Strength Training: A Woman’s View

I proudly served in the United States Navy for twenty-four years. During that time I had the pleasure of working alongside and knowing many exceptional female leaders. Many have since retired while others are still serving our country. They continue to lead and inspire others daily, and the military is a better place with them in it.

Since retirement I’ve had the pleasure of training numerous female athletes and helped others become stronger and fitter versions of themselves. Further, I have been blessed to network with exceptional coaches from around the world and continue to learn from the them all the time.

The subject of strength training for women, both for its benefits and training differences that exist between genders (Which isn’t really isn’t as much as some would think) has been covered thousands of times by people much smarter that myself.

What I haven’t seen very many articles covering is the viewpoints of ladies representing a wide range of ages and training backgrounds.  This weeks blog is the viewpoints of some exceptional female coaches from across the USA from their twenties and up.

I asked the question “How has strength training benefitted you in life?”

These are their stories…

Twenties…

Elizabeth Coronado-Ledenich, 26 years old, NASM CPT
Las Vegas Nevada, Life Time Athletic and EOS Fitness.

liztrainerlife.wordpress.com
lizcoronado08@gmail.com

“In order to understand what strength training brought into my life I must first start by sharing a little bit about my past. In 2012, I had dealt with some drug related issues one of which landed me in the hospital for overdosing. I never once thought that I was unhappy. I weighed close to 300 pounds and that never raised a red flag for me. I never lacked self esteem or had body image related problems so I never thought there was a problem.

It wasn’t until 2013; one night, after smoking marijuana in my friends closet that changed my life. I walked out to the room and at the time I didn’t know what I was experiencing but it was an anxiety attack. It continued like that for weeks. My mental instability led me to believe I really was going to die and it was only a matter of time. I was so desperate to find a solution to why I was feeling this way and advice from friends led to eating better and exercising. I had nothing else to lose so I gave it a try. I started eating better and going to the gym and my path to health started.

I worked on building healthy habits and started seeing the weight come off. Most importantly I felt so much better and the panic attacks started going away. I discovered so much more about myself during this time. It wasn’t until I lost about 60 pounds that I became interested in becoming a personal trainer to share with others the importance of fitness and nutrition in life.

I stopped teaching middle/high school to attend a personal training class to pursue my new career path. I had a lot of doubters and people that tried to discourage me from continuing on this path. I think it was mainly because I didn’t look like I “worked out” and still had weight to lose. During this class I met two amazing people that propelled me to new heights. First person was a student in my class who is one of my best friends to this day; Jean, who kept me focused on my path and goals regardless of the naysayers. The second person was someone who I met during my internship hours and his name is Chris (The author of the blog and amazing coach and mentor) I shadowed him training clients a couple of times. Before meeting him I had never picked up a barbell and I had only messed around with light dumbbells.

One night after getting signed on my hour of shadowing I made a comment that I had never even touched a barbell and in that moment Chris walked over to get one. I will never forget this night. He started teaching me how to press it over my head. Already in my head I was thinking “there is no way I’m going to be able to press that thing over my head but I’ll try because it looks like fun,” I walked over and held it in my hands as Chris started giving me cues on what I needed to do and incorporate every part of the body to assist with the lift. With that I pressed it over my head. I remember looking in the mirror and being in shock that I was actually doing something I had already told myself I would not be able to do at all yet. I put the barbell down and the first thing he said was “You’re so much stronger than you think you are,” I went home that night just thinking of how amazing that felt and how I wanted to get stronger. (Chris you’re the best!)

Strength training has brought on physical, mental, and emotional strength in my life. I look in the mirror and I love the person I have become. I am a completely different person than I was back in 2012 and a lot of it is due to the fact that I have become a stronger individual. I gained confidence, and lost the anxiety attacks. I love going into the gym and thinking “How much stronger am I going to get today,” Strength training led me to teaching fitness classes and becoming a much more well rounded personal trainer. Now in 2016. Strength training and breathing techniques helped me during the natural birth of my newborn son and it will continue to help me to be the best I can be.

Thirties….

Naomi “Coach Ninja” Recania

CrossFit CF-L1, CrossFit Kids, CrossFit Mobility Trainer, USAW Level 1 SPC, NASM CPT/YES
Santa Barbara, CA, USA; CrossFit Santa Barbara
http://www.crossfit-santabarbara.com
http://www.facebook.com/crossfitsantabarbara
Instagram: @crossfitsantabarbara

“ I noticed at a young age that I was stronger than other kids. Athletics, dance – anything that required body awareness and strength came easy to me. However, I always felt emotionally different than others. I am extremely sensitive and feel life very deeply. Twelve years of competitive gymnastics allowed me to grow mentally and emotionally, but I still felt incomplete. It wasn’t until I found CrossFit that I was able to understand and learn how to cope with my emotions.

Inc. magazine published a fantastic article the other day entitled “5 Reasons Why So Many Entrepreneurs Do CrossFit”. One paragraph in particular stood out as it encapsulated my views and purpose for participating in the program since 2010: “Pushing yourself to develop strength and skills in areas where you’re not naturally gifted… helps you push past your own belief systems around what you’re capable of doing. It breeds fortitude and mental strength.”

It was the belief systems that I, and others, had created that prevented me from reaching my potential in various aspects throughout my life. Once I was able to break through those barriers, I grew immensely – not only physically, but also emotionally and intellectually. As such, I am now Owner and Head Coach of CrossFit Santa Barbara, and the gym is thriving. It is through my physical strength training in CrossFit that I attribute my continued growth of “fortitude and mental strength” that I am able to apply to all aspects of my life.”

For above-mentioned article: http://www.inc.com/tanya-hall/5-reasons-why-so-many-entrepreneurs-do-crossfit.html

Nyki Harrington NASM-CPT, PN1 Coach (Far Left)
Tucson, AZ – currently with UFC Gym North Tucson Strength and Conditioning Coach/Kickboxing Instructor
520-481-8833 – nyki.ufcgym@gmail.com

“I’m a chick. Obviously. But I think I did things backwards according to the so-called status quo of chicks who workout; I’d choose to up my PR on bench press over run on a treadmill any day. Strength training hasn’t simply brought something to my life, it has brought life to my strength (oh that sounded so cool!).

I’m also a fighter but I would’ve never been able to become a fighter without strength training myself, being that I’m in my 30’s, a mother of three crazy monsters, a history of arthritis (for reals…) and was overweight my entire life; losing close to 100lbs overweight. I mean, I would get winded checking the mail and now I roundhouse kick others girls in the face, how awesome is that?! I would never have the confidence nor the general ability to poise myself to learn boxing, kick boxing and now Muay Thai without strength training.

IT DOES NOT MAKE YOU LOOK LIKE A DUDE! I can lift heavier than my husband on most days and trust me, he looks like a dude, I do not. I feel strong, confident, sexy and my basal metabolic rate has increased while my body fat has decreased, I was once 46% BF now sitting at a comfortable 17% and still dropping.

With my clients – I have successfully built an impeccably strong army of female warriors who walk up to the free weights like a BOSS. They are no longer scared to do those “guy routines” and in turn have also seen the same results as myself. Strength training is as important as nutrition and I wouldn’t trade my kettlebell for all of the treadmills in the world. (no offense to treadmills)”

Forties….

Liz Jones: BA, MAOL, RYT, CPT, CMWA, Nutritional Therapist
Wylie, Texas (Dallas)
WEBSITE: www.lizjones.co

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/lizjones.co/

“I have been strength training since I was a teenager and have gone through ups and downs with my fitness throughout my life.  I am now about to turn 45 in October and can say that strength training, along with stress management and nutrition, is one of the things that has helped to keep me young and manage my health through the years.

Personally, strength training has empowered me in many ways, helping to keep my body strong helps to keep my mind and resolve strong as well.  I love the acronym SWEAT She Will Endure All Things- which I have on a tank top that the company donates proceeds to domestic abuse programs.

