Five core exercises to go!

With the holidays around the corner, many of my personal training clients will be away from the gym.  My dedicated clients often feel guilty when missing a workout, so I find myself giving them homework assignments that they can do with absolutely no gym equipment available to them at all.  So for my loyal blog readers, or even the random fitness reader who strays across my website, I wanted to share my five favourite core exercises you can do anywhere.  All you need is a comfy yoga mat and a little downtime. Now you will never miss a workout!! No excuses. 

1. Bicycle Crunch - Muscles targeted: obliques, abs, rectus femoris. Bring opposite elbow to knee, fully extending the other leg, alternate sides. Aim for 3 sets of 15 reps.   

2. Glute Bridge - Muscles targeted: gluteus maximus/medius, hamstrings, erector spinae. Extend hips in air, hold up to 30sec, repeat 3x.

3. Mountain Climbers - Muscles targeted: triceps, traps, abs, hip flexors. Hands and feet on the ground, alternate knees into chest, fully extending legs in alternating pattern.  Aim for 3 sets of 30 seconds. 

4. Plank - Muscles targeted: abs, obliques, glutes, quads, deltoids (shoulders). Keep body straight, glutes low, only forearms and toes touching the ground.  Aim for 30-60 second hold, repeat 3x.   

5. Superman - Muscles targeted: erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings. Imagine you are superman flying through the air, by lying on the mat face down, inhale to prep, then exhale yourself up into back extension. Hold for 10 seconds, repeat 3x. 

Stay strong my friends. 

The Many Benefits of Exercising While Pregnant

Since becoming certified as a Pre & Post Natal Fitness Specialist, I've been having this same conversation with many women not only at the gym, but in many other places I've visited during the past month.  The main topic that keeps coming up over and over again, is that many women are still holding on to the common misconception that exercising during pregnancy is dangerous for the baby.  Unless the mother has a specific underlying health condition (an absolute contraindication) this really isn't true.  Most women who are having a normal healthy pregnancy can actually greatly benefit from regular and moderate intensity exercise. 

Here are some of the many benefits to exercising while pregnant:

1. Improves posture and back pain

2. Improves ankle and foot swelling by improving blood circulation

3. Strengthens arms & shoulders so you can lift your baby & gear easier 

4. Reduces risk of gestational diabetes by regulating blood sugar levels

5. Reduces risk of urinary incontinence post-delivery (bladder leaks)

6. Speeds labour & delivery time by up to 15%

7. Helps speed abdominal & pelvic region recovery time after delivery

8. Encourages healthy weight levels during and after pregnancy

9. Promotes positive self-esteem and body image

10. Promotes strong fetal heart rate & reduces fetal stress during labour

Are you curious about how exercise can help you maintain a healthy body throughout your pregnancy?  Then contact me for a consultation.  You & your baby deserve it!! 

Pre & Post Natal Fitness Certification

In my most recent blog I announced that I have been doing some professional upgrading during my off-season.  Besides running and endurance sports, I cater to a larger community of people in the fitness industry, not just runners.  As the majority of my clients are women, I have wanted to further my skill set to better serve this community, and I am pleased to announce that I have also finally completed the Pre & Post Natal Fitness Specialist (PFS) course offered by Can-Fit-Pro.  

(http://www.canfitpro.com/pfs) 

I really enjoyed this course and learned a lot about the incredible changes that occur during the pregnancy process.  The PFS course combined a balanced approach of both theory and practical components.  The moments where I donned my empathy belly (a book-bag filled with ten pounds of weight) and learned how to modify treadmill workouts, perform safer squats, demonstrate proper posture and back strengthening exercises, among many other fitness techniques, made a lasting impression on me. 

This is a group photo of the five other inspiring personal trainers who I took the course with (courtesy of our Pro Trainer Curtis Medina). It was taken just after the practical workout training session, hence our bag-bellies. I’m on the purple stability ball, always working on my core of course! 

The PFS course has taught me how to safely train women who are not only pregnant but also pre-natal (the year before conception) and post-natal (the year after delivery), as all three stages present unique fitness needs for the mother, both nutritionally and physically. 

Are you wondering more about how to safely exercise while pregnant?  Or are you thinking about becoming pregnant and want to ensure your body is as healthy as possible for the long road ahead?  Or maybe you want to regain your pre-pregnancy fitness level again?  Then contact me for a consultation.  I would be privileged to help you along the way. 

