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Hi there, do you know my friend Willpower?

My friend Willpower isn’t always a good friend – and I’m not sure why! I’ve done nothing to upset my friend; Willpower comes with me everywhere (and I mean everywhere). I just can’t shake Willpower off. Willpower affects me; sometimes for the better, but often not, and then I become upset and anxious… which brings out the worst in me and my behaviour. Why would my friend do this to me, when we’ve been friends for such a long time?

Do you know what: I’m going to have a heart-to-heart, find out what kind of a friend Willpower is, and try to understand a little more about this friendly (but sometimes challenging) relationship.

So what is willpower?

It’s a word that has been bandied around in society for generations, generally with negative connotations. More recently, willpower is often discussed when we try to lose weight or give up alcohol – and it’s true that anyone with an addiction requires a large amount of willpower or self-control to kick the habit. New Year’s Resolutions are a good example; being overweight and unfit sees many of us head to the gym on January 1st, to try to correct our failings and start the year off with a health and fitness drive. For some people this isn’t a problem. They sign up for the gym, or they get on the bike. They analyse their diet, they cut out take-aways, they eat more fruit and vegetables and they stop or reduce their alcohol consumption. On the face of it, this new health and fitness regime is pretty awesome! It seems pretty easy to exercise a few times a week, and be stricter with what we put in our mouths to fuel our bodies. But guess what… it’s not as easy as it looks. A 2018 study by Strava, a social network for athletes, looked at its 31.5 million users and their global activities. As early as January 12th, the social network site reported dramatic non-participation from its users. Another study by the Independent Newspaper in the UK identified that the 2nd week of February (6 weeks into a new health and fitness regime) was where 80% of new year’s resolutions were broken, and consequently failed. Furthermore, Forbes Magazine in the US highlighted that 80% of Americans will fail or jump off the wagon within 30 days of starting a New Year’s regime, and that only 8% made it through to the end of the year.

Willpower is often referred to as putting off what you want at the moment, in order to achieve a long-term goal. Why does this happen? Why do we procrastinate so much? Why do we lack the will to exercise more, and why is it so hard to say no to another piece of chocolate cake, or another beer or glass of wine? It would seem that there are some psychological aspects of willpower that need to be explored.

Mischel (1999) defined willpower as “a matter of learning how to control your attention and thoughts”. In other words, controlling your rational brain to overcome your impulsive and emotional brain. Willpower is often referred to as resolve, or self-control, which may involve a number of different cognitive and behavioural characteristics.

This may include:

Willpower involves putting off what you want in the short-term, to get what you want in the long-term.

It requires conscious effort, and often a significant investment of emotional and cognitive resources.

It involves resisting urges, fighting temptations, and using different strategies to maintain control.

Early research into willpower and self-control was conducted by W. Mischel (1972), a Stanford psychologist. His experiment asked children to wait to eat a marshmallow, in order to receive two marshmallows instead of just one. The experiment saw some children eat the marshmallow immediately (choosing short-term satisfaction over a longer-term reward), but some of the children were able to exert their willpower and wait for the second marshmallow. In further research, the children who were able to use their self-control and received the second marshmallow were found to have academic scores and grades higher than those children who chose to eat the marshmallow immediately.

More recent research from R. Baumeister (1998), saw participants offered chocolate cookies and radishes. The participants had to resist the urge and aroma of fresh baked chocolate cookies (using their willpower) and eat fresh radishes from the garden instead. The participants were then asked to complete a puzzle. The participants who ate the chocolate cookies completed the puzzle in half the time it took the participants who ate the radishes. It is thought that after resisting the chocolate cookies for such a long time, the participants who ate the radishes could not find the willpower to fully engage in the puzzle.

A study in 2006 identified that maybe physical activity can boost your willpower and self-control. Oaten & Cheng gave participants free gym memberships and personalised training programs. Those participants who used their memberships and exercised frequently improved certain behaviours that required willpower. This included eating better, controlling spending habits, and reducing substance abuse.

So, it would seem that exercise is excellent for strengthening willpower! This is rather ironic when we think that the lack of willpower is a primary reason we stop exercising or going to the gym. Can exercising help us to eat less junk food, watch less television, save more money or procrastinate less? Is the simple answer and treatment physical exercise?

If so, how much exercise do we need, and when do we need it? What type of exercise is particularly beneficial to improving willpower? They’re all relevant questions, but there is a lack of evidence to provide a conclusive insight on how we can tackle willpower with physical activity. The British Heart Foundation has suggested that as little as five minutes of regular physical activity, such as walking, is enough to make a difference to our self-control.

The key is to be prepared, like anything else in life. If you’re going to do something which may require time and thought, there’s a good chance you’ll need to plan ahead! The right footwear, clothing and drink bottle should be prepared in advance, so everything’s ready when you come to start your walk. But is this explanation too simple? Is our lack of planning in advance the main reason why so many of us use ‘lack of willpower’ as an excuse to stop doing something good, and go back to our bad habits?

When we set goals to stop smoking or lose weight, are we realistic in how we go about doing it? Does our willpower and self-control diminish in the first month of January because our goals are unrealistic? Do we need to plan in advance, and set small and achievable goals on our path to stopping smoking, getting fitter, or losing weight?

Baumeister (2007), identified that three steps were needed for willpower to succeed. They were setting measurable targets, making them realistic, and having the willpower to follow through. Baumeister highlighted realistic goals as an important step when planning; don’t set goals that are unrealistic, or too strict. Also, don’t be too hard on yourself if you have a slip-up every now and then. For example, consider someone with no history of exercise, who wants to complete a marathon in nine months. Being realistic with an exercise and nutrition plan is definitely needed, but nine months is a very questionable goal no matter how much enthusiasm you have. If a well-thought-out plan and strategy is not developed, the marathon goal will fail, because willpower will decrease. Sure, if you have a bad day and miss a training session, then let it go and come back tomorrow with a little more effort. Likewise, allow yourself a day off from your nutrition plan – have something you probably shouldn’t – but choose to see it as a treat for training well. Don’t be too strict to begin with; have a cheat meal and enjoy it, don’t see it as a failure. Planning is the key. A day off from a scheduled training session, or an extra beer or glass of wine ,should be seen as part of the journey to get to your goal. Don’t beat yourself up or stress about it, if you do then your willpower may decrease.

So, now I come back to my friend, willpower. Now I know a little more about my friend, I can understand why I become anxious or stressed when I do not complete a task or a goal. It’s clear I need my friend on a daily basis! But I ask myself questions that need to be addressed: Can I reduce the amount of time I spend on social media? Can I say no to a half-pounder when a healthier option is available? Can I get back on the bandwagon when I have repeated failures starting an exercise program? The answer is yes! If I were to continually say no to a half-pounder or limit my surfing of the net to 5 minutes a day, this could increase my stress or anxiety. The key, in my eyes, is to plan and to plan well when you want to lose weight or get fitter. If I want to reduce my alcohol consumption, then put a well organised plan in place. Be realistic: it’s highly unlikely you can stop drinking alcohol completely from Day One, but instead you can realistically reduce your consumption weekly or bi-weekly. Our human behaviour has a nasty little trait called habit, and for many of us, stopping something with immediate effect can lead to stress in our lives. That is when your friend taps you on the shoulder and starts to be too negative once again.

No one wants a friend like that! Don’t be afraid to fail, start again and be strong.

References

Baumeister R, Vols, K.D & Tice, D. M. (2007). The Strength Model of Self-Control. Current directions in Psychological Science, 16, 351-355.

Mischel W. (1999). A hot/cool system analysis of delay gratification dynamics of willpower. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 21 (2), 204-218.

Mischel W. (1972). Cognitive and attentional mechanisms in delay of gratification. Psychological Review, 106, 3-19.

Oaten B & Cheng G. (2006). Longitudinal gains in self-regulation from physical exercise. British Journal of Health Psychology, 11, 717-733.

Forbes Magazine (January 2020). Why discipline and self-control are the true path to success. Brent Gleeson. https://www.forbes.com/sites/brentgleeson/2020/01/23/why-discipline-and-self-control-are-the-true-path-to-success/#35573d384a4d

Strava. (2018). Estimating bicycle trip volume from Miami – Dade county from Strava tracking data. Journal of Transport Geography, volume 75, February 2019, 58-69.

Independent Newspaper (United Kingdom). (December 2019). “What have I learnt from my failed new years resolutions. Niellah Arboine. https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/new-years-resolutions-january-vegan-yoga-fitness-a8706491.html

Heart Matters -Increase Your Willpower and Self-Control. British Heart Foundation. https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/wellbeing/willpower

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Female hormones and Strength training

Female hormones and a woman’s menstrual cycle have a huge effect on the success your client can have in the gym. Even as male trainers, you should be in the know about your client’s cycle – so you can help them use their cycle to their benefit instead of it overruling their diet and exercise adherence! The part of the cycle your client is in can have a massive impact on her strength levels, energy, sleeping patterns, ability to utilise carbohydrate for fuel, her moods and even her ability to build muscle! If you can help her track the different phases she can use these to her advantage, becoming a weapon in the gym and fast-tracking her strength and fat loss goals.

First, we need to understand the basics of the menstrual cycle. A typical cycle is between 28-35 days, and there are two distinct phases with ovulation in between. It is a good idea to get clients to use an app such as Clue or Flow to track their cycle so they can see the different phases they move through and trends that may occur.

Follicular Phase:

The first stage is the follicular phase. This starts from the first day of their period and runs until they reach ovulation (typically between 10-16 days). During this stage the hormone Estrogen is at its highest and the egg is released from the ovary for fertilisation. Estrogen is anti-catabolic, which can aid muscle repair because it prevents catabolism by speeding up glucose intake within muscle fibres. For some women maximal strength does not differ between cycle phases, however many women report feeling stronger, being less hungry and having more energy during the follicular phase.

What does this mean for training?

This is the best time to program high volume/intensity strength sessions and promote high intensity HIIT sessions. Due to high levels of Estrogen, in this phase women will not only have more energy and be able to train harder but they will also recover more quickly from high volume work than they typically would in the luteal phase. As ovulation (when the egg is released) gets closer there is another surge of hormones, including Testosterone, so this can be the best time to hit a PR in the gym.

During the follicular phase, women also report being less hungry and have a significant reduction in cravings, making dieting easier. We as a coach can use this to our advantage by placing our client into a higher caloric deficit (500-700 cal) for two weeks, before adjusting for the luteal phase. Of course, we still need to fuel training sessions so it can help to taper carbohydrate intake to before and after training.

Luteal Phase:

After ovulation the second stage in the cycle kicks into gear, typically from day 16-28. The luteal phase begins while the egg is waiting to be fertilised. If the egg is not fertilised, the body goes through a range of hormonal changes to trigger the return to the follicular stage, marked by the first day of a period.

During the luteal phase Estrogen levels drop and Progesterone levels rise. Progesterone counteracts Estrogen; it has catabolic effects on the body, can inhibit your brain’s ability to recruit muscle fibres, and can block Testosterone’s positive effects (such as muscle growth and activation). All of these hormonal fluctuations can lead to women struggling with a wide array of PMS symptoms such as bloating, pain, low energy, irritability, poor sleep, a decrease in strength levels, hunger, and food cravings. It is important to note that mild PMS symptoms are normal but if a client is in crippling pain or having severe mood swings she should seek advice from her GP or Gynaecologist.

What does this mean for training?

It is during this phase that your clients may suddenly feel a decrease in energy and strength levels. Many women report feeling ‘weak’ or ‘slow’ and this can have a major impact on both training and diet adherence. With knowledge and tracking their cycle we can program around this and keep them on track, instead of them being ‘good’ for 2 weeks then falling off the radar in the second half of their cycle. During this phase we need to monitor how a client feels, adjust programming accordingly, and educate the client that it is normal to feel fatigued and have less strength. This knowledge alone can be enough to improve a client’s mood as they feel less guilty for taking it easy! You can adjust their program by reducing load, increasing rest breaks or moving towards a moderate intensity mixed training style with a combination of strength training, steady state cardio and moderate HIIT training such as circuits. You can still use progressive overload strength sessions during this time if that is your client’s goal; but as the first day of bleeding approaches reduce the load, as when clients are cramping or bloated the core does not engage as well as it should and this can increase the risk of injury.

During the luteal phase, women often report being hungrier and having cravings for high fat and simple carbohydrate foods. This is partially because our body’s ability to uptake carbohydrate is reduced. If fat loss is your client’s goal it is a good idea to reduce the caloric deficit a client is in to be 100-200 calories below maintenance, instead of the usual 500 we would typically prescribe for fat loss. This allows a little extra room for clients to consume an extra snack or treat in moderation to reduce cravings and hunger levels. You can offset this by making the caloric deficit higher at 500-700cal during the follicular phase, and over the month the deficit remains roughly 500cal per day. This strategy can help avoid the binge-restrict cycle and improve diet adherence. Just be careful to ensure your client is not drastically reducing calories for their increased training volume in the follicular phase.

What about during their period?

Each woman will have different symptoms, pain levels and emotions during this time (which is actually in the follicular phase). It is important to have open communication about how your client is feeling and adjust the intensity as needed. Some clients will feel great and be keen for a big training session while others may be in pain and be better suited to a lower intensity strength session/ circuit, some technique work or even a rest day. Studies have shown that exercise during a period can help alleviate some symptoms and give clients better energy levels, improved moods, and aid sleep. Some women can become iron deficient during their period so it can help to increase the amount of high iron foods such as red meat, beans and dark leafy greens – but you should always refer to a GP for blood tests to confirm this.

The benefits of exercise are endless. It is our job as personal trainers to educate our clients and enable them to have open communication about their hormonal cycle, without embarrassment. This could be the difference between your client thriving or failing with her fitness and body composition goals.

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6724592/

Davis HC, Hackney AC. Sex Hormones, Exercise and Women: Scientific and Clinical Aspects. Springer; 2016. The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Ovarian Axis and Oral Contraceptives: Regulation and Function; pp. 1–17.

https://www.theptdc.com/women-weightlifting-menstrual-cycle

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00421-015-3258-x

https://mennohenselmans.com/menstrual-cycle-periodization/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30844334/

Roar. Dr Stacy Sims. Available on book depository. Effects of the Menstrual Cycle on Exercise Performance Xanne A.K. Janse de Jonge, Sports Med. 2003;33(11):833-51

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A look at the techniques of conducting, the benefits of utilising and the FMS and MCS in athletic, rehabilitative and general populations.

What is movement screening?

Movement screens have grown in popularity, especially in the athletic field, due to the increased incidence of injuries (Mokha, Sprague, and Gatens 2016). The design and implementation of training programmes providing a pre-habilitation and conditioning element to reduce the rate of injuries purposefully, has increased (Gamble n.d.; Mokha et al. 2016). Practitioners can familiarize themselves with the mechanisms for injury and train accordingly (typically seen with dynamic warm-up derivatives like the FIFA 11+, and general strength training initiatives). All training plans must be individualized, based on a thorough assessment of the movement capabilities or incapabilities of the individual athlete or client. A movement screen is an assessment whereby the practitioner looks to challenge the athlete or client’s function and motor control during a range of “specific” movement tasks (Gamble n.d.; Mokha et al. 2016). If an athlete or client demonstrates high levels of movement function and motor control during these tasks, they have a reduced likelihood of experiencing an injury (Mokha et al. 2016). Additionally, they have heightened athletic prowess, resulting in efficiency and high levels of performance during running, cutting to change direction, and other athletic tasks (Mokha et al. 2016).

Is the use of movement screening widespread?

The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) and the Movement Competency Screen (MCS) are perhaps the two most consistently utilised movement screens and will be the focal point of this report. The FMS is highly commercial and has experienced plenty of success (Gamble n.d.; Mokha et al. 2016). It is used extensively overseas, particularly in the United States. Many successful American sports franchises, such as the NFL’s Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons, and perhaps most notably the MLB’s Chicago Cubs, use the FMS (Mokha et al. 2016). The MCS, on the other hand, while not possessing the following of the FMS, is used by High-Performance Sport NZ (HPSNZ) within their athletic development programmes.

Functional Movement Screen

The FMS is the most renowned movement competency screen in existence today (Mokha et al. 2016). It is a point-based screen that assesses if an individual possesses efficient movement patterning, with the primary goal of reducing injury risk (Mokha et al. 2016). The FMS can help practitioners to identify limb asymmetries which are known to increase the likelihood of injury 2.73 times (Mokha et al. 2016). The premise behind identifying injury risk is to help remedy that risk to keep athletes competing at a high level. Secondarily, it is essential to understand how well an individual can move as we need to assess whether they are ready to exercise at all, let alone bear load.