When my son was 14 (he is now 26), he was in a terrible accident that put him in a coma which lasted for ten days. They were not sure he was going to make it.  This weekend is the 12th anniversary of his accident and it is hard not to reflect on the pain and tragedy of that time of our lives, but it also, in all it’s horribleness, also made us stronger in many ways.  Physical strength and fitness helped to get me through a time when I needed all the strength I could find from within.  I lived at the hospital with him for a month and six days before we were able to go home and would do yoga by his bedside, run in the parking ramp and use the free weights in the physical therapy room while he was in sessions.  It was one of the few things that kept me sane during an emotional crisis watching my child go through terrible pain and suffering.

It also helped me as a single mother to be strong and to raise a son to know what strength looks like, both physically and philosophically.

When I work with clients, many of whom are women in their 40’s and 50’s (I work with all ages and genders, but my primary audience is middle-aged women) I always talk with women about body awareness, self-acceptance and self-esteem.  We focus a lot more on gaining strength over time that we do on scale weight.  I teach women the importance of weight training and how much it makes a difference in their longevity and in functional fitness.  If you have children or grandchildren, you need to be able to pick up 50-70 pound without being injured.  Doing yard work, maintaining a healthy sex life, preventing bone fractures and hormonal issues are all affected by strength training.

Having energy to get through your daily routine whether you work in an office, in your home or a combination of the two is something women of all ages need to focus on.  Weight training is vital to a woman’s health and wellbeing.  I make all of my clients work on their Wonder Woman pose while training, because not only does it help them get in correct form and good posture, it is a powerful stance that creates strong energy.  I teach women to honor their bodies and to be women of strength.”

Fifties….

PJ Olsen (age 57) StrongFirst SFG I, Original Strength Certified Coach, Certified Yoga Instructor, FMS Certified, Yoga Therapist (in training)
Nashville, TN
Restorative Strength and Music City Kettlebell
Website: http://www.RestorativeStrength.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Restorative-Strength; https://www.facebook.com/musiccitykettlebell/

“Although I have strength trained most of my adult life, it’s really been in my 50’s that I have found it to be the most rewarding and transformational! At 50, I was suffering regularly from running injuries, and the poor posture that resulted from sitting behind a computer at work 10 hours a day was taking its toll on my body.

I then discovered kettlebell training which completely changed my life! It quickly improved my overall strength, mobility, and endurance like nothing else ever had!  I was so inspired by my own results that I went on to pursue my kettlebell instructor certification at the age of 53.

Physical strength is empowering! Strength training has allowed me to step outside of my comfort zone. It has helped push fear back in the corner where it belongs and provided a way of dealing with everyday stress.  My desire and ability to learn new things has increased dramatically…and has even set me on a new career path that I am so passionate about!

With my continuing education in kettlebell training, Original Strength, and Yoga (and currently in training to be a Yoga Therapist), I now have skills and knowledge to help others…especially those over the age of 50…rediscover the joy of moving well so they may enjoy an improved quality of life! I feel truly blessed that strength training has provided me my purpose in life!

I truly appreciate this opportunity to help spread the love for strength training! I hope that I inspire someone in my age group to go pick up a kettlebell…or start crawling!”

Namaste,
PJ
Sixties….

At present I do not have any female coach friends in their sixties.  The below viewpoint was provided via the clients coach. (MTC)

Claudia (Left) with her coach Rocky Kitzmiller.

Rocky Kitzmiller, MS,MAED,NASM WLS,CPT,HKC
RockBody-Fitness, LLC
Virginia Beach, VA
http://www.facebook.com/rockysrockbody
rockbody-fitness.com

“I have pretty much been working out all my life. Through strength training I have had the ability to fight through menopause. At 66, training to keep my strength, stability, and flexibility is even more important than before. Once retired, I have had more time for travel and adventure. My golf game is still improving and having the ability to play is important to my wellbeing. I look forward to more travel including such places as Machu Picchu and the Galápagos Islands. To be able to enjoy life’s adventures, I need my strength and need to continue to train throughout life to maintain. I will continue to climb mountains and jump into the waters as long as I can. I’m far too young to stop now!”

 

Diet and Exercise while traveling

A challenge faced by working adults is the occasional, or frequent need to travel. This can affect a persons consistency with their diet and exercise plans and cause some mental havoc.  I’ll be the first to tell you that it doesn’t have to be that way.

I reached out to my professional colleagues to see what advice they are providing their frequent flier clients with the following questions;

“What are your best healthy eating habits or tips for the frequent traveler?”

“Do you have any additional advice for clients on weight loss or weight management diets?”

“I went on vacation and brought back 5lbs of unwanted weight, what can I do?”

“Will a five day trip seriously affect the progress I’ve made in the gym?” (I.E loss of strength,mobility or cardio endurance)

Let’s meet your Fitness Professionals….

ANDY FRISCH is the owner of http://www.FreshEvolutionFitness.com, a growing community where he maintains an active blog and video database. He helps members to engineer their weight loss and improve their health and happiness.

Andy has also worked as a trainer with Sports Village Fitness in Lebanon,TN USA since 2011. Andy’s lengthy list of credentials include Precision Nutrition Level 1 (finishing up Level 2) Coaching, Corrective Exercise, Weight Loss Specialist, and several other specialization courses from National Academy of Sports Medicine and National Exercise and Sports Trainers Association (NESTA)

He is an expert in the fields of nutritional coaching and lifestyle design. He sees living a healthy and happy life from the macro perspective, while understanding how to adjust the micro level for clients to achieve their goals.

Andy’s Advice…
When it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle while traveling often, a few familiar key factors come to mind. I’ve used these ideas successfully with a handful of type-A executives who are on hectic schedules. The biggest thing to consider is how to prepare best for the individual.

For example, some clients know they’ll be going out to eat, so they Google healthy restaurants within the area they’ll be staying. This allows them to know where they’ll be able to go without having to take time to decide when blood sugar is low and will power may be non-existent.

Also, asking restaurants or hotels if they offer low-glycemic, diabetic, or simply a healthy options menu can be a life-saver. Many establishments have them, though they often don’t advertise the fact.

Other clients may not have time or care to go out to eat, so they need to prepare foods that travel well. This can usually include items like different raw, unsalted nuts or dried fruits for energy (depending on their dietary habits), as well as healthy types of jerky or even protein powders prepacked into ziploc baggies.

If you’re in a pinch and don’t feel comfortable hitting an unfamiliar restaurant, find a local grocery store. You’ll be able to make healthier choices that you’re more familiar with, provided your hotel room has a mini-fridge and a microwave, if needed.

In addition, the closer you can keep your travel lifestyle to match your home healthy lifestyle, the better off you’ll be. Sneaking in even 15 minutes of a quick workout can help rev up energy levels and prepare you for big meetings or presentations. I’ve even had clients who had me design a 10 minute, bodyweight workout they could do in their hotel room before a convention each morning.

Remember, your body likes a routine. While breaking it on occasion is critical to growth, being in a high stress situation, like traveling for work, is often a good time for keeping things comfortable and familiar. If you work out at home, try to work out on the road. Dial back the intensity according to your schedule, but stay active.

If you stick to these, you should be able to keep from adding any unwanted weight. However, if a few additional pounds happen to sneak onto your carry-on and you don’t notice them until you’re home in front of the mirror, it’s important not to panic.

If you’ve been doing the right things prior to leaving to lose weight, go back to those things to lose it back. The biggest mistake someone can make is to freak out about a few extra pounds, completely change up their exercise and nutrition, and get out of the healthy habits they’ve created. Stay the course, have faith, and get right back into the fight. Those pounds will disappear.

Often times, clients worry about going on vacation or business trips. They think the time away from the gym will derail all their progress. In fact, the opposite is often the case. I spend time with my clients to make sure they enjoy their vacations or trips without abandoning all their healthy habits. Sure, we alter them, but we don’t disown them.

