I have been asked by a few people now what I have been eating, or what my daily food choices look like while pregnant. I have been advised by both my midwife (Open Door midwifery) and my Naturopathic Doctor (Dr. Julie Durnan) about supplementation during pregnancy.

The ACSM recommends 3000 kcal per day, which I feel is outlandish. I have never been one to count calories, but I know that even when I go through periods of hard training, I do not eat that much. Right now, I have an extra meal each day (about 300 cal) and eat every 3-4 hrs to keep my blood sugar even. So far all my glucose and protein tests have been normal and I intend to keep it that way!

Breakfast:

1/2-3/4 cup steel cut oats, 1 cup of plain, organic 3% yogurt (not the fat free stuff!), 1 cup of organic berries (blueberries, rasberries and blackberries) + 1/2 scoop Evopro lactose-free whey protein. I mix this all up in a bowl – yum! I also add: 1-2 tbsp of fish oils (Nutra-Sea or Nordic Naturals), 1 capsule of cranberry extract, 1 prenatal vitamin (Rx from ND, not your local drugstore), 1/2 tsp of Rubus Idaeus (from ND for uterine health), 1 probiotic and 1000-4000 IU of Vit D. And I am taking, for the first time ever, an iron supplement. This was recommended at Week 20 as women who become anaemic while pregnant have a really tough time getting their levels up afterwards.

Snacks -

I usually snack on raw almonds and have another protein shake mixed with filtered water 3 hrs later, after my training session. Sometimes I add a raw meal, with greens if I am a bit more hungry.

Lunch -

Always include veggies either in a soup or salad + I have been eating more sandwiches lately made from yeast-free Oat breads or Kamut flours, with either organic, nitrite-free deli turkey, wild salmon or eggs. I LOVE egg sandwiches! free range and organic of course! (with dill pickle). I am usually on the go at lunch, so this makes sense for now.

Snack -

Midday, to keep energy up and blood sugar level, I reach for more yogurt and berries, plus a sugar-free oatmeal cookie (homemade), with nuts and seeds. As you can see, my diet is low in sugar – which is key in preventing gestational diabetes.   Don’t get me wrong though – I have a dessert once per week.  A girls gotta live! And I love apple pie!

Dinner -

My husband and I enjoy a large variety of dinners, and they usually include a protein source – wild salmon, organic free range chicken, beef, lamb or eggs plus veggies. I often do not eat a starchy carb with dinner as it is too large of a meal for me these days, plus my training volumes are lower and I do not need it.  To quote my midwife, Leanne – The baby need: protein, calcium and iron and I make sure I am getting all of these. 

Before bed -

I take my calcium and my psyliium and sometimes more fish oilds, esp on days of heavy training (but not directly together) and have a cup of pregnancy tea.

 

During the day, I only drink de-caff herbal teas and water, plus the odd de-caf coffee (swiss water processed). I make sure to get 3 litres of filtered water in each day.

So far, so good. I have gained about 16 lbs so far and am at 26 weeks, which is right on track. I have a feeling this baby is going to be a big one as I have been feeding it so well and it loves to do the Irish Jig after each meal. Plus my last ultrasound said she/he was in the 91st percentile for growth. A good thing???? Yikes!

So…..we’ll see!

Happy training!
Carmen

 

1.  Your attitude and character will determine everything.  Be authentic, and have integrity.  Do what you say you are going to do and do it with purpose and conviction. I have trained enough high profile athletes and CEO’s to know they have those traits in common.  Expect nothing less than excellence from yourself and enter each training session with a goal to achieve.

 

2.  Your warm-up / movement prep for your strength sessions should take approximately 25 minutes if done thoroughly.

 

Your warm-up order should be as follows: 

 

a.  Raise core body temperature without stressing the joints (ie:  20 pike arches) = 3 min

b.  Foam Roller for myofascial release  = 6-8 min

c.  Follow joint mobility drills for hips, groin and T-spine  =  5 min

d.  Include static stretches at this point if you have tight spots = 5 min

e.  Follow dynamic warm-up with increasing velocity and muscle activation drills = 5 min

 

3.  Always treat each rep as if it were an entity in itself – DO NOT be in a rhythm like a step-aerobics instructor.  Instead – use “breath”, “brace” and “drive” as your 3 keys to explosive strength.  Initiate reps with purpose and precision.  Even if some lifts are grind lifts and some are more plyometric in nature.  Always set the body to execute a perfect ’shot’ like a basketball player would at the free throw line.  Repping out sloppy lunges are for the weak.

 

4.  Block out distraction and welcome a tranquil mind.  Good lifters and those who can execute complex skills are beyond focused; they are also incredibly patient.  Do not let your mind wander during a rep – be in the moment and pay attention to your body.

 

5.  Do not train to failure, do plyometrics under fatigue or speed work for high reps.  This is the North American flaw I see in S&C coaching.  Strength is a skill and needs constant tinkering and refinement.  Power and speed require split second deliverance of energy.  We can only do this by resting long (10-15x the work length) between sets and doing very little volume. Speed work is NOT conditioning work and vice versa and no, you cannot train the two together in their infinite forms.

 

6.  Load and unload the body over 3 week mesocycles.  This is basic human physiology and the science behind adaptation.  The human organism can handle 3 weeks of abuse and then it needs a week to unload.  The Russians have proven this time and time again that this is the best loading/unloading scheme in terms of timing.  So, go up for three, down for one.

 

7.  Let pain be your guide.  Please do not succumb to the adage – “No pain, no gain’  If it hurts, please do not do it.  You are given only one body in this lifetime and we must cherish it.

 

8.  Fuel yourself with nutrient-dense foods.  Avoid white food – white rice, white flour, white sugar etc.  All of this is garbage and garbage in = garbage out.  Aim for protein with every meal, vary your veggies, eat only whole grains (quinoa, spelt, oats, wild rice) and get your liquids from water and herbal teas. 

 

9.  Focus on the process.  This means to focus on the execution of the task/exercise etc, versus the result of it.  It has been proven time and time again that those who focus on the process get better results and achieve their goals more consistently than those who are focused on the outcome or result.

 

10.  Use chalk.  Your grip takes approx 8 times to recover from a lift as compared to the rest of your body.  You can improve your grip very simply by using chalk to train with.  Yes, it is messy and yes it will get on your clothes, but for an extra 20 lbs on that deadlift, or 2 more pull-ups on that set – it is well worth it!

 

Happy training!

Understanding the underrated role of Hip Strength

in Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

“My doc says I can’t run anymore.”  “I need to stop doing squats.”  “I have my mother’s knees.”  Do these common remarks sound familiar to you? 

 

Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is one of the most common knee conditions reported by both males and females. PFPS is a problem with pain that feels like it is mainly on the front of the knee, specifically on the underside of or somewhere around the edges of the kneecap. One or both knees can be affected. The pain is often worse when climbing stairs or hills, or after sitting for a long period of time.  PFPS should be distinguished from its cousin chondromalacia, which is actual fraying and damage to the patellar cartilage.