The FMS reportedly offers insight into the presence of motor control, proprioception and balance issues. Identifying limb asymmetry is another reported benefit. A person with suboptimal movement capabilities or a limb asymmetry is at a higher risk of injuries such as thigh strains, hamstring tears, hip adductor pain, patellofemoral pain and ACL/MCL rupture (Mokha et al. 2016). Injury risk factors are multifactorial, so it is about understanding the most consistent risk factor for all injuries; that is, someone who has experienced trauma previously has an elevated injury risk. The FMS test results can guide a practitioner to progress an individual appropriately, particularly following an injury in pursuit of a return-to-play aspiration. Addressing an injury involves managing pain and alleviating movement restrictions, but the mechanism that caused it, e.g. poor motor control, must also be dealt with.

Scoring the FMS

A straightforward scoring system exists. Practitioners should ask the client to perform the exercises to the best of their abilities and tell them if anything hurts. Simple, right?

A zero (0) is recorded if the individual experiences any pain performing the movement, irrespective of their quality of movement.

A one (1) is recorded if the individual is unable to complete the movement.

A two (2) is recorded if the individual can perform the movement, but there are compensations or imperfections evident while doing so.

A three (3) is recorded if the individual can perform the movement as directed.

The composite score is the sum of all the individual movement scores together, e.g. 14 out of 21.

Assessed Movement Competencies

There are seven movement competencies assessed in the FMS; these are:

Overhead Squat

How: 

Feet shoulder-width apart

Knee over foot

Dowel over foot

Torso and tibia parallel

No valgus collapse in the knee

NB:Butt-wink is not an issue

  Hurdle Stepping

How:

Adopt a single leg stance

Line up the string or top of the hurdle with the tibia tuberosity

Assess if they can maintain stable torso and head

Step over and clear hurdle

  In-line Lunge

How:

Adopt a split stance

Keep dowel touching: Head, thoracic spine and sacrum

One joint, e.g. hip, knee, ankle or poor core stability, could affect the whole movement pattern. Correcting the dysfunction will correct the movement pattern.

These first three movements are challenging and can expose limitations and compensatory movement. The hurdle step and in-line lunge mimic the split stance, unilateral nature of life and many athletic tasks.

Shoulder Rotators

How:

Reach one hand/arm over the top of your shoulder

Reach the other hand/arm behind your back

Make a fist with both hands and try to touch each one

If the hands are within: one hand length = 3; 1 and ½ hand lengths = 2; > 1 and ½ hand lengths = 1; pain = 0

The shoulder rotator test is a clearing test that measures shoulder health and mobility as well as thoracic spine mobility, both of which help the overhead squat. If the squat is poor, it could be the result of the shoulder rotators and dysfunction through the thoracic spine.

Hamstring ROM Lift

How:

Position the client in neutral, e.g. no external or internal rotation through the hip

Place the dowel at “mid-thigh,” e.g. halfway between the knee and the ASIS of the non-assessed limb.

If the malleolus of the ankle on the assessed limb, can reach past mid-thigh with no knee bend and hips remain neutral, record a 3

Between the knee and the dowel, record a 2

Can’t go past the knee, record a 1

If pain is evident record a 0

If a client demonstrates incompetency during the hurdle step or in-line lunge, it could be due to poor hamstring ROM. If the client cannot get their leg 6 inches off the ground, then there is the mobility issue.

Push up

How:

Position client in the push-up position. Hands should be just outside shoulder-width apart

Hand placement should result in thumbs being just above the forehead

The client must maintain good posture through the torso and spine

If the client cannot perform one repetition in this position, or if they are female, position hands so that thumbs are in line with the chin

If the client cannot perform one repetition in this position, position their hands so that their thumbs are in line with the shoulder joint

If the client cannot perform one repetition in this position, they achieve a 1.

An assessment of trunk stability.

Rotary Stability

How:

Get the client positioned on all fours.

Get the client to extend the arm and leg on the same side of the body.

From this extended position, get the client to bring their arm and leg back towards the starting position and ask that they attempt to touch the elbow to knee.

If the client can perform this with minimal issue or loss of balance, then they score a three. If they do not score a three then have the client perform the same movement with alternate sides, e.g. left arm and right leg. Doing this would result in a score of 2.

Movement Competency Screen

The MCS also helps determine an individual’s movement competency to help practitioners gain an understanding of how their clients move and whether or not the movement they produce is free of dysfunction and pain. Numerous variables can influence the movement competencies of an individual (Gamble n.d.). However, the premise behind the screen is to develop an understanding of how an individual can move, so their prescribed training does not exceed their capabilities (Gamble n.d.). Therefore, the MCS is a tool used to ascertain if a practitioner can assertively load a particular pattern, or if a developmental approach would be better suited to the individual.

There are 11 movement tasks within the MCS:

Bodyweight Squat

Countermovement Jump

Lunge and Twist (Slow)

Lunge and Twist (Fast)

Bilateral broad jump with unilateral landing

Push up

Explosive push up

Bend and pull (Slow) NB: Performed like a Pendley row.

Bend and pull (Fast)

Bodyweight single leg squat

Bilateral countermovement jump with single-leg landing

The unilateral tasks are completed on both sides of the body. Instruct the individual to perform 2-4 repetitions of each movement task.

For a video on how to complete these movements, please refer to the following link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMU0bM7ACAM

Scoring the MCS

The scoring is a little more sophisticated than it is for the FMS, although it is still relatively easy to perform from a practitioner’s stand-point. There are five levels commonly used to design and implement strength training and rehabilitation programmes; the scoring is based on these levels:

Assisted Bodyweight

Bodyweight

External load at slow movement speeds

Eccentric training

Plyometric

The practitioner needs to determine which level the observed movement capabilities would allow the individual to perform safely. Then guide any programme design moving forward.

Below is the MCS scoring sheet as developed by Dr Matt Kritz.

Below is the MCS rationale sheet developed by Dr. Matt Kritz.

FMS and MCS: Rationale for movement screening

As mentioned above, the FMS and MCS feature movement patterns with characteristics of significant sporting and athletic tasks. Both screens indicate the function and motor control that an athlete or client possesses concerning executing these movement tasks, and are point-based systems, that is, for each movement task within the screen, a score of competency is recorded. The overall score (a summation of all individual movement task scores) is believed to relate to the individual’s risk of injury and performance capabilities (Mokha et al. 2016). Higher total scores reportedly indicate a reduced likelihood of the client experiencing an injury and more considerable athletic prowess (Mokha et al. 2016). Individual task scores for both tests are indicative of the intrinsic injury risk to specific regions of the body, which is particularly advantageous if a particular body part is susceptible to injury in a specific sporting discipline, e.g. knee injuries in football or netball.

Any observed movement deficiency is interpreted as evidence of issues of motor control or musculoskeletal structure. When one considers the third Newtonian law, the law of reaction, motor control issues that present in faulty movement patterns could lead to injury through improper force application wearing out tendons, ligaments, muscles and joints. It is crucial to have an understanding of the client’s previous injury history, as any movement deficiency could be the result of an earlier injury leading to the dysfunctional movement pattern (Gamble n.d.; Mokha et al. 2016). To further highlight the need for understanding of previous injury history, many clients do not complete their rehab – this is evident in clients who have had surgically repaired ligaments in their knee. Finally, a previous injury is the highest risk factor predisposing an individual to future injury, so practitioners must be mindful of this when assessing a movement competency as it may affect the training approach or corrective exercises prescribed by the practitioner. If any faults are present, the screen should guide the practitioner towards suitable programme design and implementation (Gamble n.d.; Mokha et al. 2016).

FMS and MCS: Evidence supporting movement screens

At the time of writing, there was no research on the MCS, and its benefits, or a correlation with injury risk or athletic prowess on performance test measures (Gamble n.d.). However, there is research on programming relating to the MCS and how it can be used to break down a client’s training based on their competency score (Gamble n.d.). Research on the FMS is available, albeit scarce. Mixed results exist and reportedly, neither screen is overly reliable with many fundamental issues evident (Gamble n.d.; Mokha et al. 2016).

The FMS does not correlate to performance on the 20m sprint test, vertical jump tests (CMJ and SJ), core stability or agility tests.

The FMS cannot discriminate between performance levels, e.g. elite vs amateur etc.

To date, only two studies have investigated the effects of the FMS on injury risk or incidence of injury. A composite score of < 14.0 was reportedly suggestive of an increased injury risk. FMS critics claim it is unreliable because a composite score of 14 out of 21 is representative of an individual scoring 2 out of 3 on much of the movement tasks within the screen.

Reported mean values for a sample of team sport athletes is 15.56.

A study by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) determined that a sample of 170 collegiate sportsmen and women with a composite score of < 14.0 did not correlate with an increased likelihood of injury.

Only the in-line lunge movement task shows any correlation to injury incidence, and this was fair at best.

Issues with Implementation

There are issues with the implementation of the FMS, which subsequently affects the reliability and sensitivity of the screen. Firstly, there is no general agreeance concerning the amount of technical information provided to the client performing each of the movement tasks. Some believe that no information should be provided regarding the proper form or what the assessor is looking for; that way, the athlete or client will be more inclined to demonstrate their natural movement.

The problem with providing a lack of technical support in the completion of the tasks is that minimal direction is said to lead to false negatives. Some clients have the capabilities required to complete the tasks but are scored lower, indicating that they exhibit dysfunctional patterning. The question is: Do movement screens merely tell us how an athlete chooses to move?

Issues with Reliability

As previously mentioned, very few studies have investigated either the FMS or the MCS. Reliability scores are low to moderate with both intra and inter-rater reliability questionable. The FMS’s inline lunge is fair as is the MCS lunge and Twist. However, all other movements demonstrate poor reliability at best.

Issues with over Interpretation

Neuromuscular control is generally accepted to be task-specific, that is, specific to both the nature of the task and any constraints the task imposes. Research has demonstrated an alteration to the kinematics of a countermovement jump if a target is introduced and changes to movement mechanics when a dummy or defender is added to a change of direction speed drill. Therefore, it is naive and perhaps unsafe to assume that a corrective programme based on a stationary task like an overhead squat, could transfer to a reactive task such as a side-step or cutting manoeuvre typical of opponent or hazard evasion in a sport like American Football.

Practical Recommendation for the use of the FMS and MCS

The FMS and MCS do have their place despite their limitations. Personally, in the gym with a regular client, we do not need to perform overly dynamic athletic tasks. We may perform some ballistics or plyometric work, but again these aren’t excessively dynamic. As a result, I feel that the FMS and MCS have their place as the tests help to assess the function and motor control of patterning related to most if not all, gym-based exercise programming.

In a broader sense, it has a role to play in the wider pre-participation test battery of athletes. Athletes should be provided full technical instruction regarding what constitutes proper form to eliminate the potential for false negatives to occur, thus immediately improving the reliability of the assessment.

The assessment should be filmed and performed by the same assessor where possible.

Conclusion

Stationary movement patterns provide the foundation that technical improvement is based. Assessment of these patterns can highlight the misalignment of limbs, particularly in the lower portion of the body. Misalignment is undesirable from a movement efficiency standpoint, and often these deficiencies are further pronounced during dynamic movement, e.g. running. Misalignment and other evident flaws can trickle down to inefficient motion, leading to sub-optimal performance. Furthermore, deficiencies result in the body utilizing more energy to move. They can lead to the improper application of force, i.e. ground reactions forces, which based on the third Newtonian law can lead to wear and tear and physical injury. By discovering movement-related abnormalities practitioners can strive for movement improvements in their programming, vastly influencing movement efficiency by achieving a heightened functionality.

Point-based movement screening widely used in the athletic population, such as the FMS and MCS, are not without their limitations. The primary limitations include a lack of scientific evidence in support of claims that test results can highlight injury risk and performance impairments. Technical information provided to the athlete being screened, regarding what is considered correct movement, is an issue that could influence test outcomes with inaccurate representations of that client’s capability. Practitioners should use screening tests not as a diagnostic tool but as an informative tool that can help identify potential areas of weakness, which can guide programme design and implementation, that is, safe and effective training programmes. This will allow for better programming to improve performance, limited injury risk and ultimately will help keep our athletes from missing competition and our clients from missing gym time.

From a general population standpoint, all the above applies, particularly when one considers that gym users just wish to improve their strength or overall health and well-being. Whether that be via fat loss or not is irrelevant, resistance training has its place. Unless someone can move well and exhibit functionality and heightened levels of mobility, then we cannot load them. The FMS and MCS can help us identify whether a dysfunctional movement pattern exists and allows us to correct it. After that, the foundation will be in place to load our clients and help them reach their goals and not waver from doing so due to an easily remedied movement pattern deficiency.

    References

Gamble, Paul. n.d. “Movement Screening Protocols: Rationale versus Evidence.” Journal of Sports Med 83–87.

Kritz, Mathew. 2015. The Movement Competency Screen (MCS).

Mokha, M., Sprague, P. A., and Gatens, D. R., 2016. “Predicting Musculoskeletal Injury in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II Athletes from Asymmetries and Individual-Test versus Composite Functional Movement Screening Scores.” Journal of Athletic Training 51(4):276–82.

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Adaptation to Training

In this educational article I would like to discuss what Adaptation to Training means. Supporting material can be found in module 5.6.

As a future trainer, it’s crucial to know what is going to happen to your client’s body when they start to train with you.

The first thing to happen in your client’s body, after a couple of sessions with you, will be that your client’s body will adapt to your training sessions.

  What is adaptation?

The unique characteristics that enable humans to be successful in an environment are called adaptations.

In the context of physical activity, an adaptation is the process of change the human body experiences after being exposed to a stimulus. This change occurs because the body’s baseline is challenged. The body will adapt so that it can better tolerate the stimulus being supplied.

Chronic Adaptations to Cardiovascular and Resistance Training

When we design training programmes, it’s because our clients want to change. This change can range from weight loss to strength gain, and everything in between. There are numerous ways we can train, and many different programme variables and exercises we can incorporate. The recipe may differ depending on the adaptation being sought. It is imperative, as a personal trainer, to understand not only how to improve specific components of fitness but also what the body undergoes chronically on a physiological level.

Let’s break it down:

What is meant by chronic adaptation?

The term chronic means the change is long-term. It’s the consequence of consistent training, and is essentially the reward the client gets for adopting proper exercise and nutritional habits.

Cardiovascular adaptations

Cardiovascular training is generally endurance training such as running, cycling or rowing for any periods of time over 2 minutes. The aerobic system is dominant during these activities. The adaptations that occur are:

Hormonal Responses

Increased glycogen (glucose which is stored in the liver and muscles). This stored form of glucose is made up of many connected glucose molecules, and during glycogen breakdown it is utilized as energy.

Skeletal Muscle Response

The size and number of mitochondria increase.

Muscles adapt to utilize fat stores for energy.

An increase in slow-twitch fibres as they are fatigue-resistant.

The levels of myoglobin content in the muscle can also undergo adaptation (although this is variable).

An increase in the number of capillaries and blood supply allows for the removal of lactic acid.

Improved capacity to oxidize fat.

  Cardiac and Respiratory Responses

An increase in V02 max output, as the increase of capillaries and stroke volume has a direct impact on our V02 max.

An increase in cardiac and respiratory adaptations during rest periods.

An increase in stroke volume due to increased size and capacity of the left ventricle. This results in more blood ejected per heartbeat, improving oxygenated blood transport.

Heart hypertrophy. The heart is a muscle and becomes more substantial and more efficient at pumping blood through the body.

  Resistance Training Adaptations

Resistance training – also referred to as weight training or strength training – is exercise that is weight-bearing. The muscles contract (shorten) and stretch (lengthen) under the tension of external resistance.

Hormonal Responses

Stimulation of anabolic hormones such as testosterone and growth hormone which initiates muscle size growth.

The ATP-PC system is used first, and then the glycolytic system is used.

  Skeletal Muscle Responses

If the training is done correctly, it can trigger hypertrophy due to an increase of anabolic hormones in the body. This results in an increase in the cross-sectional muscle area.

An increase in fast-twitch muscle fibres cross-sectional area.

Resistance training can help increase the number of type 2 fibres in relation to type 1 fibre within a muscle group, but it is important to note that practice cannot change one fibre type into another.

An increase in muscular strength within muscle tissue. Muscle tissue increases in size and thickness over a period while undergoing strength training. This can also influence body composition.

Improved ligament and tendon strength. These adaptations take longer to take place due to a lower level of blood supply.

An increase in bone remodelling and strengthening. Weight-bearing exercise causes micro-damage to the skeletal system, which initiates osteoclasts to repair and increase bone strength and density.

