As many of you know, September is a season of change. Vacations end, kids go back to school, leaves start to change colour, and many people begin their quest to dramatically improve their lives and their bodies.
If you’ve been feeling miserable about how you look and feel and are thinking about doing something about it then we’re about to do something totally drastic that just might push you over the edge. For the month of September we’re going to be offering our exceptional private personal training package for 1/3 less than our normal price.
To put it bluntly, we think this is a steal!!! For less than the cost of a personal trainer at a crowded commercial gym we’re offering a fully comprehensive one-on-one exercise and nutrition program in our totally private facility.
Of course, we don’t have some of the things our competitors have. We don’t have any onlookers. We don’t sell frozen meals. We don’t use any herbs or magic. And we certainly don’t have any needles.
However, we do have FREE parking. We do have a FREE towel service. We do let you bring in whatever music you want to train to. We do have an excellent track record for PERMANENT weight loss. And, most importantly, we do make you healthy.
As if that weren’t enough, we’ve extended our hours so we can provide you with the very best quality of one-on-one training when you need it. As of September first our top notch trainers will be available from 6AM until 9PM.
If you have a hard time getting back off the couch when you get home from work or you’d rather train when your kids are in school then training in the morning might be the solution you were looking for. Not only will you be energized for the whole day, but you’ll feel great that you’ve got it done and you’ll still be able to go on living your life with minimal disruption.
As mentioned above, we think this program is a steal and we expect to fill up quickly so if you’re interested you need to act fast. For more information about this incredible promotion give us a call today at 905-667-4828 or email info@nutrexsolutions.com.
*Offer not valid for current personal training clients*
August 27th, 2008
By Stacey Nolan Young
Meet Tracy. She’s your average 27 year old woman. She works full time in an office setting. She is single. She enjoys herself on weekends with her friends. She is well liked and friendly. But she is not happy with the way she looks. In fact, she is so unhappy with the way she looks that she has made the decision to do something about it. She gets in touch with me to meet and chat. In that meeting she makes a decision that changes her life!
Tracy had recently lost approximately 10lbs on her own by making some small changes when it came to nutrition choices. She’d also been involved with aerobics 2-3 times per week. However, she’d lost the weight and then plateaued. She was frustrated that she wasn’t losing any more weight. When we spoke she made the decision to try our Personal Training Program. And there began her journey.
MONTH ONE
To get things started Tracy came in and had an assessment with me. During this sit down meeting we got a baseline for where she was and laid out a plan of action for her. We took her weight, body fat percentage, and waist, hip and chest measurements.
This was followed by a fitness evaluation in which Tracy performed a series of tests including cardiovascular and muscular endurance, strength, flexibility and a posture evaluation.
NUTRITION
In that first assessment we went over my plans for her concerning nutrition. She wanted to lose 25lbs in 12 weeks which I suggested was lofty, but attainable given her level of commitment. Because she had already made some positive changes to her lifestyle in the past couple of months I felt she was ready for a few more “rules” than I would normally give out to someone new. She was highly motivated and ready to get down to business.
In those first few weeks Tracy had many nutrition related questions so I decided to go to the grocery store with her to explain what foods would provide nourishment for her body and what foods wouldn’t. It’s very easy to get confused when companies are touting their products as “healthier choices”. My job was to filter out the abundance of “information” out there.
EXERCISE
Tracy began training with me in the gym two times per week. In each workout we did foam rolling, dynamic mobility work, resistance exercise, stretching and cardiovascular exercise. In the first 4 weeks of training we focused on whole body type movements to ease her into the “training realm”. It was my personal goal to get Tracy to enjoy her training experience as it was something that she was reluctant to do.
Outside of the gym with me I asked Tracy to get in 3 hours of exercise per week. This included walks, her aerobics and various other activities. If anyone reading this is thinking “Well there’s no way I’d have time for that” then I urge you to consider the amount of television you watch or the amount of time you spend on the internet. Five hours per week of exercise is nothing compared to how much time the average person spends doing those things on a weekly basis. For Tracy it was simply a matter of shifting her priorities and she was in the place to do it.
