Summer Bootcamp!!

Hey folks! Ever have one of those days where you're actually surprised you've stumbled upon the where you were supposed to be a couple times during your day? That was my morning. I felt like I was supposed to be elsewhere all morning. Perhaps it's because I got some tremendous sleep last night. Or maybe because I'm heading away to California for a week on Saturday. Or maybe it's the amazing weather we are having today. Whatever it is I feel a little off today. Not bad at all. I've actually had a little extra hop in my step today. What's my point? I have no idea...on to the post.

Over the past few years large group training and Bootcamp style training has increased a ton in popularity. These sessions are energetic and fun, and if programmed properly can lead to great fitness results, especially weight loss. Also, due to the cheaper cost more people have access to great training. I am happy to announce I have added Bootcamp sessions and Semi-Private sessions to my offering. Please go to my website for more information and to see the schedule. And feel free to pass along this info to anyone who might be interested.

I'm now off to the bookstore to load up on books for the plane ride. Any suggestions?

Yes, I've been Slacking

I know, I haven't offered many witty and informative posts in a while. The reason is I've been diligently working on my web site. Check it out here! You can also find my Facebook and Twitter pages from there. I haven't quite figured out how to use the blog feature on the website so for now I'll continue to post here.

Marathon Day

Hey Folks. Happy Thursday to all! This past Monday was Patriot's Day in the Boston area. This is certainly one of the coolest and most unique days on the Boston calender. The Red Sox play the only morning game on the baseball schedule while the Boston Marathon is run. Oh yeah, and something about the battle of Concord and Lexington and the Revolutionary War. Anyway, elite runners from all over the world flock to Hopkinton and run 26.2 miles into Boston. The race finishes a little more than a mile from Fenway Park (you can see the runners from the Green Monster seats.) I've been trying to get into Boston for many years to check out the race but have never had the chance...until Monday! My girlfriend and I made our way into Boston to check out the runners. We arrived at Kenmore Square at 11:30 which was about 15 minutes before the elite women came through...Perfect timing!! What amazed me was the difference in running form between the absolute best of the best runners and the rest. The top 10 runners were flawless, but outside the top 10 were a bunch of folks who I'm assuming won't be running for too much longer. I wanted to hand out my cards along the route because many will be in PT soon enough. It reminded me of the old running periodization: 1) Run, 2) get injured, 3) Run, 4) repeat. And those were still the elite runners. Then, after a couple hours, came the recreational runners. I'm not going to suggest these people should stop running but YIKES, most of these people were not remotely prepared for the pounding they were putting their bodies though. Here's the thing, as a coach, I watched these people and I saw a big sea of people who I can help. But to do that I might have to put myself through a training program with the goal of running a marathon WITHOUT destroying my body in the process. I'm not yet ready to commit to running the Boston Marathon but I'm seriously considering trying to qualify for the 2011 event. Qualifying will add a little more funness to the experiment. Qualifying time for the 2010 marathon was 3 hours, 15 minutes for my age group (I'm no longer in the youngest age group! I feel old!) That is a little better than 7:30 miles. That doesn't seem so daunting (or maybe it does.) Anyway, anyone want to join me? 2011 Boston Marathon? Anyone?

Oh, and here's a really good blog post about the dangers of recreational running.

And, if you haven't seen this play in college baseball a couple nights ago check this out!!

Nothing New Here

I mentioned last week that on Saturday I was presenting at the MA Association of Clinical Exercise Physiologists Annual Meeting in Boston. We were scheduled to go on at 1:45 (next to last.) I figured it would be a great opportunity to head in nice and early and sit in on the morning lectures and do me some free learning. Truth is, I'm glad I went, but unfortunately there was nothing new presented. This organization seems to work closely with the American College of Sports Medicine. I don't know a whole lot about the ACSM but I came away unimpressed. The first presentation was titled, "Real Exercise for Real People: What is an Exercise Professional to Do?" There were a few interesting points made near the end of this presentation.

1. I've never been a proponent of a "cool-down." I never really saw a point in spending 5-10 minutes cooling down. As it turns out there is very little evidence to suggest a cool down has any benefits. So that is reassuring.
   
2. The FITT principle is something all us fitness professionals learn. It's just an acronym for the variables in a program. They are: Frequency, Intensity, Type, Time. Way before my time the FITT principle was the FITTE principle with the E standing for Enjoy. I like that. I'm not sure why that has been dropped.

