All Brawn and No Brains?

Are all personal trainers all brawn and no brains?? How do you know a good one from a bonafied narcissist? On line personal trainers? Trainer etiquette? What the heck are they?

One of things is not like the others

(Can you guess which one is my favorite? This PT is straight forward, no BS and kicks some serious butt)

The purpose of this posting is to answer all these questions and more plus give you the best info available so you can be an informed consumer (We love those!).

One night my wife and myself were working out at the local gym when as we walked in I immediately scanned the area to see where the Personal Trainers (PTs from now on) were and what kinds of exercise routines they were taking clients through. The scene was all too familiar and I asked my wife

"What do you notice about every single trainer in this gym?"
She replied smartly "They are all wearing black duh!"
"Besides that, I mean what are they all doing that is similar?"
"They are all talkin to chics on cardio equipment...?"
"And... what do you notice about the ladies on the cardio equipment...?"
"They are all in skimpy shorts, sports bras and at least DDs?"
"BINGO!"

I see it too often that PTs congregate to the "beautiful" people, not that they aren't in need or proper instruction but I just wish they would spend a little more time helping the guy in the corner curling a 30lb barbell arching his back so far you think he's practicing for a limbo competition. NOT ALL PTS ARE LIKE THAT, that's not what I said, but PTs who do teach incorrect form, are more worried about looks that health, and so on are the ones that are giving the rest of the industry a bad name.

What is a PT?
Any joe schmoe who walks in off the street can call themselves a PT...scary huh? So whenever you start looking for a PT or want to be a PT look for the following KEYS.
-Degree in Exercise Science or related field
(a lot of pts will argue with me on this one but the fact is that a pt that has a 4yr degree/formal education in the field will be a more effective PT and have the understanding to solve difficult problems)

-Nationally Recognized Certification
There are sites on line where you pay $40-50 and then you can print out a Certificate that states you are a PT so ASK FOR IT!
The Best Certifications are as follows

NSCA
NASM
ACE
ISSA
ACSM

Someone that chooses to be a PT by profession will have at least one of these Certs. NOT ALL CERTIFICATIONS ARE CREATED EQUAL!!
(ps it doesn't matter the gender of the PT if they have an education and these certs they will be more than able to whip anyone, male or female, into shape, don't think that because she's a girl she won't be able to give you a good workout.)

-Lives the lifestyle
Would you trust an auto mechanic who's car is rusted, old, and doesn't even run? So why would you trust someone with YOUR BODY that doesn't take care of theirs? You can meet every single criterion up to this point and be the most knowledgeable, decorated PT in existence but in my opinion if you have all that understanding/knowledge and can't apply it to your own life I'll never trust you with mine. A PT doesn't have to have 35 inch guns or thighs the size a my waist but they need to be in shape, working out, competing, caring about their physical health before they can properly care about mine/yours!

My Fav Trainers Links
Jillian Michaels
Crossfit

What to expect?
If you find a PT that has taken all of the above steps then you've got yourself a keeper. Now what? PTs are experts on how the body moves, what each individual muscle is responsible for, what muscles need to function, what the natural position of the spine, shoulders, hips, etc is and how to get your body to where you want to be. PTs are not nutritionists or dietitians, unless they have a degree or (and i hesitate to say this but they have gotten better) an accredited national certification in nutrition. PTs can/should advise you on what you are eating, basics of carbohydrates, fats, proteins and alcohols but aren't qualified to go any further than public knowledge or get anywhere near treating any type of disease.

A good PT will take you through a battery of tests, talk to you about goals, lifestyle and your eating habits before writing up a program for you. A PT that doesn't do such tests/evaluations will be playing battleship with you body (hit & miss) until you sink or just quit.

On-line PTs?
Some sites offer one size fits all pt for everyone while others have pictures of those beautiful people that make us believe that they got that way overnight by following the prescribed workout. In order for on line PTs to be effective they need to have all the info a normal PT would request and so you should feel like you are being questioned by the CIA when you fill out a preworkout form. I don't recommend online PTs for newbies because form and technique are HUGE and learning the moves correctly is the difference between a toned core and a wrenched back.


