You be the judge?
The one thing I have noticed throughout my career as a personal trainer, fitness professional, and educator/presenter, is how the public, and even worse my peers pass judgment so arrogantly quick and with reckless ignorance. This is something that I am genuinely concerned about, because it effects my profession, and it’s growth or lack thereof. I will also ask you the reader to see if you can find similarities in our society, but more importantly, do you see it in yourself?
Training at health club again has exposed my peers and members to my training style using science, systems, and tools that I have learned and accumulated through the years. For me it has been a process and evolution through countless hours of self discovery mixed with continuing education, seminars, workshops, etc. Never settling for what I know as good enough, I’ve been able to see, do, teach, and learn things that I wish everyone knew. The flip side of this is that this has lead to members and peers judging and ridiculing what I do and with what I do it with. It’s as if they feel that my choice of movement and tools is a personal attack on them and their loved ones. Never, have they considered coming up to me and asking, hey Arthur, I saw you doing this with that, why? I would’ve loved to talk about my passion and I would’ve been appreciative of their curiosity. Another part of me is also thinking, how can my peers not breakdown what I’m doing and see the science and benefits behind it. And if they did, they could educate their clients, and an agent of change is born.
I’ll admit I’m guilty of this as well, albeit a long time ago. It took someone to judge me the first time I did something different. I can remember the first time I started movement preps in 2004, the first time I wore Vibrams into the gym, the first time I did an out of the box exercise. The way it made me feel was awful. It spawned me to think differently. With some words of wisdom I’ve been able to rise above, here’s some examples;
“Logic will get you from A to B, imagination will take you everywhere”
Never limit yourself because of others limited imagination. Never limit others because of your limited imagination”
“Great minds will always be violently opposed by mediocre thinkers”
“It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.”
It is because of my personal experiences and quotes like these, that allow me to take a different approach from what I initially wanted to do, which would make me come off as unprofessional, as well as make them more steadfast in their philosophy, and more resistant to change.
I believe that their mindset and quickness to judge is a combination of fear with lack of education. Because if “knowledge is power” than lack of knowledge is weakness that causes fear in those in the presence of power (knowledge). Side note: that is complete bullshit in my eyes. Knowledge should lead to humility in the sense that it shows how much; a) you don’t know and b) how much there really is left to learn. Failure to grasp this is an excuse. Therefore failures make excuses as to why they can’t, and can’t never accomplished anything.
I always sincerely thank those who take the time out of their lives to educate me. I let them know that their efforts are not wasted as it provokes my curiosity to learn more. The best part is that my profession allows me the platform to share what I have had the privilege to learn to both my peers and my clients.
The moral of this post is don’t judge, instead try to understand. There’s less prejudice and more education involved. If you can’t figure it out then ask, the worst that can happen is you learned something, good or indifferent. Can you imagine a world that’s not quick to judge, but eager to learn? It all starts with you!
AH
A change of scenery
I am going to break away from my usual educational blog, and write about what’s been going on the past two months. Since March 6th. 2012 I have been working at Lifetime Athletics in Summerlin. I am still a part of ATP with Hayley, the only difference is, I train clients in a new location and I no longer teach the weekend boot camp classes. It’s been a lot of fun training out of LTA (Lifetime Athletics), as I work with a great bunch in the Personal training Dept. The freedom to train according to my philosophies, and using systems, sciences, and tools that I feel benefit my clients and I the most has been a major part of my professional happiness that hasn’t been there for quite some time 
Lifetime is very supportive and well ahead of the curve in terms of allowing their trainers to explore the many, many systems, sciences, and tools that are out there in the fitness industry. I feel that I can still grow and learn in this environment and that in of itself is why I enjoy working there. Since my time at LVAC, I have learned a great deal, and to be able to showcase what I have been privileged to learn with new members, clients, and most importantly my fellow peers (trainers) has been very exciting. I get to see what other trainers are into, what their philosophies, and training styles are like. I get to see what members and clients like to do, what drives them, what their perception of our industry as a whole is, and most importantly where they think fitness is and should be going.
If you are a personal trainer, I feel you have to love what you do, and love where you do it. Your environment should make you want to wake up a go do your thing, whatever and wherever that may be. It should motivate you to improve yourself everyday and people should feel your passion, and positive vibe near and from afar. Most importantly, you should be happy. Because if you not in a good place, then you can’t help anyone get there either.
AH
Want to get MELTed?
Want to get M.E.L.T.ed?
I know, I know you might be asking… What does M.E.L.T. mean?
I thought the same thing when I first heard about it two years ago. I had the opportunity to take a M.E.L.T. class from the creator 
Sue Hitzmann at IDEA World in 2010 and was blown away at how amazing and refreshed I felt afterwards. M.E.L.T. stands for Myofascial Energetic Length Technique. I know, I know… a lot of BIG words!
Let me explain what the BIG words mean. Do you every wake up in the morning and have aches and pains? Do you ever reach your arm up high in the air and feel the rest of your body talking to you, specifically from the rib cage down? When you set your feet down on the floor in the morning after getting out of bed, do your feet ache? Or maybe you just have this nagging pain, that no amount of stretching can take care of? What most likely is speaking to you is your connective tissue.
Your connective tissue is the glue that holds the whole body together. It’s interwoven into all of the layers in our body. It attaches our muscles to our bones, distributes forces, resists forces, and has nine times more nerve endings that our muscles. Our connective tissue makes us into the shapes that we are, establishes our posture, and communicates between all the systems of the body. OUR CONNECTIVE TISSUE IS AWESOME AND IT NEEDS OUR ATTENTION.
