By Carmen Bott  MSc. CSCS  carmen@humanmotion.com

 

Over the years, people have come to see me for a variety of reasons, whether it is to gain strength and power for sport, to improve conditioning levels, to lose body fat and/or  to get back into shape.  Whatever, their goals might be; and the exercise prescription to follow, two elements must be present for results to take place: 

 
Consistency and Intensity

Consistency is the easy one.  Be committed, follow the program “x” number of days per week, keep on keeping on. . . It’s really quite simple.  Intensity, however, is not so simple.  It is the factor that requires the most gumption, the right frame of mind and the willingness to push oneself past what is comfortable.  This factor is more critical and of course, it is the one that most individuals need help and more importantly, candid clarification on.

I have met many clients that have told me they are ‘hard workers.’   Too be perfectly honest, hard workers are not a dime a dozen.  They are much, much, more rare than you think.  And being a great athlete does not mean someone is a hard worker either.  So, based on this fact, I am going to make an assumption:

YOU are not training as intensely as you can.

I will let you in on one of my biggest coaching secrets:  Intensity can be learned.   And I am going to provide you with 5 coaching points to help you be the intense trainee you are meant to be. 
 
Foundation First
As Gray Cook, a world leader in physical therapy and corrective exercise states:  “You cannot build fitness on dysfunction.“  So, it is imperative that you make sure you have taken care of old injuries and muscular imbalances before you begin an intense strength & conditioning program.  The secret to success in physical performance lies in systematic development, through a process called Periodization.  Periodization is a fancy term for yearly planning, which means you must plan your training and your physical development, not just jump in with both feet, like many of the fitness programs you see out there suggest.  Bootcamps are NOT a recipe for quick fitness, nor do they employ methods of planning.  Conversely, they are often a recipe for injury.  And injuries result in lost training time.  Lost training time means zero consistency. 

 
I want you to think of intensity this way:  The application of maximal physical effort, systematically applied to a movement or lifting skill you already possess.  Meaning, if you do not possess the skill to squat, you may not squat heavy and thus work intensely.  You must build your foundation first.

If you are new to training, a suggestion might be to register for a  ‘Building a Strong Foundation’ class this Fall.
 
Fatigue versus Failure
Before you can reach your true physical potential, you must also learn to be comfortable being very uncomfortable.  You must develop the mental tolerance to push yourself outside and above your current fitness and comfort zone.  Elite power athletes and endurance athletes are all too familiar with pushing the limits, both physically and mentally. It is often those who can suffer the most, and recover the fastest that makes them elite.  You can certainly take some valuable lessons from this mindset and apply it to your own training environment.  But, you must use caution.  Pushing oneself does not mean the use of sloppy technique or maximal efforts at any cost.  With respect to exercise and training, pushing oneself means using skilled movements, repeatedly, to cause high levels of muscle fatigue, not failure.  Failure can lead to injury or poor motor patterns.  Instead, you must practice this fine line of pushing and backing off just enough so you have good form.  AND, here’s the kicker:  It takes a great deal of effort to practice perfectly under high levels of fatigue. . .to squat perfectly while your thighs are burning or pull perfectly (with your shoulders packed and spine straight) rep after rep after rep.  I challenge you to be ‘perfect’ in every rep you do, even when you feel like quitting.
 
Defining ‘Pain’
If you are still having problems overcoming barriers to intensity, perhaps you need to examine your ability to focus and differentiate between ‘good pain’ and ‘bad pain.’  First of all, let me clarify.  Yes, there is such a thing as good pain.  It comes in the form of burning muscles, high heart rates and sometimes a bit of nausea.  And I hate to break it to you, but it isn’t really pain – it is discomfort.  Today, we are bombarded with media and the avoidance of pain – take this pill for this pain, this one for that pain and so on.  Put the pills away and take Lance Armstrong’s advice:  “Pain is temporary; Quitting is forever.“  If you think I am encouraging that you work through injuries (pain) and push yourself so hard that you have soreness for weeks, you are missing the point.  Please go back and read the first two paragraphs again.  Science has proven that if we expose ourselves to a certain level of intensity, that is ‘painful’ (uncomfortable), and then we expose ourselves to that same level again within a few days (consistency), we will be able to tolerate it much more handily on the second go around.  The human body is an amazing, adaptive machine.  It must, however, be overloaded in order to adapt to a higher level.  Thus, if we overload it, we will need a higher level to elicit the same uncomfortable response.   Another tip is to expect and welcome some pain/discomfort.  Then, shift your mind away from it.  Take your mind to the technical aspect of the lift.  This is a ‘disassociation’ technique sports psychologists have been using for years.  And it can be learned if you practice it.
 
No Fear, No Frustration
Some of the biggest differences I encounter between training teenagers and training adults, is the level of fear.  Adults, being more set in their ways, have preconceived notions of what they think they can handle and what they are comfortable trying.  Meaning, adults, in general have more fear.  And that becomes an obstacle for me, as a S&C Coach, to work around.  Although there is no substitute for good judgement, adults do need to be reminded that part of ramping up intensity is trying an exercise that is new and more complex.  Training intensely begins with the right attitude and the right attitude includes a clean slate – a willingness to try something new, possibly fail and to not become frustrated with the experience.  Think of how many levels of swimming kids must go through before they are left to their own devices – usually a few summers worth right?  Well, put that into perspective and know that learning takes time and patience.  But it is worth it because learning something new is also another effective way to boost up the intensity of your training.  Shaking muscles on a new lift is a GREAT sign.  It means you are paving a new neuromuscular highway and thus improving coordination.  Take some advice from the kids out there:  No fear, no frustration OK?  Approach your workouts with a willingness to learn.  Training is a beautiful opportunity if you view it that way.
 
Actions Must Match Vision
This may sound a bit blunt, but you must sacrifice laziness, unwarranted training habits, crap technique, pain avoidance and pleasure seeking to develop the physical and mental capacity to tolerate hard work.  It is fine to have goals, to have a vision of where you want to be.  This is where it all begins, but if that vision is clouded baggage and stubbornness, then you will be stuck right where you are.  It is only through a willingness to make this sacrifice and hard work, and nothing short that will lead you to achieve your strength and conditioning goals.  You must take responsibility for where you are right now.  Your actions must match your goals directly.  I challenge you to do just that!  Defeat your fears, leave frustration at the door and face the road ahead with daily conviction.  What translates intense physical conditioning into bliss is the victory you will have over YOURSELF. 