A good online PT with run you through a battery of questionnaires, ask very specific questions about your health and eating habits, provide you will a contact number where you can reach them 24/7, meet all the previous criteria, have years of experience, tons of testimonials, videos, tools, and will usually work in conjunction with a registered dietitian.


Trainer Etiquette?
Every PT works a little differently and has a certain set of tools to help you reach your goals as fast as possible and as safely as possible. What I mean is that some PTs can give you verbal ques that your brain interprets and translates into the correct movements while other PTs will make the adjustments by physically touching you to get your body in the correct position. Some people are OK with this others think it is borderline harassment how to tell the difference? When a PT is correcting you form they should always attempt to do so by first giving you verbal ques, second show you with their own body, third place you in front of a mirror so you can see what they are talking about and as a last result use physical manipulation of joints and parts of the body to get you in the proper position. No PT should ever be touching you in any area that can be deemed inappropriate, the chest for females, or the front or rear of the pelvis area for men and women. If a client of mine just doesn't quite get it and I have to adjust them manually I will always ask "Is it OK if I place my hands ________?" and once they get the movement down I immediately remove my hands. The reasons I do it in such a manner is bc I don't want anyone to feel uncomfortable, I don't want to embarrass my client, I don't want to get sued, I want my client's body to do it by itself and I don't want anyone to get the wrong impression. Your PT should do the same, physically placing a client in the proper position should be a last resort and if at any point you feel uncomfortable SPEAK UP!

Don't mistake a PT circling you eyeing your form up and down meticulously searching for any needed adjustments for him/her admiring you "assets". A well educated trainer will watch you from the front, side and back as you perform various movements to identify any skeletal/muscular abnormalities that have developed due to lifestyle, injuries or other causes.

Every PT has their own way of training and if you don't like the trainer or feel uncomfortable in any way it's not your fault nor is it necessarily the trainer's fault but you need to talk to the manager explain why and ask for a different trainer and that's OK, that's your right as a consumer/client. Starting to exercise is hard enough, you don't want any unnecessary anxiety or stress to be associated with it.

A PT that does all of this is worth his/her weight in gold and like any professional you will be expected to pay for their services. However, unlike some professionals, PTs develop relationships with clients on such a level that they will become one of your favorite people, invite them to parties, baby blessings...well maybe not baby blessings but weddings for sure. Find a PT that meets these criterion, that you get along with and that cares and you will reach your fitness goals faster, safer, and easier than you ever imagined.


What other questions do you have?
What good/bad experiences have you had?
What's the dumbest thing a PT has said/did to you?
What's the best thing a PT said/did to you?

Thanks for your comments and for reading everyone.

Blake Robinson
Making the world a better place one workout at a time.

Caffeine Buzz

After talking with one of my coworkers about Coffee consumption and the effects on the body I was left with a ginourmous "Huh?" in my mind. I'm the kind of person that wants to see facts, long term studies before I start throwing out half-formed opinions to the world as fact so off i went. I was a bit disappointed because as I was reading several articles and studies in journals I checked the date and many were in the 80s and 90s, granted that's not ancient but Come ON its 2009! Where are the recent studies at?? So I finally hit the jackpot and found some Quality, Recent and Informative studies/articles that I'll list the links for at the end of this post.

Here are my main questions I wanted answers to and HEY YOU THERE! if you have similar questions or any random question let me know and I'll be on it like white on rice and I'll pick the brains of my nutritionist/dietitian/fit pro friends until you're satisfied.

1. What are the physiological changes the body undergoes with caffeine use?
2. What are the safe/unsafe/recommended dose of caffeine?
3. Effects on workouts psychological/physical?
4. Risks?
5. Benefits?
6. How much caffeine does the avg American consume?
7. Withdrawal/Addiction?
8. Chemical make up and natural sources of caffeine?

#1 Changes the body experiences due to caffeine consumption?
It stimulates the central nervous system.
It releases free fatty acids from adipose (fatty) tissue.
It affects the kidneys, increasing urination, which can lead to dehydration.Lowers perception of effort, wards off drowsiness and increases alertness by stimulating the central nervous system.
Increases the amount of energy derived from fat, thus theoretically sparing glucose and glycogen stores and delaying the onset of fatigue in long distance runs (over 20 miles).

