fitness enlightenment

FITNESS ENLIGHTENMENT:
Transition from One-dimensional (linear plane) fitness training to Multi-dimensional - Integrated “Mobility” Fitness Training.

Over the years my fitness training philosophy evolved and I know that I been deeply inspired by my schooling and post graduate studies in physical education. Being a middle distance athlete and swimmer I had to cross the boundaries over a range of multi-disciplinary movement disciplines of which ‘gymnastics’ and “wrestling”, most probably laid the foundation for my current philosophy of physical conditioning (commercially known as fitness training).

There had been a ten year period of my life that I found myself on the aerobic dance floor both as performer and educationist, unknowingly applying all my years of athletic and physical education training. My strong fundamental application of methodology was laying the foundation for movement analysis, progressive and systematic practical application of athletic teaching methods and coaching sciences.

As the fitness industry evolved so did my perceptions in terms of multi-dimensional movement. I still recall a sports science scientific congress that was held at the University of Pretoria(during the mid 1980’s), during which I stood up unprepared with no research paper and addressed the audience consisting of prominent lectures, researchers and students to assist us fitness industry leaders with more research and unanswered questions. Before I knew I found myself on top of the lecturing counter, performing free-style limber-movements, trying to share my passion and questioning my own statements regarding movement planes, speed of movement, postural adaptation and transference of body mass.

Little did I know that The Body Shift*-System will originate from there (a revived aerobic-athletic-dance style that I based all of my aerobic certification standards).
Today the same principles are being expressed by the “functional training”- school of thoughts. There is currently a huge following of fitness trainers and physiotherapists in the functional training arena. The cross over integration of human movement science and rehabilitative conditioning is very significant in today’s fitness industry. This is found currently in the major new evolving industries of dance-fusion styles, strength-power-speed conditioning, “Pilates”, Yoga and “functional training”.

Being present in most of these industries – my ‘gut-feel’ hinted that there is something far more than pushing weights and reps. When I consult with clients I can feel that deep feeling far more present than ever before, i.e. connecting with movement with a meaningful experience. I call it “waking up your personal athletic mobility”, through your beautiful God-given created vessel called the ‘body, an accepted body with no obsessive desired outcomes.

It is imperative that the movement selection exists within a framework of self-discovery and expression, that makes sense and creates that ‘switch on’ – ‘got it’ feeling. Clients expresses that they are becoming more in touch with themselves in the presence either of weaknesses, strengths, discomfort, awkwardness, but mostly sharing the experience being as “my time - WOW!”.

During a session they are presented with a ‘time period’ of inner dedicated focus within a space that provides both safety and a challenge when executing specific integrated training routines. Performing within these conditions has allowed clients “time-out”, eliminating any preoccupation with fleeting thoughts and stressors of work responsibilities, family duties and other life demands, thus providing the ideal space for exploring new possibilities for the enhancement of physical well-being.

In the training of international high performance athletes who come for individualised-specialised assistance, the athlete is for the first time allowed to experience a mind-body-soul connection that are so desperately lacking in squad training or intense generalised small group training. The athlete is now confronted with solvable 'weaknesses' and not overtraining of 'strengths'. They are inspired to apply themselves within a given task with focussed integrated intension and to become totally aware of their bodies in space and time. This new arena of holistic integration provides fresh energy for discovering new levels of meaningful detailed performances which can be transferred to the field.

Formulating of ‘functional integrated training’ at my practice was inevitable, it has contributed to training brands which I call the F.I.T, F.A.S.T and F.A.I.S.T Systems.
But what I do know that there is a greater evolvement present and that is in the acknowledgement of the rise of a higher consciousness involvement in today’s world of movement, i.e. ‘integral fitness training’. – mind-body-soul integration. It has already laid its foundations in a very mysterious way.