GOALS
As mentioned above, goal setting is one of the most important aspects of a journey like Tracy’s. In times when things get difficult these goals can keep you motivated. We encourage all of our clients to come up with some goals and a deadline for them. Here were Tracy’s initial goals:
*Lose 25lbs
*Perform 75 Step Ups in 2 minutes
*Perform a 2 minute plank
We posted these goals on our “Client Goal Board” for everyone here to see. By doing so we put a support structure in place for her and we also made her accountable to herself and to others.
MONTH ONE RESULTS:
At the end of those first few weeks we re-assessed Tracy. She was down 8lbs, had more energy and was feeling much better about herself. Already you could see the changes and this was something that motivated her to continue.
MONTH TWO
On the training side of Tracy’s journey, this is the point where I upped the ante a bit. Workouts became more intense and I split them up differently. No longer was she doing whole body type exercises each workout but rather she had an upper body day and a lower body day. Exercise volume was increased and exercise selection was a little more advanced and individualized. After her first full leg day I thought she wouldn’t come back! Okay so maybe it wasn’t that bad…or was it? *insert evil laugh*
We put more of a focus on Tracy’s mid back to develop and strengthen it. This would help correct some postural issues that we were dealing with. We also focused on some unilateral leg training as we needed to correct some imbalances in order for her to be able to perform bigger movements like the squat and leg press which in turn would burn more calories.
I also added some more interesting cardio spurts to her workouts at this time. And while she liked most of it she quickly came to despise the “hillclimbers”.
On the nutrition side we made a few small changes but pretty much kept things the same. The old saying “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” may have some credence after all.
BUT THEN…
Tracy caught a bug that was going around her office and it took her out of commission for over a week. She did everything she could during this time, ate what she could stomach, rested and tried to boost her immune system. She wanted to keep up with her exercise but I advised her to take it easy and to rest until her body decided it was better. As much as this pissed her off she knew it was for the best. So she recuperated. Unfortunately this put a little snag in the timeline that she had set for herself but after a brief hiatus she was back in action.
MONTH TWO RESULTS
Tracy made some solid strength gains this month and her training intensity was at a higher level than the previous month. Her body was able to handle more demand.
Despite being sick for the better part of a couple of weeks Tracy still managed to lose weight. This month she lost a total of 4lbs which averaged out to a pound a week. That’s a healthy weight loss rate in our books. And even better to us was the fact that each pound she lost was fat and not muscle. While Tracy was not satisfied with the glitch in the plan she was more than motivated to continue because the inches were coming off.
MONTH THREE
In this month we continued with the high level of intensity in her workouts. The cardio portion went up a bit. I added even more workload to her training days. Her body had actually adjusted to the previous levels and demanded more. She worked very hard with me and she worked even harder on her own. She began biking places and running the stairs at her office on her lunch hour. Tracy had become a very active person. People were noticing her results and she was inspiring people to do better themselves. And if you think it was easy for her you’d be mistaken. Tracy had to deal with ignorance many times during her journey. There were times that she felt alone in it and there were times when others tried to sabotage her efforts. She handled each situation with strength and perseverance and with her eyes on her goals.
We tweaked her nutrition a bit for this final month. I played with some timing for food intake and advised her to forge ahead.
MONTH THREE RESULTS
In her final month of the program Tracy trained hard and did everything right. She lost 5 more pounds and more inches. She was feeling fantastic and getting compliments from many people. The changes were obvious and unmistakable.
FINAL RESULTS
I performed Tracy’s final fitness test again to see how far she had come in her 12 weeks of training. Here are her results:
12 Minute Cycle Test:
Start - Tracy biked for a total distance of 3.42 miles in a period of 12 minutes.
End – 3.53 miles!
2 Minute Step Up Test:
Start - She completed 64 step ups onto a low bench in a period of 2 minutes.
End – She completed 78 step ups and CRUSHED her goal of 75!
Push Up Test:
Start - Tracy wasn’t able to complete one solid push up
End – She completed 11 real push ups! (not the “girly knees bent” kind)
Plank:
Start - She held the plank position for 56 seconds
End – She held the plank for 2 minutes and 25 seconds and CRUSHED her goal of 2 minutes!
