Sport

On: teaching the basics

Posted by

Following a conversation post training, I was pondering on knowing the basics. We so often absorb information and forget that, for many, the things we are talking about is brand new.

For example, the reasoning behind certain elements within a coaching program may be to access fast twitch or slow twitch fibres, depending on the desired outcome. For those who don’t do physiology, these are the different fibres within the muscles that have different properties and roles and require different inputs from a training plan.

Similarly, when we are providing therapeutic interventions of any form, the client almost certainly doesn’t have our background, or training, so you one may need to provide education under the radar to allow them fully informed consent. This also helps you by working through the elements of the treatment, which can further reinforce your technique and skill.

So, as a client of any practitioner, I encourage you to ask questions if you don’t understand something, so that the understanding can spread and grow.

On: Training

Posted by

You’ve been in the gym, in the pool, or on the road. You’re turning up, putting in the hours. And yet, you’re not improving. The weight isn’t shifting, the personal bests are not rolling in, the same old faces as the same competitions still shake your hand, the race finish time is about the same as last year. You can’t actually do more miles, or lift more weight, as other commitments would suffer, and you’re on the cusp of overtraining.

Frustration abounds.

But…. are you training or exercising? We can too often convince ourselves that we are training, simply because we are going through the motions and turning up. The difference? Exercise is exertion, training is progressive overload with rest and retesting points. Fitness posers exercise, gym bros exercise, older people in village halls exercise. Exercise is good, its vital to positive health, but past a certain point it won’t necessarily lead to the changes you’re wanting.

However.

Perhaps there is another way.

Take a break. A few days off, or if that sucks mentally, a few easy days. During that time, define some baseline movements that matter to your discipline. A defined distance for running, swimming or cycling. A set of lifts that matter, a benchmark workout.

Then go for it. Have a test week. If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it, and if you can’t manage it, you can’t improve it.

See how good you are, push it and draw a line in the sand. Go far, go fast, go heavy.

Take the results, sit down, with an expert if you can, or yourself and a pad if you have a good training knowledge.

You can always get stronger, improve mobility, hone skill, but then look honestly at what you’re good at, what you need to improve, then broaden the scope. Actively look for the weaknesses. Can you improve your nutritional base line, your sleep, your recovery?

Write a plan, stick to it, record, then in 6 weeks, do it again.

You will get better.

Maybe, finally, your power to weight ratio will improve, your 5K time will crack the that precious mark, your bear complex will get better.

Test, reflect, plan, execute.

If you find mobility is an issue, an injury doesn’t respond to rest, you want some nutritional guidance, or another expert opinion, then come see us. With over 20 years therapeutic experience, 30 years of practical involvement in sport, and a unique perspective on life, we may be able to help.

Onwards.

 

What cost fitness?

Posted by

What cost fitness?

Occasionally, people complain about gym prices, the cost of personal trainers and kit.

Only occasionally though. Because if you understand the value, you wouldn’t complain about the cost. Other than kit. There’s always a new shiny toy to try, and past a certain point, none of which will really improve your performance.

If you’re stronger, you’re less likely to die early, unforeseen events excepting. If you’re fitter, you are more likely to survive a hospital admission (being admitted to hospital is really bad for your health). If you’re healthier, life seems easier, because you have a greater capacity for stress.

Now, fitness is different to wellness. Wellness is a never-ending feast of rubbish, where a huge number of people, both honest and exploitative play. You might benefit from a yoga and meditation session (both are demonstrably good for you), but you don’t need yoni steaming and jade eggs. And you certainly don’t need to spend 300 pounds on any of them.

Fitness is far more measurable and relatable.

At the most basic, you need nothing more than you already have to improve your fitness, other than knowledge.

However, if you know nothing, then the next step is to ask an expert, or at least a professional. This is where gyms, trainers and such come in.

Do not ask the internet, as you have no filter on what is good or bad. As an internet guru, I could tell you to do 5k every other day and 50 burpees for breakfast but if you’ve got a medical condition, or an injury, or the most exercise you take is picking up the remote when you turn off your laptop after working from home all day, then I may actually kill you. Unlikely, but possible.

Instead, find someone you can have a conversation with, who can answer pertinent questions and give you honest answers. You may need to pay for their time but hey, you wouldn’t ask your next door neighbour to help fit a kitchen unless they are already skilled in it.

If you can’t afford that route, then go to the library and read a book. Lots of fitness people have written books and at least they’re relatively validated. And the walk there is a good start.

So, to loop back to the start, pricing. A gym has significant running costs, a personal trainer is not working 40 hours a week and is self employed. In the end, it is a return on investment question “am I getting out what I am paying in?”

As an example, a local CrossFit box charges £75 per month for 3 sessions a week. But for that you are getting equipment, expertise, time, and a quality environment. A local council gym may charge £30 a month, but you won’t be getting the expertise and programming, so you’d better know what you’re doing on your own (hint- that 12 reps/3sets on each machine will rapidly lead to plateau and boredom).

How does this tie in to us? We are professionals. We treat injuries, and have over 20 years of working with people. We coach, and work with trainers who actually care and understand their jobs.

If you want to live longer, healthier and perhaps even happier, come talk to us.

The first step is the hardest, but the most rewarding.

On: Movement

Posted by

Note: if you’re a seasoned gym goer, this isn’t going to be for you.

Leggings and trainers on, new t shirt, new attitude.

Old body.

A common problem. You’ve got your new motivation, goals set and defined, but after a couple of days, you’re sore, stiff and tired.

Your body hasn’t had time to learn.

If you haven’t moved and exercised vigorously for a while, then time is needed for your soft tissue to change, to adapt, and begin to grow.

And, if you’re a little older, then you need show your body some love to clear the worst of the scar tissue and old injuries first.

From zero, walk. From walking, move weights, from weights and walking to increased cardiovascular load (running, cycling, swimming, rowing etc) and more frequent / intense weights.

Your overall goal should be 3 -4 sessions a week of decent cardio, with an elevated Heart and Breathing rate, and 2 sessions of Resistance Work. If you do CrossFit in a good box, or circuit training classes, you can get this in one session, but anything is good.

If you find injuries that need addressing, niggles that need support, or want a more individual plan based on your body, experience and goals, then contact us, or a professional near you.

Move, you evolved to.

On: Consistency

Posted by

You are what you do.

Not what you think, read, talk about or present online. They all play a role in your self talk, but they are not you.

You are what you do. Just as your body is made up of what you consume, your mind is as well.

Choose your inputs for your desired outputs.

Want to be functionally more effective? Model those who are, with applied thought. Want a different path? Observe, reflect, change and do.

Not everyone has the physiology to be an Olympic athlete, not everyone has the mental capacity to be a theoretical physicist, but you are far more capable than you think.

So find those current boundaries and explore them, supporting yourself with good inputs, solid relationships and measurable outputs.

We are here to help you start that journey, from physical therapies to starter PT concepts.

Upgrade the mind, optimise the body.

On: fitness to survive

Posted by

Being fit is a good idea.

The fitter you are, the more likely you are to…. quite frankly be better at everything.

Of course, fitness is defined as suitable to a role or task, but in this case, we are talking about optimal health and well-being, in all areas.

Research shows repeatedly that the fitter you are overall, the greater your capacity and capability, even down to surviving and recovering from major trauma. One study even showed that, of those who experienced whiplash, the fitter people recovered faster and with less negative outcomes 6 months on than those who rated lower on activity scales.

You also are more likely to respond effectively to stress and mental pressure, since the body cannot differentiate easily, and only has a few responses available.

Fitness doesn’t have to be all leggings, crop tops and pouting in the mirror, neither does it have to be muscles, grunting and maximal exertion. It’s about building a base capacity, optimising power to weight ratio and being more capable.

So, if you’re struggling, start by doing something.

We have a starter plan we regularly offer to clients that simply involves:

  • Walking for 10 minutes at a brisk pace
  • Then:
  • Stepping up and down for 20 steps on each leg
  • Touching the floor then reaching for the sky, 10 times on each side
  • 10 Wall pushups
  • 10 Standing rows (squeezing the muscles at the end), no load, just controlling the muscles.
  • Repeat the movements 3-5 times
  • 10 minutes brisk walking

Simply by adding load in, and changing the movements for more dynamic ones, that can be almost infinite in scope. Steps become lunges, wall pushups become burpees, rows become pull-ups, floor to sky becomes a dumbbell snatch, walking becomes running and skipping.

Move. Improve your capacity, capability and resilience. Become more human, upgrade the software, optimise the hardware.

Of course, before beginning any health journey, if you haven’t moved for a while, seek professional medical support first to clear you for takeoff.

Onwards and towards a better healthspan.

On: Beyond movement

Posted by

There are the eight prescribed movement patterns: flex, extend, rotate, push, pull, squat, lunge, walk.

But beyond that is the ability to do them smoothly and under load.

For example, when out walking, without losing step, run your fingers along the ground. That involves walking, flexing, lunging and an element of rotation.

Now repeat the action raising your hand over head to touch a tree leaf. Again, walking, extending, rotation.

The more complex the move, the more we challenge our neuromuscular system, the less spare capacity we have and greater the risk of subtle injury due to compromise.

Therefore, we should train these elements. Not just the standard gymrat moves, but through play.

Look at an object and play with it. A plate carried overhead. A tree branch that can be climbed on or over, or under. A line on the pavement to walk along, skip over, or walk backwards over.

Look at the environment as a playground, and use it to improve the way you move.

Injury proof yourself through play.

You evolved to run…

Posted by

It has been said many times before, especially here, that you evolved to run. The combination of an independent respiratory system (via diaphragmatic control), the ability to lose heat via sweat, the nuchal ligament in the neck, large gluteals and an achilles tendon all indicate that we run. There are also evolutionary theories that indicate our brains developed to allow us to predict the behaviours of animals we were hunting.

Running also has a fantastic effect on the skeleton, triggering hormones in the long bones that help control appetite (Lipocalin-2), driving osteogenesis (the continued creation of new bone) and preventing degeneration. It even helps neurogenesis, the creation of new brain cells and nerve pathways, by flushing fresh blood through at a much higher rate for longer, as well as suppressing excessive glucose storage by forcing muscles to use it as fuel.

Many people, including respected orthopaedic surgeons, believe that running is not healthy for the joints, and that it will leave to early degeneration. There is some validity to this concern, but with a certain number of caveats. If you have not run for a significant period of time, or are overweight, then you may experience joint pain when you start. Similarly, if you are not biomechanically efficient, then you find it harder work than you expect. Not only that, if you look at indigenous runners, they don’t do it in the same way we consider standard, rather running and walking, depending on the terrain.

However, a number of studies (https://doi.org/10.1002/art.24840, https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00167-013-2686-6) as well as others, show that there is no detrimental impact on the joints, with some evidence that it actually helps strengthen the tissues.

What is the practical upshot of this? If you can, start running. Carefully, steadily and allowing a great deal of time. The upside far outweighs the downs. If you can’t, cycle or walk.

If you want to start running, do so slowly. Follow the NHS couch to 5k program. Given that any weight over your theoretical optimal (BMI of 23 – 27 depending on muscle mass) is increased load on the joints, limit your long runs to reduce the chance of injury while you work on the weight. And, as you approach a maintainable weight, you will experience the benefits far more than the lows.

If you can’t run, do something that mimics the cardiovascular and skeletal load. Lift weights, row, walk at a rate that leaves you sweaty, it all helps.

Beyond 3 basic skills

Posted by

Previously, the 3 basic movement skills were raised.

These were:

  1. Getting off the floor from lying on your front
  2. Getting off the floor from lying on your back
  3. Walking at least a mile carrying a load

These use the primal movement patterns and the vast majority of us have been able to do them since the age of 2.

We can therefore advance these and actually start to develop them as a physical practice to improve our health, with very little other equipment.

If you have not exercised for a while, or have pre-existing medical conditions, please do consult your GP or practice nurse for a health check before starting any program.

As a test day, start by going for a brisk walk, sufficient to get you slightly breathless after 10 minutes, then aim for a mile, or 20 minutes. Once in a safe place and once you are warm, get on the ground. First, from your front, get up. Then from your back.

If that was challenging, or you struggled to get up, your first month would be simply practicing until you can do 10 from both front and back.

Once you can do that, you can add some more load.

With nothing more than a couple of bin liners, a reel of strong tape, an old rucksack and a bag of builder’s ballast (sand / gravel mix), you can create all you need for a very effective workout.

Fill a bin liner with a few kilos of the ballast. Tape it into a strong, short sausage shape and place this in another bag for safety. Create a few of these, of differing weights.

Once you have the weights, put sufficient in your rucksack to equal 5-10 kilos then do a 30 minute walk at a brisk pace.

Once back, adjust the load in the rucksack to about 2-5kg and perform 10 front get ups with the bag on. The, taking a sausage across your shoulder, perform 5 with it on the right before doing 5 on the left. As you get stronger, increase both the load in the rucksack for the walk and the getup challenge.

You should find that that provides a decent workout and can act as a gateway to more training techniques.

Basic Measurements

Posted by

There are basic markers we can measure and improve to gauge overall health.

In a hospital or medical environment, we will measure Heart Rate, Respiration Rate, Temperature, Peripheral Oxygen Saturation (SpO2), Blood Pressure and AVPU (the patients level of alertness).

More invasively, we will then take an ECG and VBG / ABG (Venous Blood Gas / Arterial Blood Gas). These allow us to have a good  impression of the current state of your heart and a gross impression of your metabolic processes (glucose, haemoglobin, lactate etc).

With these measures and a good history, we will have a good idea of just how unwell you are and where to start looking for the underlying problem.

If you are unfortunate enough to need admission, part of the nursing process will involve measuring your height and weight. This allows us to calculate the correct drug dose and other supportive measures.

We are also able to calculate your body mass index. This is a commonly used scale, taken from your weight in kilos, divided your height in metres squared. It allows us to quickly see whether you are underweight, average, overweight or obese.

Outside a hospital environment, some of the above measures are often really useful for tracking your personal health, in conjunction with your general practitioner. A low pulse, low blood pressure and stable BMI are all indicators of positive health.

Some people argue that in more athletic individuals, BMI is not a good marker and it may not be very useful in very muscular people. However, it does still indicate how much overall load is being placed on the body, including the heart and the joints.

It can also be argued that, as a healthy adult, until you are able to squat 70-100% of your own body weight, bench press 50-70% of it (dependent on gender), deadlift 120% of your bodyweight, get up from lying on the floor 10 times and walk quickly for at least an hour, with a body fat percentage of between 20 and 25% then you can probably do with losing some fat and improving your global fitness. These are, of course, arbitrary markers for a fully able bodied adult and you may wish to define your own within your own physical boundaries.

Another easy to track health marker is waist to hip ratio. This has been written about before here and is the circumference of your waist, just above the navel, divided by the circumference around your hips. For men, this should be less than 0.9 and for women, less that 0.8. If it were too high then it is indicative of intra abdominal fat, which is known to be unhealthy.

Therefore, I would propose the following as good targets for anyone without underlying known health condition.

A blood pressure of 120-130 / 70

A resting pulse of 50-70bpm

BMI below 25 unless measurably muscular

Waist to Hip ratios appropriate for gender

The above markers for fitness, once warmed up.

If you think that you have a physical restriction holding you back from what you would like to achieve and would like us to support you in improving your health, call and book in for a no obligation chat.

As always, this is not to be taken as legal medical advice and if you have any health concerns, see your registered doctor who will be able to help.