This works wonders, as most clients return to hop on the scale and see that the break actually helped them lose a few extra pounds. They’ll also notice feeling refreshed, renewed and reinvigorated. Even my clients who “misbehave” the worst, hitting the bar and having whatever desserts they want, will only come back with 3-5 extra pounds. They don’t panic, they realize the importance of getting right back into the ring, and within a 1-3 weeks those additional pounds are sent packing.

EMMA SKELTON currently based at Proehlific Park in Greensboro, NC. http://proehlificpark.com/about-our-personal-fitness-center/. A sports and fitness center like no other, spanning 84,000 sq ft and owned and operated by ex-NFL wide receiver Ricky Proehl. Originally designed to provide coaching and sporting opportunities for children, it now offers something for all ages.

Emma is a Certified Personal Trainer, Corrective Exercise Specialist, Fitness Nutritionist and Weight Loss Specialist through NASM and can be reached through her Facebook Page The Healthy Life. Among Emma’s current clientele are a number of frequent flyers, including her husband who travels 2 weeks out of 5 across the United States and abroad.

She primarily works with the older populations and will soon be launching a Seniors class to go alongside the higher intensity classes she also teaches.

Emma’s Advice…                                                                                              CHOOSE HOTELS WITH FREE FACILITIES IF POSSIBLE. Even at its most basic, a hotel gym will offer some sort of workout opportunity – use them!!

INVEST IN SOME RESISTANCE BANDS. These items are completely lightweight and portable and are very inexpensive. Even if you are a ‘hand-luggage only’ these will not take up any room. You can easily get a full body workout from these items and is an easy fix to keep you active even in the confines of a small hotel room. If you wanted to crank it up a notch, buy a TRX suspension kit. Again relatively small & light to pack and gives you a powerful, all over body cardio/strength workout if used correctly.

LITTLE & OFTEN. Don’t think whilst you are away you need to cram in your usual 1-2hr workouts. Even 20 – 30 minutes is better than nothing and if you are working hard enough, this is a good time to get your heart rate up and burn some serious fat! Its often hard to find time whilst traveling, especially if you are on someone else timeframe at a conference or such but just by getting up 30 minutes earlier you are guaranteed to get it done and feel better for the rest of your day!

BODYWEIGHT WORKOUTS WORK! Plan a 20 minutes high-intensity workout before you leave. I always offer my clients a few Tabata style workouts that are easy to complete whilst they travel. With a 5 minutes warm up to begin and a 5 minutes cool down at the end, 20 minutes of hard work is all you need to kick start your day. I suggest they download the ‘GYMBOSS’ app and set it a 20 second on, 10 second off intervals x8 with a 1 minute rest in between each ‘round’. That way you are getting a variety of exercises to elevate boredom and getting a kick-ass workout in at the same time! This is a short, sharp workout that requires nothing more than a pair of sneakers, their own bodyweight and some banging music helps too!!

MAKE GOOD FOOD CHOICES. This is always possibly the biggest challenge for most people. A delicious buffet cart, long, fun boozy lunches and tempting continental breakfasts all are hard to resist. I always ask my clients to remind themselves why they are doing this before eating and succumbing to temptations…. always have a little pep talk with yourself before making any bad food decisions. Just being mindful as to what your goals are and how hard you’ve worked thus far, are often all people need to stay focused. Make the best choices you possibly can… grilled proteins, no sauces (or at the very least ask for sauces to be on the side), no heavy carbs and lots and lots of green salads/veggies. Fill up on veggies is a good tip that people always seem to remember. Finally alcohol…. IF YOU HAVE TO indulge, again make good choices – try and avoid heavy beers, calorific wines and alcoholic sodas and cocktails. Chose clear liquors such as vodka and gin and pair them with diet tonics or seltzer waters flavoured with fruits such as lemons or limes. This change will cut your calorie content by half and still leaves you feeling like you have had a good night out!

“FAIL TO PREPARE, PREPARE TO FAIL” This is my go to mantra for all my clients… if you are not planning ahead you are going to fail. I suggest to all my travelers (and people who work in busy jobs too) buy a good shaker/blender cup and take it with you wherever you go. You can buy individual protein powder sachets (which avoids any awkward questions at customs!) and are a quick and easy way to keep on track and on top of your snacks and protein intakes. Quest do a good selection of flavors in individual packs. Other ‘quick fixes’ I suggest include Protein Bars (but they have to be the good quality kind, BPI do a good one as well as Pro-Bar which are delicious but are slightly denser with carbs content). My husband also packs Ostrim bars and Turkey Jerky too for a quick protein pick me up. Finally, this is so important and even more so if you are flying regularly – HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE. Water needs to be your best friend, your body will thank you for it!

RENAE BOHALL ROCHON is a Certified Nutritionist and personal trainer with Four Directions Integrative Wellness located in Tempe,AZ. http://www.fdiw.org

Renae’s lifelong lover of fitness and twenty year professional dancer which included performing, teaching, and choreographing,led to her next passion of introducing exercise and wellness to people around her.  Renae has helped countless clients get into fitness for the first time in their lives, return to fitness after taking a break for various reasons including injuries, personal setbacks or complexities of living in a busy world. This has created the need to think outside the box to support her clients reach their goals. She strongly believes if you really want something, you will find a way.

Renae’s advice…
Have a plan! When you have a plan you will be more successful staying on track because you will be controlling your environment as opposed to letting your environment control you.  Pack nuts, protein bars, protein powder, beef jerky or fruit to keep you satiated. This keeps you from being a slave to the vending machine or binge eating when food is available. Stay hydrated.  Many travelers limit water consumption due to long flights, or seminars.  This can make you confuse hunger for thirst.  Choose flat water instead of soda or carbonation which can cause a build up of air and can irritate the stomach and intestinal lining.  Check out the menu at a restaurant before you get there, and plan what you will order.  This eliminates the temptation that can cause you to sabotage your healthy lifestyle.

Improvise. When there is no hotel gym that is no excuse to skip the workouts.  You can do pushups, planks, squats, dips, lunges, and burpees in a small space.  Travel with a jump rope!  It takes up little space, doesn’t weigh anything, and you can increase your heart rate within 30 seconds.  When you don’t have a choice about what is being served you do the best you can.  Skip the bread and butter, peel off breading, skip dessert, and curb alcohol consumption.  Focus on the things that are in your control.

Relax! Most likely the weight you gained with be principally water weight due to consuming more sodium and carbs than you usually have at home.  Get back to your normal eating and exercise regimen and your body should return to its pre vacation status in a few days.

You will not likely lose many of your gains. People tend to be more active on vacation than they realize. They are often walking more while at the beach, shopping, or sightseeing.  In general, research has shown that one or two weeks of inactivity won’t affect your overall fitness level. It usually takes a month to see significant decreases in strength and endurance unless you are an elite athlete. That being said, taking off 1-2 weeks can compromise your momentum.  If you have struggled with creating and maintaining consistency with your workouts, taking a break will challenge your commitment to restart.  If you have health goals, are rehabbing from an injury, have been seeing results, sleep better when you exercise, or have high performance aspirations then do not take a break.  Become solution oriented and keep moving forward.  There are plenty of difficult obstacles in life, don’t allow yourself to be one of them.

Voices of the Fitness Professionals

For this weeks blog I tapped members of my trainers network asking two questions; Where were you in life before becoming a fitness professional? and What does being a fitness professional mean to you?

Responses came in from across the globe. These coaches range between those in their first year as trainers to those with multiple decades of experience and subject matter expertise.   A defining trait common in all is their passion and dedication to this profession and to those that they educate and lead.  I am as fortunate to know them as you are to have them as your coach.

Russ Moon (black shirt and shorts, center) presenting a Breathe! session at the Fountain of Goodness in Seenigama, Sri Lanka Sept.2015.  Attendees to this event included numerous national level athletes and even through interpreters the positive and immediate effects of Breathe! were felt and experienced.

