10,000 WORKOUTS IN 10 MINUTES - acsm.ideafit.com · Tool Push Pull Double Leg Single Leg ... hip is...

10,000 WORKOUTS IN10 MINUTES

Movement-based Programmingby Matt King, M.Ed., CSCS and Dixie Stanforth, Ph.D.

LEARNING OBJECTIVE

This article introduces the reader to the functional philosophies of

movement-based programming, providing both a theoretical and

practical basis for implementation. Understanding the template and

foundational methods will enable practitioners to create strategic

programs adaptable for any demographic, training goal, or special

population.

Key words:Functional Training, Program Design, Personal Training, Conditioning,Circuit Training

The aim of this article is to present a

plan for program design that is con-

sistent with the principles of functional

training while being user friendly and adaptable

to any situation. This article presents the ‘‘MBP

Method,’’ with foundational principles, structure,

and adaptations. MBP stands for movement-

based programming, which describes the philos-

ophy behind the structural template. The MBP

Method describes how to use the template, which

includes the creation of an exercise database by

pairing each movement in the template to a tool

and a system to tweak exercises and adapt the

workout for different goals. The general ideas of

this method are not original V in fact, they are

simply variations of work done by other leaders

in the fitness industry (10). The originality is

the presentation, purpose, and organization of

the method. MBP is a system that empowers the

user to create a large number of workouts in a

small amount of time. The MBP Method is

simple, with principles and guidelines that help

the fitness professional develop high-quality

functional workouts for his or her clientele.

The templates and strategies presented in this

article are designed for healthy clientele who are

cleared for regular exercise programs. Future

articles will explore modifications of programs

for specific injuries or health conditions.

The benefits of physical activity and exercise

are well understood (2), but ‘‘how’’ to train

most effectively and efficiently is a challenge.

The ever-evolving answer to ‘‘How?’’ has

transformed functional training into a buzzword

in the fitness industry. Unfortunately, there is a

lack of consensus as to the definition of

functional training. For example, simply doing

bicep curls while standing on a Bosu ball does

not make that exercise more functional, just

more difficult. Our definition of ‘‘functional

training’’ is a systematic approach to training

that is authentic to true neuromuscular function

8 ACSM’s HEALTH & FITNESS JOURNALA | www.acsm-healthfitness.org VOL. 17/ NO. 1

Copyright © 2013 American College of Sports Medicine. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.

during human movement. Gary Gray, founder of the Gray

Institute and known as a pioneer in functional rehabilitation and

training, has developed a philosophy called ‘‘applied functional

sciences’’ (7). Applied functional science is a biomechanical

approach to understanding how the neuromuscular system

reacts and operates during movement; viewing training in this

fashion is markedly different from traditional programs, which

developed from a study of structural anatomy.

TRAIN MOVEMENT NOT MUSCLESThe foundation of MBP lies in the comparison of structural

anatomy versus functional anatomy. Structural anatomy is based

on individually dissected tissues, focusing on the independent

concentric function of each muscle and the preventive capabilities

of ligaments. This ‘‘medical model’’ creates a more isolated

approach where foot pain is treated by a foot doctor, but in reality,

the problem may be stemming from tight calves or hypermobile

hips. Many industry leaders have written about this topic,

highlighting the reductionist nature of structural anatomy

(4Y6,8,9). In general, structural anatomy:

1. presents the independent function of each muscle,

2. stresses the agonist-antagonist relationship of muscles

3. emphasizes the concentric action of muscles,

4. ignores the role of fascia in movement regulation, and

5. tends to have a single-plane emphasis.

The structural model does not address the role of the nervous

system during movement, whereas the functional model does.

Understanding how the body functions during movement can

change how we choose to train it. Human motion is task driven

(5). One does not think about consciously contracting every

muscle with the right force at the right time and in the proper

sequence to kick a soccer ball. Instead, he is conscious of the

task and lets the nervous system regulate muscle activity to

complete it. The structural model targets individual muscles.

Training function does not isolate single muscles; instead, it

trains the neuromuscular system. The idea of developing train-

ing systems based on movement and task rather than anatomy is

gaining traction in the fitness industry (5,9,12). MBP is an

approach that emphasizes training the nervous system rather than

training through muscular isolation. Traditional exercises that

have been used for years, such as bicep curls or leg extensions,

are useful for increasing strength or size of the individual

muscles but lack the training stimulus of different muscle groups

working together in sequence to perform a functional task.

