fokus tips for athlēts: runners

Often, it's the small competitive advantage that makes the difference between a good performance, and a great performance. The best athletes understand that it's not big improvements that make a great day, but small, steady improvements over time. Consider as a runner, stride length.

At 170 strides per minute, at 44 inches per stride, a runner will cover a mile in 8:30.

At 160 strides per minute, at 46 inches per stride, a competing runner will run the same 8:30 pace.

At 170 strides per minute, at 46 inches per stride, the winner will run the same mile in 8:10.

That's a 5% improvement in stride length - and most runners would agree that 5% is a small improvement. This small improvement in stride length is largely a function of core strength (power in alignment) and flexibility (increasing range of motion through the rear ankle, knee and hip), both of which are core concepts of the Pilates Method. However, the Pilates Method goes further towards increasing your competitive edge. You'll train your body to react to athletic demand with control: alignment and breath control both reduce fatigue.

personal training

The Next Step:

Personal Training at reform bode The traditional personal training regimen focuses on building strength through arbitrary muscular movements. While this does improve muscle strength and body composition, it often does little to improve the quality of Activities of Daily Living. Strains, pains and pulls from ADL's are still common despite often significant strength gains in arbitrary activities like bench press and curls. We believe a more fundamental approach to personal training is overdue. By focusing on activities that promote strength and proper alignment through self resistance and proper bio-mechanical loading, we create a more meaningful and useful daily application of strength gained through personal training. While this may sound simple because it requires less equipment and less overall joint strain, it does require a trainer that can communicate the proper shapes and spaces which each exercise demands for proper execution.

A Critical Eye:

In many cases, the only difference between the effect of two 'identical' training sessions is alignment. Proper alignment, particularly for compound movements, is a learned activity. Repeating an activity under the watchful, critical eye of a properly educated trainer will ultimately force your muscles to remember the proper motion, to the point that it is nearly impossible to do the work improperly. Unfortunately, muscle memory also works for motions and activities that are out of alignment, and often detrimental. It has been postulated (by tanya, mostly) that sitting at a desk for extended periods may actually lead to looking more like a hunched-over Computer Troll than a human. bode- fokus personal training sessions can help correct Computer Troll syndrome by working complimentary muscle groups in alignment, reminding your body what proper alignment feels like.

What to Expect:

You can expect a challenging workout that you'll find more interesting, invigorating and challenging than a workout performed on your own. We employ the use of weights, tubing, athletic drills, tethers, whips and chains...practically anything that will force you to work your body against gravity and against itself to find 'your work', and maximize the effect of each workout towards your goals.