The M.E.L.T. Method is a way to self-treat and bring our connective tissue the attention it needs. Through a series of specific techniques we can awaken our gunked up connective tissue, rehydrate it through certain movements and massage techniques, allowing us to redistribute fluid flow and keep our systems running at full speed.
This past weekend I had the opportunity to attend the M.E.L.T. Hand and Foot Instructor Training with the creator Sue Hitzmann, and I am excited to share this new way to rejuvenate the body and gear us up to participate more whole-heartedly in the movements we love without missing a beat.
If you would like to join me for the very first FREE M.E.L.T. Class it will be held on Friday April 20th, 2012 at 5:30pm. The class is limited to 10 participants, and is on a first come first serve basis. To reserve your spot, please contact me via phone/text 702-285-4549. Allow me to show you how to use the M.E.L.T. method to make you feel better, move better, and decrease stress?
Move More!
Hayley
To see the M.E.L.T Method in action check out this video:
Inspired…. and more!
This week one of my clients told me something that brought tears to my eyes and made me feel the most accomplished I have ever felt in my short lived career.
It was something so simple, but made me realize my deepest desire in what I do for living had been met.
You see last year, I hit several remarkable milestones in my career…
- I became a published author for one of the most renowned online fitness resources, PtontheNet; not just once, but two times over.
- I presented at IDEA World fitness conference alongside some of the industry’s best on an international stage.
- I was promoted to Master Trainer for TRX and became responsible for developing future instructors in the industry.
- I had the honor of teaching 4 mentorships to a private career college to new trainers coming into the industry.
I recall feeling proud in each of those moments and recognizing their significance in my journey, but still they didn’t surmount to the moment that happened this week.
My client, who was home for spring break from college, told me she had a project in her class where she had to give a speech on someone who inspired her. She said that it was one of the easiest speeches she ever had to give, and wanted to thank me for everything I had taught her. She felt confident that she could be healthy and live her life in the best way possible because of how I had trained her. She concluded by saying: “You inspire me.”
I was overwhelmed by the feelings that came after she told me.
I got into training, because someone INSPIRED me too! Someone taught me what exercise and living a healthy lifestyle could do. I got into training because I wanted to inspire others. It really all boils down to that. So when she said I inspired her, I FELT COMPLETE.
Inspiration by dictionary definition is: “A divine influence.” 
I believe that to be inspired, we must not only be influenced to do something, but we must feel that in our pursuit those that grace our path in hopes of helping; listen to our needs physically, emotionally, and mentally. Stimulating us in every aspect of our being, and showing us that we are capable of accomplishing whatever we set our mind, body, and soul to. Inspiration comes when someone believes in us more than we believe in ourselves. The moment when that belief from someone becomes a reality in proof of what our own actions accomplish is when we are inspired.
Many of you have entrusted me in helping you in your pursuit of health and fitness. I do not take it lightly that you have given me that responsibility. I only hope that in your journey towards reaching your goals you can be inspired too.
Inspiration requires two things… An obstacle to overcome, and a belief that we can overcome it.
So my challenge to any trainer in the industry is to supply a belief in your clients. And my challenge to any client seeking health and fitness goals is to find someone who believes in your ability to reach those goals. But most importantly, trainers should ask this KEY question when interviewing clients: “In what ways to you believe I can help you?”
“When we find the why, we find the way.” (Paul Taylor) And when we are on the way, it is the ‘belief’ that we can that allows us to figure out the HOW.
Move More,
Hayley Hollander
(For more info on building inspiration from the first encounter with a client visit www.ptaglobal.com and look into the Program Design Questionairre)
Short and Sweet… and To The Point!
For many of our fans who have attended our boot camp classes, you’ve experienced a type of work out that involves short periods of intense exercise followed by light exercise or rest. You may think its just the way we run the class, but actually there is a method to the madness. 
You see we are programming intervals, and what Arthur and I are so diligently watching on the heart rate screen is that you are all working anaerobically and then recovering to an aerobic zone. In the world of personal training, we call it interval training.
Interval training provides the body with intense bouts of exercise followed by light bouts of activity to allow the body to recover. During the intense bouts of exercise, the body is in need of delivering oxygen to the working muscle more quickly as the demand placed on the body becomes greater and greater through the duration of the exercise. You will see your breathing rate increase as the working muscles are seeking more oxygen, and then of course your heart rate will increase too to deliver that oxygenated blood to the working muscles. During interval training, as the exercise intensity increases there is a point when the body can no longer deliver oxygen to the working muscles quick enough; so our body instead uses our Anaerobic (without oxygen) energy system. Think of your Anaerobic energy system as the stuff already stored in the tissues for fuel (its like a stop and the ‘convenient store, instead of the grocery store- simply quicker energy).
When we train anaerobically our heart rate is increased, our breathing is labored, and its difficult for anyone to sustain intense exercise for very long. So, if it feels intense and it’s hard to sustain, why even bother training this way? Well, there are MULTIPLE benefits to training this way.
1- Your body burns up to 5 calories for every liter of oxygen consumed
*When we increase our heart rate by doing more intense exercise, we increase our oxygen intake, and therefore increase our caloric burn.
2- What goes up must come down!
*When we increase our heart rate and oxygen consumption during intense exercise, our body will seek to go back to it’s homeostatic state. We burn many calories to get back to our resting state, through replenishing cellular supplies with much needed nutrients, and using up nutrients to repair the worked tissue.