Repeated Sandbell squat tosses, however, train both the biceps

and hamstring groups but do so in an integrated fashion that

reflects how they are used during functional activities one

encounters in sport or everyday life.

THE MBP METHOD

The MBP TemplateThere are hundreds ofmuscles in the body, and to create a workout

program with exercises to address the concentric action of each

would be inefficient and functionally inauthentic. Rather than

creating a ‘‘Back and Bi’s’’ day or a ‘‘Bench and Squat’’ day,

consider what the upper and lower body can functionally ‘‘do.’’ As

mentioned previously, other fitness professionals have developed

TABLE 1: Movement-based ProgrammingTemplate for Program Design With ArrowsDemonstrating Order of Flow

TABLE 2: Sample Modality/Movement List

Tool Push Pull Double Leg Single Leg

Bodyweight Push ups Pull ups Bodyweight squats Lunges

Barbell Push press Bent over row Back squat Box step ups

Dumbbell Shoulder complex Single arm row Jump squats Walking lunges

Cable pulley Pulley punch Base stance row Shoulder squats Belt lunges

Medicine ball Chest pass Slams Jump toss Lunge matrix

Sandbell Single arm toss High pulls Squat slams Lunge slams

Dynamax ball Chest pass Jump slams Squat throws Single leg throws

ViPR Shoulder press Cross tilt rows Squat shifts Shoulder lunges

Rubber band Horizontal press Horizontal row Band squats Band lunges

TRX band Push ups Rows Squat jumps Single leg squats

VOL. 17/ NO. 1 ACSM’s HEALTH & FITNESS JOURNALA 9


similar movement templates with slightly different categories and

application, such as what are commonly termed ‘‘pillars of

training.’’ These ‘‘pillars’’ typically include locomotion, pushing/

pulling, rotation, and raising/lowering the center of mass (10). The

MBP template offers a slightly different perspective to simplify

movement categorization, which is always task driven. Because

the main purpose of the legs is to absorb and transmit ground

reaction forces to facilitate movement (11), which includes both

pushing and pulling simultaneously, we categorize lower body

exercises as either double (DL) or single leg (SL). Similarly,

upper body actions use either one or two arms to either push or

pull depending on the task. The final action is locomotion, where

the body moves from point A to point B. There are arguably

infinite categories of what the body can do, but from a training

perspective, push, pull, DL, SL, and locomotion provide an

uncomplicated, but well-balanced, template.

The MBP template is a planar circuit alternating lower and

upper body-dominant exercises. The order is always Push, DL,

Pull, SL, Locomotion. The benefits of circuit-style training have

been well documented (1,3). Training one plane per round

represents a common workout order and is a great place to start

for most clients, as depicted in Table 1. Assign each round a

different plane of motion, and tweak each exercise to reflect

movement in that plane. Not only does assigning a round to

each plane of motion make the workout functionally authentic,

but movements stay fresh and engagement is high because

the client will never repeat the exact movement twice in any

workout.

Modality MadnessThe first application of theMBPMethod is to show trainers how to

use modalities and not let modalities, or training tools, use them.

All too often trainers categorize modalities by what part of the

body that tool typically trains. For example, a medicine ball is a

‘‘core’’ tool, and dumbbells are arm or shoulder tools. But any tool

can train any motion, if used correctly. The first step is to make a

list of all the modalities available to you and come up with a

pushing, pulling, DL, and SL exercise using each tool. For

examples, refer to Table 2; recognizing that the exercises you

develop for each tool and movement becomes your exercise

‘‘library.’’ The larger the exercise library, the greater the diversity

and choice you will have when creating workouts.

The most important modality for creating a workout is

bodyweight. Not only will you always have this tool available,

Figure 1. a, Neutral (XXX). b, Sagittal tweak (RXX). c, Sagittal tweak (LXX).

Figure 2. a, Frontal tweak (XNX). b, Frontal tweak (XWX). c, Transverse tweak (XXI). d, Transverse tweak (XXE).


10,000 Workouts in 10 Minutes


but it also serves as an ideal baseline workout. If your workout

space offers at least nine different modalities and you include

bodyweight as one, you have 10 different workouts to implement

using only one modality at a time. Once you start mixing

modalities in the same circuit, the possible combinations become

104 = 10,000 different workouts V and that is before you even

start tweaking different variables. Here’s how it works. If you

have 10 ‘‘tools’’ to use as modalities and you created a list of 10

push exercises, 10 DL exercises, 10 pull, and 10 SL, you would

have a database of 40 exercises. However, because you can mix

modalities in any given circuit, there are now 10,000 possible

exercise combinations (10 Push � 10 DL � 10 Pull � 10 SL).

