De-Evolution - What can we learn from children?

 

In this post I want to look at the idea of "De-Evolution."

If you're not sure what I mean, here's the basic idea:

We were designed to move. Our bodies have a number of cleverly designed joints to allow for a whole spectrum of movements through their various shapes and forms (think about how different an elbow joint/hinge joint is to a shoulder/ball and socket design).

However, as children's activities revolve less around a ball in the street and climbing trees and instead  more around a computer screen; and adults work longer hours than ever and spend more and more time in other stagnant, often seated tasks (driving to and from work, working at a desk, sitting in front of the TV because you're so tired from all the sitting and working and sitting and driving) this ability to move fluidly and freely is regressing to a more fixed, less supple version of yourself.

While this is true, many people will argue "children are always so supple; we need to move more as they do in order to stay supple. Look at a baby, look how they can squat and sit in a deep squat position easily. We should all still be able to do that." These same people will use this image (or similar) to back up their argument:

While the general thought pattern has some merit ie: we should try to move more in order to maintain our ability to move freely.

There are a few large oversights from those that expect everyone to move in their 40's as they did in their toddler years.

1) Wear and tear:

Inevitably, as the years go on we will pick up more and more knocks, injuries, breaks and strains. Often the body will create alternative ways to move in order to look after these injuries. Think about when you've hurt your ankle or foot you naturally limp without any thought in order to protect your injury. Over the years these injuries and issues may lead to a number of ineffective movements patterns and bad habits for many of us.

2) A quick myth buster:

A new born baby will have around 300 "bones" in comparison to a full grown adult who has around 200 actual bones. Most of the structure of a baby is in fact cartilage based; over time many of these will harden and fix with others so inevitably movement capabilities and suppleness will change.

However... one ethos does still apply to movement...

"use it or lose it"

More and more we lead a stagnant life. From desk based jobs, to endless hours in a car and the ever increasing number of box sets available; there is often a compelling reason to just sit still.

Further still, more and more the pursuit of "convenience" is at the forefront of our consumer mind. We just want to do "whatever's easiest". This is a horrible ethos to live by and one that inevitably leads us to often jump to the easiest option when possible. Whether it's ordering in food, having our food shopping delivered, taking an escalator over just one level or driving to places which are very walkable, we're all guilty of sometimes doing whatever the easiest option is; which is often the least active.

So how should we fix this and what should we aim to do?

Maintain Movement:

Wherever possible, take the option to move more. Make this a conscious choice in your life and this will inevitably allow your body to stay active and more healthy. Walk, don't drive, choose active family activities, carry things when possible, test yourself and elevate your heart rate.

Re-think movement:

I'm not suggesting you jump around the office like a monkey but... you could always jump around a park like a monkey? Or crawl like a bear, or climb, or roll or jump. Try not to restrict the way you think about movement and look around for inspiration. There's plenty of "primal movement" videos on YouTube or perhaps looks closely at animal movements and children at play.

Observing a child:

I'm very fortunate to have a beautiful 2 year old son named Cassius. Cassius (or "Big Cass") is a ball of energy and, thankfully has taken after me in the height/structure department. He's alarmingly strong and seems to have a strange competitive nature which causes him to want to move any heavy objects, large objects or objects that he's seen me move (including kettlebells that weigh more than him, 3-seat-sofas and even me, his 17 stone+ Dad who he thinks he should be able to push aside when he desperately "needs" a toy or snack).

What I've also observed from "Big Cass" is his inherent knowledge of movement, balance and ability to ergonomically overcome obstacles.

For instance, he can (upsettingly) already squat better than I can and sit in a relaxed deep squat for ages while he plays.

He figured out how to climb on to a sofa using his large head for an anchor while climbing with his legs. How to climb up stairs when he smaller despite their relative height to him. Using his bodyweight to lean forward and run faster or lean backwards and counterweight him down hill.

You might not have children of your own so I can't advise that you spend time watching kids and how they move; you and I could both get into trouble for that! Instead, for inspiration have a look at primal movement videos on YouTube or investigate a company called MovNat.

What CAN we learn from the children?

What we learn is that we naturally know the correct way to move and overcome obstacles with our body. What we don't do is use the body as it should be used and more often than not, pick the easiest/laziest way to move rather than the correct way.

When you pick up things from the floor do you always bend at the knees, keep your heels down and keep an upright torso like Big Cass? Didn't think so!

To summarise...

