STRENGTH TRAINING

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Which way to the gun show? Research shows that strengthening exercises are both safe and effective for women and men of all ages, including those who are not in perfect health. In fact, people with health concerns – including heart disease or arthritis – often benefit the most from an exercise program that includes lifting weights a few times each week. Strength training, particularly in conjunction with regular aerobic exercise, can have a profound impact on not just an individual’s figure, but also mental and emotional health.

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HIIT

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High-intensity interval training has become increasingly popular over the last few years, and for good reason. This type of training involves repeated bouts of high intensity effort followed by varied recovery times. OTV delivers dynamic HIIT experiences that are intense, challenging, blast fat and are proven to ramp up your endorphins, metabolism and overall energy.

 

One of the reasons HIIT is so popular is it tends to burn more calories than traditional workouts, and in a shorter period of time. It’s also one of the most effective ways to increase the body’s EPOC, or Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption (also known as oxygen debt or the “afterburn effect”), which is the amount of oxygen required to bring your body to its normal resting state. This process requires a lot of energy to perform which explains how your body can continue to burn calories long after you’ve finished your workout. EPOC can last as long as 24 hours, with the length of time directly relative to the effort and duration of the intervals performed.

 

Bottom line: HIIT workouts are awesome. But they do come with their own set of safety concerns. And OTV is all about safety first! For persons living sedentary lifestyles, this type of training may not be suitable. That said, we will work with you to establish a foundational level of fitness. To reduce risk of injury, it’s essential for the client to learn proper exercise form and gain muscular strength before engaging in HIIT. Prior to beginning your exercise program, OTV will closely work with you (and if necessary, your medical provider) to assess what type of training is best for you. The beauty of HIIT is that its flexible - the levels of intensity and recovery can be easily modified to suit individual needs regardless of age, gender and fitness level.

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Circuit Training

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This time efficient total body workout method is one of the most versatile types of training as it can be adjusted to meet beginner to advanced exercise levels. It busts boredom and burns up to 30% more calories, moving from one exercise to the next little or no rest periods in between. Cardio intervals can be integrated for an added benefit. This type of workout blasts calories and clients have fun because of its variability. Moreover, circuit-based workouts are the safest type of workout regimen for those with a number of medical issues ranging from arthritis to heart disease.

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CORE STRENGTH

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Core strength isn’t just about six-pack abs. Your core is a complex series of muscles, extending far beyond your abs and it is incorporated in almost every movement of the human body.

 

The major muscles that move, support and stabilize your spine are called the muscles of the core or trunk.  Developing core strength is essential for every day health and well-being: a strong core protects the spine, reduces back pain, enhances movement patterns, and improves balance, stability and posture.

 

Getting a tight toned tummy is certainly a bonus, but there are also many real world benefits of strengthening your core. Even basic activities of daily living – bathing or dressing, bending to put on shoes or scoop up a package, turning to look behind you or simply standing still – these are just a few of the many actions that rely on your core. Most of us don’t even notice our reliance on the core until they become difficult or painful.

 

So what are the muscles of the core? I’m so glad you asked! There’s a myth floating around that abdominals and the core are one in the same, which is not altogether true. The core is the torso, extending from the shoulders to the pelvis. It is the body’s center of power. When we were refer to core strength, it is the intrinsic muscles that lie deep within the torso. These muscles attach to the spine and pelvis and include the transversus abdominis, the muscles of the pelvic floor in the lower portion of the torso, as well as the latissimus dorsi and obliques in the middle and upper torso. Many experts also include the muscles that surround the scapula as key core muscles. Think of your core muscles as the command center that connects your upper and lower body.

 

For core training, we use integrated core exercises that introduce instability into workouts you are already doing along with a mix of big-compound strength moves, yoga and Pilates. Since these movements work more than one muscle group, you’re going to see results a lot faster.

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POSTURE CORRECTION

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How are you sitting or standing right now? Is your head poked forward squinting at your computer screen? Are your shoulders hunched over as you play candy crush on your phone? When you look in the mirror, do you find that your reflection faintly resembles Quasimodo? YIKES. Nobody wants to look like the Hunchback of Notre Dam.

 

The thing about good posture is that it doesn’t just make you look confident and fabulous, it’s also extremely important to your health!

 

Proper posture places you in an alignment where stress is properly distributed to the intended muscles and ligaments. As a result, the muscles are allowed to work efficiently and as intended, which in turn decreases the wear and tear that your joints undergo. This decreases your risk of joint discomfort and degenerative arthritis. When your muscles, joints and ligaments are working as intended, your vital organs are able to remain in proper position and the nervous system is able to function normally.

 

In many cases, poor posture is a result of both weak and tight muscles – but not to worry! We will help get you straight by incorporating exercises that stretch and strengthen your chest, upper back and core. OTV will help you identify your specific postural deviations and determine which corrective exercises are best for you.

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Cardiovascular Training

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Cardiovascular exercise (“cardio”) is vital to overall health and weight loss as it improves circulation, lowers blood pressure, increases lung capacity, strengthens the heart, increases red blood cell count, increases endurance, and reduces causes and symptoms of disease. OTV incorporates many different types of indoor and outdoor cardio training based on our clients’ preferences and fitness level.

 

 

Balance & Flexibility

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Two fitness components that play a major role in OTV’s program are balance and flexibility. Both are essential for maintaining optimal movement which becomes increasingly important as we age. We incorporate static and dynamic stretching with all our clients to reduce stress, release tension in the muscles, improve postural alignment, lower risk of injury and maximize the range of motion in joints.

 

To train balance, we employ progression drills, weight shifts and yoga poses which develops and sharpens stability, control and coordination. Together, balance and flexibility training prevent falls and injuries, reduce chronic back and muscle pain, enhance individuals’ ability in performing daily activities and improve overall fitness and function.