Cardiac and Respiratory Responses

There is a degree of cardiac adaption to resistance training which can be due to the increase in heart rate and blood pressure during lifting, and a rapid decrease during rest periods between sets.

Neurological Responses

There are several neurological adaptations that the body experiences with exercise. These are:

Improved motor patterns. As we perform movements, our motor patterning is enhanced in those movements. The body requires repetition to learn a new movement competently.

Improved coordination. With advanced motor patterning we improve our coordination. Specific sports training can significantly improve coordination.

Strength training can allow for improvements in the recruitment and firing rates of motor units. A motor unit consists of a motor neuron and all the muscle fibres that are innervated by that.

The body is a complex machine, and what the mind does the body will follow. However, sometimes we need to accept that adaptations need to take place without the mind disrupting. We need to understand that, and we need to be able to explain it to our client too.

The body needs rest and nurturing. We are all individuals and respond differently to training and the effects of exercise; we need to have a clear picture of what happens to our body, or our client’s body, during training.

I invite you to experience this change in yourself! If you are training already or you haven’t started yet, choose the type of training that best suits you, and experience the changes for yourself.

  References:

https://blogs.kent.ac.uk/kentsport-news/adaptation-to-training-the-impact-on-the-body/https://courses.fitfutures.co.nz/mod/book/view.php?id=3256

  Tutor Bibliography Lony Stewart is one of the Tutors at Fit Futures Academy.  Lony was born and raised in Santiago, Chile, and still has family there (an older sister and her extended family). Lony’s education was based in Santiago, Chile, University of the Americas. She holds a B.P.Ed. (Hons) Bachelor of Physical Education, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Sport & Deep Tissue Massage. While studying, Lony worked at her local gym before becoming the Physical Education Teacher in charge of the Sports Department of a local school. She has more than eight years of experience in the fitness industry. Outside of work Lony has a beautiful baby boy and is married to her best friend. Her educational areas of interest include health and exercise.

Disclaimer: The exercises and information provided by Fit Futures Learning Institute (T/A Fit Futures Academy) (www.fitfutures.co.nz) are for educational and entertainment purposes only, and are not to be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific treatment plan, product or course of action. Read the full content disclaimer.

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How you doing Gym… you feeling a little better?

So, gyms and exercise facilities are back open in New Zealand! Covid-19 did its best to challenge all businesses through some dark times earlier in the year, and the health and fitness industry wasn’t excluded. But we are now seeing a little more normality in the industry, though it also should be said that we cannot become complacent. We only have to look at our neighbours across the ditch in Melbourne to see how quickly things can change.

That said, things are looking good here. New Zealand gyms and exercise facilities have reached about 85-90% of pre-Covid-19 levels, according to a recent survey by Exercise Association NZ. While this is good, we should also be cautious as we are in the first stages of post-Covid-19, and we can’t be sure how long this stage will last for. It’s fair to say that it will not be going away soon, particularly when we compare ourselves to other parts of the world where Covid-19 cases are still going up.

So how will New Zealand’s gyms and exercise facilities consolidate now we are at alert level 1? It is rather ironic that an industry that makes people stronger, fitter, and healthier could be crippled and brought to its knees by Covid-19. In a business article during the lockdown, Brett Sutton, Les Mills Head of Club Operations highlighted that he was worried what Covid-19 could do; not just to Les Mills but to the industry as a whole. Phillip Mills, International Executive Director of Les Mills, expected approximately 70% of members to return back to the gym. Which on the whole is great… but he also added that the remaining 20-30% of missing members is where the profits lay for the business.

So, what changes have to occur for Les Mills and other gyms and exercise facilities if members do not return immediately? The lockdown earlier in the year was disastrous for business owners and employees. As we know, during the lockdown many businesses folded, and people lost their jobs. And though New Zealand has got itself up off the floor after the lockdown, we must remain cautiously optimistic going forward. We are yet to see the full effects of the economic downturn, as more redundancies are forecasted in the final quarters of 2020. If this is correct, there may be another wave of gym membership cancellations as users look at managing their disposable income more tightly.

Further afield, gyms have reopened in more than half of the states across the USA. Fitness is a $34 billion industry and an estimated 20% of Americans have a fitness or health membership. A recent Fortune article suggested that high-end boutique fitness studios were doing very well since they had reopened – but low-priced gyms like Planet Fitness were struggling with occupancy. TIME magazine earlier this month pointed out that only 20% of Americans said they would not feel comfortable going back into the gym after lockdown. A further 25% highlighted that they would not plan to go back to the gym. Indeed, the franchise gym, Chains 24 Hour Fitness & Gold’s Gym, a recognisable name in the industry, have filed for bankruptcy due to Covid-19.

In the United Kingdom (UK), gyms were due to reopen on Saturday 25th July. At the time of writing this article in early July, the gyms in the UK were one of the last public-facing businesses to reopen. Phillip Mills from Les Mills pointed out that during the lockdown in the UK, it was predicted that 2800 gyms WOULD be gone by June. This is a startling and bold statement, and only time will tell if this is correct or even anywhere near the mark. During lockdown, the Telegraph newspaper in the UK identified that there was a 400% rise in home gym equipment being purchased online, suggesting more gym users now have options to keep fit at home. Will this keep them from returning to the gym? In New Zealand during the lockdown, home exercise equipment was in huge demand and online workouts too. Les Mills even provided live fitness classes broadcast on TVNZ! These classes were watched on TV by about 1.2 million viewers, with another 210,000 streaming them online. So, it is fair to say that the gym membership landscape is changing quickly, and gym owners are having to embrace change whether they like it or not. Things are not going to get back to ‘normal’ next week or in the next few months or even maybe years, but what gym owner’s and members have to do and acknowledge swiftly, is that change is needed if gyms are to survive.

So, what can be done for our beloved gyms and exercise facilities to remain open in New Zealand during these difficult and challenging times? Both users and owners have options:

Will we see an increase in membership prices? This may happen to cover the costs of falling membership numbers. It may not happen immediately, but owners would be naive to think that their businesses can continue to function as if there was nothing wrong.

The big boys in the industry may be the first casualties. Les Mills, City Fitness, Snap Fitness, Anytime Fitness and Jett’s Fitness are the leading industry providers. Smaller outfits or privately owned gyms with fixed costs and smaller overheads may find it easier to survive. Will we see a gradual movement of gym users going to smaller facilities?

To reassure uncertain or potential new members coming to join a gym, owners need to show that social distancing and member safety is enforced as much as is practically possible and that hygiene measures are taken seriously, with wiping down of equipment a primary objective of each gym user.

Gyms and exercise facilities need to have a flexible and ever-revolving business plan. Do the big boys in the industry gamble by leasing or buying new state-of-the-art technology to keep their remaining members happy and to entice new members into the gym? Or do they take stock, build on what they have, and place a greater emphasis on the personal trainers and fitness instructors to go above and beyond to provide a high-level professional experience where each member feels welcome and important?

Will we see landlords increase rental charges for gym owners? Some gyms were struggling financially before the lockdown. It may be prudent for gym owners to speak to their landlord and discuss how both parties can keep going forward successfully. A gym closing because of high rent fees does not necessarily mean that the landlord will be able to replace them immediately – Covid-19 has seen to that. There is no queue of businesses lining up at the landlord’s door to rent space. As a result, landlords may well be open to discussions about reduced rent for a short period of time.

So how are New Zealand gyms doing, early post-lockdown? I think it is fair to say that 7/10 would be an objective score right now as we come to the end of July. We know the industry has approached the post lockdown period well, and Exercise Association New Zealand chief executive Richard Beddie has highlighted that new membership sales show that New Zealanders are wanting to stay physically active, possibly as a result of the increase in physical activity seen during the 3 month lockdown. But the bottom line could be that gym users are also craving to get back into a facility with other people, where there’s a sense of community amongst the users; a bit like a social club, where users like to be seen, it’s a vital part of their lifestyle. They do not necessarily turn up to the gym to workout. There will always be a number of hardcore gym users who will keep coming back to the gyms. But the key for gyms going forward is to offer an excellent experience at an affordable and competitive price while New Zealanders sail through unpredictable waters.

                                                              Reference

https://fortune.com/2020/06/11/coronavirus-gyms-workouts-fitness-apps-reopening/

https://www.lesmills.com/clubs-and-facilities/research-insights/research/post-lockdown-research-reveals-the-new-member-mindset/

https://www.newsroom.co.nz/news/2020/04/23/1141015/survival-of-the-fittest

https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/audio/richard-beddie-fitness-centres-struggling-to-remain-open/

https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU2006/S00097/nz-fitness-centres-back-to-70-percent-activity-levels.htm

https://time.com/5867166/covid-19-gyms-exercise/

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Programming considerations for clients in the first trimester of pregnancy

With over 85% of women having children at some point in their life, if you work with female clients, training your first pregnant client isn’t a matter of if – but when! Training clients during pregnancy can be daunting, but it doesn’t need to be. Instead of needing to refer onto other trainers, why not educate yourself about how to train this target market?

  Today’s article will delve into the first trimester, the physiological and psychological changes that occur, and how we can train our clients to give them more energy in what can be a very exhausting time.

  Firstly, let’s recap the benefits of exercise during pregnancy. It’s important to remind our clients of their “why” when first trimester symptoms such as morning sickness, mood swings, and fatigue can make exercise seem like a daunting task.

  Benefits of exercise during pregnancy:

Reduces back pain

Eases constipation

May decrease the risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and cesarean delivery

Promotes healthy weight gain during pregnancy

Improves overall general fitness and strengthens the heart and blood vessels

Prepares the client for labor and birth

Decreases postpartum recovery time

Prevents/ improves depression, anxiety, and other mental health illnesses

Decreases the risk of postnatal depression

Decreases risk of urinary incontinence

Prevents postpartum weight retention

Increases energy levels

Increase in lean muscle mass

Reduces pregnancy-related bone density loss

  Physiological changes:

  To understand how to create safe pregnancy programs, it helps to understand the physiological changes that occur during the first trimester (weeks 1-13). During weeks 1-8 the placenta, spinal cord and brain begin to form. Eyes, ears, nose and genitalia begin to develop, although the eyes remain closed. The tissues of the heart and major organs begin to develop, and small buds that form the limbs appear.

From weeks 9-13 fingers, toes and soft nails start to form; at this stage the hands are more developed than the feet and the arms are longer than the legs. The spine is soft and can already flex! Intestines, bones and muscles begin to develop while the skin is still so thin it is transparent. It’s no wonder women are so fatigued, it’s a lot for the body to do in just 13 weeks!

By the time your client gets their 12-week scan they will be able to see what looks like a fully formed baby, hear the heartbeat, and see the blood flowing through the baby’s body. This scan also marks a point of relief for many clients as this is (usually) the first time they get to see and hear their baby, and the risk of miscarriage is significantly reduced.

  Physiological changes for the mother;

Even if your client has been very active before falling pregnant, the first trimester can bring some or all of the following physiological changes and symptoms:

Increased blood volume and heart rate

Increase in hCG, hCS and hPL, estrogen and progesterone hormone levels

Fatigue

Morning sickness – which can affect some women in the afternoon or throughout the day

Breast tenderness, feeling fuller or heavier

Headaches

Increased urination

Insomnia

Vivid dreams

Dizzy spells

  Not all pregnant women will experience these symptoms but many will experience multiple. If your client is one of these women, her goal for the first trimester should be to take care of herself and rest where possible.

  Psychological changes

  During the first trimester women experience changes in their memory, moods, mental health, energy levels, and appetite. It’s important to understand how a pregnant woman may be feeling; if her pregnancy is planned she may be excited, anxious or overwhelmed. Unplanned pregnancies can also bring joy and happiness but for some women, this may be stressful or sad news. With these feelings, along with extra hormonal changes that can cause unpredictable moods and thoughts, it is important for the trainer to give positive reinforcement to each client.

  Each and every woman will have an individual pregnancy experience so it is paramount that we always ask open-ended questions to check in with our clients and see how they are feeling each time they train. Some days they may feel great and want to train hard, and others they may be exhausted, feeling nauseous, and overwhelmed (so a gentler session may be more appropriate).

  Program considerations

  Before beginning any exercise program with a pregnant client, or when a client advises you they are pregnant, it is best practice to have your client answer a pregnancy-specific pre-exercise questionnaire. The Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology has an excellent one on their website (link at the bottom of the page). The American College of Sports Medicine recommends women should accumulate 150 minutes of moderate Physical Activity each week. Exercise is encouraged daily but should be completed at least 3 times per week.

  Goals for the first trimester should include:

Focus on posture and alignment

Increase strength and muscle mass

Pelvic floor

Developing a solid aerobic foundation

Promote healthy weight gain

  We need to know when to stop exercise with a pregnant client. If your client exhibits any of the following signs you should stop exercise immediately and get in touch with their lead maternity carer:

Bleeding from the vagina

Feeling dizzy or faint

Shortness of breath before beginning exercise

Chest pain

Headache

Muscle weakness

Calf pain or swelling

Regular, painful contractions of the uterus

Fluid gushing or leaking from the vagina

  The volume and intensity of your program will vary depending on your client’s previous experience, fitness level, any complications they may have. It’ll also vary depending on her current pregnancy symptoms, her goals, and the amount of time she has to dedicate to training. These may change throughout her pregnancy, so it’s best to keep frequent and open communication.

  Things to avoid during the first trimester include:

Getting too hot – avoid activity done in high temperatures

High impact activities, such as contact sports or anything with a high risk of falling

  Strength training

When it comes to strength training very few modifications need to be made during the first trimester as your client’s belly will not yet be in the way, but there are a few things to consider:

Building a strong upper back will help support a women’s growing breasts and belly

A strong core will help her carry the weight of the growing baby

A strong posterior chain can help keep the spine aligned and reduce back pain

It is not recommended to lift in the 1-5 rep range as this increases abdominal and pelvic floor pressure

Your clients may feel breathless so you may need to lower the intensity as necessary

  Cardiovascular training

Building or maintaining a good cardiovascular base can help clients sleep better, reduce stress and recover from strength sessions. For women who are overweight, it can also reduce the risk of developing gestational diabetes. For most clients and those who are new to exercise, working at a level of 4-6 out of 10 is ideal; HIIT training may not be appropriate. For those who are more conditioned, you can work at a 6-8 out of 10 and include HIIT training if the client is feeling up to it. If they are suffering from extreme fatigue or nausea it would be best to leave the HIIT and higher intensity sessions to another time.

  Putting it all together;

  Just like any client, when creating a program for the first trimester you need to factor in your client’s goals, the duration and frequency of sessions, what your client enjoys, any complications or symptoms they may have, training load/ volume/ range of motion/ exercise choice and a balance of pushing v.s pulling movements. Each program should be tailored to the individual, but the most important thing to remember is exercise during pregnancy should increase energy levels, not leave your clients fatigued and nauseous. Learn to adapt a program for your client’s fluctuating mood, energy level, and level of nausea and you will play a big part in keeping them active through their entire pregnancy so they can reap the benefits.

  References

  http://www.csep.ca/cmfiles/publications/parq/parmed-xpreg.pdf – Prenatal exercise questionnaire

https://www.acsm.org/docs/default-source/files-for-resource-library/pregnancy-physical-activity.pdf?sfvrsn=12a73853_4

https://www.acog.org/patient-resources/faqs/pregnancy/exercise-during-pregnancy

Girls Gone strong – Pre and PostNatal Certification textbook

Bureau USC. FFF: Women’s history month: March 2017

Wesnes SL, Rortveit, Bo K, Hunskaar. Urinary incontinence during pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol. 2007

  Tutor Bibliography

As a teenager, Libby was unfit, smoked, drank and thought the gym was for “fit people”. At the age of 19 she fell in love with strength training. The gym changed Libby’s life forever, but it was not without some struggles – she has had multiple major hip surgeries, and through these developed a drive and determination to not let injuries stop her from training. This drive led her to fall in love with powerlifting and she’s been competing ever since.

Libby became a personal trainer to help anyone who felt like being fit was out of their capabilities, and show them the positive impacts exercise can have on all aspects of their life. She has been a group fitness instructor for seven years and a qualified personal trainer for six. Libby has worked in commercial gyms, had her own home studio, and after having her daughter Rose in 2018 now works from a strength gym in Christchurch. She specialises in training female beginners, pre/postnatal women, and small group personal training.

Libby won ‘Small Group Trainer of the Year’ at the NZ Exercise Industry Awards in 2017 and continues to seek professional development through local and international ongoing education courses such as Kettlebell and pre/postnatal training certifications.