Injuries have shaped me and my training.  A broken ankle (service connected parachuting injury), learning to deal with compensations working on a continuous basis to “undo” tightness in the opposite leg and instability on the injured side.  A torn meniscus, which I was told in 1985 “by the time you are 30 you will have debilitating arthritis in this knee”, so I developed my leg musculature to absorb much of the shock.  I like leg extensions because they protect my knee, not for vanity and that is why I continue to do them.  A shoulder bone spur, went from incline pressing 315×10 to being unable to lift my arm above waist high and having a frozen shoulder.

Enter the Kettlebell, it was a desperation rehab tool and it worked.  Came back a couple of years later to press the Beast Kettlebell (48kg/108lbs) seven times consecutively with that shoulder and six more with the other as a masters class (50+ yo) athlete.  During the course of my shoulder rehab I was taking treatments in neuromuscular stabilization and they helped a great deal, to the point my coach was nothing my very rapid progress.  That started evolved over the last 8 years to what is now Breathe!

I worked in a sports medicine clinic developing my own mix of all the therapies I had been exposed to and testing them on more than 2,500 students and patients, then after writing the first Breathe! book another 4000 students.  Two more years of refinement and Breathe! II was published in December 2015.  I was so relieved as a patient that I found something that helped my body mend and become stronger again that I wanted to share that with other people.

Being a coach has allowed me to share the learnings from a lot of challenging times and help people get back on their feet or take their fitness to another level. It has made me empathic to those who are not superhuman, as I have never been that and I know what its like to struggle.  I enjoy sharing what I have learned to help people understand that no matter how dark things may look at the time, there is a way out if they follow proven methods, with a coach and do the work.  You can do it yourself, but it takes a lot longer and there is no real guarantee you will ever find your way out of the maze.  For myself, I like having someone who can guide me when needed, which is more often than I care to admit and I don’t think most people are all that different. Using Breathe! II right now to help my body come back from injuries sustained in a car accident in September 2015, my therapist has noticed the difference….but that is another story for later at a workshop.

Russ Moon,Richmond,VA.  (Jacksonville,FL April 2016) Health and Performance Coach, Author of Breathe! II – Health and Performance Performance Edition http://www.newbreathe.com

Naomi “Coach Ninja” Recania teaching rope climbing skills to the next generation of athletes.

In 2009, I left my career in the music industry to transfer into a field where I could make a positive impact directly on others lives and society as a whole. My initial plan was to become an elementary school teacher, but after finding CrossFit I realized that it was not in the classroom that I wanted to teach in but rather the gym.  I enjoy connecting with people of all ages and working with them in an active setting – getting them to move their bodies and challenging them so that they can see their potential.  Healthier people make for a healthier and more positive society.  To quote my favorite movie lawyer “…Exercise gives you endorphins endorphins make you happy, happy people just don’t shoot their husbands, they just don’t” (Legally Blonde 2001)

I was a competitive gymnast for 12 years until the age of 18 and did not participate in any regular exercise or sport after that time until I started CrossFit in January 2010 at the age of 33.  That is when my fitness career began.  My experience as a gymnast has provided a strong foundation for proper movement, which translated into properly instructing clients and knowing what to look for in clients of all abilities and sizes.  As a coach and trainer, it is important to understand how to reach each client to ensure their success and fulfillment.  What works for one client may not always work for another.

It is my goal to encourage people to challenge themselves mentally and physically through fitness and to use what they discover about themselves during our sessions and apply it to their everyday lives.  My philosophy on being a coach, or in any leadership position is : “To be a coach is to be humble.  There is no place for your ego as it is not about you.  It is not about how great your think you are, but about how great your client/athlete/student can and will be.  Always train someone to be better than you.”

Naomi “Coach Ninja” Recania Santa Barbara, CA. CrossFit CF-L1 Trainer, CF Kids Trainer and CF Mobility Trainer, USAW Sports Coach,NASM CPT and Youth Exercise Specialist. http://www.coachninja.com

Jay Lopez bridges the gaps between Allied Health care and Strength and Conditioning in his clinic/gym.

I started getting into strength training at a young age for a myriad of reasons. I was a skinny kid who needed more self confidence and at the same time, I needed an outlet to help me deal with my personal issues during my teenage life. So I took martial arts and strength training to help discipline me and also help with self confidence. Because of this many positive changes happened,self confidence,strength self discipline. I am really happy that I undertook this during my teen years.

I entered the world of coaching people as an undergraduate student in Occupational Therapy.  I realized early on that I wanted to teach and I wanted to help people be better versions of themselves. In Occupational Therapy, the main goal of the profession is to help individuals reach optimal functional independence. I knew early on that this was what I wanted to do as well.

It was in my junior year of OT where,after being exposed to clinical work that I realized if people trained consistently and with proper instruction, they could avoid illness and injury for the most part. Add that to the fact that sports rehabilitation and strength and conditioning were beginning to be very interesting given that I had so many medical subjects that helped me understand the human body even more. This is where my journey began.

I was contemplating on continuing to medical school but certain circumstances prevented me from doing so. Still, I wanted to do my best to heal people in a way that I could.  Upon graduating, I worked as both a trainer and an Occupational Therapist , I started in a string of commercial gyms before I became a freelance trainer and now I run my own facility and am opening another.

5 years of being an allied medical practitioner and a strength coach has made me a better person in so many ways. I work from the rehabilitation/clinical setting all the way to the athletic performance level.  I learned so much in theory and practice and I also learned about relationships and about people.  In both the rehabilitative/medical and fitness/athletic settings, no day is ever the same.  I am constantly working on being better so I can do better for my students and patients. My learning never stops.

Being Jesuit educated, the virtue of MAGIC (meaning doing more than what is expected) and being a man for others was instilled in us at a young age. Being an allied health practitioner ad strength coach allows me the opportunity to practice these virtues everyday, and I learn from the people I treat everyday.

Doing what I do has made me stronger physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.  To say that I am better as a person now would be an understatement.

Justo Maria “Jay” Lopez III,  Manila Philippines, OT,Msc, CPT,CES,PES, CKTP,CKTI, Occupational Therapist/Strength Coach, Owner Rx Strength Training Systems.

Izabella “Izzy” Jamrocha and her fitness journey from 2011-2015 resulted in her losing nearly half her bodyweight.  Izzy is currently the most in-demand personal trainer at her Illinois facility and is developing her own brand of fitness training.

Fitness saved my life; from addiction to alcoholism, from negative body images to obesity. Fitness changed me and made me realize I am not a product of my circumstances. It made me realize that I am in complete and utter control of my life, and that life is worth fighting and changing for.

You can read more about Izzy’s amazing story here: http://www.shapefit.com/success/success-stories-weight-loss-izabella.html

Izabella “Izzy” Jamrocha, Tinley Park, IL, NASM CPT

Mark Limbaga drilling the half-windmill position of the Turkish Get Up. Mark is presently the only StrongFirst certified coach in the Philippines and places the same dedication and patience into his students as he does his craft.

I was always the skinny kid as far as I can remember.  One of my martial art teachers once commented that “if your push ups are weak, your punch is weak” that was the first moment that lit a fire under my belly and I embarked on a new fitness journey.

I was initially a market research analyst but still believed I wanted to train people as my main source of income.  I got a chance when the gym I was a member opened apprenticeship slots.  I quickly volunteered and apprenticed for at least a year before I landed my first personal training client,after which, my client base slowly grew. It always pays to put dedication and patience into your craft.

Before signing up for my first kettle bell certification (RKC) I used to believe that only superhuman could do the certification. After meeting my first kettlebell mentor Ryan Sayco, I saw that the dream can be a reality but it required a ton of practice,patience and persistence.  I prepared about 9 1/2 months for my level 1. It always pays if you seek help and ask nicely.  I have been stuck in a training plateau or had a nagging injury several times but by reaching out ,several people have helped me and took me under their  wing for a period of time.  Jay Lopez, Ric Garcia,Artemis Scantalides,Gary and Reneta Music, Tim Anderson, Scot Iardell,Pat Flynn,Piers Kwan and Geoff Neupert to name a few have been generous with their knowledge to take my training to a higher level.

