Dean
Dean
I was talking to Richard “The Challenge Master” Patterson the other day and trying to figure out what our next challenge is going to be.
The past two challenges have been 100 day long. First we did the 100 day Burpee challenge, and a few months later we did the 100 day pushup challenge. Enough pushing already! 🙂
This time around we decided to shorten it up a bit, to a 40 day challenge (seemed appropriate since many are celebrating Lent), choose movements that anyone can do, and we are adding a twist – two exercises instead of one!
So here’s how it’s going to work.
Day one is today (Feb 13, 2013) two exercises in the superset.
Every day add 1 rep to each. Sundays off.
So on March 30th you will complete 50 reps of each, 100 reps total, and you’ll have successfully completed the challenge.
This is doable!
Make this your goal – if you start it, finish it. You will be thankful you did. It is a tremendous sense of accomplishment to set a goal and reach it, and your body will thank-you for it.
Make It Happen!
“Man that was a tough workout, gonna go take my Vitamin I!”
Ever heard that?
I know as a trainer I hear it often, and it makes me cringe.
Vitamin I is slang for Ibuprofen, which is a non-steroidal antiflammatory drug (NSAID), and it’s not the miracle it’s cracked up to be. These drugs do have their place, but using them every day to combat muscle soreness from training should not be one of them. There is a big difference between an injury that may require medication and the after effect of a hard training session, or at least their should be!
In fact overuse or improper use of NSAIDs can and probably will hinder your ability to recover from your training.
Why?
The process of training is one of tearing down and building back up. The magic doesn’t happen while you are training, it happens when you recover from training. This has been referred to as Supercompensation. We talked about supercompensation and the recovery curve in this article.
Remember this graph?
This is a representation of what we want to happen to your body as a result of training. You apply a stress, your body fatigues, doesn’t want to face that same stress without being better prepared, you practice good recovery techniques, and your body gets stronger. Voila!
The challenge is that this doesn’t go on forever in this fashion (or very long at all without changing training variables) and there are many factors that can interrupt the cycle. Poor nutrition, not enough sleep, daily stress, excessive alcohol, etc. These all interrupt this growth cycle.
You know what else studies show inhibit this cycle?
That’s right – NSAIDs. Vitamin I.
There is a terrific article here that explains the science behind this phenomena.
The short version is this.
NSAIDs are a double edge sword. In an acute situation they can reduce inflammation and pain. The problem is that by doing so, they reduce the ability of your body to repair tissue and assist with the supercompensation process.
You see inflammation is a part of the regeneration and repair process. By trying to quell all inflammation caused by exercise we are also likely slowing down this process, slowing down your progress, and hurting your performance. Studies show that NSAIDs may lead to strength loss, skeletal muscle injury, and also gastrointestinal problems.
Guys this is a drug, not candy!
“But”, you may protest, “I am sore after training”.
That very well may be true, however if you are so sore that you need to pop “Vitamin I” (or any NSAID) after every session, there is a problem, and it is most likely one of recovery. You cannot continue to beat up your body without giving it the proper refueling and rest to build it back up. That is why post-training nutrition is not an option, it is an absolute must!
Another thing to take a look at is some supplements with anti-inflammatory properties. The Omega-3 in fish oil, turmeric, and ginger have all shown strong anti-inflammatory effects. Antioxidants such as Vitamin C, Vitamin E and selenium also exhibit these properties. We recommend taking a good whole food vitamin and Omega-3’s daily unless your doc say no go.
Think about it. Your body doesn’t have an ibuprofen deficiency, it is telling you something is going on in there. Treating an acute injury with an NSAID is entirely appropriate, but after a couple of days you need to let your body take over and start the recovery process it is so good at.
If you are popping a pill every time you come in to train, please stop. You are blunting important signals that could keep you from serious injury. If you are sore after training, try a contrast shower – they work wonders!
Make It Happen!
Coach Dean
Last week we told you about how you can help Get Fit NH support the American Heart Association and get a FREE Heart Healthy Cardio program, and we appreciate your help!
We also mentioned that we were going to have two free metabolic trainings during the month of February, but you also remember there is a small catch.
You get to bring a friend with you!
Actually to get in on these session you have to bring a friend with you, but there are two great reasons why.
#1 – We will donate an additional $10 to the AHA for each friend you bring.
#2 – You both get to see the new Polar GX 2.0 team heart rate monitoring system in action.
Way cool!
Because we need to have the training set up ahead of time to demo the system, we need to know who is coming to each one of the sessions. The first 20 who sign up will have the opportunity to use the system and see what it is all about.
Here’s what you need to do.
Simple fill out the form below, tell us when you coming and the names of the friend(s) you are bringing. We are giving both gyms the opportunity to demo the system at their own “home base”, so for these trainings please stick with the gym you normally train at.
Spaces are limited, so get those friend invited and get those registrations in.
See you there!
It is never an easy decision to close the training facilities, and depending on where you are sitting reading this there might not be a whole lot of action outside your window right now.
