Get Fit NH Does That?

Did you ever buy a new car (or a car that was new to you), drive it for a year or two, only to discover it had some cool features you never knew about?

My car has an alarm?

I can turn off the traction control?

The steering wheel is adjustable?

There is a passenger ejection seat?

Who knew?

I mean seriously, you turn the key, you put it in gear and it goes, what more do I need to know?

Sometimes it’s that way around here too.  Life is busy. You train here because you know you can come in, get a great training session in, and get to the next thing. And that’s fantastic – we are grateful that you put your trust in us and choose to train here.

But sometimes it doesn’t hurt to pop the hood and see what else goes on around here that might help you get to your destination a little quicker or more efficiently.

So here are a few things that you may not realize you can do or take advantage of as a client of Get Fit NH.

Do you…

Get your body composition tested with the Intelametrix bodyfat tester every month?

Set your appointment for your FMS screening?

Read the daily nutrition tip delivered to your inbox every day?

Get your food log evaluated?

Use the resources on TheOther165.com?

Read the weekly newsletter?

Participate in contests and challenges?

Take advantage of our relationship with our Strategic Health Partners, like Whole Health Concord?

Come have fun with us on special events, like the FoamFest 5K, or Rock N’ Race?

Visit ThePPWKitchen.com and expand your healthy eating recipe library?

Come to seminars and expand your knowledge of training and nutrition?

And really that is just the tip of the iceberg.

The most valuable resource we have is our team of coaches. Our team is passionate about helping you live an active, healthy lifestyle. We want to answer your questions, overcome obstacles, and help you discover how to make it all work in your busy life.

As I said before we are grateful that our clients make the choice to train here. When you do, you have invested in a vehicle that is carefully designed to take you smoothly, safely and of course with a little pizzazz to your fitness and lifestyle goals.

But it doesn’t hurt to play with the bells and whistles once in awhile either.

Make the most of your investment.

Make It Happen!

Coach Dean

Vitamin I: Don’t Be A Pill Popper

“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

February is Heart Healthy Month – Great News For You!

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!

Why Do We Go The Extra Mile with the FMS and SGT?

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

What’s The Cost of Being Screened?

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

The Top 10 Things You Should Know About Your Get Fit NH Training Program

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?

1. You can control the intensity of each training session with your own effort.  Don’t overlook this.
2. Pain increases cortisol and cortisol increases body fat.  There is no benefit to working out in pain. Avoid the painful patterns (and get the proper medical attention if necessary) and train the non-painful patterns.
3. Soreness is ok, but it’s not marker of a good training session.  Just because you aren’t’ sore the next day, don’t think that you didn’t train smart (or hard).
4. Stacking fitness on top of dysfunction will only lead to injury or plateau.  SGT and the FMS screen find your movement pattern dysfunctions, and then we can work on cleaning up your weakest links.
5. Overtraining (under-recovering) is a major contributor to lack of results and people giving up.  Nutrition and sleep are crucial to continued progress, as is taking a break. Taking a scheduled recovery week IS training.
6. Lifting weights does not make women bulky! Resistance training will make you strong and lean.  Not lifting weights will make you frail and skinny-fat.
7. You get much better results from doing a less challenging exercise in good form than you will from a more challenging progression in bad form.  Intensity must follow proper form, and is dependent on it.
8. If your goal is fat loss, it’s important to know that you typically can’t out-train poor nutrition.  Treat your treats like treats. You can’t live well if all you eat is cheats and treats.
9. Recovery is just as important as your training.  A good post training meal, 7-8 hours of sleep, stress reduction, and tissue quality work are essential to a balanced program.  You must live The Other 165.
10. We are not going to do any sit-ups and crunches.  Your lumbar spine is made to stabilize, not flex and extend repeatedly under load.  We do stabilization exercises for the core, and if your form is right you are working your core on EVERY exercise that we select.  Core training at its best is working to maintain good posture under the load or force that is trying to alter that posture.

So there you go, our Current Top 10

Didja learn anything?

Now get in here and Make It Happen!
Coach Dean

Red Light, Green Light. What Do You Mean I Can’t Do That?

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

Training Quality Counts!

At Get Fit NH we as your coaches are always looking to do one thing – get better.

Why?

Because when we get better at what we do, it helps us help you reach your goals, and that is what we are all about.

