MOVING WELL

You may notice that at BTB we put an additional emphasis on moving well. While some fitness classes may just have you go through the movements, we at Between The Bumpers believe in a certain standard that we work to uphold all our members to.

So while you might not be there yet, we want all of our members squatting  below parallel, we want all of our members reaching full extension with weights overhead, and we want all of our members  bending over with proper form.

You constantly hear us talk about ROM (range of motion) in class.  Your range of motion is the precursor to elite fitness.  In order to fully optimize your fitness you will need to make mobility, stretching, and range of motion a part of your everyday life. 

If you’re strong and powerful, but tight with limited range of motion, its kind of like putting a Ferrari engine in a Honda Civic frame. You’ll have lots of horse power, but its only a matter of time until you run into some issues with your frame.

By increasing your range of motion and performing all exercises through that full range of motion you will find that you quickly optimize your positions. You will also find that you have a reduction in pain, your strength will increase, and you'll become more explosive and powerful. Because you will be able to get into better positions, your strength will improve dramatically, in contrast to if you were to stay stiff, tight, and moving through small ranges of motion.

Going Fast

Before you can lift heavy weights and move at high speeds however, you must prioritize moving through deep ranges of motion and moving well. We always want to move well, and move through full range of motion before we think about increasing the weight on any exercises, or increasing the speed on any movements. This is a non-negotiable, and will lead to you having a healthy, long, and more successful fitness career. You cannot skip this step! Remember ‘built not bought’ one of our gym’s immutable laws! 

You can’t just buy your way past these checkpoints. To get the most out of your fitness you are going to need to start with mastering the basics before you add on the rest. Otherwise, it's like building a house by starting with the framing, sure it might go up quickly, but without a foundation it’s not going to last very long. 

How To Improve Your ROM?

While improving your range of motion is a journey, and not not an outcome, here are few tips to take home:

• Pick one or two problem areas before each class; and spend 2:00 minimum holding a deep stretch to improve the range of motion in that area. It takes a minimum 2:00 Minutes for the body to relax and the muscles to lengthen. 

• Always stretch after class! This is the prime time to improve your mobility. You’re already at the gym, so take the 2:00-5:00 to do the assigned mobility work that the coach prescribes you after class, it will help you immensely.

• If  you are really having difficulty with your range of motion and muscle stiffness, you can book a one-on-one session with one of our coaches, or have our coaches design a customized Mobility Program to help you unlock your potential!