Physical Assessment
Needed Prior to Training
A physical assessment is only performed once. It is done in advance of your personalized fitness program.
I perform this assessment to ascertain your current level of fitness, as well as what compensations your body presents through its bio-mechanics. For example, if you have limited range of motion (ROM) in your shoulders and cannot reach behind your back. When bending down, do you list to one side or the other?
Not to denigrate the big box gyms, however they will often assess that your are female/male, age X, approximate body type and then proceed to provide your with program F5 or M3. This will be a generic program and not address what your body needs bio-mechanically. So, you may continue to have the same problems with your back, hips, knees, shoulder, etc.
Since each of us is different, there is no 'one size fits all' fitness program. I take the information from my assessment to determine what your body needs to function well and fuse it together with your goals; to provide a program, or series of programs that is specific to YOU and your needs. I incorporate activities that you 'enjoy', that will benefit your body.
What to expect?
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I will ask you to do a bunch of exercises/movements and I will walk around you, assessing what your knees, hips, ankles, etc. are doing.
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I will also have you complete a grip strength test and use the chart to show you where you fall for your gender, age and left or right hand.
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I also have you step on a body composition machine, which will provide us with some information, such as your:
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weight,
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body fat %,
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your skeletal muscle %,
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your BMI (body mass index),
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how many calories your body burns per day,
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your visceral fat (the dangerous fat around the belly),
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your internal age, rather than your biological age. (You don't have to look at any of the numbers. Some people keep their eyes closed and tell me to keep the information for my records.)
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I take measurements of your waist, hips, thighs, arms, etc., to have more metrics to gauge progress. More than just that your pants are fitting better. Something definitive and measurable.
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I ask you to please fill out some forms that discuss fitness & medical history, contact information, etc.
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I take your blood pressure.
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I take pictures to provide a visual comparison.
What is a compensation?
A compensation is something that your body does, that you don't even notice, while performing physical movement. It is a movement outside of your body's proper alignment. If you have gone over on the same ankle more than once, or have a shoulder that you injured in your youth, it can affect your bio-mechanics later in life. If we do not address the imbalances, then the core issue will never be resolved. An example of compensation is when someone limps, due to pain created by each step.
Our body compensates, or "finds ways around" stepping in such a painful way. We will often use the opposite side of the body to help carry the load of our body weight. As we do so, it throws out the balance all the way up through our hip and shoulder girdle, right up to the top of our heads.