Community

I'm away to sit my Level 2 gym instructor exam next week which will then open the door for me to finally do a Bodypump course, and I was hoping someone could help me with this query...

As part of the practical assessment involved in the exam, you obviously have to take your client through a series of stretches in the warmdown, and you are meant to distinguish between a maintenance stretch and a developmental stretch. Unhelpfully (and unsurprisingly) the course literature fails to distinguish between the two types of stretch other than to say the developmental one is held a bit longer and slightly more intense. There's also not too much on the subject online that I can find.

 So what I'm wanting to know is how this relates to a standard bodypump warmdown track. Which stretches used in it would be classed as maintenance and what would be classed as developmental?

 Or is it that any type static stretch used in a BP warmdown could be classed as either, depending on how deep into the stretch you go?

 Any help would be much, much appreciated! :)

here's a link for you:

http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/Residents/Sports_Fitness/GlasgowClub/FitnessResources/Articles/Stretching.htm

 I did a Google search on maintenance stretch and this is the first thing that came up.  Basically, maintenance stretch is held for a short time and developmental is held for a longer time.  Good luck!

Crystal

Ok, I was told that a maintenance stretch lasts about 15secs and a developmental stretch can last for up to a minute. (I got told off after my gym exam for making my 'client' hold the stretches for too long )

Also, a developmental stretch would be taken to a deeper level once the initial stretch reflex wears off and you would increase the stretch up to 3 times.

I'm not a Pump instructor (although I desperately want to be one) but as far as I can see, most of the stretches in the cooldown track appear to be maintenance stretches, although sometimes in the hamstring and glute/abductor stretches as well as in the lower back twists, we are told to take it deeper if we can (normally when the stretch is held for 32 counts in total), which would make it a developmental stretch.

Although in a gym environment, you could make any stretch developmental according to your client's needs, in my ETM we were told to make hamstring, adductor and chest stretches developmental when planning a class, as those are the muscle groups that are most likely to be particularly tight in the general public.

 Who is your training provider cos I can't believe that this hasn't been covered

Good luck anyway, and let us know how you get on

None of the stretches in a BodyPump class could be considered developmental - some of them aren't held long enough to be considered maintenance either...

I'd be a bit disappointed in a course that didn't clearly identify the difference between the types of stretches though!

Active Stretch: 

Stretches that can be done in any exercise routine and can be performed during any training activity

Passive Stretch:               

Also known as a recovery stretch or stretches that are used to rejuvenate the tired body

Recovery Stretch:           

These stretches are usually performed at the end of an exercise session.

The stretches done in Bodypump are either of the above.

A development stretch is designed to develop flexibility and elasticity of the tendon/muscle group. The idea is to stretch to natural resistance or pain and then hold at that point. During the hold the participant is encouraged to relax, and then stretch further stopping again when pain/resistance kicks in. The same can be repeated with holds and deeper range stretches a number of times.

If this is repeated over many days/weeks it will allow development of a much greater gain in flexibility than through simple stretches as detailed above.

What's a warmdown?

geezermama:

What's a warmdown?

The same as a cool down.

The cool-down helps the body clear lactic acid that builds up during any activity. Less lactic acid means less soreness and stiffness the next day - or delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).  Although, there is some recent evidence suggesting that the warm down doesn't improve DOMS.

It is just as important as the warm up, especially after vigorous exercise because the body needs time to slow down and it is an important step in aiding recovery. The cool down should occur immediately after training activities and should last 5 to10 minutes.

The cool-down can be the same sort of exercise as the warm-up but with low intensity body movement such as jogging or walking substituted for running. Stretching after activity helps to ensure maximum flexibility, relax the muscles, return them to their resting length and helps develop long-term attitudes to maintaining healthy lifestyles.  Static stretching is appropriate during the cool-down and can be used to improve flexibility.

Obviously the warm down is also useful to gradually lower the heart rate to more nomal levels, before proceeding with life outside the gym.  Also helps avoid dizziness or fainting if blood has pooled in large muscles or the extremities during exercise. 

geezermama:

What's a warmdown?

@Hard_Yards

I suspect this was meant TIC

Well, I passed no problem. In fact, the examiner said it was the best practical assessment he's ever seen from someone doing a fast track course (basically I did it all distance learning in the space of 3 weeks). So I'm pretty happy with that.

For the stretching element I essentially copied a Bodypump warmdown track, using developmental stretches on the hamstrings, Abductors and Chest.

 Now all I need to do is get the studio manager at the gym I go to to vouch for me to do a Bodypump course. Sadly my impression is that because instructing classes is quite a competitive and insecure industry where I come from (Dundee in Scotland), it might take a bit of persuading.