The "workouts" presented here serve as an introduction into our movement training. The main goal of these plans is to improve or maintain health and freedom of movement. The purpose is to create more understanding and awareness of movement.
The plans presented here don't require any notable degree of fitness. With certain exercises I offer different options, which are indicated by level (Level= L. For example: L1, L2 etc.) so that the suitable version may be chosen. I do this in particular when it comes to exercises in the field of strength and mobility, as these need to be more precisely adapted to the individual in order to make sure the training can be performed successfully.
If you have injuries or chronic problems, you will obviously need to be cautious. Perform the exercises that work the injured parts carefully. You may have to make the decision to leave certain exercises out.
Working with these exercises in a careful, self-responsible way can heal injuries.
Every injury is different. Generalizing is difficult here.
The following ideas and principles are important for the understanding of this plan:
"Use it or lose it" also means that we maintain our movement capabilities through movement. We adapt to what we do. On the other hand, we lose that which we don't use.
Because: Even if we don't move, we adapt; we become people who do not move. Our tissues harden and we lose our mobility.
Our adaptability is a two-edged sword. In us is an entire cosmos of possibilities. But those who don't choose movement inescapably choose the opposite.
Those who want to stay healthy need to move diversely. Our range of movements is too monotonous. Therefore, these plans are constructed in a way as to contain many different movements. An important factor in maintaining health. Many of our pains stem from a lack of movement diversity. There is no shortcut that lets you skip movement diversity.
Many people have heard that certain movements are unhealthy and should not be performed. I disagree. The stigmatization of movements as unhealthy is a blunt simplification of the complex reality: no movement is bad per se. It can however be that too high a dose for a given time is bad. On the other hand: too low a dose can be problematic as well. Just like in nutrition it's about correct dosages. We need the right amount of minerals. A deficiency can create just as much damage as an overdose. Thus, it's all about finding the balance. Let's use the bending of the knee below 90° as an example. In many conventional fitness studios, it's still believed that deep squats are destructive for the joints. Because of this a problem of underdosing arises: the knees keep getting stiffer if the trainee never goes below 90°. This leads to pain and to weak, injury-prone knees. Many people have however barely done anything in the deep squat for many years, and they will need to be carefully brought back to the position. Use it or lose it. The chair is the big destroyer of mobility here. In cultural settings where the deep squat is part of everyday life (especially Asian and African cultures), more people maintain good leg mobility. The dose makes the poison. The dose makes the healing.
Some people know this idea from strength training. The principle is as follows: in an open chain, the central point stays in one place and the peripheral (the external, the point of support, end point) moves. In a closed chain it is the opposite: the central point moves while the peripheral stays in one place. A push-up is a closed chain; the external points (the hands, the feet) stay in one place, while the middle body (emphasis on the shoulders) is moved. In this plan the idea of open and closed chains come up in Part 1 in the hands/fingers section, exercises D and E. There, the central point is the wrist and the external point is the fingertips.
Below the training is presented with explanatory videos, but further down they are presented again without videos. This is to make the material easier to navigate and to allow for printing (the PDF version is also provided for this purpose). Between the two versions of the presentation is a follow-along-video for those wanting to do the program while watching. I recommend using this video a maximum of four times and to then work on gaining an internal understanding of the exercises. The individual explanatory videos may be used for this purpose if needed. I recommend making sure not to be reliant on video assistance within 6-8 sessions.
The plan with videos:
Duration: 60 minutes
Level: 1
Terminology
r = repetitions
r/s = repetitions per side
r/t = repetitions in total
s =
seconds
s/s = seconds per side
s/d = seconds per direction
s/d/s = seconds per direction
per side
x = sets
Anterior = forward facing
Posterior = backward facing
What do the letters mean?
If the same letter is used with different numbers, the exercises should be
performed as a cycle.
2x
A1) Pushup
A2) Rowing
means: 2 sets of pushups and 2 sets
of rowing, to be performed in alternating fashion. Meaning: 1st set of pushups, 1st set of rowing, 2nd
set of pushups, 2nd set of rowing
How often should I do this workout?
If only this workout is performed: 2-4x per week .
If the basics workouts 2&3 or others are executed in the same week: 1-2x per week.
Part 1 - Soft range of motion practice
Spine
The 6 spinal positions
3x
A1) 10s Flexion
A2) 10s Extension
A3)
10s Side Flexion Left
A4) 10s Side Flexion Right
A5) 10s Rotation Left
A6) 10s Rotation
Right
B) 2 minutes: Move freely through the 6 spinal positions. Especially in the first few workouts, move slowly but continually.
