The Story of Farm Strong

ViPR, and now ViPR PRO®, was founded on the observation that farm kids exhibited a greater degree of functional strength than their gym counterparts. Functional strength refers to the ability to be strong as an integrated body, in symmetrical and asymmetrical positions. Odd position full body strength and stability does not only help athletes, but all of us. Whether trying to reduce the risk of falls for the older population, to engaging in activities of daily living, to elite sport, our bodies need omni-directional strength, stability and motion.

Integrating the body, and stressing it with external mass (i.e ViPR PRO®) introduces greater ‘load paths’ to the body. These load paths are mechanical stress, which then convert into the cellular activity of remodelling. If the remodeling occurs under conditions of different loads, with different speeds, at different angles, the result is a more robust architecture in the tissues.

This was our first observation with farm kids, as well as the thought process behind the genesis of the ViPR PRO® free weight tool. The ability to externally load the body with a free weight mass, to mimic the loading that one might expect on the farm. Different loads, with different speeds, with different angles. This variability leads to increased adaptability within the body’s tissues (namely skin, fascia, bone, muscle). Stimulating osteoblast and fibroblast activity this way increases the beneficial adaptations within the structure of tissue. Scientifically, this is seen in the concepts of mechanotransduction. Anecdotally, this is observed when witnessing a farm kid wrestle a city kid.

Since the release of ViPR PRO^®, we have seen elite athletes, fitness enthusiasts, older adults focused on falls prevention, pre-hab/re-hab and first responders all benefit from the inclusion of full body functional load training.