I participated in the ViPR Master Trainer programme which was held over the course of several days, both indoors and outdoors.
We learned the history, science and application of ViPR exercises and how to use the ViPR effectively in workouts.
The idea of “Loaded Movement Training” is to combine task-oriented movement patterns with resistance training. Moving in dynamic ways, using our fundamental movement patterns, is one of the cornerstones of my own philosophy, Movement For Life. This is why “Functional Fitness” in its true context is so essential for helping us lead long and healthy lives.
ViPR was developed after its creator Michol Dalcourt observed how kids on a farm were always stronger in sport than kids who had grown up in cities and trained only in gyms.
This difference in strength was because kids from the farm would move purposefully with loads as they did their daily chores, performing tasks with weight in a real world context. By contrast, city kids trained in a linear fashion and did not incorporate as much three dimensional movement into their gym-based routines.
The key insight by Michol Dalcourt is not that gym training itself is bad, but it was not as complete as it could be.
I found that the ViPR allows greater freedom of movement than the TRX Suspension Trainer; however, the TRX offers more control. They overlap and are definitely complementary tools! I am excited about incorporating the ViPR into multi modality workouts.