Just two different exercises per modality in each category will

increase the combination potential to 204 = 160,000. That is a

large reward for 10 minutes’ worth of brainstorming! Once you

build your exercise catalog, choose a tool and insert it into the

MBP template.

Tweaking Out!‘‘Tweaking’’ is changing an exercise with logical purpose (6).

Understanding how to tweak an exercise for each plane is pivotal

for success in using MBP. There are unlimited ways to tweak

different exercises for each plane of movement, but for this article,

we will examine three: preset, finish, and center of gravity.

The first is the preset tweak, in which you change the

starting position of joints involved in the movement. A good

example is using a preset tweak for squats: changing the

starting position of the hips by changing the position of the feet

in each plane, which in turn will influence the hips. Gray

named this strategic positioning the SFT Syntax (S = Sagittal,

F = Frontal, T = Transverse, X = Neutral) (7). The SFT uses a

three-letter coding system for positioning the feet outside of

neutral base stance. The first letter always tells you the foot

position in the sagittal plane, the second always tells you the

foot position in the frontal plane, and the third tells you the foot

position in the transverse plane. For example, feet shoulder

width apart, parallel to each other, and toes straight ahead sets

the hips to anatomically neutral in all three planes (XXX =

Neutral Base Stance). Step the right foot forward a couple

of inches and the right hip is preset into flexion and the left

hip is preset into extension while both remain neutral in the

frontal and transverse planes, creating a sagittal plane tweak

(RXX = Right Foot Forward, LXX = Left Foot Forward)

(Fig. 1). Positioning the feet into a narrow stance (XNX =

Narrow Stance) presets both hips to an adducted position,

whereas positioning the feet to a wide stance (XWX = Wide

Stance) abducts both hips for frontal plane tweaks. Turning the

toes in creates internal rotation at each hip (XXI = Internally

Rotated), and turning the toes out creates external rotation in

each hip (XXE = Externally Rotated) (Fig. 2).

Here is an example of the SFT Syntax applied to MBP using

DL exercises with a preset tweak. The circuit calls for barbell

TABLE 3: Sample Movement-based Programming Template Implemented With Tri-Plane, Tweak,and Locomotion

Movement Exercise Round 1 (Sagittal) Round 2 (Frontal) Round 3 (Transverse)

Push 1. Dumbbell shoulder matrix Alt Ant and Post Press �5 Alt SSL and OSL Press �5 Alt Rot in front and behind press �5

Double leg 2. Bodyweight squat jumps RXX �5/LXX �5 XWX �5/XNX �5 XXI �5/XXE �5

Pull 3. Pulley squat rows RXX �5/LXX �5 XWX �5/XNX �5 XXI �5/XXE �5

Single leg 4. Dumb bell lunge matrix Anterior lunges �5 each Lateral lunges �5 each Rotational lunges �5 each

Locomotion 5. Locomotion Anterior sprint � 40 yards Lateral shuffles � 20 yards S-pattern skips � 40 yards



squats at three sets of 10. Round 1 has five reps with the right

foot forward (RXX) and five with the left foot forward (LXX).

Round 2 includes five reps with the feet in a wide stance

(XWX) and five with the feet in a narrow stance (XNX). Round

3 has five reps with toes turned inward (XXI) and five reps with

toes turned outward (XXE). Refer to Table 3 for an example.

Changing where an exercise ends is a finish tweak. Consider

the dumbbell shoulder press as an example. Pressing slightly

anteriorly or posteriorly is an example of a sagittal plane tweak.

Pressing overhead toward the opposite shoulder (OSL) or

outside the same side shoulder (SSL) is a frontal plane tweak.

Pressing with rotation in front or rotation behind is a transverse

tweak (Fig. 3). These deviations from neutral provide stimuli to

the entire system not found with the traditional press. For

example, pressing overhead and slightly anterior forces the entire

posterior chain to decelerate the spinal flexion, just like when

you reach for a door handle. Pressing overhead to the posterior

creates a spinal extension that has to be decelerated by the whole

body, especially the anterior core muscles and hip flexors,

similar to catching a football overhead. Pressing overhead to the

opposite lateral side doesn’t just train the shoulder but also

numerous other muscles, such as the same side obliques and hip

abductors, as well as the opposite side hip adductors. Each

reach provides different stimuli that will train the system in a

way that more closely resembles demands put on the body in

everyday life.