The second presentation was about building and maintaining bone density especially in women. She talked about all the science behind osteopenia and osteoperosis. She went into osteoblasts and fibroblasts and all sorts of other dorky stuff. The important thing is the minimal essential strain (MES.) MES "refers to the threshold stimulus that initiates new bone formation." (taken from the NSCA Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning textbook.) The MES is generally thought to be 1/10 of the force required to fracture a bone. So if my femur (thigh bone) requires 1,000 pounds of force to result in a fracture then simply applying 100 pounds of force will result in new bone formation (greater bone density.) The key is to utilize exercises that load portions of the skeleton and that involve multiple joints. You cannot get this benefit from using machines. A tremendous exercise to add to your program is the Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat. This exercise puts some good strain on your femur, pelvis, and spine. Other than that Jump Squats are a great exercise as well to get the benefits of building new bone.


The next presentation was from the nutrition consultant for the Biggest Loser. His talk was all over the place. He sorta trashed the show while mentioning it's benefits to the public. At the end he showed a bunch of before and after slides and kept saying that the people have since put the weight back on. So I still think that show is garbage.

Anyway, I like day Red Sox games.

Random Randomness

Hey folks. I hope everyone has enjoyed the early summer in the Northeast. Here are some interesting tidbits picked up this week:

1. Woohoo! The New York Times is on the right track! "For people who lift weights to tone up and slim down, experts say, a regimen that includes a combination of challenging weights and fewer repetitions can help significantly."
2. Here is an good article sent to me by my girlfriend about unhealthy beverages, especially coffee. Coffee is perfectly healthy as it "contains only 5 calories, and the metabolism-boosting benefits of caffeine actually make coffee a good weight-loss supplement." But when you go to Starbucks or Dairy Queen and grab a coffee with all the junk added you can quickly end up drinking up to 1,200 calories!!
   
3. And for more highly scientific research about the many benefits of coffee check here.
4. If you are ready to take the next step with your eating habits and really improve your food quality check here for some great info on the difference between grass fed and conventionally raised animals.
5. I really liked this post from last week. It's about the 10 signs you have a bad trainer. So much money can be spent on fitness coaches and most people have no idea if their trainer is really any good. I would add one big one to this list. Ask your trainer what he/she has read recently or about any recent seminar attended. It is absolutely critical in this industry to remain current. I try to attend at least 4 seminars per year and am constantly reading books and online sources to stay current. I wouldn't be half the coach I am without this.
6. Speaking of, tomorrow I have the pleasure of presenting at the Massachusetts Association of Clinical Exercise Physiologists (MACEP) Annual Meeting. The name of the symposium (that's right, it's a symposium!) is "Bridging the Gap: Clinical Exercise & Fitness!" Included on the bill is a PhD, two MD's, and two other folks with letters that I have no idea what they mean. Tim Crowley and I are the only coaches in the bunch. One of the MD's is the "Weight Loss and Nutrition adviser" for The Biggest Loser. Read here for my take on that dreadful program and why I'm thinking that might be an interesting presentation. Our presentation is about the importance of Assessments, especially the Functional Movement Screen. We are going to explain how we use it to get and keep people healthy, fit, and injury free. We will also touch upon the advantages of this type of assessment vs the old forms of assessments like the sit and reach, curl up test, step test, push up test, etc. Anyway, this should be a fun day and at least it should supply me with some good blog fodder for next week. Until then, have a great weekend!
   

Things I've Learned this Week

Ok, I need to redeem myself for yesterday's post. I hope that one goes down as my worst attempt at writing...ever. Seriously, if anyone is able to come away with a point to that one let me know. So I thought I would share some good stuff I have learned thus far this week.

