Functional Circuit Training and Strength Training
Benefits your Whole Heart
by Erik Nieuwenhuis MS, PT Work injury prevention specialist and Health Coach
St Luke’s Regional Medical Center 279-1842 Nieuween@stlukes.org

Why is your health important to you? How is your current energy level and quality of life at work, home and play? How are your relationships with your spouse, children, family, co-workers, friends and those you serve or meet across Siouxland? How do you currently feel about your bodies health and wellness level (body, mind, and spirit)? How well and efficient are you able to complete your daily job tasks or work? This article details “An Action Step” to help you and your family, co-workers, and friends reach your answers to the questions above to be the best you, that you can be for LIFE (read on)!!

February is American Heart Month, so this month we’re going to discuss one of the best benefits for your Whole Heart….Functional Circuit and Strength Training. Your heart is a muscle so the combination of cardiovascular conditioning, strength training, balance, and flexibility activities with an always changing intensity allows for a FUN, efficient, and highly effective method for improving your quality of life, while reducing your risks for heart disease (heart attack, high blood pressure, and stroke). The great news is that up to 75% of heart disease is preventable by you deciding to take small action steps daily to improve your quality of life!

Functional Circuit Training such as PUMP and Praise® at Sunnybrook Community Church, classes at Four Seasons Health Club (4 locations across Siouxland), and among others, combines cardiovascular conditioning (heart and lung endurance), functional strength training, balance activities, and flexibility/ stretching exercises in an intense and encouraging atmosphere. Functional training is training that incorporates a full spectrum of training for your whole body that is designed to elicit the optimum adaptive response appropriate for the work, activity, or the sport being trained for. Functional circuits use movements that are multiple plane (sagittal—front to back, frontal—side to side, and transverse—which are rotational movement patterns) and multiple joints (whole body functional activities). All of this work goes through the core which is the crossroads of function for your entire body that includes the hips/ lower back/ abdominals. A strong, stable core, with controlled flexibility is essential for a fully functioning core for quality, and injury-free movement. Leaders of these classes are always thinking of training movements and functional movement patterns that we do in our work, home, play, sport, and everyday life with tweakology (changing intensity, tools/ equipment used, varied planes of motion, time, and more) to keep you safe, having FUN, and to continually change your bodies environment to help you reach your wellness goals, while staying injury free.

Benefits of Functional Circuit Training and Strength Training for the life of your Whole Heart are;

1) Improve your energy level (without the caffeine or added calories)…How many of you would like this daily benefit?
2) Best way to Lose weight for LIFE (“Biggest Loser” personal trainers Bob and Julian also use this method to get the best results in the quickest time frame) and will assist you to maintain a healthy weight throughout your life.
3) Lose inches of fat at your waist, hips, thighs, chest, arms, face and whole body (building muscle burns fat and increases your metabolism).
4) Improve your Self Esteem and your daily attitude and customer service with your family, co-workers and those across Siouxland.
5) Reduce fracture risks as you age and prevent osteoporosis by building strong bones
6) Reduce injury risks at work, home, or play (sports and leisure).
7) Improve your quality of sleep (sleeping 7 to 8 hours/ day is where your muscles are repaired and built).
8) For every pound of muscle you gain your body burns an extra 75 to 150 calories/ day (increase your metabolism)…Why eating a good source of lean protein at breakfast and at meals is so important to help you build muscle.
9) Will add Quality and Vitality to your body so you can be the best spouse, father/ mother, worker/ manager/ leader at your workplace, and across the Siouxland Community that you can be!!

PUMP and Praise® is a FUN, functional and encouraging circuit training class for all ages that can be tweaked to your current fitness level by having multiple resistance levels at each station. You have an encouragement partner at each class that will push you to “Do Your Best”!! Each 3D functional circuit training class is between 30 stations during the week and up to 45 stations on Saturdays at Sunnybrook Community Church (this class has no charge) using various tools and equipment from Dumbbells, medicine balls, kettlebells, weighted vests (10 lbs), fitness rings, jump ropes, mini hurdles, JC quad bands, theraband, bosu, pb disc pillows, boxing gloves and target mitts, reebok steps and more for you to progress your WELLness level and live each day with vitality!! PUMP and Praise® is scheduled every Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30am and Saturday at 8am in the Sunnybrook Community Church gym at 5601 Sunnybrook Drive across from Target and Lowe’s.

“Guard Your Heart, For It Is the WELLSPRING of LIFE!!”

Sources:
Circuit Training Phenomenon by Juan Carlos Santana Med, CSCS, NASM-CPT pages 6-8 from Perform Better, The Magazine Spring 2006.
The Functional Path Manifesto “Principles and Application of Functional Exercise for Performance and Rehabilitation” by Vern Gambetta BA, Med pages 12-14 from Perform Better, The Magazine Winter 2007.
Gary Gray PT of Adrian Michigan from various sources such as; Chain Reaction Transformation continuing education courses, Functional video digest series, Fast function, and monthly online newsletters from 1999 to 2009.
Erik Nieuwenhuis MS, PT The WorkSmart and Get Fit Guy, Sunnybrook Community Church wellness ministry leader and PUMP and Praise® circuit training class.