  Disclaimer: The exercises and information provided by Fit Futures Learning Institute (T/A Fit Futures Academy) (www.fitfutures.co.nz) are for educational and entertainment purposes only, and are not to be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific treatment plan, product or course of action. Read the full content disclaimer.

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Footwear for Foot’s Sake!

Most people don’t really think about what they wear on their feet when working out… and if I’m completely honest, I fall under that category. As long as my footwear allows me to do what I want in the gym and gets me from A to B during my workouts, then my job here is done! Yet the science behind having the correct footwear does affect your workouts, prevents injury, supports your foot type and – for some shoes – looks great and fashionable on your feet! In this article we explore the benefits of wearing correct footwear for your chosen sport or at the gym, finding the right footwear for your foot type, the science behind choosing the right footwear, and the effects that come with it.

‘On your mark…..

Not all feet are the same, they come in all shapes and sizes and have their own unique qualities.  Our feet, like the rest of our body, are determined by what we inherit through genetics and DNA. Our feet are made up primarily of bone, ligaments, tendons, and muscle tissue, and they’re responsible for balance, force absorption and propulsion.  Feet can be categorised into 3 types of shapes:

Pronation – is a flat or pronated foot that is caused by an imbalance of weight distribution through the inside of the foot. The arch in the foot has collapsed, and the heel bone is everted. If left over time, pronated feet can lead to injuries in the knees, hips and lower back.

Neutral – has a balanced weight distribution. The arch is at the right height for the foot, and the heel sits proportionately with the floor.

Supination – is a very high arch of the foot, which causes an imbalance of weight distribution through the outside of the foot. Sprained ankles are common with this type of foot.

The next time you put on a pair of trainers, have a look at the soles: this should indicate one of the three types mentioned above from the wear and tear. If you find that your trainer has worn severely on the outer edge, then your weight distribution and shape type is that of a supinated foot.

The right footwear can increase foot muscle strength and help ease short-term aches and pains. Research has shown that 35% of gym-goers wear the incorrect shoe.

Which kind of shoe benefits each foot type?

People that have pronation in the foot should look at a shoe that restricts pronation, offers arch support, redistributes ground reaction forces upon landing, and rebalances weight distribution statically.  Researchers suggest a motion control shoe that is quite rigid, while still offering support and comfort.

A supinated foot should look for a shoe that offers supportive cushioning for their high arch. Cushioned shoes will aid in arch support and foot alignment.

People with a neutral foot are lucky in that they can consider a shoe that offers cushioning, support and rigidity – but also can consider shoes that offer little or no support, like a minimalist shoe. (This is like running barefoot, with a little bit of support.)

Athletes have long looked to science and technology to improve, and to some extent push barriers, and excel in their chosen sport. On 12th October 2019, Eliud Kipchoge broke the record of running a marathon under 2 hours. However there has been contentious debate around some of the factors that resulted in this record time. One hotly debated factor was the bespoke running shoes that he wore. These were fashioned in such a way that they improved his metabolic efficiency by 4 percent, which enabled him to keep a constant pace with his dedicated pacemakers’ team and set a record well within his projected time of completion. Recognised as the first man to break the 2-hour time, the record is not listed due to the fact that his record was not done on a ‘record eligible course’ and he did not adhere to the standard competition pace and fluid intake rules.

Having said that, despite the technological advancement and competition rules, Kipchoge’s legs still did the running and completed the marathon course in 1:59:40.

In a gym environment, looking for footwear that is going to suit your type of workout is going to benefit not only your feet but your performance as well. You will find a lot of people that lift heavy go for a shoe that has little or no heel lift or sole. This kind of shoe doesn’t bode well for those that have pronation of the foot; it throws out their body alignment, which can lead to injuries further down the track. A shoe that provides support and stability would be more beneficial.

According to researchers, athletes that do a variety of movements – for example a HIIT class or a weight workout followed by cardio – should look at a cross trainer shoe that enables them to transition from one activity to another with relative ease, comfort and support. But don’t just take my word for it, ask for professional advice – like an orthopedic specialist – on the best shoe for your foot type and preferred exercise.

In conclusion, we all like to look great in what we wear, don’t we? And the latest trainer is going to do just that, regardless of whether they suit our feet. Your biggest challenge might be choosing between what’s best for your feet, and what’s most on-trend!

Get set………. Go!!’

  References

https://www.stack.com/a/firm-footing-how-footwear-impacts-athletic-performance

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/spotlight/are-you-amongst-the-60-wearing-the-wrong-shoes-to-the-gym/articleshow/73419105.cms

https://www.globalbeautyllc.com/how-to-choose-the-right-footwear-for-training/

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/athletics/nike-zoomx-vaporfly-eliud-kipchoge-ineos-marathon-159-record-explained-a9153191.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/12/sports/eliud-kipchoge-marathon-record.html?auth=link-dismiss-google1tap

    Te Rangimaria Ngarimu Biography

He aha te mea nui – He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.

Te Rangimaria Ngarimu is the National Graduation Manager for Fit Futures Academy. She is from a family of three brothers and one sister, plus heaps of nieces, nephews, great nephews and nieces. Te was born, bred and educated here in Aotearoa.  Although she holds Diplomas in Music and Maori, she describes herself as ‘a Jack of all trades and master of none’.  Te has experienced life through travel, people and places. She enjoys anything to do with the beach whether it be swimming, walking, sailing or surfing (very badly)!

  Disclaimer: The exercises and information provided by Fit Futures Learning Institute (T/A Fit Futures Academy) (www.fitfutures.co.nz) are for educational and entertainment purposes only, and are not to be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific treatment plan, product or course of action. Read the full content disclaimer.

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Fit for Football?

Fit for Football: The physiological demands of match play and the efficacy of training strategies to develop aerobic capacity.

Written by Nick Parke, Senior Tutor at Fit Futures Academy.

  Introduction

  The football leagues recommenced in the UK this past weekend, under restrictions due to the novel coronavirus. All premier league players had limited time to prepare, and the fitness of some footballers has been called into question. The purpose of this article is to discuss the physiological demands of football, conditioning exercises to improve fitness components, and the physiological adaptations that underpin elite performance.

Physiological demands of football

  Football is a famous team sport played worldwide. A match lasts 90 minutes in duration, played over two 45-minute halves (Di Falco, 2015; Stolen, Chamari, Castagna, & Wisloff, 2005). The sport involves many intermittent periods of high-intensity exercise (Di Falco, 2015; Stolen et al., 2005; Zouhal et al., 2013) which will be termed “explosive football actions” throughout this article. Explosive football actions are highly reliant on anaerobic metabolism and include interactions both with and without the ball (Di Falco, 2015; Stolen et al., 2005). Those without the ball involve sprinting, jumping and rapid changes of direction in response to the flow of the game, dictated by opposing players and where the ball is (Stolen et al., 2005). These actions are interspersed with periods of jogging and walking (Stolen et al., 2005). While these explosive football actions are critical components of the sport and crucial in determining the outcome of a match, they only account for 8-12% of the total distance covered in a match (Di Falco, 2015).

  At the elite level, football players cover around 10-12 kilometers (km) in a game at intensities close to the anaerobic threshold (Di Falco, 2015; Han, Can, & Sey, 2012; Impellizzeri et al., 2006; Stolen et al., 2005; Zouhal et al., 2013). Games last 90 minutes (or in some instances, 120 minutes). Subsequently, aerobic performance capabilities underpin a footballer’s ability to perform for that length of time. Aerobic metabolism dominates football with an energy contribution of approx. 90 % (Zouhal et al., 2013). Distance covered is therefore heavily associated with the aerobic capacity of the footballer, and an individual with higher maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max) has a greater capacity to perform repetitive explosive football actions (Zouhal et al., 2013). Late in a game, the amount of distance covered reduces by 5-10% because of the onset of fatigue and, consequently, the number of explosive football actions decreases (Di Falco, 2015; Reilly, 1997; Stolen et al., 2005).

While the physiological demands do not change, the magnitude of the demands varies by playing position. Midfielders reportedly display higher VO2 max values and run greater distances in a game than other positions (Bloomfield, Polman, & O’Donoghue, 2007; Di Falco, 2015; Han et al., 2012; Stolen et al., 2005). Sprint distances also vary by position with central midfielders, wide midfielders, and strikers all sprinting 1.7 times the distance of a centre half. Elite fullbacks sprint 2.5 times more than centre-halves, the most of any position (Stolen et al., 2005). Aerobic capacity improves with training. Recovery between bouts of explosive football actions, as well as between games, will also improve as a consequence of improved aerobic performance (Stone & Kilding, 2009).

    Training strategies for aerobic performance enhancement

Maximal aerobic capacity shares a correlation with performance parameters in football, e.g. distance covered and the number of sprints per game; those who are aerobically fit have more involvement in possession of the football (Turner & Stewart, 2014). Football’s intensity is close to the Lactate Threshold (LT) – 80-90% HR max – and therefore, training programmes should also focus on improving the LT. Helgerud, Engen, Wisloff, and Hoff (2001) reported that an athlete with a higher LT would be able to perform at higher intensities for the same VO2 max value. A footballer with the same VO2 max value as an opponent, but with a higher LT, would be the superior athlete (Helgerud et al., 2001). The game of football is intermittent by design, and continuous training protocols are not recommended. Instead, it is generally accepted that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) should be prescribed (Di Falco, 2015; Stolen et al., 2005).

The literature demonstrates that HIIT is the optimal method for improving VO2 max and LT in footballers. Helgerud et al. (2001) observed a 10.8% improvement in VO2 max after eight weeks of HIIT involving running at intensities above the LT. The improvement leads to a substantial increase in the amount of distance covered, and the number of involvements with the ball in a match (Helgerud et al., 2001). Small-sided games (SSG) as a form of HIIT, are considered a more specific way to improve aerobic performance than running-based HIIT. Impellizzeri et al. (2006) compared the effects of both training modes over 12 weeks, using the same training programme parameters; that is, four bouts of 4 minutes of work at high intensities (90-95% HR max). The researchers observed no statistically significant differences between the two training modes, however observed marked improvements in both groups. Impellizzeri et al. (2006) concluded that the adopted training mode could be determined based on practicality, with SSG’s potentially the method to use when training time is scarce, due to the technical and tactical benefits they offer.

Hoff, Wisloff, Engen, Kemi, and Helgerud (2002) introduced the Hoff track, a dribbling track that involves sprinting, hurdling and rapid changes of direction with a ball (Zouhal et al., 2013). They compared the Hoff track to SSG’s in terms of training intensity; higher training intensities are possible with the Hoff track (Hoff et al., 2002). One critique of this study is that the SSG format used was five aside and it is possible that a format of four or three aside could incite higher training intensities, due to the increased demand placed on players (Turner & Stewart, 2014). Nevertheless, the researchers concluded that their findings suggest a ceiling effect on training intensities can be realised during SSG for those with higher VO2 max values (Hoff et al., 2002). These individuals should train on the Hoff track due to the higher training intensities demonstrated in this study (Hoff et al., 2002).

Researchers compared the Hoff track to HIIT involving 15-second sprints followed by 15 seconds of jogging. Each training method lasted a total of 25 minutes at training intensities higher than LT (Zouhal et al., 2013). What Zouhal et al. (2013) discovered was that the Hoff track incited higher VO2 max values and blood lactate accumulation than its counterpart, adding further weight to the potential training benefits of this methodology. While there is benefit in general HIIT, the more specific methodologies discussed (Hoff track, SSG) involve the ball and allow for a range of explosive football actions to be performed during the work intervals. The interval exercise parameters discussed above are in keeping with recommendations made by Hoff and Helgerud (2004). They report that intervals in a range of 3-8 minutes at exercise intensities of 90-95% HR max are valuable. VO2 max improvements in the range of 10-30% can be expected over a time course of 8-10 weeks (Hoff & Helgerud, 2004). Rest periods of 3 minutes should be interspersed with the work intervals at 70% of HR max, as this is considered optimal for removal of waste product from anaerobic metabolism, e.g. lactate and hydrogen ions (Helgerud et al., 2001; Hoff & Helgerud, 2004; Hoff et al., 2002; Turner & Stewart, 2014).

  Physiological Adaptations to HIIT

  Training intensity is the primary determining factor in whether the initial physiological training response occurs in the central or peripheral component (Stone & Kilding, 2009). With training intensities below the LT, the first adaptation occurs centrally with improvements in the heart’s ability to pump and distribute blood throughout the body (Stone & Kilding, 2009). Increases in cardiac output (CO) occur because of increases in the end-diastolic volume, and left ventricular mass, off-setting improvements in stroke volume (SV) (Stone & Kilding, 2009). As discussed earlier, HIIT formats incorporated into footballer’s training programmes should be performed at intensities surpassing LT, e.g. 90-95% HR max (Di Falco, 2015; Hoff & Helgerud, 2004; Stolen et al., 2005). Under these conditions the training response occurs peripherally. Performance improvements such as VO2 max and rightward shifts in the LT result in increased muscle capillarisation, increased oxidative enzyme activity, increases in the size and density of mitochondria, and changes in myoglobin content (Stone & Kilding, 2009).

An increased capillary density in the muscle is one of the most critical training adaptations for improvements in VO2 max (Wilmore, Costill, & Kenney, 2008). The diffusion of oxygen from the capillary to the mitochondria improves with aerobic HIIT. It results in an environment conducive to oxidative energy production and an increased number of explosive football actions (Stone & Kilding, 2009; Wilmore et al., 2008). Myoglobin content increases with training, as mentioned above. When oxygen enters the muscle fibre it binds itself to the myoglobin protein, which acts to transport oxygen to the mitochondria from the cell membrane (Wilmore et al., 2008). Myoglobin also stores oxygen for use in situations where oxygen delivery is scarce, and therefore having higher myoglobin content will enhance oxygen storage capacity (Wilmore et al., 2008). The increases in mitochondrial size and density with aerobic HIIT and changes in oxidative enzyme activity will result in glycogen sparing; that is, a decline in the rate at which muscle glycogen is broken down and utilised by the body for energy production. A greater reliance on fats as an energy source will be obtained (Wilmore et al., 2008).

Conclusion

Football involves many anaerobic actions, yet is underpinned by a necessity to be aerobically capable. The physiological adaptations discussed will lead to improvements in VO2 max and a rightward shift in the LT. HIIT is considered the optimal training strategy for footballers, with the Hoff track the HIIT exercise of choice for advanced clientele. On-field performance improvements in distance covered, interactions with the ball, and number of explosive football actions completed, are desirable – all are attainable through HIIT. Improved aerobic fitness will also enable faster recovery between bouts of explosive football actions as well as between games due to an increased ability to buffer lactate and hydrogen. 

   References

  Bloomfield, J., Polman, R., & O’Donoghue, P. (2007). Physical demands of different positions in fa premier league soccer. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 6, 63-70.

Castagna, C., Impellizzeri, F. M., Chamari, K., Carlomagno, D., & Rampinini, E. (2006). Aerobic fitness and yo-yo continuous and intermittent test performances in soccer players: a correlation study. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 20(2), 320-325.

Di Falco, A. (2015). Physiology of soccer: a review. Journal of Australian Strength and Conditioning, 23(3), 85-90.

Faude, O., Kindermann, W., & Meyer, T. (2009). Lactate threshold concepts. How valid are they? Sports Medicine, 39(6), 469-490.

Han, H. C., Can, B., & Sey, S. M. (2012). Comparison of recovering times and aerobic capacity according to playing position of elite football players. Nidge University Journal of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, 6(1).

Helgerud, J., Engen, L. C., Wisloff, U., & Hoff, J. (2001). Aerobic endurance training improves soccer performance. Medicine & Science in Sport & Exercise.

Hoff, J., & Helgerud, J. (2004). Endurance and strength training for soccer players physiological considerations. Sports Medicine, 34(3), 165-180.

Hoff, J., Wisloff, U., Engen, L. C., Kemi, O. J., & Helgerud, J. (2002). Soccer specific aerobic endurance training. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 36, 218-221.

Impellizzeri, F. M., Marcora, S. M., Castagna, C., Reilly, T., Sassi, A., Iaia, F. M., & Rampinini, E. (2006). Physiological and performance effects of generic versus specific aerobic training in soccer players. International Journal of Sports Medicine. DOI:10.1055/s-2005-865839

Reilly, T. (1997). Energetics of high-intensity exercise (soccer) with particular reference to fatigue. Journal of Sports Sciences, 15, 257-263.

Stolen, T., Chamari, K., Castagna, C., & Wisloff, U. (2005). Physiology of soccer: an update. Sports Medicine, 35(6), 501-536.

Stone, N. M., & Kilding, A. E. (2009). Aerobic conditioning for team sport athletes. Sports Medicine, 39(8), 615-642.