No other joint in the human skeletal system is as big or critical for smooth, coordinated and explosive movements than the knee.  With every running step, the knee absorbs and shares impact forces equivalent to at least twice one’s body mass.  A common misconception is that the patella only moves in an up-down manner, when in fact, it tilts and also rotates allowing your foot to point one way while your trunk rotates in another direction.    It can do this because there are several points of contact between the patella and the femur as well as a maze of connective tissue that weave together the bones and the muscles.  The knee is an architectural phenomenon.  However, it is also extremely vulnerable and is the most commonly injured joint in the human body.

What causes Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome?

PFPS is also known as runner’s knee and is the result of irritation in and around the kneecap.  Although this condition is common, accounting for up to one quarter of all knee injuries, its cause, in the rehabilitation literature, is not well understood.  Many investigators believe that abnormal alignment of the patella within the femoral trochlea may lead to the onset of PFPS.  However, malalignment itself may also have several causes, compounding the question further and making it difficult to disseminate the root cause.  The jury is out on this one folks.  PFPS is a multi-factorial injury that can affect all types of active and even inactive people.  Contributing factors may or may not include overuse and overload (in the case of the overweight person) of the patellofemoral joint, biomechanical issues, muscular dysfunction and joint mobility limitations.

Theories presented in the sport science literature have added to the lack of consensus on the cause of this ailment as well as the proper solutions to unload the joint and restore correct function in the musculoskeletal system:

“Although this condition is common, its cause is not well understood.”   Boling et al.  2009

 “There is no consensus on the most effective method of treatment … the indications and contraindications of each approach have not been well established.”   Journal of Orthopedic and Sport Physical Therapy 1999.

“Managing patellofemoral pain syndrome is a challenge, in part because of lack of consensus regarding its cause and treatment,” and “no single biomechanical factor has been identified as a primary cause of patellofemoral pain.”  American Family Physician 1999.

“No consensus on the definition, classification, assessment, diagnosis, or management has been reached.”  Naslund, 2006.

 And it becomes even more compounding…..Pain in the patellofemoral joint is often not associated with any identifiable degeneration, mechanical damage, trauma or dysfunction!

 Possible Risk Factors

So, if we are unclear as to the cause of the problem, are there some risk factors we can identify to help lessen the changes of incurring this ailment?  In the research, the positive risk factor list is extremely lengthy.   Those identified included: weakness in function testing; tightness of the gastrocs, hamstrings, quadriceps and ITB; generalized ligamentous laxity; deficient hamstring and/or quadriceps strength;  hip musculature weakness; an excessive Q angle;  patella compression or tilting AND an abnormal VMO/VL reflex timing (Waryasz et al, 2008).  It seems to be a no-brainer that these risk factors are often characteristic of those who do not follow a sound joint mobility and strengthening program and PFPS just happens to be the outcome of such.  We should know that when clients present with several of these risk factors, that it is our job to take preventative measures and ensure their musculoskeletal system can handle the rigors of the activities they love to do.  We strength train to make the body more resilient and strength training should address all of these risk factors in all client cases. 

 What the doctor or therapist often recommends…

It is also important to consider where, perhaps, our clients are seeking advice from.  With the information age of the internet, the ability to access both good and poor solutions are right at our fingertips.  After doing an extensive literature search in both academic and lay-person sources on the internet, it was found that the advice for treatment by both physicians and physiotherapists in the two sources did not differ greatly.  Meaning, the accessible sources of information on someone’s blog site versus a peer-reviewed medical site proved to be very close in content.  In the sources found on google, these general recommendations were made:

 

1.  Take a break from what aggravates your condition and activities that are high impact like jumping and jogging.
2. Do ‘these’ exercises – (found on over 10 websites) The patients sits supine, propped up one’s elbows with both legs straight out in front on the floor.  The ‘injured’ side must be lifted up (while keeping it straight to activate the rectus femoris) off the ground a few inches and held for 10 seconds or so.  Repetitions of 10 were prescribed and this was defined as an ‘isometric’ drill to improve quadriceps strength.
3. Ensure you are wearing good footwear – running shoes with good shock absorption in particular, and talk to your doctor about footwear.  Replace shoes every 6 months if you are a runner.
4. Ice your knees for 10-20 minutes after activity
5. Perform static stretches for the hamstrings, the iliotibial band, the buttocks and the calves (before exercise)

 

Look beyond the pain

In the case of PFPS, as well as other knee pain related to overuse & overload, the knee should be viewed as a reservoir where pain collects.  It is not the knee who is the culprit that causes the pain.  Instead, it is an innocent bystander, a victim, and the result of issues that originate elsewhere in the kinetic chain.  In fact, PFPS may be related to poor stability at the hip but present as knee pain (Powers, 2003).  A knee-focused approach to treatment of PFPS, such as the doctor’s orders listed above, is in fact, a symptom-based approach or a band-aid solution, no different than bracing a sprained ankle and neglecting to restore its range of motion and function.  Most conventional treatments have centered on trying to reduce the pain at the pain site with various passive modalities (ice, taping, ultrasound, massage etc.).   In other words modern treatment often focuses on relieving the symptoms versus trying to identify and eliminate the cause(s).  The difference is whether or not the problem is permanently solved or temporarily alleviated.

 

The treatment for PFPS must be focused on a long-term solution.

The reality is what is necessary is an aggressive strengthening program centered around the core and hips and down the kinetic chain, with particular emphasis aimed on the eccentric control of knee flexion, adduction and internal rotation (Boyle, 2010). The Ireland study (Ireland et al. 2003) states that “females presenting with patella-femoral pain demonstrate significant hip abduction and  external rotation weakness (piriformis, obturator internus and externus, gemellus superior and inferior and quadrates femoris)  when compared to non-symptomatic age matched controls.”   More specifically, weakness in the gluteus medius muscle is believed to increase hip adduction and knee valgus angles (Boling et al.,  2009). The gluteus maximus may also play a role in controlling frontal plane and transverse plane motions of the hip during functional tasks (Boling, 2009).  Based on these findings, it is weakness in the hip muscles that can lead to malalignment of the patella within the femoral trochlea because of the excessive movements in the femur in hip adduction and internal rotation. 

 What the worlds top strength coaches and physical therapists are doing

Physiotherapists and chiropractors still prescribe endless exercises and bracing devices to improve  knee tracking — which good science and anecdotal evidence has now shown to be difficult at best and likely  irrelevant.  Instead, lower extremity strengthening done with emphasis on hip control in combination with a program of progressive single leg strength and power development to address the eccentric and neural stability components may allow many patients to experience long-term and permanent relief.  It seems clear that the key to solving anterior knee pain lies strengthening the hip musculature in the frontal and transverse planes and as well as the glutes, hamstring and quads, combined with consistent joint mobility of the anterior hip as well.   Having adequate mobility in the anterior hip is critical to allow the posterior chain (glutes and hamstrings) to do it job in controlling aberrant motion.