#2 Amount of Caffeine?
For adults it is generally agreed that consuming up to 300 mg of caffeine per day is safe. For children under the age of 12 caffeine consumption is not recommended and should be limited as much as possible.The United States hasn't developed guidelines for caffeine intake and kids, but Canadian guidelines recommend that preschoolers get no more than 45 milligrams of caffeine a day. That's equivalent to the average amount of caffeine found in a 12-ounce (355-milliliter) can of soda or four 1.5-ounce (43-gram) milk chocolate bars.
#3 Caffeine and Exercise?
Caffeine does not improve maximal oxygen capacity directly, but could permit the athlete to train at a greater power output and/or to train longer. It has also been shown to increase speed and/or power output in simulated race conditions. These effects have been found in activities that last as little as 60 seconds or as long as 2 hours. There is less information about the effects of caffeine on strength; however, recent work suggests no effect on maximal ability, but enhanced endurance or resistance to fatigue. There is no evidence that caffeine ingestion before exercise leads to dehydration, ion imbalance, or any other adverse effects. Recent studies also support the statement that caffeine consumption prior to exercise decreases pain post-exercise.



#4 Risks?
EXCESS CAFFEINE - Too much caffeine can cause an array of problems including:
*Restlessness
*Irritability
*Anxiety
*Heartburn
*Headaches (sometimes severe)
*High blood pressure
*Sleeplessness
*Rapid heartbeat
*Nausea
CAFFEINE WITHDRAWAL - Symptoms can begin as soon as 12 hours after your last cup, depending on the amount of caffeine your body is used to. Symptoms can last for up to a week and include:
*Restlessness
*Irritability
*Anxiety
*Headaches (sometimes severe)
*Muscle stiffness
*Chills and/or hot spells
If you are attempting to reduce your caffeine intake, do so gradually. Cutting back slowly will help you avoid some of the withdrawal symptoms. If you simply must have a cup of something in the morning, try decaf or an herbal tea.

#5 Benefits?

(1) Caffeine increases alertness and reduces fatigue. This may be especially important in low arousal situations (e.g. working at night). (2) Caffeine improves performance on vigilance tasks and simple tasks that require sustained response. (3) Effects on more complex tasks are difficult to assess and probably involve interactions between the caffeine and other variables which increase alertness (e.g. personality and time of day). (4) In contrast to the effects of caffeine consumption, withdrawal of caffeine has few effects on performance. There is often an increase in negative mood following withdrawal of caffeine, but such effects may largely reflect the expectancies of the volunteers and the failure to conduct "blind" studies. (5) Regular caffeine usage appears to be beneficial, with higher users having better mental functioning.

#6 Avg American Consumption?

200mg/day

#7 Withdrawal/Addiction?

Caffeine alters mood and behavior, and it can also result in physical dependence, says Roland Griffiths, a professor in the departments of psychiatry and neuroscience at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. "People are hesitant to think of it as a drug of addiction because it doesn't have a lot of the health
and adverse social consequences associated with our classic drugs of addiction, yet the basic mechanisms by which it hooks people are very much like our classic drugs of addiction," he says.

Most people experience mild to modest withdrawal, Griffiths says, which is relieved by drinking coffee in the morning after abstaining from it overnight. Many people say, "'I really don't get going until I have coffee, [and] then I feel great.' What they're not recognizing is that if they didn't consume coffee [at all], they would wake up feeling great," Griffiths says.
Here are some of the signs of caffeine withdrawal, which typically appear 12 to 24 hours after abstaining from coffee.
Headache
Lethargy
Depressed mood
Nausea
Vomiting
Muscle pain and stiffness

#8 Chemical make up and natural sources of caffeine?

Caffeine is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid that is a psychoactive stimulant drug.

Caffeine is found in varying quantities in the beans, leaves, and fruit of some plants, where it acts as a natural pesticide that paralyzes and kills certain insects feeding on the plants. It is most commonly consumed by humans in infusions extracted from the cherries of the coffee plant and the leaves of the tea bush, as well as from various foods and drinks containing products derived from the kola nut. Other sources include yerba mate, guarana berries, and the Yaupon Holly.



