Ouch – harsh question eh? This is going to be a bit of a different blog post this week, but one I think has really great timing.  We’re playing in the area of psychological health and fitness – based on some observations of the past week or so.

We have this wall at Le Physique, (actually we have several), but there are two walls in particular that I want to tell you about.

One is our goal wall.  Every quarter, we perform re-assessments with our clients and encourage them to think about specific goals they’d like to achieve in 2 or three months.  Then we, as trainers, know how to align ourselves with what our clients truly want and need.  Sure, we’ll provide the professional guidance and input if needed, but ultimately, we’re here to help THEM get what THEY want, not what we want.

The kinds of goals you’ll see on our goal wall range from “learn to run 5k” to “go kayaking” and “hike Kilimanjaro” to “Quad crush” (I’m not entirely sure what this one is, but the client and his trainer do, so that’s good enough for me).  The purpose of this wall is to provide people with purpose for their workouts, inspiration and to play a little.

We have a second wall with a giant posterboard on it that says “CONGRATULATIONS, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED” and when someone achieves their goal, we make a big hubaloo about it, move the note over and put up a photo of them doing it.  The purpose of this wall is to provide inspiration and provide an opportunity for clients to strut their stuff.  Cycling 300k or hiking the Yosemite Grand Traverse is pretty awesome.  For a client with debilitating back and knee pain to comfortably do 20 minutes on the treadmill and confidence to do ball crunches…I love it!

Here’s where the interesting observation is.  When I ask people how they will celebrate or reward themselves for achieving something really personally cool, I usually get a modest response like, “oh…um, I don’t know. I wasn’t planning anything.”  It’s like the concept of totally being jazzed about what they did, is brushed under the rug, never to be seen again.  I get similar responses some of my team at staff meetings when I ask them to share their wins for the week. They talk about a CLIENT’s wins, or even a CO-WORKER’s wins…they typically shine the light on someone else.  Curious!

My team and my clients are so modest, I love that they aren’t boastful.  But that’s where the disconnect is.  There is a HUGE difference between being proud of yourself and being confident enough to share what you’ve achieved to inspire others, versus letting your ego run the show, get on a soapbox and say, “I did this, and you didn’t.  You suck – HA HA.”

I’ve had times in my life when a friend or colleauge is joyfully expressing something amazing in their lives, in an unassuming manner.  And I’ve typically had two responses.

1. I’m so jealous – what a bitch…bwah bwah bwah bwah
2. WOW I’M SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!  

I realize that when I have reaction (1), it’s because I have issues (hey, I’m working on them) but what I ended up doing was promising that I’d never be like that; I would never “boast” or even talk about my achievements, for fear of looking like I’m all high and mighty.

What I ended up doing (besides allowing myself to ruin the rest of my day or week by hanging on to that jealously and bitter feelings, or worse, ruining friendships) was totally negating what I have achieved.

Bachelor’s Degree?  Meh.

Bought my own place?  Whatever.

Achieved personal training awards and placed top 3 in martial arts competitions?  Any moron with half a brain cell could do that.

So I learned to discount my achievements and never celebrate my wins.  I taught myself that I would never amount to anything; I’m a complete failure because I wasn’t Warren Buffet, Oprah Winfrey or Mother Teresa…YESTERDAY.  I looked at everything my friends were doing and put them on pedestals (then shot arrows at them), thought I was scum of the Earth and should probably return to the Earth in a hurry (dust to dust, right?).  Oh yes…times have been dark for this cat.

Now, when someone tells me something amazing, I go with option 2 (and totally honestly, not the fake smile and congrats).  Their achievements inspire me to try it, or see that the Universe showing me that I can achieve it too. My favourite feeling? Just really, really enjoying seeing someone authentically happy (hey, skydiving is just NOT something I’m in to, but if you want to, do it!).  I’m totally digressing so I’ll get back to the point.

My challenge to YOU is to acknowledge how awesome you really are. If you’re willing to play along:

Step (1) Make a list of all the incredible things you have achieved in your life and the things you’re super grateful for –  no matter how “small.” Spend a good 10 minutes on this list.  Keep writing

Step (2) Read it over

Step (3) Read it over as though someone you deeply care about just handed you their list

Step (4) Pat yourself on the back (if you have been told you have winging scapula, do this every day)

Step (5) Be awesome

Repeat as necessary.

Can you see how this is just a matter of a paradigm shift?  You could read that list over and totally criticize yourself and think it’s nothing.  Or you could read that list over, notice and celebrate yourself.

