If anyone has tried the program, I would like some information. The thing is, I injured my knee while playing basketball, so I have a torn ACL in my right knee. I was wondering what kind of program FlowFit is, because my knee cant handle too much pressure, especially if the pressure is lateral. anyone??

Go to RMAX.tv and chack out all they have to offer. They also have a program called Joint Mobility that would help to oil that knee;)I'll ask one of the staff members what they'd recommend for you.

ive had a torn acl before (martial arts)...its something i wouldnt wish on anybody. i had mine reconstructed so if thats what yer going through i defineately have empathy for you. if you type in scott sonnen on youtube he has a bunch of videos out about flowfit. if i were you though i would stick to the physical therapy and what they say you should and shouldnt do. also dont push yourself too hard. rehabbing an acl (reconstruction) is a delicate balance between too much and not enough...kinda like singing

and Merry Christmas to ya

well, i havent undergone reconstruction, and i probably wont get it done. so, i was wondering if flowfit could help me stay in shape without actually exerting my knee too much.

isamu

well keeping in shape is going to involve the knee a lot pretty much no matter what yer doing. whats the extent of your injury? there are multiple ligaments that go through there and you may have torn more then just your acl

my meniscus was torn as well, but that's fixed. so it's just the torn meniscus. is there anyone here who actually uses FlowFit? if so, what's it like?

you can gain a lil insight of what its about by watching it here. i guess you can figure out if it is ok for your knee

I really hate to be a voice of dissent, but please whoever tries to use this program -be careful-. The things in that video remind me of the things I used to do in karate class... the things that I watched a lot of reasonably in-shape people do and (some times) get hurt even with supervision.


I'm not going to say that it's a bad program because I have no idea from just watching a one minute clip, but seriously: Be careful... ESPECIALLY if you're not in good shape already.

James,

You are COMPLETELY wrong in your thoughts. Of course some of it reminds you of Karate. Scott Sonnon is in the Martial Arts Hall of Fame. Some of there videos ARE for martial arts, but the majority is for strength and flexibility. CST was designed to minimize any wear and tear of the body. They have a full staff of fitness and health professionals to discuss all programs before being designed, including staff doctors. These aren't programs they just throw together to make a buck. Every program is completely analyzed befoire designed;)

there is no way my knee could handle such movements. thanks a lot for your help mossman.

Forgive me--I didn't mean to imply in -any- way that this was a cheap or thrown together program. I'm sure it isn't--the guy looks like he knows what he's doing.

I'm sure if you get and adhere to this program, you'll get into great shape. In fact, I can almost guarantee it, if it's like the clip! I was in pretty damn good shape when I did karate, doing that kind of stuff. I even had a six pack... well, I still do, but it's much less defined than it was then :).

However, that doesn't stop me wanting to warn people just to be cautious! Seriously, go for it, you'll end up in great shape, but never, ever lose focus of the fact that it's hard on your body and requires you to pay attention at all times and watch your 'form' :).

The better bet is to go to ramx.tv and look through all of the programs to see what would benefit you. Scott has developed programs aimed at some rehabilitation and a gentle approach to strengthening the joints.

Hey Guys,

Sorry for the slow reply, i was away over the holidays and haven't been online.

Before I address your questions, please allow me to include one disclaimer: no advice, especially online advice, should replace the advice of a trained healthcare practitioner. If you have issues or concerns, always run any exercise program by your physician to get their specific approval before you try it out. Only they will know best how a program might impact your specific condition.

The vid clip posted above is actually of FlowFit II. That's a very advanced circuit designed for grappler's, and specifically aimed at improving the ability to engage and disengage the ground. It's quite different from the free FlowFit program.

The original FlowFit program is also a circuit, but the DVD includes 4 progressive flows. The first uses a stool as a prop, and so it's very accessible to anyone regardless of your initial level of conditioning.

The movements in the circuit are punctuated by the CST "trinity squat" - this comes between each movement and is your "anchor". Many people have difficulty initially in getting to the floor with good form and posture. If you're in that camp, check out the current issue of RMAX Magazine (its free online), and scroll down to the article called Mastering the Trinity Squat by Ryan Hurst. It contains some great incremental progressions that'll get you there in no time. http://www.rmaxinternational.com/home/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=405

Re: knee stuff. I've had several knee issues in the past, including partial ligament tears (treated through physiotherapy rather than surgery) and torn cartiledge. I have no difficulty at all with the FlowFit program. In fact, my knees are much stronger because of it. I would suggest that you show the DVD to your health care team and get the okay from them FOR YOUR SPECIFIC ISSUE before proceeding.

I have heard of some people complaining of knee pain, and i experienced it myself at first. With anyone I've coached, it was always due to poor form. In my case, i was rushing through the squatting movements to get to the other movements in the circuit, and as a result the form in my squat was deteriorating. When I slowed the pace a bit and observed proper form in my squat, those issues went away.

Good form is more important than "exertion" here. The concept of "getting a good workout" is an overly simplistic image touted by the fitness industry, which suggests that if you work up a sweat, "you done good." But in mastering human movement, the goal is sophistication, and that implies mastering good form so that you become more efficient. Ensuring that you maintain good form also ensures that you won't plague yourself with self-inflicted injuries. In CST we use something called the Intuitive Training Protocol to guage all this. Coach Sonnon outlines it in the FlowFit DVD (all that stuff about Rating of Perceived Technique and Rating of Perceived Exertion). If you follow that and you maintain good form, you'll reap tremendous results from the program.

Finally, one last point for the guy who was sore the day after training. Check out the Intu-Flow joint mobility program. I use that every day and I'm never sore from training - and i'm running myself through the same regimen that we use for professional UFC fighters. Intu-Flow is our secret method for increasing recovery time between sessions, improving joint health, and releasing tension. It's my daily staple, when I can do nothing else. ;)

Hope that's helpful! Please don't hesitate to chime in with questions. You can also do a search for "FlowFit" on the RMAX Forum, and you'll find all sorts of questions and answers. http://www.rmaxinternational.com/forum/index.php

Cheers,

Ryan

______________________
Ryan Murdock
RMAX Faculty Coach
Senior Editor, RMAX Magazine
http://www.rmaxstaff.com/murdock