Postural:
Like most people that walk through our doors Tracy had a postural deviation called kyphosis where there is a curvature of her upper spine. This probably has to do with years of reinforced poor posture. And as mentioned above she is an office worker who sits at a desk hunched over a computer all day long. She also has what is referred to as forward head posture where her head is in front of the center of her shoulders. Both of these conditions are quite common in today’s society. It was my goal to improve this.
At the end Tracy’s posture has improved significantly through a combination of stretching and strengthening exercises. In the side view of the pictures below you can definitely see the difference.
And finally I reassessed Tracy. I took her weight, measurements and body fat percentage again. Here are her results:
*DRUM ROLL PLEASE*
Weight: Down 17lbs
Body Fat Percentage: Down 5% from 26% to 21% which is an ideal number for women.
Waist Measurement: Down 4 inches
Hips Measurement: Down 2.5 inches
Chest Measurement: Down 3 inches
Total Inches Lost: 9.5 inches!!!
I know what you are thinking. No, Tracy did not hit her 25lb goal. Regardless of this she did an amazing job! I am positive that she would have lost a few more pounds during the time that she was sick but all in all she did a great job and she looks incredible. She should be really proud of her efforts.
On top of the weight loss and the loss of inches Tracy is much happier and healthier. She claims to feel so much better, has more energy and focus and she is ecstatic about her lifestyle changes. She plans to continue this new found lifestyle and has signed on with me on a consultation basis for the next few months to provide her with more guidance while she continues to tone her body. We are so proud of her accomplishments and we look forward to the next leg of her journey.
August 20th, 2008
Mobility Series – Part IV
By Mark Young
In Part I of this series we talked about what mobility is and why it is so important. In Part II we revealed the single biggest weapon in the battle against immobility. In Part III we discussed several different mobility drills and how to put them together into a simple whole body routine.
In this, the 4th and final article of the series, we’ll talk a little bit about static stretching and how it can be used to improve mobility and prevent injury and pain. Although this article can be read as a standalone piece, it is suggested that you check out the previous instalments for the bigger picture before implementing the strategies suggested below.
As I see it, people don’t understand stretching well enough for it to produce results and this is probably the reason most people don’t bother with it. Even the most devout trainee will lift weights 5 days per week, do cardiovascular training daily, and eat a fairly solid diet, but still fail to make the time to stretch.
The goal of this article is to educate you about stretching and provide some direction as to what to stretch, what not to stretch, and when to stretch. Finally I’ll get you started with a program that will actually produce results. Before we start though, I want to lay out a few ground rules.
Rule #1 - Don’t Stretch Prior To Exercise
Before we start, I want to reiterate that stretching prior to exercise is a catastrophe waiting to happen. Is just isn’t safe to take away the support for your joints before exercise. For more information on this topic see the article HERE. There is a time and place for stretching, and before exercise is not it.
Rule #2 - Don’t Stretch Cold
This goes hand in hand with the point above. If your muscles are cold they aren’t going to be very flexible. Ideally you should do some sort of warm up (or at least take a warm bath/shower) prior to stretching.
In our facility we usually perform all necessary stretching at the end of our workouts while our clients are already warm to maximize the effect.
Rule #3 - Stretch Frequently
As I mentioned earlier, one of the biggest reasons I think people don’t bother stretching is that they really don’t feel like it is doing anything for them. Unfortunately, most people don’t stretch nearly enough to make a fair assessment.
In my experience, most gym goers treat stretching as an afterthought. They might do an hour workout and then throw a leg up on a bench for a quick 30 second stretch on each hamstring before calling it a day. Many office workers who try various neck stretches do a similar thing. They throw in a couple 30 second neck stretches and they’re back to work for the rest of the day.
While I commend people for making an effort, these attempts are very misguided and it is no surprise to me that people experience very poor results with this very poor protocol.
