I guess it’s a January thing … everybody starts with shouting out their goals and New Year’s resolutions. For those trying to get fitter and healthier this year, the goals are either sports (moving) or nutrition based. 

No Sugar challenge … 100 Burpees challenge … No Alcohol challenge … and the list continues. So I started the No Linear Movement Training challenge with my trainers.

Loaded Movement Training

Now, since 2013 I have been involved with ViPR and, thus, with Loaded Movement Training. And I must say that, from the moment I put ViPR in my PT studio, my clients (and trainers) loved the tool. Not only for all of the science behind it, but mostly because you are only limited by the space around you and your ability to move your body. It just triggers your creativity! We use it in every session, as a  warm-up, movement prep, for mobility work and definitely for the whole-body integration stuff. I’m loving the fact that you work strength, power, mobility and cardio at the same time. And, better yet, I can use the same tool for Homer Simpson, who just started training, as well as Superman, who wants to be the best athlete ever. 

Four Quadrant Model

Anyone who has done a ViPR course knows about the Four Quadrant Model (Q4) by Michol Dalcourt and how he added a new dimension to our traditional way of thinking about training. No matter if you’re training for Vitality, Performance or Reconditioning, adding Loaded Movement Training will get you safer and quicker to reaching your goals.

Each one of these quadrants represents a different style of training, and all four styles have great benefits for a specific goal. Using all four quadrants is critical to making a well-balanced training protocol.

As with all the above challenges, the truth is most of the time somewhere in the middle. Doing one of these challenges for a long time will limit you for a lot of other factors. So my intention with my trainers is not to get them to only train in Q4, but to trigger their creativity and start their search for knowledge and skills with ViPR and Loaded Movement Training.

Challenge

So here we go … For 30 days I want my trainers to have one session a day with a client without any linear movements; that’s your classic resistance training like the squats, deadlifts, bench press, curls, etc. But also no walking/running (straight forward), rowing, cross trainer, or cycling for more than 30 seconds.

So, they vary it with the clients but every client will get their share of this challenge. And, depending on your trainer(s), this will be easy or a real challenge. 

Progress

Only two weeks into the process and I like what I see. My trainers are competing with each other but also with the clients. We have communicated our challenge to each PT client and we are getting requests to have more sessions. I’m making my trainers do more than one session a day of No Linear Movement Training. 

Warm-ups now involve a balloon and ViPR, warding patterns, ground to standing exercises, tennis balls, etc. Clients are being challenged with different and sometimes complex movements, and even sequences of different movements in a row. The fun level is up and the people are experiencing a new way of training their body – making me a happy bunny!

So, as 2016 has just started, I challenge you to join me and my team and share your findings via the social media channels or email. Also, for inspiration or more knowledge on the topic, please don’t hesitate to contact us. 

Words: 

Jaap Bijsterbosch

please contact us at vipr@fitpro.com.