 

by Tiffany D. Johnson.  Originally published in 2007

 

In the process of researching professionals in the sports and fitness industries, I

came across several owners, fitness instructors, wellness coaches, but none were as

professional, inspirational, and responsive as Carmen Bott of Human Motion Inc in

Vancouver, British Columbia. In her busy schedule she found the time to answer several

questions regarding how she got interested in fitness, her business, and the fitness

industry as whole. She also provided some great advice to those aspiring to get into

fitness and/or owning a business in the industry. This paper is a summary of that online

conversation. My perspective of the industry has changed as a result of this interview.

 

 

My first question to Carmen was how she got interested in the fitness industry.

As it turns out being involved in athletics is generational. Her grandfather was a

Canadian Olympic ski jumper. Her parents were also really active in sports. Growing up

she was an athlete herself, playing basketball, soccer, softball and running track. It seems

Carmen had no choice when it came to fitness, it was in her blood. However, when

selecting a major in college she did not lean towards Exercise Science or something

similar. Instead she decided to study Criminal Psychology. This was a far cry from

exercise or sports. It’s funny how destiny finds us even when we’re going in a different

direction. As an elective Carmen decided to take Kinesiology. I’m sure she figured it

would be an easy class for her since she grew up in such an athletic environment. It

would also give her a chance to expand her knowledge in this area. Needless to say, she

got bit by the “kinesiology bug”. Her interest was so strong she decided to change her

major and transfer schools. Carmen has a Bachelor’s degree in Human Kinetics and a

Master’s degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of British Columbia. That

was 15 years ago. In 2004, Carmen founded Human Motion Inc.

 

Today Carmen is the president and founder of Human Motion, Inc. “Human

Motion is a consulting company offering research-based exercise prescription and

education services” (www.humanmotion.com). They offer personal training and small

group training. Seeing the need to increase wellness and health in the corporate sector,

they offer health and wellness programs for corporations interested in having optimal

employees. Aside from training and coaching, Human Motion Inc. provides services in

injury rehabilitation as well as participating in research opportunities. The company also

facilitates presentations on health and fitness, educates future trainers and is considered

experts in fitness technology development.

 

Being an aspiring fitness business owner myself, I wanted to know the challenges

and surprises Carmen faced when starting her business. What she found most

challenging was the many hats she had to wear because starting out she could not afford

to pay people to help. Initially she was doing the accounting, data entry, marketing, in

addition to being a trainer and coach. She best described it as being “a finder, a minder

and a grinder rolled into one.” This is where most mistakes are made for small business

owners. While they may be the best at what the do, they may find it too much of a

challenge to be everything required to run a new business. A good trainer does not

necessarily make for a great marketing person or data entry person for example. Today

Carmen has a team of people working with her to ensure every aspect of the business is

run properly and smoothly. In addition, to owning the business Carmen is also a writer,

coach, teacher, and lecturer. She also serves as a consultant for both national and

international athlete performance projects.

 

On the day I spoke to Carmen she only trained morning clients and took one of

her clients hiking for the afternoon. Carmen describes herself as a “work-a-frolic” and

loves every minute of what she does. She enjoys meeting with clients, teaching 2-3 classes per semester and spending the remaining time on her business. In addition, she also travels once or twice a month to lecture at various conferences and clinics. This gives her opportunity to meet new people and learn new

things. Monday thru Friday she puts the “pedal to the medal” and reserves weekends for

friends and family. Although Carmen is a busy woman she does maintain a good

work/life balance.

 

So what advice does she have to offer to others who are seeking to get into the

fitness industry?

(1) If you can, shadow the best in the industry

(2) Volunteer your

services in any way, shape or form

(3) Practice what you preach, be fit and healthy

(4) Play to your strengths

(5) Get a good education

(6) Decide after a few years, where you

would like to specialize.

I also wanted to know what advice she had for those interested

in starting a fitness business. Carmen says, “Hire a good business lawyer and find three

mentors outside of your trade (for example, someone in marketing, human resources, and

accounting or bookkeeping).” My personal favorite, she suggests reading E-Myth by

Michael E. Gerber three times. Carmen also says, “To be prepared to work twice as

hard.” One final, yet important piece of advice, she says “do not offer free sessions or

sessions for trade with other professionals; it undermines your value.”

 

The fitness industry is one Carmen loves and enjoys. However, because it is

neither standardized in Canada nor the US, there are no minimum requirements to

becoming a trainer. She stresses that she is actually not a personal trainer. She says, “I

am a strength and conditioning specialist with a master’s in exercise physiology.”

Carmen strives to differentiate herself from those who are less skilled. It is important for

her to spend time cultivating her reputation and position in the fitness market. With so

many false advertisements and quick fixes on TV and in magazines, it’s easy for

consumers to become confused as to what is true. This is not an issue for those seeking

services from Human Motion, Inc. Carmen says, “People know the quality of service

they are getting when they hire my company.” With challenges also come rewards in the

fitness industry.

 

Overall, Carmen deals with generally motivated, enthusiastic, and kind people.

She finds it to be a massive reward when she can impact someone’s health status or sport

performance. Her client base ranges from Olympic and aspiring professional athletes to

new Moms, those who are injured, and so on. Initially some clients are a little misguided

when it comes to fitness. A large misconception is that fitness comes quick. While the

athletic clients understand fitness to be a development process, her general clients have to

be guided when it comes to their expectations and timeframe. Carmen ensures they

understand to become healthy and fit is not only about exercise. When it comes to health

and wellness and optimal performance it’s all about nutrition, rest, recovery, and training.

All units work together to produce healthy, fit results. She strives to help her clients set

realistic goals as well as an action plan to get them using a very holistic approach. Over

the years Carmen has been impacted by the difference she has made in her clients’ lives.

She has also witness the changes in the fitness industry since starting in 1995.

 

There are more trainers than ever before in Vancouver alone. In 1995, there may

have been approximately 500 certified trainers in her area. Today, there are well over

10,000. With the increase in numbers, respect for the industry has turned to be come

more of a trend. Lots of people are seeking the newest exercise, the newest type of class.