The following training program is recommended for patella-femoral pain syndrome:

 Phase 1

Perform progressive range of motion exercise on the anterior hip (hip flexors, TFL, Quadriceps)

and perform soft tissue work to glute medius with tennis ball and foam roll or by a qualified therapist, trainer etc. if available.

Resource:  Super Joints DVD by Pavel Tsatsouline, Founder of the RKC

*Ensure adequate ROM before progressing to Phase 2

 Phase 2

Gray Cook, a world reknowned Physical Therapist recommends the use of Reactive Neuromuscular Training for the hip abductors in conjunction with a strengthening

program for the knee and hip extensors focusing on single leg unsupported exercises and progressive  range of motion if necessary.  Cook’s concept of Reactive Neuromuscular Training involves applying a stress to a joint in opposition to the action of the muscles (Boyle 2010). In other words to effectively target the hip abductors a band is placed around the knee and the leg is pulled with an adduction force. The addition of the adduction force will in effect “turn on” the abductors (Boyle).

Resource:  Athletic Body in Balance by Gray Cook

 Phase 3

Strengthen the posterior chain:  the hip extensors, external rotators and hamstrings in both bilateral and unilateral patterns.  Perform deadlifts, single leg deadlifts, lateral squats and glute bridging variations.  Do not perform glute bridging with two legs.  Instead always use one leg for maximum benefit and unilateral strength and core development  (Bott & Keller, 2008). At this phase, the core can also be integrated using uneven loads, and pulleys.  It is not necessary to do endless planks and other face-down ground based drills.  These often undo some of the great progress you made in phase one.  A heavy deadlift will often take care of the ‘core’ as will a loaded lateral squat or overhead squat.

 Phase 4

Do not forget about conditioning.  In fact, this does not have to be Phase 4.  You can implement these drills right away, at Phase 1.   If you are training gait-based athletes, such as runners, cross training is important for balance in the body.  Instead of unloading them with the exercise bike, which can often lead to postural problems, be more creative and teach them Kettlebell Swings or prowler pushes.  Another great drill is to put the treadmill on an incline, at a slow speed and have them walk backwards on it to work on eccentric endurance.  Retrograde treadmill walking is another excellent exercise for the athlete or client with patella femoral pain. They can be progressed by increasing the incline and adding speed to this drill, plus lengthening the intervals.

 Once your clients have progressed through each phase and are pain and symptom free, ensure they continue to strength train twice per week.  It is important they maintain the gains they have made and ‘buy in’ to the relationship between a strong set of hips and healthy, resilient knees. 

Happy training from coach Bott.

The great physiologist, Olaf Astrand once wrote, “Women should not swim during menstruation because of the possibility of infection.”  Although our schools of thought have evolved past this unqualified assumption, the female menstrual cycle is still a mysterious topic for most athletes and coaches.  Over the past number of decades women have made dramatic gains in athletics, both with the increase in overall participation and the elevation of performance standards.  As well, there has been an increase in scientific research involving studies focusing on women’s health and sport performance issues.  Throughout puberty to menopause, it is the fluctuating levels of endogenous hormones which impact a number of physiological variables.  The question is whether or not these hormones directly affect a female athlete’s sport performance. In the land of fact and fiction, this article answers the questions of:  Can I compete when I am menstruating?   How do hormone levels fluctuate and change over the cycle?  Do hormone levels affect muscle strength and fatigability?  How do hormone changes affect prolonged endurance activity?

The menstrual cycle is the result of an intricate system of feedback which involves the hypothalamus, anterior pituitary and the ovaries.  Hormones, released by the pituitary include follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH).  These hormones regulate activity of the ovaries.  Estrogen and progesterone, hormones from the ovaries, regulate changes within the uterus in preparation of a fertilized egg. Each month, an egg (ovum) is released from an ovary where it migrates to the fallopian tube.  The follicle it leaves behind grows into a small endocrine gland, called a corpus luteum.  This stimulates the hormone progesterone to line the uterus with blood in preparation for possible fertilization of the egg.  If this does not occur, the uterus sheds its lining.  This is termed menstruation.  Two weeks later the same cycle begins again.A typical menstrual cycle lasts about 28 days, but may range from 20 to 45 days in healthy women.  The phases of the menstrual cycle are characterized by changing levels of the two primary hormones:  estrogen and progesterone. The follicular phase starts with menstruation and ends with ovulation.  In this phase levels of estrogen and progesterone are relatively low.  In a typical 28 day cycle, ovulation occurs around day 14 (with day 1 being characterized as the first day of menstruation).  Just prior to ovulation, there is a dramatic rise of estrogen in the absence of progesterone.  Around this time there is also a surge of luteinizing hormone (LH).  It stimulates the production of androgen from the ovary and increased follicle-stimulation hormones (FSH) that promotes the growth of the follicle and the production of estrogen.  Ovulation is the result of the sudden surge of LH and produces the corpus luteum as mentioned earlier.  The luteal phase is the last phase of the menstrual cycle that occurs from ovulation to the onset of menses and is characterized by increased levels of estrogen and progesterone.  During the luteal phase, there is a .3 to .5 degrees Celcius increase in basal body temperature (Carpenter and Nunneley, 1988).

*** Note – The gold standard for determination of menstrual is hormonal verification with blood samples.  Ovulation prediction kits detect LH through an ELISA assay in the urine, but LH surge does not always precede ovulation.  De Souza et al. 1998, found about 10-55% percent of women did not show ovulation after the peak LH surge.  Well-conducted research must qualify this by using an ovulation prediction kit.

The important aspects exercise physiology to consider are if and how women are affected by the hormones that regulate the menstrual cycle.  In the literature, scientists have examined the subject’s response to exercise stress during different phases of the menstrual cycle.  Examinations have shown that the fluctuating endogenous hormones estrogen and progesterone are known to possibly affect cardiovascular, respiratory, thermoregulatory and metabolic parameters.  Past research literature has utilized maximal as well as sub-maximal oxygen consumption protocols, lasting anywhere from 15-90 minutes.  Some research has also been done using anaerobic testing protocols.  Subjects of all ages, training backgrounds and fitness levels have been measured.

Aerobic performance, as measured by maximal oxygen uptake was not altered between menstrual phase during a normal ovulatory menstrual cycle (DeSouza et al., 1990).  However, a slight decrease in VO_2max was shown during the mid-luteal phase of the menstrual cycle in 16 elite athletes (Lebrun et al., 1995).  The mid-luteal phase tends to show more respiratory strain, as studies have shown increased minute ventilation and greater subjective breathlessness that is thought to be caused by elevated progesterone levels present during this phase of the menstrual cycle (Schoene et al., 1981).  Conversely, Jurkowski, et al. found that *exhaustive exercise was prolonged, or rather improved in performance, during the luteal phase of the cycle.

Masterson found power performance in a Wingate cycle test was higher in the luteal phase, whereas another study by Miskec et al, concluded that repeated maximal intensity exercise was not affected by any phase of the menstrual cycle.