We ALL need to move more and we ALL need to make conscious decisions to do so. Pick the active option and make your body do more. Don't stay stuck at a desk all day, walk at lunchtime, in fact, walk whenever possible. Test your bodies capability (without being ridiculous) and find out what you can and can't (safely) do.

Move more and move freely. Stay away from the restrictions of machines and use your own body as it's designed to move. Whatever your age, whatever your capabilities and whatever your stage of fitness, it's likely that your body can probably do more than you currently do with it.

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter (@MichaelD_PT) and YouTube

"I NEED to go to the gym" - Speed bumps Vs Hurdles

A healthy lifestyle and effective training and nutrition routines can  be heavily influenced by your perception of problems that may arise and your approach to conquering them.

Picture these two scenarios and how different people react depending on whether or not they see "hurdles" or "speed humps" in front of them.

 Scenario A: You usually finish work at 5.30pm and go to the gym before you go home. Today you finish at 6.30pm. What do you see?

HURDLE? "I'll give the gym a miss today otherwise I won't get home until late!"

SPEEDHUMP?  "Well I don't want to get home late... so I'll go to the gym and do a quick circuit rather than my usual workout."

Scenario B: You usually train on a Thursday after work. You're obliged to go to dinner after work as a colleague is leaving. What do you see?

HURDLE? "I can't go to the gym Thursday as I'm out and I'll also be too hung over Friday to go in the morning."

SPEEDHUMP? "I'm going to have to get up early and go to the gym before work on Thursday morning. I'll probably drink on Thursday evening so I'd better make sure my food is flawless this week."

So whats's the difference? It's two-fold:

1) Some foresight:

Inevitably "things crop up". So, in order to have a successful routine with your food and training it's essential to look ahead each week, understand where changes are necessary to your standard routine and makes the necessary amendments in order to stay on track and compensate for unavoidable deviations. Create a calorie deficit if necessary when you realise that heavy eating and/or drinking is on your schedule. Train at alternative times when you know your usual sessions aren't all possible this week. Without this forward planning things will always "pop up" and there will be opportunity after opportunity to fall away from your original plans for training and nutrition.

2) Language you use with yourself:

Another important thing to utilise is the language you choose to use with yourself. Be positive and be assertive. If you say "I should..." do something, this already suggests that you're unlikely to do it. For instance "I should go to the gym in the morning before work as I'm out in the evening." Part of you is already planning on not going. Instead try: "I need to go to the gym in the morning...." or "I can't eat badly this week as I'm drinking on Thursday" or "I have to do an extra session this weekend."

There needs to be a level of certainty and positivity in your own affirmations. Make your plans and statements absolute.

So each week make sure that you A) Look ahead and understand your week. Then, make sure you see speed humps, NOT hurdles. Then, where changes are necessary make an amended concrete plan that's air-tight and non-negotiable.

Don't forget you can follow me on Twitter (@MichaelD_PT) and YouTube.

The A-Z scale of Lifestyles and Physiques

Recently I have been talking to my clients about what I imagine as an A-Z scale of lifestyles and how these lifestyles usually offer you an exact reflection of your physique.

Or as some people say: "You get out exactly what you put in."

Yes, there are exceptions to every rule. The people that seem to eat whatever they want and stay lean or those at the other end of the spectrum and live a seemingly healthy lifestyle but can't shift any extra body fat.

Yes, there are exceptions but also remember: "What you eat in private, you wear in public". Sometimes all is not as it may appear...

So, what's an "A Lifestyle" and what do these people look like?

An "A Lifestyle" is a clean diet involving no processed foods, no preservatives, no refined sugars, no alcohol and no days off from this regime. An "A Lifestyle" person will train frequently with purpose, intensity and direction with progressive overload. They do not skip days, they do not "just do a bit today" and they do not approach their week without a plan.

As a result, they probably look something like this...

So, what's a "Z Lifestyle" and what do these people look like?

A "Z Lifestyle" has no structure. This person does not exercise, eats what they want and the majority of their food choices are dependent on what's most convenient rather than rich in nutrients. Take away food, instant meals, sweats, puddings, sugars and fatty foods are frequent in their diet.

These people will usually end up looking something like this...

For the vast majority of people, sustaining "A Lifestyle" is not achievable. And you're far from being a "Z Lifestyle" person." However... I like to start the year aiming to move myself close to "Lifestyle A". Take note of changes in my body, mood and energy.

Then not through habit, but through conscious choices I add in things which don't belong in "Lifestyle A" (the odd bit of alcohol, sugar etc) until I reach a point/letter that I'm happy to settle on. THIS is my sustainable lifestyle; ideally closer to "Lifestyle A" than I was before this process.

