Each week I dedicate time to researching and reading new information about exercise physiology and personal conditioning. Sometimes though, nothing beats hands-on workshops and lectures presented by some of the top minds in the fitness field to really provide an attention to detail that otherwise might be missed.

That’s why I also take time to attend conferences and workshops whenever I can.

I’ve just arrived home after attending a national Health and Fitness conference here in Vancouver. Two 10-hour days over what I would otherwise have called my weekend.

At most conferences there are a few sessions that really stand out for me, and it’s from those that I’m able to expand my knowledge with sound, science-based principles that I can closely associate with the work that I do.

So here I now sit with a binder jammed with annotations, stick-man sketches, handouts, notes and great ideas that I can (and will) be able to apply to the personal exercise programs that I design. Additional skills that I can use to help individual clients work out even more efficiently and more effectively – thus helping them to achieve their fitness goals and a better quality of life.

Here is just a few of many though-provoking statements that I took away from this past weekend; each of them unlocks a whole treasure chest of discussion:

1. “Pay attention.” vs. “Be careful.”
2. “Restricted Mobility is a hardware issue. Instability is a software issue.
3. “Sets and reps should be your least important variable.”
4. “Training for postural control is like training for a marathon.”
5. “The #1 obstacle is Motivation.”

and my favourite,

“Exercise is optional. Movement is essential.”

(Thanks, Chris.)

A little knowledge can go a long way to improving your workout.

One of the more striking examples of this is to learn how your body moves and what muscles have to do with it. Because you know that ”making muscles” takes lifting weights, you go to the gym and you lift weights. You mimic what you see others doing, you lift what you can – perhaps in any manner that you can lift it.

As your interest builds, you do some research into what you’re actually doing at the gym.

Through that learning, you begin to understand that the PURPOSE of a skeletal muscle is to move your bones, you learn WHERE certain muscles originate on one bone then attach on another, and you see the PHYSICS behind how a muscles flexes or extends a joint.

At one point a light comes on and you realize “ARGGH!… parts of my routine have been totally futile!!”

Then you adjust your movement. Correct your alignment. Start working opposing muscles. You learn to move the weights against gravity, instead of with gravity.

Voila!  Better results… Bigger muscles. Increased strength. Pain-free joints. Better posture.

Now your’re working smarter, not longer at the gym to achieve your goals

My advice is to take some time to learn more.  This website (along with its embedded links) is a great resource for that. Browse through the categories and you’ll find lots of learning.

Over the past 2 weeks, my husband has been afflicted with a sore back.

What started out as a 7 day “pain in the neck” has progressed to his lower spine – most likely because of the compensatory role that his lumbar muscles have been performing in order to protect his upper back.

Most adults have experienced times when their back has “gone out” – that painful situation often caused by the simplest of movement, but through an awkward plane of motion.

Given time and rest, this type of soreness usually works itself out (as I hope it does soon for Luc). But what about those who have chronic back pain – those who find that their pain is actually worsening?

Here’s a post that I published in 2009 on that topic… Read the rest of this entry »

Anyone who has trained with me, or has watched me train, or has watched me work out on my own, will notice that I make notes, I keep records and I follow a planned workout program on each visit to the gym.

“1-2-3-done.” Move on. “1-2-3-done.” Move on. “1-2-3-done.”… and so on.

In contrast, you may notice that others move randomly from machine to machine, or bench to bench, seeming to “make it up” on the fly.

A dumbbell press here. A lateral raise there. And squat?… “er, maybe next time”!

“You just can’t get there from here…”

Read the rest of this entry »

As reported in WebMD, a good source of general health and fitness information:

Better sex!

Infomercials promise it. Pop-up ads promise it. Magazines, too. There are love universities for it, and more how-to videos than you can count. And, of course, it all comes at a price.

Wouldn’t it be nice if it were easy to improve your sex life, for free? Actually, you can get more sizzle in sex, and all you have to do is get a little sweaty — with exercise.

All kidding aside, guys, some exercise really can give your sex life a lift. As a bonus, exercise also ramps up your muscle tone, strength, and sexual endurance. So which exercises can help put the vroom back in your sex life?

Read the rest of this entry »

I just had a conversation with a guy at one of the gyms where I work.  The topic was: Activities that keep the body in balance.

Recently recovered from a back injury, he told me that he’d now GIVEN UP all sports activity that traditionally emphasize “1-sidedness”!

For him, that meant activities such as snowboarding, golfing and tennis – a sport that he said he was pretty darn good at. What he’s replaced those “1-sided” activities with has been skiing, rock climbing, weight-lifting and yoga. Not unhealthy alternatives by any means.

Certainly there is merit in what this guy is discovering for himself… that symmetrical movement patterns within muscle groups is extremely important to body balance, joint health, posture, proper body composition and injury prevention.

However, there was really no need for him to totally give up his other favourite pursuits – what this guy could have done is assess which specific muscle groups were performing during an activity (e.g. his racquet arm, shoulder, upper back), and which muscle groups were non-performing (the other arm and shoulder), then design a gym training program accordingly.

That would mean a few more repetitions of some exercises on the lesser used muscles along with a few more stretching sequences on the over used muscles.

Such a strength and conditioning prescription would facilitate a body in balance, without having to give up activities such as racquet sports and (my fav) snowboarding to achieve it.

Doug@MyTrainerSays.com

Maintaining your youthful vigour over the years takes only 3 things:

Exercise – done hard, almost every day.

Nutrition – quit eating things that you already know are bad for you.

Commitment – you have to care enough about yourself to do it.

Doug

Doug at MyTrainerSays dot com