Too often in our industry the fundamentals are pushed to the side. This is due to a focus on intensity for greater work capacity as we seek the most aggressive progressions for achieving quick results. Although intensity is needed and increases in work capacity lead to enhancing fitness levels, it can also lead to detrimental effects if not integrated into training programs as a component of overall enhancement. This approach creates depth within our training programs, leading to not only greater work capacities, but also fundamental ‘gains’ for the movement ability of the body, no matter what the fitness goal may be.

Loaded Movement Training is nothing new. We have all been engaged in this form of training from the time we took our first steps as an infant and picked up an object to move through space. By nature, we begin our ‘fundamental training’ of movement as we transition through our environment with an external resistance (load) in our hand. Whether we started moving across the room with a bucket of our favorite building blocks as a toddler, down the sidewalk with our book bag filled with supplies on our first day of school, or a dumbbell in our hand as we discovered walking lunges during weight training in athletics class, Loaded Movement Training has been an essential part of our lives as we have continued to evolve and become more effective movers. With all of these examples we simply moved and relied on fundamentals, whether we knew it or not. We took steps, we sat down and stood up, we pushed and pulled in multiple ways and directions, all while progressing our ability to move. Movement is a skill and the only way we can expect to enhance it is by moving more often and with greater comprehension of the fundamentals with complex challenges relative to the mover.

For this reason, ViPR HQ has developed the Loaded Movement Training Fundamentals course (LMT-1). Designed to address the fundamentals of Loaded Movement Training and program design associated with our training methodologies, this course will provide all that is needed to give structure and a foundation to properly begin implementing effective training programs specific to LMT with ViPR. True to its title, this is a fundamental start to comprehend basic sciences and exercises for ViPR programs including: Vitality, Performance and Reconditioning. Individuals participating in the Fundamentals course are provided with a programming platform to begin effective implementation of Loaded Movement Training exercises, as well as a programming continuum designed to guide individuals to greater intensity and work capacity as proper movement adaptations are achieved. There is no limitation to the body’s ability to move and therefore we must rely on a fundamental understanding of Loaded Movement Training with ViPR that will lead to limitless opportunities for success within any training environment.

Without eliminating our creative thought or turning our backs on innovative programming in this training space, we should simply keep the fundamentals of Loaded Movement Training as a constant within our programming approach, knowing our ultimate goal is to focus on the overall movement ability and experience of the clients we serve. It is not our position to say that higher intensities, more complex exercises, or greater performance should be avoided, as it is critical to the achievement of fitness goals. However, as professionals, we should seek to comprehend the fundamentals, retain them as part of our training processes, learn from them continuously, and utilize them for the benefit of achieving greater results with our clients over time.

By Jake Duhon, ViPR Global Education Development Manager