Vasa Article Liquid Fitness

8/11/2019 Vasa Article Liquid Fitness

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Everyday Athlete& Everyday Surfer

Presents

Liquid FitnessCircuit Training for Surfers (PART 1)

Featuring: Vasa Ergometer


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Everyday Athlete, Everyday Surfer and Liquid Fitnessand Core Potential are registered trademarks of the Everyday Athlete.

LIQUID FITNESS:DESIGNED TO IMPROVE

YOUR SURFING USING A

SYSTEMATIC, PROGRES-

SIVE AND SPORTS-

SPECIFIC TRAINING

WORKOUT FOR SURFERSBASED AROUND THE VASA

ERGOMETER:

This training program is a

part of more comprehensive

exercise series designed and

developed by Tomas An-

thony, founder of the Every-

day Athlete and Everyday

Surfer. The complete train-

ing program will be released

this winter on DVD and via

the internet.

PART 1 of a 4 Part Series

By learning and practicing

each of the programs in this

series, you will increase your

paddling strength, endur-

ance, power + speed and

condition your entire body.

To start, Circuit One will in-

troduce exercises designed

to help stabilize your Core

muscles: The muscles

whose function is to provide

stability for your trunk, hips,

pelvis and shoulder complex.Also, you will be combining

anaerobic (without oxygen:

short-burst of strength-

power); and aerobic (with

oxygen: longer endurance

based work) to better

prepare your body for the

specific demands of surfing.

After completing 4-6 weeks

of this program, 2-3 times

per week, you will be able to

surf better- longer with a

reduced risk of injury.

EQUIPMENT- Vasa Ergometer

- or Vasa Trainer

- Stability Ball (55-cm)

- Dumbbell(s) (10-25 lb.)

- Rope/Strap/Towel

-Exercise Mat

OPTIONAL TOOLS

- Heart Rate Monitor Watch


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REALIZE YOUR CORE POTENTIAL

We are all beginners. Shortcuts are a myth. If you want to be better,

start at the beginning.

Most of us go through life not fully realizing our potential. I believe that all of us have somethingexceptional to give the world but many of us never discover it. This training program is designed to

uncover the greatness in you. It will help you learn how to maximize your strengths to overcome

your weaknesses.

Few people are born athletes. Most of us become athletic through hard, consistent day-to-daywork. In fact, most training to date has not focused on perfecting movement patterns but rather

on simply creating size or strength. Movements are the building block of athleticism.

Until very recently, how to train properly has been shrouded in myth and misinformation. Would

it surprise you to know the majority of most gym-based workouts on exercise machines are

largely based on bodybuilding techniques and marketing gimmicks and not human movement

science and sports medicine? These misguided methodologies have dominated many athletic

programs, personal training departments, and health clubs for years.

Over the past 15 years there has been an explosion in human movement science research and

the application of science-based approaches to training. Even Eastern exercise disciplines such

as Yoga, Martial Arts and other Mind-Body disciplines have been analyzed and studied to de-

termine how they affect our biomechanics and improves our lives.

The exercises contained in this workout are part of a larger exercise program titled: Liquid Fitness

This integrated exercise series was designed using scientific training principles as taught and prac-

ticed by the best minds in Sports Medicine/Athletic Training/Physical Therapy. I am very grateful

for the exceptional teaching of such as people as Vern Gambetta, Steve Odgers, Mike Clark, Gary

Gray, Gray Cook, Mike Boyle, and Mark Verstegen among others.

The workout would not be possible without the innovative and high quality products from Vasa in-

cluding the new Vasa Ergometer. This product will allow surfers, swimmers or anyone who wants

to become fit to train efficiently and effectively at home. Moreover, it will allow surfers for the first

time to train for the specific demands of their sport without getting wet.

I hope you enjoy this workout and be sure to look for release of the full workout program online

and on DVD in the winter of 2005. If you have any questions please contact me at our website:

www.everydayathlete.com


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Tomas Anthony

Recognized by the National Academy of Sports Medicine as a Performance Enhance-

ment Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer, and Integrated Flexibility Specialist. His

clients include business executives, professional writers, artists, musicians and celeb-

rity chefs. A passionate surfer and fitness expert, Tomas will be releasing a training

DVD designed around this new training method for surfers and the general public in the

winter of 2005.

