Class Flow

EXAMPLE

Modifications Specific to FM

Full Body Warm Up: 5 minutes

Purpose: A gradual progression of gentle rhythmic movement, designed to stimulate the neuromuscular system and metabolic pathways, and elevate core body temperature.

Music BPM:  130-135

Begin Standing:

--March in place--Add close-to-body alternating arm swings--Change to small step touches side to side--Add alternating backward shoulder rolls--Change to two small steps right, two left--Add low dual arm side lifts--March in place--Add close-to-body alternating arm swings--Change to alternating heels front--Add dual biceps curls--Change to alternating front knee lifts--Add alternating forward arm lifts--Change to march in place--Add close-to-body alternating arm swings--Change to alternating curl backs--Add low dual arm bent elbow press backs

Avoid overhead moves and movements that keep the limbs away from the body's centerline for extended periods. Keep arms at shoulder height, no higher.

Allow participants to modify the movements to accommodate their areas of pain on any given day.

Pre-Cardio Work: 5 minutes

Purpose: A gradual assent to the upcoming steady state endurance work.

Music BPM:  140-145

Sample aerobic dance routine performed at tempo:

Two steps right and left x2--step-touch right and left x4--Step touch right and left x4--March right lead x16--Alternating tap toe front, right and left x4--alternating tap toe side, right and left x4

Avoid quick direction turns.

Continue avoiding overhead moves and movements that keep the limbs away from the body's centerline for extended periods.

Cardio Work: 20 minutes

Purpose: A steady-state aerobic workout designed to increase cardio endurance.

Music BPM:  140-145

Sample aerobic dance choreography performed at tempo (Each number is a 32-count block):

Moving diagonally toward the front right corner two steps right, and move diagonally toward the front left corner two steps left-- Move diagonally toward the back, two steps right and two steps left-- Repeat from the top x1

Alternating step curl-backs x4--Alternating step knee-lifts x4--Repeat

Step-touch forward x4--March backward x16--Repeat

Step knee lift to the right corner x4--Step-touch left right x4--Step knee-lift to the left corner x4-- Step-touch right left x4

Repeat all from the top, reducing all 32 count blocks by half.

Avoid any impact loading exertion.

Break up overly repetitious patterns.

Due to commonly prescribed FM medications, in a group setting use the RPE scale as a guideline for appropriate aerobic intensity.

Continue avoiding fast direction turns.

Continue avoiding overhead arm moves.

Post-Cardio Work: 5 minutes

Purpose: A gradual drop from the above steady state endurance work.

Music BPM:  125-130

Sample routine performed at tempo:

Alternating heels front x8--Alternating double heels front x4-- Alternating heels front x4--Alternating double heels front x2--Step-together-step front x2--March backward right lead x16

Repeat. 

Continue avoiding overhead moves and movements.

Cool-Down Stretches: 10 minutes

Gentle static stretches for the muscles used during the training session.

Standing, stretch the following muscle groups:

• the gastrocnemius and soleus
• the tibialis anterior
• the iliopsoas and quadriceps
• the hamstrings
• the IT band and piriformis
• the pectorals
• the latissimus dorsi
• the trapezius
• the deltoids

Do not hold flexibility poses longer than 10-seconds. Alternate limbs and repeat poses twice instead.

Offer alternative poses to accommodate for obesity, tenderpoint pain and inflexibility.

Remind hypermobile participants to model the leader's poses rather than moving until they feel the stretch.