This is why Carmen and her company are sure to stick to what works and not what is

hottest or newest. They do lots of research and collaborate with some the of the best

sport scientists in the world. I really like what she says about trends, “We save the trends

for our staff uniforms! Adidas provides us with cool-looking gear.” It seems Carmen has

used the industries downfall as fuel for her business.

 

When asked what she would like to see changed in the industry, she says she

would like to see a governing body or website where the potential client can go to review

a trainer’s background. This would help potential clients to make an educated decision

about who they hire to take care of their bodies. Carmen believes “fitness is a

preventative medicine and should be viewed as such”. As you can see in this brief

interview Carmen Bott is an inspiration and motivator. She holds a wealth of knowledge

and her willingness to share and give advice set her far above the rest. I’m sure we’ll

hear even more about her in years to come.

By Carmen Bott

The leading cause of muscle damage related to exercise stems from mechanical factors. Muscle tension and active strain on lengthened fibers during eccentric contractions produce direct trauma to the muscle tissue. This differs greatly from the proposed oxidative stress placed on muscle tissue with pro-longed, intense endurance exercise. As it is known, dynamic muscle function in acyclical, impact sport occurs as a sequence of active eccentric muscle actions followed by active concentric muscle actions known as the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC). Since eccentric contractions contribute to the SSC, it is not a surprising phenomenon that muscle damage occurs during prolonged or intense exercise such as distance running, plyometrics and resistance training. These activities are commonplace in training programs for most athletes.

The hypothesis that attempts to explain the physiology behind eccentric-based mechanical muscle damage is that fewer motor units are recruited to handle the same load and force per cross-sectional area of muscle. This demonstrates that eccentric work requires fewer muscle fibers to do the same amount of concentric work and that less energy is required to perform the eccentric work. Tension per unit of active muscle mass is also greater, which results in more damage to the muscle. At the cellular level, Z-line streaming, which is explained as “disorganization of the area that joins the repeating contractile elements of the myofibrils together” and myofibrillar disruption are direct manifestations that muscle damage has occurred. Furthermore, calcium homeostasis and excitation-contraction coupling are impaired, and examination of eccentrically damaged muscle shows damage to the sarcolemma, T-tubules, myofibrils and the cyoskeleton. All of these structural changes to the muscle fiber are actually present as soon as five to 15 minutes post exercise.

The Impact of Muscle Damage on Performance

It is common and normal to experience pain and muscle stiffness with a new training program. This phenomenon, as we all know, is known as delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS) and is associated with muscle fiber injury. DOMS is most prevalent at the beginning of the sporting season or a new training program when athletes are returning to training following a period of reduced or varied activity.

For approximately eight hours following exercise, muscles are generally pain free. DOMS begins the first 24 to 48 hours after exercise and peaks between 24 and 72 hours. All discomfort usually subsides within 96 hours. Along with the soreness comes other related symptoms such as prolonged muscle weakness, a decreased range of motion and muscle protein leakage into the blood plasma.

There is evidence that neuromuscular functions can be impaired by muscle soreness. Kinematic analysis of gait mechanics following DOMS has revealed reductions in range of motion about the ankle, knee and hip joints. These changes could be due to a reduced range of motion in the quadriceps muscle group and a subsequent reduction of shock absorption capability of the lower body. Since eccentric contractions are vital for shock absorption or braking in the direction of gravity, altered gait patterns can have negative effects on shock absorption abilities of the lower extremities. Muscle injury may also lead to altered recruitment patterns or changes in the temporal sequencing of muscle activation. Findings of altered neuromuscular control such as time to peak EMG and time to peak contraction velocity have been researched and were found to persist for up to five days.

Absolute reductions in strength and power have also been documented by numerous researchers. The duration of strength reduction, most notable after eccentric contractions, was found to be eight to 10 days following the training session. Conversely, concentric strength recovered more rapidly, only taking four days. Many researchers have unfortunately failed to collect repeated strength data on back to back days, which has important implications for athletes who may be at risk for injury as they suffer through a deficit in a muscle group while they continue to train.

DOMS is certainly a “subclinical” injury. However, sometimes athletes are required to practice and train during periods of intense muscle soreness. These effects can raise questions about whether or not to work through the pain or rest and recover. The following risk factors should be noted during the DOMS time:

1. >DOMS can reduce the cushioning effect during landings and running. To compensate, increased shock absorption will occur at other joints, causing unaccustomed strain.
2. Changes in co-ordination may also lead to unaccustomed strain to be placed on muscles, ligaments and tendons during functional activity. Motor unit recruitment patterns may be altered and in this vulnerable state, training may worsen present damage.
3. A decrease in force output in a muscle group or to fibers of a muscle may lead to compensatory recruitment from uninjured areas leading to altered agonist/antagonist ratios and increased stress on compensating muscle groups. Reductions in jumping performance, after exercise-induced muscle damage, lasted up to four days.
4. An inaccurate perception of impairment or a reduction in DOMS may also cause an individual to return to high intensity activity before the muscle has adequately recovered.
5. An elevated physiological response to endurance exercise has been reported after muscle damaging exercise where breathing frequency, respiratory exchange ratio, heart rate and RPE were all significantly higher two days after eccentric exercise when compared with concentric exercise.

Managing Muscle Damage

Pain serves a critical purpose. It acts as a reminder to the athlete that impairment to the muscle still exists. The sensation of soreness comprises muscle tenderness, pain on palpation and mechanical stiffness that results in pain when the muscle is stretched or activated. The tenderness often is described as localized in the distal portion of the muscle in the region of the musculotendinous junction. Tenderness within this region could be due to the fact that muscle pain receptors are most concentrated in the region of the tendon and connective tissue in the muscle. Angles of the fibers to the long axis of the muscle are greatest in the region of musculotendinous junction, increasing the susceptibility of the fibers to mechanical trauma. In severe DOMS, the pain is generalized throughout most of the muscle belly.

It has been suggested that three training sessions per muscle group per week is a minimum frequency for gaining muscle size and strength. Therefore, if this training frequency is followed, some training sessions may be performed when the muscles are still experiencing delayed onset of muscle soreness from the previous session. Generally speaking, if exercise-induced muscle damage occurs, it can be harmful for the tissue to receive another damaging stressor again early in the recovery process. However, if the initial damage is induced via eccentric-based activity like plyometric training this may not be the case. Previous studies have shown that performing repeated bouts of eccentric exercise three and six days (72 to 144 hours) after the initial bout did not result in further damage or retard the recovery process.