So there are the answers to the questions that I had and I hope that this will serve as a guide for any of you that have similar inquiries.



References
Iowa State
AHA
Old but Thorough
Kids and Caffeine
Risks
Benefits

MovNat

So in case you didn't hear about it, haven't been in a gym for the past year, or go to the gym with your headphones cranked so loud with Metallica that you can't even hear every single muscle fiber screaming in agony as you finish the last 30 seconds of THE PLANK... there is a debate over training for aesthetic reasons and functional training (Methode Naturelle®). Before I dive headlong into the debate I first want to talk about the origins and newest form of functional training called Methode Naturelle and in that regression we will touch on parkour, which if you seen the scenes in Casino Royale of Bond chasing a man through a construction site you know what I'm talking about, if not click here.

"In 1902, Georges Hebert was a 27-year-old French naval officer stationed on the Caribbean island of Martinique. On May 8 of that year, he was aboard a ship off the coast when an ominous plume began rising from Mont Pelee, the volcano looming over Saint-Pierre, Martinique's largest city. Sometime around 8 a.m., Pelee erupted, raining hot ash and sizzling rocks on the horrified population. Molten lava gushed down the slope and spread through the streets in fiery streams, igniting everything in its path. Swarms of pit vipers poured off the mountain to flee the searing heat, tangling in the feet of fleeing people and biting at their legs. In minutes, the Paris of the Caribbean had turned into an absolute hell. Into this inferno plunged Hebert. Leading his troops ashore, he scouted out viable escape routes and waded into the panicky crowds, trying to shepherd them to safety. By the time the eruptions ceased, fewer than 700 people had survived, many thanks to Hebert's improvised rescue operation. Hebert was celebrated as a hero, but he couldn't help focusing on all of those who'd been lost. When he returned home to France, he looked around and was dismayed to see how many of his country-people reminded him of the victims he'd watched die in Saint-Pierre. How many of these Parisians, he wondered, would be able to carry a child on their backs? Or trust themselves to leap over a 3-foot gap? Or take an elbow to the face but manage to keep their balance and continue running for their lives? The modern world, Hebert believed, was producing hollow men who focused on appearance and forgot about function. At the same time, they stopped exercising with the wildness of kids and instead insulated themselves from risk. The cost, he felt, was far more destructive than they might think. Motivated to do what he could to realign our fitness philosophy, Hebert convinced the French navy to put him in charge of conditioning for a class of its recruits. Using the recruits as guinea pigs, he incubated a system he called Methode Naturelle -- the Natural Method. Hebert preached a simple philosophy -- "Be strong to be useful" -- and focused on 10 essential skills: walking, running, jumping, walking on all fours, climbing, balancing, throwing, lifting, defending, and swimming. Next, Hebert set to work on an outdoor training facility. He designed it to look like a giant playground, equipping it with climbing towers, vaulting horses, sandpits, and ponds. Scattered about were rocks and logs and long poles to be used for throwing, or balancing, or passing hand-to-hand while running, or anything else an athlete dreamed up at the moment. Hebert had only one firm rule: No competing. When you try to beat the other guy, he believed, you test the other man's weaknesses and not your own.Within a few years, Hebert's "Be Useful" system was adopted by the entire French navy. In 1913, speaking before the French Physical Education Congress, he astounded them with the results of tests he'd performed on 350 navy recruits. On a rating system that scored performance according to strength, speed, agility, and endurance, French sailors ranked with world-class decathletes.The time had come to take Methode Naturelle to the world. Hebert handpicked an elite team of trainers and prepared them to spread the word throughout Europe, Asia, and America. But before they scattered, the First World War erupted. Because of their superb physical conditioning and dedication to service, the men of Methode Naturelle were deployed in frontline positions against German troops armed with machine guns and poison gas. By the end of the war, the trainers were all dead or maimed. Hebert was heartbroken, but not surprised. Methode Naturelle was never about trying to live forever -- it was about trying to make a difference before you died. Hebert himself barely survived his wounds and struggled to regain the use of one arm. When he sank into paralysis after the war, Methode Naturelle was all but forgotten, swept away by a world that wanted to pretend that danger was gone forever."
Full Article

Some key points that I really like about the Natural Method.
>Be Strong to be Useful
>Focused on 10 essential skills: walking, running, jumping, walking on all fours, climbing, balancing, throwing, lifting, defending, and swimming
>This type of Training can be Performed ANYWHERE
>Focused on an Improved Quality of Life
>Makes us All Think We Can Be Superheroes/Superheroines
>FREAKIN FUN!