So here’s where the cool timing part comes in.  In June, we’re hosting a SPRING PARTY to celebrate YOU!  We just want you to  have some appetizers, participate in a free group dance lesson and be acknowledged for being so friggin cool.

So that’s it – pat yourself on the back, shine your light and come to your party on June 6th at 6pm for a free dance lesson and hang with people who think you’re amazing.

Namaste!

Questions?  Comments?  Want to know why patting yourself on the back is good for scapular stability? Email me at nicole (at) lephysique.com or call me 604 873-2255.  Have an amazing day!

Sure, I know plenty of runners that joke that running as the only way they can eat the things they love, whenever they want, but for those of you that are serious about using only running as a method of weight loss or maintenance, I want to introduce to you the concept of EPOC.

A little science, if you will play along: EPOC, also known as “excess post-exercise oxygen consumption,” helps us restore our depletion of oxygen after a very hard workout. What’s even better is that it continues to work our metabolism, so you’re killing calories well after your workout (another reason to get off the couch and go for a run or lift some weights!) In addition to be able to keep your metabolism going, EPOC is also good for getting lactic acid out of your muscles after a strenuous workout.

The effects of EPOC are observed after a workout because it needs to restore the oxygen that was used during your workout. However, the effects of EPOC are greater after an intense workout compared to a moderate workout. Training with high intensity intervals (which we talked about last week in the interval training blog) or intense resistance workouts can cause a greater effect of EPOC than aerobic workouts.

Translation: lifting weights will cause a greater number of calories burned after your workouts, than aerobic training would.

This is due to the disturbance to the body’s preference to be at homeostasis (wanting to be stable and have constant properties). High intensity intervals and resistance workouts cause a higher deficit in homeostasis levels in the body. This will require more energy to return the body back to a condition it wants to be in. When we use several large muscle groups at the same time, more oxygen is required to be distributed to those muscles to maintain the intensity of the exercise. The more oxygen used during your exercise, the greater effect EPOC will be post-workout.

For weight training, the bench press and the dead lift are two very good examples of exercises to be able to initiate EPOC effectively. They both require large muscle groups to work simultaneously to maintain the resistance and stabilize the body. An alternative that can work EPOC effectively is circuit training. Circuit training works all muscles constantly because you are always moving and with little rest breaks between circuits. Sets would run between 45-90 seconds and breaks would be 30-60seconds after a full circuit.

Take home messages:

• Higher intensity in your training equals a higher number of calories burned
• Adding weight training to your routine will increase the number of calories burned after your exercise session (often for hours into your day), also resulting in a greater number of calories burned

Brought to you by Amelia Ng and Nicole

Questions? Comments?  Want us to throw other big scientifity jargon-y words at you and explain the relevance?   Email us at info@lephysique.com ~ we’re here to help!

Our top 3 prep tips for marathon success

(1) On the day of the big race, make sure you have a good simple carbohydrate breakfast. It’ll digest fast and you’ll have immediate energy storage. By this time, you already know what is working for your body, so stick to it!  If you happen to be eating steak and eggs for breakfast on a daily basis and for some reason it totally works for you, then steak and eggs it be!  Likely this isn’t the case, so we’re going to continue to suggest a tried and true (for you) simple carbohydrate breakfast.

(2) Our favourite advice, ever: just be you.  After your breakfast, stick with your routine. Don’t wear new clothes, don’t drink new fluids, don’t try new foods, don’t go on a crazy morning trek, and especially don’t wear new shoes. A routine that your body is used to is best for race day.

(3) Dress in light layers for you run. I’d love to say “check the weather forecast” but they’re seldom bang on, do it anyways. The morning will be a little cooler (it always is at 6am), but if it’s forecast to be a sunny morning, as you get into you “groove,” you’ll start sweating and getting hotter.  Also be prepared for damp weather if it’s supposed to rain.  We can’t say enough good stuff about moisture wicking, technical clothes!  If it is going to rain on the day of and you need your ipod to be your run buddy, protect it by popping it into a ziplock or waterproof bag, tucked into somewhere safe and dry.  (And as a side note, if you happen to kill your phone due to water logging from the rain, we know how to fix that too!)

We asked for race day advice from a colleague, Ironman and seasoned endurance athlete (when someone has run 100 mile races…you ask this man for tips), Dr. Sukhi Muker (age 38)  (http://www.drsukhi.com/) of the Center for Optimal living, what would be his number one tip for a new (half) marathon racer: “as a result of racing dozens of times… Race your own race (pace/nutrition) don’t worry about what everyone else is doing, especially when that start gun goes off. 90% of people start too fast. Have a race plan and stick to it!”