Currently no studies have examined muscle damage and soreness induced in a practical situation where more than three training sessions are adhered to per week, with some separated by less than 24 hours of recovery. Also, no studies have used highly trained subjects when measuring repeated bouts of eccentric exercise and the effects on DOMS.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin, ibuprofen and flurbiprofen have long been considered as a treatment for alleviating the symptoms of DOMS. Theoretically, NSAIDs have a strong case for helping to combat the inflammation and swelling that occurs with exercise-induced muscle damage. A parallel review of NSAIDs basically concludes that they are simply not warranted. This review also reported that the use of such drugs may hinder the healing process and affect long-term muscle adaptation, so important to athletes in their development. Furthermore, unwanted physiological side effects may also occur including gastrointestinal and renal complications. The athlete and the strength and conditioning coach should be aware of the potential implications of exercise-induced muscle damage on sport performance and the time course for recovery between training sessions. Periodization plans must account for the days following eccentrically biased training, which results in mechanical muscle damage. Prevention has been identified as the most appropriate approach to overtraining, thus emphasizing the role of thoughtful planning of training and recovery is critical. According to Byrne, Twist and Eston, “of particular concern is the approach to optimizing recovery following muscle damaging exercise, allowing an immediate return to training and further competition, as is commonly associated with intermittent, high-intensity activities.”

The main conclusion is that adapting the body more effectively to eccentric stresses can reduce the impact of DOMS. In addition to warming up, Szymanski introduces the repeated-bout effect as a meaningful means of reducing DOMS. It has been reported that repeated bouts of lower intensity eccentric exercise performed one to six weeks before the initial higher intensity eccentric bouts have been shown to consistently reduce DOMS and exercise-induced muscle damage. Thus, a gradual introduction of eccentric exercise, over a period of weeks, is encouraged. Szymanski states that the repeated bout effect is proposed to allow for a faster recovery of strength and range of motion in effected muscles, providing for increased resistance to damage after the first bout. It is also thought that muscle and connective tissue gradually adapt to increasing intensities of eccentric exercise, minimizing incidence and severity of DOMS.

Further examinations expand on this and enforce the need to allow one to two days of reduced intensity training following activities likely to invoke DOMS – in other words, better, more appropriate and specific training including resistance loading and progressive time-based training more in keeping with the capability of the body to adapt to the overload applied and to allow adequate recovery rather than continue to produce the DOMS effect in training or competition. Finally, in this review, another set of authors looked at the effect of chronic muscle damage from repeated exercise bouts and the effect this has on the ability of the body to continuously remodel skeletal muscle. Ultimate limitations do exist, and there appears to be a point at which the capacity for repair and adaptation is exhausted.

References:

1. Byrne, C, Twist, C & Eston, R (2004). Neuromuscular function after exercise-induced muscle damage: theoretical and applied implications. Sports Medicine, 34(1), 49-69.
2. Cheung, K., Hume, P.A., & Maxwell, L. (2003) Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. Sports Medicine. 33(2), 145-164.
3. Clarkson, P.M., & Hubal, M.J. (2002). Exercise-induced muscle damage in humans. American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (81) (Suppl), S52-S69.
4. Clarkson, PM, Nosaka, K. (1992) Muscle Function after exercise-induced muscle damage and rapid adaptation. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 24(5); 512-20.
5. Clarkson, PM, Tremblay, I. (1998) Exercise-induced muscle damage and rapid adaptation in humans. Journal of Applied Physiology. 65(1) 1-6.
6. Grobler, L et al. Remodelling of skeletal muscle following exercise-induced muscle damage. International SportMed Journal. Vol.5 No.2 2004.
7. Kibler, W.B., and Chandler, T.J. (1998). Musculoskeletal and orthopedic considerations. Overtraining in Sport. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. p. 174.
8. Nosaka, K. & Clarkson, P.M. (1995) Muscle damage following repeated bouts of high force eccentric exercise. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 27(9), 1263-1269.
9. Nosaka, K. & Clarkson, P.M. (1996) Variability in serum creatine kinase response after eccentric exercise of the elbow flexors. International Journal of Sports Medicine. (17), 120-7.
10. Nosaka, K. & Newton M. (2002) Concentric or eccentric training effect on eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 34(1), 63-69.
11. Nosaka, K. & Newton, M. (2002) Repeated eccentric exercise bouts do not exacerbate muscle damage and repair. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 16(1), 117-122.
12. Sayers SP, Dannecker EA. (2004) How to prevent delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) after eccentric exercise and resistance training. International SportsMed Journal.
13. Szymanski, D.J. (2001) Recommendations for the avoidance of delayed-onset muscle soreness. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 23(4): 7-13.

Are you looking for a workout that will get you over a plateau? Are you looking to challenge yourself, both physically and mentally? Are you ready to shed body fat and show those hard-earned muscles you have worked so hard for over the winter months? We have all reached a plateau somewhere along the line in our training programs, where we aren’t getting any stronger or we even feel bored of the same routines day in and day out. Unfortunately, the most common reaction to any decrease in training gains is to increase training volume. This approach is flawed as it will often lead you down the path of overuse injuries, loss of hard-earned muscle mass and/or chronic fatigue. Several factors produce training plateaus but do you want to know how to generate you huge returns on your training investment?

The solution: Plyometrics.

If we examine an athlete’s physical abilities, the differentiating factor that separates the elite from the non-elite is a concept called rate of force development (RFD). RFD is an expression of how fast force can be generated. It is crucial to success in sport performance. Athletic skills such as jumping, sprinting and throwing are all related to an athlete’s ability to generate force, quickly. Going to the gym and lifting heavy weights is only one level of strength and power development. And translating a slow, controlled, 225 pound back squat into a smooth, yet explosive vertical jump on the basketball court can only be accomplished with a carefully prescribed plyometric training program. Furthermore, aside from athletic performance, have you ever seen a long distance runner with well-defined and “gravity-defying” glutes? Take a peek at the sprinters and jumpers during the summer Olympics. Although they are equally lean as compared to the endurance specialist, they have superior muscular development. The difference in the sprinters’ training programs is the use of plyometrics.

