Intro
There is not a more important motto at AR Fitness than “move correctly, move consistently, move confidently”. It’s more than the simple idea of prioritizing technique in your fitness, although that is a vital component. Our chief priority is that we improve your health and well-being through proper programming, coaching, and overall guidance. How we get there is the essence of the three C’s.
Correctly
Step one to moving correctly is finding the right workout program. At ARFN our program structure has purpose. It balances proper intensity, with proper recovery. It manages planes of movement and strength balance. It dabbles in all facets of fitness to the benefit of the athlete. And finally, It follows the simple and timeless principle of progressive overload. Simply defined, it means that overtime you should gradually increase your training stimulus (more weight, more reps, more tempo, etc.), and this should gradually lead to improvements in strength and conditioning. Too often people train without proper intensity, balance of movements, or markers of progress. Plainly, this is inefficient at best and dangerous at worst.
Secondly, and no secret here, we have to move with proper technique. Inefficient movement can easily lead to more fatigue and eventual injury. This is why we typically segment our more challenging movements to our strength days. While technically difficult movements can be done in high intensity settings, we have to ensure that our athletes can perform those movements correctly without prior fatigue. We do not just claim to prioritize technique, we set up our programming and class flow to ensure everyone is doing the movements right.
Thirdly, we have to prioritize many facets of fitness. A major downfall of the fitness community is a lack of emphasis on mobility. Asking an athlete to squat below parallel without proper mobility is a recipe for injury, and the liability falls on the coach and gym. I’m not saying that all injury is due to a coach’s negligence, but certainly a shift in priority of mobility would decrease injuries drastically. At AR Fitness, mobility goals are just as much a priority of strength goals, because we know that they aid in the process of gaining strength. This is why we test and program them into our workouts.
Finally, the last component of moving correctly is fueling correctly. Sub-optimal fuel can lead to sub-optimal movement. Inversely, correctly fueling your body can lead to correct movement. This looks like eating nutritious foods for at least 80% of your meals, and only enough to match energy expenditure. There’s a reason we are called AR Fitness and Nutrition. The old adage, “abs are made in the kitchen” still holds great truth. And while we don’t believe visible ab muscles are the gold standard of health and fitness, we certainly want to lean towards that reality more than otherwise. We push all our clients to make nutrition a priority, because we know that’s a foundational component to optimal health and fitness.
Consistently
First must come doing things correctly, but next comes doing it repetitively and intentionally. This is where the visible change begins to take place. This is where athletes begin to see changes in their bodies, changes in how they move, changes in how they feel, and changes in who they are. This is where discipline comes into play. And commitment to our programming and nutritional guidance means you’ll find yourself fitter, faster, stronger and more mobile. Commit to us so we can commit to making you a better human.
Confidently
Finally, this is where the physical discipline meets the mental change. As we get in the routine of working out and eating correctly on a consistent basis, we gain confidence outside the gym. This is why another slogan at ARFN is “empower your body, elevate your mind. Changing lives, one rep at a time”.
The reality is the gym is not supposed to be the final destination for your well-being. It is a segway into doing the things you love like recreational sports, hiking, playing with your kids, competitions, traveling, etc. While we shouldn’t abandon the gym when we gain that confidence, we shouldn’t hold it as the highest priority for our well-being.
At ARFN we want every member to get to this state of confidence in their health. We want all of our members to feel that whatever life requires of them, they can do it without question.
Let us get you there. Join us for a free week trial, and see how we can get you moving correctly, consistently, and confidently.