You see it’s not all about you getting trashed every time you walk into the gym (believe it or not). I mean we all love to feel like we have worked hard, but crawling out to our car every day would be counterproductive. Those training sessions when we have left it all on the floor and feel great are an expression of all the hard work (sometimes backing off being the hard part) that we have done to get to that point. Our training is cyclical for a reason – because it works, and it works better.

To that end I am excited to tell you about one more way Get Fit NH is helping you get better. We are in the process of integrating the Functional Movement Screen into all our program design and coaching.

Over the past couple of months Coach Erin has been  laying the groundwork and doing a practical test of the system by taking a selected few of you through the Functional Movement Screen, and you will see this expand into Epsom as well as both Nancy and I have completed our course work and passed the FMS examination.

Our beliefs and methodologies have been based around these training systems for quite some time, but we had no baseline screening system for classifying if someone is able to safely enter our program to get the results they are looking for.

Our team at Get Fit NH really believes that this form of screening and standardizing movement is essential for safe, timely, effective results.

In order to better understand the premise of where these beliefs stem from, let’s take a look at some of the rules that Functional Movement Systems are based around.

• Pain should not be present while performing basic bodyweight movement patterns.  If there is pain associated with these basic movement patterns, movement patterns will be compromised and substantially increase the likelihood for developing further injury to the site of pain.  Also, this could lead to a secondary injury from the body compensating to avoid the pain or restricted movement.
• Having multiple limitations within several basic movement patterns, even if they’re pain free, can create compensations and general weaknesses that may lead to a greater likelihood of injury.
• Basic unilateral movement patterns should be symmetrical on both right and left sides of the body.
• Fundamental and basic movement patterning should precede performance related activities.
• Basic before Complex, Stable before Unstable

Foundational movement patterns need to be assessed before we can create a program designed to fit each individuals needs.  Our goal at Get Fit NH is to provide the best personal training services available – bar none.

Using the Functional Movement Screening Systems, we were able to establish a solid baseline screening system to better help manage and prevent injury to the musculoskeletal system.  Also by establishing a baseline scoring criteria, we will be able to monitor and track progress to ensure that the right program is being implemented.

All of this screening, assessing, and implementing the right mix of corrective exercises into the programs are going to help keep our clientele safer and healthier for long periods of time.  We realize that injuries can happen.  However, it’s our job to reduce the likelihood of injury.

Exercise should be enjoyable…Exercise should be well thought out and serve a purpose…Exercise should help you meet and exceed your goals…Exercise should help improve movement patterns and make daily activities more enjoyable.

This training philosophy is the foundation of our group personal training program design at Get Fit NH.  It’s our job to get results and keep you injury free.  It’s all about the quality of the movement, not the quantity.

So don’t be surprised when you get a tap on the shoulder to set up an appointment for the screen. No matter how good we move, we can always get better!

Keep Making It Happen!

Coach Dean

Get Fit NH Team Additions and Updates

Getting Better. Every Day.

You have heard it before and I am sure you will hear it again.

It can apply to every facet of our lives. If you are standing still you are going backwards. Kaizen – constant and never ending improvement.

At Get Fit NH this concept is ingrained deep in our culture. We want to improve so we can help you improve.

Over the past couple of years we have grown a lot, and we are grateful for the opportunity to work with so many fantastic clients who truly want to live and be healthy.

It is Nancy and my burden as we have grown to never lose the closeness of relationships and family atmosphere that means so much to us. Admittedly it is more of a challenge as we have grown, but it is made much easier because of the great team that we have in place, and the huge part that Coach Erin and CJ have played as growth has occurred.

So don’t be surprised when you get a phone call from one of your coaches. Erin in particular has taken a lead role in keeping the lines of communication open with you, and we covet the feedback that we receive from you. As your coaches we want you to know that our doors are always open, and that we want to hear from you. The work that Erin does in that regard allows Nancy and me to be more available to you one on one, so take advantage of it.

With that in mind I am excited to announce some enhancements to our business that I am confident are going to have a big impact on us continuing to serve you with excellence.

New Additions to the Get Fit NH Team

Meagan Sbat

Many of you in Concord have already had the opportunity to work with Coach Meagan, as she has been a fantastic addition to our afternoon training times. Starting January 21st Meagan will be taking an expanded role with us in a couple different areas.