Our own Denise Mackenzie, kinesiologist and athletic therapist (age 27), has this advice for new half marathoners: “You’ve been doing the prep work for months and know what distance you can run.  Worst case scenario, I KNOW  I can run 16k and  walk 5k.  I might be nervous but I’m stubborn and I know I will finish. Be confident that you can, and you will too!”

Nic Proulx, kinesiologist at LP shared his strategy for the upcoming marathon: “I plan on starting out fast….then maybe going fast in the middle part.  Oh, then definitely finishing fast.”  Don’t steal his strategy, this man has a plan, and we will make him stick to it…

Jeff Hau, morning kinesiologist and the most experienced runner at LP (1 marathon and 4 half marathon races), feels that wearing a heart rate monitor has been his secret to keeping a consistent pace and ensuring that he’s not pushing too hard.  Know what your target heart rate zones are and work within your zones.

Retired engineer Don Louie (a youthful 50-ish), shared his advice for anyone running the marathon. “On race day the runner is hyped. For a first marathon, think finishing strong not finishing fast. After training, 32 km is not too hard. “The Wall” is somewhere in the 20+ mile area. The last 10 km can be very tough.  Most people do not train by running the full race distance. When venturing into an untested running distance, a preplanned, steady pace gets you crossing the finish line. This strategy worked for me.:

Actor, director and 5 time marathon runner Joshua Young (age 32) has this to offer, “if the present moment feels too hard, put your focus on how great it will feel to cross that finish line. If you are feeling fine but the finish line seems to far away, focus on the moment and your breathing and forget outcome. ”
Our advice?  HAVE FUN.  Put on your favourite awesome attitude underpants and hat, know we’re rooting for you and will cheer the heck out of you no matter where you are, no matter what your time, and will think you’re completely amazing.

Brought to you by Amelia Ng and Nicole Yamanaka

If you have any questions or comments, please share them!  Of if you just want to know how to save your phone from water damage, send us an email to info@lephysique.com.

During a long run, you are trying to keep at a constant pace for a prolonged period of time. The body works “aerobically” to sustain activity – your breathing is generally at an unchanging rhythm and your heart rate doesn’t speed up or slow down like crazy unless you start to push yourself harder to try and increase your pace. Most of your energy is transformed from the aerobic system (this is why runners should “carbo-load” before a long race).

Move faster to move faster!

During interval training, you excite your heart rate and essentially work at two levels, a high intensity period (anaerobically) and a recovery period (aerobic). This forces your heart to pump faster to keep up with your intensity level you are going at to deliver blood to your muscles. Your Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) might be up in the 7.5 – 9+ level, and heart rate closer to your 80-90% target heart rate zone).  But after a short spurt, you give it a recovery period (RPE of 6 – 8, heart rate in the 75 – 85% THRz).

“But this sounds complicated and haaarrrrd….”

Haha, fear not…it’s really quite easy to do, in fact, I bet you’ve been doing a type of interval training called Fartlek all this time, and never knew it.  Gosh, you’re good!

Why interval train?

• When done properly, interval training is time efficient – and who doesn’t like efficiency!
• It’s easily adapted for beginners and seasoned experts alike.  Conceptually it’s the same but with different ratios, so you could incorporate it now, even if you’re starting your first week of a running program!
• Love that “lactic acid burn”? If so, then you’ll love this training style (because you’re crazy like that and we love you for it).
• Hate that “lactic acid burn”? If so, you’ll love intervals because the bouts are short and under your control, your tolerance will improve, which means better performance!
• You’ll become faster.
• You’ll burn more calories in something called EPOC, but we’ll get to that science another day.

Here is a sample interval training program for short and middle distance runners – give it a shot!

4 (reps) x 400m x 2 (sets) = 3.2 km

Pace should be 1-4 seconds faster than ¼ of your best 1 mile time

Relief interval between reps should consist of easy walking and should be the same length of time as the running interval with the rest between sets, twice as long.

For example, 1min 30sec run : 1min 30sec rest

- Repeat 3 more times

- Rest for 3 minutes

- Repeat running for 4 more intervals of 400m with walking recovery periods in between

Incorporate intervals as part of your marathon training program, over 8 to 10weeks.  If you’re really keen on improving your time and can handle the mileage (the BMO and Scotia are coming up in month or so, and the Fall Classic is in November, so you can play with your schedule a bit), then interval training 3 times a week will greatly benefit you as well.

