We hope this finds you feeling strong and confident in your ability to adapt. May 4th is International Firefighters Day. Here at Foundation Training we have a lot of firefighters in our family. So this month we want to give out a shout out of appreciation to all the firefighters and first responders in our community near and far.
In keeping everyone up to date, we are still waiting on confirmation for our certification locations and dates. We hope to be able to give everyone exact dates and locations later this month. Remember that the best way to stay up to date is by following us on social media.
Instructor Highlights
We have instructors all over the world integrating Foundation Training into their practice and finding innovative ways to reach their audiences. Each month we bring you a little snapshot of what they’ve done recently.
Angie Kelley is a level 2 certified FT instructor, certified personal trainer, and owner of FITFIX Studio in Bozeman, MT. She has been teaching Foundation Training for over 4 years with a passion for exploring Decompression Breathing’s primary role in improving posture, performance, and injury. She appreciates how it integrates into her running noting that, “I LOVE the Woodpecker during my run/hikes in the beautiful mountains of Bozeman. Whenever I feel a little uneven as I run up the trail, a quick stop for a woodpecker with rotation gets me evened out and powerful again.”
Daniel Wade is a Level 2 instructor & Firefighter for the City of Orlando. Foundation Training has been paramount in keeping him involved in the activities he loves, inside and outside of work. When surgery for his back injury failed, Foundation Training was what allowed him to fully recover. FT is now his go-to priming for daily workouts and tasks. Daniel is thrilled that FT is now a resource for so many more firefighters, now being taught to all cadet firefighters at Orlando Fire Department, “This will provide not only longevity in their careers, but help provide for a better life in retirement.”
Live Weekly Workouts
Now on streaming
Hopefully, you have been able to keep up with the weekly workouts from Dr. Goodman and Coach Salas on streaming. The most recent are in “New Releases” and the older are in “Assorted Workouts” but all are there for you to explore and find your favorites. Some fun highlights from the past several weeks include Dr. Goodman’s puppy Koa enthusiastically joining class and Coach Salas’s exploration of FT principles into other modalities.
Dr. Goodman appreciated the opportunity to connect to the community:
“I love the feedback that people enjoy training with me Live. It feels closer to a real class and offers some relatability to our students and patients. I feel excited to teach these and sweat through each series with you”
Coach Salas said he particularly enjoyed being able to apply questions from and extend ideas throughout several workouts:
“I had a lot of fun with the body awareness workout as it was inspired by the community from feedback on our last challenge and the awareness they got from the 6 weeks of breathing.”
We have been working hard on hitting those topics you’ve requested. Keep those ideas coming, as these workouts for you, our community. These weekly workouts will continue through May so join us live or check them out after.
Core Educator Workouts
Coming soon
You asked for more so we’re giving you more! Weekly workouts from Dr. Goodman and Coach Salas have allowed us to provide more resources to our streaming audience and get a personalized feel of training with the team. We are excited to expand on this with instructor workouts coming soon on streaming.
Who are these instructors?
- Alli Cost, MSOT, OTR-L
- Evan Halquist, Firefighter, SFG1, SFG2, SFL
- Pat Helma, DC, DACBSP
- Lorenna Lee, DAOM, LAc
- Matt Weist, DC
- Sean Yeager-Diamond, CPT
These individuals are part of the core education team. They will be the mentors during the online education portion, along with teaching at the in-person portion of the upcoming FT instructor certification courses. They are professionals with 10+ experience in their field, having applied Foundation Training not only to themselves but also integrating FT into their careers. Starting May 18th, we will be introducing each instructor to the community on our social media on the day their first video is published on streaming.
To find these workouts after May 18th, simply log onto the streaming app and click on the workout in the “New Releases” category to watch. Every Tuesday and Thursday a new workout will be released.
FT+ First Responder
New Series on Streaming
First responders are trained in the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to deal with emergencies. Their bodies are put to the test with physical exertion, often with injuries occurring in the midst of their careers. Bodies break down causing pain and limitation, lasting into retirement. This does not have to be the case. This should not be inevitable for anyone, especially those who are so often risking their lives to help others.
Foundation Training created an FT+ Series to provide first responders the skills to mitigate, manage, and prevent the injuries common to their profession. This series has two parts, each providing instructional videos for 2 workouts at time then both a flip-flop workout and tabata workout to apply. This is followed by a workout combining all 4 exercises.
This program is not just for first responders. It is for anyone who wants to address their current injuries and prevent future breakdown. The tabata workout style provides a uniquely effective system of practicing a pose/movement. In 4-10 minutes your body gets stronger and starts establishing a movement pattern to allow you to adapt to whatever the day ahead holds.
Feed the Wolf
A monthly mental snack to feed personal development.
“Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts. Whenever your mind becomes scattered, use your breath as the means to take hold of your mind again.” Thich Nhat Hanh
We often focus on getting through our uncomfortable moments quickly, whether in an FT pose that’s challenging or a day (or year) that’s gone awry. We want so bad to get to the other side to that moment that we’re done. But this uncomfortable place is where growth happens. Rather than rushing past, attune to your body experiencing being alive. This is where the healing happens. Breath slowly and deeply – this is the pace and place of presence. Your breath is always there, waiting for you to return.