By Michel Sorrentino-Poole
Runonheart Personal Training
Courtesy of Marching.com
Although the concept was relatively obscure just a decade ago, today you’d be hard pressed to find a professional sports team or elite athlete who does not use the services of a functional trainer.
Functional training works to strengthen the body by using movement without machine assistance. The exercises are integrated and utilize muscle groups rather than isolation because the body works and moves in an integrated fashion.
But how does functional training translate to the field where marching bands compete?
Pretty well, according to the Lincoln-Way East High School Griffins, who have two Illinois state marching band championships in their pocket.
“The inclusion of core and strength training in the marching program at Lincoln-Way East has transformed our students in remarkable ways,” said band director Cliff Smith. “In addition to a significant increase in stamina, the students now have a far better understanding of the relationship between their own personal strength and their ability to move well on the field.”
As owner of Runonheart Personal Training, I began working with Lincoln-Way bands six years ago. In summer 2010 I will continue my work in a “boot camp” setting to share functional training techniques with more than 700 marching musicians from six different bands. Our objectives are to build basic strength from the core outward, correct muscle imbalances and build strength and endurance.
To read the full article, please go to Marching.com.
Alfred Music Blog 
Thank you for posting my article! Over the years through my camp, we have found that it really makes the difference in performance for bands. This year i am working on expanding the progam and creating videos so that I can get to more folks. 🙂 Michel.