“You must always look at yourself the personification of the organization you represent and always set the bar high” is one of the most important lessons Dr. Mark Cheng imparted on my on being the consummate professional.

Mark Limbaga, Mandaluyong City,Philippines, SFG II,SFB, Ecplise Gym 24/7, Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines.  Facebook: Coach Mark Lumbago SEAL Kettlebells.

Elizabeth Coronado is a youth fitness and tennis strength and conditioning trainer that found her calling in life after losing more than 100lbs.  I have had the pleasure of personally working with Lis over the past year and watched her grow as a professional.

Fitness and health became a way of life for me after having horrible experiences with panic attacks and anxiety.  I was never really athletic or health conscious however I knew I never wanted to feel powerless ever again and without hesitation I started eating healthier and going to the gym.  Once a place of intimidation, the gym became my Dojo and where I found peace and to acquire strength.  The panic attacks went away and so did 100lbs of me.  I was working as a Secondary Education teacher and had 5 years teaching experience when I considered changing career paths to become a trainer.  I don’t regret my decision at all.

Being a fitness and health professional has given me the opportunity to teach and help others gain awareness over their own bodies through training and healthy eating habits. The quote “if you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life” holds true.  I am passionate and on fire about being able to work with others so they can be the best versions of themselves.

Elizabeth Coronado-Ledenich, Las Vegas,NV, NASM/NFPT CPT. wwwLiztrainerlife.wordpress.com

Daniel Lee Han Yuan instructs his students in a multitude of training methods. Pictured here he is competing in Girevoy Sport (Kettlebell Sport) competition.

Being a Personal Trainer and Strength Coach to me has been a fun and wonderful journey.  I dare say a calling as it was really not my first choice as I stated off as a designer after graduating from college. I changed my career choices from a designer, to an auxiliary police in Singapore and finally as a personal trainer.  During the change many of my friends and colleagues convinced me that I should be in the fitness field because when I teach/coach and train I really do it with heart.

This is my sixth year as a Personal trainer and second as a Strength coach and I can honestly say that being a coach means to being able to inspire your students, to love everything you do, to be humble and willing to learn from new and old schools of thought.

Daniel Lee Han Yuan, Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia, ADAPT Certified Parkour Instructor Lv 1, StrongFirst SFG, Team Ascend and Pahlawan Girya Parkour and Kettlebell Teams.

Stacey Coleman, owner of My Fit 24 Gym and Strength and Conditioning Coach for the University of Southern Maine.

My goal in life is to empower as many people as I can, to live the the life they want to.  I believe that nay fitness pro can know the science and write you a fitness and nutrition program that in theory, will work.  What I offer is more and I believe that no one can change until they decide to change.  You cannot change on the outside until you heal the inside.  I have been helping clients successfully reach their goals and maintain a healthy lifestyle through inner healing for almost 15 years.

While I have my physical accomplishments including marathon and obstacle course racing and collegiate athletics, not one of these things were ever easy.  What I’ve noticed over the years of pursuing these challenges myself, and helping others do the same  is that there are patters that emerge from the process of living fit. What’s truly remarkable is that no matter what the physical goal is, and no matter what shape someone is in when they begin the patterns are universal. This is a continuous process and nobody is exempt from it.

In early 2015 I began to feel that I wasn’t living life to the fullest. I had done lots of cool stuff, but nothing that truly scared me. How was I helping people truly face fear I was not doing it myself?  I had many items on my bucket list and I wasn’t getting any younger, and in a person demonstration to prove my process, I took this big step right into some of my biggest fears.  I had to do something WAY over the the top to show that I can put my money where my mouth is.

To make a very long story short…I was a rookie on a semi-pro football team, a first time (like ever,ever) beauty pageant contestant and entered my first bodybuilding contest ALL in ONE MONTH.

Why? Because I wanted to be a role model for you.  I wanted to scare myself to death to prove that YOU can change your life. I wanted to challenge myself beyond my limits, to not only talk the talk, but to walk the walk.  I needed to do something so far fetched that it got your attention.

It worked.  Putting myself through something so difficult and outside my normal comfort zone gave me the opportunity to connect with so many people that I hadn’t before. Sharing my struggles through that process helped others to see how normal it is when things aren’t easy. Do you know what else happened? I improved my own life too. I became stronger, healthier and happier. All because I faced my fears. I want to help you do the same.

Stacey Coleman, Gorham,Maine, BS Health and Fitness,NASM CPT, Strength and Conditioning Coach, University of Southern Maine. Author and Produces of My-Fit-Life.com

USA Triathalon Coach and Military Veteran Jeff Carstensen getting in the miles during  a road race event.  I’ve been collaborating with Jeff for the last few months on strength training.

Being a fitness professional is a huge motivation for me to show people what is possible. In May of 2013 I was 27 years old and had a very serious motorcycle accident which shattered my humorous and collarbone as was a leading to a small fracture to one of my knees. Armed with my knowledge of the human body I was able to recover quicker than expected.  I’ve had my share of setbacks in my journey like many others with nagging injuries and, but with the knowledge I have as a fitness professional I have been able to find ways back through the set backs.

I learned with dealing with my own nagging injuries that I can easily relate to clients who say “I can’t do that as I have a bad shoulder” “I can’t lift heavy”, “I can’t do XYZ as I don’t want to re-injure myself”  In some cases this is certainly true, but there is always another technique, exercise or method to get the desired result or reach a goal.

This is what being a fitness professional means to me, to be able to provide and be knowledgeable in those techniques, exercise and methods to help a client reach their individual goal. There is nothing more rewarding than when a client accomplished the goal and reached the results they love, or returning to the sports they love after injury, especially after having doubts if they would ever be able to do so again.

Jeff Carstensen, Las Vegas NV, USA Triathalon Coach Lv1, Owner, Multimovin Fitness, http://www.multimovinfitness.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meal Prep 101 (Special Guest Blog)

Today I have the pleasure of posting a special guest blog courtesy of my friend and professional colleague Tosha Bailey.  Tosha is the owner and health transformation specialist at the Mix EduKitchen & Fitness in Atlanta,Georgia USA. Tosha is a graduate of the University of Florida and her professional credentials include NASM Certified Personal Trainer, TRX level 1,New Leaf Metabolic Specialist), SCW Lifestyle and Behavior Coaching and NESTA Certified Personal Fitness Chef.

Tosha can be contacted via her business Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/MixKitchenFitness/info/

Many of us have overly busy lives and often turn to eating meals out or eating quick processed foods instead of planning and cooking them. By taking the time to focus on planning and creating healthy nutrition habits, you will not only get and stay fit, but you will also improve your long-term health, save money and even prevent future disease. Here are a few tips for good meal planning to keep up with our busy lives.

Plan Your Meals for the Week
On Saturday or Sunday, make a list of the meals you would like to eat for the coming week. Take a look at your upcoming week to see if you have any dinner events and/or long days/evenings ahead. If you have a dinner event, no need to prep for that day, and if you have a long day on Wednesday, make extra from another meal so that you don’t have to worry about cooking, nor do you have the temptation to order out.

Next, consider foods that you’re craving and look up recipes for healthier versions of those meals. This way, you will make meals that you are excited about. If all else fails, log on to Pinterest, type in “healthy meals” and let your eyes do the picking. Humans are visual creatures when it comes to food. Find something that looks amazing, takes less than 40min to cook and put it on your meal plan for the week.

For easy lunch options, make an extra dinner portion and take the additional for lunch the next day.

For breakfast, many choose to eat the same meals because it’s quick and easy. Fast breakfast options include: Green protein smoothies, from scratch egg muffins, oatmeal, Greek yogurt with berries and egg and spinach breakfast burrito.

