From the Couch to Running 5km?

Fitness question of the day:
Are you ever too heavy to start running?

First let me say this. If you send me questions via any of my social media outlets listed below I will do everything in my power to answer your questions. I am blessed with the passion and knowledge to inspire and help people with their fitness journeys, so I will do everything possible to help.

The answer is NO with a few caveats. Almost everyone is capable of building the fitness and endurance necessary to power walk or run.
 

The first step in goal achievement is a GAPS analysis and recognizing the barriers to success. This is particularly important when someone hasn't been recently active, may not be at their ideal weight, and don't necessarily have the support of the people around them. Changing the way you think and behave is a crucial step to "being the change you want to make".

 

Below I have outlined some of the key elements to ensuring walk - run success:

1. Build daily habits: it's essential to carve out specific times each day and "Just Do It". The stages of change model suggest that it will take proximately 6 months from the time you have taken action to create a semi-permanent behavior change. Important daily habits might include:

• Planning healthy snacks & hydration,
• Scheduling specific times into your calendar,
• Seeking professional assistance or
• Finding a running partner.
• Plan b. If the weather is terrible have an indoor option available

2. Assessment: almost everyone has significance muscle imbalances, previous injuries and/or joint pain. Starting a running program without reducing these imbalances with corrective flexibility and strengthening will almost always lead to setbacks. The number one reason why athletes don't achieve their goals is lost training time. Don't let your goals be derailed because you have succumbed to injury and/or pushed too hard at the beginning. Seek professional assistance for the following: a functional movement and cardiorespiratory assessment. My favorite running functional assessments are the Bridge and Overhead Squat. Here is a link to the Bridge assessment on the BCPTI YouTube page. Below is a self assessment guide to the bridge. If you have 2 of the more of the issues in the middle column, corrective exercise is suggested before starting your running program. https://youtu.be/ifTR1peipks

Set-up and Procedure: ·         Cue clients to lie face up with feet hip width apart (level 1 & 2), and knees bent to 90°. The arms are crossed and hands placed on opposite shoulders (as shown). ·         Low Function: Set core and lift both hips from the floor until full hip extension is reached ·         Hold this position while the assessment is performed ·         If successful the clients perform level 2 ·         Mod Function: ask the client to lift 1ft and fully extend the leg so the upper thigh remains in the same plane / equal height of the support leg. Perform a record test information for both a R and L leg lift. ·         High Function: same as 2 but ft are shoulder width.

Spine not neutral = significant arching / lordosis in low back, rounded / kypohotic upper bac R  L  Hamstring Spasm Lacks ROM / hips are flexed Plane change (Sagittal) Hips Flex / Drop  L  or  R Plane change (Frontal) Hips shift  towards the L  or  R Plane change (Transverse) - Hips Rotate Down on  L  or  R Thighs move apart / abduct During or before hip extension is complete Weight on the outside of ft / ankles supinated.

 Level 0: Pain while trying perform the movement or fails level 1  Low Function 1: 2ft bridge ft hip width (90' knee bend)  Mod Function: 1ft bridge - ft hip width (90' knee bend)  High Function: 1ft bridge - ft Shoulder width (90' knee bend) If1 of these errors is significant or 2 or more of these errors are notable, the client has not passed that level. Passing level 2 or 3 is also based on symmetry. A score of 1 on R, 2 on L = 1

3. Create accountability: this can be as easy as setting reminders on your telephone or as complex as using today's fitness technology to track your workouts. To help keep things fun and interactive, I'm a big fan of using heart rate and GPS enabled equipment. FitBit, Garmen & Polar are reliable brands in this market. Most of which have online software that links back to your social media & is transferable to your personal devices. Run groups or partners can help here as well. Most running groups will meet 1-3 times per week. Another option is to achieve a running goal (i.e. a 5-10km fundraiser walk - run event). Deadlines are a great way to keep you focussed and fundraising the perfect guilt trip to stop you from quitting.



FitBit's are a great tool for tracking running / walking steps, heartrate & calories / day / session It is also syncs with a # of online nutritional tracking tools. It's a great tool to keep you on track. Mine fitness tracking App on my phone is set to 10,000 steps. I make sure I hit it 6 days a week.



Lift is a new very cool - very interactive live streaming software that allows you be personal trained
no matter where you are in the world. You're just a cell tower or WiFi connection away from great professional assistance.

4. Create weekly and monthly goals: another system of accountability is the training program. Training programs offer a form of professional assistance which can help crystallize your daily habits into short term goal achievement. There are a lot of great walk run programs available online. Find one that suits your specific needs, goals and fitness level. Otherwise, all BCPTI graduates know how to assess and track your cardiovascular progress. Many of our graduates work for Steve Nash Fitness Clubs, where your membership comes along with a complimentary Goal Assessment.