A graduate of Engl ish from Ober lin Co llege, Tomas has alwa ys be lieved taki ng a

multidisciplinary approach to life. He has taught kindergarten through high school stu-

dents, and worked in the software industry helping companies leverage their human

potential to create great companies.

Tomas became a tra iner af ter years of dis-

covering how powerful the new ways of

training can dramatically improve his ownlevel of fitness. I love learning new things

and teaching them to others. I met many

people who never realized their potential.

he says, This is sad and unnecessary. My

mission has become to help people dis-

cover their core strengths and show them

how to maximize them to overcome their

weaknesses Tomas has struggled with

Hypothyroidism for 15 years, yet he has lost

over 35 pounds of body fat and performs

better than ever doing the thing he loves

most: Surfing.

THERE ARE 3 PARTS TO THIS TRAINING PROGRAM:

1 Dynamic Warm-Up

2 Core+Balance+Strength Circuit

3 Cool-Down

- Included is a quick visual training guide at the beginning, which you can use to remind you ofwhat comes next after you practice the exercises.

At first, you will have to practice each movement pattern in front of a mirror to check your form.

After a week or two you should be able to execute each movement without having to think exces-

sively about your form. One of the best things about this training methodology is that it is never

boring and thus time flies as you go through your workout. Also, because most exercises are de-

signed to engage your neurological system and muscular system, you are forced to focus or you

may not be able to complete the exercises.


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NOTES ON THE CIRCUIT

All the exercises are designed to be completed in pairs with little or no rest. This fact assumes that

you have a base level of fitness.

If at any time you feel dizziness, shortness of breath, or excessively weak, STOP .

If you unable to complete the minimum required reps then reduce the resistance or do as many as

you can under control.

The training variables during this workout are as follows:

REPS 12-20

SETS 1-4 (Dependent how much time you have)

INTENSITY 70-80%

MOVEMENT EMPHASIS Isometric - Eccentric

REST INTERVAL 0-90 Seconds

Use the following chart for all the exercises except the ones using the Vasa Ergometer unless oth-erwise noted.


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NOTES ON RESISTANCE TRAINING METHODS:

Before beginning you training, write down your goals. Try to describe them as specifically as pos-

sible and attach a time frame to your objectives. Also, give yourself enough time to let your body

adapt to the new demands of your training. It is more likely that you are going to train too hard,

too quickly and end up injured, than not enough. Make sure that you dont set up an unrealistic

training schedule. Your training should be progressively more demanding.

Assessing Where You Are

One of the hardest challenges when you train yourself is assessing how your body is functioning.

This is a skill that should be a part of everyones education (high school or college.)

Before beginning any training program you should try to understand how well you are able to:

Move your joints without pain, restriction, lack of coordination = This is often calledFlexi-

bility or Mobility

Control the movement of your joints particularly your spine, shoulders, hips-pelvis, knees

and ankles without undue stress = Stability

Dynamically maintain center of gravity at all times while moving or rest =Balance React quickly and efficiently =Reactive Strength / Agility

Reduce, produce and neutralize resistance during both short and longer periods of time =

Strength & Endurance

Create maximal force in minimal time with or without resistance = Power & Speed

If we were to categorize this into a hierarchical performance pyramid it would look like this:

Clearly everyone would like to be able to perform and live an exceptional life. But in order to ac-

complish this we must all master to some degree, each of the steps it takes to get there.

Resistance training programs by design challenge you to produce, reduce or statically resist forces

with mastery over a pre-programmed period of time. When done properly your body adapts to the

imposed demands (training) and you feel, look and perform better. Unfortunately, most exercise

programs fail before they even begin by not adequately addressing the basic and necessary func-

tions needed prior to progressing to the next level.

What sets this training methodology apart from previous approaches is the systematic, progressive

and integrated approach that it employs. During your workouts you will be asked to use three dis-

tinct types of muscle actions:

P O W E R +

S P E E DEXCEPTIONAL

S T R E N G T H + E N -

D U R A N C EADVANCED

B A L A N C E + R E A C T I V E

S T R E N G T HINTERMEDIATE

F L E X I B I L I T Y + S T A B I L I T Y + C O R E

S T R E N G T HBASIC


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ISOMETRIC: Ability to statically resist (a force) resulting in no movement.