Remember to choose balanced meals, meaning a balance of lean protein sources, mostly single ingredient carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables, good fats and fiber.
From there, create a grocery list of the items you will need. Planning this one grocery trip to get enough to last you a week or even two weeks, can save you time and money.

Dedicate a Few Hours for Preparation and Cooking Time 
Now that you have all your ingredients and recipes planned out, you can start cooking or at least prepping so that all you have to do is quickly put the meal together and cook it in10min or less. This type of prepping includes chopping vegetables, roasting vegetables, baking and wrapping potatoes in foil, as well as making and marinating meats (freeze meats in marinade if you won’t cook meats within 2 days).

If you are not a big fan of daily cooking and/or want to save time throughout the week, set aside a couple hours one or two days a week to cook several meals at once. On these two days, cook enough for lunch and dinner for the following few days. Be sure to undercook the meats slightly so that they don’t try out and get tough with reheating.

It’s Not Glamorous…But It’s Necessary 
I realize this is not glamorous (and probably not your idea of fun), but it is so crucial to eating for your goals throughout the workweek. Just trust me that every hour you spend preparing healthy, nutritious meals in advance, will eliminate four (or more) hours of additional exercise you would otherwise have to do to counteract the negative impact of eating “convenience” foods that don’t serve you or your goals.

Pack in Tupperware
After you have prepared enough meals to last you a couple of days, separate the servings into individual sized Tupperware containers.  Put a couple in the refrigerator (3 days worth) and the rest in the freezer. This way you can easily grab one on your way out the door to work to have for lunch. These do not have to be the same meals, mix and match them. You can also do this with salads and pack the dressing separately. Also, look into packing your salads in Mason jars to help with freshness and maintaining crispy greens.

Use Meal Replacement Bars and Shakes for Meals on the Go
Both bars and shakes are excellent way to get in calories on the go. Two of my favorite “go to” bars/cookies that are delicious and have good nutrition are Quest Bars and Lenny & Larry’s Cookies. There are a lot of different flavors and bound to be one that you enjoy! While some Quest Bar flavors have sucralose, the good definitely outweighs the bad. Another brand that I like is Larabar. They are wholesome with few ingredients, but they don’t have a lot of protein. So, this is more of a snack bar vs meal bar. 
For shakes, there are so many brands and flavors. Some of my favorite brands: IronTek (whey/casein), Bodylogix (whey), Vega (vegan), Raw Meal (vegan), Orgains (vegan).

What is Exercise, What is Training?

What is Exercise?

This is the type of question I ask myself at the oddest times and I feel it’s both a simple yet complicated question.  When was the last time you tried coming up with your own definition?  I am well aware that I will contradict myself at least once in this blog, but I’m comfortable holding conflicting views in my head if you’re comfortable reading them.

According to Google… Exercise is  an “activity requiring physical effort, carried out especially to sustain or improve health and fitness.”

My own thoughts…Every movement, or prevention of movement we do every day, conscious or not involves some force applied to the body and our body’s subsequent response to that force.  But would we normally define everything we do as exercise?  Probably not, though an argument can be made.

Left: Dumbbell side bends on a BOSU vs Suitcase Carry with a Kettlebell. While both by definition are exercises, one produces greater adaptations over time has more application to daily life, a different learning curves,load limits and applicability to a potential swath of humanity.  I wouldn’t put a 70yr old on the BOSU but have no problems with the idea of programming loaded carries or static unilateral holds on a stable surface.

Personally I feel the standard definition is vague.  Ultimately it depends on how the individual chooses to look at challenges, exercise and how they wish to define them.  There will always be some room for interpretation and the start point needs to meet you where you are. Ideally, it will measurably take you to where it is you want to go.

I liked Mark Rippetoe’s definition of exercise: “exercise is what happens today”                “After I do these exercises I will be sweaty and out of breath”                                             “After I do these exercises my muscles will feel stretched and my joints mobile”                     “After I do these exercises I will feel a pump”

There is nothing inherently wrong with this.  I personally support the idea of having a less structured session thrown into a weekly training and my current clients that train greater than three days per week with me have one session less structured than others by design.

I personally believe this has helped keep injury rates extremely low, morale high and functional abilities progressing.  There are a high number of far smarter coaches’ that have written about the value of “play” and they couldn’t all be wrong.

A problem occurs when this is the only way you are doing things.  You are essentially hammering screws into wood hoping to build a house without a blueprint or having laid a foundation.

What is Training?  Training is about specific intent. Taken broadly, this could be athletic, aesthetic or hygienic. Training therefore is the strategic application of resistance with the goal of eliciting a response, normally in the form of a chronic physiologic adaptation. The exercises that compose the training being of appropriate frequency and stimulus.

“Appropriate” takes the individual into account along with the idea that “one size fits all” doesn’t always apply and that there are more considerations.

“Stimulus” implies both choreography (simple v. sophisticated movement, type of load, range of motion etc) and being something that is manipulable,

“Frequency” implies that in order for favorable adaptation to occur there needs to be a degree of return on stimulus investment, once again this is person dependent.

It’s your Job (AKA Chris’s view on training)

Your life depends on your health.  What you do today impacts your tomorrow.  Try viewing your training (or practice) as a profession with life on the line instead of something you do simply to do to post on Facebook, Try viewing things with a long-term vision instead of a 30-90 day standpoint.

  “It doesn’t matter how much work you can do, it matters how much work you can recover from.”

I don’t train everyday,but I believe I could.  My current program calls for 5 days per week with two non-consecutive days off and three of those days have workouts twice in the day. Every morning I perform some mobility and flexibility work after waking up, go on short walks and  generally try to keep moving around.  Even when stuck behind the wheel of my car I am flexing muscles and moving my neck and shoulders and exercise my hands along my drive.  If I were I child you would say I’m fidgety.

On the 4th of July (a Sunday) I completed a self-designed workout as a blowout before starting a new program on 6 July.  Since Monday was a day off I figured I would push extra hard. I paid the price and hit the wall, knowing it was time to stop.

I have made the conscious decision not to post my more brutal workouts publicly and now only share them with others that I know can handle it.  The good news is when Monday came around I had already recovered well enough that I could have done a short workout without issue, so I have gained from the training.

A$$ kicking workouts are needed from time to time, but not every single workout need be crippling.  The objective is to get stronger, not simply sweaty and messy.

The lessons                                                                                                                                      1) Recovery is when the GOOD STUFF happens. Training is hell on the body, your immune system is compromised, inflammation has spread, muscles are damaged and the central nervous system is fried.  Recovery makes you stronger.
2) Recovery therefore, is just as important and practice.
3) Practice and train with focus. This is not the time to think about other things.
4) Listen to your body.  There is a time to attack, a time to stand your ground and a time to retreat.
5) Balance challenge and recoverability.

Throw your Heart over the Bar (AKA Chris’s single rep)

Once upon a time there was a famous trapeze artist passing on his knowledge  to students wanting to learn the art of the flying trapeze.  One day after giving a full explanation and instruction in a skill he told the students to demonstrate their ability.   One student looked up at the small platform where the trapeze artists stand and was suddenly filled with fear.  He froze, already picturing himself falling and couldn’t move a muscle.

The artist came over to the student, put his arm around him and said “You can do it, and I will tell you how.  Throw your heart over the bar, and your body will follow.”

To throw your heart over the bar means to put faith into what you’re about to do, and not to focus on the barrier.  To focus on achievement, not on defeat.

Recently I watched a video of a friend of mine complete the three feats of strength necessary to become a StrongFirst Beast Tamer.  To put this in perspective, among all current StrongFirst coaches, there are only 25 men and 8 ladies holding the titles of Beast Tamer (Male) or Iron Maiden (Female) in the world. The required strength standards place these people in an entirely different category.  A single leg squat, a one arm overhead press and a pull up to the neck must be performed with a 108lb(48kg) kettlebell for males and a 53lb(24kg) kettlebell for females.

