairly aggressive gyms and after some initial introduction, begin performing exercises without even knowing if their shoulder, hips, ankles, backs and etc... even have the needed strength or range of motion to perform them properly. This is exactly why physical therapist are busier than ever.

The great news is that our understanding of “functional” has led others in the fitness industry to approach workouts with a more strategic and healthy approach. Understanding “stability & mobility,” as it pertains to the individual has allowed fitness professionals to not only improve a person’s body composition, but to also safely improve their functional movement. It only makes sense that before beginning some type of program we need to understand weaknesses and limitations of movement (stability & mobility), if we want to maximize a workout and prevent injury.

Fitness certification organizations such ACE, NASM and AAFA, all instruct and advocate “functional assessment screening” before beginning any program. That is an important first step, for any successful training program (individual or group). As a running coach and personal trainer, I now better understand the building block approach to helping people get fit on the road and in the gym.

Hope you find a great gym that cares about your “stability & mobility.”

Have a great Sunday and God Bless!

Mike

Coach Mike’s running tip: If you have not run in a while, start out easy and run (or run/walk) for time not distance.