Coaching & Mindset
Force Is The Tool, And The Motor Skill Application Specialist Course Lists Every Type You Can Load An Exercise With
From the FASTER syllabus: this article is taught in full in The FASTER specialist course with this lesson →
In short: The Motor Skill Application Specialist course (Module 9, Types of loading) says force in training is an external load that resists or assists a movement. It lists contact forces (frictional, tension, normal, air resistance, applied, spring) and action-at-a-distance forces (gravitational, electrical, magnetic). Choosing a load means working out the forces acting on the client during the movement and replicating them, because a load that matches the wrong forces can work against the goal.
The short version
Most gyms offer a handful of ways to make an exercise harder: add a plate, add a band, change the cable. The Motor Skill Application Specialist course has a lesson called Types of loading that takes the whole idea back to physics and lays out every kind of force you can use. FASTER calls using force well "ruling the tool".
Key Takeaways
- Force, here, is an external load that resists or assists a movement.
- The course lists contact forces and action-at-a-distance forces.
- Pick the load by looking at the forces acting during the movement, then copying them.
Contact forces
The course lists six, each with a gym example.
- Frictional. Reduced on slide boards, but useful when pushing an object, because friction under the foot gives you something to push from.
- Tension. From a rope or a suspension trainer, caused by pulling both ends apart.
- Normal. One object pushing back on another, like the floor against gravity. Balance training takes these out of equilibrium and asks the client to restore the position.
- Air resistance. Rare in training, but a sprint parachute uses it.
- Applied. Force put on you to move you, or force you apply to move someone or something else.
- Spring. The force from a spring or band. It stays constant at a constant length and rises as the band stretches.
Action-at-a-distance forces
- Gravitational. The pull from the earth, which we call weight.
- Electrical. Used in EMS, which stimulates muscles to contract. The course flags it as one to debate, since it is pushed hard as a way to tone without the work.
- Magnetic. Two magnets attracting or repelling, with a link in the lesson for how that connects to a dumbbell.
Matching the load to the movement
This is the part that makes the list useful. When you choose a load, the course says to evaluate the forces acting on the client during the movement and work out how to replicate them. Misread the forces and you can work against the goal.
The lesson's example is a punch. The arm is light and meets little resistance going forward, so the early push needs a short burst that then disappears. A band or cable does the reverse, getting heavier the further the arm travels, and heavier in the wrong direction. The course points out that deceleration is rarely trained, which can leave the nervous system short of experience at high speed.
You could take the same thinking to a throw, a jump or a swing. Ask which forces are acting, and when.
Why this is good news
The industry tends to treat equipment as the starting point. FASTER starts from the movement, then asks which force suits it. That makes any kit in the room, or no kit at all, a possible tool.
How FASTER teaches it
The lesson sits in a course that is visual and interactive. You can learn by listening, reading, writing your answers or dictating them.
What to do next
Read about the Motor Skill Application Specialist course. Today's Level 3 post covers swapping an exercise while keeping the aim, and today's PT Manager post is about starting a programme with its blocks already laid out. PT Manager opens the moment you sign up with FASTER to learn on. Adding real clients unlocks once you are qualified and on the Register.
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Frequently asked
What does the course mean by force?
An external load that resists or assists a movement you want to make. Ruling the tool is FASTER's name for using force to improve the outcome of an exercise.
Which forces does the lesson list?
Contact forces: frictional, tension, normal, air resistance, applied and spring. Action-at-a-distance forces: gravitational, electrical and magnetic.
Why does the type of load matter?
Because the load has to match the forces in the movement. In the course's punch example, a band or cable gets heavier the further the arm travels, which is the opposite of what a fast punch needs.
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