TRX’ing It Up

I have been curious about TRX for some time.  So with Pilates By The Lake on hiatus for spring break, instead of enjoying martini Monday, I tried a TRX class.

Not one to go into things blindly, especially after the karate chopping belly dancing debacle from a few years ago, I did a bit of research prior to going to the class.  I found several videos online; one in particular, once I got past the extremely fit young gentleman’s lack of shirt and resemblance to a hairless cat, was very informative and helpful.  But no amount of ‘how to’ video watching could prepare me for what was in store.

I arrived for class 15 minutes early, signed my life away, got a brief overview of what to expect from the instructor and waited patiently for Soraiya, after all she was the one who talked me into this.  Soraiya said that I would do fine in the class and not to worry, but she did look a little nervous for me when she finally arrived.

After a quick warm-up we moved to the centre of the room to start our workout.  For those of you that aren’t familiar with TRX, from the TRX website:

Born in the U.S. Navy SEALS and developed by Fitness Anywhere®, Suspension Training® is a revolutionary method of leveraged bodyweight exercise. Easily set up the portable TRX® Suspension Trainer™ and you’re in control. Safely perform hundreds of exercises that build power, strength, flexibility, balance, mobility, and prevent injuries, all at the intensity you choose.

I fully expected the apparatus to be bouncy, not like a trampoline, but more like resistance tubing, TRX is not bouncy.  The goal is to perform a variety of exercises using your body weight while keeping the ‘straps’ taut.  Sounds easy enough, but the straps are hanging from the ceiling and they have the tendency to make you sway, lose your balance and turn what looks like a simple exercise (when performed by the instructor) into an intense, painful and frustrating one minute interval.

I am not going to lie to you, I was humbled, it was tough.  Hanging from various angles, supported only at times by the back of your heel, not using your arms then using your arms, you not only have to trust the equipment, you have to trust yourself, and I don’t trust easily anymore. Did I mention getting tangled up in the straps? At the end of the arm sequence I was barely able to hold my arms overhead, the hamstring curls were torture, I faired ok (I thought) with the abs, but I did have to modify by supporting myself with my elbows instead of my hands, who am I kidding, I was terrible.   The muscle burn didn’t stop at the end of the workout either; my biceps and triceps were still quivering when I got home, my shoulders were on fire…enough with the whining.

Was it a good workout?  Hell yes, there are parts of me still that are having problems moving fluidly.  Did I enjoy it? No, and it wasn’t because of the intensity either.  I tried to follow along as best as I could but was never sure if I was doing the right movements (which was no fault of the instructor, it was all me).  Being a visual learner in a facility without mirrors, I was unable to see exactly what I was doing, how my alignment looked, etc.  Like anything else there is a learning curve and from what I hear it can take more than a few sessions.   Will I do it again?  At our house, we use the three times rule, you must try something at least three times (unless of course the first time it causes you to vomit) in order to form a true distaste for it.  So although I did feel like vomiting during the last set of shoulders, I didn’t…so I guess I am going back.

Saturday Speak: Compression Socks by Conny McLean

cep running compression socks

WHAT ARE COMPRESSION SOCKS?

Compression socks are special hosiery items designed to help people with circulatory problems.

Originally marketed as a form of medical treatment to those with compromised circulatory systems, many people now find their everyday use beneficial.

HOW DO COMPRESSION SOCKS WORK?

Compression socks use strong elastics to provide graduated pressure to the legs, tightest at the ankles, gradually become less constrictive towards the knees and thighs. By compressing the surface veins, arteries and muscles, the circulating blood is forced through narrower circulatory channels, the arterial pressure is increased which causes more blood to return to the heart and less blood to pool in the feet.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT COMPRESSION LEVELS USED FOR?

Compression socks come in varying levels of compression (tightness).

Compression is measured in millimeter of mercury (symbol: mmHg) is defined as the pressure exerted at the base of a column of fluid.

15-20 mmHg

• The lowest compression level available
• Relieves tired aching legs, used for comfort, occupations requiring long periods of standing, airplane travel

20-30 mmHg,  30-40 mmHg  and   40-50 mmHg

• Dr’s referral required for all levels over 20mmHg
• Relieves mild symptoms (heavy fatigue/aching, mild varicose veins, edema) through to severe symptoms of venous insufficiencies (edema, moderate-severe varicose veins, venous ulcers, prevent or manage deep vein thrombosis).

SO WHY ARE HEALTHY RUNNERS WEARING COMPRESSION SOCKS?

There are claims that running socks will improve a runner’s performance. The claim is as follows:                

1) Arteries are the blood vessels that transport oxygen rich blood from the heart to the organs and muscles.