If you would like us to help you develop a personalized running schedule, perform a running assessment or develop a core and running specific strength training program, or just want to know what Fartlek training is…give us a call or email to info@lephysique.com – Happy running!

Brought to you by Amelia Ng and Nicole Yamanaka

Enjoy your Sun Run....or else!

Hooray! The annual Vancouver Sun Run is this Sunday April 15th.  Whether you are running it, jogging it, walking it, or cheering someone on, you want to be prepared for it.  Here 5 quick tips for these last couple of days before you hit the road for the run!

1. Hydrate. Hydrate. Hyrdate. I can copy and paste that as many times as it needs to make it stick. Stay hydrated, especially as the running day comes closer. However, do not drown yourself with water as that will not give you an advantage either. Drink enough so you can stay hydrated and circulate your electrolytes.

2. Many of you have probably heard of “carbo-loading” before a big race or game. This is true as you want enough glycogen storage for the big day. However, timing your “carbo-loading” is important. Eating a huge pasta meal the night before your race won’t be as effective as eating a pasta lunch and a regular sized pasta dinner. This gives your body time to digest the food and store it. Having a huge pasta dinner the night before will have your body spending the rest of the night and the morning of still trying to digest the food and not in time to be stored so it can use it during your race.

3. Don’t schedule long runs 2-3 days before your race. Not only will it not enhance your cardiovascular fitness for the race, it may even cause injury. Adequate rest is key before the race.  Go out for a short (2-3km) jog the day before if you really are itching to hit the road but pushing a 8-10km run will only fatigue your body.

4. Wear proper footwear. Don’t bring out the new runners you recently purchased just for the race. Run in athletic shoes that you are comfortable in and have good support. Remember you’ll be on your feet for a while and the last thing you want is blisters forming or an achy arch because you’re wearing new shoes.

5. Keep away from alcoholic drinks! Running hungover or still drunk is not safe or desirable. It will also dehydrate you. Stick with water the night before.

Have a fantastic run and see you out there!

Brought to you by Amelia Ng, Nicole Yamanaka and your superfab support team at Le Physique

We’re going climbing! Well, it’s still kind of cold and gross out, so we’re prepping for the season by practicing our indoor climbing skills.

I LOVE climbing.  My fingers tingle every time I see an object worth scaling and I wish I could share that exhilaration with everyone I meet. Why do I love climbing, you ask? Well, let me tell you!

Benefits for your mind, body and spirit:

(1) MIND: “Finding the route” – climbing isn’t just about hulking your way up the wall.  There are tricks, twists, turns to the top.  For me, climbing is a little bit of a chess game, discovering the best, the most graceful, the funnest route to your goal.  Given everyone’s difference in strength, limb length and flexibility, it is a brain workout as much as a body workout.

(2) BODY:  From a fitness perspective, it requires strength, flexibility and as an added bonus, grace.  It’s a beautiful thing, watching someone literally glide up the wall effortlessly, and let me tell you, it’s not as difficult as it seems.

(3) SPIRIT: I’ve seen people conquer their fear of heights through indoor climbing and I’ve seen it instill confidence and courage (trust me, when your guts turn to mush when you REALLY push yourself and survive to tell others about your conquest) in the meekest of souls.  Well, okay they weren’t meek, maybe just quiet and needed a little nudge in the self-confidence factor and trust-of-the-rope-factor.

Are you interested in trying it out, or getting back  into it?  I’m taking you to one of the best places in the city, my favourite spot, Cliffhanger climbing – great facilities, great people and it’s where I was certified so you’ll just have to trust me while I belay you

(Yes, I used jargon but you’ll learn about belaying and using the terms in no time! Okay fine, belaying is about rope management in assisting your fellow climber.)

Please join us on Friday April 27th as we take you up the wall (I said take…not drive) to new heights. For more information click here!

Namaste, and happy training!

Your friendly neighbourhood Kinesiologist, Nicole Yamanaka

When it comes to running efficiency, it’s not so much about running in straight lines, efficiency comes from minimizing lateral (side to side) and vertical (up and down) movements.  Having a hip swish out to one side or bouncing up and down while running is a sure fire energy- and time-waster. Our goal is to maximize our forward movement, finish the race with a time we’re proud of, with energy to spare and most importantly, stay injury free.