First of all Meagan will take an expanded coaching role. On Monday and Fridays she will be coaching with CJ and me in Concord at 5:00am and 6:20am, and on Tuesdays and Thursdays she will be coaching with Nancy in Epsom at 5:00am and 6:15am.

Secondly Meagan will be serving as our Event Coordinator. In that role she will be helping us put together and promote our in house events such as our nutrition and skill seminars, as well as coordinating special speakers. She will also be helping us put together events outside of the gym. On more than one occasion y’all have expressed the desire to get together and be active on weekends, and up to this point we have had a challenge putting these things together from a sheer man (or woman) power standpoint. Meagan will be coordinating these efforts as well, and we are excited about it!

Esther Phillips joined the team the later part of 2012 as our office administrator. Esther has already done amazing work helping Nancy and I organize and coordinate the tons of paper that seems to fly around here. One of the many things Esther will be doing is handling the contract and billing side of the business. As we transition to her management, your questions regarding those issues will be directed to Esther. I assure that you will be treated with respect and courtesy, as always.

Additional Training Options Coming

Part of the reason we have Meagan working in both Epsom and Concord is so she can do the most important thing that we do – get to know you! This is going to be crucial as we start rolling out some more training offerings, and she has the opportunity to take leadership in those training times.

As many of you know I tend to be very deliberate when it comes to expanding our training offerings, and now is no exception. My primary concern is that our training standards be maintained at the highest level of excellence and that you truly get what you need.

In the near future we are going to be adding two new training options to our schedule, Enhanced Energy Systems Training, and the Strength Club. These are a couple differences in these offerings as opposed to our Group Personal Training (formerly known as bootcamp).

1) These are designed to integrate with GPT, not be standalone.

2) You must be injury free and pass the FMS to be eligible.

3) There will be more responsibility in personal record keeping and accountability.

4) The groups will necessarily be smaller than some of our GPT times.

And I am sure there are a few more things to scare you away.  🙂

Seriously though our concern is that your training be right for you, and that doesn’t always mean adding more days and beating yourself up. The concept of “minimum effective dose” is important, although for many of you that concept is really foreign. 5 or 6 days of training is unnecessary and counterproductive in many cases.

So why do it at all?

Because I am a control freak, what else? 🙂

The reality is that some of you already go ‘somewhere else’ for your specific cardio fix in particular. What could be better than to coordinate that with your existing group personal training? Without a plan in place for all areas of your fitness endeavors, over training and/or injury can occur. Plus this is going to give me the opportunity to play with some really cool new toys we are bringing in that will help you (what else?) get better.

Looking forward to getting you more details soon, but for now you can always fire me an email and I’ll get back to you ASAP.

Have a great day!

Coach Dean

Reach The Beach? Are you Crazy?

Get Fit NH has some crazy clients. Crazy like, pulling firetrucks down Main St. Crazy like, sliding down huge slip and slides. Crazy like, loving to ride bikes for miles and miles. Crazy like, enjoying races involving mud, obstacles, and fire. Crazy like SkiErg till you drop. Crazy like doing 5050 pushups over 100 days. But there are a few that are crazy and like to run.

Yes, run – now THAT is crazy! 🙂

Mae Lynn approached me awhile back about the possibility of putting a team together for the annual “Reach the Beach Relay”, which is run to support many worthy causes, including the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Here is how the RTB website describes the race:

Reach the Beach Relays combine fun, fitness, adventure and team building like no other running event.  The Reach the Beach (RTB) Running Relay Race is one of the longest distance running relay races in the United States. The RTB Relay will take place in picturesque New Hampshire during the start of the New England foliage season. The relay will consist of (a maximum of) 12 person teams that will rotate through 36 transition areas as they cover the approximate 200 mile distance of the race. This means that each relay team member will run 3 legs of varying lengths and difficulty and will cover an average total distance of ~16.6 miles.

Sound Crazy? Sound like something you would like to do?

If we are going to be crazy in 2013 like we were in 2012, we need to know who would like to do this race. The dates of the race are September 13-14. To stick with the craziness of it all, the race is run overnight from Cannon Mt. to Hampton Beach. There is a cost of $120 per person with a team of 12. While we are not asking for the fee yet, we do need to know if we can get 12 crazy people to do this.

Once we have your name on our team, we’ll get registered and the race will be crazier with Get Fit NH there.

If you are serious about being on the team, please visit the RTB website, thoroughly study what you are getting yourself into, then fill out the form below to indicate your interest.