5. Put you first. Most highly productive people know this rule well. Putting you first means that your own personal happiness, health and wellbeing, and the daily habits associated with it are performed first thing in the morning. The research clearly shows that people who do this are happier and have more gratitude and those who do not.

My top 5 tips for starting a successful running program are:

1. Start slowly using a combination of walking and running. It's important to minimize impact wall building your leg endurance. Try alternating between low impact activities such as stair climbers or swimming.
2. Rome wasn't built in a day but it was built. building your cardiovascular fitness and lower body and muscular endurance will take time. Set short-term (i.e. weekly) and long-term goals (i.e. 6 months) goals to ensure it is built.
3. Use your glutes. I'd rather see people powerwalk with long strides over running or what I refer to as yogging. Many runners due to the sitting disease and using short strides fail to extend their stride long enough to activate the posterior chain. This can lead to a number of quad dominant me hip ankle lower back problems. 
4. Recover Recover Recover. Many people forget to eat, hydrate (sorry coffee with your friends doesn't count) and warm up prior to activity. And, very few runners ever stretch and foam roll after they're done. Days off in between running sessions are also essential to prevent overuse injuries. Here's a link to a great Blog on foam rolling science and technique. http://www.bcpti.ca/practical-research-review/ 
5. Use your arms. The arms actually help drive your legs and integrate your core muscles. I suggest swimming, arm swings, and or light battle rope drills on days in between you're running sessions. These exercise techniques help your metabolism high, build endurance and keep you away from negative behaviours during the off days :)

Final Thought!!

If there's one thing I've learned during my 20 years in the fitness industry it's this. Regardless how great your six pack, glutes, legs, or biceps look, if your health or ability to move were taken away you would trade all of it in within a New York minute. As well, research indicates that people who score higher on cardiorespiratory fitness, live longer, healthier more functional lives. It just so happens that running & walking are amongst the most accessible and biggest bang for your cardio buck. So challenge yourself & start moving today.

We'd love to receive your fitness questions via social media, so add us at:

Website: www.bcpti.ca
Twitter Instagram or Periscope: @BCPTI
Facebook: BCPTI
YouTube: arctraining71 or British Columbia Personal Training Institute
LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/pub/chad-benson/16/8a8/2b9

Coach Your Way to Personal Training Success

At Steve Nash Fitness Clubs & BCPTI, our training staff may have the title "Personal Trainer" but through our nashFIT program, every trainer is instructed and given the tools to become effective coaches.

The best way to sum up the difference between a coach and a trainer / motivator is this video clip from Brad Pitt (Chad the Personal Trainer)

Goto the (13:55 – 15:30) segment of this movie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-C0BltIZVk 

This clip represents the epitome of being a raw (i.e. fun, energetic, and even motivational) and enthusiastic trainer. But entertainment isn't what client's need to move well.

Anyone can make someone tired, but not everyone can make them better. Have you made someone better today? If not, why?

Great coaches are all very enthusiastic leaders, but can also create achievable goals and use a system of accountability to get their client’s to that end. John Gordon from the book “The Energy Bus” has this as Rule # 7:

"Enthusiasm comes from the Greek word entheos which means inspired or filled with the divine." Enthusiasm is infectious and 1 very important attribute of effective leadership.

Assuming enthusiasm is one of many great traits a personal trainer must possess, what other intangibles make a great coach? Essentially, a coach understands a client's needs & goals. A coach through experience and empathy sets a progressive path of 1,000 small wins or steps to help their clients achieve their desired goals. They make people believe that anything is possible & empower them down a path of improved fitness, health and self-esteem.

Coaches must:

1. Enlighten & empower through knowledge

2. Inspire through self-discipline & experience &

3. Lead highly personalized sessions

In the context of empowerment, a coach's job is to:

1. Believe in their client more than they believe in themselves

2. Safely & effectively get more out of their client than their client could on their own
3. Worry more about their well-being more than they currently do
4. Make them feel more important than they currently do
5. Light a fire inside them
6. Be the memory maker – help them create their new story.

Do you recall someone in your past that has made a unforgettable positive difference in your life? Can you remember that exact moment in time?

Here's where I start to draw the line of differentiation between a coach and a trainer; good trainers do all of the above. In addition to empowerment, good coaches are highly knowledgeable, technically sound, great communicators & movement focused role models. In this sense, the application of knowledge is power. Good coaches have multidisciplinary knowledge / credentials and practice what they preach.