3- Increased aerobic capacity
*When training in the various heart rate gears and you go up and down frequently, it allows us to increase the strength of the heart as a muscle, as well as improve cardiac output during and after exercise. One long term benefit will be an increased anaerobic threshold, or the ability of the body to utilize fat and oxygen for fuel without turning anaerobic too quickly; allowing us to sustain exercise for longer before feeling fatigued.
4- Increased Lean Muscle Mass
*By doing interval training we are stressing the tissues at the cellular level, promoting growth and regeneration both hormonally and structurally.
Bottom Line… We burn more calories, we train the ENTIRE body (cellular and structural), and we build a healthy cardio-respiratory system equipped to meet the stressful demands of everyday life. 
So, before you think you need to go out and do a long sustained workout at a steady state intensity; ask yourself if you want more bang for your buck and keep it short and sweet and to the point, loaded with high intensity intervals!
Move More!
Hayley Hollander
Reference: http://www.greatist.com/fitness/interval-training-complete-guide/
Moments of Movement
I recently was intrigued by an article I read on PtontheNet written by Mr. John Berardi, a leading nutritionist, author, and presenter in the fitness industry.
He relayed his feeling of frustration about the constant inundation the media portrays of ‘quick fix’ diets and workout plans. I mean, can we really get in shape in just 10 minutes a day? Berardi, despite his angst, decided to take a whole new look at these quick fixes, and while applying fundamental principles made the complex simple for one client.
By instilling small, attainable goals for his ‘tester’ client he was able to help her achieve a larger goal of ‘maintained weight loss.’ His simple program looked like this:
Monday – 6 minutes of sprint intervals on the treadmill
Tuesday – 10 minutes of bodyweight circuit training
Thursday – 6 minutes of sprint intervals on the treadmill
Friday – 10 minutes of bodyweight circuit training
[That’s right, only 32 minutes of exercise per week.]
Her dietary strategies were equally simple:
Weeks 1 and 2 – eat normally, however eat each meal slowly and eat about 4 total meals each day
Weeks 3 and 4 – with each meal, eat protein, legumes, and veggies (while avoiding white carbs)
Weeks 5 and 6 – one day per week, eat whatever you want
Weeks 7 and 8 – if still included, skip fruit and calorie-containing drinks
Simple right? That’s what I thought!
Which made me wonder if I have been overwhelming my own clients with too many to do’s in their workout programs. If not, then I say to you “maintain the course.” If yes, then I apologize, and may I encourage you to instead look for “Moments of Movement.”
Let’s keep it simple. Look for moments during your day to move. Move in your own way, and for as long as you have time to in each moment you choose. Break up your moments, and allow the body to do what it likes to do. These moments, collectively by the end of every week can help you get to your goal. 
For example, my client Mary spoke of one of her memorable moments of movement. On a long car ride, across several states, and accompanied by two aunts who loved to move, found themselves playing “Auto Aerobics.” This moment of movement was a game in which all the passengers in the car took turns coming up with an exercise/movement they could do with their arms. After much laughter, many silly movements, and almost an hour of passed time, they found a moment of movement that they will never forget.
As with Mary’s example, let’s keep the complex simple, and just move! And to all of my clients… I want you to worry about having fun and moving when, where, and how much you want… I’ll take care of the rest when I see you.
Until then… MOVE MORE!
Hayley Hollander
To see John Berardi’s article in full click the link:
Exploring Fitness Minimalism
Lets ‘Spice’ it up
We are swiftly running through the first month of 2012. Everyone is still on target with their goals of being fit and healthy. The question is, how long will this last for most individuals? When does the new years resolution turn into a memory of the past or that ‘goal’ you set but never got accomplished? This happens far too much and it’s time, well, to spice things up!
Everyone wants to not only live an active and healthy lifestyle but they want to be able to eat the right foods in order to compliment their hard work. Thus, being healthy from the inside out.
The lie: “Food that is good for you tastes horrible and I don’t have time to cook.”
The truth: “I am too lazy to cook the food that is good for me.”
Fact: There are simple recipes that take minimal time to create a meal full of all the greatness our bodies need.
Lets help you out. Here are just a few recipes that take less than 30 minutes in the kitchen to create and you can make enough to last a few days. OOHH YEA!
Turkey Breast Patties
Ingredients:
1 package ground turkey breast
½ c. spaghetti sauce
2 egg whites
½ tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbs. parsley flakes
1Tbs. olive oil
Dash of black pepper
1 package fat free croutons crushed
Instructions:
Mix all but croutons together. Form into patties coat with crushed croutons and place in pan coated with PAM. Cover and cook over medium heat until done. About three minutes per side. Serve with a side of spaghetti sauce. Can also top with parmesan cheese. They are also great cold the next day!
CHICKEN CHILI
Ingredients:
2 large cans of chicken breast
1 can fat-free chicken broth
1 can chopped tomatoes with jalepenos or
Green chiles
1 can crisp corn
1 can chili beans
1 can white or other bean
1 tsp. chopped garlic/1 T. olive oil
1 tsp. chili powder/1T. chopped dried onion
Instructions:
Saute the garlic until brown in olive oil. Start adding all cans ( drain the corn and beans first). Add chili powder and onion (can use fresh). Cook over low-medium heat about 25 minutes until it is simmering… IT’S READY!
To add a KICK- add ½ cup of your favorite salsa to the mix!
Enjoy friends! Stay tuned for more next week!
