corporate health & performance prograM
Week 3
grasp the principles, choose the method
As discussed last lesson, the key to achieving your strength and flexibility goals is first to develop your awareness. You have been reinforcing this week over week with your individual practices and our live workshops together. Next, you need to continue to expand your knowledge of the right movements and the right dose to maximize your results. To better understand how to do this, I will share some foundational training principles so that you can feel confident in self-guiding your strength and flexibility journey!
Remember, when in doubt…
“Focus on quality of movement above quantity. Focus on consistency above intensity.”
complete guided session
R - A - D - D
In addition to introducing you to some foundational principles around pursuing and achieving your strength & flexibility goals, here is a helpful acronym when thinking about how to structure your personal strength and flexibility practice. Follow this sequentially:
Reflect.
Activate.
Do the work.
Downregulate.
REFLECT
Choose a reflective practice to begin your session. This is invaluable for setting up your mind-body connection in preparation for the work ahead. Be intentional. Be present. In this video, I will guide you through a body scan to help improve deep physical relaxation.
1
body scan
activate
Choose practices that prepare your body for “doing the work” you have planned ahead, whether that be a formal workout, outdoor activity, or the daily challenges of life. This may be breathwork, flexibility, mobility, or a skill specific to your practice (ie a specific athletic skill, coordination drill, or meditative practice). For this guided session, I’ve included flexibility focused practices as part of your “activation” below.
2
Knees to Chest breathing
Hip rolls
quadruped
DO the work
This is where the training principle of Specificity comes into play. “Do the work” refers to your specific intention and purpose for your practice. Be as specific as possible. If your intention is to center yourself and connect with your body, then “the work” refers to your body scan. If it’s hip flexibility, then “the work” is a specific hip practice. When planning your personal workouts, or thinking about how to integrate a new practice, it may be helpful to reflect on “The work” first, as it may help guide your specific “Reflect” and “Activate” practices. And, it may be that one single practice fulfills all three!
3
crab position
Ground to stand
Ground to stand
1
Ground to stand
2
Ground to stand
3
Ground to stand
4
push up
Ground to stand
1
Ground to stand
2
Ground to stand
3
down-regulation
“Down-regulation” refers to practices that calm your mind and body by stimulating the rest and digest branch of your nervous system called the parasympathetic nervous system. These practices include breath work, meditation, flexibility and mobility practices, or even light gentle cardio like short walk.
How do you know what practice to choose? Go back to the training principle of Specificity - Choose a practice that supports your specific goals AND that feels best! You should complete every session feeling energized and relaxed.