Well it is another new year that we are blessed to be in. I am super psyched up because I know that this is a good year in terms of health and fitness. New ways of seeking perfection and raising our current standard that our body is in is quite exciting for me.

For this article, I will try to focus on giving my clients a plan to ensure that the whole year you are fully fit and in the least amount of pain as possible. Naturally we tend to forget movement patterns such jumping, squatting, side bending amongst others. However I propose that you try to follow a moderate workout program for a whole year that will guarantee you to have strengthened and well stretched muscles, increased cardio and oxygen intake and mobility of all joints in the body.

For this program, it is divided into four parts namely:

Free active movements and movement patterns.
Aerobic exercises
Strength training.
Play a sport.

Free Active Movement and Movement Pattern

In the first free active movement or movement patterns, one strives to perform a movement as perfect as possible. Now we all know most people are able to do a squat or jumping jacks when they are told to, but how many people are able to perform this movements very well and with ease? Why do we insist on asking you to do these movements are to know the ease or difficulty your joints, ligaments, muscles, nerves and brain patterns are able to combine to perform them. However the muscles and the brain are dependent on each other to function properly.

Explanation

“Repetition equals retention” this is a quote used to describe how movement is recorded in the brain over a number of repetitions. The first time a baby walks he or she always falls, at this instant the brain records that there is a new function done but it doesn’t know exactly how the pattern should be, after about ten to fifty repetitions the brain now understands in detail how the baby should walk because it has registered to the minute details from the muscle which moves and muscle which stabilizes.

As we age, movements such as overhead reach with our arms, squatting, jumping jacks, side bending and sometimes rotation are movements we forget because we do not use them in our day to day activities. These are the movement patterns I would request to start with this month and see whether they are difficult to perform or not. If they are easy to perform then congratulations to you and make sure you continue performing them as regular as possible.

If you are having difficulty performing them then it is time to assess your joint range of motion and muscle strength and length. However small repetitions each day will go a long way to ensure the potency of your joints and muscles.