Example: Static Floor Bridge on your elbows

Gravity Neutralizing Force in opposition.

ECCENTRIC:Ability to decelerate (a force) resulting in a slowing down of the body/limb (thatotherwise would not slow if not resisted.)

Example: DB Lunge Rotation

Gravity Reducing Force (Gravity + Momentum)

CONCENTRIC: Ability to overcome external resistance.

Example: Stability Ball Power Pushup

Gravity

Producing Force: Overcoming resistance (Gravity + Body)

It is very important to master all three muscle actions to insure proper movement. In the

past, most exercise programs focused most of training time on the producing of force(Concentric). Also, there still is too much emphasis in most training programs on isolating

individual muscles (Example: Dumbbell Curls, Bench Press, Hamstring Curls.) In fact,

most of the machines you see at most health clubs are built around the concept of Isola-

tion, which comes from body building.


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While these methods work to increase size of muscles they do not enhance function. You

will notice that there is a special emphasis on the ISOMETRIC and ECCENTRIC movement

patterns in the following workout. This will help build your ability to statically and dynami-

cally stabilize your body during movement.

Why is al l this so important

Your brain and nervous systems know if you have weak muscles stabilizing your spine,

hips and/or other joints. When you go to run, jump or sprint it monitors your movements

to make sure you dont over do it and injure yourself. During this process, if your brain or

nervous system detects weakness it will turn off muscle power to reduce the likelihood of

injury. By improving your ability to MOVE and STABILIZE your joints while maintaining your

BALANCE, your brain allows you to use more muscle to produce more force.

Your body needs proper MOBILITY, STABILITY and BALANCE, (Isometric/Eccentric mus-

cle actions) prior to building STRENGTH and POWER (Concentric muscle action).

This is where we will begin our training: Building your ability to move through each exer-

cise using a full-range of motion while maintaining proper posture, form and balance. Fo-

cus on these things for the next 6 weeks and you will be well on your way to improving

your fitness and performance in the water and on the land.


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QUICK VISUAL EXERCISE GUIDE

Vasa Ergometer Exercises (used in this circuit)

Active Flexibility Warm-Up Exercises

LEG SWINGS TOE TOUCHES BILATERAL ARM SWINGS

ERGOMETER ALTERNATING SIDE ROW ERGOMETER FREESTYLE SPRINT

ERGOMETER FREESTYLE PADDLE ERGOMETER BUTTERFLY


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QUICK VISUAL EXERCISE GUIDE (CONT.)

Strength-Core Stability Exercises

STABILITY BALL STATIC HOLD

BRIDGE PRESS LUNGE ROTATION (DUMBBELL) SINGLE LEG SQUAT-ROW-PRESS

LATERAL LEG SWINGS


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QUICK VISUAL EXERCISE GUIDE (CONT.)

Cool-Down Flexibility Exercises

CHILD'S POSE COBRA

ASSISTED HAMSTRING STRETCH SIDE LYING 90/90 STRETCH BALL SHOULDER STRETCH


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Training ProgramTo start we will be going through a series of dynamic flexibility movements that will help prepare our bodies for the

strength-power part of our workout. A proper warm-up routine is essential to help prevent injury and allow our neuro-

muscular system (brain-nerves-muscles) get ready for the more intense demands ahead. NOTE: This routine can be

practiced on the beach prior to getting in the water.

ACTIVE FLEXIBILITY WARM-UP

All the warm-up exercises are done without rest in succession. Repeat each movement 20 times or more for each side if

indicated. Each movement is ACTIVE: You will be moving through the stretch at a moderate to slow pace; Do NOT

HOLDany of these stretches.

Start each stretch with your feet hip width apart, toes pointing straight ahead, draw your stomach in towards your spine,

with your shoulders drawn down and back.

Leg Swings: Stand on your left foot only, keeping your right leg straight, slowly start to swing your leg from back to front

bending your knee as your leg moves past your hips. Imagine kicking a soccer ball. Repeat on Left side. NOTE: Control

the backward momentum of your hips by drawing in your abs towards your spine. Dont let your back or hips flop

around to control the motion.


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Toe Touches:

Take a small step forward with

your right foot, bend at the waist

allowing your back to arch

slightly (draw your abdominal

muscles in as you bend over)and reach for your front foot.