A well-designed study performed by Lebrun, where the phase was confirmed with documentation of ovulation, measured the anaerobic power of active females during the Cunningham and Faulkner Anaerobic Speed Test.  It found there was no influence on performance with each phase of the menstrual cycle.  Other studies have also found that the menstrual cycle does not affect blood lactate concentration in response to exercise.  Literature and research focused on alactic and lactic power, by Giacomoni, included a multi-jump test, a squatting jump test and a force-velocity test on a cycle ergometer.  It concluded that there was also no influence on the phase of the cycle, but did add that those subjects with premenstrual and menstrual symptoms (Ie: lower back pain, cramping, headache, anxiety, lonliness, anxiety etc) did have significantly lower maximal cycling power.

The current literature suggests that the fluctuations in female hormones throughout the menstrual cycle may not affect muscle strength and fatigability.  A unanimous finding of all of these different studies suggest that regularly menstruating female athletes, competing in either strength/power sports or intense anaerobic or aerobic sports do not need to adjust their competition schedule for menstrual cycle phase to maximize their performance.

However, just like most rules, there seems to always be one exception:  Prolonged, aerobic exercise in the heat.  In this case or scenario, the menstrual cycle may have an affect on an athlete’s performance.  During prolonged, hot conditions, there is scientific evidence of a decrease in exercise time to exhaustion shown during the mid-luteal phase (days 15-22) when the body temperature is elevated.  This was mentioned earlier with respect to respiratory strain and increased core body temperature.  This small elevation in core body temperature increases the heart rate and can place an abnormal strain on the cardiovascular system.

Therefore, there should then be an adjustment of the competition schedule in hot, humid conditions when the athlete is working above 65% of their VO2 max during days 15 through 22 of the menstrual cycle.

Bibliography

Bird, Patrick J.  Menstruation and athletic performance http://www.hhp.ufl.edu/keepingfit/ARTICLE/MENPER.HTM

Carpenter AJ, Nunneley SA:  Endogenous hormones subtly alter women’s response to heat stress.  Journal of Applied Physiology 65:  2313-2317, 1988.

DeJong, X.  The Effects of Menstrual Cycle on Exercise performance. Review. Sports Medicine (33) 833-851, 2003.

De Souza MJ, Miller BE, Loucks AB, Luciano AA, Pescatello LS, Campbell CG, and Lasley BL. High frequency of luteal phase deficiency and anovulation in recreational women runners:  blunted elevation in follicle-stimulating hormone observed during luteal-follicular transition. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 83: 4220-4232, 1998.

De Souza MJ, Maguire MS, Rubin K et al:  Effects of menstrual cycle and amenorrhea on exercise responses in runners.  Medicine and Science in Sports and  Exercise 22:575-580, 1990.

Horwill, Frank.  Sports performance and the menstrual cycle.  http://www.serpentine.org.uk/advice/coach/fh66.php

Lebrun CM, McKenzie DC, Prior JC et al:  Effects of menstrual cycle phase on athletic performance. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 27:437-444, 1995.

Masterson, G. The Impact of Menstrual Phases on Anaerobic Power Performance in Collegiate Women.  The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.  (13) 4: 325-329, 1999.

Miskec, C.M., Potteiger, J.A., Nau & Zebas.  Do varying environmental and menstrual cycle conditions affect anerobic power output in female athletes.  Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 11(4):  219-223, 1995.

Schoene RB, Robertson HT, Pierson DJ, et al:  Respiratory drives and exercise in menstrual cycles of athletic and nonathletic women. J Appl Phys 50:  1300-1305, 1981.

Volk, Elzi.  Planet Estrogen Part III: The Menstrual Cycle and Athletic Performance  http://www.thinkmuscle.com/articles/volk/planet-estrogen-03.htm

---

* time to exhaustion at a workload of 90% of maximum

The deadlift has a bad rap. No other exercise has been banned from public gyms, falsely accused of breaking backs and exiled to be used only by the meatiest of meatheads. It can be a tough exercise to defend as I cringe, watching the uneducated or poorly coached population slumped over like Mr. Burns picking up a barbell while crashing it back down rep after rep.  Who would have known that in my career as a strength coach I would also need skills as a defense attorney and a saleswoman? But, the defense is worth it because the results of prescribing the deadlift speak for themselves.

First of all, I make no claims to be a world class powerlifter or a deadlifting expert. I am a certified RKC (Kettlebell Coach) and have a NCCP Level 1 in Olympic Weightlifting. I have been a strength coach for over 15 years now, certified by the N.S.C.A. It is my job to teach the clients I work with to pick up weight in the safest manner possible. My clients range from office workers, weekend warriors to elite level athletes of all types. The deadlift also happens to be my favorite exercise as it has the most ‘functional’ (there is that word again) relevance to everyday life. I also happen to perform the deadlift on a regular basis.  You can only coach something as well as you practice it.  To me, the deadlift plays two vital roles in the realm of strength & conditioning:

“It is both the prerequisite lift and as well as the quintessential lift”

It should be in every beginner’s program as it teaches patterning that modern day humans are becoming foreign to and it trains the muscles that rarely see sunlight in the sedentary office worker population. It should also be in every athlete’s strength program. No other exercise, barbell or machine, stimulates the same amount of musculature. The deadlift trains hip extension; and hip extension is the primary movement of running and jumping. The deadlift serves as a slow-strength base and should be introduced, in my opinion, even before the squat. It teaches individuals how to brace, how to create tension, how to breathe and how to use their posterior chain.  No amount of bridging on a swiss ball will ever replace or even come close to the gains one can make with the deadlift.

The Deadlift vs. the Squat

First, let me differentiate between the deadlift and the squat. During the squat, the hips go DOWN. The tailbone stretches away from the client’s forehead. During the deadlift, the hips go BACK. The tailbone reaches away from the chin or adam’s apple region of the client. In both cases, the back is straight, but the angle of the back is what differs. The hip moving back in the deadlift is called the hip hinge motion. I begin teaching the hip hinge from a kneeling position, as do all the coaches at Human Motion.  We also use a dowel rod along the spine to help teach our clients about proper spine alignment.  A straight back DOES NOT mean an upright back.  It means the vertebrae are stacked atop of one another all times, while maintaining the normal curvature of the spine.  Slouching is an example of a rounded back and it is NOT what we want to see on this lift, or any other for that manner.

 This hip hinge movement pattern, as shown above, is part of our branded group exercise program: Building a Strong Foundation® which is now being taught as a 2-day Instructor certification course. In the kneeling hip hinge, it teaches clients to moves the hips back and lengthen (pre-stretch) the posterior kinetic chain, while keeping the back straight. The action is identical to the movement of the deadlift, minus the last two joints of the lower chain: the knees and the ankles.

As I said in my intro, deadlifts have a bad rap. I have been advised by physiotherapists to avoid the deadlift with certain clients. I have been to gyms where there are signs that read: No Deadlifting here! I have seen the worst technique imaginable being applauded on youtube by Cross-Fit junkies. As coach Dan John has always said: “It is not deadlifts that will hurt your back; it is the way YOU deadlift that will hurt your back.”  I will add that poor understanding and instruction of the deadlift can also hurt a client’s back.

