However, transforming your body in a matter of days is impossible, no matter what fitness programs say. Major transformations are only achievable through a series of small improvements.
This is the same philosophy on which foundation training was founded.
Dr. Eric Goodman created foundation training, a set of exercises that emphasize the muscles around our spine and our legs.
It helps relieve body pain due to a modern lifestyle. Most people spend their days in front of their computers or desks, which puts a significant strain on our backs. Foundation exercises focus on movements that lengthen, contract, and strengthen your muscles, which are essential if you want to move smoothly without injuring yourself.
What Is Foundation Training?
Foundation training is a series of exercises that use your body’s weight to activate your posterior muscles chain, anchor your hips, and decompress your spine. This helps build strength in weak, inefficient muscles in your body. It also strengthens your core muscles, which protect body parts susceptible to stress and injury.
Additionally, it teaches you how to shift the burden of supporting your body from your spine to your muscles by placing your feet three inches apart and evenly distributing your weight to your heels. Keep your knees bent, chest high, and your arms out.
When you anchor your feet to the ground, it allows your body to decompress through the rib cage. These are the program’s key components that will forcefully engage your lumbar, strengthening your back support.
Who is Foundation Exercise For?
Foundation training lays the groundwork for long-term fitness for anyone, from your average worker in cubicles to athletes and first responders. It can be used as a standalone program for pain relief or as a starting point for more advanced exercises.
Benefits of Foundation Training Exercises
Foundation training relieves pain, strengthens the body, and improves joint and spine health over time. Using this method in conjunction with long-term chiropractic care is proven to help solve back pain problems.
The benefits of foundation training exercises include:
Improves Lumbar Support
By distributing the body’s weight evenly and making core muscles stronger, foundation exercises give the lumbar spine better support and remove most of the pressure it bears.
Reduces Overall Pain
Foundation training involves full-body movements that engage your core muscles. You will feel more flexible, strong, and graceful without the clicks and creaks.
Foundation exercises activate the large posterior muscles, which take the pressure of your spine, restore nerve and lower back function, and prevent pain.
Pain medications relieve symptoms temporarily, and nagging injuries don’t heal themselves. Take control of your health by using foundation training exercises that are easy to do anywhere without needing any equipment.
Allows You to Lift Objects Without Pain
Growing old doesn’t mean you have to stop doing what you love or become less active. With the right input, your body will adapt readily to change. Lifting heavy objects like groceries, tree branches, or children should make you feel capable and strong. Foundation training can help you fearlessly enjoy or explore activities with enthusiasm.
Improves Posture
Sitting for a long time during the daily commute or using phones and computers has caused most people’s bad postures and movement patterns. These contribute to muscle degeneration and spine problems. Foundation exercises help us position our bodies to counter the adverse effects of bad posture.
Increases Athletic Performance
A foundation training routine increases athletic performance by focusing on eccentric, concentric, and isometric training of the most efficient muscle groups. This helps athletes prime their movement to maximize muscle use and change poor movement patterns.
Athletes also incorporate these movements into their recovery plan, increasing their breathing capacity and body awareness. This gives them an edge and a faster recovery time.
Lengthens the Body
The bulk of your over-tightened and shortened muscles reside at the front of your body.
Foundation exercises focus on strengthening the muscles at the back.
A foundation training routine also helps improve posture by decompressing your spine, allowing you to stand taller with more power and confidence.
Three Principles Of Foundation Training Exercises
Anchoring
This process occurs from the base of your pelvis to the arch of your feet. Feet often have little flexibility or grip strength. But they are not useless; they anchor your body to the ground. To work on them, begin by pushing back. Stand as tall, broad, and large as you can.
Get a hold of the ground with your feet by engaging your arches and toe muscles. Having a strong foot will help you achieve strong ankles, which you need to push against gravity. This is true regardless of your age, and the older you get, the more you’ll need to learn this action.
Decompression
To decompress, lift and widen your rib cage while strengthening the muscles that keep it there. Breathing into your rib cage is essential; most people cannot expand or contract their ribs efficiently, and eventually, their lungs.
Integration
You’ll naturally integrate it into your daily routine once you develop the strength needed to anchor and decompress your body efficiently. It’s also how we integrate muscular chains to support our bodies better.
Most people notice a change in their bodies within a week. If you do the exercises for five to ten minutes each day for three weeks, you’ll notice significant changes in your body. You also won’t need to worry about recovery; you aren’t exercising your muscles to the point of failure. You’re simply repeating a better pattern of movement.
Try Foundation Exercises Today
Help your body become better and stronger.
But, don’t forget to consult with professionals before you try it out. Advanced Chiropractors Group can connect you to the best chiropractors in Vail, CO, who can help you with foundation training and more. Call us today to learn more.
