PHYSICAL FITNESS
FOR BODYWORKERS
By Christy Cael
fit!
Physical fi tness is vital to maintaining professional
longevity in the bodywork fi eld. What exactly does
fi tness mean? The US Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention defi ne it as the "ability to carry out
daily tasks with vigor and alertness, without undue
fatigue, and with ample energy to enjoy leisure-time
pursuits and respond to emergencies."
1
The National
Strength and Conditioning Association simply calls it
the "ability to perform important physical activities."
2
By anyone's defi nition, the fi rst step is to
decide which tasks and activities are important
for performing our jobs. Next, we must identify
common issues or movement patterns that may
be limiting our ability to carry out those tasks.
Finally, we must seek out activities that help us
maintain a healthy balance of fl exibility, strength,
and endurance so we can function optimally.
I t p a y s t o b e A B M P C e r t i f i e d : w w w. a b m p . c o m / g o / c e r t i f i e d c e n t r a l 61