So this is where it all began for parkour which was a branch of Herbert's training used by French soldiers in Vietnam which has evolved into the flipping, dynamic, areo-technical sport that it is today. The newest, and might I add coolest, edition of the Natural Method is being pioneered by Erwan Le Corre, a French man who decided to move to Brazil and chase his dream.



"In 1990 at age 19, Erwan meets Habrey ... For 7 years, Erwan trains under Habrey in natural or urban settings, day or night, climbing bridges, balancing on heights, jumping from roof to roof, walking on all fours in the underground, swimming in cold waters, breath training techniques and fighting moves…a “Fight Club” version of natural movement!
At age 27, Erwan decides to follow his own path...sailing, Olympic weighlifting, rockclimbing, long distance triathlon, trailrunning and Brazilian jiu-jitsu...These experiences confirm his intuition that a broader approach is more beneficial to everyday life and is more fun as well as healthier.
At age 33, he discovers the history of Georges Hebert and Methode Naturelle® which fascinates him and in which he finds many similarities with his own approach and past experience. From then, Erwan researches everything about Hebert and Methode Naturelle®, unearthing photos and newspaper archives and extensively studying the old, dusty French Methode Naturelle books.
After studying every detail of its history and the reasons why the practice of Methode Naturelle® declined to almost total extinction and failed to propagate itself into the modern era, Erwan understands that the best way to revive the practice is to improve and update the coaching system as well as providing an overall approach that better fits the people of today’s world with today’s concerns and expectations.
In 2008, while living, training and coaching in Brazil, he works on improving and renovating the old training method, leading to the creation of the Natural Movement Coaching System®. At the same time, he defines his approach called “True Nature”, which states that it is our universal birthright to be strong, healthy, happy and free. MovNat is born.
In 2009, Erwan is featured in Men’s Health USA in an inspiring article about him and MovNat written by Christopher McDougall in which the journalist describes his transformative first-hand training experience with Erwan in Brazil."
MovNat.com



Check out his site and you can learn more about it but I think that it is going to become a lot more popular, not faddish because it makes sense, in the coming months/years. This type of training makes me think of a piece of equipment called the TRX, random but worth taking a look at...so on that note back to the info.

I see to many people, males and females, at the gym who, due to their training styles, have created skeletal and muscular imbalances that affect their daily life or will in the future. The guy that can bench a Buick is impressive I am in no way dissing his determination and work, I'm just saying there is something wrong with having to turn sideways in order to pass through a door because your arms stick out so far from your chest: or the gal that has done so many Jane Fonda's (PS if you can keep up with Jane for the entire workout you are my new hero THE PAIN!!) and Hamstring curls to tighten up her butt that has such an accentuated arch in her spine that she looks like someone is constantly giving her an epidural in the middle of the back! I know we all want to look like the beautiful people but is it really practical?? An exercise that works a single joint should never be the basis of ANY workout for the following reasons.

A. You can't lift as heavy a weight and therefor you can't make gains/improvement as efficiently B. You waste too much energy too on a single joint exercise to improve the entire muscle
C. The risk of over training and exercise induced injuries is much higher because of the strain placed on a single joint.
ALWAYS WORK AS MANY MUSCLES AS POSSIBLE AND THE BIGGEST MUSCLES FIRST!! I have a lot of respect for anyone who competes in Bodybuilding and Fitness competitions but it's just not for me and yes I may be saying that because I'm jealous and may never succeed in being able to knock a grown man out with a single flex of my left pec muscle BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT.
The purpose of exercise/fitness/weight training/resistance training/aerobics/healthy eating/cardiovascular training is to improve your quality of life, however ever single individual will have his/her own opinion of what that means and each person is entitled to that. So first decide where you want to be in 20-25 years and then take a critical look at your training regime and ask your self "Am I training for that Goal?" If the answer is yes then GREAT keep GOING, YOU CAN DOOO IT! But if it isn't than there needs to be an appropriate overhaul of your training to get you on track to where you want to be, do your research, ask the tough questions, get help from an educated and certified personal trainer, pay for the dietitian to help you (they are worth their weight in gold!), and make the plan that will get you there and then GO BIG!
As for me if you don't hear from me for a while I'm not dead, please don't try to steal my sexy wife or call 9-1-1, relax, I'm just in the backyard building a sand pit, monkey bars, alligator infested pools, scaling wall, and jungle gym so I can train to be the next Tarzan.

