Have you thought about your fitness routine?
Ok, if you work out, you’ve probably thought about what class you’re going to next or when you’re going to get your next run in. But have you REALLY thought about WHY you’re going to that class or on that run?
Does it fit into your schedule?
Are you really good at that particular form of exercise?
Did someone tell you to do it?
I think about this a lot, especially when planning workouts and programs, but I came across a Facebook post the other day that really made me think more and get a little deeper.
Dr. Kathy Dooley is a chiropractor in New York City in a gym she co-owns called Catalyst SPORT. She is an anatomy instructor at two NYC medical schools. Her resume is absurd (you can see it here: www.drdooleynoted.com), but it also includes an SFG and a CKFMS. She knows her stuff, she’s smart, and she has a really clever blog that always makes me think.
Enough about my lady-crush on Dr. Dooley =)
Anyway, her most recent post was about who she sees as patients and this is what she said:
“Fitness is about moving well and then building stability and strength on a solid foundation.
But I rarely see this in a group fitness class.
I see people setting themselves up for discomfort.
I see people who are too flexible going to more yoga classes to stretch even more.
I see people who usually carry around a 20-lb handbag or 30-lb toddler, now lifting a 2-lb pink dumbbell as they sweat to some hip-hop music.
I see people who sit on the transit, just to sit at work all day, to sit on the train to the gym – to take a spin class – where they are sitting again.
I see faulty pushups, lazy crunches, and overhead pressing with immobile shoulders.
But I’m not watching their classes.
I see them in my office, getting treatment for their pain.
The problem with the class is that it’s not individualized for the needs of the client.”
She goes on to talk about how people do what they’re best at and end up getting better at those things, worse at the things they avoid, and more often than not, injured due to the lack of balance in their training. And she talks about personal and semi-personal training and how those two methods might be better for you.
We run group fitness classes, so why promoting a blog that’s criticizing the very thing we promote?
Well, for one, we do offer small group personal training as well, if that’s something you’re interested in.
But I’m also bringing this us because I think our group fitness classes different.
For one, our classes are small (up to 12 people, max) and we focus on FORM!
I know that is sometimes frustrating to people first trying us out.
Why do they care if I squeeze my glutes when I swing? I just want to sweat?!
We care because we want you to continue to train! We want you to get the most from your training session. And if you’re not squeezing your glutes at the top of the swing, you’re not protecting your back, your glutes aren’t getting the workout they could get, you’re not getting the power and therefore the cardio from the swing you should, and you’re going to leave without getting the most out of your training.
Our classes are great overall fitness for everyone. We have strength-based classes, cardio-based classes and we hit all body parts. And we cycle these classes around so no matter what days you decide to come, if you come for a month, you get a really great balance in your training.
In a later post, I’m going to talk more about why WE do what we do, so for now, take a couple days to think about your training regimen and why you make the choices you’re making with your training.
-Val
Train Smart. Be Strong. Live Balanced.
