RTS PRINCIPLES
InTension®
The primary difference between Pilates or yoga and traditional strength training is not the apparatus or the philosophy. Yes, the movements and the loads utilized are typically very different. But it is the neurological intention with which the movements are performed (or lack thereof) that truly separates these activities. At RTS we believe that it is time to make ALL exercise mindful instead of mindless.
It is obvious that the resistance device will provide one influence or challenge, but the client's mental choices or intentions, as guided and directed by the trainer, can result in additional forces that can generate additional challenges:
- The exact direction one "pushes" or "pulls" (knowingly chosen or unknowingly random) will impose a second set of very real forces on the joints and tissues.
- The amount of tension developed regionally (strategically tightening co-contractive musculature beyond the demand required by the resistance) can dramatically alter the degree of effort or "intensity" of each rep.
Whether these add positive experience or distraction, benefit or heightened risk depends upon the precision and progression with which they are utilized.
Only by understanding the implications associated with these skills and implementing them appropriately can they be used in ways that are both safe and effective.