Your left heel may leave the

ground but keep your legs

straight. Do not worry about

touching your toes to the

ground. Alternate walking your

right and left feet forward in a

rhythmic pattern. REMEMBER:

Keep your abdominal muscles

drawn in and dont let your back

arch excessively.

Bilateral Arm Swings:

Bend your knees and bring your arms down to your sides as you go into a semi-squat position. Note: Make sure your

knees track straight over your feet and do not move out over your toes. You should be able to see your toes as you go

down. From this semi-squat begin to swing your arms up over your head as you come up to a standing position.

Coordinate the timing of your arms swinging up to coincide with your hips, knees and ankles. Repeat. Concentrate on

extending your range of motion while maintaining good form: Perfect posture, knees tracking straight, abdominal mus-

cles engaged.


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Lateral Leg Swings:

Hold onto an immovable object for this next exercise: Wall, Door Frame, etc. Give yourself enough room to be able to

swing your leg across your body in a long sweeping arch. Stand on your left foot, lift your leg out to the side as high as

you can pointing your toe out, opening your hips, then sweep your leg down as your point your toe inward allowing your

leg to freely come across your body and opposite leg. Repeat. Allow your legs momentum to move your hips and lower

back. Keep your stomach drawn in and engaged throughout and make sure that your foot on the ground stays straight

ahead. Switch legs.

Each of these exercises should take you between 1!- 2 minutes.

Total time: 6-8 minutes.


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CORE BALANCE STRENGTH

In this section you will be performing a series of 4 pairs of

exercises: One on the Vasa Ergometer and one using other

equipment. You will rest after completing the two exercises:

Freesty le Paddle &Bridge Press.

Freestyle Paddle:

To begin you will perform a 2-minute freestyle stroke on the

Ergometer with little to no resistance. Your rhythm should be slow

to moderately paced for the first minute then switch to a fast pace

for the last minute (if you are wearing a heart rate monitor watch

you are shooting for 70-80% of predicted HR max.). This is notan all out sprint!

Easier Variation: Do this on your knees instead of feet!

Bridge Press:

Immediately following get down on the floor in a plank position with your elbows directly beneath your shoulders and

your legs straight. Slowly lower yourself by retracting your shoulder blades together then press them to bring yourself

back up. Repeat as many times as you can. NOTE: Pay close attention to your hips. Do NOT let them fall. Keep them

in line with your shoulders. Do NOT let your lower back become hyper-extended. IF this proves too difficult for you

because you cannot complete more than a few repetitions or you cannot maintain perfect form, then drop to your knees

instead of your toes.


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Butterf ly Stroke Rotat ional Chop Lunge Posit ion

Butterfly stroke: 2 minutes; Little to no resistance.

Your rhythm should be moderately paced for the first minute then switch to a fast pace for the last minute (if you are

wearing a heart rate monitor watch you are shooting for 70-80% of predicted HR max.). Again: This is not an all out

sprint!


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Rotational Chop Lunge Position:

Get off the Vasa Ergometer and grab a Dumbbell (or other weighted object).

Stand up straight in the same starting position as in our warm-up: feet hip width apart, stomach drawn in, shoulders

down and back.

Holding the weight with two hands bring it over your right shoulder (bend your elbows). Under control slowly swing the

weight down across your body as you lunge forward with your left leg. Aim towards the outside of your left thigh as you

bend your knees (sit back: do not lean forward; stay upright) and twist your torso bringing your right shoulder to the mid-

line of your body. Return to the starting position by returning the weight back up along the same path. REPEAT 12-20

times. Switch Sides. NOTE: It is essential that you keep your feet, knees and hips in alignment. Do NOT allow any of

them to change position as you rotate down. Do NOT BEND or lean excessively forward. Try this with no weight to start

if needed.


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Seated Alternat ing Upright Row (VASA ERGO) Single Leg Squat Row to Overhead Press (Dumbbel l)

Seated Alternating Upright Row (VASA ERGO):

Add Resistance Time: 2 Minutes

Sitting on the Vasa with your legs over the end of the pad,posture perfect, elbows high, palms facing down, Draw in your

stomach and begin rowing alternating each side. You will notice

that it is hard to keep your lower body from rotating excessively.

Concentrate on keeping your a drawn in and allow your upper

body and mid torso to twist. Row vigorously. Increase your

resistance as necessary. NOTE: Do NOT let your shoulders

elevate into a shrug. Row straight back.