Deadlifting, when performed correctly is a fantastic strengthening exercise. However, this article is not about the benefits. If you are curious about these, consult Dr. Stu McGill’s research as he has proven time and time again in his biomechanics lab that the deadlift is less stressful on the spine than the ever-popular sit-up. I am wondering why sit-ups are still prescribed and I think it may be because they are easier to coach and easier to learn.  Any strengthening exercise where one is lying down is extremely limiting when it comes to gaining strength.

Creating Tension ~ A lost skill

And after studying the deadlift for the last couple of years I have come to the conclusion that the most important thing for those who are new to the lift to learn has less to do with the technique and more to do with mastering the strategy of producing tension and maintaining intra abdominal pressure (IAP) in the human body. And I am not talking about the ‘core training’ exercises you learn in Pilates class. Strategies such as: performing a kegel and breathing out on effort are to be tossed aside when building strength via the deadlifting paradigm. In fact, breathing out on effort has been shown to compromise spinal stability on particular movements. These strategies simply do not teach the participant how hard they need to brace in order to support their spine.

This is paramount and I teach it by using three cues, not necessarily in this order

1. Tighten your core by bracing for a punch & simultaneously close your anus (please don’t make me say ‘anus’ again)
2. Inhale until 70% lung capacity and hold your breath momentarily – those cleared by a physician may hold their breath. Those who are not cleared, have them “hiss” out through pursed lips.
3. Spread the floor – root your energy to the ground like you are a tree.  If someone were to push against you, you are now immovable and solid.
4. Squeeze your fists and lock your elbows as if you are trying to crush a rock.  I want a white knuckle squeeze and no less. I want to see your triceps pop out.

Breathing, rooting strength and bracing are absolutely critical skills when learning to build tension PRIOR to lifting a heavy weight. If these are not accomplished, in unison, then you may injure yourself. Learn how to create tension before you learn any advanced lift and you will have more success in the long run. Also, the load must never be taken for granted. If anything, dial up the volume of tension beyond what you think my be necessary for the lift as it is easier to shave some off, then to try and muster more up when again, it is too late.

 The Set-up
(First, find a good pair of flat soled shoes – never deadlift in runners and throw away weightlifting gloves)

The deadlift, like all other strength exercises begins with the set-up position. The set-up begins outside of the body and inside of the mind. Without the intent and mental focus of the correct technique, you might as well go back to the pec dec and forget about becoming strong. If you get this right, then everything to follow has a much higher chance of success.

To begin with the standing position, you must be close to the bar….very close to the bar before beginning the pull, so the vertical path of the bar moves directly upwards in a straight line. This can be adjusted by a skilled coach. The feet width will depend on whether you are doing conventional deadlifts or sumo style.  For this purpose, we will assume it is conventional and the feet should be about hip width apart. This can be adjusted by you or the coach, yet once established, must be replicated each time you deadlift. Once you are close to the bar, in proper set-up begin the tension techniques as listed above. Standing tall, take a breath in and hold, creating  IAP, then immediately begin the descent and reach for the bar. It is important you do not hesitate during the breath hold as you will lose vital seconds of IAP.

Next, push the hips back and maintain the natural arch of the low back. The neck must also be in line with the rest of the spine. Do not look up at the ceiling as it will cause unnecessary cervical extension. The hips must be at the correct height, below the shoulders. If they are dropped too low or too high, drive from the posterior kinetics chain is lost. Furthermore, the shoulders must be directly over or even slightly ahead of the bar. If they are behind the bar, the bar simply will not move until they are. So, this extra effort is wasted.

The Lift

Grasp the bar with either a double overhand grip or an alternating grip (one palm facing forward and the other facing back). Get deep into your hands, squeeze the bar and keep the arms straight, like cables, locked at the elbows, triceps on contraction. Pull your shoulders into their sockets and keep them there. Pull your shoulder blades down and across as if you are putting them into your back pockets on a diagonal line. Now, here is the critical point, begin the lift by pushing the floor away from you.

DO NOT jerk the weight off the floor and

DO NOT lift the bar quickly. 

This is a grind lift. Furthermore, the hips should not accelerate faster than the upper body – focus on keeping the back straight. If you need to, exhale some air through pursed lips, like a hiss, to maintain IAP. At the top of the motion, ensure you push your hips all the way through and you are tall through the crown of your head.  To lower the bar, maintain tension in the upper back by imagining you are breaking the bar in half, and push the hips back, tracing the thighs on the way down. Put the barbell down faster than you picked it up.  Just be safe and do not round your back.  If you do round out, this is a sign you have disrespected the load.  Serious lifters never disrespect the load, no matter how light it is for them.

Once the bar is on the ground again, or on risers as in the pictures, release it completely and stand up. This is your micro-rest period – must like the rest a basketball player might take between free throw attempts. It is the time to re-focus and mentally rehearse the steps and create tension for another big effort. The micro-rest should last 2-5 seconds.  If you attempt repeated reps without returning to top each time, you will begin each rep from a sub-optimal position and likely injure your back.  Plus, you will not get any stronger.

The Prescription

Try 2-5 sets of 1-5 reps of the deadlift. It is grind lift, meaning, high volume workouts are not the aim of the game. If you want to get strong go heavy and keep the reps under 5. The same thing goes if you are looking for ‘tone.’ Use a light weight to start, perhaps 60% of your body weight and move forwards and upwards from there. You may deadlift 2-3 times per week, but vary the volume and intensity.  It is OK to have days where you are just working on technique and others where you work very hard.  Never go to failure on this lift – always leave a rep or two in the bank. 

“Sweating and breathing heavy does not warrant a good deadlifting workout – great technique does.”

Have fun and train hard!  Coach Bott

For years I have been advising my clients to limit the use of NAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as ibuprophen for the treatment of tendonitis-type and other soft-tissue ailments, not to mentions DOMS a natural side -effect from unaccustomed exercise bouts that include eccentric muscle action.  I want to share, with you,  the rationale behind my advice.

 

Some history first…..In 2003 and 2004, during my time in graduate school, I spent months reviewing the research in the area of muscle damage.  Recovery and more specifically, ‘regeneration’ was of great interest to me as a practicing strength coach.  I wanted to know every trick in the book to facilitate the best training protocols and schedules and monitor the adaptation process for each athlete under my supervision.  I was working with elite level basketball players at the time.  The gym was my lab.  I have always been committed to making sure my clients work hard, but are also well-‘regenerated.’  I examined, and even did some pilot work of my own, on adaptation markers such a creatine kinase (CK) to measure the severity of insult to the tissues after heavy eccentric work.  I assessed, just as the researchers I was following did, the timelines of healing and the series of events following a training bout.  During my research, I had a chance to also look at the influence on NSAIDS, specifically ibuprophen, in the healing process.

