Historically, the fitness industry has undergone transformations that have revolutionized the industry multiple times:
1980s - Fitness at home. Remember Jane Fonda, leg-warmers, and leotards? This era brought fitness into our living rooms. Concurrent with the emergence of VHS players and Blockbuster Video, fitness routines took the form of television shows and recorded programs that could be done at home with limited space and equipment.
1990s-2000s - Group fitness took American culture by storm, led by Zumba, CrossFit, Les Mills, and many others. The magic of this era was the concept of “Community” where getting healthy became a space where like-minded people can come together not to just train, but to create lasting friendships.
2010s - Wearable technology. Enter the Fitbit, WHOOP!, Oura, Garmin, Apple Watch, and many others, which have given us the ability to quantify and track health metrics and progress in a meaningful way.
2020 - The COVID-19 Pandemic. To say this was a “Curveball” is an understatement. This was an event in our history that impacted everyone on the planet in a way that had not been seen since the Spanish Flu of 1918. Among so many others who were devastated by this pandemic, the fitness industry was among them. But like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the next era of transformation in the fitness industry emerged: Virtual training.
A New Way to Train and Coach
I remember this time so vividly. It was a Sunday morning at Encompass Fitness in Ashland, MA in early March of 2020. I was teaching BodyCombat class to my usual group of warriors. Little did I know that it was the last BodyCombat class I would ever teach. During the week that followed, nearly every gym had closed - including my CrossFit Box (CrossFit One Nation-Waltham, MA) - with no clear timeline to a return to normalcy. In an instant, not only did we lose access to our fitness lifelines, but we were also isolated from each other.
Within that same week, the coaches at our CrossFit One Nation cobbled together some video cameras and this strange program called “Zoom” and the first virtual classes were born. Literally overnight, our coaches needed to figure out how to observe members’ form and mechanics through a camera, cue corrections to movements to keep members safe during the workout, AND keep an entire class motivated. WODs (Workout Of the Day) also needed to be modified to include options where minimal or no equipment was available. They never taught us this stuff during CrossFit Certification Training - or any formal coach or instructor training for that matter. But in the spirit of true resiliency, they figured it out - quickly - and did it well!
During the years that followed, the concepts of virtual training, mobile apps, and wearable technology came together to create the next generation of synchronous and asynchronous fitness tools that have forged a new path within the health and fitness landscape.
There are some amazing products out there! There are online CrossFit communities with their own programming and leaderboards, focused strength training apps, “Couch to 5K” running programs, and the list goes on. Here are some important key elements to have on your radar when you are shopping around for virtual programs:
Movement demonstration videos with clear instructions - Safety is the foundational element when training at home without a live coach.
Opportunities to communicate with a coach - Programs vary in this component, depending on their individual focus
Individualization - Everyone has training circumstances that are as unique as their fingerprint when it comes to goals, fitness level, limitations, and equipment availability.
User-Friendly interface - There’s nothing worse than futzing around with your app for 10 minutes when you only have 30 minutes to train in your tight schedule.
FUTURE is a company I have come to know recently. They are pretty special because they distinguish themselves in their ability to provide a high-level, individualized personal training experience that is tailored to your specific goals and circumstances. Check them out in the “Housekeeping” section.
Tempo Training - Another great tool in the strength-training “toolbox”
This week’s workout focuses on movements that can add variety to your strength training. Performing repetitions at various "tempos" allows us to vary eccentric and concentric contration timing as well as total time under tension to elicit a response and subsequent adaptation within our muscle fibers. Today's workout focuses on the front squat so we can challenge our lower body as well as our core stability
Warm-Up
5 rounds
10 air squats
5 V-Ups (or modification)
…next (This is one of my FAV warm-ups!)
Kettlebell Front rack warmup from Train FTW
5 right/ 5 left half-kneeling windmills (light kettlebell)
5 right/ 5 left arm bar with press (light kettlebell)
5 right / 5 left quadruped rotations
5 right / 5 left half-kneeling haloes (light kettlebell)
Movement Practice
Take 5 - 10 minutes to select your weight for the workout. All 7 repetitions should be performed unbroken at the prescribed tempo. The movement should get challenging by repetition #4 to the point where you may need to take a breath or two between repetitions. Whatever you do, don’t cheat on the tempo. That’s where the magic is!
Workout
TIP! This is an opportunity to dial in on mechanics! With lighter load and greater control throughout the movement, tempo repetition schemes allow you to be aware of your mechanics at every point in the movement. Watch the barbell front squat video to refresh your memory on the proper mechanics of this movement, then try the tempo version!
Barbell Front Squat (Tempo version)
E3MOM Every 3 minutes on the 3-minute mark, perform 7 tempo (2-1-1) front squats. Use the remaining time to rest before the next 3-minute interval begins.
7 - 7 - 7 - 7 - 7
Tempo: 2-1-1 (Down for a count of 2, hold at the bottom for a count of 1, and rise to a standing position)
Movement alternatives:
Overhead squat - TIP: Watch the video carefully to review the mechanics of this movement! If you are on vacation and have no equipment available to you, or if you are up for a mobility day, grab a broomstick, yardstick, or PVC pipe and do this same tempo repetition scheme with an overhead squat! No weight is required. My bet is that you break a sweat!
If your range of motion is limited, set up a chair, box, or bench behind you as a target on the descent to stay in a range of motion safe for you.
Cool-Down
This workout was a little shorter, so we can take a little extra time for some hip and hamstring-focused recovery. The benefits of taking the time to cool down and recover cannot be overstated. #dontskiptheyoga
Deep Stretch - Hamstrings and Hips from Five Parks Yoga (34 minutes)
Housekeeping….
Introducing FUTURE!
"When life gets busy, we often forget that movement is a form of self-care. And it doesn’t have to be in the gym—simple stretches or bodyweight exercises make a difference.
That’s why we love personal training with Future. Your coach will design a custom plan that fits your lifestyle and check in regularly to make adjustments.
The best part? It’s all powered through the app, so you can get moving anywhere, at any time.
Sign up today and get your first month of 1-on-1 training FOR FREE with Future."
NOW TAKING NEW CLIENTS!
If you are an active woman or competitive midlife athlete who feels abandoned by mainstream medicine, I’m here for you!
It is with great excitement that after more than 2 years of preparation, I have FINALLY launched my Telehealth Consultation Medical practice focusing on the Reproductive Endocrine needs and Menopausal Care for active, athletic, and high-performing women.
Active and athletic midlife women have needs and risk profiles that are different from the general population. These needs often go unmet by the mainstream medical community due to a lack of understanding of fitness and sport and their impact on mid-life hormonal physiology or even a lack of acknowledgment that this dynamic exists. We put your health, fitness, and performance at the center of the equation so that you can achieve your healthiest, highest-performing self!
You will find all my service offerings on my website including a link to my calendar so that you can reserve your place in my schedule!