2) Compression expands the diameter of the artery

3) The result is increased arterial blood circulation and oxygen supply to muscles.

The conclusion being that compression socks = increased blood circulation = more oxygen =enhanced performance.

A quicker Run – it is possible to reduce running time by 5% =12 minutes at a marathon time of 4 hours (CEP)

An easier run – Exertion is reduced by 6% since muscles have to work less (CEP)

A quicker regeneration / recovery

CONFLICTING OPINIONS OF IMPROVED PERFORMANCE

The science of athletic compression socks is relatively new. The claim of increased performance remains inconclusive.

A study done by the American College of Sports Medicine suggests there are no statistically significant differences in maximal oxygen consumption, heart rate or minute ventilation between treadmill runners who wore compression and those who did not.

A study done in Germany established a correlation between the compression socks and improved performances by the participants.

Many runners and triathletes who use them and say compression socks work for them. That shouldn’t be taken lightly.

PROVEN BENEFITS OF ATHLETEIC COMPRESSION SOCKS

1) Muscle support – the pressure exerted by the socks decreases vibration trauma to muscles due to the pounding of running.

2) Shin splint relief – the pressure from compression socks supports the shin muscles and reduces the severity of muscle tearing away from the shin that results in shin splints

3) Achilles heel support – athletic socks have special support for the Achilles heel helping to reduce soreness

4) Faster lactate recovery rate after exercise when wearing the compression socks, suggesting that compression socks might speed recovery after a strenuous workout or a race.

CONCLUSION ?

Athletic compression socks may have an impact on athletic training both in increased performance and decreased recovery times.

They are an effective recovery tool and recovery is an important part of the training process. Better recovery = a stronger body = reduction in injuries =faster runner.

Coming To a Gym Near You?

So here I am, minding my own business, sitting at my kitchen counter reading an article on the Vancouver Sun’s website about “Seven bizarre side-effects of exercise ”. Gas…I’ve heard it can happen; heartburn…absolutely, tacos and Pilates don’t mix; cramps…yup; hives…maybe; yawning…I thought it was just Tori; ear-popping…a bit unusual (still minding my own business) and coregasms…ummm, now you have my attention, I’m guessing yours as well.

According to the description under the photograph depicting a woman clearly enjoying an abdominal crunch “…not just any fitness routine can trigger the big O. Coregasms commonly happen during an intense core workout, which may explain the wait for the Ab Roller at the gym.”

I can’t vouch for everyone I train but until now I was completely unaware of any heightened experience that could be gained from doing killer abs (is that intense enough for you?). That said, this could explain the “moaner” and the “eye roller” who frequented my spin classes and the “breather” who was beside D the other morning at yoga.

After further investigation, I found that I really must have been living under a rock. There has been plenty of discussion about this very topic in health and fitness magazines, there are coregasm workouts and there was even this “how to” segment on The Doctors

Although it was a little awkward in spots, I was actually disappointed in this clip because it had such huge train wreck potential.

Not one to tell half a story, I present exhibits B through F, The Coregasm workout according to Women’s Health Magazine

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…

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And there you have it, what you chose to do with it is entirely up to you. Thinking about whatever you need to think about to get yourself through the exercise has now taken on a whole new meaning.

Vacation plans

One of the great perks of being my own boss is that I set my schedule.  If I want to take off spring break, the last two weeks of June, the last two weeks of August, the first week of September, two weeks at Christmas, all statutory holidays, 5 Peaks Fridays and any “unavoidable engagement”, I do.  However there is a downside, if I don’t work, I don’t get paid.

Although it may seem like I take a lot of time off, in reality I don’t.  While there are breaks between Parks and Leisure programs and Studio schedules they don’t all occur at the same time, so while I am off in one area I am still working in another.  My true vacation time, meaning I teach zero classes and have zero commitments anywhere works out to a grand total of four weeks per year, two weeks at the end of summer and two in the winter.  I did take an additional week this year in July when I went to Utah, so this year will make it five weeks, I’m sorry that I’m not sorry, I own it (that was for you Rachel).  Today at 10:00am I started my first day of my end of the summer vacation!

When most people are on vacation they do not think about work until their last day of vacation, and it is usually ugh…what disaster am I going back to, or ugh…I don’t want to go back to work.  I love being active; when I am not active I am usually planning or thinking about the next time that I will be , I’m not obsessive it’s just who I am and something else that I own.

As much as I would like to in a normal work –week, I am not able to get out and participate in other people’s classes, there are only so many hours in the day and with the addition of my domestic goddess duties I am pretty tapped for time (with the exception of my daily 20 minute power nap, which is on the schedule).  So, vacation to me is a time when I can get out and check out other classes and see what is new and exciting in the fitness world, research and development if you will, even if I am in another city or country.  Don’t get me wrong, my vacation won’t be all work and no play, I plan on playing plenty!

