Photo courtesy of http://bklivingfit.com/
Doesn’t it sometimes seem like nothing is more popular right now than getting into a room with a bunch of other people and working out until you sweat, puke, or can’t walk normally for the next few days? While I liked a hard workout just like the rest of them, when I began working in the fitness industry I had already been working in healthy living for quite some time and I knew that this was not a trend which would really serve people well.
People’s need for intelligent and effective exercise is incredibly high right now, but the fitness industry as a whole isn’t necessarily rising to the occasion. There are many “methodologies” for “exercise” which just are not based on any true understanding of how the body works and are not organized well enough to produce a predictable and positive effect.
To be blunt, most of the get-fit-quick propaganda out there is simply dangerous to the average gym goer.
While I think that disciplines like yoga and pilates are great and suit the needs and attitudes of many, they are still not filling the need for those looking for exercise classes that are a bit faster paced.
I have been blessed to experience a different sort of exercise class.
This method for exercise, engineered by the internationally renowned French Osteopath Guy Voyer, is designed with the human being’s whole physiology, from the joints to the organs, in mind. During his training regimen, Guy makes sure that the students are exposed to his methods as a group exercise class. This group training is a refreshing break from the senseless programs of physical activity being promoted as a one-size-fits-all method for positive fitness development.
The ELDOA Method
Guy Voyer, MD, DO, PhD, is the creator of a specific group of exercises called the ELDOA, an acronym in French for Etirements Longitudinaux avec Decoaptation Osteo-Articulaire. This essentially translates to Longitudinal Osteo-Articular Decoaptation Stretches (LOADS), which describes how the exercises use the connections of various parts of the body to carefully organize tension and produce a reduction of compression (decoaptation) at a specific joint. This relieves pressure, normalizes the movement of fluid through the tissues, and thus allows for a removal of waste products and a nourishment of the cells composing the tissue. Due to the exclusive nature of Dr. Voyer’s ELDOA, the exercise therapy he teaches is sometimes referred to as the ELDOA method. In fact, the classes incorporate much more than just the ELDOA. The exercises are quite diverse and aid in improvement of nervous activity, coordination, posture, strength, endurance, and cardiovascular delivery.
The application of these exercises can be even be done in a way that’s unique to the needs of an individual person and can also supplement surgical, manual, and nutritional therapies in order to aid in the increased function of the entire body. As well as prescribing them specifically to the individual patient, Dr. Voyer also always programs the exercises in a group class format. He did this originally in order to allow greater accessibility and an ability to reach more of his patients at once. Classes in the ELDOA method will always have a focus and can be tailored to better meet the needs of specific populations but they will also always incorporate a diverse blend of exercises in order to give the participants a total body workout.
For the individual who wants to sweat in a room with all their buddies (or perhaps complete strangers—whatever you’re into!), it really fits the bill. If you were also hoping to walk differently after the class, that is also common enough, only you will be walking with an improved posture rather than a degenerated one.
I feel a great deal of pride to be the first practitioner trained in this method in the St. Louis area. I am going to be offering these classes in a few formats, so stay tuned for times and locations available on this site. If you are interested in more on the ELDOA method, or are looking for a practitioner near you, I will list resources provided by some of my fellow students.
For hands-on training with the ELDOA method in a group setting, you can sign up for classes or purchase class packages at the ELDOA Classes page.
Exercise is extremely important, but the food you eat is the foundation of your health. Keep yourself rounded by checking out my Foundation for Human Nutrition blog post.
References:
Guy Voyer’s official website
http://www.guyvoyer.com/eng/index.htm
Legacy sport & wellness center in Dallas “what is ELDOA”
http://legacyperformwell.com/classes/eldoa-program/
Helman Holistic Health in Fort Lauterdale “ELDOA method a must for every human”
http://hellmanholistichealth.com/blog/527/eldoa-method-must-every-human-part1/
Living Fit in Cedar Grove New Jersey “Myofasical Stretching and ELDOA”
http://livingfitnj.com/classes/
Bloomington Sports and Wellness Bloomington Indiana
http://www.bsw-in.com/about-us/
Soma finder a website dedicated to aiding individuals access the ELDOA method resources in their area
omg, Liam, you must spend hours and hours working on this stuff!!!!! ELDOA is hard to understand- are there examples of how your classes work?