How can you design a core training program for functional training in extreme climates?
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Functional training is a type of exercise that aims to improve your performance in everyday activities, sports, or extreme situations. It involves training your body as a whole, not just isolated muscles, and using movements that mimic real-life scenarios. Core training is a vital component of functional training, as it helps you stabilize your spine, transfer force, and maintain balance and posture. But how can you design a core training program for functional training in extreme climates, such as high altitude, heat, or cold? Here are some tips to help you.
Before you start any core training program, you need to assess your current level of core strength and stability. This will help you choose the appropriate exercises, intensity, and progression for your goals and needs. You can use various tests to measure your core strength, such as the plank, side plank, bird dog, dead bug, or curl-up. These tests challenge your ability to maintain a neutral spine position and resist external forces. You should also assess your mobility, flexibility, and posture, as these factors affect your core function and alignment.
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Matt Kritz, Ph.D.
Human Performance | Education Innovator | Executive Leadership
The test you choose should be specific to the demand you are assessing. If you want to be able to resist rotation in order to stabilize your spine as you do a lot of lifting and rotating tasks then the assessments used to assess core strength should challenge how well your core can resist rotation and for how long.
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Terry Fenwick
FORMER TRINIDAD & TOBAGO NATIONAL TEAM HEAD COACH & FLOW SPORTS ANALYST
Coaching is about assessing players first to then engage formation and style depending on the quality of players at your disposal. Passion and commitment are essential and sometimes at the expense of others that may be talented but lacking drive. Success is born out of collective pride passion and commitment of all players and staff believing in the selected formation and objectives
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Functional core exercises are those that train your core muscles to work together with your limbs and other muscles in a coordinated and efficient way. They also challenge your core to adapt to different planes of motion, directions, and speeds. Some examples of functional core exercises are squats, lunges, push-ups, rows, kettlebell swings, medicine ball throws, and Turkish get-ups. These exercises activate your core while also engaging your upper and lower body muscles. You can also use unstable surfaces, such as a stability ball, a BOSU ball, or a TRX suspension trainer, to increase the core demand and variability.
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Mohamed Agize
Gym Manager l Turn-around Specialist l Regional Training & Development Champion
1. Understand the specific climate conditions you will be training in. 2. Focus on core stability exercises like planks and Russian twists. 3. Include balance and proprioception exercises to improve stability in unstable terrain. 4. Incorporate functional movements that mimic the demands of the extreme climate. 5. Train for endurance and stamina through cardiovascular exercises and interval training. 6. Adapt to the environment by training in conditions that replicate the extreme climate. 7. Emphasize hydration and recovery strategies for optimal performance and injury prevention. 8. Monitor progress, adjust the program as needed, and consult with a qualified trainer.
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Ishani Ghotikar
Sports Nutritionist | Enabling health through nutrition & content
Functional core exercises also strengthen the torso and help the body acclimate to unfavourable situations - during play or even otherwise. Even in sports which do not necessarily demand core strength, functional core exercises go a long way in improving overall fitness and reducing overall body fat.
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Training in extreme climates can have an impact on your core function and performance. High altitude can reduce oxygen supply to your muscles, heat can cause dehydration and fatigue, and cold can impair your blood flow and coordination. Consequently, you should adjust your core training program to the climate you are in or preparing for. For instance, when training at high altitude, begin with low intensity and volume and gradually increase as you acclimate. Additionally, focus on breathing deeply and rhythmically, and use exercises that improve your diaphragm strength and endurance such as crocodile breathing or resisted breathing. Similarly, when training in heat, stay hydrated and avoid training during the hottest hours of the day. Reduce intensity and duration of core exercises, take frequent breaks, and use exercises that enhance core temperature regulation like core activation with ice packs or cold water immersion. Lastly, when training in cold weather warm up thoroughly and wear appropriate clothing. Increase intensity and frequency of core exercises, avoid long periods of rest, and use exercises that boost core blood circulation and metabolism such as core activation with heat packs or hot water immersion.
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Matt Kritz, Ph.D.
Human Performance | Education Innovator | Executive Leadership
Injuries occur when demand exceeds capacity. If you are not ready for the environment an activity is taking place you run the risk of not having the capacity for the demands of that activity. For example, if you always go for 10k walks in the summer heat and want to be ready for a 10k hike in winter in Alaska then you better prepare by hiking in that climate to see what you need to improve so you are ready.
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Shadab Ahmed
Gym instructor at muscles rock gymnasium
Before start any core training program, I will assess his/her current level of core strength and stability then start with plank, and more
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To continue improving your core strength and stability for functional training, you should progress your core training program over time. This can be done by increasing the difficulty, complexity, or variety of your core exercises. For instance, you can increase the load, speed, or range of motion of your core exercises; modify the base of support, stability, or orientation; add more movement, rotation, or power; and even combine different core exercises or modalities such as strength, endurance, or plyometrics. With these tips in mind, you can create a core training program for functional training in extreme climates that will help you boost your core function, performance, and resilience.
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Matt Kritz, Ph.D.
Human Performance | Education Innovator | Executive Leadership
Think, am I feeling Fast, Fit, or Strong on the days you are exercising. If you are feeling fast then your training session including your core training should be fast moving and dynamic. If you are feeling fit, then the session can be long and metabolic using a circuit or as many rounds as possible approach. My favorite Fit session is doing 100 reps in the least number of sets. 100 push exercise reps, 100 pull exercise reps, 100 lower body exercise reps, and 100 core exercise reps in the least number of total sets will get you fit. Pick the exercises you are comfortable and confident to do. If you are feeling strong, then do fewer repetitions but use higher loads or weights.
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Francesca McKenzie, R.Kin
Owner of FitFx Training | Registered Kinesiologist (Inactive) | Personal Trainer | Online Services Available
Progressive overload is an important principle for improving one's performance. Manipulating one or several variables, such as load or tempo, will allow the body to respond accordingly via improved strength, speed, and agility, for example. Monitoring the program and documenting these variables will ensure that this progression is done mindfully and makes it much easier to adjust and tweak the program as needed. Progression also gives the client positive feedback that all of their hard work is paying off!
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Tom Hudson
Functional Health | Holistic Health | Build Muscle | Fat loss | Manage Stress | Sculpt Your Body | Sharpen Your Mind | Restoring Desk Bound Professionals Energy, Confidence And Health | DM to Begin Your Journey
The more you train the core, the more it will affect your ability to go as intense on every compound lift or functional exercise due to the core being incorporated. Manage intensity and frequency, include static, dynamic and rotation specific work to your chosen sport or skill. A great way if limited on weight and equipment, use squats, rows or presses with weights hung from resistance bands on a barbell, this truly lights the core up like nothing else
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Enrique Gonzalez
Peak Performance Coach | AI & Leadership Development Specialist | Advocate for Ethical AI & Inclusive Leadership
In my opinion, to enhance core training in extreme climates, consider environmental adaptability conditioning. For high altitudes, incorporate hypoxic training protocols to simulate reduced oxygen levels, thus improving core stabilization under stress. In heat, blend isometric core exercises with hydrotherapy to maintain core engagement while facilitating thermal regulation. For cold environments, leverage dynamic core movements paired with myofascial release techniques to preserve core function and flexibility. Each strategy fosters a resilient core adaptable to any climate challenge
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