On the gym floor it warms my soul to see my athletes throw their hearts over the bar and accomplish what they thought they couldn’t.  It is a minor irritation as a coach to see someone fail when I know they can achieve something and I often believe this is a case of not being present in the moment and focusing on the direct task at hand.                                                                                                                                                                                             Do not think about the set, or the workout.  Focus solely on that single rep.                                       Throw your heart over the bar, then the next one.

If your coach is mindful and your programming solid, they know you have it.  The task wouldn’t be in front of you if you weren’t physically capable of achieving it.  The day following the posting of this blog I will begin a program designed by someone else to prepare for SFG Level 1 certification.  Up to this point I have relied on my own programming and have earned good progress and insight.  I am throwing my heart over the bar (or kettlebell in this case) and have full faith this program will result in the desired adaptations.

Truth be told, I place major faith in the advice of the StrongFirst coaches that have helped me along the way.  I have taken on-board each of their suggestions and haven’t been steered wrong.

The Return of Personal Trainers that Suck (AKA Chris’s 2015 Rampage)

It’s been nearly two-years since I posted my epic five part rant entitled “Personal Trainers that Suck”  Recent events have inspired me to revisit the topic and see if I’ve changed any of my opinions.  For a trip back in my ranting past: 

Personal trainers that suck. (Part 1)

For my mid-2015 rant I decided to poll members of my personal network for inputs.  My network is composed of fitness professionals from first year trainers and business owners to allied health professionals and coaches with 20 years or more experience.  We have numerous members holding Masters Degrees or above, National, or higher level competitive athletes and coaches with credentials covering an exceptionally wide swath of the profession.

The “I have a God Complex” trainer.  These trainers will diagnose injuries and illnesses and in the case of movement related issues, believe they can “fix things.”  They cant see beneath your clothing, much less whats going inside of your body, how can they fix something when they don’t even know what it is they’re looking at?  Truth Time: Personal Trainer boards invariably have a number of these guys.

The “Correctives, and Correctives only…for everyone” trainer.  The trainer has learned some corrective exercise, functional movement or breathing based training and views this as the end all and be all of training.  YOU SIMPLY HAVE TOO MANY DYSFUNCTIONS.   My thought is there is an amount of correctives that can certainly be beneficial, but how many of the supposed “dysfunctions” and “compensations” we think we are seeing are actually structural in nature, and is something that NO AMOUNT of corrective exercise training will “fix.”  Not to mention the fact that if things are seemingly that bad then an allied health professional needs to be consulted.  If the client is post-physical-therapy guidance can be obtained from them.

The “Red Flag” trainer.  This trainer puts up red the flags quickly.  They do not perform any sort of assessment, ask any questions regarding your health history, medications or possibly even discuss your goals.  Minimally the trainer simply counts reps and escorts you from machine to machine, you do some level of work and you may be doing the same program every other one of the trainers clients are doing.

The “More talking, less lifting” trainer/”Rent a Friend” Trainer.  While over-cueing a client is distracting, at least the trainers heart and mind are in the right place.  Volume and simple cues are very good teachers and not everyone moves exactly the same.  Technique will get better over time.   The trainer I’m referring to here is the one that will literally talk your ear off.  They are far more concerned talking about any subject OTHER than you, your efforts (good or bad) or your goal.  The Rent a Friend is one step worse, I knew a trainer that met his client for coffee instead of a workout session, and still charged her rate. Knowing the trainer I can guarantee the conversation was anything but fitness or goals.  Aside from not being Physical Therapists/Chiropractors and RD’s, the typical trainer is also not a Psychologist.

The “I look good doing this” trainer.  Men and Women that are trainers for all the wrong reasons.  (1) Easy Money (2) Get Laid (3) Some sort of social status (4) Since they work out they MUST know how to train others.  Typically, these trainers are D-Bags.

The “I’m not really a trainer” trainer.  This can be a little tricky.  Some are legitimate trainers that got into multi-level marketing as an additional income stream or to get discounts on the products. Some Multi-Level marketers go on to certify as trainers to increase their marketing potential and to give the appearance of legitimacy. Some could be quite good at their craft, but in my opinion they are stepping outside their scope of practice and have a conflict of interest in regards to dietary supplements. Then there are “trainers/coaches” that HAVE NO ACTUAL EDUCATION OR FORMAL TRAINING in exercise or nutrition science.  No kidding around here, they will take a pre-designed workout and hand it to you while also selling you supplements and attempting to get you to to sell the product as well.  They are often disregarded, if not outright considered vocational lepers by non-MLM trainers, which is a pity because some of them as previously stated might otherwise be very good at their craft and wind up getting painted with the same brush simply due to affiliation.

The “I am certified, but I still don’t know what I’m doing” trainer.  Yes, this happens, and far too frequently for my tastes.  A trainers certification only means they studied and passed a test, which vary greatly in degrees of difficulty. Within just the last few months come across a trainer certified in February that was about to start training people in her home.  She had no experience with weight training and didn’t know what type of shoes to wear on the matting. Flash forward several months and she is giving another trainer “advice” on strength training for runners.  Another person had no idea what exercises people should do, how to program and had near zero experience training even himself (and he was a MLM guy!)…..and now these people are going to train others.

The “I don’t know human anatomy or physiology” trainer.   Basically the trainer is lacking in all, or most of the scientific foundations of training.      If the trainer cannot name body parts or muscles accurately what makes me think they can select proper exercises that produce specific adaptations?  How would they know if an exercise was even an appropriate choice?

The “Fat Shaming” trainer.  Do I really need to explain these guys?

The “Certain Fruits/Veg makes you fat” trainer.  I’ve been told this personally by two trainers.  So me being me I start asking questions, What’s the RDA for Sugar? Does Fructose in a natural fruit and veg metabolize differently?     What’s the Glycemic Index? Do you have any clinical trials you could reference?….and so on.  Usually that ends the fruit makes you fat sermon.

The “Phone Checker” trainer.  The only thing I hate more than the phone checker is the trainer that eats in front of his client.  Calling 911 or using an app directly related to the client in front of you is acceptable. Everything else can wait.

The “I’m well built, so I know I how to train other people” trainer. Instagram, Tumblr, YouTube and Facebook accounts are easy to set up and populate with motivational images and links to articles other people wrote.  What the person is actually capable of is another matter entirely.  My personal favorites are the men and women that competed in a single physique or bodybuilding show (may not have placed) and are now diet, health and fitness experts for a wide swath of humanity.  My other favorite of course is the MLM coach that has no real knowledge of training people.

The “Call me Dr. Frankenstein” trainer.  I’ll admit they’re entertaining. They come up with some of the goofiest looking things I’ve seen in the gym and can graft parts of one exercise to another exercise and come up with something that I believe is less effective than either previous option.  Machines and the various tools laying about the gym (Bosu,Kettlebells,et al) seem to be the most abused.

The “You look like an ATM to me” trainer.  Exactly what you think it sounds like.  The trainer only cares that they get paid.  Your goals and safety are irrelevant.  The I’m not really a trainer trainers, Red Flag Trainers and I look good doing this trainers all get thrown under this bus.  In fairness to the MLM guys, not all are out to sell you the product.  Some simply take advantage of the discount offered to distributors.

The “I’m smarter than you” trainer.  More commonly seen in online boards and among co-workers.  If your trainer is always bad mouthing other trainers (other than the trainers that are being dangerous) there’s a good chance you have someone that often doesn’t get along well with others.  They may indeed be very smart and educated, but their lack of social skills keeps them from reaching their potential.  The most common online antics I’ve noted from these arrogant types is continually reminding us of their degree and the money they supposedly make.  Ironically I’ve noted a high-number of them don’t look like they lift and a basic Google search doesn’t usually turn up much on these giants of our industry.

