One of the biggest causes of injury is when an individual begins working out without proper form and control.

Clients will either push too hard right out of the gate or start with improper exercise selection based on their lack of ability to actually contract the muscles being targeted. These are the most avoidable injuries with some proper coaching on joint motions and exercise selection.

All of our clients at Fitness-Tek, regardless of age, skill level, fitness level, hair color and health goals start with isometric exercises in various forms. From Muscle Activation Techniques to varying degrees of intensity isometrics. These tools lay the foundation for a successful fitness program.

Why though? Why such a strong stance on a slow safe start to fitness??

It's simple! 

A person cannot actively contract a muscle in a dynamic movement, such as a squat, without being able to control individual pieces of that movement, ie. individual muscles.  Now, I   didn't say they can not squat, they simply are not going to use the muscle they intend to use UNLESS they have control of the muscle separate from and prior to the squat motion.

At best, they will reinforce a potentially damaging movement pattern developed to deal with their inability to contract individual muscles in the movement they are asking of the body. Without the control, at best they are creating a better exercise cheater if you will.  Easy to do, but it has a short shelf life. They will break down the joints and muscles as the load progresses, leaving them weaker and more broken then prior to the exercise.

The Fitness-Tek team is not willing to take an unsafe and rushed approach.

We have your best interest in mind when we tell you not to get off the table until you have earned that privilege.  To earn the privilege, you guessed it, you've gotta be able to squeeze the daylights out of each muscle we ask you to squeeze.

See, most Trainers and Therapists are not in this game long, the game of fitness, and often never get to see the results their training has on their past clients' bodies. If you are in this industry long enough and maintain a good relationship with your clients as we do, you will get a glimpse of just how damaging the workout you create for them can be.

I cringe every time I see one my past clients from when I had just started personal training, hoping this won't be the one that tells me they need a hip or knee or fusion somewhere.  It has not happened yet, BUT when I started as a personal trainer, the things we did to people bodies back then gives me goosebumps. It is not what I would call a sustainable training program. Thankfully, I have great relationships with my clients and all of them have been able to reverse any damage caused during the years before MAT, RTS and us actually caring about the long-term impact on their bodies.

Those days are behind us now, thank goodness!

As you embark on your fitness journey or continue your conquest, I cannot stress enough the importance of having a coach to get you started and guide you through the process. This even applies to those you that have started exercising already.  It is not too late to get your movements down and lay a good foundation. Listen, you can either lay a foundation now, where you are in your progress and continue to build, or continue on as you are and risk bringing the entire house down and having to start again.

As always, we are here to help! Tune into Facebook live on Tuesday, May 8th at 12:30 where we will go over this topic and answer any questions you may have.

Yours in Health and Wellness

Kevin Votta

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P.S. Not sure isometrics are for you...stop in! schedule  two free half hour sessions to see how you like this approach. We know you will be hooked and love the results just as much as we do! See you soon!