However there are a number of considerations that factored into this decision. The forecast is calling for increasing snowfall as the afternoon progresses, and again depending on where you are roads are getting pretty ugly right now. So while you may be able to get to the gym during daylight hours on your way home from work, it is getting home after training, in the dark, that concerns me.
It is not only our clients that I am concerned for, but also our coaching team making their way home in the dark on snow and ice covered roads. Their safety is not a risk I am willing to make. I trust you understand, and please direct your questions if any toward me.
But all is not lost this afternoon! We wouldn’t leave you hanging, so if you really want to get a great training session in this afternoon, have I got a deal for you! 🙂
As we shared yesterday February is American Heart Health Month, and we have put together the “21 Day Heart Health Cardio Program” that you can download for free and put into use this very afternoon.
Not only that, but for every copy that is downloaded through the month of February, we will donate $1 to the American Heart Association – how cool is that!?
Please download your copy of the program by clicking here, and help us support a great cause.
Thanks for your understanding, and we will see you Monday!
Coach Dean
P.S. – Want to find out how to get us to donate an additional $10 to the AHA? Click Here!
I am sure that you are aware that February is American Heart Month.
To help celebrate American Heart Month, Get Fit NH has come up with a plan to bring you a free gift AND give you the chance to help us donate to the America Heart Association!
The best part about it….
You don’t have to spend a dime!
That’s right, Get Fit NH is going to be donating all the money to the American Heart Association, but we are going to need your help.
Part of our mission at Get Fit NH is to help as many people as possible change their lives and become fitter and healthier. To be able to reach as many people as possible, we will need you to help spread the word.
In conjunction with our partners at Fitness Revolution we have created the “21 Day Heart Healthy Cardio Program”
This is a calorie-crushing, metabolism-enhancing program that will not only improve your cardio but have you burning fat as well.
For each person that downloads the program, we will be donating $1 to the American Heart Association.
Yeah, you read that right…
For every person that downloads the program we are going to donate $1. Our goal is to donate at least $1000, but we will need your help to reach that many people!
I know that heart disease has affected my family and me, and if I were to guess, I would say that you know someone that is or has been affected by it as well. We want to raise awareness and promote fitness to help combat this ugly disease.
But that’s not all!
We are going to be hosting two FREE cardio crushing training sessions during the month of February. There is only one catch – if you come, you must bring a new friend with you!
And it doesn’t stop there!
During these two sessions, we will be holding a live demo of our new Polar GX 2.0 team heart rate monitors. As you know we have been making some changes at the gyms to get setup for this awesome new tool. You and your friend will have the opportunity to be among the first to see the new system, and you may even be one of the lucky ones to use it that day!
One more thing!
For every new friend you bring that day, we will donate an additional $10 to the American Heart Association. This is your chance to help us raise some money and also have a great time with your friends.
Start inviting today, and we will get a sign up link up soon so we know how many to expect.
Heart Healthy Training and Polar GX 2.0 Demo #1
Saturday February 23, 2013
8:00am
Get Fit NH Epsom
Heart Healthy Training and Polar GX 2.0 Demo #2
Wednesday February 27, 2013
6:30pm
Get Fit NH Concord
Make It Happen!
Dean & Nancy
P.S. Send your friends to this link to download their copy, and pick one up for yourself too!
Great question, I am glad you asked! We are excited about the outcomes we have seen since we applied the Functional Movement Screen and SGT into our group personal training systems.
Take a few minutes to find out why Get Fit NH continues to lead the way.
Cutting Edge Training Philosophies
Movement training is groundbreaking, and something that most trainers are unfamiliar with, but when it comes down to it should be the foundation of your training program. You don’t pop out of the womb ready to run a 5K, and in the same way if you are just getting back into exercise it’s important to crawl before you walk before you run. Taking the time to build a solid foundation allows your body to perform at it’s best. You don’t put a Ferrari body on a go-kart chassis.
Increase Efficiency to Increase Results
Your body is much less efficient with dysfunctional movement patterns and asymmetries in comparison to moving well. By discovering how you move we can find the weakest link and improve it, and this in turn can help accelerate your results and break through plateaus. Have you ever had a door that creaked and squeaked on its hinges? It didn’t close as smoothly as it could, did it? The sqeaking hinge needed attention. Now your joints may not creak and squeak, but if there is a hitch in your giddyup, we want to find it and address it. Ther results? You move more smoothly and get better quicker.
Decrease Risk of Injury
This is the best part of the whole process. By screening for injury potential now have a great chance of avoiding that injury that may be just waiting to happen. It’s as close to telling the future as we can get!
Know That Your Program is Working For You
Scoring criteria allows you and your trainers to see if your movement patterns are improving, and if the training program is having a positive or negative effect on your baseline movement. This way you know what is happening with your training based on fact. This a great tool to add to body composition measurements. We can objectively measure results and make decisions based on outcomes.
So Why Now?