The third tweak alters center of gravity to make the exercise

tri-planar. When applied to the standard anterior lunge, stepping

laterally creates a frontal lunge, and stepping with rotation makes

it a transverse lunge. Figure 4 shows application of a center of

gravity tweak using dumbbell reaches in the same plane as the

lunge (Fig. 4). The lower body has to absorb and decelerate

ground reaction forces in multiple planes in a nonlinear fashion.

It is just as important for someone to control lateral or rotational

movement.

These tweaks aren’t limited to the obvious upper and lower

body exercises. You can use the SFT Syntax for a squat press to

teach a client how to create upper body power from different hip

positions. Coming upwith different ways to tweak an exercise in a

safe and effective manner is great practice to think through

movements and also will expand the exercise library.

Do the LocomotionLocomotion is the last exercise in each round of the MBP

template. The three basic modes of locomotion are the walk,

skip, and run. They represent an intensity continuum from

low to high and may be performed in all three planes. Any

sequence where you move forward or backward is considered a

sagittal motion. Any side to side motion, such as running

sideways, is a frontal locomotive pattern. Transverse locomo-

tion requires that you move in a curved or circular path. Using

each of these patterns is not only important from a holistic

approach but also allows for a more creative energy system

development.

You now have all the necessary information to fill out the

MBP template using exercises with your chosen modality in all

three planes while moving from push Y9 DL Y9 pull Y9 SL Y9

locomotion. Table 3 provides a sample workout.

Figure 4. Center of gravity tweak. a, Sagittal. b, Frontal. c, Transverse.

Figure 3. Sagittal finish tweak. a, Anterior. b, Posterior; frontal finish tweak. c, Opposite side. d, Same side; transverse finish tweak. e, Front rotation. f, Rearrotation.




Overloaded on OverloadUnderstanding that overload isn’t just ‘‘adding more weight’’ is

essential when using MBP for program design. Remember, the

idea behind MBP is to train the neuromuscular system, not

just the muscles. The bench press is an excellent exercise to

increase pectoral and triceps strength, but how often do you find

yourself needing to recruit those muscles repeatedly while lying

flat on your back? The idea of ‘‘overload’’ should be to

challenge the system in as many ways as possible to adequately

prepare the body for what it will encounter in real life, which is

much more than simply generating greater force. Coaching a

client to move the same amount of weight faster is an ex-

ample of a different, but potentially essential, type of overload.

Sometimes, ‘‘overload’’ means performing a task with multiple

stimuli, such as lunging and catching a medicine ball at the

same time. Or consider a proprioceptive tweak by asking the

client to look in different directions during movement, such as

looking over the right shoulder during a lunge matrix. These

overload variations may seem arbitrary, but consider all the

different ways the body is tweaked during everyday life and

sport, and their functional value is clear. Table 4 shows a

workout example implementing some of these different over-

load options.

Timing Is EverythingOne of the great advantages of MBP is the ability to maximize

planning time. All too often workouts are thwarted because clients

do not complete the rep and set schemes in anticipated times. One

way to solve this is to create a workout based on timed work/rest

ratios. EachMBP template has 3 rounds of 5 exercises for 15 total

exercises. If you dedicate 1minute to both thework and the rest for

each exercise, each round in the circuit will take 15 minutes. The

work/rest ratio should reflect the client’s ability. For example,

a work time of 15 seconds allows for a recovery period of

45 seconds before moving to the next exercise. If you bump up the

work period to 30 seconds for a more advanced client, reduce the

recovery to 30 seconds. Table 5 shows how an MBP workout

maximizes time in a typical 60-minute training session and

allows you to set the parameters to match the fitness level and

training goals of individual clients.