For example, my personal development workouts aren't designed to burn “x” amount of calories. They are practice sessions, designed to maintain and improve the coaching skills I currently possess. My job as a coach and role model is to become and stay proficient in my areas of expertise. Because I possess a lot of credentialed specialities, I have to purposefully practice – a lot. What’s the benefit of purposeful practice? It keeps me in great shape and keeps my mind focussed on skill acquisition & learning. Coaches only teach drills / movements that they themselves are fully competent at performing themselves. Credential, combined with purposeful practice is a desirable attribute all trainers should aspire to achieve. The problem is, a lot of people may look the part and are inspirational role models to others, but it says little of their ability to actually help others achieve their goals. This takes experience & empathy. Which brings me to the next point - coaches are great instructors.

Doing isn't the same as teaching. If that were the case, every professional athlete on the planet would become the next great coach. Some do, hence the point of purposeful practice. Learning a sport happens through purposeful practice. Athletes, particularly the good ones inherently practice mindfully. That being said, beyond technical proficiency, good coaching requires effective communication and empathy towards others.

To that end, a trainer becomes a coach when they possess most if not all of list:

1. Enthusiastic / passionate - Get excited about helping your client reach their goals.
2. Expertise - Find what will set you apart from other coaches. Continue to upgrade    your education and credential, find your niche. Also, be a good role model, practice what you preach.
3. Empathy - Feel bad with them, not for them.
4. Expectation - Have high expectations for themselves and the clients they service. These expectations should be higher than they have for themselves.
5. Engagement - Be present in the session, give it your all. Think of how much that client is paying for a session, they deserve your undivided attention and all of the energy you can dig up.

6. Expert mover - good coaches move with ninja like precision and smoothness.

7. Develop the critical eye- Learn to detect movement errors. Good coaches are biomechanist who constantly assess their client’s functional abilities.

Stay Present (Error Detect & Correct)

8. Become an expert communicator- A good coach learns to correct movement verbally and physically through touch and accurate demonstration.

  

The last 2 above are critically important to the success your clients have and the length of time they choose to train with you. This is something I speak to extensively in my nashFIT and BCPTI Personal Trainers courses. In short, trainers too often are lured into motivational high energy tactics. Trainers challenge metabolic demand and they push clients beyond their limits of physical capacity. Coaches, only challenge capacity when their clients are capable of moving with high function. Function, by definition is the ability to "safely perform pain free movement repeatedly without loss of form". Trainers befriend, motivate & energize their clients; coaches personalize every aspect of their client experience. To that end coaches:

Coaches Assess - They Don't Guess

1.    Train movement not muscle.

2.    Safely& effectively help their clients achieve their goals through a process of highly individualized attention.

3.    Assess, they don't guess

4.    Detect errors through systematic observation

5.    Correct errors through systematic application of movement, competent demonstration, effective communication & feedback

6.    Personalize through assessment, feedback & touch training every set, rep & program their clients perform

7.    Progress movement volume, intensity, speed, range of motion & complexity only when competency is repeatedly demonstrated

8.    Care about the longevity of their clients, set realistic goals and offer as much professional assistance as required to get them there.

Do you want to be a trainer or a coach? Would you want to learn from a trainer or a coach? To me the answer is clear J

BCPTI is full time Personal Training Institute who’s VISION is to:
“To provide affordable, highly personalized, cutting edge, research driven and industry relevant fitness education to passionate fitness professionals and enthusiasts.”

Chad Benson, MSc, BSc, BPE, CSCS, CPT

Educated at the University of Victoria and Memorial University of NL, Chad is the Director of Fitness Education for SNSC & the British Columbia Personal Trainers Institute (BCPTI). Past training experiences include sub-contracted & consultant strength & conditioning roles with Canada Basketball, the Vancouver Canucks, the Canadian Sport Center, B2Ten, the BC Lions, Twist Conditioning, & the Vancouver Ravens. Chad is a Trigger Point & Bulgarian Bag Master Trainer, a certified in Kettlebell level 1 and FRC© certified instructor. Benson also has expertise in myofascial release & muscle activation, functional movement assessment & sport rehabilitation. Chad was recently named the 2013 Educator of the Year for the BCRPA, is a member of the CanFitPro advisory board, developed the ‘nashFIT’ educational system. In his spare time Coach Benson enjoys the odd newfie joke, all things fitness, exploring scientific journals, red wine, recreational hockey, tennis, and warm weather destinations.

Fitness & Performance Myth Busting - Foam Rolling and Squat Techniques That Work

Hey guys, I am going to do some serious myth busting on Perioscope next week. Get this Twitter based App and Add me @bcpti...you'll love the app and the info - that's a promise :)

Live from BPCTI on Mon at 3:45pm ( u can replay for 24hr)

1. Does foam rolling work (SURE DOES)
2. Should most people foam roll? (YES)
3. Does rolling the ITband have a purpose (YUP)

I have included two great YouTube posts on the subject. The information they are presenting is very accurate and useful so please watch the videos. The key is to turn your foam roller into a tool, designed to either break adhesions or create the appropriate nervous system response. Both of which can change the outcome of foam rolling to the benefit of movement, flexibility, function and performance. On Mon, I will show you how to improve the outcome of your foam roller session :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnYdzaoMyQ8 (foam rolling isn't myofascial release)

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXS5v5RZJSM ( does not increase length of the ITband) 

 

Wed (time to be announced)

I'm going to create significant controversy but it's time I bust these myths, particularly the heel loaded squat. Hip dominant squatting / heel loaded squatting creates dysfunction in a key posterior chain muscle, and is compounded by a societal based problem I call the sitting disease. I will show you why we need to change our squat coaching and follow that with one simple adjustment on how to change the outcome to posterior fascial function. Why do I care? Well 1) look how many views these 2 videos have and 2) I know how mind blown people are when I give them this life changing movement cue.

4. Should most people load their heels when squatting? (NOPE)

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDdSZmWNYQI ( 1,765,037 views)

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dy28eq2PjcM ( 1,806,782 views ) 

5. Is a neutral spine & proper alignment required / imp for bodybuilding ( DAMN STRAIGHT )

Primal Flo: Mobility Around Stability

The video and its contents focuses on using mobility training to create good movement foundations. I like to refer to these movements as "stupid easy - stupid hard" When training movement it is essential that you remember the following functional motto "The leader of 1 is the leader of many". Simply put, a person must have the ability to perform 1 rep well (i.e. quality of movement) before developing the capacity (i.e. quantity of movement). This video also represents key concepts associated with good posture, removing muscles imbalance, eliminating movement restrictions and learning core integration. Remember, a Ferrari is only as good as it's driver. Practice purposely, focus on the details and spend more time on the side that isn't 1) as strong or 2) flexible. Other key movement training concepts include:

• Mobility around stability. Draw in and core brace prior to initiating movement. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSN0JNfO58k or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1kkSmGl_5Q (PS he means a #2 when referring to core bracing).
• Remove asymmetries (train one side more than other until mobility and stability is similar on both sides then challenge both sides equally)
• Irradiating tension throughout the body via core bracing
• End range of motion training
• CARS = capsular articular rotations
• Dynamic mobility

Dewey Nielson posted the below in a group I'm part of. I couldn't have said it much better or differently, so I decided to pass his post and my video along.



Written by deweynielsen*MOVEMENT PREREQUISITES*

It is most common that when someone wants to be capable of a movement, they practice the movement. Seems logical, right? It is only logical if you ask all of the wrong questions.

For an example let’s use a bodyweight deep squat (but note that you can insert any movement here). Practicing the squat to get better at the squat ONLY works if you can ALREADY squat. This is why you STILL can’t do the movement even after months or years of 'practice'. Take a quick glance at the articulations involved in the squat. The ankle, knee, hip and spine are the major players here. If just one of these articulations does not own the prerequisites to do the movement, the movement will NEVER happen. Sure, you can use a heel lift to squat or bands, or another tool but at the expense of what? At the expense of ankle pain? Knee pain? Hip pain? Back pain? Of course. If you don’t have the prerequisites for a movement, the movement will not have a positive outcome.

What are the prerequisites for a movement?

Prerequisite #1) Each individual articulation must have the active range of motion required in the movement WITHOUT load. i.e. If your ankle does not have enough dorsiflexion to squat, it isn’t a mystery why you can’t squat. It’s also not a mystery why the squat (insert any movement) is hurting you. It’s not the movement that is dangerous. It’s the lack of being PREPARED for the movement.

Prerequisite #2) The tissues involved in the movement must have the force absorption capability required in the movement. i.e. To make an exaggerated point, if you can’t squat 200 lbs you shouldn’t try to squat 300 lbs. This is where the common sense of ‘progressive overload’ takes place (slightly more complex with bodyweight exercises and advanced calisthenics). Skipping the prerequisites will most likely lead to an injury. It shouldn't be a mystery when it happens. Unfortunately the fitness and health industry jumps to the nonsensical conclusion that the ‘movement’ is dangerous. NO! The movement is not dangerous. Being unprepared for the movement is dangerous. #prepareyourself #frc #mobility #functionalanatomyseminars #Prepair2Perform, #nashFIT, #CompleteFITness



Chad Benson, MSc, CSCS, CPT (Director of Fitness Education for Steve Nash Fitness Clubs and the British Columbia Personal Training Institute)



Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BCPTI

Instagram, Twitter & Perioscope: @bcpti  

Website: www.bcpti.ca

Blog: http://www.bcpti.ca/blog/

Email: chad@bcpti.ca