My Interpretation of "Global Fitness" and What to Expect in Class

Group sessions are a way to exercise and do so in a community. It's comforting to know that you're not the only one struggling to finish all the squats. It's encouraging to see the ones around you still smiling and having fun even though they've had long day. Meeting, socializing and getting strong and conditioned with others makes going back for more, easier. Let's go over how I do "Global Fitness".

What's "Global Fitness" and Who's It For?

Global fitness is a group fitness class where the whole body (global) gets a workout (fitness). My interpretation of the class and is much more than getting people moving. Global Fitness should include just as much physical well-being as mental readiness.

Class should be fun and dynamic, with each one including different aspects of fitness, that is flexibility, agility, power, strength, speed and endurance. These develop the ability to do different day-to-day tasks like playing with your kids or grandkids, carrying groceries up a flight of stairs, running to get the bus, or reacting quickly to prevent falling. For the body to keep up and do what want you need to train it.

So if you don't have much time, but want to do the most possible to improve your health and feel physically great, then this is your class.

Sooooo, What's Class Like?

Expect a full body workout every session. Classes are fast paced and planned to develop various physical abilities.

1. Warm-ups slowly increase the heart rate, blood flow circulation and include mobility exercises to lubricate the joints with special emphasis on the spine.

2. The core and abs are done first to make sure they aren't skipped, but more importantly increase awareness (proprioception) of them so they're recruited throughout the rest of the class.

3. Strength training is limited to more muscular endurance (low weight, high repetitions) exercises and calisthenics (bodyweight exercises).

4. Cardio varies and include step aerobics, low-impact cardio, boxing, HIIT, and agility drills with cones, hurdles, and speed ladders. The variety reduces monotony, develops different skills, but overall improves cardiovascular health.

5. Finally, class ends with a cool-down or "Chill Out" portion to improve flexibility or range of motion, breathing technique, and gratitude.

The combination of all of these thoughtfully prepared sections are meant to improve the physical body and encourage the flow state of mind. Leave class physically and mentally ready to take on the world (or at least feel that way).

Why Train Full Body Every Class?

There might not be enough time to workout and do other forms of exercise throughout the rest of the week so make what little time you have count.

Training frequency is number of workout sessions per week. If the frequency is 3 times or less, then full-body workouts are optimal.

Let's use 2 days per week as an example.

• If you do one day upper body and one day lower body, then you only stimulate the muscles, joints, etc. to work 1 out of 7 days and risking the loss of adaptations. By the time the next week comes along you are almost starting all over again. Plus, as the workout goes on fatigue accumulates in the same muscles and reduces the amount of quality work you can do towards the end of the session.

• However, if you do total body both days, then the quality should be better and you technically can get more work done at a higher intensity because you're not so tired and there are less exercises for the same muscle groups. Also, remember that your body (muscles and much more) gets stimulated to adapt 2 out of 7 days which helps build upon the adaptations from the previous session.

The Direction And Big Picture

There is a cumulative effect from every session. That means that every session prepares you for the next, and every week builds upon the others to progress and improve monthly. The intention behind it all is to improve as the year progresses and when the summer arrives everyone should be in peak condition to enjoy more time outdoors.

Beyond the summer, the intention is that you feel physically stronger, more agile, more energetic, with greater endurance and confidence to do more. This feeling then further encourages everyone to keep the habit and live a healthier lifestyle in the long run.

Below is a sample calendar of what to expect in class each week.

If you have any questions or suggestions or want more information about my nutritional counseling, personal training, or any other services please don't hesitate to contact me.

Dream it. Learn it. Do it.