Tomlin, D. L., & Wenger, H. A. (2001). The relationship between aerobic fitness and recovery from high-intensity intermittent exercise. Sports Medicine, 31(1), 1-11.

Turner, A. N., & Stewart, P. F. (2014). Strength and conditioning for soccer players. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 36(4).

Wilmore, J., Costill, D. L., & Kenney, W. L. (2008). Adaptations to aerobic and anaerobic training. In Physiology of sport and exercise (4th ed.): Human Kinetics.

Zouhal, H., Le Moal, E., Wong, D. P., Ben Ounis, O., Castagna, C., Duluc, C., . . . Drust, B. (2013). Physiological responses of general vs specific aerobic endurance exercises in soccer. Asian Journal of Sports Medicine, 4(3), 213-220.

  Tutor Bibliography Nick is the Senior Tutor and a curriculum developer at Fit Futures Academy and was previously in this role with Fit College NZ. Nick is a former representative football player for Auckland. After experiencing many overuse injuries throughout his youth, Nick decided to study sports science in 2010. He has since completed a Bachelors’s degree in Sports Science and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Strength and Conditioning at AUT. He holds an Australian Strength and Conditioning Association Level 1 certification. Professionally Nick has worked in many capacities ranging from Gym Instructor to Strength and Conditioning Coach. At the high-performance level, Nick briefly trained a snowboard cross athlete for Snow Sports in Wanaka (HPSNZ). More recently, Nick spent some time at New Zealand Football under the tutelage of Juan Roman. Here, Nick was instrumental in developing periodisation plans and researching training load and injury management. He spent last season as head of strength and conditioning and assistant football coach for the men’s reserves at Uni-Mount Wellington Bohemian Celtic F.C. Nick has a young family and, in his spare time, enjoys playing video games, reading, drawing and watching/studying American football.

  Disclaimer: The exercises and information provided by Fit Futures Learning Institute (T/A Fit Futures Academy) (www.fitfutures.co.nz) are for educational and entertainment purposes only, and are not to be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific treatment plan, product or course of action. Read the full content disclaimer.

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from https://fitfutures.co.nz/fit-for-football/

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The Psychology of Burpees

Eight weeks ago came the news that New Zealand was going into lockdown, as a method of managing the spread of Covid-19 through our communities and country. It was soon obvious that this lockdown was not going to be brief, but instead last for weeks or possibly months. My gym had to close, and I was restricted to travel within a few kilometres of my home. The government highlighted that getting out and exercising was beneficial to our health and wellbeing, so a long walk was initiated with the family for the first few days of lockdown.

I have never been a walker, runner, or cyclist, so with these options not taken into consideration, what could I do as a form of exercise that would push, challenge and motivate me during the lockdown period? I went scurrying through YouTube to see if there was anything online that was gaining traction and interest. I knew I wanted to be tested physically, but I was also looking for something that would challenge me psychologically. After ten minutes I had found it: one hundred burpees a day, 3,000 for a month! The person I had found was Chase Barron, who has a following of 31k subscribers to his YouTube account. He, like me, hates burpees as an exercise but saw this as an opportunity to test himself physically and psychologically.

Why are burpees so disliked – and so beneficial?

Back in the day our P.E. teachers gave burpees out as a punishment for turning up late, or forgetting gym gear. Burpees were horrible then, as they are now. But 35 years later, I know a lot more about the dreaded burpee.  In fact many Crossfitters look out for this exercise first when they see a Workout of the Day. So why does this exercise polarise so many? There are many variations of the burpees in recent years, with the spectacular popularity of Crossfit, and burpee variances have become regular in gyms. For my lockdown challenge I decided I would complete the more traditional push-up burpee.

I did a little research into the history of the burpee and the proposed physical benefits. The inventor of the burpee was Royal H. Burpee. As part of his PhD thesis in Applied Physiology (1939), Royal designed the burpee as part of a fitness test. I wanted to equip myself with as much knowledge and information as I could about burpees. I found:

Burpees engage the entire body. The burpee movement requires many muscles and joints to work together from the upper and lower body. Functional movements in the burpee include press-up, plank, squat and jump.

Burpees are a full-body exercise, and burn a high amount of calories. As many muscles are used during this high intensity exercise, typically more calories are burned, which can lead to faster weight loss.

No equipment is required – a major reason why I decided to take on the burpee lockdown challenge! Your garden, local park, garage or living room floor are all suitable places.

Burpees are a fantastic exercise to get the heart rate pumping. Just a few burpees gets the heart and lungs working in a short space of time, providing a cardiovascular workout.

  The Burpee Challenge

Thursday March 26th, 2020 was my start date. I was working from home and decided to schedule my burpees during my lunch hour, where I would walk around the corner to the local park.  In my research, Chase Barron identified that he completed his 100 burpees a day in sets and reps of 10, taking his time and using correct technique. Barron’s burpees were also spread out across the day due to time or availability – but I decided that I would complete my 100 burpees all at once, no matter how long it took.

Many negative or disparaging remarks are associated with burpees. Revulsion, disgust, fear and “love to hate” were comments I had come across as I researched the topic. As an all-round body weight exercise, the burpee is in a league of its own. There’s a reason for this, of course – it’s hard! If it wasn’t, all fitness enthusiasts would be using it in their exercise regime. ‘Love to hate’ I thought was an interesting comment. The love must come from the completion of achieving something difficult, the joy and euphoria of this, and knowing the health and fitness consequences of completing a series of burpees. The hate must come from what we are about to physically receive.

A full body weight workout means exactly what it says: from a standing start to a downward sprawl, a push up, jump back into the squat position and then a vertical jump to conclude the movement. Sounds easy on paper, but I’d have to complete 100 of these, each day for a month! The repetitive nature of the exercise is boring, technical yes, but with a little time and thought I decided I could make the movement effective and efficient for 100 attempts. I was expecting to “hate” to experience my respiratory and circulatory systems working extra hard to compensate for the lack of oxygen in my muscles. But of course, I expected to “love” the feeling of completing something which to me is more psychologically difficult in its nature than physiological in its execution. So this was my standpoint: this was how I was going to approach a month of 3,000 burpees. Obviously an efficient technique is important, but to me the psychological aspect of completing this monthly task was far harder. I would have to be mentally strong to be successful in achieving my goal.

At 1pm on March 26th I started my first 100 burpees. I was very apprehensive, yet excited to start what would be a month of pain and success. I am one of these people who sets themselves achievable and realistic goals, and only injury would stop me from reaching 3,000 burpees. But through my pain, there would have to be small amounts of pleasure to fight back and use as medicine, so I was in control of the pain.

My ‘medicine’ was:

I made a playlist of Calvin Harris and Swedish House Mafia to accompany my lonely foray into the burpee wilderness.

I needed a focal point to look at in the distance when I came up from the squat to vertical jump. I had to have something to concentrate my mind on.

My first week of burpees consisted of sets and reps of 10 at a time to reach 100 per day, 700 for the week. The first 4-5 days were pretty tough. I was inhaling large volumes of air into my lungs to compensate for my haste in completing the exercise movements quickly. I soon realised that my 52-year-old body was not as well acclimatised to the burpee as I had originally thought! Something had to change, and this was my mentality. I took a different approach by the end of the first week. Firstly, I slowed down my technique and spent more emphasis on the press up, squat and vertical jump. This allowed my whole burpee movement to become more efficient, and consequently I got into a rhythm and routine so the burpees became enjoyable. This was a key moment for me.

Halfway into Week Two I changed my reps per set. I wanted to push myself physiologically but also wanted to change my mindset. I went to 20 reps of 5 sets to complete my hundred burpees. I was now conscious of the need to pace myself, there was no rush, and to my surprise after 3-4 days I found my body was adapting well to this too. But more important for me was the sense of euphoria I felt on completion of the second week of the burpee challenge. The endorphins in my body were reducing the perception of pain but more importantly, they were triggering positive feelings. These feelings at the end of Week Two saw me reschedule the monthly plan. Week Three, I was now going to complete 150 a day! Burpees were now becoming behaviourally addictive. This was not something I had planned for psychologically.

A change of schedule also saw a change of music playlist, as this was now becoming repetitive. A Spotify burpee search came across plenty of high tempo music at 130-150 beats per minute. The music was a great motivational tool for what is a very repetitive exercise movement. With an increase in burpees to 150 per day, I now looked at completing 30 reps of 5 sets. The first day or two of this was considerably harder, but I wanted to do this as it pushed me well outside my comfort zone. Completing the reps was no issue, but what I did realise was the rest time in between sets was taking longer to recover. This was expected, though 25 years ago I would have pushed myself harder during recovery time. That said, the objective for me at this time was to complete 150 burpees at a time irrelevant of how long it would take me. By the end of Week Three I had completed 2,450 burpees, I was well ahead of schedule and looking forward to the final week. I still had high levels of motivation to complete the task, but more rewarding was the fact that I felt really good and positive. I had to remind myself that burpees are not “everyone’s cup of tea” and there is a very good reason for this. They are hard and repetitive. But I was still mentally feeling very strong. I could now see the horizon, the end of the month was coming around. I wanted to make a final change to my approach as I started Week Four.

Two hundred burpees a day! Even my wife thought this was a little crazy. But my mindset had changed. I was doubling my original target from the beginning of the month, but I had the energy and fitness to complete this. Once again, more important than my fitness, my mentality I believe was greater or stronger than my fitness. Progressive weeks of steady increments had shown me what was possible with the right mindset. Thursday April 23rd saw me complete the first of the 200 a day burpees. The first hundred went by pretty quickly. At the halfway mark I took a 90-second rest and took some water. I felt good. However, starting the last 100 burpees was a different matter. I struggled to get back into a rhythm, consequently the final 100 burpees were torture; it was the worst I had felt over the entire month. It was the first time I had thought of deliberately miscalculating my count. Finally, after reaching 200, I walked off to cool down both physically and mentally. I was annoyed. I was so disappointed with myself. Had I been unrealistic in wanting to achieve 200 burpees with only three weeks of training behind me?

I thought long and hard about my approach for the following day. I had some options:

8 sets x 25 reps

4 sets x 50 reps

2 sets x 100 reps (completed this once, surely it could not be as bad again?)

1 set x 200 reps

The plan for Day Two of the last week of the burpee challenge was to choose option 4. Looking back to the previous day, the first 100 burpees went relatively smoothly, then I had a short break and then struggled to find any form or rhythm for the final 100. For the second day, I planned not to stop at 100 but to continue in my slow, rhythmic, and methodical manner to 200 burpees. This I did, and it felt fantastic. The key was to pace myself, get my breathing right, and get into a rhythm. The endorphins in my body were going crazy, I felt incredible on completion, I walked away with hands on my hips and inhaling/exhaling very deeply – but this was offset by my sense of accomplishment. Deciding to complete the 200 burpees in one swoop was fundamentally the difference between today and yesterday. The remainder of the week was completed. I also mixed it up, using options 1, 2 and 4.

After the challenge

At the end of the 4-week challenge I had completed 3,850 burpees and had surpassed a target that Chase Barron had set himself to physically challenge him. For me, it was not about the physical aspects of completing the burpee challenge over a month. It was the psychological challenge of a daily repetitive exercise movement which exercise practitioners generally stayed clear of. Was it hard? Yes, there were days I did not want to do it, many of them in fact. But this was the reason why I wanted to take this challenge on. I wanted to test my willpower, perseverance, and determination.

What gave me more satisfaction was the fact I did not miss a day of burpees. The schedule was relentless, and each lunchtime was consumed by the burpee challenge. On reflection, the one-month challenge answered my objective of finding something physiological and psychological to complete while the gym was closed. This was very satisfying. The burpees themselves provided me a great daily workout; this was a bonus, as I am not a runner or cyclist. I believe that my slow rhythmical manner of completing the burpees was fundamental to my success, as it allowed me to concentrate on my form and technique. Over the one-month challenge I had no issues with any sprains or injuries.

Another attribute to my competition of the challenge was my choice of music. My music choice may not be enjoyed by everyone, but the songs with high beats per minute helped to alleviate the repetitiveness of the exercise movement. Having a focal point to look at in the distance also contributed to my completion of the challenge. At the top of the vertical jump, I looked ahead to something specific in the foreground. This was generally a tree; it provided me with the cue to breathe/inhale at the start of the burpee movement. It was this cue in the environment which provided a rhythm and routine to the movement.

So, what now, as the gyms are back open? Well, I’ve decided to use burpees in my weekly workouts. Admittedly I’ve cut back on the number. But 50 burpees I consider a good part of a workout. My fitness base I built up during the month of burpees, means that I can complete 50 burpees effectively. I don’t want to lose this burpee fitness base, in fact I quite enjoy completing them two to three times a week!

In summary, burpees provide a good cardiovascular workout, when time or space is restricted. The reason for this is because it is a thorough whole-body workout. The burpee movement is made up of continual exercises, which over 15-20 minutes will result in a surge in your heart rate and leave your lungs gasping for air and muscles starved of oxygen. There is a reason why the burpee polarises gym-goers. But if you can get yourself into the right mindset and see past the physical hurt then burpees, with good form and technique, can be slightly addictive.

Bibliography

https://edition.cnn.com/2016/01/13/health/endorphins-exercise-cause-happiness/index.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burpee_(exercise)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvin_Harrishttps://www.spotify.com/nz/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_House_Mafia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnqO8sh7ztc

  About the Author: My name is Mike Clayton, I am the Head of Education at Fit Futures Academy. I was born and raised in York in the United Kingdom (UK). I am of mixed race, my mother is Chinese and my father, English. I have a younger sister who lives in the UK with her family. My education was based at Liverpool University & Chester University College. I have a BSc Hons in Sports & Biological Sciences, where I majored in Sport Psychology. I presented at the 1998 BASES conference at Portsmouth University “What is the advantage in home advantage”. I also have a Postgraduate Diploma in Sport & Exercise Psychology & a Post Graduate Certificate in Teaching Adult Education. Alongside my loving and supportive wife, I have two young lovely daughters who remind me every day of how lucky I am. My educational areas of interest include Contemporary Issues in Sport & Habitual Exercising. 

Disclaimer: The exercises and information provided by Fit Futures Learning Institute (T/A Fit Futures Academy) (www.fitfutures.co.nz) are for educational and entertainment purposes only, and are not to be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific treatment plan, product or course of action. Read the full content disclaimer.

The post The Psychology of Burpees appeared first on Fit Futures.

from https://fitfutures.co.nz/psychology-of-burpees/

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Sarcopenia

It was my last year at University, and the final exam was coming up. This final exam is called the thesis; you have to work on a subject that can be measured and proven, and defend your research in front of a group of influential people that are experts in the field.

I was working on this with a group of University friends, and together we agreed that we wanted to work on Sarcopenia.

You might be thinking: “What is that?”

Don’t worry – at this stage I wasn’t familiar either, but I remember recognising ‘Sarco’ from  Sarcomero (the muscle cell).

Here’s the dictionary definition, from Wikipedia:

Sarcopenia is a type of muscle loss that occurs with aging and immobility. It is characterised by the degenerative loss of skeletal muscle mass, quality, and strength. The rate of muscle loss is dependent on exercise level, co-morbidities, nutrition and other factors

Now you might be asking, why did we choose this topic?

We chose to investigate Sarcopenia because we were wondering what happens to our muscles and body as we get older, particularly if we were to do no movement or exercise.

As part of our research we gathered a group of people who were sedentary (not very active) and put in place a weekly exercise plan. During our study, we checked in on our subjects by asking them to perform fitness tests. After a month of research we found that a 30 to 60 minute exercise class was enough for our test subjects to improve their heart rate, body fat, and body mass.

Our research confirmed that it is possible to delay Sarcopenia with a regular exercise plan and a healthy diet.

After we passed the exam, I became fascinated with this topic, and decided to study it further.

What causes Sarcopenia?

Sarcopenia is to our muscles what osteoporosis is to our bones.

Sarcopenia means “lack of flesh,” and it’s a type of age-associated muscle degeneration that becomes more common in people over the age of 50.

After middle age, adults lose 3% of their muscle strength every year, on average. This limits their ability to perform many routine activities. Unfortunately, Sarcopenia also shortens life expectancy in those it affects.

Sarcopenia is caused by an imbalance between signals for muscle cell growth and signals for tear-down. Cell growth processes are called “anabolism,” and cell teardown processes are called “catabolism”.

For example, growth hormones act with protein-destroying enzymes to keep muscle steady through a cycle of growth, stress or injury, destruction and then healing. This cycle is always occurring, and when things are in balance, our muscle keeps its strength over time. During aging the body becomes resistant to the standard growth signals, tipping the scales toward catabolism and muscle loss.

