Workout consistency means more than just showing up to the gym on a regular basis. The consistency of the workouts that you do is just as important. That requires a workout sequence that remains the same with very little variation. I call this the principle of sameness. Get your variety through cross-training, not through variation of the flow of a workout type!
I began my journey with yoga years ago with a style known as Bikram. The founder of that style came under fire for his personal issues, but the workout was phenomenal. It uses a flow of the same 26 postures in the exact same sequence every time. The results for me were dramatic. I learned the important of posture flow “sameness” from that program.
Inspired from that original hot yoga experience, HOTWORX invented infrared 3D Training as an exclusive program for members of the 24 Hour Infrared Fitness Studios franchise. One of the cornerstone principles of 3D Training is consistency of workout types.
Customers rely on fitness professionals for the right advice to get the results that they want. Sometimes customers don’t always know what is best for themselves, and they often make requests that are contrary to what works to get them to their fitness goals. One such request is that the workouts be changed up frequently. These requests happen because there are some fitness trainers out there that promote a free-for-all approach with no regard for the importance of a consistent workout flow.
Beware of trainers who lack a well defined method and focus.
These trainers promote workouts that have no rhyme, reason or integrity. They practice no real method. Rather, they push a haphazard, schizophrenic approach to fitness. They think that a client should do something completely different every time they come in the gym. This is dangerous as it lends itself to a high degree of risk for injury, and it has no logical pattern for measurability. These unscrupulous trainers think that it’s their job to get their clients sore after every workout by forcing radical changes in the flow of the workout exercises to the point that customers never know if they are improving or not. I have seen trainers grind their clients into an overtraining funk and declining strength levels as a result of these flawed practices.
As an athlete and a client myself, I have experienced injuries from trainers who pushed fringe exercises designed to shock a body part. And, shock they did. In one of those instances I suffered a severe hamstring injury.
You have to train smart if you want to avoid injury and obtain long term progressions in muscle strength, flexibility and pliability.
Fitness studio owners have the responsibility here to ensure that the safest and most effective approach is recommended to the client, not what might be the most popular fad, or something that is done solely for the purpose of adding variety and shock value. Long term, sustained results will always trump a short term “sugar high” designed to cure “boredom”. There are endless ways to make improvements to the performance of a simple plank that can keep you free from boredom forever. Studio owners owe it to teach their members a proper method of fitness that includes educating them on the importance of workout flow consistency!
Variety is not a training method! And, if it is applied in the wrong manner it can be very detrimental to the client. Cross-training is the most effective way to practice fitness variety, but the workout types, such as yoga, ISO and Pilates must remain consistent!
The HOTWORX 3D Training Method was born out of yoga. HOTWORX then created an entire isometric offering spawned from yoga including specialty workouts for Pilates, barre, core, glutes, bands, and now stretch to name a few. Each of these workout types are carefully choreographed and purposely crafted into a flow that remains consistent over time.
When it comes to yoga and all forms of isometrics, consistency of flow is the key!
Because of the very unsystematic approach that many fitness trainers tend to practice, some clients think that they are supposed to do each workout type with totally different postures each time they come in the gym. GIANT RED FLAG!!! That advice is dangerous, misinformed and less effective. It will NEVER be offered that way at HOTWORX!
Consistency of flow is a fundamental principle in yoga practice, and it is particularly emphasized in styles like Bikram, Hatha, and HOTWORX yoga. Maintaining a consistent flow throughout a yoga workout, similar to the Bikram flow, and like that of the athletic style of HOTWORX isometrics, offers several important benefits that contribute to a holistic and effective practice including the following:
Mind-Body Connection: Consistency of flow helps establish a strong connection between the mind and the body. As you move from one posture to another in a logical sequence, you become more attuned to your body's sensations, alignment, and limitations. This heightened awareness from the consistency of flow allows you to make necessary adjustments and modifications, enhancing the overall effectiveness of your practice. If you are practicing yoga that changes postures every workout, then you will lose this advantage.
Focused Breath Awareness: In a consistent flow, each movement is synchronized with the breath. A flow that is familiar to the client encourages conscious breathing patterns, which play a crucial role in reducing stress, improving oxygen circulation, and maintaining mental clarity. Breath awareness also helps you stay present in the moment and enhances that mind-body connection.
Cardiovascular Benefits: A systematic flow-based isometrics can have cardiovascular benefits when performed consistently. The continuous movement and controlled breathing elevate your heart rate, enhancing blood circulation and cardiovascular endurance. The steady and controlled transitions between poses in flow-based yoga create a balanced workload for the heart. This encourages efficient heart function by allowing the heart to adapt to different intensities of movement while maintaining a steady rhythm. All of this contributes to a healthier cardiovascular system over time.
Enhanced Flexibility and Strength: The consistent flow of poses engages various muscle groups, promoting flexibility and strength throughout the body. By gradually moving through a standard sequence of postures, you target specific muscle groups and gradually work towards increasing your range of motion.
Improved Balance and Coordination: Flowing through a well planned series of poses challenges your balance and coordination as you transition from one position to another. With consistent practice, you develop better proprioception (awareness of your body in space) and coordination, which can improve your overall physical stability. A messy approach to posture sequencing steadiness reduces this benefit.
Efficient Energy Flow: Yoga philosophy often emphasizes the flow of energy (prana) within the body. A consistent flow practice helps facilitate the smooth movement of energy throughout the body's energy pathways (nadis), connecting at the chakras promoting balance and vitality.
Mental Focus: The rhythmic and consistent flow of postures aids in quieting the mind and entering an awareness state. As you synchronize your movement with your breath, you naturally become more focused and centered. This meditative aspect of flow-based yoga with strict isometric postures can lead to enhanced stress management and mental clarity. A flow of postures that remains consistent simplifies the path to focus.
Time Efficiency: Consistent flow sequences can be time-efficient, as they allow you to target multiple muscle groups and aspects of fitness in a relatively short amount of time. Familiarity of posture flow allows clients to connect the mind to the body more quickly yielding faster results. This can be particularly beneficial for individuals with busy schedules.
Holistic Well-being: The combination of physical movement, breath awareness, and mindfulness in a consistent flow practice contributes to overall well-being. It addresses physical, mental, and emotional aspects of health, promoting a balanced lifestyle.
Progress and Mastery: Consistency allows you to track your progress and gradually master the sequence. As you become more familiar with the flow, you can deepen your practice by exploring variations and refining your alignment in each posture.
In summary, the importance of consistency of flow during a yoga or any isometric workout, lies in its ability to create a synergistic integration of physical movement, breath awareness, and focus. This holistic approach contributes to improved physical fitness, mental clarity, and overall well-being over time. Leave the schizophrenic workout trainers behind. Practice workout sequence consistency.
The HOTWORX 3D Training Method promotes consistency within all of its numerous workout types. The 3D Method uses heat and infrared energy combined with exercise and places passionate emphasis on flow consistency. When these reliable workout types are used in a cross-training program, incredible fitness results can happen. Use cross-training for variety so long as the workout types remain consistent. Never forget that workout flow regularity is supremely important.
Don’t fall victim to a misinformed, haphazard approach to your fitness. Find a program like HOTWORX that promotes workout type consistency. Experience change through your constant improvement of the consistent flow of postures and through cross-training of different workout types!
Stay consistent my friends.
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