Building a Strong Foundation

In my weekly running journey, I pass by a house that was once a field. Yesterday, the frame was finished. It has been fascinatinig watching this house become more than a vision of an architect. The manner of building a house reminds me of building the body for performance.... it starts with the foundation.

A parable in the Bible discussed building a house on the sand versus building a house on a ROCK.

The house built on the sand washed away when the storms came; the house on the ROCK survived. Without the proper foundation, the house crumbled when faced with the storm.

Is your foundation built on a ROCK or on the sand?

I spend a great deal of time emphasizing nutrition, as the fuel we put in our bodies influences the overall performance. The appropriate nutrition can attribute to building a proper foundation.

My spinning class this evening thought I was crazy to encourage them to drink more water (not juice, soda or gatorade), eat more fruits and veggies (especially fruit for breakfast) and just do it.

The nutritional foundation for this class is poor; but I trust that challenge for them to make small changes will help change the vision that these students have for themselves.

What is your physical foundation? -- does it reach beyond the nutritional needs of your body and encompass your structural needs for training?

Take a moment and think about your training and your goal. What is the foundation for your goal? Perhaps it is to be faster for a sport. Perhaps to run a marathon. What are you doing to build a strong foundation for doing this activity?

In my weight training class, we discussed the why of resistance training. If we understand the why we can determine the what. We further discussed the value of cardiovascular training, comparing it to resistance training. If I am running, I am propelling my body against gravity. If I cycle, I am peddling against a fly-wheel (on a stationary bike, like a spinner) or against the resistance of gravity or a bike, or rowing where I am performing a squat motion and pulling (row) with my upper body...... all of these are examples of resistance training. But thinking specifically about running, it takes strength to overcome the resistance of gravity to propel the body into flight over a period of 26.2 miles (and some people want to do that FAST!).

What are you doing to build the strength to handle the forces imposed on your body for that run?

Forces are imposed on the body in all of our movements and are amplified through sport-- jumping, running, hopping and/or skipping. How is the body prepared to handle these forces?

Your training should prepare the body to perform these activities that are pursued in your sport. You should train the shock absorbers (the muscles that absorb the shock from landing in a jump, run, hop or skip), and you should train specifically to match the needs of the sport. The resistance activity does not need to copy or mimick the game, but the exercises should create strength and stability to perform that activity.

A football linebacker and a cyclist have different goals than a marathon runner or swimmer. They may have similar needs, like body fat reduction or lower leg strength. The programs of each athlete might even have similar exercises, but each program should be specific to each athlete.

In understanding the needs of your sport and knowing your personal goals and needs, an appropriate program can then be written for you. Programming is like prescription writing-- it is individual. Keep that in mind, when you are reaching for a generic program out a fitness mag. There may be parts of the program that you can adopt; there are parts that may not be appropriate. If you don't know how or where to begin, acquiring the direction of a private coach should be your first step.

Building a strong foundation will be beneficial in achieving your fitness goals.