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Body Conditioning The Benefits of Body Conditioning Classes For anyone who has not taken part in an exercise class before, or had a long break, this is a good general class to start with. A thorough warm up will prepare you to exercise, and close coaching will ensure safe and effective execution of the exercises. For more advanced exercisers, there is freedom to use more weights and/or follow more advanced versions of base moves, all under constant supervision. Body Conditioning exercises can be both isolation exercises - ie using only a specific muscle group such as the bicep curl, or combination exercises - ie using more than one muscle group such as the dead lift-clean and press, to perform the exercise. A good instructor will use both types of exercise to create a balanced session. It should also be noted that since this is a studio based class using free weights, the individual is using their "core" muscles to stabilise the body whilst lifting a weight - this means these muscles are also being constantly worked even when not specifically targeted. Coaching is constantly provided and the amount of weight lifted in this environment is substantially less than when using pulley machines in a gym. All opposing muscles are worked in the same session, ie if the biceps are worked then the triceps are also worked. This ensures a balanced approach and prevents muscular imbalances, especially around the joints, and prevent injury. Muscles are worked over a variety of tempos, ie 3 counts to raise an upright row and 1 count to lower it. This means that movements which occur in normal everyday life, that are often reactions to something like moving quickly to prevent a child falling, or require effort, like lifting the shopping into the boot of the car,are essentially mimicked in class. After all life does not take place in the form of regular "reps and sets". This is genuinely functional exercise.
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Upper and lower body exercises are alternated, this changes the location of the body's demand for fuel - oxygen. This means the cardio vascular system is also worked to a degree "shunting" blood to the appropriate muscle groups as required. Combination exercises also raise the demand on the cardio-vascular system, providing a conditioning effect on the heart - itself, just another muscle after all. Correct breathing techniques are emphasised through out class which in turn provides a conditioning effect to the Pulmonary system,improving lung capacity and respiratory efficiency to some degree. Thorough cool down and stretching after class allows the body to return to a more restive state in a controlled fashion. All muscles groups worked are stretched to eliminate the possibility of injury and to evacuate as much of the waste product (lactic acid), created during this type of exercise from the muscles. This will reduce the delayed muscle soreness that can occur 2-3 days after exercising. This type of exercise gives results comparatively quickly, and is therefore easily monitored and one exercise regime can be truly progressive as you increase your weight load, number of repetitions and/ or move on to more advanced versions of an exercise under the guidance of your instructor. This means goals can be achieved and in the light of success exercise is much easier to adhere to on regular basis.
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