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Single Leg Squat Row to Overhead Press:

Get off the machine grab your dumbbell with

one hand. (If you dont have dumbbells then

use anything that you can control with one

hand).

Begin by standing in start position. Lift one leg

slightly off the floor. Hold your weight in theopposite side hand to the leg that is lifted.

Slowly lower yourself into a squat. Use the

weight in your hand as a counter-weight by

bringing your arm forward. Once your reach

the limit of your stability reach slightly forward

and row your arm backwards starting from the

shoulder and continuing through the elbow.

As you complete the row slowly come out of

the squat while bringing the weight to ear

height then over your head into an overhead

press. Repeat 12 times. Switch Legs. NOTE:

Squatting on one leg is very difficult at first. To

help position yourself with something you can

safely sit down on behind you: Couch, strongchair, exercise bench, etc. Also, you can put

one toe down to help you master the

movement at first. Remember to keep your

abdominal muscles drawn in and engaged

throughout.


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Freesty le Spr int Stabi l i ty Bal l Hold (or Push-Up)

Freestyle Sprint:

This is an all out sprint for 2 minutes using the freestyle stroke on the Ergometer with little to no resistance. Your rhythm

should be as fast as you are comfortable paddling with perfect form (if you are wearing a heart rate monitor watch you

are shooting for 85%+ of predicted HR max.) Remember you must maintain good form throughout. If your form breaks

stop paddling.

Stability Ball Static Hold INTERMEDIATE Variation = Pushups!

Immediately following get off the machine, grab your stability ball and place your hand an equal-distant apart in a pushup position on the ball. Like the floor bridge press, you can either be on your toes or knees. Dont worry, both variations

are challenging and strengthen the same muscles.

In this position slowly lower yourself by retracting your shoulders and bending at the elbows lowering yourself as far

down as you can with the goal being to touch your chest to the ball. NOTE: Remember to keep your hips in line with

your shoulders and your abdominal muscles engaged. Once you cannot lower yourself anymore then simply hold your

body in a static position for as long as your can.


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COOL DOWN

To cool down you will go through a short series of flexibility movements including postures adapted from Yoga and Ath-

letic Training. Remember that after any workout it is important to have a complete post-workout recovery program in-

cluding flexibility training, nutrition and rest to help the body recover and adapt to the training you have completed.

For these exercises you will need a short piece of rope (6-8), a mat, a stability ball.

Assisted Hamstring:

Lay on your back. Wrap the rope around your foot. Lift your leg up by using your thigh muscles (Quads) and bring your

leg as high as possible using the rope to assist you. Note: Do NOT let the other leg lift off the floor. Keep your stomach

engaged and hips neutral. Hold at the top for 2 seconds and repeat. 12-20 times. Switch legs.


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Assisted 90/90 Stretch

Lie on your side, with

your right leg extended

and your left knee at

your chest. Use your

inner thigh muscles to

push your left knee to

the ground, assisting by

holding your knee down

with your arm.

Open your shoulders by

rotating your torso to the

left. Try to get your arm

to the ground. Hold for

2 seconds and repeat.

Stability Ball Shoulder Stretch

Kneel behind your stability ball with your arms extended

and palms facing up on the ball.

Slowly and under control roll the ball forward and your

hips backwards as you drop your chest towards the

floor. Exhale out as your hands are lifted higher. Do

NOT put excessive pressure on the ball. Roll the ball

forward and do not roll forward on the ball.


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Child's Pose to Cobra

For those of you who have taken Yoga

these postures should be familiar.

Start by sitting on your knees, slowly

drop your chest down while reaching

your arms forward over your head and

onto the floor. Reach as far forward as

possible while pushing your hips

backwards. Then come up onto your

knees transitioning your pelvis down to

the floor bringing your hands to your

sides underneath your shoulders.

Extend your back up while driving your

pelvis into the floor. Do NOT over

extend your back and keep your

shoulders down and back while you

press your pelvis down. Repeat 12+

times. Ending in a Cobra position.

That completes the first workout. As

always, if you havent exercised in a

while, start slowly, paying attention to

form and proper posture at all times.

Get proper rest and eat a well balanced

diet with lots of lean sources of protein,

diverse vegetables and stay away from

all processed and junk foods as muchas possible.

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