Consider that most people spend AT LEAST 40-60 hours sitting per week. Most of that is likely in front of a computer, in a car, or in front of the television. If you spend that much time sitting on your rump every week then the muscles that are shortened while sitting are going to be pretty darn tight.
Now consider that you’re only spending 30 seconds trying to lengthen those tight muscles. Maybe you even do it 2 times per week for a total of one minute. When you compare the amount of time spend on each you can see why most people’s stretching regimes don’t work.
You wouldn’t expect to go to the gym and get in shape with only 1 minute of exercise per week would you? You need to allocate more time.
If you’re pressed for time I do have some good news. You don’t need to set aside hours of time to stretch all at once. In fact, a recent study showed that a group who held their stretches for 1 minute had no greater results than those who only held them for 30 seconds. Frequency appears to be more important than the length of time you spend stretching so you can do it whenever you have a minute (or 30 seconds to be exact).
Whenever you’re standing there doing nothing why not take the chance to stretch? Don’t worry about the guy who’s wondering why you have your foot up on his cart in the grocery line. Tell him I said it’s okay.
Rule #4 - Don’t Stretch Indiscriminately
Some people stretch like Collin Farrell dates women. They just pick one at random and go with it.
Just like with mobility, if you’re trying to stretch you don’t just stretch everything and hope for the best. Instead, you have to determine what is tight and stretch that. Keep in mind that if something feels tight it doesn’t necessarily mean you should stretch it. The lower back should be left alone except for some very specific instances.
To get you started here is a sample stretching program that will address many commonly tight areas. In the beginning it might take you a little longer, but once you become comfortable with the program should take you no more than 10 minutes to complete.
Ideally each stretch should be held for approximately 30 seconds. You might want to come back to tighter areas or repeat them at various intervals throughout the day.
Neck Extensors
The muscles in the back are often tight from the vast amount of time spent driving and staring at computer screens. In fact, headaches often result from this tightness. In many people the tightness in the neck extensors can even result in the dreaded forward head posture that we frequently see in office workers.
Although it is rarely as dramatic as the picture above, I bet you’ll notice it more than once today if you keep your eyes peeled. Stretching these muscles regularly can decrease the frequency of headaches and possibly even prevent your friends from calling you Quasimodo behind your back.
To perform this stretch interlock the fingers and place the hands on the upper part of that back of your head. Let the head fall forward and allow the weight of the arms to pull it down until you feel a mild stretch. Do not pull forcefully downward. A simple pull is all that is needed.
Upper Trapezius
If you’re one of those people who is chronically holding the phone between your ear and your shoulder you need to cut that out. Not only are you tightening that trapezius muscle, you’re probably creating an imbalance (face it, you probably always use the same side). Get yourself a headset or an ear piece instead. Once you’ve done that get to work on stretching out those traps.
To perform this stretch you’ll need to reach over top with the right arm and place the hand on the left side of the head above the ear. Let the head fall directly towards the right side until you feel a mild stretch down the left side of the neck. Repeat to the opposite side.
If you happen to realize that one side is particularly tighter than the other it is advisable to stretch this side more than once. If you’re like me, performing one side once and the other side twice will drive you a little nuts, but if you do extra on both sides you’re just maintaining the imbalance.
Levator Scapulae
This stretch is very similar to the previous stretch except that the chin is brought down and forward on a 45 degree angle to stretch the levator scapula muscle. This particular muscle runs from the neck all the way down to the top of the shoulder blade and can get very tight if you tend to unconsciously shrug the shoulders throughout the day.
I personally find that this muscle is quite restricted in most people.
Pectoralis Major
Remember when your parents used to tell you to sit up straight? You should’ve listened.
Sitting with a slouched posture will inevitably lead to severely rounded shoulders and very tight pecs. Along with the lats (below), the pecs can also turn the palms from their correct position (facing towards the body) so that they face backwards when standing. While this appears to be only a minor aesthetic issue, making you drag your knuckles like a Neanderthal, it can eventually result in a shoulder injury if left uncorrected.
To perform this stretch place your right hand and elbow along a post or door frame. Step out with the left leg and gently twist the body away from the side being stretched. You should feel this in the chest just in front of the armpit area. Repeat on the other side.
