Why slow and steady strength training?

We often move too fast, too soon - or not at all - and can overlook important modifications our bodies need to maintain capability. It's a common misconception that something is structurally wrong with your body and therefore you can't move in certain ways or engage in certain activities. Really, it's a matter of not overwhelming your body's capacity to bear a certain load. 

Lots of factors affect our capacity, including (but not limited to): genetics, personal history, stress level, sleep, diet, economic, social, and environmental factors. Other times, pain has become chronic and the nervous system hyper-sensitive. In these cases, turning the volume down on the pain is an important factor in determining the volume, load, and duration of strength training sessions. 

And why strength training? Because the body structurally adapts to demand! Which means passive and low-demand (i.e. massage and light stretching) modalities do not challenge the body enough over time and can lead to deconditioning and reduced capability. This is especially important as we age! If you don't move it, you lose it - but that doesn't mean you can't gain it back. 😉 

Rissa specializes in working with clients who aren't as concerned with aesthetic muscle-building as they are fortification and longevity. The benefits of weightlifting are well-documented for people of all ages - even post-menopausal women, and even the "oldest old." She loves working with clients who want to take their strength training slow and steady, who aren't in a rush to see superficial results, and who want sustainable benefits over time.