1. I had a chance to watch Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution earlier this week. I think this is a very important show. I wrote about it briefly here before it originally aired. Jamie Oliver is a British chef would travelled to Huntington, West Virginia to open a small kitchen and help the town to eat better. Huntington is considered the absolute unhealthiest city in the country (on the planet?) People are dying decades too early because of their horrible eating habits. Now, I know it's a television show and it's edited for entertainment but it is really frustrating watching people in the town pushing back against some of the changes that are being suggested. Anyway, do yourself a favor and check out the show here.
2. I thought about that push back during a conversation I had this morning at my gym. I was there today simply to get my own workout in. I was in the middle of my warm-up when I noticed the guy next to me was doing some horrible leg rotation type exercise while lying on his back. All he's doing is mobilizing his low back, which will lead to injury. But, I try not to give random people advice unless I'm approached so I didn't mention anything, besides I was there for my own training. Then he asked me about the gym's yoga schedule. I have no idea what the schedule is. He then mentioned his low back problems. He's suffered from a bad low back for 20 years. So at that point I ethically had to talk to him about the exercise he was just performing. I explained the dangers of training for lumbar rotation and there are only 12 degrees of rotation available in the lumbar spine and nobody with a healthy back, nevermind an unhealthy back should be doing the exercise he was doing. His response was, "Well, that's what the physical therapist told me to do 20 years ago." 20 years ago! And he still has back pain!! I told his his physical therapist was just plain wrong and I can show him a better alternative. Instead of gratitude he started arguing with me. I was trying to help and he was pushing back. This reminds me of the saying, "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink." I have to remind myself of that every so often.
3. But then I learned my new favorite core exercise...so all is right with the world. Check it out here. I used a 10 lb plate on one side of a 45 lb barbell and struggled to perform 4 reps on each side. This a great and tough exercise. And, more importantly, it trains the core the way it was meant to be trained.
4. I love barefoot training (as you likely know by now.) But I've been reluctant to run barefoot on a treadmill. Well, I sucked it up and gave it a shot on Monday. The goal was 5 reps of 15 seconds on, 15 seconds off at 9 MPH and a 12% incline. I tell ya, I'm sold. It really worked well. I was concerned about the running surface but it felt great on my feet and I had the extra bounce in my step yesterday due to the additional muscle activity in my feet.
   

Hi all! I hope everyone in the Northeast has been able to stay mostly dry these past couple days. The forecast looks perfect for the weekend! Here are some notes and additional thoughts from the third presentation from last weekend. This was Gray Cook's hour. He is probably my favorite speaker/presenter. I've seen him a couple times and always get a ton of good and useful info from him.

• Movement is behavoral. We must relearn how to move properly. When we move properly our muscles will sculpt themselves.
• The #1 predictor of future injury is prior injury. We are doing something wrong from a rehab standpoint and not giving athletes the best chance to remain injury free.
• "Just because someone is flexible doesn't mean they move well." This goes back to the first point. Stretching is important. People should pick 2 or 3 good stretches and make them part of their daily routine. However, stick to just a few minutes then move on to the mobility work.
• This could be a very cool new toy. It looks like a really good balance/stability test in all planes of movement.
• I like really like this point..."Will strengthening glute med help the squat or will fixing the squat movement force glute med to work properly?" Coaches so often try to break down a movement pattern and figure out which muscles don't work. It's much better to just apply corrective strategy to fix the movement pattern.
  
• "The best way to strengthen your core is to clean up your weakest movement pattern so that your core can work properly."
  
• He talked at length about single leg deadlifts. I wrote down a couple important notes about this exercise. 1. It must be heavy! 2. You must go all the way down to the floor.
  
• He also showed us a very cool assymmetry test to perform with a kettlebell during his hands on session. I will record a video soon.
  

Everyone is an Athlete

Next up for the presenters was Todd Durkin. He brought tons of energy to his presentation, which was very cool because I was sitting in the bleachers and even after only an hour or so my body was hurtin'. I feel bad for the folks sitting near me who had to put up with all my fidgeting. Anyway, he probably emphasized the two most important take away points for me from the entire day:

1. Treat EVERYONE like an athlete
2. Deliver a FUN experience

The first point I've adhered to since beginning in this field but it was great for that point to be repeated over and over by all the presenters. It is our jobs as coaches to unleash the inner athlete in everyone. The second part is just as important. We are talking about exercise. It should always be fun. When we are kids exercise is all about play. And at some point when we become adults exercise becomes work to be dreaded and avoided. This needs to change if we are to reverse the effects of obesity and type 2 diabetes and all the other aflictions people suffer from due to a sedentary lifestyle. And I think this is difference between a personal trainer and a Coach. I like to think of myself as a Coach as opposed to a personal trainer. Anybody can be a personal trainer by doing some research and putting some exercises together on a piece of paper and shadowing a client and counting reps. A Coach, on the other hand, has a connection with the athletes and is able to make it fun. That's what I'm striving to be. I don't think I'm there yet, but I'll get there.

Another interesting point he made was about genetic potential. Only 16% - 18% of our entire athletic potential is dictated by genetics. The rest is a whole hell of a lot of hard work. This goes for weight loss as well. Yes, gentics has a little bit to do with your weight but you still have complete control of over 80% of your potential.

His hands on was very cool too. I do believe you don't need tons of equipment but you do need the "right" equipment. In this case I'm talking about suspension systems, bands, ropes, med balls, and agility ladders. He coached over 50 people at the same time using only the above pieces of equipment...and it was fun! When I open up my facility these are the kinds of equipment you'll find.