My clients often tease me that when I am on vacation I am in search of new methods to torture them with; I think that torture is a bit harsh, I prefer challenge!  I always learn something from every class in which I participate, a new move or drill, a cue or am reminded of something that I may have forgotten about (like when you only participate in only one or two step classes a year, it is really important to really stretch your calves after, talk about torture).

So what should you expect from a fitness instructor?  Dane Boyle of the San Antonio Fitness Examiner asked me the same question last week and this is what I told him…

Group fitness classes should be led by qualified individuals, and clients should have high expectations for their group leaders.  Keri Cawthorne owner of Iron Mountain Movement lists the top 10 things students should expect from their group fitness leaders:

Top 10:

1. A fitness leader should be motivating, not intimidating.
2. A fitness leader should arrive 10-15 minutes before class starts to greet, to answer questions and to assist with any set-up. The instructor should also be the last person to leave the class when it is over.
3. A fitness leader should start the class on time and finish on time.
4. A fitness leader should be dressed appropriately for the class.
5. A fitness leader should introduce themselves and let participants know what to expect from the class.
6. A fitness leader should be able to provide modifications for any exercise.
7. A fitness leader should smile and make eye contact with the class.
8. A fitness leader should be certified and be able to provide an educational portion of the class (ie: proper alignment while doing muscle conditioning, stretching, cooling down etc).
9. A fitness leader should not be afraid to move around the class.
10. A fitness leader should provide a safe and effective class (ie. a clean and uncluttered space, music at a healthy volume). read entire article

Other things that I plan to do on my vacation: the Grouse Grind as many times as possible, hike The Chief, a cross border grocery shopping trip to Trader Joes (Deanna, Sharon, are you reading?), clean out my closet, go to the PNE, read one business related book and one sex, drugs and rock and roll biography, have a massage and enjoy a “Bad Girls” catch-up night.

Toning Shoes

You have seen them out and about, in the malls and at the grocery store, toning shoes.   They claim to tone muscles and improve weight loss and posture while you walk or stand (not recommended for running), and they don’t come cheaply either, prices range from $100-245.

Finally there is some ACE (American Council On Exercise) research that puts claims by the manufacturers of these ridiculous looking shoes to the test.    According to the ACE study, a team of exercise scientists from the Exercise and Health Program at the University of Wisconsin, designed two studies.  In the first study researchers recruited 12 physically active female volunteers, ages 19 to 24 years to evaluate exercise responses to walking in traditional athletic shoes (a New Balance running shoe) versus the popular toning shoes. A second group of 12 physically active female volunteers, ages 21 to 27 years, was recruited for the second study, they performed a similar battery of five-minute treadmill trials rotating shoes at random.

The outcome….

”Across the board, none of the toning shoes showed statistically significant increases in either exercise response or muscle activation during any of the treadmill trials.  There is simply no evidence to support the claims that these shoes will help wearers exercise more intensely, burn more calories or improve muscle strength and tone.”

I can’t say that I am shocked, I mean really, if you want to improve muscle tone and lose weight you have got to put in the work, cardio, squats, lunges and diet.  There are no quick fixes. There were even concerns that long term wear of toning shoes could alter gait mechanics due to their instability.  I for one am going to stick to my professionally fitted athletic shoes for the gym, and when I am looking for an unstable shoe to walk in, I am going bang for my buck and pulling out my 4 inch black stilettos.

Why do we exercise?

When a friend asked Chaps why she exercises, she doesn’t need to lose weight, it got me to thinking.  Is there a misconception out there that you only need to exercise if you have a weight problem?

I started seriously hitting the gym in my early 20’s.  It wasn’t a weight thing; it was more of a healthy lifestyle thing.  I did not have the luxury of a gym buddy as most of my friends didn’t go to the gym (so funny, because I can’t think of one friend that I have now who doesn’t work out) so it was just me and my Champion basketball shorts and my short sports bra…yikes, it was the 90’s, what can I say.  It took me so long to get my Dad to tell my friends who called when I was at the gym and that I was not at “keep fit”, a term that has to be right out of the 70’s or used for seniors classes!  I started with the generic cardio and weight circuit (with the workout card) which they give you, but from the seated chest press machine I really wanted to be one of those girls in the step classes, kicking, turning and clapping.  I scrapped my workout card and joined them.  Although I was fairly uncoordinated (it took me until I was 23 to grow into my body, completely another blog) I loved step class (I remember how proud I was when I finally got the arms and legs right for ‘L’ step, nothing would stop me after that until of course I tried to pivot over the step, BIG mistake!  A word to the wise, when in doubt basic right people), step class made me feel fierce.  I was never a front and centre girl, I was always to the left of the instructor, I still am when I take a class.  Why is it that we always migrate to the same spot?  I think that is also another blog as well.  In my years at the gym I have seen some vicious exchanges and near all out cat fights over step class territories (spin class too, husbands even got involved)!  I have even seen an instructor get involved saying, “sorry, it is her spot”, what the hell?  I am always very careful, when I drop into a class I ask the people around me if I am taking someone else’s spot, I am a sweater not a fighter and really all I want is to be close to a fan….oh gym drama.

