Rooted. We know that lengthy emphasis on squat depth or deadlift technique is not what brings 200+ people to the Barn each week. We get it. There is SEAU much more you want from your time with us.
We may not hold up the pace to stress the significance of form and technique every minute of class, but know that it IS important to us, we are always watching and individually adjusting-it is a critical part of what we do here at the Barn.
When it comes to any workout, one of the most important areas for focus is your CORE. It’s at the “core” (pun intended) of all your body movement. Your core includes your abs, hips, lower back and glutes, and proper engagement and alignment for movement starts here. Your core alignment is critical for maintaining a healthy spine – especially as you add more weight. (Which we love for you to do! Go on! Challenge yourself this week and go up a weight.)
Your core recruits or “fires” other muscles during a workout, so we want it to be rooted and right so that everything else works properly and in alignment.
Here are a FEW TIPS to consider:
- It all kind of starts with your posture (which, let’s be honest, isn’t great for some of us)!
- Keep your head and lower body in alignment (meaning, are your shoulders slouching causing your neck and head to be out of line? No droopy shoulders! )
- Bring them up and back!
Here comes the CORE part…
- Keep a neutral spine
- Draw everything, especially those abs, hips and pelvic muscles, UP and IN!
- Think tight BUTTS and GUTS!
- Feet and Hips shoulder width apart
- Knees in line with your toes
- ROOTED into the four “corners” of your feet (sides of heel and ball – not in your toes.)
Now you have a foundation to build from. Jump, squat, curl, lunge, etc…whatever you do, you are deeply rooted from the beginning! Your original form and alignment are “right” so that you can properly move and add weight from there!
It’s kind of like life isn’t it? We’re all rooted in something. Our family. Our friends. Our faith. Our community. Let’s make whatever it is healthy and right. That way, everything else that “fires” and flows from there will be doing so from a solid, strong foundation.