Now, what is plyometric training exactly? Plyometric essentially means to increase or augment. Russian and European coaches developed the technique in the late 1960’s, yet North American trainers are still relatively unfamiliar on how and when to apply this methodology. Plyometrics capitalize on the muscle’s stretch-reflex. Central to plyometric’s effectiveness is the fact that this reflex can generate much greater force the any consciously motivated muscle contraction. The stretch-reflex is actually a protective mechanism that provides an extra burst of strength to resist sudden forces. This is the scientific premise of plyometric training. A powerful eccentric muscle contraction is what we are after with this type of prescription. And plyometric training produces exactly the type of overload necessary to increase muscle contraction speed.

Power training, using plyometrics is the final stage of Human Motion’s Developmental Model.  Any missing part of this model will compromise an athlete’s development and physical potential. Attempting to become an explosive athlete requires a base level of general conditioning. You must also possess the cardiovascular capacity to recover from set to set and work-out to workout. This is termed work capacity and is noted as Stage 1. Exercise I.Q. is also part of the foundation of plyometric training. This means you must have excellent technique on all of the major lifts, have memorized their cues and can execute great form under some fatigue. Once you reach Stage 2, you must focus on developing a base level of full-range strength and joint stability. If your feet and knees are collapsing inwards on one another while you squat your bodyweight to parallel, you are simply not ready for high-amplitude plyometric training. Stage 3 employs the ability to apply strength quickly, such as moving a loaded barbell with a fast tempo. This type of training will prepare your connective tissue for the loads associated with plyometric training. As the great mathematicians have discovered: the formula used to calculate power is the product of force and velocity, or in layman’s terms: strength times speed. Plyometric training is based on this formula: P = F x V (Power = Force x Velocity).

The issue with plyometrics is not the tool, but its application into your training program. Plyometrics is an advanced training technique, intended for the serious athlete. It should never be taken lightly. In particular, plyometric training is not for overweight athletes or those with joint injuries. But for those with the appropriate level of conditioning, it provides a fantastic stimulus for mass and power development and increases our bodies’ ability to oxidize fat in resting states, which means a leaner physique. Once you have mastered the first three stages of the developmental model, then you are ready to incorporate plyometrics into your training program.

Plyometric training will give you huge BANG for your BUCK! It requires no equipment, except well-cushioned footwear and a sprung surface. And because it is so high-intensity in nature, a full-work-out can be completed in as little as 20 minutes (not included proper warm-up and recovery).

There are some key technique considerations to note and these are as follows:

ü Land toe-to-heel, sitting back into a partial squat

ü Land and take off with your knees tracking over your toes

ü Land softly – do not make a sound

ü Land with both feet hitting the ground at the same time

ü Maintain good trunk carriage – do not allow your trunk to sway sideways or flop back and forth.

ü Use your arms to generate more power

ü Fully extend all of your joints in the air. Extend your knees fully, point your toes and straighten your trunk to maximize power

ü Breathe out as you initiate the movement; this will give you power

ü Do NOT train to failure or go for the “pump” – It defeats the purpose of plyometric training

ü Sloppy, high volume work-outs will not improve your power

ü Avoid concrete surfaces

ü Do not use ankle or hand weights – this will stress your joints

ü Do not jump onto unstable surfaces until you have mastered stable surfaces

ü Seek instruction from a qualified Strength Coach

Here are some programs to try:

Sample Beginner 4-week Program

Drill	Week 1	Week 2	Week 3	Week 4
Squat Jumps	3 x 10	3 x 12	3 x 14	3 x 16
Split Jumps	3 x 10	3 x 12	3 x 14	3 x 16
Ankle Hops	3 x 20	3 x 25	3 x 30	3 x 35
Lateral Jumps Double Leg	3 x 12	3 x 16	3 x 18	3 x 20

Instructions:

Variables 3 x 10 = 3 sets of 10 jumps or “contacts”

Rest Periods Rest 60 seconds passively between sets

Tempo Each movement must be explosive

*Week 5 – take this week off before moving onto the intermediate program*

Sample Intermediate 4-week Program

Drill	Week 1	Week 2	Week 3	Week 4
Squat Jumps	3 x 18	3 x 20	4 x 12	4 x 14
Lateral Jumps 2 down 1 back	3 x 6/direction	3 x 8/direction	4 x 6/direction	4 x 8/direction
X-Over Step to Lateral Jump	3 x 6/direction	3 x 8/direction	4 x 6/direction	4 x 8/direction
SL Ankle Hops	2 x 10/leg	2 x 12/leg	2 x 14/leg	2 x 16/leg

Instructions:

Variables 3 x 10 = 3 sets of 10 jumps or “contacts”

Rest Periods Rest 90 seconds passively between sets

Tempo Each movement must be explosive

*Week 5 – take this week off before moving onto the advanced program*

Sample Advanced 4-week Program

Drill	Week 1	Week 2	Week 3	Week 4
SL Zig Zag Bounds	3 x 10	3 x 12	3 x 14	3 x 16
Split Jumps	3 x 20	4 x 14	3 x 20	4 x 16
Out and Up Frog Leaps	3 x 8	4 x 6	4 x 10	4 x 12
Lateral Jumps SL	3 x 10/leg	3 x 12/leg	3 x 14/leg	4 x 10/leg

Instructions:

Variables 3 x 10 = 3 sets of 10 jumps or “contacts”

Rest Periods Rest 2 minutes passively between sets

Tempo Each movement must be explosive

Yes, you read the title correctly . .believe it or not, undertraining can lead to overtraining (OTS). How is this possible you ask? Isn’t overtraining defined by maladaptation to a training program that leads to a myriad of fatigue-related symptoms and eventually decrements in performance? And isn’t undertraining, in reality, avoiding the principle of (progressive) overload altogether? How could that lead to OTS?

Well, it depends how deep you dive into the definition of overtraining syndrome. Sure, you can consult the text books and read the symptom-list, the neuroendocrine profile and draw conclusions from this. And if you have an M.D. working alongside of you, ready to draw blood samples for elevated cytokines and other inflammatory markers, you could evaluate the status of yourself, or your client (if you are a trainer/coach). But, this is unrealistic in the practical world of athlete strength and conditioning isn’t it?