After the birth of my daughter I was not one of those bitches fortunate women who got to leave the hospital with their new bundle of joy in their pre-pregnancy jeans.  Going to the gym then became about losing weight and toning my stomach back up(Ok, so why doesn’t anyone tell you that you stomach will literally look and feel like a bowl of jelly after you have had a baby?  Holy pivotal moment in my life!  Really, that image could be used as birth control).  It took me nine months to put it on, and it took me nine months to take it off.

Ever notice how we didn’t meet Claire Huxtable, June Cleaver or Carol Brady when their children were going through their terrible two’s (we did however meet Bob Saget and Uncle Jessie…ah Uncle Jessie, and since the Gosselins)?  There is reason.   For that reason, exercise made me a better Mommy and wife.  It didn’t matter what may have happened that day, or in what state I left the house, but once I returned from my workout it all seemed so much more manageable.  It was around that time that I got my fitness certification; I was there anyway so why not teach a class or two?

Fitness now is not only my profession, it is a way of life for me, you could make it my second middle name.  I don’t think that I am obsessed with it, but when I am not doing it, my thoughts do tend to wonder when the next time I will be doing it (that doesn’t sound obsessive at all)

Going back to Chaps and her friend, I don’t think that there is a misconception at all; perhaps that’s just how Chaps’ friend views exercise at this point in her life.   We need to bring this girl out to a Monday morning class!

I don’t give out most improved awards, but I will give out a most improved shout out.  Last year I was talking up my upcoming Beginner Running program to a Pilates class and Marcia was quite vocal that the only time I would get her to run was if a bear was chasing her. I’m not sure what made her change her mind because she was pretty adamant about it, but since then Marcia has completed my Beginner Running Clinic, my Intermediate Road and Trail Clinic, my Spring 5 Peaks Trail Running Clinic, several road races and two 5 Peaks Trail races.  She is planning to run another 5 Peaks race in Alberta while she is on vacation this summer and also has plans for a ½ marathon later this year.  She is kicking ass.  A couple of weeks ago while running on the trails with some friends a bear stood up on it’s hind legs at her, she also ran into a Momma and her cubs while on a road run about the same time…not quite a chase, but a great full circle story.

Not too long ago I polled my clients to find out the main reason that they exercise (appearance – including weight management or maintenance or how it made them look; stress relief; how it makes them feel; or other).  For most of them there wasn’t one specific answer, and most of them said that it started out as something different than it is today.

Trying to complete my full circle here, the reasons why we started exercising probably aren’t the same as why we do it today and will continue to change. Things I thought that I would never be able to do like run to the top of Incline without stopping, push-ups from my toes, I have done and can do, and there is still plenty more that I want to do, a full marathon, an ultra trail race, rappelling down a waterfall (now that sounds cool).  I was watching Tony Horton on P90X info video yesterday, and he said something I really thought made a lot of sense, instead of saying that you can’t do something change your mindset to say, “I presently struggle with” (unless of course it is something that you really don’t want to do anyway, he didn’t say that, that’s me).

Exercise is a mindset, it can be a love hate relationship some days, it should be work that’s why it’s called a workout and if it were easy, everyone would do it.  When it comes down to it, it doesn’t matter what motivates you to exercise, what matters is that you are exercising.  Never say never people (ask Marcia), and keep your eyes on the prize!

Chew your food

Earlier this week I had part 1 of some dental work done.  To cut a long and boring story short, part 2 cannot take place for another 10 days, and I am left with a temporary filling or “soft filling material” in one of my teeth, so I have to chew on one side of my mouth for the next little bit.  I am finding it totally inconvenient, it takes me forever (or at least twice as long as everyone else) to finish my meals, I look stupid because I tilt my head to one side when I chew to prevent any food from getting stuck in that tooth/material, I can’t chew gum (I am a major gum chewer) and I am missing out on some of my favourite foods because they are hard to chew with one side of my mouth (seaweed is very hard to chew with limited teeth).