I spent Saturday at the Perform Better Learn by Doing workshop in Boston. Even though it might have been the best weather I've ever seen in March it was a great experience. Four of the top coaches in all the land delivered an hour lecture in the morning then we broke into groups in the afternoon for hands on sessions. This week I'd like to share my notes and what I remember from all the sessions. First up was Michael Boyle and his lecture about warm-ups. One of the recurring themes across all lectures and hands on sessions was EVERYBODY should train like an athlete. I often say "if you have a body, you are an athlete." I'll get further into that as the week progresses. Anyway, here are some thoughts about Mike Boyle's presentation and hands on session:

• Coaches need to constantly change. This industry is in it's infancy and we need to quickly adapt to the new research and the results other coaches are seeing. It is inexcusable for a coach to not stay current. Point is, if you are working with a trainer and you are still using the same program you used even three months ago you need a new trainer.
• The warm-up sequence is critical. First Foam Roll. Then Stretch. Then work on mobility and activation. If you stretch without foam rolling you are wasting your time. You need to improve tissue quality (foam rolling), improve tissue flexibility (stretching), Increase range of motion at your joints (mobility). Only then are you ready for exercise. And if you wait until after you exercise to foam roll and stretch you have missed your opportunity for any long term benefits. Rolling and stretching will not help today's workout or decrease your injury risk for today (mobility work will.) Rolling and stretching will help you to decrease injuries over the long term.
• Think of your back like a credit card. If you keep bending a credit card ultimately you will have two pieces of credit card. Your back is similar. If you continuously bend it you will injure your back. Think about that next time you decide to perform hundreds on crunches. Try some planks and roll outs instead.
• Hip Mobility is something you lose. Nobody learned to squat starting from the standing position. As infants we all started from the floor and worked our way up. That is exactly how we need to regain hip mobility.
• Here's a direct quote, "If you aren't foam rolling you are insane!" It is that important. It's the absolute best way to feel better and move better immediately. Go to my YouTube channel and scroll down to see videos of foam rolling techniques.
• When we stretch we don't really stretch muscle. We are actually stretching the connective tissue or fascia surrounding the muscle. Think of it like a chicken breast in a plastic bag. The chicken is your muscle, the bag is the fascia. Grab the ends of the bag and pull. There is no change to the chicken but the bag itself is changing. That's what happens to our bodies when we "stretch."
  

Well, that's it for today. Look back here tomorrow for my part 2 notes.

Random Randomness

I love the first few nice days of the spring, especially when they technically come in the winter. The best part is seeing people running on the streets of Hudson at 5:30 in the morning. Seeing people outside early in the morning getting some good work in really gets me energized and motivated for my day.

I was at the gym earlier this week with a client when I faintly heard "Hey! Help! Help!" I turned and saw some poor sap lying on a bench pinned under a barbell. I ran over and picked the bar off his chest. A couple things come to mind. First thing is, that's really stupid. Good trainers spend so much time and effort teaching proper technique so people don't get injured, so don't injure yourself my attempting to lift too much weight or get one more lift when you know you are fatigued. It's just not worth it. Also, a Dumbbell press is a far better exercise. It allows for freedom of motion at your shoulders, builds unilateral strength, and is much more safe. If you get stuck you can simply drop the dumbbells. You might make some noise but I'd much rather you make a little noise than get injured.

For the past year I have been fully committed to the barefoot bandwagon. I train barefoot. I do most of my running barefoot. I love it. Yesterday I learned the bad thing about training barefoot. When you kick something while barefoot it hurts much more.

Activate your Glutes!

Up until now I've focused on hip mobility when it comes to reconditioning an injured low back. After the hips are properly mobilized then it's time to strengthen the glute muscles. Most good coaches and trainers (like me!) include the glutes as a core muscle. It is possibly the most important core muscle. And it should be our primary hip extender. I say "should" because so many of us sit all day long (at work, in the car, on the couch) that our glutes stop functioning optimally. When the glutes stop functioning then something else has to over compensate...and in this case it's the hamstrings. This leads to hamstring injuries. If you've ever had a hamstring injury take this quick test. Perform a single leg hip extension. Check your bum with your hand. Is it rock solid? Or is it soft? Can you lift one side higher than the other? If it's soft then you need to get your glutes working. If you passed the test it's time to further strengthen your glutes. Even if you didn't pass this is a great exercise to add to your warm-up.

