Swedish ViPR trainer Maria Karlbom Andersson explains how she uses ViPR to help special populations to move better.

FitPro: So, Maria, what inspired you to pursue a career in fitness?

Maria Karlbom Andersson: Originally, I come from the IT business world, but I got really sick and burnt out from too much work and too little exercise, sleep and healthy food. I had a really bad work-life balance!

I got tired of this and started to change my life. I weighed 105kg, my blood pressure was through the roof and my rheumatism gave me a lot of pain. I started with easy walks and eating better. My sleep got better, as well as my health markers. It took me about two and a half years to land at a healthier weight and then I started lifting weights, dancing Zumba and jogging. I left the IT world and trained to become a personal trainer.

I started my own business in order to help people like me to become healthier. I suffer myself from disc herniation in my cervical spine and I have titan plates in my cervical spine. I also have psoriasis, arthritis and Sjögrens Syndrome. I work with all kinds of people, from young to older, those from special populations, men and women, and so on. It’s important for me to work in a holistic and inclusive way, no matter who you are or where you come from.

I love a great workout, regardless of whether it’s barbell deadlifts, a nice and smooth ViPR Mobility and Flow session or a great run. I also compete in Hyrox, just for fun, and I also run a lot of races, for fun, together with my husband, with whom I have three children. I also love cooking, eating and long walks in nature – and taking naps! It’s great for the mind!

FP: Tell us a bit more about some of the conditions your clients have.

MKA: Many of my clients suffer from back pain, especially low back pain. I have clients who are born with spina bifida and need special treatment, both physically and mentally. I also have a lot of clients who suffer from frozen shoulder, fatigue and work-life balance challenges.

FP: Have you had to do extra training to work with some of these conditions?

MKA:I read a lot of studies and have a great network of trainers I can learn from and exchange knowledge with. I also follow the

I’ve been to Tempe, Arizona in the United States to learn from Dr Todd Garcia about the human body. I also always strive to be better, learn more and to stay humble.

FP: How long have you been using ViPR in your toolkit and what were your first impressions of ViPR?

MKA: I’ve been using ViPR since 2015 when I started my own business, Happy Training by MKA, and I loved it from the beginning!

FP: Why is ViPR a good fit with your clients?

MKA:They are easy to use; in fact, they are more comfortable to use than barbells and dumbbells and so on. Everyone can benefit from ViPR, no matter if you are a professional hockey player or a special populations client, young or older, or just someone who wants to train for a better and healthier life.

ViPR also takes the drama out of training by being simple to hold, to move and to lift, etc.

FP: What activities/exercises/outcomes does ViPR allow you to achieve with your clients that other tools cannot provide?

MKA:ViPR has an inherent smoothness in the way it can move in various angles, speeds, ranges and with different techniques. ViPR really helps the client to move better.

FP: What sizes of ViPR do you have for these activities and does size matter?

MKA:I have all the sizes from 4kg to 12kg. We mostly use the 6kg ViPR as the size of it makes it really nice to handle for my particular clients over the larger 12kg ViPR.

FP: What are the limitations you need to consider when designing programmes for this demographic?

MKA:ViPR isn’t as common in Sweden, so that can be a barrier for me to learning more, but I try to be creative and focus on what the clients need and the ViPR movement will follow. I also get a lot of inspiration from great and inspiring trainers on social media.

FP: Can you please include some real-life examples of working with your clients?

MKA:Sure! Thomas, who is 50 years old, came to me wanting to move better, become pain free and to feel better overall. Thomas had some real troubles with his back, especially the lower back. He felt – and was – very stiff and afraid of moving, especially forward folding. We started with some ViPR movements in all three movement planes (sagittal/frontal/rotational), just some easy stuff to create a sense of security and a good feeling. We got some great responses from the body and we could begin to use some heavier loading – still using ViPR for mobility and flow in the body.

Maria, who is 40 years old, was born with spina bifida in her upper back, by the shoulder blades, and wanted to become stronger and more capable in her daily life. We usually work out in seated positions, due to lack of balance, and always with ViPR movements to get some better movement in her spine and also for her shoulders and neck. A year ago, Maria had a stroke and we had to start over in some ways and ViPR was really great for this. Maria was used to ViPR; she felt safe due to its form and the way you can use different grips to hold it.

Here are some videos of Maria, who is born with spina bifida and also had a stroke about one year ago.

Then we have Jessicka who has had several disk hernias and is really struggling with back pain.

I’ve been running several PT small group training sessions over the years with a focus on sustainable health and becoming everyday strong. We often use ViPR and the members just love them! I love to mix some heavier strength movements with, for example, dumbbells or barbells, using ViPR for mobility, stability and fascia flow for the whole body.

I also often use ViPR in various running drills, both in order to help with balance and for creating ‘disturbance and some chaos’ in the body, where ViPR helps create stability. We also use ViPR for speed drills and offset loaded movements to complement our clients programmes.

Maria Karlbom Andersson: 'My motto and my passion is Happy Training! Exercise should be enjoyable and something to long for! An active lifestyle and sustainable health - with a large portion of joy and common sense - is something I strive for both for myself and my clients. To inspire, challenge and coach is some of the most exciting things I know!'

Web: www.happy-training.se

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