No More Trips Please
Yesterday I saw a lady trip and fall on the London Underground when attempting to run up an escalator. I have seen many similar trips over the years. You could say these are just isolated incidents. They could also be caused by a lack of stability, agility and proprioception.
‘Proprioception refers to the body’s ability to sense movement within joints and joint position. This ability enables us to know where our limbs are in space without having to look.
It is important in all everyday movements but especially so in complicated sporting movements, where precise coordination is essential. This coordinated movement is a result of the normal functioning of the proprioceptive system.
The proprioceptive system is made up of receptor nerves that are positioned in the muscles, joints and ligaments around joints. The receptors can sense tension and stretch and pass this information to the brain where it is processed. The brain then responds by signalling to muscles to contract or relax in order to produce the desired movement.
This system is subconscious, and we don’t have to think about the movements or the corrections to movement. Sometimes the reactions take place so fast they are termed reflexive.’ PhysioRoom
When we want to improve our fitness and strength we exercise for it. Proprioception is exactly the same. To see improvements we need to perform the correct exercises using the correct equipment.
One Balanced Product
With training our balance and stability can improve markedly. These subtle changes in the way our body moves around its centre of gravity and the speed in which it does so, can have a huge impact in our quality of life and sporting performances.
Steady state or balance training is functional. This means we are engaging several muscle groups at the same time using a natural flow and transition through the movements. Strength training usually involves isolating a single muscle while we apply stress to it. When we add the balance component we also engage the stabiliser muscles.
Designed in the United Kingdom by Mason Gilmour-Platt DipSpSt, a former triathlete, fitness trainer, health club manager and life-long surfer. The Rooboard was created to fulfil specific training requirements within tight parameters. These being, it had to produce solid results, be extremely durable (in order to take a thrashing) and be easily transportable.
The Rooboard was born out of a passion to increase fitness, strength and balance. It had to increase muscular symmetry and performance for action sports like surfing, skating and skiing. And, it had to fit busy proactive lifestyles and be extremely portable, as in the daily work commute, flights, hotel rooms and those cheeky moments when you want to workout quickly and discreetly.
Best of all for commuters it will help you to avoid those nasty trips or falls on the London Underground.
Mason Gilmour-Platt