Be healthy and keep moving,
Casey
Emotional Eating?
I came across a story I was reading in a book recently, that sounded eerily familiar to a majority of the situations my clients describe to me.
The story spoke of a woman (we will call her Sarah), who was trying to overcome compulsive overeating. She described a daily routine in which she would come home after a long day of work, have dinner, and plop on the couch to read a book and unwind. Only to have a thought bubble up in her head, containing an image of the ice cream sitting in the freezer. She would manage to push it to the back of her mind, but only to be presented with it a few minutes later. She would continue to push it away, only to have it more insistently come back to her, until she would finally give in and grab a spoon. Sarah would find herself standing at the kitchen counter, staring in somewhat of a trance while spooning out the ice cream. And before she knew it, the spoon would reach the bottom of the container. Feeling disappointed, guilty, and extremely bloated she would make her way back to the couch vowing to never do that again.
Sound Familiar?
The book, The One Thing Holding You Back, Unleashing the Power of Emotional Connection, presents the idea that emotional disconnection is why we fail to reach many of our goals.
The human brain is wired to avoid painful/unpleasant things and seek out pleasureable/happy things (Maslow Motivational Theory). Regardless of whether or not the stimulus that is being presented to your brain is external (like a hot stove), or internal (like low blood sugar), your brain will interpret the stimulus and try to provide the body with a way to react… One in which we avoid pain and experience pleasure. With an external stimulus of a hot stove our brains would tell us to avoid it because… well, that would be down right painful. And an internal stimulus of low blood sugar, would prompt us to eat something so that we don’t get a headache or feel hunger pains. Here’s where emotions come into play…
Emotions are physical responses to internal/external stimulus. An external input, like an insult for example, will convey an emotional response of hurt. An internal input, like missing a friend, will convey an emotional response of sadness. These emotions cause us to FEEL! Sometimes, because we are wired to seek pleasure and avoid pain, we will avoid certain emotions because they are unpleasureable to us. When we avoid emotions, analyze emotions, assess emotions, bargain with emotions, and even judge emotions we avoid feeling.
My point is… emotions are meant to be felt! When we avoid emotions we are teaching ourselves that they aren’t pleasureable. When situations arise where those emotions come to the surface the brain recognizes them as negative, causing us to instill a behavior (like eating mindlessly) that overwhelms us, confuses us, and downright stalls us in our pursuit. Emotions provide us with information that thoughts alone can’t.
We must embrace our emotions to succeed! We must actually experience what the emotion is telling us, move through it, and recognize that its okay to feel it.
So bringing it back to frustrated Sarah; after working to experience her emotions, she discovered that in her nagging thought process of eating ice cream, came a feeling in her stomach reminding her of being a young girl jumping up and down. That young girl loved ice cream, and anxiously wanted to get into the freezer. In her emotional thought process Sarah, felt the anxiousness of the little girl, reminding her of the attention she wanted to so badly as a child. And the anxiousness quickly turned to sadness… Sadness that she would typically avoid feeling, by giving in and eating the ice cream. The sadness stemmed from the divorce of her parents at a young age, and the lack of attention that came after it. With Sarah’s new resolve to experience the sadness, to process it, and to allow her body to no longer feel threatened by the ‘sadness’, she was able to finally put down the spoon and begin to lose the weight.
Whether your compulsive eating is ice cream or chips, candy or pizza… before you go blaming your eating habits on a lack of willpower. Brave an emotional gut check, you might be surprised at what you find. Emotions are our friends, feel them, and you will prosper.
Move More!
Hayley Hollander
To learn more about emotional connection, and the 2×2 process behind connecting emotionally, check out the book.
Cushnir, R (2008) The One Thing Holding You Back, Unleashing the Power of Emotional Connection, Harper Collins, New York, NY
Tips on Setting Successful Goals
It is that time of the year again. This is the time when everyone feels the NEED and the STRESS or the MOTIVATION to set health and fitness goals for the New Year. Many people don’t know how to set goals that are actually attainable to their personal success. Some may not know where to begin when setting a goal. It is easy to get hung up on the past and not focus on what is best for you in the present. A colleague of mine once told me to, “Devote your energy to create new value in the present and not resentments of the past.” With this being said, lets go over some key values to setting successful goals.
First, lets get down to the specifics. The specifics of your goal are important so that you are not overwhelmed with too many goals. Too many people make generalizations about their goal like, “I want to lose weight” or “I want to be thin.” These are not very specific. Think about how much weight do you want to lose or how about what does being ‘thin’ really mean? Lean muscle? All of these are great points to consider when narrowing your goal down to a specific one.
Next lets talk about the time frame of your goal and the realistic value attached to the goal. Many people set unrealistic goals that in turn, set them up for failure and disappointment. Making smart decisions about your goals and an attainable time frame is very important and key to success. Saying things like “I want to lose 50lbs in 4 wks” is not realistic. A goal like “I want to have a 30 inch waist in 3 months” is more attainable if you are closer to that measurement. Setting yourself up for success from the beginning is key to success in the end.
The last key value to think about is “Is the goal I set attainable?” If you have to think about it, more then likely it isn’t. Making smart choices to make small steps towards the bigger picture will keep you on the pathway to your health and fitness success. Making sure you don’t put yourself on a short time frame to achieve your goal helps as well because then you alleviate the sense of emergency to get your goal accomplished.
Lets start the New Year off with a brand new YOU! Advanced Training Performance has the trainer’s to help you set and reach any goal you have. Lets take your dreams off the shelf and make them a reality. Your success is our success!
Cheers my friends,
Casey Arnold
Accountability?
Accountability (Adjective)
Defn’- Of a person, organiztion, organiztion, or institution- required or expected to justify actions or decisions; responsible.
It is this time of year, this wonderful blissful time of year, when all the goodies, parties, social gatherings; begin to pull us away from keeping our health in check. We forego the gym one night because we need to stop at the store instead, then we neglect to wake up to our early alarm because its just to cozy in our bed. We find ourselves eating more than we normally would, and even eating a lot of sweets too, only causing us to want to take a nap in our ever so rare moment of free time. 
Aw yes, you know this is you! I’ll even admit its me too… but I’m not going to give you the cliche advice and tell you to work out whenever you can. Go for a walk, offer to do more chores and help out (although all of these things would be a HUGE benefit), what I am going to tell you this holiday season is to find a buddy to keep yourself accountable.
That’s right… a BUDDY! Just like ‘Buddy the Elf’ would never allow any of his loved ones to have a bad day… you must do the same. Whether your buddy is a friend, family member, co-worker, or neighbor, find a buddy that will help you push through this hectic month. A buddy that will workout with you, helping you stay on a regular schedule. A buddy that will check in with you, and ask you what you are eating for dinner. A buddy that will encourage you, and help you find solutions to the roadblocks that are getting in your way of your toned little holiday butt!
When we have someone to help keep ourselves accountable we are more likely to stick to our programs. When we have a friend that encourages us, those things that we would justify in our head, aren’t so justifiable to your buddy. Your buddy will give you the look: The “Are you serious? That sounds ridiculous!” look. Having someone to keep us accountable not only gives us that extra ‘umph’ to stay on track, but also can give us meaning, purpose, and comfort in what we are trying to do.
Knowing that your friend is waiting outside in the freezing cold for you to do your morning run, can sometimes be that little wake up call that will get your warm body out of bed. We can find relief in a buddy as they are struggling to fight those same battles we are. Buddies offer us empathy. They have the same goals in mind, and are overcoming the same obstacles we are to stay in shape.
So, before you give up on staying in shape this holiday season… Don’t forget there is someone else out there in need of a buddy! You can help them and they can help you 
Get your ‘Buddy Plan’ started off right… come and participate in the Great Las Vegas Santa Run on Saturday December 3rd, 2011 at 10am at Town Square with Team ATP. Your registration includes your santa suit, and we will be having a costume contest with prizes for the best ‘decked’ out santa suit. Please let us know you will be joining us so we can forward you the meeting instructions for the morning of the race. The link to sign up is below.
http://www.opportunityvillage.org/santa_run.php
Hope to see you there!
Stay Healthy,
Hayley Hollander (P.S.- Anyone want to be my buddy?)
Cold Weather Training Tips
Have you ever noticed that as the weather changes and the temperature drops so does your training program? You work hard on your fitness goals during the warmer seasons of the year and when the cold weather hits, the fitness goals seem to head to the back seat and all the hard work starts to taper off. Just because the weather changes doesn’t mean your hard work in your training program has to change as well. Most people think they can’t stay warm or they just want to hibernate inside. Whether you want you train inside during the colder seasons or outside, it is possible. Success comes with consistency, dedication and hard work. Here are some tips on how you can still continue to be successful with your workouts even in the cold weather.
1. WATER. Make sure you are always drinking water regularly. It is much easier to get dehydrated in colder weather than it is in warmer weather. If you have to adjust your drinking water temperature so that it is easier for you to consume your H2O.
2. PLAN AHEAD. Failure to prepare is preparing to fail. With colder temperatures in the air plan your workouts accordingly by packing your gym bag the night before and planning your meals for the week.
3. PROPER CLOTHING. When training in cold temperatures it is easy to over-dress which makes you sweat more and thus makes your clothes wet and body cold. Try to wear clothing that will wick moisture away and keep you warm and dry during your workouts rather than cotton, which will make your body cold when wet.
4. HATS. Make sure when you are training outside in cold weather you are keeping as much heat in your body. Heat escapes fast from your head so wearing a hat and keeping the heat in helps to avoid any illness.
5. KEEP YOUR FEET HAPPY. Even though the colder weather makes you want to layer socks on your feet don’t do it! Too many layers can cause your feet to sweat, which then leads to cold feet. Wearing a single pair of wicking socks will do the trick!
Now get out there and train and keep up the hard work.
Stay Healthy,
Casey Arnold
Is your Heart Healthy?
Cardiovascular disease or CVD is one of the leading killers amongst North Americans today, and although there are some UNcontrollable factors that contribute to CVD, like genetics; There are many factors that we CAN control. One of the most important factors is PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.
All movement is GOOD, but when it comes to the health of your heart, movements that ellicit different heart rates are very important. Schwartz & Schwartz state that “A lack of heart rate variability and heart rate recovery are percursors to cardiac morbidity and cardiac mortality.” So, when it comes to exercising smart for your heart, heart rate variability and the ability to recover from higher heart rates is important.
One of the most accurate ways to measure just how hard your heart is working during exercise is a heart rate monitor. The heart rate monitor will give you second by second feedback, allowing you to adjust the workouts to the appropriate intensity to match your goals and improve your overall heart rate variability and heart rate recovery.
At the beginning of the summer, ATP clients Linzel and Polly both began their workouts with slow heart rate recovery (for Polly), and difficult heart rate variability (for Linzel). They worked very hard and completed weekly workouts consisting of interval heart rate circuits, and steady state training in differing heart rate gears. Take a look at their video to see just how much they’ve improved.
