Training
Marisa HeinzeOctober 25, 2021
The 5 pillars of fitness: These elements will make you an athlete
True fitness training serves more than just aesthetics and strength - we at EVO Fitness are convinced of that. The root of the word "to fit" indicates that as many facets of fitness as possible should be addressed in order to increase your quality of life, performance and well-being. In this article we will show you how to develop a holistic fitness training and which areas you should pay attention to.
THE 5 PILLARS OF FITNESS TRAINING
During your training at EVO Fitness, you will work through the fitness elements of strength, endurance, flexibility, coordination and speed - at varying intensities depending on your goals. These skills form the basis for a holistic fitness workout that not only optimizes your physical condition, but also keeps you healthy and agile in the long run.
1) Power
Without force, movement is practically impossible. However, our thoroughly globalized and mechanized society ensures that the natural variety of movement has been lost in many parts of society. The result is muscular imbalances, muscle loss and musculoskeletal disorders.
Strength training increases performance, builds muscles and tones them, prevents injuries, increases self-confidence and self-esteem, and also shapes the figure.
The best known training methods are hypertrophy training ("muscle building training"), IK training and vibration training. Basically, one differentiates between the strength abilities maximum strength, speed strength and strength endurance.
Holistic, effective and functional exercises
The following exercises were selected with regard to their suitability for everyday use and universality. The basic exercises derived from classical strength training have proven to be effective:
- Squat: Holistic exercise focusing on leg and postural muscles.
- Deadlift: A comprehensive exercise with a focus on back extensors, hip extensors (buttocks) and thighs
- Bench Press: The "king exercise" for a strong upper body. Primarily trains the chest and triceps.
- Pull-up: Effective pulling movement for the back and biceps.
- Shoulder press: Strength exercise with a focus on the shoulders and triceps.
2) Endurance / Cardio
It not only helps you last longer. General endurance performance is underestimated by many people. It is either mentioned in connection with a marathon or triathlon or associated with more or less relevant health sports. The lasting effects of endurance training are hardly mentioned. Yet, for example, good endurance performance supports the effects of strength training.
Furthermore, endurance sports have an enormous importance for the energy metabolism and the cardiovascular system. In addition to the physical benefits (e.g., improving cardiac economy, increasing the number of "power plants" (mitochondria), optimizing fat metabolism), endurance training is also gaining popularity for mental health (e.g., exercise tolerance, stress reduction, and resilience).
In general, a distinction is made between basic endurance and sport-specific endurance. Characteristic of basic endurance is the general improvement of endurance performance through a mainly constant load/stress on the body (e.g. 10 minutes, 80 rpm). Sport-specific endurance focuses on the endurance performance required in various types of sports and fitness, which is significantly characterized by interval-like movements (e.g., 5 min, 70 rpm, 5 min, 90 rpm, 5 min, 70 rpm).
Holistic, effective and functional exercises
Everyday, it is recommended to improve basic endurance through proven sports and activities. As a beginner, you should start with about 10 minutes. Increase in 5 minute increments until you can easily sustain 60 minutes.
In the long run, you should choose a sport that you want to do regularly (at least 2x/week).
- Running/Jogging
- Cycling
- Swimming
- Rowing
- Nordic Walking
3) Mobility / Agility
It is always noticeable when it is missing or restricted. In fitness practice, flexibility training and stretching are greatly neglected. Although many people are aware of a restriction in their mobility, little is usually done about it. The main reasons are sedentary and one-sided loads as well as age and gender.
Mobility describes the ability to perform voluntary movements with the greatest possible range within joint systems. A short- or long-term increase in joint angles is achieved by adjusting pain receptors. Methods such as static (holding) and dynamic (moving) stretching are helpful. However, AED (tension-relaxation stretching), also called PNF stretching, which is used in physical therapy and other settings, is also an effective form of stretching to relieve restrictions in mobility.
Say goodbye to the idea that stretching has any appreciable effects in preventing muscle soreness or injury. A sufficient warm-up with active-dynamic elements from flexibility training (e.g. 10 minutes of running in + mobilization/activation) can maintain or improve the body's flexibility.
Holistic, effective and functional exercises
In general, flexibility and stretching exercises should be done as dynamically as possible before athletic challenges. Holding stretching is also possible outside of physical activities. There is currently controversy about the extent to which flexibility training is effective.
- Holding stretching (static): intensive 4 x 20 - 45 seconds, 3x/week
- Moving stretching (dynamic): intensive, 4 x 10 - 20 repetitions, 3x/week
- AED (tension-relaxation stretching, (dynamic)): submaximal, 3 - 5 repetitions, 3x/week
Coordination
In fitness sports, technique and coordination are the foundation for long-term and healthy training. Experienced physiotherapists, fitness trainers and personal trainers find fault with this fact in terms of consideration in fitness training: many newcomers are too impatient, so they neglect or simply ignore the need for clean technique/coordination of an exercise. In practice, this manifests itself in disastrous execution quality, lack of discipline and stagnation in training success.
Coordinative abilities are so-called progress qualities of movements, which are based on information and internal control and regulation processes. They form the prerequisite for athletic techniques. In general, a distinction is made between the following coordinative abilities: Differentiation, balance, coupling, orientation, reaction, rhythmization and changeover ability.
Holistic, effective and functional exercises
- Course offerings (e.g. Step, Functional Workout, Sling Training)
- Slackrack fitness (balance band)
- Variation of basic exercises (e.g. burpees, bugs, mountain climbers)
5) Speed
While you still ran relatively often as a child and teenager, you're likely to do it less as an adult. Why is that? You can find the reason again in modern and technical everyday life. Our life situations rarely require reactive or explosive movement.
Speed is a coordinative-technical ability that depends on a person's physical and psychological factors. Quickness implies a rapid response to stimuli. Cyclic or acyclic movements must often be realized at the highest speed.
Holistic, effective and functional exercises
Many methods exist to improve speed. We distinguish between reaction and movement speed.
- Sprints (reaction speed)
- Reaction games with balls (reaction speed)
- Coordination ladder (elementary cyclic frequency speed)
- Tapping (elementary cyclic frequency speed)
- Variation of the basic exercises in their speed
Summary
The elements of fitness training are strength, endurance, flexibility, coordination and speed. Effective training is therefore realized through the great variety of the five major pillars of fitness sports. This increases both the enjoyment of fitness training and the long-term motivation to train your body.
Source:
Ferrauti A. (2020): Trainingswissenschaft für die Sportpraxis. Springer-Verlag GmbH Deutschland
Source:
Ferrauti A. (2020): Trainingswissenschaft für die Sportpraxis. Springer-Verlag GmbH Deutschland