DoubleDbol’s BodyBlog

I’m writing this in regard to program design. When designing your personal program or as a personal trainer designing a program for a client there is one thing to keep in mind. No one program is designed to fit everyone. A personal program is just that, a "personal" program. What works for one might not work for another. Learning what might work for you could take time and trial and error. Though a program needs to be designed around a clients specific needs there is one thing that all programs need to consist of. This is the 4 pillars of human movement. Without these being incorporated into your workouts you won’t develop your muscles properly and they will not reach their full potential. These pillars are: 1. Locomotion (walking, running, Walking lunges) 2. Level Change (Squats, stair climbing, step-ups) 3. Push and Pull (Seated Row, Bench Press) 4. Rotation (Wood Chops, Twist with medicine ball) Every aspect of human movement can be placed into one of these catagories. The examples given are just to get an idea. Locomotion is basically just moving. Level Change is basically just movements that allow your center of gravity to be raised or lowered in the vertical direction. Push and Pull is what is definately the most popular one in gyms. Most of the movements that we perform in a gym, especially machine work is a push and pull. Now for rotation, the main reason I wanted to write this is because of this one. This one is the most neglected in a gym, even by personal trainers. Eighty Percent of the muscles in our body are designed for rotation, think about it, how many bodyparts can you rotate? In order for certain muscles to develop properly they need to be rotated under resistance just like push and pull. Now when designing a personal program make sure to include these into your split. And as always if there are any questions don’t hesitate to send me a message. Good luck.

I’m creating this blog in response to all the messages and comments asking for advice pertaining to lifting and program design. First, I would like to make a point that I’m going to gear toward the beginner and to the newly inducted intermediate lifter. One of the main things you need to remember is to lift with good form and do the right excercises at the right time. Good form is hard to come by at first so I would advise sticking with the machines at a moderate level and light free weight work. I don’t advise going into the gym on day one or even the first couple of months and immediately starting lifting heavy on anything. Our bodies have to undergo what ISSA calls a "training effect" which is the bodies adaption to the fairly newly induced training. Working out like this will cause the bodies stabilizer muscles and core to mature, adapt, and become stronger. I like to compare this to building a strong foundation for a building or a house. No one wanting to put a long term investment in a house or building would build it on a weak foundation or the dirt. After the stabilizers and core have undergone this "training effect" you can start building muscle safe and effectively on your body. This could take up to a few months, and you have to be patient. If you want to be doing this lifestyle for the rest of your life you want to do it right, right from the start. And as always I will answer all sincere questions that are asked to me, I want to make sure you guys don’t hurt yourselves.