It is a logical question to ask “Why now, why not sooner?” and the fact is we have been working for a long time integrating assessing and screening on a client by client basis, particularly when the health history intake indicated an orthopedic challenge or injury history. We wanted to kick that level of service up a notch by formally screening all of our clients, for the reasons discussed earlier. Our primary focus is helping you get better, and this is another tool in the kit to achieve that goal. We have a great history of injury prevention, but my goal is always going to be 100%.
Another factor is this. In talking to and working with health professionals such as Physical Therapists, Spine and Orthopedic Doctors, Chiropractors and ART Specialists we understand there is a “gap” in how patients are treated once they are back to what is considered “clinically normal” and they are discharged. All these pros want their clients to continue to make progress, but both practitioner and patient can be hesitant to recommend or start a training program.
How do they know that the program is suitable?
Using the Functional Movement Screen allows us to see how the client is moving when they come in, helps us train them correctly, and also allows us to communicate with their physician or practitioner, in language we both understand, in order to insure we are on the same page. We have seen the benefit of this over and over again. The SGT system allows all of our coaches to help you better, and that’s what it’s all about!
To experience the Get Fit NH difference, click here to register today!
Make It Happen,
Coach Dean
Time certainly cranks by fast doesn’t it? Voting has opened for the annual Hippo Press “Best of” Awards, and we would be honored to receive your vote as we go for “Best Gym” for the fourth straight year!
Last year we were fortunate to earn your vote and be winners in the following categories:
We understand that none of this is possible without you, so thank-you for choosing to train with and support Get Fit NH.
Competition is always tough, so spread the word and please vote in the following categories:
#9 Best Gym: Get Fit NH Concord
#110 Best Fitness Instructor: I am kinda partial to Coach Nancy 🙂 Get Fit NH Concord
Thank-you so much for Making It Happen!
Actually I’d rather you think of it this way.
What’s the cost of not being screened?
In pain, restriction, dysfunction, lack of mobility, or all of the above?
Now that may be dramatic, but I’d rather take 15 minutes and do the screen with an all clear than sit on an injury waiting to happen.
But let’s get down to brass tacks.
If you were to go out beyond the walls of Get Fit NH and be screened with the FMS, what would it cost you in cold hard cash?
To be honest I hadn’t thought about it because we are committed to helping our clients get better, and we strive to give 10x the value of what it costs to train here.
But then I was looking to attend a conference in southern NH being held at a training facility much like ours. I was perusing their website seeing what services they offered, what they charge, etc.
And during that perusal I found they (wisely) offer the FMS to their clients as well.
In fact they offer the FMS as a stand alone service.
$75 if you are not a client.
$50 if you are an active client.
And at $50 it is worth every penny.
What are we asking for the same service for our active clients?
15-30 minutes of your time.
Pretty sweet deal, wouldn’t you say?
Let’s keep Making It Happen!
Coach Dean
Who doesn’t like a good “Top Ten” list?
Our friends over at SGT inspired me to put together a Get Fit NH Top 10, so here goes.
Did you know?
So there you go, our Current Top 10
Didja learn anything?
Now get in here and Make It Happen!
Coach Dean
Did I just use the word “can’t”?
Actually I did because “currently unable” was too big for the title of this post. 🙂
But it did get your attention didn’t it? Because that is not a word that we use at Get Fit NH.
“Currently Unable” is not just semantics, it is a fact. Just because you are unable or it is inappropriate for you to perform a particular movement or exercise now doesn’t mean you never will be able to do it.
And that concept fits right in with what we talked about last week when we introduced SGT and reinforced the concept that training quality counts.
As we roll out SGT (smarter group training) you have no doubt seen some changes in the gyms. Funny colored acronyms on the board, corrective posters, etc. Corresponding with these is what are called red light exercises.
What exactly is a red light exercise or movement pattern?
Red Light = Currently Unable
The reason we red light an exercise is to minimize risk of injury while maximizing your results. It means the screen has shown us something that needs to be addressed. There has been a weakness, imbalance or dysfunction detected, and the next step is to implement a strategy in your training to address it.
After the corrective strategies are used and the pattern clears, then it is time to train that pattern. No holding back, just getting after it. By getting you moving better, you can now train harder, and you will get better results.
Win Win!
So what’s that look like in the real world?
It may mean that after your screen you may not be doing an exercise you have done in the past, at least for a little while.
This is a good thing!
You see that’s why we screen. Because as good as your coaches are, they may not be able to detect an underlying problem that is going to bite you at some point in the future, short term or long term. We have been researching and studying the best way to mitigate that fact, and we are really excited about putting a formalized system in place that reinforces excellence.
The Red Light is not to hold you back, but to help you get better – faster.
And rest assured that your coaches have been screened and are using the system in our training as well. An old guy like me needs all the help he can get, and if I have to take a step backward to take a giant leap forward, I am all for it.
If you have any questions, that is what your coaches are for. We are New Englanders, we don’t like change, I get it. We don’t necessarily like people to think we have “limitations”.
But “Currently Unable” is not a scarlet letter, it is merely a recognition that we are getting better, little by little, every day.
Make It Happen!
Coach Dean
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