Chapter 15
Introduction to Exercise
Modalities
Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Purpose
To present basic information on popular
resistance-training modalities, their
benefits, and for what phases of training
these modalities would be most used in the
Optimum Performance training (OPT™)
model.
Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Objectives
• Define and describe the safe and effective use of selected
exercise training methods, including various forms of
resistance and proprioceptive modalities.
• Describe how these exercise training modalities can
safely and effectively be incorporated into a training
program for a variety of clients.
• Describe how these exercise training modalities can be
systematically used within the OPT™ model.
Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Resistance Training Modalities
Strength-training machines:
• Offer ease of use, require very little skills or
training to become proficient in using
• Fail to accommodate both upper and lower
body movements at the same time
• Not designed to fit all body types
• Work only in one plane of motion at a time
• Best for beginners and special needs clients
Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Free Weights
Can be used to emphasize certain muscle groups,
or target multiple muscle groups:
• Can improve athletic performance
• Can challenge the core stabilization system
• May require a spotter
• May be too difficult for beginning clients to
perform until exercise technique is
mastered
• Requires multiple dumbbells or barbells to
change intensity (load)
Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Cable Machines and Tubing
• Cable machines offer a variety of fitness
and sports performance benefits because
they allow similar freedom of movement as
free weights, yet most exercises do not
require a spotter.
• Elastic resistance training is an inexpensive
alternative to training with resistance.
Various forms of elastic resistance training
can be used to help improve proprioceptive
demands, muscular endurance, and joint
stabilization.
Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Medicine Balls
• Can be used with a variety of
populations
• Can be thrown, caught, used to
provide resistance in several planes
of motion
• Excellent modality for use in
explosive movements and
workouts, allow client to move
explosively without having to
decelerate.
Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Kettlebell Training
• Flat-bottomed cast ball with a handle
made popular by Russian army
• Enhanced athleticism, coordination,
and balance
• Increased mental focus and physical
stamina
• Increased oxygen uptake
• Increased total body conditioning as
opposed to isolation training
Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Kettlebell Program Design
Strategies
Kettlebells require advanced skill and
proficiency controlling multiple joints in
multiple planes of motion with a heavy
emphasis on posterior chain movements.
Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Body Weight Training
• Body weight exercises are exercises that do
not require additional load such as dumbbells,
barbells, or strength-training machines. An
individual’s own body weight along with gravity
provides the resistance for the movement.
• Push-ups, squats, sit-ups, and pull-ups are
classic examples.
Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Suspension Body Weight Training
• Suspension body weight trainers are an
innovative approach to body-weight fitness
training that uses a system of ropes and
webbing that allows the user to work
against his or her own body weight while
performing various exercises.
• Suspension movements are
distinguished from traditional exercises
in that either the user’s hands or feet
are supported by a single anchor point,
while the opposite end of the body is in
contact with the ground.
Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Suspension Body Weight Training
BENEFITS:
• Increased muscle activation
• Low compressive loads to the spine
• Increased performance
• Potential increase in caloric expenditure
• Improvements in cardiovascular fitness
Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Proprioceptive Modalities
Stability balls:
• Proper use of stability balls allows for
increases in strength and stability of
the core musculature when
substituted for more stable surfaces,
such as exercise benches, chairs,
and the floor.
• The spherical shape of the ball creates
an unstable base of support, forcing
users to constantly adjust their body
position to the subtle movements of
the ball.
Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Bosu Balls
The BOSU ball is an inflated
rubber hemisphere attached to
a solid plastic surface. It looks
like a stability ball cut in half.
• Training with the BOSU ball offers
the ability to increase the
intensity of an exercise by
decreasing the stability.
• Unlike the stability ball, the BOSU
ball is relatively safe to stand on,
so it is a practical device to train
with to target lower limb balance
and stability.
Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Vibration Training
• Vibration training is typically performed on a
platform that generates (mainly) vertical
sinusoidal vibrations (a smooth repetitive
oscillation) that stimulate muscle
contractions that are comparable to the
tonic vibration reflex. Studies have shown
that training on a vibration platform results
in strength increase similar to that of
conventional resistance training.
• Vibration training manipulates acceleration,
thereby creating an environment in which
the body is stimulated to increase strength
as a result of higher g-forces.
Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Benefits of Vibration Training
Improving circulation and cardiovascular
function:
• Alleviation of muscle soreness
• Weight reduction and increased metabolism
• Increased bone density
• Increased flexibility and range of motion
• Improved overall well-being and potentially
reducing the symptoms of Parkinson disease,
multiple sclerosis, and fibromyalgia
Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Program Design Strategies
• Vibration training should be used starting with lowintensity, low-frequency settings and short sessions.
The body should be gently stimulated in a way that will
create adjustment but will not overwork the system.
• With time, the intensity and duration can be increased
in the same manner as other progressive training
programs.
• Once the body has adapted to the stimulus, the training
needs to be changed or intensified to keep improving
performance.
Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Summary
Proprioception is defined as the cumulative sensory
input to the central nervous system from all
mechanoreceptors that sense position and limb
movements. Improving the speed and quality of
this information enhances motor learning and
improves movement patterns and overall
performance. Popular proprioceptive modalities
used within the fitness industry include stability
balls, BOSU balls, and whole-body vibration
platforms. All of these modalities can be easily
implemented into the OPT™ model.
Copyright © 2012 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins