Performance

On being a god

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So you want the body of a god. Pick your pantheon. Greek, Roman, Norse. All images are interpreted by artists and storytellers, so what you’re actually wanting is the body that a painter, sculpter or mosaicist created to symbolise their desires. I wanted the body of a god and got Dionysis.

Anyway, god, or goddess, it is.

First, to be like a god, live like one. Perhaps without the destruction and disinterest in the humans, but in other ways, train, sleep, eat like a goddess.

The norse gods would have had fish, grains, meat, washing it down with beer (mead is for celebrations). The greek or romans? Fresh fish, fruits and vegetables, olives, breads, cheeses. What you put in, is what you get out and eventually the body composition will follow the diet.

The one thing none of the diets would had would have been confectionary (other than sweet cakes, ambrosia and dried fruits), and processed foods.

As for training, for the greeks, lots of running, throwing, lifting (think olympic disciplines). The norse, heavier lifts, walking, hunting and rowing. They created their gods from what they knew.

To be like a god, first live like one.

What has any of this got to do with a sports injury clinic?

Firstly, I firmly believe that we forget the basics to follow the latest trend or fad. Secondly, we are what we consume. Thirdly, even the gods needed help and support sometimes and having an expert at your side when you go on the journey is a good thing.

We can offer nutritional reviews, training and planning support and treatment for those injuries sustained in the cause of achieving your goals.

On: Finding the one thing

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Sometimes it takes only one thing to start the rock rolling, the pebble that is stopping the landslide of success.

Sometimes, once you find that one thing, everything else falls into place and it becomes brighter, easier, smoother.

However, finding that one thing is very difficult, as it is different for person, goal, and phase of life.

And sometimes, it doesn’t matter what the thing is, as starting anything can help.

Maybe you want to lose weight for health reasons (there aren’t really any other valid ones). Maybe you feel you need to improve your fitness (there could be a couple of reasons here), perhaps you feel stuck in a relationship (a multitude of reasons in there), or you’re at a fork in the road with regards to career.

Lets take health (we are a health organisation after all) and weight management. There is ostensibly a simple recipe for this. You want to lose weight, burn more calories than you consume, you want to gain wait, eat more. Now, lets take into consideration motivation, working and life paatterns, underlying health status, stress, prior exercise history, gender, nutritional history and current nutritional status and see how we go? Which one thing is going to unlock the magic box of slimmer?

For most people wanting to lose weight, it will simply being aware of what they eat and when. That awareness helps them tune their consumption. For others, who have a reasonably good grasp on it, moving a bit more frequently and with higher intensity could be the key. A more complex case might be the older person with underlying health conditions, who will need more close monitoring, motivation and coaching to ensure they maintain both good nutrition and reduced risk.

To find your one thing, contact us for a consultation. We don’t just do manual therapies, we support weight management journeys, fitness plans, proactive healthcare discussions and personal accountability coaching.

On: Obesity

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We all know what obesity looks like. Too many ‘spoons pie and pint nights, too many burgers, not enough gym time.

Except, we don’t.

It might be visually obvious if the T shirt barely covers the waistline, but how do you define it? If you use the BMI scale (weight in kilos divided by height in metres squared), then obesity is considered anything over a BMI of 30, overweight is over 25, healthy is 20-25 and so forth.

But then a lot of athletes, especially power althletes, are obese. Of course, the more mass you have to move around, the greater the load your body has to manage, both for joint health and cardiovascular load but this doesn’t take into consideration the positive effect of muscle mass, cardiovascular fitness, and any other number of markers for health. The only use for BMI in most aspects is to tell you what you already know, when its far too low or far too high. For reference, you probably don’t want to be below 20 (not enough muscle mass) and above 30 (increased risk of joint issues).

A preferred methodology, for a rapid ready reckoner, is height to waist ratio. This ignores mass, but can idicate central obesity, which has been shown to have a detrimental effect on internal organs and general health. This is simply calculated as a ratio of height to waist circumference (waist divided by height in m), and should be less than 0.5.

As for markers of fitness, define your own. Markers such as the amount you can lift, or how fast you can run, are spurious goal setting. And no matter what the companies might say, you can’t tell your fitness from blood tests. Those are for if you are sick. Otherwise the levels will constantly fluctuate and tell you very little.

Be able to run, if you have the physical capability. Then try to increase the distance you can cover. Lift heavy things safely, then do it again. Move regularly, as smoothly and freely as possible. Constantly develop your capacity.

Train as though your life depends on it.

It does.

On: failure

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If you try to do too much in one go, you’ll fail.

You’ll fail because change requires effort and energy to sustain and you only have so much of it to go around.

Getting up earlier requires going to be earlier. But you can’t do that if you have commitments that keep you busy.

Cleaning up your diet requires knowledge, planning, effort.

Going to the gym is bullshit. I love gyms, they’re generally my safe place, but they are not the panacea sold by fitness grifters. Gyms are a place of effort, learning, painful self reflection. Go when you are ready for the lesson and can take humility in your kitbag.

Meditation and mindfulness are not solutions, they’re tools. If you can’t accept the dancing monkeys in your head, you’re not going to want to spend any time with them.

And after all that negativity?

Get rid of something. Less is far easier to manage than more.

Stop drinking. Stop smoking. Stop scrolling. If you can’t, accept you might have an addition issue and ask for support.

Walk more, drive less.

Throw out something from your house. It’s almost certainly clutter and there’s a probability someone else could benefit.

Positive deeds are loops. One feeds another. Make space for positive things.

We can offer some of this support.

An exercise review. A safe space to work through basic coaching issues, treatment to give your body space in itself to heal. A motivating kick and gentle reminder that being human takes effort but is worth it.

But make space. Do less, just do less better.

Be kind, be curious.

On: Fitness

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A colleague had started going to the gym “to get fitter”. While admirable and absolutely to be celebrated, I did wonder how they would know when they had achieved that goal.

After some reflection, and a walk, I developed the thought that fitness can be broken down into 2 main components. A duration / distance one, and a strength / durability one.

Duration / distance is comparatively simple. Can the person go further, for longer, or faster. These are goals that can be defined, measured and checked. Walk for a mile, walk for an hour, finish a 5k event, run a marathon, cycle for 3 hours, push the wheelchair to the shops.

The other component is harder to measure. Yes, strength can be measured by increasing the amount you can move against resistance and for how long. But that doesn’t tend to serve an end purpose. I would posit that the role of strength for the vast majority of people, athletes included, is to help them carry out a defined task with more capacity, to be more durable and to recover faster. In Crossfit this may be to complete the prescribed workout faster, or with less fatigue. For others, it may be to be able to carry a child, lift down a suitcase or spend longer with their family before tiring. And for all, it should help reduce the risk of injury.

By redefining our initial goal of fitness, we can review the strength component in this capacity and then prescribe the correct stimulus to get the desired response.

Instead of saying you want to get fitter, define a goal, and a measurable, meaningful outcome. Then tune the exercise to that.

The big secret the fitness industry doesn’t want you to know.

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They’re lying to you. They have been for years and maybe even they’re lying to themselves.

They’re selling you all these messages and machines and plans and regimes. And they’re not going to work, leaving you disappointed and looking for the next big secret. The next short cut.

So, what is the secret they don’t want you to know?

Exercise won’t make you lose weight. Diet won’t get you fitter.

All the booty classes and HIIT training and smoothies and shakes don’t work alone.

Maybe if you’re running 5-6 hours plus a week then yes. You may lose some weight. You are going to create a significant enough caloric deficit to see a difference. But not much and not for a sustained period. If you don’t back it up with a solid refuelling and recovery strategy.

You’ve got to do both, in the correct proportions.

Look at a visually super fit person, that influencer, gym bunny. Not only are they exercising frequently, they’re looking after their nutrition. They’re not completing the circuit class and immediately down the coffee shop for a syrupy latte. The inside is reflected on the outside.

Exercise is for fitness, nutrition is for weight management. The combination leads to improved health. Which is reflected in your physique.

You don’t need their latest method or protocol or supplement. It’s been said before but you don’t like it because it’s hard and slow and repetitive and dull.

  • Eat to sustain activity, refuel and recover.
  • Eat occasionally for pleasure.
  • Exercise to improve muscle mass
  • Exercise to improve cardiovascular health
  • Exercise to maintain balance and skill
  • Exercise because it’s fun
  • Do it regularly and seek healthcare advice when something seems wrong for a while.

Simple is not the same as easy. But consistency and iteration works.

Distraction

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What’s stopping you from making progress?

How do you even know if you are?