What I'm trying to say is...

Don't "end up" with a lifestyle, exercise and eating habits accidently. Experience a style of living far "better" than one you intend on sustaining and then consciously set your lifestyle guidelines.

Give it a go and see if you can move a little closer to an "A Lifestyle."

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter (@MichaelD_PT) and YouTube

Crowding Out: Add in to make progress. Don't take away!

Many of you may be aiming for a healthier lifestyle in 2016.

More often than not this mean "get rid of X", "stop doing Y", remove all "Z's". Doesn't sound like much of a deal right?

Well, what if instead of taking things away, you could add more to your life and still make progress?

Recently I have been reading about "crowding out". An economic (something about public sector vs private sector spending) which is now being used in a nutritional sense.

In basic (my) terms, the idea of "Nutrition Crowding Out" is about focusing your efforts on good, introducing more "good" so that you are less interested with the "bad" elements of your life.

For example: Rather than seeing clean eating as a task why not put more effort into it so that it becomes more enjoyable and interesting? Do some additional reading, find some interesting recipes, shop for new and interesting ingredients and focus on food preparation and creating interesting tastes and meals. Fill yourself with so much "good" nutrients that you won't have the same cravings for any of the "bad".

With your lifestyle habits why not spend more time and energy on healthy pursuits rather than time and effort thinking about bad foods, lazy habits and activities that compromise your progress.

For example joining an exercise group (fitness classes, walking or running groups, climbing clubs, sports teams etc etc) so that you now have more of your free time committed to exercise.

Soon enough your mind will be less attracted to the "bad" in your life given hat you are applying so much physical and mental energy to the "good".

Give it a go, don't take away from your life but add in and "crowd out".

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter (@MichaelD_PT) and YouTube

Christmas Post - What are you doing with your 2016? What's next?

Merry Christmas etc, etc.


Anyway...


2015 is almost over and 2016 is just around the corner so what's the plan? What's next? Christmas is a brilliant time to take a short break from work, reflect on the year gone by (what you did/didn't like), what you're grateful for, what you achieved and what you'd like to improve and achieve in the year ahead.


Always try to be specific with goals and bracket them into different groups with a detailed timeline for success broken down into specific actions.


For example, here are my goals for the year ahead (I have them drafted in much more detailed and specific stages than this).


WORK

• I want to continue to grow my own PT business in order to help more people lead a fuller and healthier lifestyle. This will require regular, targeted content and marketing efforts.

• I want to expand the outreach of my monthly eNews letter to reach more people and offer free fitness related content to a wider wed of people. This will require me to collate more email addresses throughout the year and also rely partly on word of mouth.

If you'd like to receive monthly fitness information, articles and promotions then please email me at: MichaelADarren@gmail.com


There are other "Business" bullet points that I won't be sharing just yet.


PERSONAL

• I would like to spend more and more time with my son, Cassius. He will be 2 in February and I am very aware that these coming years can be very influential in terms of progression for him.

Over Christmas I am going to spend some time thinking about the specific life lessons and morals that I would like to instil in him. I want him to continue to be exposed to "new" and nurture his curiosity for all things new. Now that he is more mobile and able I would also like to show him some new activities such as bouldering for children. I want him to understand that "The best things in life aren't things".

• I would like to expand my own personal knowledge and self worth. I will be reading more regularly and also taking at least 2 new qualifications in 2016. In 2015 I booked myself on to 2 courses which were both (annoyingly) cancelled!

FITNESS

• I am going to completely revamp my training structure for the week. In my on-going pursuit of leg gains I am going to focus on 2 x slower, longer gym sessions a week for my legs. I feel that my knee health is at the stage where this is now a realistic aim. I will aim for 2 further sessions each week in a circuit style gym sessions and a final movement based exercise session each week. I am also going to try and include more mobility and swimming this year (though not on a weekly basis).

• I want to get outside! At some stages while travelling and for a period afterwards I had no gym membership. I trained outside regularly whatever the weather and I loved it! I want to make sure that I'm training outside at least every other week. This is likely to compliment my pursuit of movement based sessions so it's likely to be achievable. While I'll always gravitate back to traditional gym exercises I really value outdoor training for enjoyment and clarity of thought. Hopefully it can also be combined with my tinkering's with meditation too and allow regular meditation and relaxation exercises to become a pillar of my training.

