Let’s start with this, you probably haven’t heard of Foundation Training.

Foundation Training is an exercise practice that is gaining traction and awareness. And in my opinion, everyone would benefit from practicing Foundation Training.

Why?

Because it is designed to counteract many of the postural issues that stress our society today. From “tech neck” to forward shoulders, shallow breathing, locked hips (all that sitting) and lack of glute activation. Foundation Training needs to be practiced by anyone who has daily patterns of sitting or repetitive motions. And if you are doing other exercises or activities, it will help you do those activities with better activation of the right muscles.

A short history…

Foundation Training was developed in 2007 by chiropractor Dr. Eric Goodman. He had debilitating back pain while in school, and was considering spinal surgery. Instead of getting the surgery, which would have been debilitating, he took what he was learning and created Foundation Training. Later he would teach these exercises to his patients so they could heal on their own.

Brooke Andrews; Rolf specialist, Foundation Training Certified, Energy Healing

Today Foundation Training continues to evolve and many powerful instructors have come from it, including our own coach Brooke Andrews.

Brooke shares her personal experience with Foundation Training, and how she’s seen it transform her clients…

Why is Foundation Training different than yoga or a basic core strength class?

Often in the general yoga or strength class people are doing the movements wrong. It is not that they are told to do it wrong, it is that their body has adopted a movement pattern that doesn’t allow them to use the strongest muscles in their body properly.

If you are doing a yoga shape or a muscle lift improperly, without good support to the system you are breaking down/ degenerating the body.

FT trains you to "hinge" properly using the largest muscles in the body instead of bending the body and stressing the ligaments and joints. You now have a new system to add to a Yoga or strength class that builds you up very quickly.

Flexibility changes happen fast, postural changes happen extremely fast, strength changes happen fast, pain changes happen fast.

What are some of the success stories you’ve had with Foundation Training?

I have watched my clients or students with Scoliosis pain, Sciatic pain or Injury pain get out of their pain faster with FT then any other modality I have learned the last 25+ years.

One example was John who came to my class from a referral with poor posture, tight shoulders, tight hips and tight hamstrings. He could not play with his small children, and he was only 40. He had intense chronic pain through his upper back and hot sciatic pain down his right leg. Everything he tried from massage to yoga did nothing for him but cost him more money than he had.

In just one class he felt so much relief he returned each time to get himself out of pain within a few weeks.

Every student who does the work with me finds their vitality and freedom.

Why are you passionate about bringing Bellingham's only Foundation Training class to Flow Shala?

I started a trade practice with Summer Huntington about 9 years ago. She was teaching me to improve my shoulder stability and I was teaching her better awareness of body parts in movement through Rolf Structural Integration. I loved working together with her. After I trained with Dr Eric Goodman and got my Foundation Training certification Flow Shala had just launched and I had the perfect place to land my classes.

Flow Shala is way more than a yoga or fitness studio. Flow Shala prides itself on being a progressive studio about holistic wellness with state of the art classes and coaching on nutrition, mindful workout movement and heart centered meditations along with being a community center for educational events.

Flow Shala understands the importance of building a conscious awareness practice for overall well being and this is harmonious with my passion of teaching alignment, when we are aligned the body can heal and you feel strong and alive throughout your whole being.

There is no better studio in town for what I do.

To sum it up…

Foundation Training is a unique combination of prehab and rehab, meaning it both prevents and helps treat pain and injuries.

Foundation Training works with all bodies to…

1) Counteract the daily grind
Phones, computers, and commuting have created postures and patterns that lead to degeneration. Learn how to position yourself and move in a way to counterbalance what is destructive, making modern conveniences a tool rather than a threat.

2) Participate in life without pain
Don’t buy in to the idea that getting older means falling apart and/or giving up what you enjoy doing. Your body is always adapting, ready and willing to change if you offer it the right input. Lifting heavy things, be it tree branches, groceries, or children, can be moments in your day when you feel strong and capable. Exercise needs to be a pleasure with your focus on exploring rather than avoiding.