Ageing disrupts the body’s ability to produce the proteins needed to grow or maintain muscles. As we age, fewer signals are also sent from the brain to the muscles, leading to a loss in the mass and size of our muscles.

Other causes of Sarcopenia can include:

Physical inactivity

Malnutrition

Changes in hormones like testosterone and growth hormones

Increased inflammation

The presence of other age-related diseases

Sarcopenia was first characterized by the slow and progressive loss of muscle mass that is associated with ageing, in the absence of any underlying disease or condition.

Subsequently, it was recognized that the key element was a loss of muscle strength (dynapenia) rather than a loss of muscle mass. This has led to a change in the definition to include muscle strength (grip strength) or muscle function (walking speed or distance).

Based on this concept a number of societies around the world have provided revised definitions. These definitions have to some extent de-emphasized the importance of ageing, recognizing that Sarcopenia has a variety of causes in addition to the physiological effects of aging. The growing interest in this subject is clearly seen by the increased number of publications in recent years.

Sarcopenia is now recognized as a disease after being added to Australia’s formal list of diseases, called the (ICD-10-AM).

How can we stop or delay Sarcopenia?

The good news is that people with Sarcopenia can rebuild their muscle mass and strength via strength or resistance training, and some diet modifications. These are things we can all do to protect ourselves.

Right now, the biggest challenge in the field is accurately and consistently diagnosing the condition. The type of assessments for muscle mass, strength and function used to diagnose Sarcopenia continue to be debated.

We need to progress towards a single international definition that includes region- and ethnic-specific criteria.

I wanted to share this with you,  to realize that your future as a trainer can impact people’s lives and your life. Help people to stay and become fit and more energetic as they age, and you can help your clients to delay or prevent Sarcopenia.

  References

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/sarcopenia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcopenia.

  Tutor Bibliography Lony Stewart is one of the Tutors at Fit Futures Academy.  Lony was born and raised in Santiago, Chile, and still has family there (an older sister and her extended family). Lony’s education was based in Santiago, Chile, University of the Americas. She holds a B.P.Ed. (Hons) Bachelor of Physical Education, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Sport & Deep Tissue Massage. While studying, Lony worked at her local gym before becoming the Physical Education Teacher in charge of the Sports Department of a local school. She has more than eight years of experience in the fitness industry. Outside of work Lony has a beautiful baby boy and is married to her best friend. Her educational areas of interest include health and exercise.

Disclaimer: The exercises and information provided by Fit Futures Learning Institute (T/A Fit Futures Academy) (www.fitfutures.co.nz) are for educational and entertainment purposes only, and are not to be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific treatment plan, product or course of action. Read the full content disclaimer.

The post Sarcopenia appeared first on Fit Futures.

from https://fitfutures.co.nz/sarcopenia/

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Benefits of exercise during pregnancy

Over 85% of women will have children at some point in their lives. Exercise during pregnancy has so many benefits for both the mother and child and can help women to navigate what can be an emotionally and physically exhausting experience, as well as reducing common aches and pains during pregnancy and helping to prepare for labor and birth. Pregnancy can be an exciting, happy experience for some, and for others, it can be physically and emotionally demanding. Pregnant women experience constant changes and may not feel like themselves; one woman’s pregnancy will be different from someone else’s and may even be different from previous pregnancies they have had. Many women are overly cautious during pregnancy due to misconceptions from friends, family, or the media – but then on the flip side are too quick to jump into intense exercise postnatally, although postnatal fitness is an article of its own! This is where you, the personal trainer, can step in to break through many of these misconceptions, and help women safely and effectively exercise during pregnancy.

  Is it safe?

Generally speaking, exercise is not only safe during pregnancy but it is recommended. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends women should accumulate 150 minutes of moderate Physical Activity each week. Exercise is encouraged daily, but should be completed at least 3 times per week.

The rule of thumb is, if your client was exercising before pregnancy, they can continue to exercise during pregnancy. However, this does not mean a client can not start a fitness regime during pregnancy; if they were not exercising before you must ensure they start with lower intensities for shorter periods of time then gradually increase the intensity and duration of sessions until they reach the recommended weekly guidelines.

With most clients who were active previous to falling pregnant, there are a few simple guidelines you can follow:

Make sure they have clearance from their lead maternity career (in NZ this is likely to either be their midwife or obstetrician).

Work at any intensity of 7/10 but adapt training to your client’s energy levels, as these will fluctuate day-to-day throughout pregnancy. The goal is to give them more energy, not zap them of any energy they have.

During the first trimester, avoid your client getting too hot, this can have serious repercussions to the fetus during these early stages. If you are training in the Summer, set them up in front of a fan or get them to bring a wet flannel in a snap-lock bag to cool off with. Hot yoga/ pilates, saunas and spas are all dangerous and should be avoided.

After 16 weeks, avoid your client lying in a supine position for long periods of time – you can avoid this by using the bench on an angle, having their shoulders/ hands elevated on a bench.

If a client is showing or tells you that they are having any signs of urinary or fecal incontinence, refer them to a pelvic health physiotherapist.

Never allow a client to continue exercise that causes her pain, and call her LMC immediately if she experiences vaginal bleeding, regular painful contractions, amniotic fluid leakage, shortness of breath before exertion, dizziness, headaches, chest pain, calf pain or swelling or muscle weakness that affects her balance.

  What are the benefits of exercise during pregnancy?

Reduces back pain

Eases constipation

May decrease the risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and cesarean delivery

Promotes healthy weight gain during pregnancy

Improves overall general fitness, and strengthens the heart and blood vessels

Prepares the client for labor and birth

Decreases postpartum recovery time

Prevents/improves depression, anxiety, and other mental health illnesses

Decreases the risk of postnatal depression

Decreases the risk of urinary incontinence

Prevents postpartum weight retention

Increases energy levels

Increases lean muscle mass

Reduces pregnancy-related bone density loss

Needless to say, with all of these benefits why wouldn’t you want to exercise during pregnancy?

Pregnancy is very taxing on the body, and some days your client will simply not have the energy to train. They may have aches and pains or be struggling with “morning sickness”, which is not always in the morning – some clients will have morning sickness all day long or be worse in the afternoon. This can be debilitating and can also stop them from consuming enough food and water throughout the day, which can make training difficult and getting enough nutrients even harder. It’s important to be flexible with your pregnant clients and try to find a time of day to train where they feel their best; again, every client is different so it may be in the afternoon or lunchtime instead of in the evening. This will be crucial to helping them maintain healthy habits during pregnancy.

How, when, and what your client does for exercise will vary depending on your client’s goals, their pregnancy journey so far (including any complications they may have), how much time they have, their energy levels and what the client enjoys.

  Your client’s goals during pregnancy should be:

Maintain good posture and alignment

Maintain or increase strength

Maintain lean muscle mass

Strengthen core and balance the tone of pelvic floor

Develop a solid aerobic foundation

Promote a healthy weight gain

Increase/ maintain energy levels

Yield health improvements without over-stressing her body

A variety of activities can be utilised including swimming, resistance training, walking or yoga. Programs should always include breathing, core, and pelvic floor exercises specific to the trimester of each client, and it’s a good idea to have a pelvic floor physiotherapist within your referral network. It is important to note that pelvic floor dysfunction is common but is not normal: you should refer out to a pelvic floor physiotherapist as there may be a wide range of issues from scarring, nerve damage to pelvic organ prolapse or pelvic floor dysfunction. Prescribing kegels simply won’t cut it for some of these clients. One in two women who walk onto the gym floor have symptoms of urinary leakage. Around 48% of pregnant women who haven’t given birth before have signs of incontinence by week 30, and this increases to 67% for women who have given birth before. Another study done in the U.S found that 94% of women who had given birth had some degree of pelvic organ prolapse, with 51% of this population being grade 2 or higher.

These are pretty alarming numbers! Both urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse can be embarrassing for clients to speak about so many women never speak up or seek professional help. This is where we can step in and refer out to a pelvic floor physiotherapist.

  Exercises/ things to avoid during pregnancy

Pressure on the abdomen – this can exacerbate or cause diastasis recti, where the linea alba (midline of the abdominals) separates. This can include planks, push ups and using the valsalva maneuver (holding your breath whilst lifting).

After 16 weeks avoid prolonged periods lying on their back.

Avoid high risk of falling exercises including jumping, horse riding, skiing, surfing, off road cycling and gymnastics.

Avoid contact sports including hockey, boxing, soccer, rugby, football and basketball/ netball.

Avoid becoming too hot – this can rule out crowded group fitness rooms, and hot yoga should be avoided.

As pregnancy progresses, be careful when programming unilateral exercises. Your client’s center of balance changes as the baby grows, which can increase the risk of a fall. It can be helpful to use a form of support such as TRX or box, or stick to bilateral exercises.

Unilateral leg work can also put extra pressure through the pelvis and aggravate clients who may have pelvic girdle pain. For these clients stick with bilateral exercises and refer to a pelvic physiotherapist.

Avoid overstretching, heavy loading or pushing past the normal range of motion. As pregnancy progresses the hormone relaxin, which helps the pelvis to open during birth, starts to increase. This causes joint laxity and a higher risk for injury.

Avoid isometric holds.

About the valsalva maneuver (holding of breath whilst lifting). Instead, ensure clients breath out on exertion.

Be cautious with running- if the client has not been a regular runner before, pregnancy is not the time to start. It can put a lot of pressure on the pelvic floor and pelvis and cause long term damage. However, if the client is an avid runner and they want to continue to run as long, as they are not getting any hip discomfort or pelvic floor dysfunction it is safe to run if the intensity is kept at a 7/10. Let them decide when to stop, most clients will feel too heavy or uncomfortable to run beyond a certain point and will stop themselves.

Past the second trimester, leg press and deep squats may be impossible or cause discomfort.

  Best exercises to include during pregnancy

An adequate warm up

Breathing and pelvic floor exercises

Restorative activities and or active recovery

Walking, swimming or yoga

Resistance exercises

When designing a strength training program for your client you should focus on what helps the client feel strong, maintains or boosts her energy levels, and keeps her healthy in and out of the gym. Like with any client, aim to keep the program well-balanced and take into account the client’s training level and the time they have available to train each week. Every session does not need to include the following, but these should be included over the training week. Depending on your client it can be useful to program three full-body days, or two upper body and two lower body days.

Focus on the posterior chain, as this helps to offset the heavier load growing on the anterior side of the body.

More pulling than pushing. Pulling movements strengthen the upper back – this again helps with the extra load at the front of the body, but also after the baby arrives; holding and feeding a baby for long periods of time is very harsh on the upper back.

As your client’s belly gets larger, using a rope cable attachment can be helpful for rows as it can move around her body.

Glute work with bands.

Exercises that work larger muscle groups such as squats, deadlifts (scale the weight and height as needed) rows, and pull-downs.

Tempo movements can be used to create a challenge without adding extra load.

Bilateral exercises for the lower body in the last trimester, or use a support such as a TRX to create more stability.

During the second and third trimester, a barbel may become difficult to use. If you notice the client changing their technique to maneuver the bar around their belly it is a good time to switch to Dumbbells or Kettlebells.

Push-ups can still be done with client’s hand on the wall, a bench or on a TRX.

A bench can be used for upper body exercises if at a 45 degree angle.

  With all the benefits exercise has to offer to a pregnant woman and her baby, if she has clearance from her LMC it is a no-brainer for her to be exercising regularly. Exercise can be a daunting task at the best of times so it is important for us to support our pregnant clients and do our best to keep them moving. One golden rule applies here – if in doubt, refer out.

  References

https://www.acsm.org/docs/default-source/files-for-resource-library/pregnancy-physical-activity.pdf?sfvrsn=12a73853_4

https://www.acog.org/patient-resources/faqs/pregnancy/exercise-during-pregnancy

Girls Gone strong – Pre and PostNatal Certification textbook

Bureau USC. FFF: Women’s history month: March 2017

Wesnes SL, Rortveit, Bo K, Hunskaar. Urinary incontinence during pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol. 2007

  Tutor Bibliography

As a teenager, Libby was unfit, smoked, drank and thought the gym was for “fit people”. At the age of 19 she fell in love with strength training. The gym changed Libby’s life forever, but it was not without some struggles – she has had multiple major hip surgeries, and through these developed a drive and determination to not let injuries stop her from training. This drive led her to fall in love with powerlifting and she’s been competing ever since.

Libby became a personal trainer to help anyone who felt like being fit was out of their capabilities, and show them the positive impacts exercise can have on all aspects of their life. She has been a group fitness instructor for seven years and a qualified personal trainer for six. Libby has worked in commercial gyms, had her own home studio, and after having her daughter Rose in 2018 now works from a strength gym in Christchurch. She specialises in training female beginners, pre/postnatal women, and small group personal training.

Libby won ‘Small Group Trainer of the Year’ at the NZ Exercise Industry Awards in 2017 and continues to seek professional development through local and international ongoing education courses such as Kettlebell and pre/postnatal training certifications.

  Disclaimer: The exercises and information provided by Fit Futures Learning Institute (T/A Fit Futures Academy) (www.fitfutures.co.nz) are for educational and entertainment purposes only, and are not to be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific treatment plan, product or course of action. Read the full content disclaimer.

The post Benefits of exercise during pregnancy appeared first on Fit Futures.

from https://fitfutures.co.nz/benefits-of-exercise-during-pregnancy/

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Showcasing Value as a Personal Trainer

Before you ask how much it costs, ask: what can it do for you? What does it have to offer? How can it make you feel?

Does it contribute to you living a better life?

One common mistake people make when it comes to personal training is offering discounted sessions or “deals” – especially during a time where people are laid off work, or in financial hardship.

The key to selling a product or a service is to highlight the value, and show how a client or customer can benefit from it in more ways than one.

How do you showcase value in personal training?

When you’re talking to a prospective client, you first need to get background on the client and what they were doing prior to coming to see you.

Questions you could ask include:

Who was their trainer?

Did they have a program?

How long were they training at their previous gym for?

What kind of training were they doing?

What kind of training did they enjoy?

The reason why we ask these questions is to qualify the client for our service and highlight how we can help them achieve their goals. The more you can show the prospective client the value of training with you, the more likely it is that they’ll train with you. As with anything, selling to them is only the first part of the equation. You must follow through with what you promised to offer them, and maintain a high level of service.

Following on from the beginning, ask how your prospective client felt when they achieved their goals, or when they were training regularly. This allows you to attach a positive emotion or feeling to what you have to offer.  Everyone wants to be happy and have a high quality of life. This is your primary objective as a personal trainer, to change lives and make people feel better about themselves.

If the prospective client had a trainer and benefited from their services, attained results and tells you what they felt like they got from the sessions, you can highlight the importance of this and show them that you can offer the same or better. The way to do this is to talk about what your services include.

A simple way to do this can be:

Client: “Yes, I had a program and trained with my old trainer once a week when I was training for strength.”

Trainer: “How did you find the training and what in particular did you enjoy?”

Client: “I liked the fact they pushed me a lot in the gym and kept me accountable by checking in with me when I was training by myself as well. We did a lot of free weights and I enjoyed it, just wanted a bit more variety in my program.”

Trainer: “That’s great, so you obviously understand the benefits of having someone push you and keep you accountable, right? One thing we like to do is to vary your program every month even if it is different rep schemes or subtle changes to the exercises. Sounds like what you’re after, doesn’t it?”

By asking questions and getting them to agree with you (this is called ‘tying them down’), you’re getting them to agree that you can provide them with what they are after.

Follow-through is important!

In order to highlight value or be a great and complete personal trainer, there are a few things that are needed as highlighted above:

Exceptional customer service and professionalismWe are in the service industry, so you must under promise and over deliver where you can. You can still highlight value without overpromising.

Explaining the rationale behind what you doThe client is paying you for your service and if you train them differently to their previous trainer, they may ask you questions about your training methods and programming. If you cannot justify why an exercise or training method is being used, it is probably best not to include it.

Treat your client as a client Recently I went to a coffee shop and the next day the girl who worked there remembered the fact that I was there again, and remembered my order from the day before. This shows attentiveness and builds trust. Everyone likes to be listened to and made to feel important.

So next time you are going to practice some scripting on someone or have a general conversation with someone, see how their attitude changes when you remember little things and listen.

You only ever get one first impression, so make it count!

Tutor Bibliography Bryn Ealey is one of the tutors at Fit Futures Academy. Bryn was born in Japan and raised in Christchurch from the age of 2, to a Japanese mother and English father. His education includes a Certificate in Fitness and a BappSci in Sports and Exercise Science. Bryn is a competitive powerlifter with multiple titles in national level competitions, and practices martial arts when he isn’t lifting weights! Bryn’s key areas of interest include Strength and Conditioning, Mental Skills and Exercise Prescription. Having an extremely supportive and understanding partner in the same industry makes his job a lot easier!

