If I had to pick one fitness principle to focus all of my time on, I’d likely pick body control. Specifically, I’d train for control of the body in everyday life. This would include a ton of body weight strength training exercises, glute training, Yoga exercises, and Pilates exercises. And, of course, as body control becomes more efficient, we can vary speed to ensure the cardiovascular system is worked properly.
The key to body control training is smart progression.
Generally, we exercise to increase our quality of life and better do the things we already do every single day. These things are called “activities of daily living”. In other words, we exercise to improve the efficiency of everyday movement.
In order to improve this movement efficiency and live with more ease, we need to have an optimal amount of body control. We need to be able to move the way we want to and the way our bodies are intended to move, through full ranges of motion.
The powerhouse is the group of muscles in the center of the body, specifically, the abdomen, lower back, hips, and butt. It is also known as “the core”. An important piece of this mighty powerhouse is called the transverse abdominus. This transverse abdominus is like our own internal weight belt, connecting to our spine and pelvis. It is the biggest stabilizer of the spine and, therefore, for any movement we produce in our body, the transverse abdominus is crucial. Without it engaging during movement our spine would not be supported or protected.
We can improve overall movement efficiency by focusing on this transverse abdominus and other powerhouse muscles. This is how we can begin to improve body control!
One of the most important things to remember as you train for body control is to train mindfully. Think about each movement as you perform it. Engage your core and focus on the muscles used to perform the specific activity. The mind-body connection IS important, as the nervous system is the first system to be used during movement. The nervous system (starting with the brain) is the system of the body that initiates movement.
As I said earlier, a few really good activities for body control include Yoga, Pilates, glute strength training (the glutes are an important part of the powerhouse and are typically weak), bodyweight skills (progress over time), and strength training. One workout that aims to combine a lot of these activities in the most efficient way possible is called the HiPS workout.
The HiPS workout is a 30 minute workout focused on three important fitness principles: high intensity training to work the cardiovascular system and burn fat, engaging the powerhouse to increase core stability and body control, and functional strength training to build muscle and a solid body foundation.
A HiPS workout uses very little equipment and contains a number of exercises designed to test and improve body control. This control helps us to perform everything we do with more ease and less chance of injury. Make sure to focus on breathing during exercise to bring mind-body awareness (consciousness of the nervous system).
Incorporating all 3 planes of movement in a HiPS workout will increase our range of motion, better prevent injury and add overall stability to our bodies. The idea is to work our bodies through all its intended functions (train our body to do what it is supposed to do) and activate our muscles in multiple ways for the most efficient workouts and best results. Here’s an Upper Body HiPS workout that you can do anywhere, anytime! All you need is a set of dumbbells, preferably of medium weight.
HiPS Upper Body: 30 Minutes
1. Dynamic Stretching (Repeat a-d for 3 minutes)
a. 20 squat to stands
b. 20 arm circles each direction
c. 20 upper back squeezes
d. 10 half cobra push ups
2. Dynamic Warm up (6 minutes total)
a. Burpees (1 minute)
b. Pilates Hundred (1 minute)
c. Plank triangle jumps (1 minute)
d. Pilates Single leg stretch/Double leg stretch (1 minute – 30 seconds each)
e. Walk out to plank + Push up + 2 Toe taps + Walk back + Hop (1 minute)
f. Jumping Jacks (1 minute)
3. Upper back squeeze + Walk in place (1 minute)
4. 3 Rows + 3 Triceps Kick backs + 3 Reverse Fly (1 minute)
5. Push press + walk in place (1 minute)
6. Jab – Cross – Hook (1 minute)
7. Pilates criss cross bicycle (1 minute)
8. Pike push ups (1 minute)
9. Hand elevated push ups (1 minute)
10. Bicep Curls + Walk in place (1 minute)
11. Burpee + 2 Mountain Climber (1 minute)
12. Plank to Downward dog (1 minute)
13. Plank + Row with dumbbells (1 minute)
14. Dips (1 minute)
15. Triceps Half Cobra Push Up (1 minute)
a. Keep the contraction (squeeze in triceps) the entire time
16. Finisher (4 minutes total)
a. Lateral raise + walk in place (1 minute)
b. Overhead clap to Hip to Knee to Hands to Feet go back (1 minute)
c. Wood chop (1 minute)
d. Mountain Climbers (1 minute)
17. Cool down: Stretch (4 minutes)
Kelly Elizabeth is a Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Wellness Coach, and Spencer Pilates Instructor working specifically with women at Kelly Elizabeth Fitness, LLC