Latissimus Dorsi
The lats, like the pecs, can contribute inward rotation of the arms as well. Since this position negatively affects the shoulder, possible future injuries are more likely.
To properly perform a lat stretch you need to find something solid to hang on to. Once you have a firm hold you should push you hips back and focus on driving the shoulders DOWN towards the floor. Only at this point should you lean back slightly to put a greater stretch on the muscle.
When performing a lat stretch be careful not to focus exclusively on leaning away as this will not fully lengthen the muscle. It is important that you push your shoulders towards the floor making the arms come up alongside the ears.
Hip Flexors
When you spend most of your day sitting the hip flexors can become tight and short. Unfortunately, the psoas muscle (one of the hip flexors) runs from the front of the thigh straight through to the vertebrae in the lower back. When it becomes tight it can pull downward on the spine causing pain.
To stretch this muscle group place the left knee on a mat or pillow and take a long step with the right leg. While in this position gently try to push the front knee forward and make sure to keep the body completely straight. You should feel this in front of the left hip. If you find it difficult to keep the body upright you are probably particularly tight in this area. Repeat on the other side.
Rectus Femoris
If you’re an anatomy geek like me you’ll know that the rectus femoris is technically one of the quadricep muscles that is responsible for extending the knee. Of course, you’d also know that the rectus femoris is also a muscle that crosses two joints which actually makes it hip flexor as well.
What this essentially means is that it gets shortened with prolonged sitting just as much as the rest of the hip flexor group. It also means that to stretch it you’ll have to make sure the knee is bent.
To perform this stretch you want to assume the same position as the previous hip flexor stretch except that the rear foot should be elevated on a bench of some sort. If you don’t have a bench at home you can use a chair or couch. Again, the body must be kept completely upright. You should feel this in front of the rear hip, but also down the front of that thigh as well.
Many people find it difficult to maintain an upright position on this stretch which just reinforces the need to do it regularly.
Calves
Over the past couple of years we’ve noticed an increasing number of people with ankle mobility issues and the inflexibility of most people’s calf muscles seems to be one of the biggest culprits. Many people can’t even squat all the way down in an upright position without their heels coming off the floor.
I should reiterate that wearing high heels regularly can cause the calves to shorten and ultimately lead to problems down the road. In fact, the heels don’t really have to be that high. A one inch heel such as that found on many pairs of running shoes (like Nike Shox) can contribute to the problem.
To stretch the calves place the hands against a wall and place one foot behind the body far enough back that the heel rests about 1-2 inches above the floor. From this position slowly try to push the heel down to the floor. You should feel a stretch in the back of the calf. Repeat with the other leg.
What about my hamstrings?
Hamstrings are a tricky muscle because they can appear tight when they actually aren’t. If your pelvis is tilted forwards as a result of tight hip flexors it can place the hamstrings under tension giving you the illusion that they’re tight. Stretching them further will only allow the hip flexor to become tighter and reinforce the problem. If you’re having trouble visualizing this, don’t worry.
Here’s a quick and dirty test to see if you should stretch your hamstrings. Take a look at yourself in the mirror from the side and pay close attention to your waistband. If it tilts downward in the front you should focus on stretching your hip flexors and getting that issue sorted out first as this could be the cause of your apparent hamstring tightness.
If your waistband goes straight across and your hamstrings still feel tight then you can address them with the following stretch.
Place the heel of one foot on a bench, chair, or table. From this position bend forward at the hips until you feel mild stretch. It is important that when you reach forward you do not round the back and that all bending takes place at the hips. In this position people who can usually reach their toes might find that they aren’t as flexible as they thought. Also, make sure not to put the hands on the leg as this can act as a breaking motion to prevent forward movement. Try reaching out in front of you to increase the stretch.
Summary
If you feel stiff or in pain then this program just might be worth a shot. Give this a try for a few weeks. Better yet, combine it with the strategies in the other parts of this mobility series and you’ll experience results unparalleled by anything you’ve ever tried before.
You’ll be glad you did it.
August 6th, 2008
