The fitness center
of the future is here...

Do you really think you need a gym membership to get in shape?  

What if you don't have time to get to a gym? (or maybe you've just used that as an excuse NOT to get fit).  

Shiny machines & neon lights are used to sell memberships, but even if you do go to a gym regularly, is your training program complete?

Now don't get me wrong-traditional gyms are great, if you're willing to settle for a traditional workout (and mediocre results). 

A gym may be just the ticket if you are a competitive bodybuilder or powerlifter, but the typical health club also has limitations.  

Let's start with the cardio room-treadmills, bikes, cross-trainers, Stairmasters, etc.  While they are useful tools for getting your heart rate up, they only involve motion in a single, forward plane.  

Neglecting movement in the lateral and rotational planes can lead to muscular imbalance and weakness.  

Think about your movements when you get out of your car.  You step laterally, rotate and stand up.  Do you include multi-planar movements like this in your training routine?  

Next, let's look into the traditional weight room.  

Again, most machine and traditional free-weight exercises are done in a single, limited plane. But let's also consider the way gym equipment is loaded.   Typically, a person would pick up a pair of matching dumbbells, or take a perfectly engineered bar, with a centered balance point.  Usually, to train "safely", people add weight evenly to both sides.  

But when you take groceries out of your car, are you able to make sure each bag is evenly balanced, while carrying the exact same load in each arm?  Do you pick up a child in one arm and something of equal size and shape in the other in the interest of safety?

Do you think the increased incidence of non-contact knee injuries could have something to do with the idea that most people are only "fit" to move in one direction?   Could other injuries be minimized by including "functional" training in your life?

The fitness center of the future is all around you and membership is free!  As long as you have space to move, indoors or out, there is no reason you can't improve your fitness.  You don't need chrome weights and scientifically engineered machines.   If you're not sure what you can do with your body and the space around you, contact Absolute Fitness today.