Far too many of us turn up to a gym environment, do random things, post about it on a social media channel, and leave again, thinking we are training.

That’s not training bro, that’s messing around.

If you’re mid way through a long cardio session, where you simply have to keep moving for a prescribed time or distance then perhaps letting your mind wander is no bad thing. Especially if it’s getting tough and listening to something else allows you to continue.

But for the rest of us, get your mind out of your phone and into your muscles.

Focusing on your form, the load, the way your muscles are moving has been shown to improve performance significantly, so why throw a free benefit away?

No one on Facebook is going to change your body, only you can. No one on instagram really cares about your latest posed bicep shot.

Stop distracting, start performing.

On: Heat

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The UK and much of Europe is currently experiencing a heat wave (mid July 2022).

We are, by and large, not used to this although I fear that we may need to adapt, due to climate instability.

For those of us who enjoy activity, being active in the heat is a challenge and can be a medical risk for many.

Because not only do we have to take into consideration the temperature on a thermometer, but we also need to account for the humidity, since this has an impact on the body’s ability to lose heat. It is possible to run marathons in the desert more safely than a humid summers day.

Hydration status, electrolyte balance and other physiological conditions also have a role.

So how do we develop flight rules for exercise in the heat?

Firstly, know your body, and pay attention to it. Getting off the aircraft from a cool region and plunging straight into a desert marathon is asking for trouble. Allowing time to adapt and preferably having mimicked the conditions previously is a much smarter idea.

Secondly, understand your hydration and physiological status. Medically, you should expect a fluid balance of approximately 30ml per kilo per day. This does include the water in vegetables and fruit so is not just liquid water. You will also need to maintain a good electrolyte balance for yourself. If you are a ‘salty sweater’ (your t shirt develops white stains as the sweat evaporates or your lips taste salty) then you will need to replace more of both sodium and potassium in the correct proportions. Most sports electrolyte supplements cover this and advertising aside (we are not sponsored) Succeed caps, SIS electrolyte tabs and High Five electrolyte tabs have always done well during my endurance training career. Others are available and you don’t need the sugary sweetness of most sports drinks for anything under an hour anyway.

The other, under reported element to track during activity is heart rate. In general, if your heart rate is higher than you would expect for a specific workload, then you are possibly dehydrated and certainly accumulating heat stress, with your body finding it hard to stay cool enough. If it is dropping and you are struggling to elevate it to the target ranges then you may be suffering with cardiac fatigue. In either case, back off, drink, reflect and wait for it to settle before making the decision to go or no go. A personal rule is to take off 10 beats from my target heart in non acclimatised heat as a safety margin.

Summary:

  • Heat is a stressor
  • Acclimatise and adapt if possible
  • Hydrate using electrolytes if indicated
  • Monitor heart rate if possible and set yourself safety limits

Onwards and stay cool.

And of course, if you need more detailed input on optimising your training, resolving injuries and improving your health span, contact us.

Note: this article is a generic guide and not specific advice. If you have any health concerns or underlying conditions, seek support from your registered medical professional and care providers.

On: Training

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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.

 

On: technology, tests and treatment.

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Listen to the patients history, they will tell you the diagnosis.

Possibly not entirely, as patients sometimes miss detail or forget timelines.

However, subsequent to a thorough history and examination, all other tests should be used to confirm or deny your hypothesis, including imaging and blood tests.

The problem comes when we, as practitioners or medical professionals, get distracted by new technology or training. This means we look at what we can do, not what we should do.

Ethically, one should do the least for the most benefit. So just because I can order a blood test doesn’t mean I should, if it won’t change my subsequent decision tree. And just because I’ve bought a shiny machine, the information it produces won’t necessarily fundamentally alter the treatment plan.

As for treatment itself, the gold standard therapeutic ladder must always be applied. Physical intervention, then medication, then surgical intervention.

Knowing how to apply this, when to step up and down, the precise tool and most importantly when to stop, is what we spend years training for and why the patient needs to select their practitioner with care and recommendation.

Only then will they find the person that understands and diagnoses their presentation, educates and treats it effectively and most importantly demonstrates how to prevent its recurrence.

Whoever you, as a patient, go to, don’t be taken in by the technology and treatment modalities, look behind the curtain, look at outcomes and be driven by the outcome.

If you think we can help, please do call, we have over 20 years of experience, in both NHS and private practice, to help you work with your presentation.