Running Fitness Instruction

Now that it is officially the off-season for my triathlon and marathon training, I have more time to work on my professional development as a fitness leader.  As most of my loyal blog followers will know, I’m an avid runner and train for running events ranging from 5km up to marathon distance.  I enjoy sharing my love of running with others, not just as a fitness and weight loss tool, but also as a way to develop self-confidence and empowerment techniques for all my clients.   

So I am very pleased to officially announce that I have added the American Sports & Fitness Association - Running Fitness Instruction certification to my personal training portfolio.   

About the certificate: 

ASFA's Running Fitness Instruction Certification addresses different types of running preparation, running accessories and exercise program development.  Additionally, this certification covers endurance running, dynamic movement, nutrition, footwear, running program development and more.  With our certification, the fitness professional has the potential to maximize client results specific to running fitness.

This certification expands knowledge in the following areas:  1) Enhanced understanding of a diverse collection of dynamic movement and endurance running training methods;  2) Expanded knowledge in key aspects of running instruction such as flexibility, dynamic movement, run economy and more;  3) Ability to showcase specialized expertise in speed and endurance running preparation;  4) Greater understanding of gait, stride, cadence and other essential running fitness components.

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Many people working in the fitness industry like to run, but unless they have formal education leading to certification, they are not properly able to instruct others in: safe running form and technique, safely building up running programs, early identification of common running injuries and have the knowledge how to deal with them.  Stay safe and get good results with a certified running instructor and coach. 

So if you have been considering taking up running for weight management, want to run a personal best at your next 5km road race, or maybe you promised a friend you would do that charity 10K with her next spring, then contact me and lets get you running!  I have both the experience and certification to guide you. 

Integrity in the Fitness Industry

I’ve been working in the fitness industry for many years now, and I’ve seen a lot of fitness professionals who impress me greatly.  Yet sadly, on the flip side, I’ve seen just as many people working in the fitness industry who disturb me just as much.   

The boom in the fitness industry has lead many people to believe that anyone can become a fitness professional: “Hey, I like working out in the gym, maybe I should become a personal trainer too. It sure beats waitressing.”  Or “I’ve lost so much weight that even I know enough about exercise to train others now”.

But those same people fail to recognize the hard work and commitment - (a) the early mornings/late nights, b) training for official and credible certifications, c) securing liability insurance and following all proper protocols to ensure coverage is actually applied to clients, d) properly handling of their clients’ personal and private information in a secure/discreet manner, e) actively leading by example in their actions and lifestyle choices, and f) being honest to your clients about your intentions and actions) - required to be truly professional in the fitness industry. 

These are the qualities that make for a safe, responsible and credible trainer.  And after doing so much consultation work at various gyms in the course of my career, I feel frustrated at all the irresponsible behaviours I’ve witnessed by so many so-called ‘fitness professionals’.  Their bad behaviour and lack of proper training often lead to injury, liability and damage to other businesses reputations.       

  
Fitness professionals should always be punctual, respectful of your time and others, properly dressed for the working (and working out) environment, and treat other clients and staff with respect as well. There is a time to yell and shout, during a hard workout, but also a time to know when calm, quiet and proper discretion is just as important to the client. 

Because so much of the fitness industry market is fuelled by money, people are easily caught up in the hype and excitement of the process, and the desire to believe in the promises being made to them (not just to clients, but also to club owners/employers, I should add).  But before hiring a personal trainer (or other fitness professional) people really need to do their homework, in order to ensure the services they are paying for are truly what they believe them to be.

How can they do this?

1. Do a background check on the individual.  Ask to see a copy of their official certifications.  Where and when was it renewed? Can I see your CPR/First Aid certification?  Who are you insured with and what are you covered for in case I get injured? Any true fitness professional should be able to answer and provide proof of coverage.  Good websites to check credentials would be: http://repscanada.com/ or http://coach.ca/

2. Ask the fitness pro for client testimonials.  They should be able to provide references for their work. You are hiring them for a job after all - the job of training you!

3. The next step would be to do a simple google search on the individual.  Check for their online history - blogs, facebook postings, twitter account, youtube videos, etc..  If your fitness pro preaches one life at the gym and another life online then their integrity may be questionable. I’ve found blogs and videos of other so-called fitness professionals that have shocked me with their total lack of discretion and outright privacy breaches, not to mention risk taking behaviours. 

My advice to anybody looking to hire a trainer is to do your homework.  Look up the individual you are considering hiring. Ask them questions and ask them to produce certifications.  If they can not, then you really need to keep looking. 

If clients demand quality then the industry will follow.  Let’s keep our standards high!