    Disclaimer: The exercises and information provided by Fit Futures Learning Institute (T/A Fit Futures Academy) (www.fitfutures.co.nz) are for educational and entertainment purposes only, and are not to be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific treatment plan, product or course of action. Read the full content disclaimer.

The post Showcasing Value as a Personal Trainer appeared first on Fit Futures.

from https://fitfutures.co.nz/showcasing-value-as-a-personal-trainer/

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That sounds about right

Music can be heard in most gyms, studios, and Fitness Centres. It’s an integral part of the facilities experience – in fact it’s safe to say one cannot do without the other. We can opt to listen to what our gym provides, but 9 times out of 10 you’ll find most gym junkies, athletes, and team participants will bring their own tunes.

So why is music so important during our training sessions? Why is it that we can perform better whilst listening to music (pre, during and post workout)? Let’s look at some aspects of the body’s behaviour, and the effects that music has on our training.

Music can alter emotional and physiological arousal, and as a result can act as a stimulant (pre and during workout) or sedative (during and after workout). Different tempos of music can be used to enhance the effect or experience of a workout to allow for better training performances. Dame Kelly Holmes revealed that she enjoys listening to music by Alicia Keys to prepare for her events – and she later went on to win two gold medals in the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics!

Music also diverts the participant’s attention from the sensation of being fatigued (dissociation).  It allows the participant to focus on something other than their workout.

According to Professor Peter Terry from the University of Southern Queensland, ‘Listening to music can greatly boost a person’s ability to exercise so much so that an active participant can perform faster, higher, and stronger with the right tune’.

Although music doesn’t diminish the effort of the exercise a participant does, it does improve the experience. Put another way, it makes ‘light work’ of workouts that may be deemed to be extremely hard for the participant. If our minds allow us to focus on a beat, tempo, or rhythm that we like to listen to, then high-intensity workouts become more enjoyable and achievable, as music enables us to push further through the fatigue phase or pain barrier.

An example of this is running on a treadmill with music set to a constant tempo. Professor Terry’s research showed that athletes could run 18% longer with music, than without. He noted a measurable difference in their oxygen intake, however he was not sure of the mechanics behind it. He proposed that by listening to music, athletes had the ability to respond to relaxation and in turn increase blood flow.

Repetitive music with a constant tempo can also aid in the participant’s ability to regulate movement and prolong their performance. Spin class, at its best, can be very gruelling but also satisfying at the same time. All tracks are set at speeds that take the participant on a journey – it’s hard to find a dry shirt and non-red complexion in this kind of environment! One of the main reasons why people participate in this kind of activity is that the music matches the intensity of the exercise, and they can push themselves a little farther by keeping up with the tempo of the music played.

Music and Flow attainment, or State of Flow, is an altered state of awareness while training where the mind and body are on ‘autopilot’. Some coaches liken it to being ‘in the zone’. This requires little conscious effort, and when you’re in a State of Flow physical activity is seen as very enjoyable no matter the activity. Wouldn’t it be great to have that euphoric ‘in the zone’ feeling all the time? Dare I say it, it is every elite athlete’s dream. Using a single-subject, multiple-baselines design, researchers examined the effects of pre-task music on the flow state and netball shooting performance of three collegiate players. Two participants reported an increase in their perception of flow, and all three showed considerable improvement in shooting performance. The researchers concluded that interventions including self-selected music and imagery could enhance athletic performance by triggering emotions and cognitions associated with the State of Flow. (Karageorghis and Deeth 2002).

So, what kind of music is best to acquire this feeling or experience? In short, all music has potential: it’s up to the participant’s taste and what rocks their boat! In particular Rap and Hip-Hop music is popular for jogging and stretching, whereas dance music is popular for strength and high intensity training. According to Karageorghis, ‘people should use songs that remind them of their adolescence and early adulthood to make them feel youthful and fit’.  A motivational playlist can help to distinguish symptoms of exercise fatigue, like breathlessness or submaximal heart beats, that can be used in a more positive manner, i.e. the ability to get fitter faster. Karageorghis stated further, ‘This means that at the point when your body is shouting stop, the music has the power to lift your mood and beckon you on.’

In conclusion, music and the state of your mood will determine the outcome of your workout. When music is chosen with a focus of achieving your goals, it can drive and push you forward. Music makes training a more exciting and pleasant experience, leading to improved performance. Accordingly, music used as a motivational aid can provide a way to address the repetitiveness and mundane nature of many physical activities associated with aerobic performance training.

References

Karageorghis, C. and Terry, P. The psychophysical effects of music in sport and exercise: a review. Journal of Sport Behavior, 20(1): 54-68, 1997. Karageorghis, C., Terry, P., and Lane, A. Development and initial validation of an instrument to assess the motivational qualities of music in exercise and sport: The Brunel Music Rating Inventory. Journal of Sport Sciences, 17: 713-724, 1999. Karageorghis, C., Jones, L., and Low, D. Relationship between exercise heart rate and music tempo preference. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 77(2): 240-251, 2006. Karageorghis, C., and Priest, D. Music in Sport and Exercise: An update on research and application. The Sport Journal, 11(3): Retrieved October 25, 2008, from <http://www.thesportjournal.org/article/music-sport-and-exercise-update-research-and-application>, 2008. Professor Peter Terry, https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/entertainment/music/music-helps-athletes-boost-performance/news-story

Daily Mail UK, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2538601/The-workout-playlist-thats-PROVEN-work-Scientists-analyse-beats-songs-reveal-perfect-exercise-tracks.html

  Te Rangimaria Ngarimu Biography

He aha te mea nui – He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.

Te Rangimaria Ngarimu is the National Graduation Manager for Fit Futures Academy. She is from a family of three brothers and one sister, plus heaps of nieces, nephews, great nephews and nieces. Te was born, bred and educated here in Aotearoa.  Although she holds Diplomas in Music and Maori, she describes herself as ‘a Jack of all trades and master of none’.  Te has experienced life through travel, people and places. She enjoys anything to do with the beach whether it be swimming, walking, sailing or surfing (very badly)!

Disclaimer: The exercises and information provided by Fit Futures Learning Institute (T/A Fit Futures Academy) (www.fitfutures.co.nz) are for educational and entertainment purposes only, and are not to be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific treatment plan, product or course of action. Read the full content disclaimer.

The post That sounds about right appeared first on Fit Futures.

from https://fitfutures.co.nz/that-sounds-about-right/

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Variable Resistance Training: Does using bands enhance strength development?

Written by Nick Parke, Senior Tutor at Fit Futures Academy.

Introduction

             Strength can improve many measures of sports performance and reduce the incidence of injuries during athletic tasks. Subsequently, increasing strength is of interest to strength and conditioning coaches and personal trainers in the weight room. Strength is traditionally developed through constant resistance training (CRT) using free weights. With lifts that fall on the ascending strength curve e.g., bench-press, back-squat, and dead-lift (Wilson & Kritz, 2014). The challenge for practitioners is to efficiently develop a client’s strength to allow for optimal performance to be realised. Therefore all appropriate training modalities should be considered for inclusion in training programmes. Currently garnering attention as a training modality that can significantly enhance strength development is variable resistance training using elastic bands (VRT-B) (Ghigiarelli et al., 2009). When bands are attached to free-weights, the lifter is challenged by the variance in tension throughout the entire range of motion (ROM) (Kuntz, Masi, & Lorenz, 2014). Some have questioned the efficacy of VRT-B, arguing that there is limited loading potential compared to CRT. Therefore, some researchers believe that there is limited potential for optimal muscular and neural adaptations to present (Aboodarda, Ibrahim, Mokhtar, Thompson, & Behm, 2012; Stevenson, Warpeha, Dietz, Giveans, & Erdman, 2010). The purpose of this review is to evaluate and discuss the body of research on the use of VRT-B for enhancing strength development in comparison to CRT. To conclude, practical applications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

  The suggested effects and benefits of VRT-B

When conducting CRT with ascending strength curve lifts, acceleration of the load (and therefore average force) is negatively affected due to the sticking point, which is mechanically disadvantageous (Anderson, Sforzo, & Sigg, 2008). The most significant expression of strength occurs at the beginning of the concentric phase, with decreases in force evident after that as the bar approaches maximal displacement (Anderson et al., 2008; McMaster, Cronin, & McGuigan, 2009). Here, the lifter experiences a mechanical advantage due to multi-joint torques. The most considerable force-producing capabilities are in this position (McMaster et al., 2009). The depletion of force experienced during CRT is sub-optimal, with greater adaptations likely to occur if the load could be varied throughout an entire ROM (Andersen, Fimland, Kolnes, & Saeterbakken, 2015).

Researchers suggest that VRT-B can vary the load throughout an entire ROM, altering the kinetics and kinematics of lifts, and complementing the ascending strength curve (McMaster et al., 2009; Wilson & Kritz, 2014). As the band deforms, higher accelerations are experienced early in the concentric phase. Higher accelerations result in superior average force production due to the progressive recruitment of high threshold muscle fibres and motor units, allowing for more significant expressions of strength at or near full-limb extension (Anderson et al., 2008; Israetel, McBride, Nuzzo, Skinner, & Dayne, 2010; Kuntz et al., 2014; McMaster et al., 2009; Wallace, Winchester, & McGuigan, 2006; Wilson & Kritz, 2014). Additionally, the eccentric portion of the lift is also more challenging due to the bands pulling on the bar and increasing the eccentric loading (Anderson et al., 2008; Israetel et al., 2010; McMaster et al., 2009; Wallace et al., 2006). Hypothetically, VRT-B is a more beneficial training modality to develop strength due to the heightened presence of high-threshold muscle fibres and motor units. It is thought that training with bands can increase firing rates and improve motor unit synchronisation (Kuntz et al., 2014; McMaster, Cronin, & McGuigan, 2010).

  Effects of VRT-B on strength development

The first observation from the literature is that many studies managed to provoke improvements in strength, as noted by increases in strength test measures for bench-pressing and back-squat – 1, 3 and 6RM. Five studies investigated the effects of VRT-B on recreational men and women from varying age ranges and with different levels of resistance training experience. Andersen et al. (2015) observed 25% and 23% improvements in maximal strength in VRT-B and CRT groups, respectively. In contrast, Bellar et al. (2011) witnessed a 2.39 kg greater increase in strength of the VRT-B group over the CRT group, and this finding was statistically significant. Greater improvements across the board were observed by Bicer, Ozdal, Ackan, Mendes, and Patlar (2015); this was also the case for Muller et al. (2009). The one exception was Shoepe, Ramirez, Rovetti, Kohler, and Almstedt (2011) who despite inciting strength enhancement in both groups, observed the most significant improvements with CRT.

There were only two studies that investigated the effects of VRT-B on athletes. Both studies investigated the effects of a 7-week macrocycle on strength, each demonstrating more considerable strength improvement in the VRT-B groups within the respective studies. Anderson et al. (2008) periodised training across a spectrum of loading assignments – 72-98% 1RM. Irrespective of the training intensity, contribution to overall tension from bands remained constant at 20% (Anderson et al., 2008). 1RM bench-press improved 8% in the VRT-B group as opposed to 4% in the CRT group and back-squat strength increased by 16% in the VRT-B group with CRT only improving by 6%. Ghigiarelli et al. (2009) prescribed undulating periodisation over 7-weeks with two heavy sessions early in the week, followed by two lighter sessions later in the week. While not statistically significant, the VRT-B group did boast the most considerable improvement in 1RM bench-press strength, 8% as opposed to the 5% increase in the CRT group.

  Practical applications

It is apparent that VRT-B positively impacts strength development. Subsequently, training with bands is an alternative training method that can be used to develop strength in lifts that fall on the ascending strength curve. Percentage band contribution to the overall training load varied among studies with 15% (Bellar et al., 2011; Muller et al., 2009), 20% (Anderson et al., 2008) and a range of band tension between 20-35% (Shoepe et al., 2011). A percentage contribution of 20-35% is recommended by McMaster et al. (2009) which differs to recommendations by Kuntz et al. (2014) who state 10-15% is best for provoking strength gains. Too low a contribution may prove to be ineffective. Too high a contribution is likely to result in a ceiling effect (Kuntz et al., 2014). 20% seems appropriate; particularly in the athletic population as this has been proven effective in division 1-AA collegiate athletes (Anderson et al., 2008). For practitioners, many gyms have access to resistance bands. The use of bands can be explored to help clients build strength, break down a plateau in strength, and to provide some variety to a client’s training plan. Future research should look to quantify optimal band tension. Effects on different athletic disciplines should also be investigated. Including isometric tests to measure strength improvement at different angles in a ROM, would also help further our understanding of this training method.

  References

Aboodarda, S. L., Ibrahim, F., Mokhtar, A. H., Thompson, M. W., & Behm, D. G. (2012). Acute neuromuscular and hormonal responses to resistance exercise using variable external resistance loading. Journal of Exercise Physiology, 15(6).

Andersen, V., Fimland, M. S., Kolnes, M. K., & Saeterbakken, A. H. (2015). Elastic bands in combination with free weights in strength training: Neuromuscular effects. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 29(10), 2932-2940.

Anderson, C. E., Sforzo, G. A., & Sigg, J. A. (2008). The effects of combining elastic and free weight resistance on strength and power in athletes. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 22(2), 567-574.

Bellar, D. M., Muller, M. D., Barkley, J. E., Kim, C. H., Ida, K., Ryan, E. J., Glickerman, E. L. (2011). The effects of combined elastic and free-weight tension vs. free-weight tension on one-repetition maximum strength in the bench press. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 25(2), 459-463.

Bicer, M., Ozdal, M., Ackan, F., Mendes, B., & Patlar, S. (2015). Effect of strength training programme with elastic band on strength parameters. Biology of Exercise, 11(2). doi:10.4127/jbe.2015.0095

Ghigiarelli, J. J., Nagle, E. F., Gross, F. L., Robertson, R. J., Irrgang, J. J., & Myslinski, T. (2009). The effects of a 7-week heavy elastic band and weight chain program on upper-body strength and upper-body power in a sample of division 1-AA football players. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 23(3), 756-764.

Israetel, M. A., McBride, J. M., Nuzzo, J. L., Skinner, J. W., & Dayne, A. M. (2010). Kinetic and kinematic differences between squats performed with and without elastic bands. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(1), 190-194.

Kuntz, C. R., Masi, M., & Lorenz, D. (2014). Augmenting the bench press with elastic resistance: Scientific and practical applications. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 36(5).

McMaster, T., Cronin, J., & McGuigan, M. (2009). Forms of variable resistance training. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 31(6).

McMaster, T., Cronin, J., & McGuigan, M. R. (2010). Quantification of rubber and chain-based resistance modes. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(8), 2056-2064.

Muller, M. D., Bellar, D. M., Muller, S. M., Ryan, E. J., Bliss, M. V., Kim, C. H., Glickman, E. L. (2009). Bench press strength gains with and without elastic bands: A 13-week training study. Medicine & Science in Sport & Exercise, 41(5). doi:10.1249/01.mss.0000353464.60189.bf

Shoepe, T. C., Ramirez, D. A., Rovetti, R. J., Kohler, D. R., & Almstedt, H. C. (2011). The effects of 24 weeks of resistance training with simultaneous elastic and free weight loading on muscular performance of novice lifters. Journal of Human Kinetics, 29, 93-106.

Stevenson, M. W., Warpeha, J. M., Dietz, C. C., Giveans, R. M., & Erdman, A. G. (2010). Acute effects of elastic bands during the free-weight barbell back squat exercise on velocity, power and force production. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(11), 2944-2954.

Wallace, B. J., Winchester, J. B., & McGuigan, M. R. (2006). Effects of elastic bands on force and power characteristics during the back squat exercise. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 20(2), 268-272.

Wilson, J., & Kritz, M. (2014). Practical guidelines and considerations for the use of elastic bands in strength and conditioning. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 36(5).

  Tutor Bibliography Nick is the Senior Tutor and a curriculum developer at Fit Futures Academy and was previously in this role with Fit College NZ. Nick is a former representative football player for Auckland. After experiencing many overuse injuries throughout his youth, Nick decided to study sports science in 2010. He has since completed a Bachelors’s degree in Sports Science and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Strength and Conditioning at AUT. He holds an Australian Strength and Conditioning Association Level 1 certification. Professionally Nick has worked in many capacities ranging from Gym Instructor to Strength and Conditioning Coach. At the high-performance level, Nick briefly trained a snowboard cross athlete for Snow Sports in Wanaka (HPSNZ). More recently, Nick spent some time at New Zealand Football under the tutelage of Juan Roman. Here, Nick was instrumental in developing periodisation plans and researching training load and injury management. He spent last season as head of strength and conditioning and assistant football coach for the men’s reserves at Uni-Mount Wellington Bohemian Celtic F.C. Nick has a young family and, in his spare time, enjoys playing video games, reading, drawing and watching/studying American football.

