Hello and welcome to The Healthy Coconut Blog. This blog is dedicated to bringing you information on trauma and healing from a holistic perspective. I’m Gabbie Bodkin, a licensed mental health counselor and author of this blog. Today I’ll share information on the three most important movement-related metrics to achieve a healthier mind and body. More specifically I’ll be reviewing:
Strength and Power
Vo2 Max
Balance and Mobility
These three areas of focus contribute to whole-body wellness- targeting all three types of muscle (skeletal, smooth, and cardiac), and improving cognitive functions including memory. As I outline each area of focus and how to measure your baselines, please note that it is safest to assess these areas with a healthcare provider who specializes in physical performance and can ensure proper form and safety for these exercises. Working with a provider can also provide more accurate calculations than some of the online and smart device-based methods for obtaining data.
If you plan to conduct these tests independently, please ensure your safety by obtaining the doctor's permission and or completing them with a support person present in case of injury.
Strength and Power
Strength training encompasses movements and exercises that require the body to push through resistance, while power exercises focus on the speed it takes to overcome that resistance. You can accomplish strength and power movement goals by incorporating resistance through weights, resistance bands, and body weight.
How to measure strength: Many strength tests can provide a baseline of your overall strength, however, one of the most common tests is the submaximal 1RM test. This is an adapted version of the 1RM test which requires you to lift the heaviest amount of weight one time for each muscle group. Since there are many risks associated with lifting maximum weight for one repetition, the submaximal test decreases the risk of injury.
To do this test, you pick a submaximal weight and perform repetitions until failure. For example, if you are performing a barbell back squat, you'll pick a weight that will challenge you but that won't be your 1 repetition maximum weight. You'll squat at that weight for as many reps as possible until failure. You can then enter the data into a 1RM calculator ( https://strengthlevel.com/ ) to determine your strength level. It's important to note that these calculators are not the most accurate metric for strength, however, they can provide a ballpark idea of where you're at.
How to measure power: the most popular assessment of power is through the vertical jump test. The vertical jump test requires quick and explosive movement of various muscle groups. To perform this test, you simply stand up against a wall with your shoulder touching the wall. You'll place a piece of tape as high as you can reach with your feet flat on the ground. Then you'll prepare another piece of tape and stick it to the top of your fingertips. Jump as high as you can and measure the difference between the two pieces of tape. You'll record that measurement and use it as a reference of power as you continue to work on your movement goals. If you need a visual, this video demonstrates how to conduct this test:
VO2 Max
VO2 max is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can absorb and use during any form of exertion. It’s a great predictor of cardiovascular health over the lifespan and important to measure periodically as a health biomarker. When you breathe, your lungs absorb the oxygen and turn it into adenosine triphosphate (ATP) or energy. The greater your VO2 max, the more energy your body can use to operate at the best of its ability. This energy is used on an intricate level such as cellular turnover or for digestion or on an outward level such as through exercise and cognitive expenditure.
How to calculate VO2 max: There are a few different tests you can perform based on your level of comfort and activity level. For all these tests, you'll need a flat running area- either a treadmill or track and a stopwatch or smart device like an Apple watch.
The Rockport walking test: walk one mile at your best pace. Record your time and measure your heart rate by checking your pulse or a smart device. Record these two data points then enter them into the Rockport Walk Test calculator.
Cooper 1.5 mile run: run 1.5 miles at your best pace. Record how much time it takes to complete that distance. Input the data into the Cooper 1.5-mile Calculator
Cooper 12-minute run: run at your best pace for 12 minutes and record the distance you ran. Input your age and distance into the Cooper 12-minute run calculator to obtain your VO2 max.
Additional resources on VO2 max:
Overview of these tests: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmgWflnxOFAfv
How to improve your VO2 max: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XIoWlwUKU0&t=4s
Balance and mobility
Balance exercises allow for the ability to remain stable in various situations and movements, which can help prevent injury. Mobility relates to the ability to move freely. When one area of the body cannot move well, other areas of the body compensate, causing unnecessary pressures and an increased risk of injury in the compensated areas. Balance and mobility forms of movement can include yoga, pilates, dynamic stretching, dance, etc.
How to calculate balance and mobility:
The Y Balance Test- requires you to balance on one leg or arm (depending on if you're performing the upper or lower body test) as you reach in different directions (anterior, posterolateral, and posteromedial). The test provides information on your strength and balance in various movements.
The Functional Reach Test- assesses balance by measuring how far you can reach in a standing position without having to take a step to catch yourself from falling.
The Single Leg Stance Assessment- assesses static posture and balance control.
The bottom line is that we feel our best when movements and cognitive abilities come naturally and easily. When things are difficult or when basic movements become painful, health can spiral rapidly causing a domino effect of issues- many of which can be brain-related. Numerous clinical trials stress the importance of physical activity in reducing the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Focusing on these three areas increases neural connections, improves prefrontal cortex functioning responsible for critical thinking and attention, and improves memory function.
In addition to the clinical work I do with clients, my clients all have movement goals as part of their self-care practice because of the benefits movement has on the brain. Movement and nutrition set the foundation for a healthy brain and sustainable well-being. While all movement goals are to be celebrated, this is a reminder to not get stuck with one modality for movement. If your goal is to improve overall health, diversifying your movement routine is one way to optimize the tool of exercise and ensure you are working on these three areas of function.
Thank you all for reading this post. As always, I hope you found this information useful. This information is purely intended to inform, not to treat. If you are struggling with brain health issues or childhood trauma, speaking to a healthcare professional is recommended to receive a specific plan for treatment and healing based on your individual needs. You can follow along for more posts and psychoeducational tools on trauma and trauma healing from a holistic perspective. You can also check out my website, thehealthycoconut.com, or Instagram the_healthycoconut for more resources or to book a free consultation with me. If you found this blog helpful, please like and subscribe to support these resources.
Safety Disclaimer:
If you find any of this information triggering or do not feel safe being alone with your thoughts, call a support person or 911 if you feel you are at risk of hurting yourself or others. I’m a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, and I help adults heal from childhood trauma. Follow along for more self-help tools and psychoeducation on trauma and trauma healing.
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