The ROAM Method is an antidote to the common “Rip, shit and bust” approach many people have when they start a fitness regime. To see what I mean by this watch the video below..

ROAM stands for Range of Active Movement and its number one aim is to encourage people to “enjoy regular and varied exercise by cycling around the life-movement patterns and along the spectrum of physical abilities whilst introducing progressive complexity of movement, intensity and equipment modalities.

The ROAM cycle illustrates and provides a framework for a safe, progressive and “long game” exercise curriculum that “improves the way you move”.

The problem and frustration with general fitness

I found that many of my clients did not want to focus on or commit to a purposeful fitness programme and did not. really. care what they did as long as they did not get injured and could “drink beer and eat pizza”, for me this was really boring and for a time I was very apathetic to training these people because I was not using my full powers along the lines of excellence. So to give me the feeling of “adding value” and earning my fee, I had the idea of building a series of linked exercise programmes that traversed through my preferred modalities, exercises and training philosophies.

Life-Movement and the animals

The human body was made to squat, twist, bend, push, pull, lunge and run (walk, jog, sprint), these are what I call life-movements. Over time people abilities to do this shrinks because the favour certain patterns in sport or work, or they avoid others because. of apprehension and pain. When you avoid movement you create weaknesses and you enjoyment of life will erode.

Each animal represents a certain movement and this idea is taken from Traditional Chinese medicine to represent not only movement but certain body-mind-soul characteristics. (Note we cover the mental aspects in the PRX lifestyle programme and not in the ROAM curriculum.)

Each animal, movement has an “end range” or advanced exercise that we progress to and master and is based on a sport that is dominant in that movement pattern.

ROAM Spectrum

The progression is through a the ROAM Spectrum of physical abilities that I have grouped according to my idea of safe and logical progression of speed and complexity:

• Flexibility (End range yoga asana plus facial/meridian lines)
• Stability (single leg yoga balance)
• Posture (a corrective exercise)
• Crawl (infant development pattern/quadruped)
• Bodyweight ninja (end-range bodyweight expression)
• Strength (CHEK functional fitness and Westside barbell)
• Endurance (floating ability dependant on intensity)
• Power (a gym-based expression)
• Defend (my idea of what style represents the spirit of the animal)
• Sport Speed & Agility (a sport that is the epitomie of the movement pattern)

ROAM METHOD CURRICULUM  

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We split The ROAM Method into three levels; Health, Fitness and Performance.

(I do have a confession to make, my programmes and video although I do try to make them simple and full of technical information that might be a bit much for the non-fitness professional – whilst I coach with bare minimum instruction so not to. overwhelm an instructional video must include the Technicians detail.)

HEALTH – promoting balanced posture and alignment of movement mechanics and the following benefits:

• More fluidity and confidence in your day to day movements
• Increased flexibility, stability (balance)
• Increased integrated muscle tone (total body)
• Reduce niggly pains that keep you from certain activities
• Have a platform of physical ability to start a new sport or activity, relaunch an activity you may have given, or, enhance a current one.

Exercises are low intensity bodyweight flexibility, stability, posture and coordination programmes that borrow from functional and corrective exercise, qi gong, Feldenkrais, the best of yoga, a twist of gymnastics and infant developmental patterns.

Bodyweight Movement preparation and health

1. ROAM Bodyweight Profile Testing. (So you can do before and after.)
2. ROAM Mobility – 5 lesson of mobility in our LIFE movement patterns of Squat, Twist, Bend, Push, Pull (and lunge). (Signature programme based on my book)
3. ROAM Endurance – Heart rate training outline and practical.
4. ROAM Foundation programme – 7 Levels, 14 lessons of gradual progression Bodyweight exercises. (a linear programme)
5. ROAM Swiss ball stability training (my go to exercises)
6. ROAM TRX sample programme PDF (a 12 week programme that progresses and integrates three levels of intensity and complexity)
7. ROAM BSX – Signature bodyweight HIIT programme based on bodyweight ninja exercises. (This is a non-linear programme but does follow a progressive structure. I used this programme during the first. 2020 Covid shutdown as a base for a spartan race training – suitable for a 5 k sprint distance)

FITNESS – promoting functional strength using gym based equipment

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We combine functional fitness and traditional strength and conditioning equipment and philosophies here. We focus on making you strong in the deadlift, squat, bench press as well as the lunge, twist, push and pull. Cardiovascular intensity and demand increases here.

• Add strength to your movements using external load
• Integrate multiple movement patterns
• Learn multiple equipment modalities
• Increase fitness capacity
• Build lean body mass and increase metabolic intensity to promote weightloss.

There are several programmes that we could start fitness training with and which one depends on how comfortable you are going to a gym or what equipment you are prepared to buy. It is always a good idea to do a benchmark fitness test to see what level you are at (safety and injury prevention wise, and to be motivated by your progress when doing a re-test) so if you were learning live we would start with ROAM FAST which is five animal strength testing and technique lesson. If the lesson is not live then doing progressing to a 1repetition maximal by for the first time by yourself without a spotter is not the wisest thing to do. So for reasons of safety and economy we start with the Kettlebell fundamental programme. Once the kettlebell programme is completed you could do FAST, or. your could go straight to Fit, toned and functional which avoids heavy weights and the squat movement pattern.

1. ROAM FAST strength test = Strength testing and technique session to learn good technique and strength levels in the Pull-up, Shoulder press, Squat, bench press, deadlift and woodchopper. This lesson is compulsory for our strength training programmes.
2. ROAM Kettlebell
3. ROAM Fit toned & Functional – 7 Levels, 14 lessons (minimum) We introduce functional strength training with an aim to lose weight and tone up at the same time. Intensity and complexity progress with each lesson.
4. ROAM Total Body function HIIT 1
5. ROAM Total Body function HIIT 2
6. ROAM Strength Meets Function “Lockout”
7. ROAM Strength Meets Function “Out of hole”
8. ROAM RSX Roam Spectrum Exercise
9. Push, pull, twist Cable Fundamentals Pdf
10. Westside Conjugate Strength Programme Template & Exercise library PDF
11. Crossfit Template & Exercise Library template PDF, Ladies and Benchmark WOD PDF
12. Strength & Olympic Lift Exercise library PDF

SPORTS PERFORMANCE

Explosive Training (Power, speed, agility, throwing and accuracy preparation)

Spartan Resilience & Performance Training – Sprint, Super & Beast Plus

Dragon boat Power in 12 weeks

Tennis agility and Power in 12 weeks

Field Hockey Power in 12 weeks

Snow sports for fresh tracks & fresh legs

Run smarter, fast and longer in 12 weeks

Boxing – Building a world class punch that goes the distance

Rugby off-season strength, conditioning and body armour training.

Click on the link to join the online roam method

https://ross-eathorne-s-school-of-life.teachable.com/p/r-o-a-m-method