  Disclaimer: The exercises and information provided by Fit Futures Learning Institute (T/A Fit Futures Academy) (www.fitfutures.co.nz) are for educational and entertainment purposes only, and are not to be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific treatment plan, product or course of action. Read the full content disclaimer.

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Who are you?

Have you ever wondered why you enjoy group fitness and exercising with others? Or do you prefer to train by yourself with no one else to disturb you? We are all uniquely different from each other, and our differing personalities define who we are. This article looks briefly at some of the psychological theories which define us, and why we may like to exercise with or without friends.

The next time you go to the gym to train, have a quick look around to see who is exercising by themselves or in a class. Is there a chance that their personality has helped them to choose that mode of exercise?

A good starting point is asking: what is personality? Eysenck (1967) suggested personality is inherited, and inherent within the athlete’s genes. This theory maintains that all behaviour is innate and a person has a natural tendency to act a certain way in any given situation. Eysenck called this Trait Theory. Trait Theory has two dimensions to personality; introverts and extroverts.

Introverted personalities tend to be individuals who are more reserved and less confident in social situations. As a result they may prefer individual sports or activities. The Trait Theory suggests that these individuals generally have more fine motor skills, determination and concentration. For example, golfers, snooker players or long distance runners may be more introverted in their personality behaviour, and may prefer to play or train by themselves. They are highly confident in their own capabilities, when not having to rely on others around them.  Are you one of these introverts, who ideally like to exercise or train by themselves? Does this maybe help to  explain why you have chosen your method of exercise training or the sport you play?

Below are some introverted personality traits:

Generally shy and reserved

Fast arousal levels

Prefer isolation from others

Predictable moods and emotions

Tend not to experience intense stress

Extroverted personalities tend to be individuals who are very confident and outgoing in all situations. These types of individuals tend to prefer team sports or activities with other players or participants around them. With team or group activities there can be more uncertainty, so extroverts also need to be dynamic and to be able to implement strategies and tactics on demand. Some extroverts also like being part of a team because they enjoy working to the same goals as others.

Do you enjoy playing team sports, and the interaction and camaraderie you have with your teammates? When you are exercising, do you like to participate with others around you, such as Crossfit or an F45 session? When you visit the gym, do you like to train with a partner, who pushes and motivates you through your programme? If the answer is yes to these questions, then there is a greater likelihood that you may have an extroverted personality.

Below are some of the extroverted personality traits:

  Outgoing and stable

Slow arousal levels

Interact well with others

Unpredictable and extreme emotions

Unreliable moods

High degree of stress and anxiety

The Trait Theory of Personality makes interesting reading and may help to explain why some individuals choose their type of sporting or exercise activity.

However, it is also very unlikely that you would call yourself a total introvert or total extrovert – there are too many variables in anyone’s individual personality,  sport or exercise activity. For example look at Tiger Woods, a golfer who is categorised by the Trait Theory of Personality as an introvert: fine motor skills, high levels of concentration and determination. But away from the golf course and driving range, his personality has been seen to change dramatically for all to see – which would seem to suggest that the environment also plays a part when determining our personality and behaviour. Other notable sporting introverts who challenge the Trait Theory are golfer John Daly and snooker player Ronnie O’Sullivan. Both are successful in their chosen sport, which challenges them to have fine motor skills, concentration and confidence. But away from the sport their personality behaviour has landed them on the front pages of newspapers for all the wrong reasons.

Although personality is likely to affect sporting behaviour, research is still unsuccessful in determining if one type of personality is likely to succeed in particular sports. But as you have read, there is limited research to suggest that the traits we were born with may play a part in determining the sporting or exercise activity we choose.

Cattell, (1973) proposed a 16 Personality Factors Questionnaire (16PF). This theory suggested that to get a better understanding of our personality we need to look at a wider view of personality traits. This suggested that individuals could have high or low personality traits; but more importantly, you would score yourself on a continuum depending on the environment or situation you find yourself in. Hence, you could display both introvert and extrovert traits depending on the situation or environment you find yourself in.

Are you a team player who enjoys others around them, or do you enjoy the solitude of your own company when exercising or playing sport? Is it possible that our personality may change depending on the situation or environment we find ourselves in? It would seem very likely that our personality can change regularly.

There are many theories proposed of personality and how it may help to predict human behaviour. Have you ever thought that the shape of your body may determine your personality characteristics? In other words, your physical, biological make-up may also determine the type of sport or mode of exercise you enjoy? Sheldon, Stevens & Tucker (1973) stated that our personality was categorised by our physical attributes and the relationship between our build and our behaviour. Sheldon et al suggested that there were three categories or what we now call somatotypes:

Endomorph

This is someone who is physically round (pear shaped), with wide hips and narrow shoulders, and quite a lot of fat spread across the body. But from a personality point of view, their traits or characteristics are interesting to read. Sheldon et al proposed that endomorphs are relaxed, tolerant, comfortable and sociable. They are fun-loving, good humoured and love food and affection. Does this type of body shape determine our personality behaviour to the extent that it dictates what type of exercise or sport we may choose to play? It is well advertised that larger people are reported to be more embarrassed by their bodies – is this a trait that may cause some endomorphs to not exercise enough, or not to play sport? It is worth noting for further discussion.

Ectomorph

This is a person who is the opposite of an endomorph. Physically they generally have very little body fat, a thin and narrow chest and abdomen, and narrow shoulders and hips. Sheldon et al proposed that this type of person eats as much as an endomorph, but they never seem to put weight on. Their personality characteristics generally tend to include being introverted, self-conscious, socially anxious, artistic, thoughtful, quiet and private. A final observation is that ectomorphs like to keep to themselves. Does this body shape characterise the type of sport or mode of exercise we choose? There would seem a close comparison between an ectomorph and Eysenck’s introvert characteristics. Is it fair to assume that ectomorphs are more likely to be cyclists or long-distance athletes, or is that stereotyping? Are you an ectomorph? What sport or exercise mode do you prefer? If you are an ectomorph, do you play a sport which allows you privacy, peace and quiet? There is still more research to be completed on Sheldon et al’s theory, but it does provide a general observation of body shapes and personality.

Mesomorph

A mesomorph is someone in between an endomorph and ectomorph. They have broad shoulders and a narrow waist, a muscular body, and little body fat. The psychological personality of an endomorph is characterised as sociable, fun-loving, even-tempered, tolerant and relaxed. They are assertive, courageous and like to try new things. They like to be seen as powerful, confident and risk-takers. So would being a mesomorph be the ideal body type or shape? Do we have friends who may fit these characteristics? For example, male Crossfitters who openly train and compete bare chested, or female Crossfitters wearing figure hugging apparel? Are these individuals highly assured of themselves and proud of how they look? Once again, more research needs to be completed on somatotypes and the way we behave. But the next time you are in the gym or exercise class, look out for any mesomorph. Look to see if their behavioural characteristics are inline with Sheldon et al’s theory.

To conclude, do our personalities define the exercise or sporting activities we participate in? The answer could be yes, but there are still too many variables to make or provide a conclusive argument to be confident. Psychological profiling on our physical features cannot be relied on comprehensively. More research needs to be completed to provide a clearer picture of why we choose to train or compete by ourselves or in a team. Eysenck’s Trait Theory of Personality also provides a little insight into how our personalities may determine the type of exercise mode or sporting activity we choose to participate in. Once again, this theory has limitations in its profiling capabilities. Cattell, (1973) further added a continuum to introvert-extrovert theory, suggesting that we have both introvert and extrovert characteristics which we use depending on the situations we find ourselves in. This too has merit, but is very subjectively reliant. There are many other personality theories that may help us understand our behavior when choosing a sport or mode of exercise to participate in. Freud, (1923) Tripartite Theory of Personality and Allport, (1937) Trait Theory both offer a further understanding of human behaviour but not necessarily a clearer understanding of why we choose certain sporting or exercise activities.

What we can be sure about is that our personalities and behaviours are at times complex and difficult to interpret and understand. Can personality define what mode of exercise we like? Probably not, but it may help as a broad gauge to help understand why some of us like to train and exercise by ourselves, or why some of us like to participate in large groups.

  Reference

Allport, F.H. (1937). Towards a Science of Public Opinion. Public Opinion Quartely. Volume 1, Issue 1, pages 7-23.

Cattell, R.B. (1973). Cattell and the Theory of Personality. Institute of Psychiatry. University of London.

Eysenck, H.J. (1967). The Biological Basis of Personality. Springfield: Thomas.

Freud, S. (1923). Certain Neurotic Mechanisms in Jealous, Paranoia & Homosexuality. International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 4:1-10.

Sheldon, W.H., Stevens, S.S., & Tucker, W.B. (1940) The Varieties of Human Physique. Harper: New York.

  About the Author: My name is Mike Clayton, I am the Head of Education at Fit Futures Academy. I was born and raised in York in the United Kingdom (UK). I am of mixed race, my mother is Chinese and my father, English. I have a younger sister who lives in the UK with her family. My education was based at Liverpool University & Chester University College. I have a BSc Hons in Sports & Biological Sciences, where I majored in Sport Psychology. I presented at the 1998 BASES conference at Portsmouth University “What is the advantage in home advantage”. I also have a Postgraduate Diploma in Sport & Exercise Psychology & a Post Graduate Certificate in Teaching Adult Education. Alongside my loving and supportive wife, I have two young lovely daughters who remind me every day of how lucky I am. My educational areas of interest include Contemporary Issues in Sport & Habitual Exercising. 

  Disclaimer: The exercises and information provided by Fit Futures Learning Institute (T/A Fit Futures Academy) (www.fitfutures.co.nz) are for educational and entertainment purposes only, and are not to be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific treatment plan, product or course of action. Read the full content disclaimer.

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Habits For Success

How many hours do you typically spend looking at your phone, TV or tablet? How many hours do you spend scrolling through content that is not benefiting you or your goals in any way? How recently have you asked yourself, “How much value am I adding to other people’s lives?”

These are very important questions to ask yourself or those you care about, as how you spend your time has a direct impact on the results you get in life’s sporting, career and social aspects.

Creating habits and routine can be a great way to stay inspired and engaged with your goals. This can be a gradual process: for example, replacing an hour of watching TV or scrolling through your phone with reading a book specific to your goals or career path, or listening to podcasts on a topic that will benefit you in some kind of way.

When it comes to completing a course, following through with a project, or helping others, the key to success is consistency. This can mean creating a routine or structure that instills the processes and mindset that you need in order to do what you aim to do, on a regular basis.

Does this mean you need to write out every single thing you wish to do? Not all the time. Does this mean being aware of what you wish to achieve, how to get there and what is required to get there? Absolutely.

I was recently speaking to a world champion boxer, kickboxer and decorated professional fighter, whose dream started on the streets of Sydney when he was 17. He has had a professional career of over 17 years, with notable wins over many greats; he also owns a gym, and has a wife and two beautiful daughters, because he believed in himself and chased his dream.

When I asked him about habits for success, he said he attributes a lot of his success to consistency and routine. He also took any opportunities he could find, in order to get closer to his goal of fighting professionally in Japan. When people would jokingly state that he was desperate for success, he agreed and said that he wanted it so bad that it happened in a matter of years.

Having spoken to numerous professional fighters who all accomplished their goals, there seems to be a common denominator when it comes to habits for success.

All of them had a routine, and all of them had clear goals and visions of what they wanted from life and from their sport.

They all have children, family, own gyms and careers of their own. When I asked how they did it, to them it was just the norm: a way of life and a means to achieve their goals.

So next time you’re stuck on a goal or figuring out how to spend your time, make sure you’ve ticked your tasks off for the day and taken steps to get to where you want to be!

  Tutor Bibliography Bryn Ealey is one of the tutors at Fit Futures Academy. Bryn was born in Japan and raised in Christchurch from the age of 2, to a Japanese mother and English father. His education includes a Certificate in Fitness and a BappSci in Sports and Exercise Science. Bryn is a competitive powerlifter with multiple titles in national level competitions, and practices martial arts when he isn’t lifting weights! Bryn’s key areas of interest include Strength and Conditioning, Mental Skills and Exercise Prescription. Having an extremely supportive and understanding partner in the same industry makes his job a lot easier!

Disclaimer: The exercises and information provided by Fit Futures Learning Institute (T/A Fit Futures Academy) (www.fitfutures.co.nz) are for educational and entertainment purposes only, and are not to be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific treatment plan, product or course of action. Read the full content disclaimer.

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How stress hormones affect you and your client’s weight loss goals

You probably wouldn’t think that stress and stress hormones promote weight gain, neither did I when I first started my career as a trainer.

With time and working in women’s gyms, I realised that for some of my clients my advice and training programs weren’t working. I started to get more worried about my job, and question whether I was doing the right thing with those clients. As I started to take more time to know more about my clients’ personal lives,  I began to understand that the majority experienced some stress in life.

What is stress, and how does it keep you from your weight loss goals?

That was the first question that popped into my head, and that’s when my passion for hormones started.

There are many links between stress hormones and weight. We’ll talk about six primary reasons that stress hormones can keep you from your weight loss goals. These include the effect stress has on digestion and gut health, inflammation, and the immune system.

Stress can cause cravings, increased appetite, and “stress eating.” It can promote fat storage around the waist with its effect on insulin sensitivity.

Stress can also be mood-busting and demotivating, not to mention how it worsens sleep.

Let’s see what the definition of stress is:

Stress: In a medical or biological context, stress is a physical, mental, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension. Stresses can be external (from the environment, psychological, or social situations) or internal (illness, or from a medical procedure). Stress can initiate the “fight or flight” response, a complex reaction of neurologic and endocrinologic systems

https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=20104

When you experience danger, it starts a hormone cascade that moves from your brain to your adrenal glands, like a bunch of dominos falling: each one pushing the other to create a chain.

First, a part of the brain called the hypothalamus gets your nervous system ready. It also releases a hormone to trigger the next hormone in the cascade – this is the first domino drop.

Second, the pituitary gland (also in the brain) gets that hormone; it releases a different hormone to trigger the next hormone in the cascade (the second domino to fall).

The name for this connection between the brain’s hormones and adrenal hormones is called the hypothalamic-pituitary-axis, and there is more and more research that shows a link between improper functioning of the HPA AXIS, insulin resistance, and abdominal obesity. And, you want to minimize insulin resistance and abdominal obesity, right?

Cortisol is another stress hormone that affects many things in our bodies including digestion and gut health, inflammation, hunger hormones, insulin release and sensitivity, mood, and sleep. All of these can also affect your client’s weight.

Also when you’re stressed, do you reach for a salad? Or do you prefer fatty or sugary snacks? Many stressed people tend to eat more food, particularly comfort food – things that tend to be fatty and sugary. Scientists are now looking at interactions between stress hormones and the ‘hunger’ and ‘fullness’ hormones.

Stress also increases your blood sugar, to make sure that your muscles have the fuel they need to ‘fight.’  If your muscles don’t use up that excess blood sugar (i.e. you are not running for your life), your body secretes insulin to re-absorb that sugar into your cells. This increase in both cortisol and insulin promotes resistance and fat storage, especially around the middle.

Summary

Stress has six significant effects that can keep your clients from their weight loss goals. It affects digestion and gut health, inflammation and the immune system . Stress can cause cravings and increased appetite, and ‘stress eating’ can also promote fat storage around the waist with its effect on insulin sensitivity.

Try to help your clients to reduce some of the causes of stress, before they start a weight loss journey.

  REFERENCES

Brzozowski B, Mazur-Bialy A, Pajdo R, Kwiecien S, Bilski J, Zwolinska-Wcislo M, Mach T, Brzozowski T. Mechanisms by which Stress Affects the Experimental and Clinical Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): Role of Brain-Gut Axis. Curr Neuropharmacol. 2016;14(8):892-900.

LINK: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27040468

  Disclaimer: The exercises and information provided by Fit Futures Learning Institute (T/A Fit Futures Academy) (www.fitfutures.co.nz) are for educational and entertainment purposes only, and are not to be interpreted as a recommendation for a specific treatment plan, product or course of action. Read the full content disclaimer.

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from https://fitfutures.co.nz/how-stress-hormones-affect-you-and-your-clients-weight-loss-goals/