HOME WHY FITNESS ABOUT US FITNESS CONSULTING TRAINING PHILOSOPHY FUNCTIONAL INTEGRATIVE TRAINING "FIT" WHO WE TRAIN OUR SERVICES OUR TRAINERS FITNESS TESTING LOCATIONS CONTACT US RESEARCH FITNESS LINKS FITNESS INDUSTRY CONSULTING WORKOUT GEAR FITNESS EQUIPMENT SPECIAL PROMOTIONS EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES GROUP FITNESS CLASSES DOWNLOAD FORMS PAGE FUNCTIONAL INTEGRATIVE TRAINING (FIT) You must understand the structure of the body in order to train for high level results. The body is a work in progress; it is highly adaptable to a variety of conditions and stresses.   Effective training and movement in general is the result of the interplay of the three movement constants: the body, gravity and the ground. Understanding each of the movement constants independently is one thing, but the real key to successful training programs is to understand how they interact. For example, look at the muscles of the thigh, the hamstrings and the quadriceps. The quads, because of their high pennation angles, large cross-sectional area and short fibers are best used to produce large forces. The hamstrings because of their longer fibers and smaller cross-sectional area are designed to move in a large range of motion at speed. These relatively simple considerations of muscle architecture have huge implications in the selection of exercises to strengthen these muscles to work together to produce efficient movement and improve fitness levels. There is a synergy between systems of the body. The neural, muscular, cardiovascular, and endocrinological (hormonal) systems all work simultaneously, not independently, to help the body maintain a state of homeostasis. To be most effective, the emphasis in personal training must be on the interaction of all the systems of the body. Unfortunately, the common approach now used by the majority of trainers and facilities reinforces the segmentation of the systems. This approach is convenient but not optimal for the improving fitness. If the system is fed faulty motor programs or the nervous system is confused with conflicting input, then output (results) will be faulty. That is the system most operate by in today�s traditional fitness world. The actual output is muscle function which results in movement. This is perhaps the biggest paradigm shift caused by the increased awareness of functional training. The thinking must shift away from isolated muscles to patterns of movement and how the muscles actually function within those patterns. Movement is a complex event that involves synergists, stabilizers, neutralizers, and antagonists all working together to produce efficient movement in all three planes of motion. The cornerstone of functional training is to train movements, not muscles. The muscles are slaves of the brain. The brain does not recognize isolated muscles; it recognizes patterns of movement in response to sensory input from the environment. Training isolated movements (individual muscles) has the potential to create tremendous neural confusion. It may be more convenient to train an individual muscle, but it complicates the process of getting that muscle to work as part of an integrated whole. The transverse plane divides the top and bottom of the body. Rotational movement occurs in this plane. It is probably the most misunderstood and most important of the three planes of motion. It is portrayed as dangerous. But it is not. Rotation and the ability to control rotational forces are essential to efficient injury free movement. From a training standpoint the transverse plane is most important because it involves rotation and is the plane in which most common injuries occur; ankle sprains, ACL tears, and hamstring pulls. Movement occurs in all three planes at the same time. This is the argument against building a training program with the use of machines. Most machines allow movement in only one plane. But the industry wants simplicity and it is certainly more convenient to look at movement in one plane than how it works in real life. When the client starts to "get it", that is evidence of the integration, the feeling for the whole the flow that is produced by movement on all three planes. A better understanding of muscle function allows personal training to be more focused, logical and exact: *Muscle most involved-is the muscle that overcomes resistance and moves a joint through a specified plane of motion. *Contra lateral muscle-works with muscle most involved. *Guiding muscle-helps rule out and control undesired action. *Stabilizing muscle-holds a joint or body part to enable other body parts or joints to move efficiently. Gravity is an essential consideration when designing training programs. All movement occurs in a gravitationally enriched environment. Movement is gravity driven. Movement is a delicate balance yielding to gravity or being able to overcome it. Gravity is relentless. A good portion of the musculature of the body functions to keep the body upright. Aging is an example of gravity winning. If you observe people through their life span they get shorter and begin to stoop over as time goes on. But small interventions of strength training for people in their 70's and 80's have dramatic effects on posture and bone structure. Essentially, strength training in the older population cheats gravity to help overcome the effects of aging. Essentially all movement is interplay between force reduction and force production. When the body is not moving it may appear static, but in actuality the body is in constant motion as it reacts to the force of gravity. One of the main functions of the muscles is to maintain an upright position. Maintenance of this position requires significant integrated activity of the large muscle groups of the body. The third movement constant is the ground. The ground is where we live work and play. A goal of training is to learn to use the ground to our best advantage. The role of the ground in movement is something martial arts practitioners have understood for thousands of years. Human movement in relation to the ground has the following qualities: *Rooted in the feet *Powered by the core *Reflected by the arms *Manifested in the hands The understanding of the movement constants and their interplay and relationship is the biggest step toward understanding and designing personal training programs for our clients. Along with systematic movement analysis models this provides us with the foundational knowledge necessary to design programs in terms of frequency and intensity of effort. For athletes, programs can be designed with high intensity work that raises aerobic capacity without compromising the enhancement of explosive power. Each sport has its own set of training principles and drills that imitate what the athlete needs to perform at the highest function in competition. The goal is to produce the program that is most specific to the goals of the client whether it is general fitness or athletic competition. Todd Mayo U.S. Fitness Group All Images and Content Property of US Fitness Group Inc. (425)223-7169