In life we are aware of many hierarchies that must be respected in order to arrive at the desired destination. For example we all know the expression you have to walk before you can run. We know that with a standard education system you have to go to primary school before secondary school and both are required before entry into a University. In nature there are also certain sequences that we can observe. For example any given species has to reach a certain level of physical maturation before it can reproduce.

When it comes to the human body there is also a hierarchy pertaining to optimal Biomechanical Health that if observed, respected and implemented can lead to immense progress in Sporting Performance, Fitness, Health and Aesthetic considerations. If you choose to ignore this hierarchy you run the risk of injury and your potential to achieve all of the amazing benefits that exercise and training can offer is radically diminished.

So in today’s Blog I am going to discuss the 4 steps that if applied in sequence can lead you to your best body ever and or your greatest sporting achievement ever.

Step 1: Flexibility

This step is the foundation stone from which all of the other movement qualities are developed. If you cannot get into a position properly then you cannot generate enough force to stimulate a strengthening effect. If you cannot perform a full range squat for example you will end up getting imbalances in your muscles that will put the brakes on for any further strength development. It may sound obvious but all movement requires space! Flexibility restrictions limit not only how much you can move but also the quality of that movement. How much attention are you paying to your flexibility? Do you know where you are restricted? Have you got a program in place to work on these restrictions so that they are no longer the limitation on your overall progress?

Step 2: Stability

If flexibility is overlooked by many then stability is its sister in the school of neglect. Stability for the human body is absolutely vital for reasons of survival. Survival is the body’s number 1 priority and anything that risks this is to be avoided at all costs. If you cannot stabilise your body then you risk injury which is a threat to survival. I was watching someone teach one of their mates how to squat in a public gym some time ago. Now the person teaching was not a professional. The guy learning how to squat was able to get ass to the grass deep with a broom stick! So far so good! Now as soon as he tried to do the exercise again with an Olympic bar (weighing 20 kg) he could only go down half way! What’s going on here?  Well he was either extremely weak or he had a stability issue which would require further investigation. He like most people would probably remain with the stability issue and continue to load up the bar with limited range of motion. Long term this would create structural imbalances in his body. His leg development would suffer and so would his overall strength. Not a good scenario.

Step 3: Strength

So from the previous example of stability we see that without it we can never develop any real strength or at the very least we can never come close to our true potential. Strength is a quality that needs to be meticulously developed. You won’t get strong by accident. If flexibility and stability are the foundation stones from which to build strength then Strength is the Mother of all Athletic endeavours. In order to get strong one must follow specific training strategies. Exercises must be selected carefully. We need to consider variables like reps, sets, tempo and periodization. There are land marks of progress along the way like being able to bench press your body weight for example. Most importantly if your training is correct you get stronger day by day week to week. If you are not getting stronger your program design sucks, you have issues pertaining to steps 1 and 2 and/or you are not recovering correctly.

Step 4: Power

Flexibility, Stability and Strength are required by every Man, Woman and Child on the planet. The more you hone these qualities the better quality of life you will experience. How strong you are is the number 2 biomarker of your longevity. When we know that strength development is dependent on flexibility and stability- then all 3 of these qualities become compulsory to develop if health and wellness are on your list of priorities. Now if you are an athlete or you participate in sports just for fun and maybe even fitness then you need to add in step 4. Step 4 is the development of Power.

Power is defined as the ability to exert maximum force in a short a time frame as possible. Power can only emerge from a base of strength. Power is Strength applied quickly. If you are not strong you can never be powerful at least not in the athletic sense of the word.

This is one of the many things that boggles my mind as a professional trainer – much of the general public and even athletes start their training with step 4, which is Power. Talk about putting the cart before the horse!

So if you go and sign up for a Kettle Bell class or a Cross Fit class which incorporates Olympic lifting or Boot camp classes that uses Plyometric exercises then you are diving straight in at the deep end. If you understand the science of strength you know it must be developed first. If you understand the Biomechanics of stability you know that if you can’t stabilise a deep loaded squat then you have no business doing power snatches.

Respect the hierarchy: Flexibility → Stability → Strength → Power

Because if you do you will be rewarded with better results, a better physique, greater sporting performance and reduced injury risk. It’s a strategy that the top athletes the world over utilise in their training. So if you wish to achieve your personal best maybe you should try it too.