Let’s examine the case of John Stott.

John is a 42 yr-old recreational badminton player. He has been playing since he was 25 years old after spending two years of his early career days living and working in Singapore. He is ranked among his age-group as one of the top players in the city and he balances his love for the game and his training sessions with his full-time job as a Litigator. John is a motivated person who has been active his entire life as an athlete and he loves to compete. He has hired a strength and conditioning specialist to help him get to the master’s world championships and develop the physical side of his game further. Sounds like a dream client doesn’t it?

People like John, are the quintessential ‘weekend-warrior.’ Although the jargon term has never really been defined (Wikipedia Source: People who do recreational activities such as golfing, skiing, snowboarding, or mountain biking solely on the weekends since they work Monday through Friday) and there are all kinds of fitness pros claiming to know how to train these folks, I am going to take a moment to shed some light on what my definition of the weekend warrior really is:

Weekend Warrior : Someone who sits at a desk approximately 50 hours per week, has a career with high mental & emotional stress, eats on the fly, uses training and competition as an outlet, DAILY and does not practice recovery strategies regularly.

This defines John and many other like him to a tee. John has only one gear: Full-throttle. But, let me explain how begin full-throttle all the time causes one to undertrain. If we look at John’s schedule, he practices on Monday and Wednesday evenings with his coach for 2 hours. He competes on Fridays and Saturdays and has allotted Mondays (at lunch), Tuesdays and Thursdays is his time to work on his strength and conditioning, leaving only Sunday for a day off, where he often does all of his household chores (his wife kindly gives him a list) and gets ready for his work-week. I also forgot to mention that John works from home in the evenings and sleeps approximately 6 hours per night. John puts, (what he thinks) is 100% into his day at the office, his practices, his training sessions and his games.

Or does he?

As far as I am concerned, the John’s of this North American world we live in are a dime a dozen now. Sure, they are a real pleasure to coach and train – always ready to work and come in with a great attitude about fitness, but trust me, these people can be a royal pain in the gluteus maximus trying to convince that they are actually not working effectively, (or as the title of this blog reads: UNDERTRAINING.)

Still confused? Basically, it is this simple. If you are training, as hard as you can 6 days per week and not sleeping, eating poorly, working long hours, you are tapping into your energy-bank and it is IMPOSSIBLE to work to your maximal capacity. In order to do that, you need rest and in order to see gains, you need rest. John needs to train LESS to gain more. It is a North American mentality to ‘look busy,’ to brag about how much work (volume) are handling, versus focusing on the quality of work you are doing.

It is sometimes tough for me to convince my clients that they need to rest and employ recovery strategies on a regular basis and that in order to make progress, both physically and mentally, they must work at an RPE of 3-4 some days. This is the only way the body can work at an RPE of 9-10. And a 9-10, my friend is TRAINING, not simply working out. Working out, or the “stim-zone” (I call it) is still stress on the body, but the stress is not high enough to elicit a positive adaptation and the only way one can be exposed to a high degree of stress is if they have banked their reserves and are ready for it.

Guys like John, will not often admit they are tired, or perhaps, they genuinely do not even realize it, or know what well-rested feels like. It is my job to prescribe a multi-faceted recovery program, and insist the client keep a training log like the one in the Human Motion online store. The John’s of this world can serve to be your best advertising if they buy-in and the education process is extremely important. And one more thing – as a coach or trainer, we need to practice what we preach and give our clients glimpses into our own lives and let the know we are human too and need as much recovery as the next guy/girl. Now, on that note, I have to go hit the foam roller. These muscles need some lovin’ before my football game tomorrow!

I overhear all kinds of discussions between trainers and clients on training tips, strategies to build core strength and methods of losing body fat at the gym I train at. Nothing gets me more fired up than the misuse of the global term: CORE TRAINING. For example, I hear comments like “Doing exercises, like a seated overhead press on a ball makes them more functional for your core.” Or, “by using the stability ball you will activate more core muscles on every single exercise.” This generalized rationale is making my head spin as trainers gleefully sell the false cause and effect relationship between the use of the stability ball and the definition of core training.

So if exercising on a stability ball trains your core and is now bought into by the masses . . .

Like any critical scientist, my question to the instigators of this idea is

– Compared to what?

To cut to the chase (and yes, I have a reputation for this), you don’t need to do anything on a stability ball to strengthen your “core” muscles. If your main goal is to build muscle, doing more exercises on a stability ball isn’t just unnecessary, it may actually slow your rate of muscle growth and strength development!

Here’s my pitch:

According to over 90% of the personal trainers I’ve met, performing strength exercises on an unstable surface, such as sitting on a standing ball or standing on a BOSU, is supposed to place a greater emphasis on some of the muscles in your core, helping to improve core stability, protect against back pain, improve athletic performance, and so on. Right?

Well heck, these exercises are often a lot harder than their more stable counterparts.

Hmmm, let’s qualify “hard.”

You are simply working hard to stay balanced. And because these exercises have a high “novelty factor”, this creates mayhem for your nervous system as your muscles try to sort out the wibbly-wobbly’s.

I have even heard an international speaker claim that “performing three set of squats on a BOSU ball is the equivalent of three ordinary sets, because you engage more muscle groups to stabilize yourself.” Good Gawd.

While there are benefits to exercises done on an “unstable” surface, it’s my opinion that they are as overdone as Elizabeth Taylor’s make-up job. I guess I shouldn’t complain – it keeps personal trainers out of the lifting area where the real work is accomplished – (more room for me and my clients).

Time is money folks and if someone is paying you good money (in this economy), you better deliver. And if your client tells you they need to improve their core strength – then teach them how to lift. And you know what else, that might mean YOU need to know how lift. And if you want to learn – call me; I am more than happy to share what I know. 604.908.1321.

What is the core?

For the purpose of this article, let’s define the core as the muscles of the trunk and hips — basically, anything that isn’t the head, arms or legs. And it’s these muscles that are supposed to benefit from exercises done on an unstable surface, such as the BOSU and the stability ball.

As I mentioned earlier, there are benefits to these kinds of exercises. For example, I remember reading an article about a pro snowboarder who did a lot of work on unstable surfaces. This type of training could definitely help to improve his balance and prepare him for the unstable environment that he’s going to experience on the slopes.