Single Leg Hip Pivot

1. Start by stretching your arms up over your head.
2. Slightly bend your right knee
3. Pivot at your hips. Stretch out with your hands and your heel. Try to keep your arms with your ears. Extend your back knee and stretch. Stretching with your arms and leg will help you keep a natural curve in your back and keep both hips parallel to the floor.

Give this a try and next week I'll show you how to load this movement pattern to really strengthen the glutes.

Encouraging New Show

I haven't ranted about the food we eat in quite some time. Long time readers know I am a big proponent of eating Real Food. Real food consists of meats (eggs, beef, chicken, fish), vegetables, and fruit. We eat far too much processed foods and food products, and it's killing us. Today's children will have a shorter life span than their parents due solely to the crap we are feeding them. I mention this because recently I have seen a couple commercials for a new television show that has piqued my interest. It's Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution on ABC starting in a couple weeks. After seeing the commercials I was really hoping it wasn't going to be crap like the Biggest Loser. (Seriously, Jillian Michaels is hawking weight loss pills? What a fraud.) Anyway, after watching this video of a presentation Jamie Oliver gave I am especially encouraged by the show and the good that it can do. I highly encourage everyone to take a mere 20 minutes and check it out.

Have a great weekend everyone!

More About Metabolic Resistence Training

Those of you who I often speak with no how I feel about steady state cardio for weight loss (it's ineffective.) Everyday I see the same people plugging away on a treadmill or elliptical machine for 30 - 45 minutes. Those are the people who never get any results from their training. The goal should be to increase strength while also increasing long term metabolic rate. This is done using Metabolic Resistence Training. Here is a video by Rachel Cosgrove. In it she articulates the reasons for this strategy much better then I can. It's all about utilizing activities that will build muscle, result in an elevated metabolism for hours post-workout, and burn calories during the workout. Metabolic Resistence Training is the best way to accomplish all three things at once.

Stop Doing Crunches

Today's post will be in keeping with the low back reconditioning theme.

There are many popular exercises performed every day by people at the gym that makes me cringe. Probably the worst one is excessive crunches. There simply isn't enough time to tell people how much damage they are doing to their low backs by performs hundreds of crunches or, even worse, use the trunk flexion machine. Here is a good article written about Dr. Stuart McGill, who is a leading back researcher and has been a very influential figure in the fitness industry for some time. "While there are lots of ways to injure a back, the sit-up is an easily preventable one. According to his research, a crunch or traditional sit-up generates at least 3,350 newtons (the equivalent of 340 kg) of compressive force on the spine. The U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health states that anything above 3,300 newtons is unsafe." The point is, our lumbar spines only have so many flexions in them before the disks herniate. Why perform hundreds of crunches per day knowing that is a great predictor of future back pain? The problem is often vanity. Everyone wants the six pack. Truth is everyone has a six pack...it's just covered up by a layer of fat. If you truely want a better looking mid-section then you need to turn your focus to your diet and create a caloric deficit while eating the proper amount of protien and dietary fats. One of the great core exercises is the bird dog. This can be a difficult exercise to perfect without instruction. They keys for this exercise are:

1. set up with your hands directly under your shoulders and hips directly under your knees
2. Extend at your hip and opposite shoulder. The key is to press your hand and foot out as opposed to just lifting your limbs up. You should have zero movement in your back.
   

This is another great exercise to add to your daily routine!

If it's Important Do it Every Day

Earlier this week I was talking to one of the women I work with about her recurring neck problem. This isn't a major issue by any stretch. She just feels a little tugging on the side of her neck when performing some exercises like heavy deadlifts. Her FMS shows limited thoracic spine (mid and upper back) mobility. Thoracic spine immobility often will lead to neck pain. We perform some upper back mobility corrective exercises during each session but she still has some lingering discomfort. I was then reminded of a great line I recently learned; If it's Important Do it Every Day! Corrective exercise is important! Foam rolling is important! These things should be done every single day, not only on the days you train. In fact, if you really want to offset the damage done to your body (especially for those office workers out there) you should take just a few minutes multiple times per day to perform some corrective exercises and foam roll.

Obviously this rule isn't limited to fitness. If progressing in your career is important to you then read or do some type of professional development every day. If you want to learn to play an instrument (I want to learn the harmonica) then you must practice every day. You have much more time than you think to accomplish your goals. I wrote last year about budgeting your 112 hours. Check it out!

Everyone have a great weekend!

Oh, and if you suffer from neck pain here are some great corrective and strength exercises to make part of your daily routine:

1. Seated t-spine rotation
2. T-spine Extension
3. Shoulder circuit
4. Inverted Row
   

Choose the right Fish Oil

I was just watching the morning news and came across this story about a lawsuit filed against some fish oil suppliers because of their elevated levels of polychlorinated biphenel compounds (PCBs.) PCBs have been found to cause cancer and birth defects. As many of you know I am a big proponent of taking 4 - 6 grams of fish oil per day. So this report may cause some alarm. This study found that the most contaminated fish oils are Nature Made Cod Liver Oil, Now Foods' Salmon Oil, and Double Strength Cod Liver Oil. These are all fish oil from larger fish, fish further up on the food chain. That's the key. The lower on the food chain the fish oil is from the less contaminated it will be. You should be diligent about reading the labels. Look specifically for sardines, anchovies, and krill. If it simply says "fish oil" then the company is likely hiding something and it should be avoided. Fish oil is a very important part of everyone's diet. The anti-inflamatory and heart health properties have been well documented. Just be sure to read the labels and you will have no worries about taking a contaminated product.

Happy March!

Over the last month I've learned something...keeping up with a blog can be very difficult. My goal for this month is a minimum of three posts per week. I can do it!

I will begin the month by continuing my series of low back reconditioning exercises. 80% of the population will suffer from low back pain at some point in their life. This is a pretty good indication that we need to completely change the way we move and the way we exercise. Most low back issues are due to glute inactivity and hip immobility. Due to our culture of sitting all day many people have glute muscles that simply don't do the job they were designed to perform. The Hip Extension is a simple yet very effective exercise to add to your warm-up to help activate those under-performing glute muscles.

1. Begin by lying on your back, bend your knees so your heels are directly under your knees, and lift your toes off the floor.
2. Squeeze your glutes! Pretend you are holding a piece of paper between your butt cheeks...don't let go of the paper!
3. Extend your hips.
   
4. Hold for 8 - 10 seconds for 3 - 5 reps.
5. Your butt should be rock solid and you should not feel much in your hamstrings. If you do feel it in your hamstrings squeeze your butt tighter.

This exercise can be performed daily as part of your warm-up or really at any point during the day.

On a completely different note...anyone know anything about designing web sites?? I'm in need of some guidance in this area.

More on Barefoot Training

Happy Thursday everyone! I hope everyone is in the midst of a great week!

I've written about this in the past but I thought it could use an update...

This past summer I started learning about the wonders of running barefoot. The thinking is the human foot is shaped the way it is for a reason...and artificially adding padding and support in a running shoe actually leads to significantly more injuries than they prevent. So I tried it out. The results surprised me. I felt stronger than ever. My running form immediately improved. My stamina even increased. And better still, the day after my first barefoot run I had an extra bounce in my step because me feet just felt better and stronger. I bring this all up because I just read that Harvard has done some research about the benefits of barefoot running. "New research, led by Harvard scientists and published today, shows that people who run barefoot or with minimal shoes - as people have done for millions of years - often land on their feet in a way that avoids a jarring impact. That’s very different from most shoe-clad runners, who crash down on their heels with every bound." This statement was absolutely true in my experience. Landing on your heel is much too painful if running barefoot. You will immediately adapt to land on your forefoot and roll to your instep, just like you're supposed to. The main reason I was so intrigued with barefoot running and training is because of my history with foot injuries. I have had Achilles injuries along with plantar fasciitis (nasty stuff.) I no longer have any issues at all. Vibram makes a Five Fingers minimal shoe that I will soon purchase and lose my running shoes forever. Now, if you are interested in making the switch to barefoot training please don't go crazy and attempt run a few miles or do some sprints right away. I learned my lesson on this one very early. Just like everything else a progression must be applied. My suggestion is this:

1. Perform your 7 - 10 minute dynamic warm-up barefoot
2. After a few weeks add some barefoot agility ladder work
3. A few weeks later include an activity like jump rope or even jumping jacks
4. Then hit the weights with no shoes on. A deadlift will feel great once you learn to properly use your feet.
5. Now you're ready for a run...start slow though. Try a few 20 yard striders at 60% speed.
6. Increase your speed and distance

Anyone interested in reading more about the barefoot revolution can check out this book...it's outstanding!

Winter Farmers Market

Happy Friday folks! One of the MANY reasons why I love summer so much is all the great local produce available at various produce stands and farmers markets. They are a great resource for inexpensive, locally grown, and organic vegetables and fruit (best of all worlds!) And now, in Natick, there is a Winter Farmers Market! They are open on Saturdays from 9:30 to 1:00 now through March 27. Check out the link to see what produce and meats they have available.

Have a great weekend!

Sitting is Bad

My last post was so long it took me nearly a week to recover. But I've finally restored my energy and ready for some new content. I remember a while back listen to a lecture when the lecturer mentioned that if your hips are not fully extended (in the standing position) for at least 8 hours per day then your hips are deteriorating. This is one of the major causes of low back pain. Deteriorating hips = less hip mobility. Less hip mobility = low back pain. I mention that because of this article I just came across on Boston.com. It's about the dangers of remaining in the seated position too long. "After four hours of sitting, the body starts to send harmful signals," Ekblom-Bak said. She explained that genes regulating the amount of glucose and fat in the body start to shut down. So not only are your hips deteriorating but your fat burning genes are shutting down when you remain seated for a prolonged period of time. If you work at a job that requires sitting or have a long commute to work (or both) then your training program should be built to offset the negative impact of all that sitting. And please don't go to the gym after sitting all day and exacerbate the problem by simply going through a Nautilus circuit. Using those machines not only puts your low back in a compromised position, they also do nothing to offset the sitting you've done all day. You also have no use for your core when you are exercising from a seated position. Move the same exercise to the standing position and your core becomes activated creating much greater bang for the buck. So next time you are at the gym try moving around some dumbbells or use a Functional Trainer. And when you are at work be sure to stand up early and often.

A Progressive Approach to Proper Eating

One of my biggest frustrations as a coach comes from talking with people about optimal nutrition. People will be misinformed by books, magazine or newspaper articles (like this one), and even dietitians. There is so much conflicting information out there that people can get so confused that they can't even make the first step eating a more healthful diet. Thing is it should not be confusing at all. People simply need to eat lean meats, vegetables, and fruits...that's it. Cut everything else out. The thing is, I completely understand that adhering to a strict diet of lean meat, veggies, and fruits is easier said than done...especially for someone with a horrible diet consisting mainly of grains. Then I need to remember that it took me nearly eight years and constant adjustments to get to the diet I now find easy to stick with. So I am here now to share the adjustments I made to my diet over the years in my quest for the "Optimal Diet" and offer a progressive approach to achieving great health through proper eating.

1. About 8 years ago my diet consisted of tons of pasta. I ate a big container of it for lunch and often for dinner as well. I ordered out often as well...I love a good grinder. Breakfast was typically cereal. I didn't snack during the day, I only ate three very large meals per day. I worked out everyday at a gym in Worcester. I never thought of myself as out of shape or overweight but I was weighing in at about 175 pounds (I'm 5 foot 5 inches tall.)
   
2. Then I read Core Performance by Mark Verstegen. This was the beginning of it all. Not only did I learn about proper exercise and the awesomeness of interval training, I also learned how to eat. More importantly I learned about proper meal intervals. I immediately went from 3 large meals per day to 6 smaller meals per day. I was also introduced to Whey Protein. I started taking a couple scoops of Whey pre-workout (I get my workout in in the morning) and a shake right before bed. The rest of my diet consisted of cereal in the morning, a snack of black beans (that's right, black beans), lunch was a turkey sandwich on wheat bread, I honestly don't remember what my afternoon snack was, and dinner was some lean meat (flank steak, fish, chicken) with some rice or pasta. There's not a whole lot of good stuff in there. No fruit. No veggies. Still tons of grains.
3. I stuck with that diet for about one year. So I didn't change much. My training program changed but I was working out previously. I still ate crap but I simply spread my meals out throughout the day as opposed to three large meals. A year later I stepped on the scale at my grandparents house, looked down, then told gram that her scale was all out of whack. I didn't think I had lost weight. I didn't even think I had weight to lose. But the scale read 145 lbs...down from 175 lbs a year earlier. The scale was right. Then I realized I was a ton leaner and just plain felt better from simply changing my meal intervals.
4. Over the next 6 years or so I kept making incremental improvements in the quality of food I bought and ate (sort of.) I replaced the turkey sandwich on wheat with tuna on a wrap. I replaced the mayonnaise I put on the tuna with hummus (not bad.) I replaced the hummus with olive oil (OUTSTANDING!) I replaced the tuna sandwich with salmon steak. I replaced farm raised salmon with wild caught salmon. I started eating protein bars. I think I tried everything on the shelf. I ate a big bowl of Cheerios for breakfast (not good, no matter what the ads say.) Dinner was still some lean meat but I started adding some veggies. I also included a piece of fruit or two...typically a banana and apple. My evening snack was a couple pieces of toast with Smuckers peanut butter. I experimented quite often, always trying to find healthful, tasty, and easy to prepare meals. I also drank a lot of Gatorade and other foods/beverages without really understanding what I was reading on the label. Throughout these years I would get sick 2 - 3 times per year. I thought that was normal and didn't think much of it.
   
5. Then, in October 2008 I enrolled in a Personal Trainers class to change careers. There I learned all about High Fructose Corn Syrup and Hydrogenated Oils (very bad stuff.) Out went Gatorade. And no more Smuckers. I learned what I was looking for on the labels. I kept eating a very similar diet but I did cut out those two things.
6. In April '09 I read The Paleo Diet by Loren Cordain. This was the beginning of my quest for an all natural diet. I learned stuff I had never even heard of. Grains are an anit-nutrient, meaning they block the absorption of vitamins and minerals in our bodies. Corn isn't even a vegetable, it's a grain. Asthma is diet related (I had horrible asthma as a kid.) Allergies are due to poor diet (I have summer allergies.) There is no relationship between dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol. Egg yolks are great for you. Eggs are the worlds most perfect food. Heart disease is often due to the lack of dietary fats. Humans are not genetically built to process a diet high in grains. And it wasn't just this book. I also read The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth by Jonny Bowden (best nutrition reference guide in my opinion), The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan, Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Weston A. Price (wicked dorky), and Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes. I started to understand the importance of food quality. Not only are we what we eat, we are what we eat eats.
   
7. That brings me to my current diet. In the morning I now have some organic berries with three organic, free range eggs, and some organic whole milk yogurt in a smoothy. For snack I have some more organic whole milk yogurt with some raw sunflower seeds, raw pumkin seeds, peanuts, organic avocado, organic berries, and flax seed. Lunch is generally a piece free range and vegetarian fed chicken with sweet potato and other organic veggies. afternoon snack is some more seeds and nuts with organic steel cut oats, dried unsulfured and unsweetened fruit, and more yogurt. Dinner is grass fed beef and more veggies. Before bed is some fresh fruit (kiwi, grapefruit) with some quinoa and maybe a hard boiled egg. That's it. Not perfect. I'm still experimenting. I haven't been sick sick since at least April so that's a good run. I have tons of energy to keep me coaching from 6 AM to 7 PM.
   

So what's the point of this rambling rant? The secret to optimal health is really no secret at all. Eat as much lean meat (properly raised and fed), organic fruit and veggies. Having said that don't expect to go from eating a horrible diet to eating a perfect diet in one day or one week or even one month. It takes time. Don't let perfect get in the way of better. Start with eating breakfast. Then take your three meals and turn it into 6 smaller meals. Experiment with food combinations and recipes. Prepare your food on the weekend so you always have something healthful ready for you when you get home late and are most likely to grap some crap from a window. Strive to make one food quality upgrade per month. I would love to hear what changes people are making to their own diets and the strides you have made. Please post below in the comments section if you have any tips to share. Also use that space to post any questions. If you have lasted this long reading this I appreciate your time and hope this was helpful. Good luck in your quest for a great and healthful diet!

Mike

PS...here's yet another reason why I LOVE the fitness industry...

YouTube Channel, Breakfast Cereals, AND Movie Review

1. I received a FlipVideo for Christmas (thanks Dad!) Yesterday I started compiling my video library of exercises. So, introducing....Mike Belanger: The YouTube Channel! Check it out. I currently have a bunch of videos of Foam Rolling, Stretching, and Mobility.
2. This great blog post about Cereal was found by sis. There really isn't any healthy cereal...even Cheerios.
   
3. Avatar was AWESOME!
   

Low Back Prehab, Pt. 3

Well, the holidays are over and it's back to the grind. I always had a hard time getting back into the flow the first full week after the holiday. Hopefully I don't conk out come Thursday. Anyway, I figured I'd begin the New Year with a continuation of the low back prehab exercises from the last couple weeks. Check Part 1 and Part 2 if you missed those. Today's exercise is the Hip Lift. Because we spend so much time sitting down (at work, at the dinner table, in the car, on the coach) our glute muscles don't work as well as they are designed to work. Often times our hamstrings or low back does the work that the glutes should be doing. This is a great first progression to add to your warm-up for glute activation.

• Start lying down on your back with knees bent and toes up off the floor
• Squeeze your glutes. Think holding a dollar bill between your butt cheeks.
• Lift your hips until you have a flat board from your shoulders to your knees.
• Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat for the desired reps ( 4 - 8 reps is plenty.)

This is a perfect exercise to add to your warm-up, especially if you suffer from low back pain.

Today's Stupid Human Trick video comes from sis. She saw this commercial on television. Please please please don't be the one to fall for this.