For beginners out there

I wanted to put up a list of some good sites to visit that can give you a good start on your workouts if you are just getting into the exercising world.

Men's Health Belly Off

Shape Magazine

Train With Me

cool but $4.99 a month

For The 6 pack Addicts

this guy is hit and miss but I like his ab routines

Leave your favorite workouts in the comments and help each other out!

Self Image

How many times do you hear a young woman who's working out say "I wanna have Cameron Diaz's arms and Carmen Electra's legs, that's why i work out"? I meet with a lot of people male and female that in an initial fitness consultation say to me "I want a body of this actor/model." My response to that is "Great! You can do it, all you have to do is first quit your job, next hire a personal chef to cook fish, vegetables, and amazing, nutritional, low-calorie food all day. Then you need to be working out with your trainer 3-5 times a week for about 2 hours each day and then work with a Pilates or yoga instructor 3 times a week for an hour..."

PEOPLE!

The Actors/Models and the like that we see on the TV, in the movies, on magazine covers are employed to be beautiful and in shape THAT IS THEIR JOB, TO BE BEAUTIFUL. I'm not saying this to crush anyone's dreams, yes you can have that actress' arms and the super models legs if you put in the time and are strict in you diet and exercise. I still haven't figured out how to help people make goals to make the best of the body they have 100% of the time, some of us just don't get it.

Ladies the media and advertising industries place amazing pressure on you because you see the magazine covers and wonder why your body doesn't look that. Men you see the fitness models with the actresses draped over their 28 biceps and wonder why your veins aren't popping out of your skin. Realize that you have a great body and that you can do amazing things with it. A recent study in Britain (article here) found that women are happiest with their bodies (and sex life) at age 28, but they soon start worrying about wrinkles and getting gray hair. If you are approaching this age or well past it the best way to improve your body image is not through more make up, or risky diets, dangerous surgeries, it's that hour work out in the morning. Working out consistently will increase you attitude towards yourself and all those things around you, it will help you be more successful at work and you brain will actually function better.

Full List Here

To best illustrate my point of this entry I would like to use one of my favorite analogies.

Your body is like a pre-packaged box of brownies. If you follow the directions exactly with no variation what-so-ever you will get the exact brownies that are picture on the box.

However...

If you change the ingredients, add more water, one less egg, some nuts or maybe a little more sugar (not that you ever would) and you will get a brownie that is different than the one on the box.

Hopefully you are not completely lost and thinking I'm a couple fries short of a Happy Meal because now I'm going to make sense of this analogy.
Our body shape, size and make up is determined by our genes (recipe) and if we adjust the ingredients (diet, food, exercise, activity level, job, life style) you will get a different result. Some people say that they are overweight because their parents were, BULL! Yeah its BULL! Your genes do not determine the out come, they may make it more difficult to have the body you want but your genes do not give you an excuse to be unhealthy, overweight, underweight or any other harmful body condition.

YOU CAN MAKE WHATEVER TYPE OF BROWNIE YOU WANT!!

TRANSLATION

YOU CAN HAVE THE BODY YOU WANT BECAUSE YOU ARE IN CONTROL!!!

Find what works for you and start towards your best body TODAY I'll be putting up free workouts on this blog soon that you can download and use as a template for your workouts no matter what your goal. I can even create a workout and make nutritional recommendations for you on a personalized level if you contact me and say "I want a better body!"

"Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going." ~Jim Rohn~