And therapists have been using unstable exercise devices (e.g. Wobble boards and Rocker boards) for years to help with the rehabilitation of knee and ankle injuries. Perfect for restoring a neuromuscular deficit.

So, there is a time and a place for instability. But it’s not a universally effective way to make all exercises better, especially if you’re trying to build significant strength levels.

Let’s get strong!

The equation for muscular growth is a time under tension + progressive overload, which involves adding more weight to an exercise over a given period of time. But if you’re exercising on an unstable surface, the amount of weight you’re able to use is going to be reduced. And using a lighter weight is a step in the wrong direction if you want to get bigger and stronger. Yes, even for the girls – throw away the pink dumbbells and chalk up ladies!

At Human Motion, we teach people how to get strong. Strong at the basics first (squats and deadlifts), then get strong at more complex lifts (cleans and snatches). In the gym, I see clients doing squats on BOSU’s when they can barely squat properly on the floor. I question this progression as adding an element of instability will only teach them incorrect patterns of movement. When more than 50% of strength in athletics comes from a highly tuned nervous system, developed from correct patterning, this plan will lead to nowhere.

There is an inverse relationship between the stability of the base support and the power potential of the lifter or athlete. Wobble boards used in an athletic training setting will help the athlete get better at standing on a wobble board. Where is the transfer to sport?

If you are looking to develop true core strength, you have to lift.

The old time strongmen, pound-for-pound, were some of the most powerful men who ever lived. Sport historians have written about Eugen Sandow, Arthur Saxon, Louis Cyr to name a few whom all displayed impressive levels of strength and power. These men put on strongman shows, wrestled and engaged in various other sporting endeavors. They would execute feats such as the two hands anyhow, the bent press, overhead support lifts, cable and strand pulling, swings, bridging feats, bending feats, gymnastics, hand balancing and more.

What did ALL of these strongmen have in common? Crazy core strength! They didn’t get it by doing crunches, they didn’t get it by wearing a belt and they didn’t get it by hanging out on a wobble board. They developed their torso strength and stability by engaging in compound multi-joint movements, that required every muscle group to work together, at the same time to execute complex movements.

So, what’s the bottom line here?

Leave the wobble boards and BOSU’s to the rehab experts or the prehab experts. Grab a good pair of flat-soled shoes, a handful of chalk, an Olympic bar and some plates and learn to lift. I haven’t done a crunch or a sit-up since the days of gym class, and I got off the balancing devices once I began cultivating my own company and its philosophy and I am the strongest I have ever been.

See you at the gym!

Coach Carmen




 

With 15 years industry experience and having spent a great deal of time and effort examining training protocols it is time to share some of the knowledge I have accumulated with, well, anyone who wants to listen!

On day to day basis, I often forget how much of my time is spent answering health and fitness-related questions, whether they come from my students, my clients or my peers.  I seem to just naturally fill into the role of advisor and find myself eager to share my knowledge and opinions of what might be a good approach to optimizing one’s health, fitness and physique.  The most common questions I have been getting of late are:  “Carmen,  how do you have so much energy?” “ How do you stay lean all year round?” “ What do YOUR workouts consist of?” “ Who do you see for nutrition advice?”

 It’s funny,  I never wanted to have any sort of celebrity status as a trainer.  And I always cringe when I see new training systems endorsed by good-looking actresses and actors, blessed by awesome genetics, saying you too, can be like me!  It all seems so far away, so out of reach for the average gym go-er.  Now, don’t me wrong, my idea of health and fitness is far more stringent than that of the recreational fitness bunny.  I like to TRAIN.  Not “workout.”  I said, TRAIN.  I enjoy pushing myself and seeing what my body is capable of.  I like to fuel my gas tank with high octane fuel rich in nutrients and I will seek out anyone and everyone who knows all about my OPTIMIZATION.  So, if you are like me, the type who doesn’t like the status quo, who questions the quick-fixes and is a bit of a sucker for hard work, then continue reading.  I will give you a glimpse into how I stay fit…..

 

O.K., so to answer to the energy question.  Well, first of all.  I am human.  I do get tired too, like anyone, but the real secret is that I am very diligent at going to bed at the same time each night . . .yes, even on weekends (I know, I am lame).  I always chill out before bed, meaning no business decisions, no marking papers, no writing articles, I just chill.  I aim for 8-9 hours of sleep per night and I have found that my body just naturally wakes up after 8 hours give or take.  Once you get into a routine, you just feel sleepy at the same time each day and it is easy to fall asleep.   I make sleep a priority as I know it is what allows me to accomplish all of the things I want to, in a day.

Staying lean and maintaining an athletic physique all year round takes discipline as well.  I am NOT talking about restriction, just a commitment to myself to eat very healthy and train consistently.  We all have choices in life and I choose to feel and look my best.  I also choose to seek help from experts in the areas of nutrition and the combination of the Cliff Harvey mantra of: Eat only whole, natural and unprocessed foods, (cliff@humanmotion.ca) plus the personalized supplement prescriptions my naturopath, Dr. Julie Durnin, (she is awesome!)I am in good hands.  I only supplement with fish oils, whey protein, calcium/magnesium and probiotics – I traded in my latte fix for these items and it is paying dividends.  So, in a nutshell, I have become a bit of a food snob – I will only put high grade fuel into this body, selecting these items on a daily basis:  Whole organic oats, berries and whey for breakfast, almonds and plain yogurt for snacks.  Veggies at BOTH lunch and dinner, covering 2/3 of my plate, topped with steak, fish, chicken or hard boiled free range eggs.  I eat A LOT (ask my husband) and I do eat carbs – just unprocessed ones, like ancient grains.  Maintaining a lean physique is more about WHAT you eat, not how much you eat.  I never count calories . . .(who has time for that?) 