Head
A) 60s/d Basic Head Circle
B) 90s/d Circle in the longitudinal (Sagittal)
plane
C) 120s sidewards sliding in the horizontal plane
Hips/pelvis
A) 60s tilting the hip forwards and backwards (Anterior Pelvic Tilt / Posterior
Pelvic Tilt)
B) 60s/d pelvic circles
Hands/fingers
A) 60s/s Fingerwave
B) 60s/s Finger stretch
C) 30s/s 4-Finger
stretch
D) 60s/d/s Wrist circle, open chain
E) 60s/d/s Wrist circle, closed chain
Part 2 - sitting
A) 30s squat
B) 30s/s Half open kneeling
C) 30s/s Half
open shinbone sitting (Seiza)
D) 30s/s Shin Box
E) 60s 4-Sit (L1) oder straddle sit
(L2)
F) 60s Shin sitting (Seiza)
G) 30s Kneeling
H) 30s squat
Part 3 - Hanging/Rolling/Balancing
A) 60s hanging passive or active (see video).
Collect as much time as possible within 60s. If your can't hold anymore, simply let go briefly,
shake your arm out and then go back to hanging.
B) 60s Plow
C) 60s/s One leg stand
D) 60s
Hanging passive or active
E) 60s Spine extension/flexion stretch
F) 60s/s two leg stand with
feet in line
G) 60s Hanging passive or active
H) 60s Plow
I) 60s/s one leg stand, eyes
closed
J) 60s Spine extension/flexion stretch
Part 4 - on all fours
2x
A1) 30s/s contralateral stand (see video for
levels)
A2) 60s Mobilising the Toes
2x
B1) 30s/s Ipsilateral stand (see video for levels)
B2) 60s Mobilising the Toes
The Plan without videos:
PDF
Version
Duration: 60 minutes
Level: 1
Terminology
r = repetitions
r/s = repetitions per side
r/t = repetitions in total
s =
seconds
s/s = seconds per side
s/d = seconds per direction
s/d/s = seconds per direction
per side
x = sets
Anterior = forward facing
Posterior = backward facing
What do the letters mean?
If the same letter is used with different numbers, the exercises should be
performed as a cycle.
2x
A1) Pushup
A2) Rowing
means: 2 sets of pushups and 2 sets
of rowing, to be performed in alternating fashion. Meaning: 1st set of pushups, 1st set of rowing, 2nd
set of pushups, 2nd set of rowing
How often should I do this workout?
If only this workout is performed: 2-4x per week .
If the basics workouts 2&3 or others are executed in the same week: 1-2x per week.
Part 1 - Soft range of motion practice
Spine
The 6 spinal positions
3x
A1) 10s Flexion
A2) 10s Extension
A3)
10s Side Flexion Left
A4) 10s Side Flexion Right
A5) 10s Rotation Left
A6) 10s Rotation
Right
B) 2 minutes: Move freely through the 6 spinal positions. Especially in the first few workouts, move slowly but continually.
Head
A) 60s/d Basic Head Circle
B) 90s/d Circle in the longitudinal (Sagittal)
plane
C) 120s sidewards sliding in the horizontal plane
Hips/pelvis
A) 60s tilting the hip forwards and backwards (Anterior Pelvic Tilt / Posterior
Pelvic Tilt)
B) 60s/d pelvic circles
Hands/fingers
A) 60s/s Fingerwave
B) 60s/s Finger stretch
C) 30s/s 4-Finger
stretch
D) 60s/d/s Wrist circle, open chain
E) 60s/d/s Wrist circle, closed chain
Part 2 - sitting
A) 30s squat
B) 30s/s Half open kneeling
C) 30s/s Half
open shinbone sitting (Seiza)
D) 30s/s Shin Box
E) 60s 4-Sit (L1) oder straddle sit
(L2)
F) 60s Shin sitting (Seiza)
G) 30s Kneeling
H) 30s squat
Part 3 - Hanging/Rolling/Balancing
A) 60s hanging passive or active (see video).
Collect as much time as possible within 60s. If your can't hold anymore, simply let go briefly,
shake your arm out and then go back to hanging.
B) 60s Plow
C) 60s/s One leg stand
D) 60s
Hanging passive or active
E) 60s Spine extension/flexion stretch
F) 60s/s two leg stand with
feet in line
G) 60s Hanging passive or active
H) 60s Plow
I) 60s/s one leg stand, eyes
closed
J) 60s Spine extension/flexion stretch
Part 4 - on all fours
2x
A1) 30s/s contralateral stand (see video for
levels)
A2) 60s Mobilising the Toes
2x
B1) 30s/s Ipsilateral stand(see video for levels)
B2) 60s Mobilising the Toes
Joseph Bartz 2019