A BIG congratulations to Linzel and Polly, and all of their hard work, it truly has paid off, and your ‘heart rate’ shows you that. For more information about which heart rate monitor to get, or how to program your workouts for improved heart rate recovery and variability contact us at atp_personaltrainer@yahoo.com.
As always… stay healthy,
Hayley Hollander
Flexibility
Flexibility: the ability to move joints in the needed range of motion demanded by the movement. This is a vital part of every day life. Flexibility is something that the majority of us take for granite. It’s something that most ignore because it is painful or ‘annoying’. The truth: we need flexibility in our bodies to not only alleviate pain and stiffness, but to increase performance in life.
There are different variables that add to poor flexibility. Flexibility comes in different selections. First there is the internal resistance of a joint that may limit movement and mobility of the joint. Next there can be muscle tissue that has been scarred due to an injury which then makes it less elastic. This then limits mobility. Lastly, there is the decreased range of motion throughout our joints and muscle tissue due to lack of proper stretching and warming up.
Flexibility can be gained and improved through different ways of moving your body. In order to improve one’s flexibility, you have to be patient and consistent with your stretching and exercise routines in order to get the most out of your time in the gym or wherever you choose to train. Making sure that you warm-up your joints and tissue through dynamic warm-ups and mobilizers help to increase your range of motion. The higher the temperature of your joints and tissues, the better range of motion you will have and be less likely to injure yourself. It is truly the small changes that make the biggest difference. Once you have warmed up then you are ready for your training session. It is just as important to cool down, or stretch, after your training session as it is before you train. Flexibility will not only increase your performance in your training session but also increase the flexibility throughout the joints in your body for overall health. This chain of events will allow for better performance not only in the gym, but also in life.
-Casey-
References:
Foran, B. (2001). High Performance Sports Conditioning
Fitness Designer? Part 2: Acute Variables
Six steps to a better program design
Part 2:
Explain how it serves to allow for proper progression/regression
In part one, I explained the 6-step program design model, and what it entails. In part two, I will show you how to regress and progress the Acute Variables.
1) Speed
A) Slow B) Medium C) Fast
2) Movement
A) Known B) Somewhat Known C) Unknown
3) Stability
A) Stable B) Moderately C) Dynamic
4) Force (weight)
A) Low B) Moderate C) High
5) Complexity (Movement)
A) Simple B) Moderate C) Complex
6) Surface
A) Stable B) Changing C) Dynamic
7) Base of Support
A) Wide (Stable) B) Narrow C) Varying (Movement)
8) Volume (Sets + Reps + Intensity)
A) Low B) Medium C) High
9) ROM (Range of Motion)
A) Small (Initial Range) B) Medium (Self Selected Range) C) Large (End Range)
All of the Acute Variables are written in “bold italic”, and the corresponding letters underneath represents there progressions; A= Beginner, B= Intermediate, and C= Advanced. How can we apply the AV (Acute Variables) to the 6-step program design? Let’s take a look, (you may need to refer back to part one of this three part article for reference, Sept. 12th post “Fitness Designer?” www.getatpblog.com).
Movement Performed: Squat
Client: Let’s say our client is a beginner who is new to exercise. No health issues and no injuries. Their goal is to learn how to squat and in the future add challenges to their squat.
1) Orientation: Standing 2) Action: Squatting 3) Device: Bodyweight 4) Footprint: Neutral hip width (XXX) 5) Handprint: Anterior @ shoulder height and 6) Threshold: Acute Variables (1-9), 1) Speed: Slow, since they are new to exercise, slowing the movement down will allow them to control their body better. There’s two sayings I particularly enjoy “Slow is smooth, and smooth becomes fast”, I heard from a friend of mine, and “Speed kills”. 2) Movement: Known, people squat everyday in some form or another. 3) Stability: Moderate, since my client doesn’t have an injury or is recovering from one, I will let ASK them to try to squat without holding on to anything. I could always modify if their having trouble stabilizing, by having them hold on to a railing (A) Stable), or when they are ready to progress, I can have them squat down and stand up in the balls of their feet (C) Dynamic). 4) Force (weight): Low, my client will only be squatting their bodyweight (Keep in mind that the clients weight and strength level, can have a different affect on them, and can have a significant influence on their ability to control their Force (weight). 5) Complexity (movement): Simple, A basic down/up vertical drive. Moderate could be a down/up with a rotation at the top of the movement, and Complex could be a marching in place squat with a bicep curl to shoulder press. 6) Surface: Gym Floor, a nice flat stable surface. A Moderate surface could be squatting on a BOSU (blue side up), and a Complex could be on an INDO Board (on a roller). 7) Base of Support: Wide, if your base of support (Footprint) is wider than the center of gravity, you will have more stability i.e. Shoulder width. Moderate would be to have them stand with their feet closer together i.e. hip width or together. Varying could be a single leg (pistol) squat. 8) Volume: Low, maybe 2/3 sets, 5-7 reps or 30 seconds, and rest for 30 seconds to 1 minute depending on how they feel. If they had a heart rate monitor, I may go off of their zones and goals. Finally 9) ROM (range of motion): Medium (self select range), since my client has no injuries and is healthy, I will ASK them to go a low as they can without feeling any strain/pain. Unless I see something very abnormal that could result in injury, I will let my client explore their ROM.
This was just an example of how a fitness professional or a fitness enthusiast could utilize the 6-step program design, and the AV to mix up their exercise/movement program. This style of programming allows for a lot of creativity and play between the client and trainer, not to mention add a little fun to a routine. In part three, we will wrap up the 6-steps to a better program design, by putting this model into practice with various drills in view of integrated anatomy.
-Arthur-
References:
Michol Dalcourt. Institute of Motion. 6-steps to a better program design. IDEA World Fitness Conference, Los Angeles, Ca. August 2011
What Motivates Us?
Even though our job title is ‘personal trainer’, and the world calls us ‘personal trainers’. Bottom line… we are really behavioral change specialists. We are hired to help people change the behaviors that got them to where they are at in that very moment. So we are left to figure out exactly how we are going to do that. And we ultimately ask ourselves “What Motivates Us?” 
Ever wonder why sometimes giving rewards or punishing a person for a lack of performance never truly works? In the book “Drive” by Daniel H Pink, there are numerous studies that prove to us time and time again that our belief in rewarding hard work, or rewarding a job well done, or giving a gift or prize to the fastest person actually hinders our performance.
I thought about this a little bit; in the book it gives more description to employees and the work force, but the same can be compared to exercise. Think of all the PE teachers out there that give out prizes for the quickest mile finisher, or allow students to sit out from gym class if they do good on their test. Or a parent that tells their child to go run around the park for hitting their sister. All this is implying to the person who either receives the prize or gets the punishment, is that exercise is an awful thing so I either have to give you a prize so you will feel inclined to do it, or I have to punish you with exercise giving it a negative connotation.
Now as fitness professionals we have the ability to change this… and this can start in our programming from the get-go. You see, exercise is believed to be work and not fun… and we need to change that if we are going to have any influence on the staggering and rising statistics of obesity. The book goes on to say, “Whats more, for some people, much of what they do all day consists of the routine, not terribly captivating, tasks. In these situations, it’s best to try to unleash the positive side of the Sawyer Effect by attempting to turn work into play- to increase the task’s variety to make it more like a game, or to use it to help master other skills.” Now, the Sawyer effect in the book is referring to the counterintuitive consequences of extrinsic rewards. Rewards that are given as an ‘if-then’ action elicit a negative response, where they extinguish intrinsic motivation, diminish performance, crush creativity, crowd out good behavior, encourage cheating, short cuts, and unethical behavior, they foster addiction, and they encourage short-term thinking.
So, you may be thinking to yourself, well within my program design how can I avoid using rewards but still get my clients to do the things they need to do to get to their goal? I was wondering the same thing… it’s a whole new mind shift.
First, we have to build credibility in the task itself. We need to offer a rationale for why the task is necessary to begin with. If we can explain how what we are having them do will help them get to their goals. A task that is inherently hard or uninteresting can become more meaningful to them and therefore they are more invested.
The second thing we can do is acknowledge that the task is boring. That statement may scare you a bit… and the truth is scary. But when we acknowledge that the task is boring this is where we play the empathy card. We can play on emotions of acknowledging how they are feeling, instead of giving them an award to complete something as is a normalacy for boring tasks, thus reiterating that it is boring, making it even more dreadful.
The third thing is to allow people to complete the task their own way. Think autonomy here and not control. Although there might be an outcome we are looking for within the exercise or even the workout. Here is where we state the outcome we need, and instead of specifying precisely the way to reach it, give them freedom over how they do the job. This will actually deter from the task in number two as being boring. And within the Gray Institutes realm of triangulation of movement we can allow the client to move with variety, self-selecting where they want to go. Making training variable, giving them ownership which fosters autonomy and allows the mind to become engaged in the task. Taking away the need for reward. 
Focus on creating programs that have Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose. Autonomy will give them an outcome that needs to happen while giving them the ability to choose how they want to get there. If they don’t like to run, then don’t make them run, but instead find an activity they like to do that will get them to their goal. With Mastery, give them a task that is challenging, but only to the point where they are still successful, and as they master certain levels of the skill, they are driven to accomplish the next level. Presenting someone with a challenge that encourages them to continue to strive to be better will only play on their own intrinsic motivators. A program that has mastery, is demonstrated in exercise adherence and satisfaction from the client. Lastly, purpose is the ‘why’ of what they are doing is worth it to begin with. Purpose is what we pursue, it is the catalyst behind putting in all the effort to get to their goals. Be sure to provide meaningful reasons of ‘why’ that correlate to the individual’s goals, and it will remind them the direction they are going when the going gets tough.
Ultimately what motivates us to do anything are tasks that encourage autonomy, mastery and purpose. When we supply these in our training programs, we build a foundation to help encourage change, not only in their body as their tissues are left to guess what is happening and adapt, but also mentally as we are giving them workouts that are challenging mentally/emotionally/and physically. If we find tasks that give AUTONOMY, MASTERY, AND PURPOSE then we as personal trainers are recognizing that we really are behavioral change specialists.
So, before you revert to a reward or punishment, think carefully about the message that conveys to the clients’ motivation towards exercise.
Hayley Hollander
Fitness Designer?
This week we will begin to take a look at one of the many ways to design a program.