Today, I own and operate a busy Strength Training company in Vancouver called Human Motion and see athlete-clients as well as fitness enthusiasts on a weekly basis.  As an aside, I will see anyone who is enthusiastic about fitness; they do not have to be a high performance athlete.  I simply love sharing my knowledge with those who I have the privilege to coach.  I also play flag football in a competitive women’s league and teach an Active Health class here in Vancouver, so I am exposed to many active people who have many fitness-related questions.  One question I get often is whether or not it is OK to take ibuprophen after training, or competition to reduce muscle and joint pain. 

NSAID’s work by blocking an enzyme called cyclooxygenase (COX).  This enzyme catalyzes the production of various protanoids that play a role in inflammation and algesia.  Algesia is the sensitivity to pain.  In theory, by reducing prostanoids, we can alleviate the muscle and joint pain response.  Using CK as a marker of muscle damage and comparing those who take the NSAIDS and those who did not, there is no scientific difference between the two, possibly concluding that NSAIDS have little effect on treating what actually causes the pain.  The majority of studies actually show no differences in pain scale ratings (using visual analogue scores) between those who take the NSAIDS and those who do not. 

 

Now, let me explain the implications for my clients….the hard core exercisers!

Scientists also know that prostaglandins regulate protein metabolism and they specifically aid in the stimulation of protein synthesis.  Protein synthesis is what allows muscles to grow stronger and allows muscles to repairs themselves from the training bout(s). Studies have shown that muscle protein synthesis in completely impaired following the ingestion of a NSAID (ibuprophen).  So, if your goal is to see muscular development and strength gains through that development….even with rehabilitative protocols, then flush those bad boys down the toilet.

It is important for my clients to understand the damage, inflammation and repair process as a normal and necessary part of a positive training adaptation.  The inflammatory response and soreness following an intense training session is actually part of the healing process and when recovery days are instituted within the training week, then supercompensation will result.  If there is soreness after training, the best thing to do is to keep moving.  Begin your day with 20 minutes of joint mobility work, move onto a lighter, more metabolic circuit for training with lots of extension movement to open up the tissue and allow nourishment via blood flow.  The key is to move and move often.  Once movement begins, the pain will subside and just like a New Year’s Day hangover the pain will eventually subside!

 

Happy training!

Coach Bott

I think I can safely assume that if you love to mountain bike ; you equally love two

things in life: The outdoors and the unpredictable. It has always interested me; the

psychology that is, of what attracts each athlete to their chosen sport. Out of this interest

and beyond the walls of my “laboratory,” I have begun to cultivate my attraction to the

anti-gym-rat as I too, share the same distaste for the mundane.

 

Let’s be honest, strength training for your sport is a lot like flossing your teeth.

You neglect it and you could get injured, or you do it haphazardly and you may not reach

your power potential and be able to maximize your investment on t he trails. So let’s cut

to the chase and dissect what is absolutely critical to performance in your sport – and

answer the why, the what and the how when it comes down to gym work. To begin, let

me share a short story . . .

 

One of my world-cup downhillers came into the lab this past week for her training

session. I hadn’t seen her in a few months and of course assumed she was busy training

on her own with the program I had prepared for the upcoming summer race season.

When I asked her how things were go ing she began her training update with a tangential

explanation of her “new life” – she just recently moved from the city onto a farm. She

then hesitantly confessed she had not been as diligent as she had in the past with her pre -

season strength training. I listened intently as she described the past few week’s activities

of shoveling dirt, pulling out fence posts, tearing down walls of her new home and

pouring concrete. “I just haven’t had any time to train,” she said, with an expression of

guilt. “I go to bed every night exhausted only to get up again the next day t o countless

hours of more work!” Once she finished her tale I smiled and asked her one only

question: Did you get a chance to operate a jackhammer? She looked at me as if I asked

her to go to Mars on a blind date. So I repeated my question and she replied with a

questioning “No?”

I then, began to explain to her that what she had been doing for the past four weeks

was PERFECT conditioning for her sport (minus the quantification of her training load,

which I will get into another day) . She was able to accomplish all 4 of my essentials for

effective off-bike MTB training!

 

They are summarized as follows:

1. Train in all three planes of human motion : Frontal, transverse and saggital –

Mountain biking is multi-planar. Even though you are directing power in the

saggital plane, you are stabilizing in the other two at all times. Thus, pick

exercises that challenge you to bend, twist, and stabilize side -to-side.

2. Use full-body, multi-joint lifts and exercises. In order to initiate a jump, or

power up a steep incline your entire body is used. When my client pulled 10

fence posts out of the ground she was training in this exact fashion . She used her

legs and hips to drive, her upper back to pu ll and steer and her forearms to grip

and manipulate. Do not isolate one muscle group at a time while you are training.

This is bodybuilding, not sport -training!

3. Train with uneven loads. (Those two buckets of concrete mix she was carrying

were not exactly the same weight)  that when you perform an exercise in the gym, you MUST load both sides of your body

evenly, i.e.: hold a 20 kg dumbbell in each hand? NONE of my MTB athletes

train this way. Instead, I may load a 2 0 kg in one hand and a 30 kg in the other,

have them perform a lunge and ask them to maintain a neutral spine and a strong

posture throughout. Trust me, it’s fun. Or have two athletes go to battle with a

towel tug-o’-war, with one long towel and one shor t one. The possibilities are

endless and the benefits are obvious. Isn’t this more congruent with the demands

placed on your body as you grind through the mud and snake around the tree

stumps?

4. Integrate your core – Face it folks – sit-ups are OUT. Leave those isolation

exercises to the beach babes. Digging a ditch will force you to activate your

entire abdominal wall, and so will using that jackhammer I mentioned earlier. If

you don’t keep your mid-section tight you will have a more difficult time

absorbing the “shock” and vibration of the hammer, just as you would absorbing

the impact of a downhill race on a 20 kg bike at 50km/hr.

 

Some of the strength and conditioning gurus in the world lump the cyclists all

together, into the same physical category . Roadies and mountain bikers are about as

vastly different physically and mentally as synchronized swimmers and freestyle

wrestlers. It is important to note, that although the scientific research on the sport of

mountain biking is few and far between, the exercise prescription for both is often the

same. However, mountain biking requires greater relative and absolute strength levels.

The bikes are heavier and gravity plays a larger role, thus the need to be able to stabilize and

produce a higher percentage of maximum power is greater.

 

Now, if you do not dwell on a farm, or own a jackhammer, you can still reap the benefits

of this methodology of training, simply by following a program that focuses on the 4

training essentials as listed above. It is not necessary to even belong to a fitness center if

you have the following equipment: a stability ball, a heavy exercise tube or cable

machine, 2 sets of dumbbells or kettlebells and some space.

 

As far as an exact prescription is concerned, I am recommending that you go to my

Website: http://www.humanmotion.com. We offer online, individualized digital program design. Please contact us at info@humanmotion.ca.

Enjoy the season!