LIFESTYLE
I am going to continue to invest in memories and experiences rather than possessions. I have a theory that: many people don't truly understand the meaning of happiness, how to find it or how to embrace it. I am forever grateful for small moments of beauty and happiness: laughing uncontrollably, hearing my son laugh or achieve something that he couldn't achieve a month earlier, sites, views and experiences. Being able to spot these moments, acknowledge them and savour them is a huge part of my happiness and wellbeing. After all: "The best things in life aren't things."


So what are your specific aims and goals for 2016? Think about different subject or pillars that you can group them under.


Don't forget to follow me on: www.twitter.com/MichaelD_PT and www.YouTube.com/uer/BigMikePT

Too Much of a Good Thing

The phrase "too much of a good thing" can be applied in some shape or form to lots of things (depending on your definition of "good").

 

Too much alcohol - makes you feel terrible, too much pudding - also makes you feel terrible, too many late nights and parties - terrible; and you can add to this list "exercise".

 

Wait - This is NOT an excuse to just do the odd bit of exercise and me saying "you don't want to do too much - it's bad for you." That's not what I'm saying at all.

 

I'm talking about issues caused by repetitive movements. Here are a few tips to make sure that you don't make exercise "a bad thing".

 

CARDIO KINGS:

1) Off ya bike!

Imagine in your head a perfect posture. Head upright, spine in a neutral position, hips below shoulders. Then imagine your position on a bike. Far from this perfect posture correct? I'm not saying "never cycle" but if you want to repeatedly compromise your bodies natural shape and form then cycle every day. If you DON'T, then get off of your bike and add variety to your cardio. Also add in corrective resistance work and mobility work between bike sessions.

2) Run on the other side of the road

Most roads are cambered so if you do a lot of road running try to run on different sides of the road in order to avoid repetitive strain issues from an unbalanced running style. It's as simple as that!

3) Add resistance

Making resistance work a part of your weekly gym schedule with have multiple benefits to aid your bodies recovery and general robustness: 1) You'll be stronger and more efficient when it comes to your cardio sessions, 2) You'll be stronger and more robust when it comes to injury avoidance, 3) You can un-do  some of the repetitive strains added to your body by countless hours of cardio. 4) You'll give your body a break from the usual cardio and offer it an alternative stimulus.

4) Find a kinder surface

If you're a regular runner then road running can be very unkind for your joints. try to add variety and find a kinder running surface such as an athletics track.

5) Run correctly

Most people think they can run because they can move at a walking pace and then do some movements that make them move a bit faster. There is in fact a lot more technique to running than many people understand. If you intend of running regularly you should seek the advice of an experienced running coach. Not only will this help you to avoid injuries but it should also make you more efficient. You wouldn't buy a car and just "give driving a go" as you'd probably damage it. So why would you take the same risks with your body; an object that can't be replaced when damaged?

 

GYM FOLK:

1) Pull more than you push

Most things we as humans do are in front of us and require us to hold our arms in front to do so; driving, eating, typing etc. This often causes a shortness in the anterior muscles (front side of the body) causing a rounding of the shoulders and neck. Try to un-do the everyday tensions by focusing on "pulling" work in the gym far more than you do "pushing" work. For people that perform push ups and sit ups every morning.. stop it!

2) Move freely

It's important that you allow the body to move as it's designed to. Try to include a variety of movements in all sessions. As well as your standard push and pull work make sure that you rotate, hinge, lunge and crawl or climb. Don't be limited by resistance machines and conventional exercises, use your own body, move naturally and incorporate elements of play into your exercise regime.

3) Don't train the same muscle groups consistently without sufficient rest

By not allowing sufficient rest for muscles your body will not be able to repair, adapt and grow. If you have a set gym routine that you cover every time you're in there then this needs adjusting. If you're not sure how to do this then see a professionals help and ask them to design your gym programmes in 6-8 week blocks and then re-visit them for a new set,

4) Train the body equally

Most people (males especially) like to train what they can see. Usually their chest, abdominal area and biceps are the main focus week-on-week. Training with this as your sole focus not only leaves the symmetry of your body all out of whack, but also causes additional strain for areas of the body that are weaker and are forced to operate in an alternative, incorrect way in order to compensate for the weakness. For example, neglecting your legs and glute muscles may lead to back pains due to a weakness in that area.

5) Train limbs individually

It can be tempting to stick with resistance machines or barbell work for the majority of your resistance work. However, often these exercises to do not highlight areas of weakness or imbalance in terms of strength or range of movement. It can be hard to definitively say where the majority of the effort is coming from. For these reasons it's important to regularly train single limbs, uncover areas of weakness and imbalance between the left and right side of your body and then address these issues.