Here is a prime example of how NOT to run.  Imagine using this style for 24 km!  Ouch.  My joints ache just watching this: Awkward running

(Side note: you know I’m all about having FUN too, so get technical enough that you’re achieving your goal, and stay loose enough that you’re able to enjoy the moment).

Our focus this week is on the lateral stabilizers. Do you think about or notice your bum when you run? Your “gluteal complex” could possibly be lazy and their contraction is minimal during running, causing the iliotibial band (IT band) to become tight and irritated. This is a typical case of one (or two) of your big lazy work colleagues not pulling their weight in the office, so guess who gets stuck doing it? Yeah, that poor skinny tall guy in the IT department.  All is fine and dandy until one day he decides enough is enough and quits.  Uh oh.  Who’s going to help us stabilize the hips now?  No more running for you!

Do yours work?

When the IT band is overused, the resulting tightness is often felt as a sharp pain along the lateral (outside) of the knee – also known as “IT band syndrome.”  If diagnosed with IT band syndrome, it is suggested to run scale back your training distances and rest. This can become a drawback when you’re training for a marathon on a specific date though, n’est-ce pas? So what do you do?

So yes, rest and change up the training, but this is where strengthening exercises come in handy to facilitate your recovery AND address the problem that caused it in the first place.  It’s also great to ensure that you “pre-habilitate” these muscles *(take a proactive approach versus waiting until you’re injured) to make sure that you’re not side-lined by IT band syndrome again and again.

Today we’re sharing with you the “Standing Jane Fonda.”

* Stand perpendicular to the wall and ensure you are close enough that a stability ball can fit between the wall and the outside of your leg closer to the wall.

* Place the ball to sit just above the knee.

* Keep your hips square, tighten your core, and remember: “neutral spine”

* Bend the knee that is next to the ball to 90° so you are stabilizing / balancing on your other leg. Hint: Pretend you have a peg-leg!

* Press your bent knee into the ball: Imagine a sweeping motion of the knee

REMINDER: Continue to keep your hips square, tighten your core, and make sure you keep a neutral spine.  No leaning or twisting allowed!

* On your standing leg make sure you feel weight in your heel-midfoot. Stay firmly planted on the ground.

* With each sweep, you should feel the work in the high hip (gluteus medius) of your standing leg.

Great posture!

"You're doing it wrong"

Don’t have a ball? This same movement can be done with a pillow against the wall.  No cheating! Stay tuned for more running tips in our Half Marathon series.

If you have any questions, we’re here to help!  Contact us at 604 873-2255 to book your running assessment.  Good luck and have a great run!

(Presented to you by Amelia Ng, Nicole Yamanaka and Denise MacKenzie)

If you’re a first timer, up for the challenge, here are our running tips, in a weekly series, to keep you on track for your half or full marathon.

Running Tip 1:

Staying hydrated is very important when doing any kind of activity. Fuel sources for our bodies, along with how much, before, during and after activity can affect our performance.  Dehydration can also lead to many problems ranging from minor complications like headaches and muscle cramping, to major malfunctions like heatstroke and heat exhaustion.

Wonderful water!

* During your training period, hydrating well is important; especially on the days you run the longer routes. Ensure that your hydration program starts several days prior to a long run, not just the day before.  Urine color is a great way to determine whether you are hydrated or not: the lighter the colour, the more hydrated you are. Conversely, avoid drinks that can dehydrate you, such as alcohol.

* During your run, if you’re thirsty, have a swig. If your workout or run has exceeded 60 minutes, drinks that include electrolytes are advised as well to replenish the salts and other minerals lost in your body during the workout.

* After your run, it is important to re-hydrate with water and for an added boost, electrolyte and mineral-based drinks can help to restore all that was lost during your run. Gatorade is a good choice, though I’d recommend watering it down to lower the sugar concentration.  You can lose about 20-24oz of water per pound after your run.  Simple way to determine this? Step on the scale before your run and then again after.  For every pound differential, drink 2 – 3 cups of water.

So to recap:

(a)   Hydrate before your workout, not just the day of or day before.  In fact, start now!

(b)   Avoid drinks that will dehydrate you, like alcohol.

(c)   Hydrate during your workout.  Use electrolyte based drinks for runs longer than 60 minutes.

(d)   Hydrate after you workout.  Drink 2 – 3 cups for every pound of weight lost during the workout.

Have a great run and stay tuned for more tips on helping you run better!

(Brought to you by Amelia Ng and Nicole Yamanaka)