So this morning I was complaining to my class about how it was taking me so long to chew my food, and because of my impatience I have not been eating as much as I usually do (and really, who wants a second helping when everyone at the table is dying for you to put your utensils down so that they can leave the table) and thought that I would lose weight (for the record I don’t want to lose weight) because of it.  It sparked several comments and snickers that I have incomplete mastication; oh how they laughed although they assured me that it wasn’t premature (they are sooooo bad).  There was even a comment that I would gain weight (although I don’t want to lose weight, I certainly don’t want to gain it) because of my incomplete mastication.  So I decided that this warranted further investigation.

As digestion starts in your mouth, it only makes sense to chew your food into tiny pieces to make the process easier, not to mention the digestive enzymes that are contained in saliva, also choking is not fun.  So how many times should you chew your food before swallowing? According to many advocates (advocates for chewing, that’s funny) 25-50 times, or use the rule of thumb if you can tell what kind of food you are eating from the texture of the food in your mouth (not the taste), then you haven’t chewed it enough.  I had to know, do I have incomplete mastication…I counted how many times I chewed my toast before I swallowed it, 35 and I could not tell what I was eating from the gooey texture in my mouth, so Betty Blisters, I do not have incomplete mastication!

As for the weight gain issue, thoroughly chewing your food (like I do thank you very much, even if it is on one side of my mouth) reduces the risk of overeating as it allows time for your receptors to send a message to your brain saying that you are full.  So there it is, I am not going to gain or lose; life will go on as I know it and I am counting the days until I am able to chew gum again.

Food Revolution

As a general rule, I am fairly well behaved on Friday nights. Being short on sleep and hydration makes a Saturday morning run suck (not that I would know, ok maybe there was that one run…). If you are a television watcher like myself on Friday nights, you will know that there is some stimulating programming out there, although not suitable for the whole family, bow-bow-chica-bow-wow. But if you had seen the previews and heard the buzz chances are that you may have watched the new series Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution.

I have a bit of a soft spot for Jamie Oliver (something about the way he talks, not just the accent, he has that tongue thing going on when he talks) so I didn’t need to be convinced to watch, it was a given. For those who missed the premiere, the premise of the show is Jamie Oliver (aka The Naked Chef, but not really naked) leaves his family in England behind to start a food revolution in Huntington, West Virginia, recently named the unhealthiest city in America (by government statistics). He starts his food revolution in the cafeteria of Central City Elementary, his goal is to change the food the kids are eating, prove that the kids enjoy it and to do it on budget, and our hero has only one week to make the magic happen. Of course he is met with resistance, he is trying to change a town where half of the adults are considered obese. The trailer for tonight’s episode shows Jamie fighting the good fight with one night and one moment that will make his revolution even stronger (ABC, 9pm). You know I will be watching.

It isn’t just Huntington, West Virginia that face these problems, they exist in Canada as well. Some frightening statistics were released at the beginning of this year from the 2007-2009 Canadian Health Measures Survey and they didn’t just pertain to the adult population. Part of the survey compared the youth (children 6-19 years of age) of today to the youth of 1981. The results, “children are taller, heavier, fatter and weaker than in 1981”.

At the risk of dating myself, in 1981 I was ‘the youth’. Although we didn’t have to walk six miles to school (the claims of our parents’ generation), we did walk to and from school, we played team sports, we played outside afterschool, we ran and we rode our bikes everywhere. So what happened? Can we blame it on technology, the fast paced lifestyle of today, pre-packaged and convenience foods, drugs, crime or that are children are spoilt for choice? I don’t think so, but they do play a key role in our children’s lack of activity. Kay, so now I am getting all serious on you, but it is very serious when you think about what this means for Canada’s future. It means increased risk of disease, increased healthcare costs and decreased life expectancy. Their findings are not a shock to me, but when I see in black and white that my daughter’s life expectancy is shorter than mine, I am scared shitless.

So what are we going to do? The answer comes right from Jamie Oliver’s tongue, I mean mouth, with a little effort we can make massive difference. I am not saying that we should run around in a peapod costume like JO to make our kids eat veggies. But we should have fun with it, being healthy is fun…obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease are not fun. If you are reading this blog, chances are that you are already health conscious, but I think that we all have room to improve. So here it is, my April Challenge, let’s step it up peeps, I challenge you (and myself) to educate ourselves about what we are eating, read more labels, educate our families, eat 7-8 servings of fruit/veggies a day and get rid of the processed crap. What have we got to lose? Decreased risk of disease, healthcare costs, weight, body fat… I am more than ok with decreasing those.

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