 

EVERYONE:

Foam roll and stretch

Everyone (in my opinion) should foam roll and stretch regularly. Even if you're not a regular exerciser you need to undo the unnatural confinements, positions and strains that your lifestyle imposes on you. We're not designed to be sedentary; we should move be mobile and be free. Help your body out and give back regularly.

 

Ultimately, it's about finding a good balance that suits both your lifestyle and your own personal rate of recovery. Listen to your body, think prevention rather than cure when it comes to injury and recovery, don't put all of your eggs in one basket and don't have "too much of a good thing."

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter (@MichaelD_PT) and YouTube

Use Your Time More Wisely

When you're in the gym and you're between sets, what do you do? Talk to a friend? How long does that go on for? Walk around the gym finding the best down-lights to make you look awesome? Get a drink? Prowl the gym floor like you own it? Check-in on Facebook, Tweet and upload a picture on Instagram to report on your gains?

While checking out how great you look might seem like a good use of your time, why not be even MORE productive?

The chances are when you spend time doing these non-specific activities, significant amounts of time may pass unnoticed and you lose the momentum of your workout.

Why not set 60-120 second timers between sets. This should be ample rest time. Then, during your rest period maximise your gym time even further by trying these things between sets:

 

Mobilise

Select a body part (not necessarily the parts your working) and try to mobilise them between sets with bands, foam rollers or lacrosse balls. Then, next exercise pick an alternative body part. You can plan these out before you start each exercise or, you might pick and choose them to help improve your current session depending on where you're feeling restrictions. For example, using a lacrosse ball to relieve tension in the hip flexors during the early sets of a back squats may benefit you as the weight increases. Alternatively, use a foam roller to reduce stiffness and soreness from previous sessions.
Here's a nice little gym flow that you could include between the warm up/build up sets next time you squat: VIDEO

 

Work Your Core

Loads of people leave ab and core work until the end of their session. They then do it half-heartedly or not at all as they just want to get home. Why not mix it into your session. Sometime I like to try and superset every exercise with a different test of core strength or a good ol' fashioned abdominal exercises. Most of my clients will have experienced this at one time or another. It's a great way to not only get through a lot of core work, but you also increase your anaerobic capacity, it tests you mentally but above all, it means that when the main part of your session is done, then you're done. You'll probably also find that the quality of core work increases due to improved rest periods compared to when you throw it all together at the end of a session.

 

Cardio

The OTHER thing that gets left until the end of a session or ignored altogether is cardio. Why not try and throw some small intervals between sets of resistance work. You may need to add further rest after each round though or you'll soon blow out. For example if you planned on doing 4 sets of 4 different exercises you might: row 200m between each of the first 4 sets, Run for a minute up hill between the second 4 sets, do 30 mountain climbers between the third 4 sets and do a fast 2 minutes on the bike between the last 4 sets. A fast and effective way to incorporate intervals into your session. Try to consider the structure of your session; for example: if you're doing lots of pulling work then perhaps save your grip and avoid rowing. Likewise, if you're already doing lots of lower body work, cycling may compromise the quality of the resistance work.

 

Isolation & Accessory Work

Between the "bigger exercises" you could try some isolation work or accessory work. It may be for aesthetic purposes or perhaps to help improve some weaknesses you have such as grip strength. As long as it doesn't then compromise the "bigger exercise". For example: Avoid doing sets of bicep curls between deadlifts as it is likely to fatigue your grip when you go back to deadlifting. But, you might want to do sets of calf raises for instance; I hear some people need that kind of thing.

 

Practice Breathing

Sounds stupid? It's not. Practice relaxation breathing, lowering your heart rate and breathing using your stomach muscles rather than lifting your entire diaphragm. Read more here about The Benefits of Diaphragmatic Breathing.

 

Practice Form

With a lesser load or perhaps, no load at all practice the technique of the exercise you're performing between each set. You might even use alternative equipment such as a broom stick to replicate a bar. If there's an element of the movement you want to practice such as improving your posture during squatting, you could replicate this with a light goblet squat, holding it in the bottom position and trying to adjust your posture.

 

THINK ABOUT IT...

Lots of people will go to the gym and perform 4-5 exercises and do 3-4 sets of each. That means you're potentially missing out on 8-15 opportunities to improve yourself every session. Do this kind of thing every session and you can imagine how it will add up over the year.

 

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter (@MichaelD_PT) and YouTube