Fitness Center Machines

Fitness Center Machines

 

 

People of all ages purchase memberships to their local gyms in order to gain strength and improve function.  However, is the fitness center training equipment optimal to gain strength and function?  While functional movement requires stability, balance and control at multiple joints simultaneously, most of the gym machines restrict motion to one joint and provide an external, "artificial" stability throughout the movement.  

The Smith Machine stabilizes the body so that you do not have to control the descent/ascent in any other direction but up and down.  Forward and Backward sway is limited and controlled by the machine.  This minimizes proprioceptive integration when training

 

The Smith Machine for Bench Press helps develop the chest.  However the shoulder stabilizers are not working optimally during this movement because the stability is provided by the machine. So you gain pectoral strength without foundational stability

Same as the Bench Press, the machine takes over for the shoulder and scapula stabilizers as you are only moving the weight up and down.  You are not responsible for lateral or anterior/posterior control of the weight

The Leg Extension Machine helps develop the Quadriceps Muscles.  However there is little  carryover into functional tasks such as getting up from a chair.  And if you do not line your knee joint up with the machine's axis of rotation, you are just asking for a knee injury.

 

 To improve function and athleticism, your goal is to mimic the required activity as closely as possible.  Avoid single joint movements in which the stability is provided by an external machine.  You want to maximize proprioception and body awareness by controlling your own balance, movement and stability at multiple joints.

"The Good Go To Heaven, The Bad Go To Hell"

When working with a client status post hip, knee or ankle surgery, we must ensure that they will be safe when they are moving around in their home.  Many people have stairs that they will need to navigate to enter or exit their home or to move from one floor to the next.  Initially, they may have too much pain when fully weight-bearing on the surgical leg.  So we use the saying "The Good Go To Heaven, and The Bad Go To Hell" in order to explain that the "good" or stronger leg goes up first upon ascending the stairs, while the "Bad" or weaker leg goes down first, upon descending the stairs.  Basically, the stronger leg is in control of the body weight completely when ascending as well as descending the stairs.  It does the work of controlling the body safely up and down while the weaker, surgical leg goes along for the ride.  Many patients/clients receive home care treatments immediately following their surgery and may receive therapy for up to 2 months.  I have seen these patients many times towards the end of their 2 months, and when I ask them to show me how they climb stairs, they continue to perform the task with "The Good Go To Heaven, and The Bad Go To Hell" strategy.  I think many times, as therapists, we get so caught up in educating a patient to perform this task the safest way possible, that we never progress them to the next step.  As therapists, it should be our goal to get our patient/client as close to their prior activity level as safely possible.  There is nothing wrong with being safe, and advising our patients to perform stair-climbing this way.  However, when they no longer have us by their side, what happens if they accidentally forget and try to go up or down the stairs using the weaker leg to control their body weight?  They never practiced the technique this way while we were with them because we were so intent on doing it the "safest way."  We actually limited their functional improvment by 'protecting' them so much.  In general, the #1 most important thing is to be safe.  But we also want to challenge, progress and move forward.  If your patient/client independently climbs stairs using the "Good go, Bad go" rule, begin strengthening the surgical leg in the same manner so that they are symmetrical, safe and confident if they ever need to use it (Do this as long as their doctor allows full weight bearing on the surgical leg, of course).  Remember, if they didn't have to think about it before, you do not want them to have to think about it now.  Do not fall into the routine of doing the same treatment day in and day out.  Challenge your patient/client and take them to the next level.

More on Core Stability and A Dyna-Core Circuit

Scroll Down for Video Clip:


Definitions:
Static: Fixed; no movement or change
Dynamic: Continuous and productive activity or change (for our purposes, regarding the dynamic plank, this relates to the extremities; and for the dynamic uppercut, this relates to the spinal segments)
Mobility: Motion
Stability: Ability to withstand sudden change or deterioration...With the exercises shown, engaging the core withstands deterioration of spinal "control", thus avoiding injury

Static Stability: Maintain a neutral lumbar spine with no extremity motion
Dynamic Stablity Level 1: Maintain a neutral lumbar spine with extremity motion; the core withstands force exerted by the extremities
Dynamic Stability Level 2: Maintain a "stable", engaged core and lumbar spine with movement of the extremities and the spine...the spinal segments are moving with "control" (Controlled Mobility)

Goal:
To teach your client to engage their core throughout small and large movement patterns in order to increase coordination, efficiency and strength as well as decrease their risk of injury. 

Learn to maintain control throughout the full available range of motion, not just at mid range where the muscle is strongest.

Why the diagonal movement patterns???
Because functional movement is rarely in straight plane, but rather in diagonal directions.  Spiral and diagonal motions target the nervous system in order to maximize body awareness, proprioception and kinesthesia.  The better and "cleaner" we become at these movements, the more efficient we will be on the playing field or throughout everyday life.  A football player may be able to bench press 500 pounds, but if he can not effectively and efficiently move in and out of a lunge position, how "strong" is he???

This Circuit incorporates diagonal patterns with squatting, lunging and reaching activities.  It will also get you to break a sweat....Full Spectrum Fitness!!!  Pay attention to the 3 exercises in the clip.  What is being targeted?
CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mNxq5VJKxQ

Dyna-Core Training: Core Stabilization Progressions

     We have all heard that "A house is only as strong as its foundation."  Well, similarly, our bodies are only as strong as our core stability/strength.  Without core stability, we would not even be able to walk.  In Physical Therapy and Personal Training, we teach our clients how to engage their core during various activities.  Static Stabilization is trained with minimal to no body movement (Static Plank).  Exercises which incorporate extremity movement while continuing to maintain a neutral spine are an example of Dynamic Stabilization (Dynamic Plank).  Unfortunately in every day life, we are required to not only maintain an engaged core while moving our extremities, but are also performing tasks that require the spine to transition in and out of the neutral position.  If we do not learn how to maintain an engaged core throughout our spine's available range of motion (Controlled Mobility/Stability), injury is inevitable. 
     Dyna-Core Training focuses on "Controlled Mobility Training."  You are not just going through the 'exercise motions' in hopes to break a sweat and burn calories.  You are becoming more efficient in functional movement patterns.  This is "Purposeful Training." 
     Going through Physical Therapy School, we were taught that a good therapist has "many tools in his/her toolbox."  A certain technique may work great on one client but not at all on another client.  So we must learn as many techniques, treatments, exercises, modalities, etc as possible in order to maximize results, improve retention and reduce boredom.  One tool that I have found to assist in enhancing this "Controlled Mobility Training" takes advantage of the Nabard Fitness System Devices.  Please watch the video for more details.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DD96ukM1bo