 

 

StrongMa’am (AKA Chris talks about weights not making women bulky)

I have occasionally bragged that in my gym no other trainers general female clients are stronger than mine, with several female competitive power-lifters  being the athletic exception rather than the rule.  I swear it sometimes seems that that there are trainers against the idea of women lifting things that are relatively, or absolutely heavy compared to what they weigh.  Granted, not everyone needs to lift heavy and not all goals require the use of weights, but strength does cover quite a bit of bases both short and long-term.

Abbye “Pudgy” Stockton was a classic StrongMa’am that was anything but pudgy or bulky.

My current clients programming largely contain these exercises:                                                 Basic Barbell: Press, Chest Press, Squat, Row and Deadlift variations.                                         Kettlebell: Swings, Squats,Get Up and Press. Single and Doubles                                             Olympic Lifts: Clean, Push Press, Clean and Jerk                                                                         Sandbag: Lunge variations, Clean, Press, Loaded carry, Squat variations                                     Bodyweight: Suspension Trainer, Original Strength resets, Strength Movements (Air Squat, Pull-Up, Bodyweight Row, Chin Up, Push Up.                                                                       Movement: Marching/Walking/Jogging/Sprinting and Loaded Carry                                             Accessory Lifts: Usually Cable or Dumbbell, a machine if needed.                                               Programs are designed per client according to skill and goal, but this is the Lions and Lioness share of what my programs comprise.

Sheri Kaminski, SFG, NSCA CPT.  My StrongFirst Coach and personal friend.

Programming wise, some variable (weight/rep count/volume/set density) is continually adjusted to provide progressive resistance and continual performance improvement.             I honestly train my women nearly the same as I train my men. They are a different sex, not a different species and we are dealing with the application of external force and resistance to create internal and external change.

All clients (male and female) start with mobility and then progress to foundation strength. Beyond those two everything else can be improved (speed,endurance,hypertrophy etc)

Based purely on personal experience, the differences I’ve noted between training Strong females and males:                                                                                                                           – They pick up the hinge pattern (Deadlift/Kettlebell swing et al) much faster than many males.                                                                                                                                                 – Their 5RM (Maximum weight they can move 5 times) is proportionately higher to their 1RM compared to men. Men could be a difference of 20-30lbs (9-14kg), women can often be much closer, as little as 10lbs (4.5kg) or less.                                                                                             – Based on early observations, females pick up on the Turkish Get Up much faster, including those without any previous form of athletic training.                                                                    – The Pull-Up, Push Up and the Deadlift seem to very liberating and confidence building exercises.                                                                                                                                           – Left to their own devices many women will underestimate what they can actually lift, which runs counter to the men that attempt weights above their strength and skill level. Fact: Some male trainers underestimate what the older or smaller female can lift as well.                    –  In terms of Strength development, they’re generally more patient.                                             – They dig it when they can see and feel their muscles, even if they didn’t think they would in the first place                                                                                                                                 – Initial programming seems to favor more pulling movements than pushing movements, based on personal observation I’d say roughly 3 pulling movement to 1 pushing movement.

My highly unscientific strength goals for healthy women under 50 years young.                    Ability to perform push ups                                                                                                             Ability to perform a static hang for 30 secs                                                                                     Bench Press 75% of their weight for 1 rep                                                                                       Press 50% of their body-weight for 5 reps                                                                                       Deadlift their body-weight for 5 reps, and 1 rep at 150% body-weight                                         Squat 75% of their body-weight for 5 reps.                                                                                     Ability to complete 100 1 Hand Swings in under 5 minutes, take a 1 minute break and then complete 10 Turkish Get Ups in under 10 minutes starting at 12kg and working to 16kg.

Among my professional network, over 50% of my colleagues are female and among them area high number of accomplished  power lifters, StrongFirst Coaches, Personal Trainers, Kettlebell Sport athletes, CrossFit competitors/coaches, Martial Art instructors and Triathletes.                                                                                                                                 StrongMa’ams are everywhere, and they are awesome.

 

PROfile Spotlight on Andy Frisch (AKA Chris interviews Fitness Professionals)

                                                   Andy Frisch, Lebanon,TN. USA

Andy Frisch is the owner of FreshEvolutionFitness and a trainer with Sports Village Fitness in Lebanon,TN USA since 2011.  Andy’s lengthy list of credentials include Sports Performance Enhancement, Corrective Exercise, Weight Loss, Women’s Fitness, Senior Citizen Fitness, Behavior Change coach and Certified Personal Trainer under the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and is also a Fitness Nutrition Coach under NESTA.  As a continual student, Andy is currently undergoing coursework for Precision Nutrition Level 1 certification.  

After improving his own health during his early teenage years, Andy  decided to pursue his new found passion after seeing the impact he could make by helping others get in shape.  Andy has since ventured into online personal training via FrevFit.com and enjoys helping improve the lives of others all across the country.

Hello Andy, welcome to MyTrainerChris, What events led to you becoming a trainer? 
I had always enjoyed the feeling of working out and the results that came with it, but when I saw the sheer gratitude in the eyes of those I was helping I knew I had found my passion. My first big success was helping a friend lose almost 70lbs (32kg) and I’ve been sold ever since.

What are you up to these days?
I train 6 days a week, full time, at Sports Village Fitness here in Lebanon. It’s a lovely, family run, full-featured facility. But I’ve been hard at work developing my online training services. I specialize in weight loss and total body transformation and have been having success with it. It still blows my mind that I can help impact somebody across the country!!

“…when I saw the sheer gratitude in the eyes of those I was helping I knew I had found my passion.”

What is your vision when training your clients?                                                                           I want to fully empower them to live their lives to the fullest. Simple things like running or jumping to more advanced things like pull ups or heavy squats can seem impossible. I love helping my clients learn how to live healthy, fulfilling lives while losing the excess weight. As they gain their health, we push their level of ability as well so they not only lose the weight but they gain back their confidence, happiness and excitement for life.

What has been your favorite client transformation to date?
That’s REALLY tough to narrow down.  I’d have to go with Beth (photos and story below), who has lost over 100lbs (+45.5kg). What makes her different is that, after losing that weight, she and her partner were finally able to get pregnant and have their child last July. She is now at her lowest body fat % ever, able to do 5 strict pull ups, and back squat 275lbs (125kg)!

                           

Andy’s client Beth and her amazing transformation after losing more than 100lbs (45.5kg)!

” My lifestyle change started around 6 years ago when I was diagnosed with poly cystic ovarian syndrome.  This disorder made it very difficult for me to become pregnant.  Due to the difficulties associated with PCOS, I had to take many different fertility medicines, both oral and injectable.  During this three year period, I was still unable to become pregnant. We decided that due to the stress of not being able to get pregnant and poor lifestyle choices, it was time to try a different approach. One of the symptoms of PCOS was obesity, so this is where the second part of my pregnancy journey began.

” I was able to loose 35 pounds before meeting my trainer Andy Frisch. With his help, I have lost an additional 70 pounds. With loosing weight and without taking fertility medicines, I was able to become pregnant. I stayed active during my entire pregnancy and continued to train with Andy. Of course as the pregnancy progressed, we had to modify some of the training. After my childbirth, I was released by my physician to return to training.  Almost a year after my daughter was born I am now smaller, stronger, and even have a lower body fat percentage than I had prior to pregnancy.  This is the best shape I have ever been in. There is no secret pill to weight loss but by eating clean and staying active anything is possible.”  – Beth

If given the opportunity to give advice to new trainers, what would it be?
To not give up!! It can be slow at the beginning and you can easily get disheartened. I thought I made a mistake my first few months in. If I had given up, I wouldn’t have experienced all the life changing stories that I’ve been so lucky to be a small part of. Stay focused on your goal, stay consistent in your work ethic, and stay excited about what you’re doing!

Andy is currently accepting applications for new online clients. He can be contacted at:
www.FrevFit.com
www.Facebook.com/AndyFrisch21
Andy Frisch on YouTube
@freshfitandy on Instagram & Twitter