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(3 minutes, 39 seconds reading time)
We’re happy to say that loads of people have been giving us positive feedback for the results they've seen by committing to the 10 Week Online Course and our Functional Training System. In actuality, much of the results you see online are byproducts of implementing course principles with precision and care. So we've decided to share some helpful tips for you to get the most out of your FP training. This article will cover the 3 simple things you can start today in order to expedite the process of getting better results with the Functional Patterns methodology.
Eliminating Grains
A very common issue we see with people is bloating out of the abdominal wall (ie: abdominal distending). In general, we've found that eliminating grains (like rice, quinoa, breads, pastas, etc) not only helps to counteract the dehydrating effects of these processed foods, but also helps to avoid the bloating that can come along with consuming them.
The more the abdominal wall gets bloated, the harder it is to actually get good core recruitment. When the quality of your engagement gets impeded from the expansion of the abdominal wall, the intestines will limit how effectively you utilize the transverse abdominus. And the more that ab muscles can’t contract properly, the more likely they'll be to wreak havoc on spinal stability. The consequence of all this being that an unstable spine can't move as well as a spine that is well-stabilized, and we want efficient spinal stability in movement.
Drink More Water
Being hydrated is incredibly important for your body’s metabolic processes to occur. Studies show that even just a small amount of dehydration (1-3%) can have an effect on your bodily functions. This makes it super important to be sure you are drinking adequate volumes of fluid (at the very least, a half gallon per day). To find your optimal needs of water consumption, you can easily use water calculators online to get a more specified amount.
One variable we'd like to add to the equation is that drinking progressively more water doesn't necessarily mean you should expect to be progressively more hydrated... As with most non-linear equations in life, there is a goldilocks zone of hydration you want to aim to meet (ie: not too dry, not too moist). By adding minerals you can better retain the water you've ingested, while at the same time utilize the water to make the most out it when saturating your tissues effectively (opposed to the water just running right through you).
The important thing to keep in mind here is if you can’t stay hydrated through the FP techniques, whether it be correctives or MFR work, a dehydrated body will have a greater likelihood to revert back to the old mechanics than a hydrated one. Hydration on the other hand has a tendency for the muscles and fascia to be far more pliable, allowing for changes to be longer lasting (opposed to erasing the progress you meant to put on your body).
Get Better Sleep
I know at some point in your fitness journey recommending good sleep might actually seem a bit cliché, but there’s definitely something to be said about spending a good amount of time in a parasympathetic state. After all, we know the best way to build muscle isn't by lifting 24/7, or 100% of the time you're awake in a given day (which actually causes atrophy). It's by getting the most out of your sleep, so that the process of rest in fact repairs your body, thus promoting muscle growth (hypertrophy).
It's helpful to know that building better biomechanics isn't separate from this same process of regeneration, so we're giving you two tips bundled into one to help you get the most out of regenerating your body.
Mornings Matter - And a P.M. Hack!
Part of getting good sleep is actually getting morning sunlight into your eyes so that you can set your body’s metabolic processes up properly in order to produce the melatonin needed for a restful sleep. We recommend getting up in the A.M. to program your brain to understand morning time, thereby making it easier for your brain at night to register with your circadian clock and produce the chemicals you need to sleep soundly in bed.
As you get ready for bed, try lighting a candle and watch the flame. On the electromagnetic spectrum, fire is positioned towards the side of Red and Infrared light, which in actuality has some similarities to the light spectrum of the evening sun. This type of light can help your cells further understand that it’s time to regenerate by getting your body started on sleep mode, which as a result will put you into a more parasympathetic state of rest. Now when you rest, after a long day of programming good functions into you, the changes made can better settle in for the long haul.
Conclusion
As a general rule of thumb, it's safe to say you are going to want a lighter load as opposed to a heavier one if you were climbing to the peak of a mountain. In the case of reaching your goals (the mountain), things that contribute to the metaphorical load of the backpack is how well-rested you are, how hydrated you are, and the quality of nutrition you are putting into your body.
Keep in mind that like anything in life, there’s a lot of variables that cause people to experience things differently. It could just be the case that it takes you a bit longer to get the results than another person who takes the 10 Week Online Course, and others. At the end of the day though, it's all part of the journey towards attaining better function. Either way, our goal with these three tips will hopefully help you to put your body into regeneration mode so you can get the most out of taking care of your body using FP.
Until next time this is Functional Patterns reminding you to Train Intentionally, and Not Habitually.