Now,  onto my workouts.  I do not have a fixed schedule per se.  Partly because I squirm when I hear the word schedule and it does take some out of the fun of training, but I do make my training a daily priority.  I play flag football 7 months of the year and it is very demanding on my body.  I get my wind sprints in at practice and games, so that takes care of most of my short-burst type training and agility work.  Some may ask – well do you do agility work outside of practice and to be quite honest, I don’t.  I was given some great genetics with quick feet and even at 33, they still shake and bake, so for now I won’t try to fix what ain’t broke! After all my ‘work’ commitments are taken care of, I have about 5 hours per week I devote to my training and of those 5 hours, I work mostly on conditioning and strength & power.  And to let you in on a secret – I stopped doing what I call ‘same stimulus’ cardio workouts some time ago and I haven’t looked and felt better!

On Sundays, I hit the gym in the morning, after my Saturday football games.  This workout is focused mostly on joint mobility drills, full-range movement exercises like bodyweight lunges and some aerobic work.  I get my cardio in a more varied manner by doing long cycle routines with 12kg kettlebells.  I do about 10 minutes of long cycle as a flush at a very slow, continuous pace.  It gets the kinks out and the blood flowing so I can recover faster from Saturday.  Plus, the varied stimulus has a much greater afterburn effect than any Sunday jog will ever give me – plus it spares my knees!

Monday, I train my whole body with heavier strength/power exercises like deadlifts, split jerks, squat to press, box squats and chin-ups.  I select full-body exercises to keep the time certain muscles are under tension shorter and so I can use my legs to generate all the power I need.  This type of prescription is key for staying or getting lean without gaining size.  I can keep my training intensity high as well and boost the levels of circulating catecholamines to help me burn fat for hours after my session.  I lift heavy (around 6 reps) and I rest 3 minutes between sets with my deadlifts, squats and pull-ups. Sometimes, on Mondays, I follow the Tabata protocol at the end of my workout, using a squat to press with 12kilo bells.  Check it out on my downloads page: http://www.carmenbott.com/training-downloads/

Tuesdays I often take the day off, or have football practice, which is often a lot less demanding than games.  I am not a young pup anymore!

On Wednesdays, my husband and I have date night, which is a workout together, then dinner.  This is my drop-set day where we pick about three exercises and begin at the heaviest weight we can tolerate.  Once we fatigue (not fail) at that weight, we drop to the next weight, then the next, then the next, until we get to the lightest weight.  We often use Renegade Rows, Yaw presses and Single Arm Clean and Jerks for this workout.  Sometimes I will also do a set of reverse lunges in the same manner, but only if my legs feel great.  If not, I give them a rest.  This workout is a bit torturous and heavily metabolic, but this is my last hard anaerobic workout for the week as I have to recover for my Saturday game!

On Thursdays, I go light with weights or kettlebells and do a 4 min on, 1 min off (Carmen’s  Fave 4×4) workout.  It is an aerobic workout for me, but still with varied stimulus – forget the cardio machines – they don’t work if you want to OPTIMIZE!  My muscles are always guessing and the movements help my recovery from Wednesday.  It is a short and sweet 20 minute session. 

Fridays are my game prep workout, where I hit the gym with technique work and lots of foam roller release and some dynamic range of motion exercises.  Joint mobility is gain the focus of Friday’s session so I don’t pull every muscle in my lower body on Saturday.

So, there you have it.  This is really what my training is all about.  It is not about volume.  It is not about boredom.  It is about challenge and discipline and consistency.  Most of all it is a lifestyle.  I could not imagine having a job where I am chained to my desk 10 hours per day.  I am thankful I have created the life I want to live: One that is filled with fun experiences, competition and physical goals.  And one that I share with my husband who has the same values.  I have never been able to answer the question of what drives me.  There is no scientific response I can come up with to answer this other than I truly do love the process and I think that is key to any level of achievement.

Happy Training everyone!

Coach Carm

 

By Carmen Bott

These questions go out to my peers: When did the basics get lost? What has happened to weightlifting, (you know: lifting weights) in the traditional sense? Where did the squat go? Where is the deadlift hiding? And why have they been made complicated with some strange looking half ball thing called a BOSU? Why are we adding, what appears to be: “variety for the sake of variety” to our client’s training programs?

With over 15 years of industry experience under my belt and over 45 years experienced combined within the Human Motion Team we are all amazed at the number of circus-act drills we see these days in the gym.

Here are some of Human Motion’s favorite examples of complicating the obvious and adding variety to a workout.

1. Kettlebells AND bands. Swinging a heavy iron ball is already difficult enough to control. Adding a band to it increases the risk of injury factor by 100%, not to mention changes the length tension curve of the skill altogether.
2. Let’s not forget to do our bicep curls on the wobble board – why? Biceps curls are a waste of time, wobbly or not, when you could be grooming great guns doing chin-ups or cleans.
3. We see feats of great balance while landing with the aid of a mirror and all kinds of “fast feet drills” morphing into slow feet drills on the BOSU.
4. And Cliff’s personal favorite combo: Power Cleans on the BOSU – very safe. I will keep my comments to myself on that one. Good grief.

Are we really going to fix someone’s sacroiliac dysfunction by having them perform a back squat on top of a BOSU? It not only eliminates proper hip hinging and knee tracking, but also stretches the ‘you-know-what’ right out of their peroneals. There is a time and a place for proprioceptive training, but combining high loads and poor technique will do much more harm than good.

With this whole new trend in “functional strength,” it seems like trainers and even a few conference speakers have taken it way too far. Weigh the costs and the benefits folks. Use equipment and training aids when and where they are required. There is a time and a place for instability. And do the demands of the exercise mimic the necessary function of that athlete and their sport? Or better yet, does the exercise transfer to the sport you are training for?

I know a back-to-basics approach may be boring for you’re attention-deficit, thrill-seeking clients, but who is the boss here? You or them? Is it our job to provide variety, or are we here to produce results: improvements in strength, power, flexibility, mobility and body composition in a safe manner? I am going to bet on the latter and here’s how we do it:

Build strength through basic exercises: Squats, deadlifts, push-ups, pull-ups and pistols. Use your clever scientific mind and introduce changes in lever arm length, range of motion and absolute loading patterns to elicit higher adaptations. Keep your client’s training program consistent and don’t hit them with a million new drills every work-out. Ask yourself: what are they adapting to? Even the most elite athletes need consistency in their exercises. Actually, it is quite rewarding for the client to see gains in strength or mobility on the same drill over a time period. Add in variety by manipulating rest periods, sets,reps, loads and exercise order.

I am happy to help you – Thanks for tuning in!