The reason why I say “many ways” is because there should never be in my opinion “ONE “ way to do anything. Variety as the say is the spice of life. The program I will be discussing will come from The Institute of Motion (IoM) and it’s director Michol Dalcourt. Michol presented this concept at the 2011 IDEA World Conference as “6 steps to better program design” and he broke it down to three main objectives; (a) explain the 6-step program design model. (b)Explain how it serves to allow for proper progression/regression and (c) Put this model into practice with various drills in view of integrated anatomy. IoM (2011). In part one of my three-part breakdown, I will introduce the 6-step program design model. Allow me to preface the model by stating that the body has to constantly battle forces. “Gravity and Ground Reaction Forces (GRF) are two paramount’s we deal with everyday.”MIchol Dalcourt (2011)
How we move through those forces and how we apply them to a training program can mean the difference between progressing and regressing our fitness levels and coincidentally our health. The six main steps outlined in this program are orientation, action, device, footprint, handprint, and threshold. Let’s review briefly what each step represents and/or entails;
-Orientation: Refers to which way your body will be positioned in relation to gravity and ground i.e. standing, sitting, lying face down, face up etc.
- Action: What movement are you going to perform? What is the body doing? Are you changing levels? Are you using stationary force? Are you using locomotion?
-Device: What tools or external load are you choosing? TRX Suspension Trainers, ViPR’s, Kettlebells, Barbells, and why?
- Footprint: Refers to your stance and/or foot Action you are performing.
-Handprint: Refers to your hand position or hand Action you are performing.
-Threshold: Applying acute variables i.e. sets, reps, time, rest, weight, range of motion (ROM), speed, etc.
For the fitness professionals reading this blog try implementing this six step PDM into your own workouts first, see how you like it. Does it add a new/different dimension to your routine? Once you feel you have a basic grasp of the six steps and have practiced it, try slowly integrating the six step concept into your clients routine. Remember, “regression is a must, progression is earned” Acea Theroux (2011 TRX ITC).
In part two I will explain how the six step design model allows for proper progression /regression of our Actions.
-Arthur-
References:
Michol Dalcourt- Institute of Motion, 2011 IDEA World Fitness Conference, Los Angeles, Ca
Acea Theroux- TRX STC ITC Sept. 2011, Instructor Candidate.
Vector Variability
One of the most common excuses I get from clients who say they don’t like to run is: “I hate running in one direction, its boring!” I don’t blame them, the body doesn’t like it either, that’s why it is so boring. There really is no challenge for the brain and the tissues of the body adapt to the stress of linear movement.
But what if you changed the paradigm of how you trained all together? What if instead you went for a run and had to change your feet patterns every 30 seconds, or had to use your arms differently? What if you played a game with a ball that required you to run all over the place for 30min? Would you still be bored?
Probably not!
Your body will thank you too.
A Vector is a direction and magnitude of a force. Changing the vectors on the body, changes the forces placed on the tissues, leaving the tissues of the body to guess how to respond. We call training in this way vector variability. When we train with vector variability we keep the body guessing, and we feed the system smart information. Our mind can become united with our movements, and we bring FUN back into the equation of exercise. Check out this short video with ATP client Lori Grieco and how we integrated vector variability into her workout.
So, next time you pick up a weight to do a bicep curl, think to yourself… how many different ways can I do this to keep my body guessing and still get the same result?
Stay Healthy,
Hayley Hollander
Defining what we do
In my Hsu’s
It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it. -Lou Holtz
Functional Training? Functionalist?
In the fitness industry, “IT” words can sell what ever it is that you want to market. One of the all time great words is “Core”. Another one that been thrown around for quite some time now is “Functional Training”. This week, I will discuss Functional Training, not to bash it or edify the term, but to simply explain it.
Functional Training:
To examine each part in an attempt to determine the role it plays in the operating of the system (body) as a whole. When any part fails, this creates a problem for the whole. These failures and/or dysfunctions upset the equilibrium of the system and could become a problem physically, emotionally, and mentally. This may negatively affect one’s behavior and lifestyle.
For the Fitness Professional, anything that impedes the body’s ability to achieve its goal is by definition “dysfunction”. The system will take care of itself as a whole first and will do so at he expense of its individual parts. It is this constant struggle between what the clients or we want (Extrinsic Goals) vs. what we or the clients needs (Intrinsic Goals), that could eventually put the health and fitness of everyone at risk.
To “Functionally Train” one must try to examine and understand how different postures, movements, behavior patterns and lifestyle choices affect the way we “Function”.
-Arthur-
Credits:
By. Harold A. Widdison and H.Richard Delany
Social Problems: Definitions, Theories, and Analysis
Chapter 1 from Annual Editions: Social Problems 10/11
37th. Edition by Finsterbusch 4
Facilitating a Learning Environment
One unique task that personal trainers have when designing programs and picking exercises for their clients is to find ways that allow the client to move within their bubble, with proper timing and rhythm. Timing and Rhythym is a sticky thing, because its something that should happen naturally as the body learns the new movement. Once the body knows what to expect and what to do, it starts to create a synchronized pattern of movement. The challenging thing for the trainer is that we can’t ‘tell’ the body when, where, and how to move… WE MUST ASK IT. When we allow the body to show us how it wants to move, we can learn so much more from the client, and it is in that moment that we can truly learn how to pick exercises that facilitate a “learning environment” for movement with proper rhythm and timing. Rhythm and timing looks like the body is harmoniously moving without even thinking about it.
In this video, watch as ATP client Tracy, is learning how to lunge in different directions with rhythm and timing. We utilize yoga blocks, in a stacking formation to facilitate a response of slowing down and getting a full range of motion… and even more important, ITS FUN! The brain is thinking of the blocks, and the body is telling the brain where it wants to go with the blocks. How cool is that?
How will you facilitate a learning environment for you and your clients?
Stay Healthy,
Hayley Hollander
