corporate health & performance prograM
Week 2
achieving strength & flexbility | state vs trait
Improving long-term sustainable strength and flexibility throughout your life is 100% achievable. It’s not a question of IF, it’s a question of HOW MUCH? Then why do so many people suffer from joint pain and why is (*roughly) 24% of America physically inactive? Most importantly, where do you fit?
The key to achieving transformation and a new version of you is, first, awareness of your current state, and you’ve already begun this. Next, knowledge of the right movements at the right dose - this is where we’ll place our focus for the next 2-weeks!
“Focus on quality of movement above quantity. Focus on consistency above intensity.”
1
the mind-body connection
“The [Brain’s] cortex, and the motor cortex in particular, has historically been considered critical for movement coordination/control and skill acquisition… but growing evidence is now suggesting that it is a critical determinant of muscle strength.”
— Clark BC et al. The power of the mind: the cortex as a critical determinant of muscle strength/weakness (2014)
2
Flexibility, Breath & Stress
“practicing yoga is an effective way to stimulate the vagus nerve and potentially decrease anxiety.”
— Somere K et al. The effect of yin yoga intervention on state and trait anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic (2024)
“Connecting breathing mechanics to an engaged musculoskeletal system while performing [yoga] poses provides a holistic challenge to the whole body.”
— Polsgrove MJ et al. Impact of 10-weeks of yoga practice on flexibility and balance of college athletes (2016)
guided flexibility practices
Below you’ll find guided practices demonstrating how to explore your breath in different positions using the 3-Stage Breathing practice you learned in your live session. You can jump to any practice below based on the specific area you’d like to focus or you can watch each video in order for a full body breath and flexibility experience.
3-Stage breathing
Focus | Rib & Diaphragm Flexibility
1
Back Lying Breathing
Focus | Whole Back Flexibility
2
quadruped Breathing
Focus | Whole Back Flexibility with Shoulder Stability
3
half-kneel Breathing
Focus | Hip Flexor Flexibility
4
3
Strength, breath & Recovery
“resistance exercise does not enhance strength; rather, recovery from and subsequent adaptation to resistance exercise enhances strength.”
— Spiering BA et al. Maximizing strength: the stimuli and mediators of strength gains and their application to training and rehabilitation (2023)
“increases in intra-thoracic and intra-abdominal pressure can be initiated by [breathing mechanics]… increasing vagal tone, decreasing heart rate, changing blood pressure, and increasing stabilization during physical activity.”
— Blazek et al. Systematic review of intra-abdominal and intrathoracic pressures initiated by the valsalva maneuver during high-intensity resistance exercises (2019)
strength defined
health benefits
4
choose your practice!
Now it’s time to choose a strength practice based on the specific body region or movement pattern you want to improve. Use your Movement Assessment as a guide, and what you’ve learned about your body throughout your experience up to this point.
Click the buttons below to view the video for that specific movement. Each video is a guided session. Some videos include both bodyweight and loaded demonstrations (dumbbell or kettlebell). Remember, when in doubt, focus first on flexibility, then moving your bodyweight, then adding external load.
Explore the complete video library for more options!