CONCLUSIONSThe demands on personal trainers are so great that entire

academic majors are dedicated to teaching them the intricacies

TABLE 4: Sample Movement-based Programming Template With Variable Overload

Round 1 Round 2 Round 3

1. Push ups (speed overload) Regular push ups �10 Clap push ups �10 Super slow push ups �10

2. Bodyweight squats (proprioceptivechallenge)

Regular squats �10 Regular squats eyes closed �10 Regular squats shaking head ‘‘no’’ �10

3. Pull ups (muscle activity challenge) Pronated grip �10 Supinated grip �10 Neutral grip �10

4. Box step ups (task challenge) Regular step ups �5 Step up and catch ball �5 Step up and Alt. DB punch �5

5. Locomotion (intensity challenge) Ant/Post walk �20 yards Ant/Post skip �30 yards Ant/Post sprint �40 yards

TABLE 5: Movement-based ProgrammingTemplate: 60-Minute Workout

Workout Time, minutes

Warm-up 5

Circuit no. 1 15

Water/rest break 2.5

Circuit no. 2 15

Water/rest break 2.5

Circuit no. 3 15

Cooldown 5

Total 60



of kinesiology and related disciplines. There is increasing

awareness of the benefits of a functional approach to program

design and implementation, yet a trainer can go crazy writing

program after program to meet all of his or her clients’ needs.

The MBP offers an organized approach to not only learn how to

design functional workouts but also a more efficient program

design process. The MBP focuses on training movement instead

of training individual muscles, resulting in a training regimen

that more accurately reflects how the neuromuscular system

operates during sport and everyday life. The MBP is structurally

versatile, making it applicable to any situation and allowing the

trainer to implement it with any type of client. This article

focused on the basic principles of MBP. Future articles will

focus on how to adapt MBP for specific sports, training goals,

and specific populations.

References1. Alcaraz PE, Perez-Gomez J, Chavarrias M, Blazevich AJ. Similarity in

adaptations to highresistance circuit vs. traditional strength training inresistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2011;25(9):2519Y27.

2. American College of Sports Medicine. ACSM’s Guidelines for ExerciseTesting Prescription. 8th ed. Philadelphia (PA): Wolters Kluwer Health;2010.

3. Camargo MD, Stein R, Riberio JP, Schvartzman PR, Rizznatti MO,Schaan BD. Circuit weight training and cardiac morphology: A trial withmagnetic resonance imaging. Br J Sports Med. 2008;42:141Y5.

4. Cook G. Functional Movement Systems. Aptos (CA): On TargetPublications; 2010:35Y50.

5. Dalcourt M. Whole-body training: Warding patterns. IDEA Fit J.2012;9(4):44Y53.

6. Gray GW. Functional video digest series: Tweakology: Movementtweaks [DVD-ROM]. Adrian (MI): Functional Design Systems; 2008.

7. Gray Institute. GrayInstitute [Internet]. Adrian (MI): Gray Institute;[cited 2012 July 8]. Available from: http://www.grayinstitute.com.

8. Meyers TW. Anatomy Trains. 2nd ed. Edinburgh (England): ElsevierLimited; 2009.

9. Price D. Strength training using myofascial lines. IDEA Fit J. 2012;9(4):24Y30.

10. Santana JC. The four pillars of human movement: A movement approachto exercise design and implementation. IDEA Personal Trainer. 2002.

11. Tiberio D. Pathomechanics of structural foot deformities. Phys Ther.1988;68:1840Y9.

12. Wolf C. Moving the body: Training movements and not muscles may bethe paradigm shift needed for today’s functional conditioning. IDEAPersonal Trainer. 2001;12(6):24Y31.

Disclosure: The authors declare no conflict of interest and do

not have any financial disclosures.

Matt King, M.Ed., CSCS, is a performance

specialist at Train 4 the Game (T4TG) in

Austin, TX, where he designs and implements

functional rehab and conditioning programs

for all demographics. As director of the

T4TG internship program, Matt educates

and prepares interns to develop and deliver

functional conditioning programs.

Dixie Stanforth, Ph.D., is a senior lecturer in

the Department of Kinesiology and Health

Education at The University of Texas at

Austin. She developed and directs the per-

sonal training specialization for undergradu-

ates. She serves on the editorial board for

ACSM’s Health & Fitness JournalA and is a

frequent presenter at ACSM’s Health & Fit-

ness Summit and other national conferences.

CONDENSED VERSION AND BOTTOM LINE

This article presents the science and building blocks formovement-based programming (MBP) then organizesthose concepts into an easy to use template for programdesign. MBP demonstrates how to develop a movementdatabase and use tri-plane tweaking, unconventionaloverloading, and timing strategies to design an unlimitednumber of workouts. MBP bridges the gap between thelatest functional and fascia research to meet the needs ofpractitioners for effective and creative workout programs.




http://www.grayinstitute.com

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