KINETIC Sculpt® is a program that is built on a philosophy of Living Well and Acting with Integrity. If you guard your movements and understand the intention of what you are doing and why, Life takes shape in ways that are pleasing to both body and mind.

 

Here’s What I Believe That Every Body Should Know About Exercise or What I wish Someone had Shared With Me When I Started.

1. Exercise when done properly is uncomfortable. It will make you sore but not all the time.
There are clever marketing campaigns to make exercise sexy, fun, hip, relaxing, playful, spirited, and trendy. In the marketing to separate us from our dollar, what we don’t hear is it hurts. When a new or returning exerciser discovers pain and isn’t prepared for it, he or she usually quits shortly after.

“Too many people start a new exercise and quickly become demotivated by the stiffness and pain associated with Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS), a condition in which the damage done to your muscles is felt 24 to 72 hours after the exercise. Your body will be adapting to new stresses, and the healing of microscopic tears to your muscles, ligaments and tendons should be treated with proper rest and gradual escalation of your activities. It can take anywhere from six to twelve weeks for adaptation to your new exercises, a period of time in which your mitochondrial aerobic engine will ramp up in reaction to your body’s new routine, a change which takes time but allows for an overall increase in the effectiveness and well-being provided by your activities.”

- Manhattan Orthpedic

Mentally prepare yourself for the journey. A workout progression shouldn’t be debilitating but you will be stretched out of your comfort zone. All pain should abate. If it doesn’t re-examine the activity.

2. One exercise routine will not be a curative.
The truth is one size does not fit all. One program is not for everyone. Experiment and try a myriad of things. You will discover that your body needs a combination of disciplines to grow. Also, what works for you today may no longer work for you five years from now. Be prepared to evolve with your workouts.

3. Everyone needs a fitness assessment.
Getting a physical is not a fitness assessment. A physical is an all clear from your physician that you are not suffering from a debilitating illness. Essentially, you have a piece of paper stating you are “fit to exercise.” It is not a permission slip stating you are “fit for ALL exercise.” You want to get an evaluation as to your strengths, strength deficits, asymmetries, flexibility, cardiovascular health, and balance. Without an independent assessment, you only know what you like and makes you feel good.

For example:
- Have you worked out a little cheat to get out of a chair or roll out of bed in the morning?
- Do you use brute force to accomplish a task that could easily be done with less force, if done properly?

Runners: Do you supinate, overpronate, heel strike, forefoot strike, mid-foot plant, etc?
Cyclists: How’s your cadence? Can you ride in a line? Are your shoulders tight? Neck stressed? Hips tight?
Seniors: How do you navigate stairs? How do you get up and down off the floor, the bathtub or out of a chair? How do wipe you butt on the toilet? Does it hurt your back? Do you possess the strength to open a jar?
Group Fitness enthusiasts: What are the mechanics of your lunge? Can you do a proper pushup?
Weight lifters: How’s your joints? Is your core strong? Can you do a proper pushup or pull-up? How’s your cardio?

Take the time to discover how you power your movements. Get expert coaching even if short-term. Poor form left unchecked will grow worse over time until you can no longer ignore it. You will have a permanent injury.

These are a few of the different exams I recommend

- Gait analysis: used to assess, plan, and treat individuals with conditions affecting their ability to walk.
- Functional Movement Screen (FMS): evaluates whether your body is ready to take on a fitness plan, puts you on the road to genuine wellness, and tracks your progress along the way.
- VO2 Max Test: test for the maximum capacity of an individual’s body to transport and use oxygen during incremental exercise, which reflects the physical fitness of the individual.
- Egoscue Method: Postural Therapy program based on a series of stretches and gentle exercises designed to restore full, natural function to muscles and joints.

4. Failure is part of the plan.
Most of us are taught to excel at everything and we avoid failure. However, to succeed in exercise you must be accustomed to fatigue and failure. You must learn to endure pain on the short term to excel on the longterm. If you push the muscle to failure, you will tear the muscle fibers and see growth. If you avoid failure, you will find yourself plateauing or regressing. You need to control when and how you challenge yourself and do it responsibly. Check your ego at the door. Don’t fear pushing your limits with proper periodization. It is NEVER too late to start moving better.

5. There is NO spot reduction and every body part is inter-related.You can not reduce ONE body part to the exclusion of the others. You can’t shrink your belly without losing weight elsewhere. You need to think of the holistic big picture. Every body part is interconnected. If you want to be healthy and strong adopt a consistent nutritional plan, a cardio routine, flexibility regimen and start a weight lifting program. You will find when you exercise in balance your body will come together without a need for liquid fasts or liposuction or trendy DVD’s or fitness programs that sell themselves as a panacea.

Your body and mind craves change. Be fluid and let your body grow.