There are many ways to change the training stimulus of a strength program. One of the most overlooked variables to manipulate is the rest periods within the sets themselves. Quite often, athletes and fitness participants will complete a set, rep to rep in a continuous manner. Depending on the number of reps and the exercise chosen, the set might take 30 seconds to 90 seconds. Now, there is nothing wrong with this methodology for certain exercises and for those with specific goals but I want to draw your attention away from this traditional approach to an approach we use at Human Motion to improve strength in our advanced clients.

The method is called Cluster Training

In this type of training set, a rest interval is prescribed between the reps. The rest interval can be anywhere from 10 seconds to 30 seconds. It can be prescribed after a few reps when levels of fatigue are reached, or between each and every rep, almost like the rest a basketball player would take between free throws. The load can be increased after the rest between each rep then decreased between the reps over a set to capitalize on postactivation potentiation. Or, perhaps, in the case of a relative strength exercise, the lever arm can be changed during the rest period to alter the biomechanics of the exercise and reduce or increase its intensity between each rep. There are a few different approaches one can use to employ this method of strength training. It is up to the skilled practicitioner to decide which approach he/she uses.

The physiology behind cluster training

The goal with cluster training is to improve the QUALITY of the client’s performance. The rest allows the client to produce force at a higher rate and may be beneficial in the development of “power-generating capacity” due to the decrease in repetition-induced fatigue (Haff et al, 2008).

It is known that Adenosinetriphosphate (ATP) and Creatine Phosphate (CP) are substrates, which provide energy for short-term exercise. ATP supports muscle contraction and CP is used under anaerobic conditions to rebuild ATP as it is needed and to replenish the body’s stores (Brooks et al, 1996). Creatine Kinase is a catalysing enzyme, which functions rapidly to re-establish the muscle concentration of ATP. Quantities of ATP and CP in a resting muscle are quite small therefore any utilization must be immediately replaced with an equivalent replenishment. If the ATP and CP utilization rate exceeds the restoration rate, exercise cannot continue very long. As CP stores are depleted, the body’s ability to quickly replace the spent ATP is seriously impaired. Fatigue is the result and the inability to produce a maximal muscular contraction.

In an exercising subject, the drop in ATP and CP appear to be related to the relative work intensity (Brooks, 1996). If the workload is more intense, there is greater the CP depletion, which leads to muscle fatigue (Brooks, 1996). ATP, however, will maintain its level until CP is greatly reduced. Thus, it is clear that CP depletion a significant factor leading to muscle fatigue at maximal effort.

Increases in blood lactate levels are also partially responsible for the fatigue-induced performance alterations (Haff, 2008). During short-term, high intensity exercise, a metabolite called lactate accumulates in the blood as result of lactic acid production exceeding its removal. The lactic acid dissociates, converting to hydrogen ions, causing a decrease in the pH. The hydrogen ions accumulate as a result of lactic acid production and can have several negative effects on the exerciser. Muscle contraction and energy production are adversely affected because of the subsequent decrease in ATP production. Hydrogen ions also displace calcium in the muscle fibre inferring with the coupling action of the actin-myosin cross-bridges making muscle contraction difficult.

Hypothetically, by incorporating a 20-30 second rest interval BETWEEN repetitions will result in some replenishment of CP, thus diminishing the stimulus for lactic acid and lactate production.

If strength and power gains are at the top of our client’s goal list, then cluster training can be a very useful method of training. In the research, it appears that cluster training has the potential to positively alter the strength training stimulus (Haff, 2008). It is most effective with pulling exercises like the deadlift, the clean pull, the power clean, the power snatch and variations of these lifts, where the client is most often working above 80% of their 1RM and where quality individual repetition power output is more important than total power output. Isn’t our goal as strength coaches to foster a training environment whereby our clients can perform work of high quality? Cluster training also work very well with ballistic-type exercises that have an accelerative profile such as box jumps.

The timely implementation of cluster training into a training program is key. If a client lacks muscle tone (hypertrophy), has a low work capacity (is deconditioned), lacks adequate hip mobility and trunk stability, then a more traditional approach to their physical development must be taken. And this might be taken for years! Cluster training should be used for the more advanced strength client as a means to reach new levels of performance. However, having said that, clusters work well when subjects are learning new skills (Bott, 2010). They provide, not only a means of physiological restoration, but a means of mental recovery to allow the newbie to focus on the task and facilitate learning.

For more information on cluster training protocols, email the coaching staff at Human Motion for a program: info@humanmotion.com

Works cited

Brooks, George, Thomas Fahey and Timothy White. Exercise Physiology: Human Bioenergetics and Its Applications. Mayfield Publishing: 1996.

Haff G. Cluster Training: A Novel Method for Introducing Training Program Variation. Strength and Conditioning Journal. Vol 30 N. 1, 2008.

First of all, I would like to begin by defining the word ‘coach.”  Wikipedia states: Coaching is a method of directing, instructing and training a person or group of people, with the aim to achieve some goal or develop specific skills. Other definitions found on the web include:  (sports) someone in charge of training an athlete or a team, a person who gives private instruction (as in singing, acting, etc.), teach and supervise (someone); act as a trainer or coach (to), as in sports; “He is training our Olympic team”; “She is coaching the crew”   Each definition is pretty close in that coaching requires instruction and direction and the element of teaching.

 

When we examine the process of learning, it is defined by acquiring new knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, preferences or understanding, and may involve synthesizing different types of information. Human learning may occur as part of education or personal development. The study of how learning occurs is part of neuropsychology, educational psychology, learning theory, and pedagogy.

 

Coaching and learning go hand in hand and those who are the best coaches have several tricks up there sleeve to assess and monitor learning.  Back in my undergraduate career I made a decision to switch universities.  I was attending Simon Fraser University, known for its excellent labs and ergonomic experts and crossed town to attend the University of British Columbia, where I was able to concentrate on physical education versus chemistry and physics to get my bachelor’s degree.  I knew from a very young age (21) that I wanted to be a strength coach and I already had two years of experience working as a personal fitness trainer, but found that the continuing education courses in the area of fitness taught you the basics of joint mechanics, applied physiology and safety but did a terrible job of actually teaching me how to instruct (anything).  One of the first coaching courses I took at UBC was Foundations of Coaching.  Barry Legh was my instructor and I could tell how passionate he was about coaching and helping our youth athletes reach their potential.  I will never forget the advice he gave:  “As a coach, you have power; never abuse that power.”  Students taking this class were mocked by the chemistry geeks, saying that coaching wasn’t at all ‘academic.’ Well, for you chemistry geeks, the definition of academic is:  hypothetical or theoretical and not expected to produce an immediate or practical result.  Anyways, it doesn’t matter.  I fell in love with the academic side of coaching and proceeded to take all my electives in performance courses such as gymnastics, dance, basketball, soccer, field hockey and more.

 

After my undergraduate degree, I had a base, ‘academic’ understanding of all of these sports, which little did I know at the time, proved to be more valuable for my job as a strength coach, than any chemistry class ever was.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I took all my levels of exercise physiology, biomechanics and motor learning – without those as a foundation, it would be difficult to dissect and analyse a sport, skill, or movement I like to study.  My point is that, if you want to coach, do not waste your time learning to count reps – learn how to teach. And if you want to be a strength coach and earn the respect of your athletes, well you also better have an understanding of the rules and regulations of the sport they are involved in.  You won’t impress them for the long term with impressive feats of balance and agility.

 

If I were to line up 3 people:

1. a hockey goalie coach with no formal education

2. A  4^th year HKIN student with top marks and no work experience  and

3. A personal fitness trainer with over 10 years in the industry of fitness and wellness

….and I asked each one of them to teach a brand new client how to do a bodyweight squat, I will bet my last dollar that hockey goalie coach will take the cake.

 

This is one of the biggest problems I see with the current post-secondary education system.

 

Those students taking Physical Education streams as electives ARE learning how to teach and coach – these people should be the future of this industry.  But, they are often not.  They choose the career path of teaching school and don’t always have time for a side gig, of strength & conditioning coaching.   Instead, we have the exercise science and kinesiology students wanting to pursue careers in health, fitness, and strength coaching and they graduate without a clue on how to analyse a skill, dissect it, instruct it and modify it.   They may understand the ‘theory’ of the 3 stages of motor learning, but they have never been asked in a lab to break it down practically.  Instead, the lab experiences, boil down to metabolic carts and lactate samples, which is all fine and good if one was going to work in a lab setting, but in the real world, the real coaching setting, where I have to manage a group of 10, 16yr-old baseball players, full of piss and vinegar, the last thing I want to do is hook them up to a machine and measure their VO2 max.  Instead, I will get my hands dirty, right away, making sure they all MASTER the skills of hip hinging, shoulder packing, lunging, squatting, pulling and pressing.  Even with a group was 4 adult women, in their mid-forties, I am still going to teach them the skills of safe lifting before I load them up, before I increase their velocity, before I increase their volume/training density.

 

At Human Motion, sometimes people call us Personal Trainers, when in fact we are not.  We are actually closer, in profession to your high school football coach, or your community hockey coach.  We are teachers:  We teach movement.  We teach strength.  We evaluate the learning process every minute we are on the floor with a client.  We hold back students who are having more trouble mastering a skill.  We advance students who are excelling and ready for more complexity.  Our ‘exercises’ are drills; our ‘workouts’ are a series of development sessions.  It is our job to ensure learning.  It is our job to use every strategy and tactic to deliver a message.  It is our job to appreciate different learning styles and learning blocks.  It is not our job to gloss over the important things to ensure our clients – GET A ‘WORKOUT.’

 

Just like any skilled practitioner, the true craftsman always chooses the best tool for the job… not his favourite tool.

 

 

~ a book review

 

Whether we like it or not, we are all living in modern times where our days are filled with minute by minute decisions versus personal reflections, a high rate of production versus a careful analysis and of course, the day-planners, the Blackberries, the outlook calendars, the meetings, and endless to-do lists and piles of paper.  Faced with demands both professionally and personally, many of us likely feel like we are being carried away with life’s currents.  We characterize our day to day schedules as ‘insane,’  ‘out-of-control’ and feel hungrier and hungrier by the minute for down time and peace.  We, as a society, in this modern age need to stop the juggling act.

 

And did you know that managing our time efficiently is no guarantee in today’s world that we will wake up each morning feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the day.  Just because we have mastered the act of answering 100 emails a day, taking the kids to school, making dinner for the family and getting our daily workout in doesn’t mean that we are on track, or even less insane than those people who miss appointments, forget to take out the trash and only get half-way through their inbox before falling asleep at their desk at 9pm in the evening.  Just because we made it through the to-do list and are ahead of the game for tomorrow and even stocked the fridge with fresh veggies for the next two days of who-knows-what, doesn’t mean we are present.  It doesn’t mean we are not distracted by the events of the day when we to lie down to have pillow talk with our spouse.  It doesn’t mean the wheels of the mental engine are taking a break.  Contrary to popular belief, multitasking is not an effective tactic to become an enduring human being of extraordinary talent.

 

Pretty soon, we are headed, whether we like it or not for burnout.  For feelings of apathy and listlessness, when the things that once ignited a spark inside our soul, now barely scratches the surface.  We feel like each day is just running into the next, like water spilling over the edge of a swimming pool.  The lines are blurred, our energy is gone and we feel tired, depressed, defeated.  What happened?  We were so good at managing our time? 

 

Let’s throw way the concept of managing time.  I want to introduce you to the concept of ‘managing energy.’  I learned of this concept after reading a fantastic book, by one of my favourite sports psychologist’s:  Jim Loehr.  In his book, The Power of Full Engagement, Jim speaks of a whole new concept, an insight, if you will, into what really drives human endurance and high performance.  I am not taking about marathon runners here.  I am talking about leading the high performance life where we are aware, connected and present.  Jim talks about energy, not time, as being the fundamental currency of high performance (4).  As blatently obvious as this seems, we do not always take this concept into account.  We are often unaware of how much energy we spend on our thoughts, our actions and our emotions.  Each one of those has a cost and some costs are far greater than others.  This, is the first step.  We need to be aware of this and honour those costs.

 

The only way we can become fully present and enjoy the life we are meant to live is if we learn to manage our energy.  According to Jim, we must be physically energized, emotionally connected, mentally focused and spiritually aligned with a purpose beyond our immediate self-interest (5).

 

Life is not a marathon folks.  It should be viewed (just like proper fat loss training) as a series of intervals.  We should intersperse periods where we work very ‘smart,’ where we are hyper-focused, building our mental capacity and periods of complete passive rest, where we are on vacation, regenerating and reaping the benefits of our hard earned work.  But, too many North Americans live with a constant minimal focus on the wrong things.  They are focused on rewards, rather than the process, or the purpose.  They are always living two steps ahead of themselves and not allowing themselves to view downtime as equally productive time.  It is just like training.  Without the downtime, without the recovery, we are unable to attain the highest levels of performance.  We are unable to reach the most intense intervals.  We are unable to manage our energy. And thus, we are unable to reach the highest level of performance.

 

And stress is not the enemy either.  Ironically, it is the cornerstone of improvement, of growth (13).  When we train, we are stressing the body, breaking it down.  With recovery, it will repair and rebuild even stronger each time.  The other dimensions of wellness: emotional, spiritual, mental, are no different here.  If we go through a period of stress, we also need a period of recovery.  We grow by expending energy beyond what we are currently capable of.  But, if we do this all the time, without recovery; we burn out.  It is that simple.

 

The last point I’d like to address is something Jim advises.  Instead of having a personal constitution of self-discipline, replace it with a set of personal rituals that are fuelled by deeply held personal values.   Jim describes it this way:  Discipline pushes you towards a behaviour or action, whereas a ritual draws you to it.  Brushing your teeth is an example of a ritual.  And the power of a ritual is that they require very little conscious effort and energy, leaving you free to focus your energy reserves on more important things.

 

For more information on how to manage your energy, go to www.fullengagement.com

Reference:  The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz