Here you go folks, the second video in my educational series of quality training in an affordable manner.
Today, I talk about Resistance Bands, and you get a small glimpse into some exercises that you can do in your home.
Last video I spoke to you about Kettlebells and you got to see some videos on their function and versatility. Again you don't have to by a bunch, but a couple of of them will keep the pocket book heavier and you'll get a lot of great exercises out of them.
Bands are the same, whether resistance tubing with handles or strength bands. push, pull, horizontal, vertical, core, endurance, strength, plyometrics, and the list goes on. Bands will maintain you throughout this COVID-19 outbreak and keep you moving healthy.
If you're looking for advice or wish to learn from my programs and online coaching, let me know what equipment you're sporting and I'm positive I can help. Just email me, franco@cogofitness.com and I'll make sure you're taken care of personally.
I'm looking forward to my next video where I breakdown the beauty of the Power Block adjustable dumbbells. We are going to be heading into a little higher expense, but let me show you how much you'll save in the long run.
Until next time, hold those you love close, and stay healthy my friends... I'm positive I will see you on the other side!
P.S. I'll get better at talking on camera, I promise... ... See MoreSee Less
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Hey Gang,
This is the second in a video series where I give you a small glimpse into choosing the right product for your home when looking at equipment that's affordable.
I also threw in a short compilation of various exercises that you can do with the equipment as well.
As I progress with the videos, I will start putting together some exercise programs for you to follow along with if you get yourself the equipment I recommend in this series.
If you're looking for more than I recommend my Online Performance Coaching. You can contact me at franco@cogofitness.com for more info, I'm here to help keep you healthy during these trying times. Until next time;
Stay healthy my friends,
Coach, Franco ... See MoreSee Less
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Are You Hungry?
Have you ever actually stopped before eating to check in with your body to see if you are actually hungry? Chances are if you practice some mindfulness around your eating, you would discover that often we reach for food out of boredom, loneliness, anxiety, sadness, or a feeling of being under stress and overwhelmed. This is referred to as “emotional eating.” Because we “feel” with our gut as well as the rest of us, it can be easy to confuse emotions or other physical sensations with hunger.
Wanting to Eat vs. Needing to Eat:
True hunger is general and non-specific. It can be an empty, growling stomach, lightheadedness, or irritability. Hunger comes and goes, often gradually. Cravings, on the other hand, are VERY particular, usually for a certain kind of food. There are few signs of physical hunger, including a strong urge that is sometimes felt in the back of the throat. A craving will come on suddenly and feels like an immediate compulsion.
Where Do Cravings Come from?
Our brains have to coordinate input from multiple sources: our body fat, gastrointestinal tract, sensory organs, and other body systems. Emotions or physical sensations can feel like hunger because our brains also have to deal with our emotions, our physical feelings, our beliefs, and our thoughts.
Feel-Good Neurotransmitters:
Serotonin and dopamine are neurotransmitters. Serotonin makes us feel groovy and relaxed. It also tells us to stop eating. Dopamine, in contrast, is our “reward” neurotransmitter. It gives us a “high.” About 90% of our body’s serotonin is actually in our GI tract. When we eat, we release serotonin and dopamine.
Individuals who struggle with overeating are often just trying to boost their levels of serotonin and dopamine. Eating carbohydrates (particularly simple sugars and starches) can help release serotonin, which soothes and relaxes us.
Dopamine is released in response to the “reward” of good-tasting food. Dopamine is involved in addictions such as gambling, compulsive shopping, and alcoholism. Dopamine is the chemical that encourages us to seek out the “hit” of a brief and intense thrill.
Self-Medicating with Food:
Eating can be a kind of “self-medication” that helps calm us or boost our mood, and it’s a natural reaction. The movement of our jaw stimulates a nerve that helps release serotonin, as well. Food manufacturers understand the neurobiology and psychology and know that we are more likely to crave sugary, creamy, fatty, and salty foods. Such foods can become our “drugs” of choice because (just like other drugs) they make us feel better, at least for the short term. Unlike true hunger, it’s hard to satisfy psychological hunger.
Tips to Help Deal with Cravings:
Understand that cravings are normal. They come and go.
If the craving is minor, ignore it.
If the craving is moderate, distract yourself.
Keep a “craving diary.” Write down the craving, when it happens, and what you are thinking. Over time, look for patterns. Once you identify the pattern, you can disrupt it.
Substitute something that gives you the same feeling. For example, take a detox bath when you are craving warmth and comfort. Go for a walk in nature when you crave a distraction. Drink water or herbal tea when you just want something to do with your mouth.
Reduce Food Cravings with smart food choices
The good news is we can reduce cravings with supportive, smart food choices. Whole foods nourish us but don’t give us the intense “hit” of processed foods. Serotonin and dopamine also depend to some degree on protein, fat, and micronutrient levels. If we eat plenty of protein and healthy fats along with a wide range of vitamins and minerals from whole foods, our brains will be happy☺
Stay healthy my friends...
Coach, Franco
P.S. If you need more ideas on how to get started, more motivation or simply want to boost your health right now…
...here are 2 ways I can help:
1. March Madness: join my 21 days of training for $1, basically join for the rest of March, and begin to feel better, move better, and become your better self! If this interests you, reply 'March Madness' in the Subject line, and you'll start with a free assessment and then we can sit down for your very own strategy session to better align your fitness and performance goals.
2. Online training never got easier to test drive. In lieu of March Madness, start your Online Performance Training absolutely free for the month of March. Answer an assessment questionnaire and let me build you a program that is suited to you. Just reply 'Online' in the subject line and get started on your online performance training journey! ... See MoreSee Less
Question; March Madness?
The year is 3 months in so I wanted to reach out and see if you were on track with your fitness goals?
If you need any help, hit reply and let me know. I want to help, and it doesn't get any better than our March Madness promotion, 21 Days of Fitness for a $1.
Well we're a week in, so why not just give you the rest of March for $1. Get your movement screen, as well as your body composition and let's sit down for a strategy session so that we can figure out your short term and long term goals!
Let me help you feel stronger, leaner, healthier, and much more confident.
Just write, 'March' in the subject line, and help is on the way!
In the meantime, stay healthy my friends...
Coach Franco ... See MoreSee Less
Getting into better shape does not have to be an impossible task if you set your mind to it.In fact, success is usually determined simply by your approach to a given challenge. If you do not have enough will power or self-esteem to keep going in the face of adversity, you will likely never achieve that ideal physique. It is time to stop coming up with reasons why getting fit is impossible for you.You may have given it a try a thousand times to no avail, but there is a first time for everything and trying isn’t always enough...
In the wise words of Yoda, “Do, or do not.There is no try.”
When people “try” something they’re generally already in the mindset of it not working; they’ve got their out – “I tried, but it just didn’t work for me.”REALLY?!
Plan Ahead and Prepare… You Must
Everyone who sets out to exercise, eat right and focus on fitness faces his or her own set of unique challenges. However, we all also deal with many of the same obstacles that, with a little focus, can be easily overcome…
As a fitness professional with several years of experience, I’ve heard just about every EXCUSE in the book of why someone couldn’t make it to a workout or why they “had to” eat bad over the weekend...
1. Scheduling conflicts
2. Injury
3. Ridicule (friends don’t support your new healthy habit)
4. Fear of working out alone
5. Fear of looking stupid
6. Lack (prioritization) of funds
7. Birthday, Anniversary, Holidays, and all the other “special occasions” you’ll find each week on the calendar
And the list goes on and on…
All of these challenges can be easily overcome if you set your mind in the direction of success and plan for the difficulties ahead. It’s starts with the decision and the mentality - “Do, or do not.There is no try.”
Like-Minded Companions You Should Seek
It will be quite a bit more difficult for you to “do” instead of “try” if you are surrounded by people who do not believe in your goals the same way you do. Being steeped in negativity is harmful to your mindset as well as your overall health. In fact, too much stress can actually cause you to gain more weight!
Do yourself a favor and hire a fitness professional and surround yourself with other people who are DOING fitness also. When you surround yourself with like-minded people who want to see you succeed you’ll have way more fun and accomplish a whole lot more than you could on your own…
May the Force Be With You
There really is a power within you (and all around you) that you can tap into to achieve your goals.This power is magnified when you make a firm decision to DO something.
When the going gets tough, that’s when the tough is supposed to get going. Writing yourself notes, joining a support group, creating vision boards, meditating on your ideal outcome, and teaming up with a professional are all wonderful ways to boost your confidence and get your feet set in the right direction.
When the smoke clears you will see that NOW is the time for you to stop making silly excuses about why you just cannot get into better shape. Begin formulating plans for your fit future by being proactive about your goals and realistic about your inevitable challenges. In order for you to achieve that ideal physique you have always dreamed of you are going to have to stop trying and start doing.Like Yoda said, “Do, or do not. There is no try.”
Stay healthy my friends...
P.S. If you need more ideas on how to get started, more motivation or simply want to boost your health right now…
...here are 2 ways I can help:
1. March Madness: join my 21 days of training for $1, basically join for the rest of March, and begin to feel better, move better, and become your better self! If this interests you, reply 'March Madness' in the Subject line, and you'll start with a free assessment and then we can sit down for your very own strategy session to better align your fitness and performance goals.
2. Online training never got easier to test drive. In lieu of March Madness, start your Online Performance Training absolutely free for the month of March. Answer an assessment questionnaire and let me build you a program that is suited to you. Just reply 'Online' in the subject line and get started on your online performance training journey! ... See MoreSee Less
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Got my new cards I designed on Canva. Love their service and ability for design. Started painting the gym this weekend, more pics coming, but I’m loving my new space and the new growing community. There’s a little March Madness coming, so if you want to start your spring fitness clean up, looking to use 3 weeks to kickstart feeling better, more energy for your kids, family or work; come in for a free assessment and let’s get you started into our signature Wolfpack Training System, your program, your time, your coach, your community; 21 Days Of Training for a $1! #canva #newbusinesscards #newcolors #newbranding #yyc #wolfpacktraining #21dayfix #21dayfitnesschallenge #marchmadness #cogoperformance #yycfitness #yycliving #yourfitness #yourtime #yourcommunity #personaltraining #personaltrainer ... See MoreSee Less
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Pushing ourselves outside of our comfort zone can be a REALLY scary thing!!! We all want to feel successful. When we set a goal or take on something that is unfamiliar to us or we have never done before FEAR starts to creep in.Our minds create these stories that most/all of time are not even close to the truth!!!
Can you think of a time when you created the worst case scenario for an event or situation only to have it turn out great?!?!
I know that I can…
Mindset
Our mindsets around a goal, an event, or a situation can/will dictate our experience. Having a positive mindset will change your outlook, experience, and results for just about anything.It’s when we let that pesky emotion fear create self-doubt that we ask the question, “can I really do this?”
The answer is YES YOU CAN!!!
To be honest, if a goal doesn’t excite me and scare me (just a little) then I know it isn’t the right goal.
What If?
What if you put your fear, self-doubt, and negative mindset aside?
Think of all the things you could/would achieve that you haven’t been able to up until this point. When you push yourself outside your comfort zone, that is when growth as an individual truly happens.
What if you faced all the obstacles that you think are holding you back to achieve something you never thought you could?
We are the ones that hold ourselves back most of the time. It is the fear, self-doubt, and limiting beliefs we carry around and tell ourselves multiple times per day that keeps us from doing the things that will get us the results in a life that we desire.
What if instead of believing all of the things that you tell yourself that are holding you back, you instead acknowledge them and then let them go?
One thing that would happen is you would spend A LOT more time on the behaviors and thoughts that will move you closer to your desired result instead of being stuck in your own head!!!
Push Your Limits
I absolutely love this quote by Thomas Jefferson,
“If you want something you have never had, you must do something you have never done.”
When you read this, what emotions come up for you?
For me, fear and excitement come to mind. Being fearful of the unknown can limit our belief about what we are truly capable of. Fear of change may also be a limiting belief that is holding you back. We are creatures of habit and often don’t embrace change and how it can make us better or help us achieve a goal.
Ask yourself, “What is it that I want to achieve that I haven’t yet been able to?”
Now What
Now that you know what it is that you want to achieve, you can decide how you are going to go about doing it. Don’t just decide though, visualize yourself achieving the goal and experience the feelings you will have when you achieve the goal. It’s not just enough to decide what it is that you want, believe that you can achieve it and see yourself doing so!
As the quote states, “you must do something you have never done.” More than likely it will be more than one thing that you need to implement in order to be successful.
I am going to relate this to achieving a health, fitness, or physique goal that you are striving for.
First, come up with a list of behaviors/actions that you are already doing that is moving you closer to that goal.
Once you have that, list one to three behaviors that you can STOP doing what is moving you further away from that goal.
Now decide how you can do a little bit more, or do a little bit better. For example, if you are getting in 6,000 steps per day, modify your schedule so that you can get in 8,000 steps per day. A little bit more, a little bit better.
The last step is to pick one to three things that are outside your comfort zone. They may scare you just a little, BUT they will make the biggest difference in achieving your goal and seeing the results you want.
Examples could include: hiring a personal trainer or working out in a group training program, making the decision to cook all your meals at home instead of eating out, giving up alcohol, gluten, and/or sugar, facing emotions you have chosen not to deal with, or getting to bed 30 minutes earlier and letting the “to-do” list wait until tomorrow.
Now, this may be scary for you, but it’s a good exercise to stretch your comfort zone…
If I was to impose my own life experience for a moment; I left an industry I was in for 17 years making a great income, moving up the chains so to speak from welding to the planning department.
I left what I knew was comfort, set for life, and took a risk to follow my passion. I went back to school, I started a business with no business knowledge, and every day I push the envelope; every day is a continuing education so to speak.
And I'll be honest, it's tough to be on every day, and it's even tougher to see slow growth, but if I don't stay out of my comfort zone I won't really be working on my passion.
Well my friends, here's to stepping out of your comfort zone and in the meantime,
Stay healthy my friends...
P.S. If you want one step out of your comfort zone, Try our March Madness starting soon!
1. If you've been training for a while, have the experience in the gym, but need guidance. try out 4 weeks of 'free' online coaching and be part of our private online/hybrid coaching group where you get consistent education, recipes, and motivation. You also get a program where every exercise comes with videos for you to assess and practice in your very own training facility. If this interests you, just put 'Online' in the subject line!
2. Keep your eyes and ears open for my March Madness! Starting in March, look and feel your best in 3 short weeks, 21 Days Of Training For $1! Burn fat, build muscle, increase your metabolism, and understand your relationship with food, and more importantly, train with your very own program on your very own goals, in our small group personal training - The Wolfpack Training System! If this interests you, just write, March Madness in the subject line. ... See MoreSee Less
We will now speak of za most evil of substances in za world, (hit evil organ music) Tan Tan Tan....
Seriously, I can admit to one of my personal additives in my life, regardless of the natural route such as honey or dark chocolate, it's important for me to acknowledge that I personally like sweets.
Now although these are American statistics below, please don't jump on the almighty high horse, you always end up looking like the dumb cousin who lives next door. Take into account that per capita, we're bordering on the same numbers, and we only have 10% of their population. So this isn't your, laugh at the Americans' moment, rather it's time to read and listen.
I don’t think it is a secret to anyone that the incidence of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer is higher than it has ever been and continues to rise. I hope at this point we can all agree that our diet and lifestyle directly correlate to these statistics. In the early 1980s, about one in seven Americans were obese, and almost six million were diabetic. Fast forward to the early 2000s, when sugar consumption peaked due to the “low-fat” craze we went through, and one in every three Americans were obese—and14 million were diabetic.
“Sugar: The Bitter Truth”
On May 26, 2009, Robert Lustig gave a lecture called “Sugar: The Bitter Truth,” which was later posted to YouTube. The video has since received over 800,000 views.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM
Lustig is a specialist on pediatric hormone disorders as well as a leading expert in childhood obesity at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine. Lustig takes a pretty hard stance against sugar, calling it a “toxin” or “poison.” In addition, he refers to sugar as “evil.” He is not only referring to the white granulated stuff but also high fructose corn syrup, which Lustig argues has become “the most demonized additive known to man.”
He brings up a critical point in relationship to the calories in sugar. Lustig says, “It has nothing to do with the calories. It’s a poison by itself.” From his point of view, sugar should be thought of as something that is killing us, like cigarettes and alcohol. His argument implies that sugar is the likely dietary cause of several chronic diseases: heart disease, hypertension, and many common cancers. Based on Lustig’s information, our excessive consumption of sugar is the primary reason for the increase in numbers of obese and diabetic Americans in the last 30 years.
Lustig argues that refined sugar (sucrose) and high fructose corn syrup are equally bad. Both do not provide us with any protein, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, or fiber.
Sugar’s Effect on the Body
Consuming sugar (fructose and glucose) has a large impact on our liver. Drinking sugar in a liquid form from fruit juice or soda will have a greater negative impact on the liver than if you eat an apple. The liver also controls much of our body’s natural detoxification system. Because of the way our bodies metabolize fructose and high fructose corn syrup, eating these “toxins” may lead to fat build up in our livers.
This fat accumulation could then lead to insulin resistance (type 2 diabetes). Insulin is the hormone secreted by the pancreas in response to the foods you eat (particularly carbohydrates) to keep blood sugar in control. Over time, your cells can become resistant to insulin causing the pancreas to pump out more and more insulin. At some point, the pancreas can no longer keep up and blood sugar becomes uncontrollable, which is then full-blown diabetes.
Move Towards Better Health
The first step in moving towards better health is to remove ALL high fructose corn syrup from your diet. Once you have done that, focus on eliminating calorie-filled, sugar-filled beverages. Instead, focus on eating nutrient-dense foods (protein, vegetables, and healthy fats) and drinking more water.
Allow me for a moment to jump on a high horse of sorts though, replacing sugary drinks for so-called "diet" drinks with compounds that replace diabetes for cancer is not the answer. So ask yourself this very simple question, "what would I drink if this didn't exist?"
It's time to look better, feel better, and remove the “toxic” substance sugar from your diet.
Have a great weekend!
Coach, Franco
P.S. February is almost not done, and goals are about to go out the window. Make sure you stay on top of things and heres a couple ways I can help.
1. If you've been training for a while, have the experience in the gym, but need guidance. try out 4 weeks of 'free' online coaching and be part of our private online/hybrid coaching group where you get consistent education, recipes, and motivation. You also get a program where every exercise comes with videos for you to assess and practice in your very own training facility. If this interests you, just put 'Online' in the subject line!
2. Keep your eyes and ears open for my March Madness! Starting in March, look and feel your best in 3 short weeks, 21 Days Of Training For $1! Burn fat, build muscle, increase your metabolism, and understand your relationship with food, and more importantly, train with your very own program on your very own goals, in our small group personal training - The Wolfpack Training System! If this interests you, just write, March Madness in the subject line. ... See MoreSee Less
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Just a quick note, for those that peruse the aisles and never really look at the info, and also because I get this question quite a bit; my new address is inside Accurate Fieldhouse in the second-floor mezzanine:
7575 57 St. SE
Okay, back to our regularly scheduled blog, and people read the P.S. there are always gifts that may interest you and need I ask, Like and Share please!
We have all been told and made to believe that the more you workout the better results you will get, right? What if I told you that you need to rest and recover as much as you workout to optimize your training, nutrition, and therefore your results…
Working Out vs. Working In
Exercise of any type or duration requires you to spend energy outside of your body. It is a physical stressor that activates your sympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for our “fight or flight” response.
Paul Chek, founder of the C.H.E.K Institute promotes a concept of working in vs. working out. I love this!!! Working In supports organ and glandular function, cultivates energy in the body, makes our bodies more efficient, and resets natural biological rhythms. It also activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the side of our nervous system responsible for “rest and digest.”Working In creates energy in our body versus working out which spends that energy.
We spend much of our day in “fight or flight” mode and not enough time in “rest and digest.” Exercising or working out intensely without a break for recovery continues to drive a negative stress response in the body.
The key is to balance working out with working in. Working In includes but is not limited to…
Leisure Walking
Massage
Yoga
Meditation
Foam Rolling & Stretching
Core work
“Play”
Working In also includes adequate restful sleep (7-9 hours) and providing your body with nutrient-dense foods to build it back up. Working-in includes activities or movement that you do not have to recover from.
You don’t get stronger from the act of lifting weights; you get stronger by recovering from the act of lifting weights.
Our bodies are not machines that can perform at the same intensity and efficiency for years at a time. Not taking a break from your exercise program can be counterproductive to achieving your goals. Exercise-induced muscle damage needs healing time. If your muscles are not given the proper time to heal you miss the benefits of muscle adaptation and the increases in strength and fitness.
In addition, it’s important to note that our muscles can recover much quicker than our cartilage, tendons, ligaments, and joints. They run on a different time frame. Your joints will THANK YOU for taking a break and doing a bit of working in.
As the weather gets nicer, how can you spend some time working in? A walk in nature each day is a great way to calm the body and the mind as well as move. Maybe gardening or yard work is something that you enjoy. Whatever it is, the best way to move closer to your health and fitness goals is to spend time each day or multiple times per week working in.
This takes me to another point that we can talk about at a later day, but a very simple question to take with you today, "how much do you practice relaxation techniques?"
Learn to engage the parasympathetic, through relaxation and breathing exercises. Breathing exercises being one of the core fundamental pillars of my training programs, necessary for training strength, power, speed, agility, mobility, core, and of course, relaxation.
Be parasympathetic my friends, your mind and your body will thank you... Until then;
Stay healthy my friends...
Coach, Franco
P.S. February is still not done, and goals are about to go out the window. Make sure you stay on top of things and there's a couple ways I can help.
1. If you've been training for a while, have the experience in the gym, but need guidance. try out 4 weeks of 'free' online coaching and be part of our private online/hybrid coaching group where you get consistent education, recipes, and motivation. You also get a program where every exercise comes with videos for you to assess and practice in your very own training facility. If this interests you, just put 'Online' in the subject line!
2. Keep your eyes and ears open for my March Madness! Starting in March, look and feel your best in 3 short weeks, 21 Days Of Training For $1! Burn fat, build muscle, increase your metabolism, and understand your relationship with food, and more importantly, train with your very own program on your very own goals, in our small group personal training - The Wolfpack Training System! If this interests you, just write, March Madness in the subject line. ... See MoreSee Less
It's Valentine's Day!
Well actually and more importantly it's Family Day long weekend/
Long weekends get quiet at the gym, so this Monday I will be closed and not taking on any clients.
Go spend time with your families, enjoy that special someone and be grateful for the amazing relationship you have. Life is short, and we move way too fast through it.
Today I don't feel like chatting about training or the science of training, I'd rather take this time to thank my clients for being fantastic, my boys who I love coming home to in the evenings and seeing their little faces light up, and feeling lucky that although they should be in bed sleeping, they're awake and bundles of happiness.
To be honest, if I would've known that this is what Valentine's day is all about, I would've made them years ago!
But the most important thanks, I owe to my beautiful wife.
She is the rock I lean on, she helps me every step of the way. With my business, my emotions, she is the best audience for my comedy, and although she could never be the soup nazi, she makes amazing soups that I enjoy through these cold winters. She is the love of my life, and yes please be jealous because every day is Valentine's... Even when we have disagreements.
We've only been together 6 years, but we've known each other for a lifetime, and may I know you better and better for a 1000 more lifetimes...
So on Valentines Day, I choose to be grateful
Enjoy your day, enjoy your loved ones, enjoy your weekend and stay healthy my friends...
Coach, Franco ... See MoreSee Less
Meet My Good ‘Friend’ MEL…
I hate spending hours upon hours working out everyday! Sounds kind of strange coming from a fitness expert, doesn’t it?
Well, the truth is, I am a fitness expert, but I’m also a regular person who runs his own personal training studio, has a spouse and a dog, and two young boys. I enjoy personal time, and don’t want life to revolve around 2 hour workouts…Make sense?
There is a common misunderstanding regarding exercise – “more is better.” It’s kind of like the old saying,
“No pain.No Gain.”
Both are completely FALSE when it comes to exercise for weight loss, fitness, and even performance.
I’m not saying you can just go through the motions and not put any effort into your workouts, or that you can just workout once or twice a week and say that’s enough to transform your body into a beautiful, tight, toned physique that turns heads and makes your friends think you’ve discovered a secret formula or hired the best plastic surgeon in town.
However, there is a right and wrong way to approach your exercise program…
That’s where MEL comes in.
MEL actually stands for Minimum Effective Load, a term coined by Arthur Jones, inventor of Nautilus® exercise machines and a very influential figure in the exercise science world. Jones defined the minimum effective load as “the smallest load needed to get the desired outcome.”1 In other words, how much weight do you need to lift to get the result (strength gain, lean muscle development, fat loss) that you desire. He also goes on to show why doing any more is simply wasted effort at best and detrimental to results or even harmful at worst…
This same approach can be applied to how often you exercise and how hard you push yourself. And, it’s not just limited to weight lifting exercises. It applies to all forms of exercise, although then it’s generally referred to as Minimum Effective Dosage (MED).
Let me explain it another way that we can all relate to…
Let’s say you have a headache and you just can’t take it anymore so you decide to take some Tylenol®.The correct dosage is 2 caplets. Taking 20 caplets doesn’t make the headache go away any better or faster. In fact, at that extreme dosage there will probably be some pretty nasty side effects, right?
Minimum effective dosage exists for exercise as well, although the appropriate dosage varies based on your fitness level and goal(s).
Nevertheless, it is important to realize that no matter who you are, over-training will not deliver faster and better results. Instead, it will lead to injury and/or burnout. Trust me, I’ve seen it first hand, and I’ve watched those that have ignored my advice fall completely “off the wagon” and lose all the results they worked so hard to achieve.It’s a real shame…
Your wisest choice is to practice moderation and consistency using the MED and MEL training principles.
“So, How Much Exercise Is Enough?”
No one is going to be surprised to hear that we don’t exercise enough as a population. Oh yeah, and we eat way too many calories based on the fact that our daily movement generally consists of walking to and from the fridge. Ha!
We have all heard the obesity statistics and they’re atrocious, so let’s not beat that dead horse. Let’s just get down to what works to lose weight and get fit, shall we?
First, going from nothing to something is, well, something. Meaning, if you haven’t been exercising for 20 years and you decide to dust off the old workout shoes, just going through the motions and performing corrective exercises 3 times per week is a GREAT start!
You simply don’t need to do insane workout DVDs or go to extreme alpha high performance classes. Getting your butt kicked doesn’t mean you’re getting a good workout. In fact, it WILL ultimately be detrimental in the long run…
Take a look at these fun facts…
While many folks will initially lose weight if they engage in 60 minutes of non-stop daily exercise, any gains will eventually be eroded by factors like burnout, injury, and boredom. This reality is exemplified by conclusions drawn from a 2009 study performed on sedentary, overweight, postmenopausal women that forced a dramatic increase in their amount and intensity of daily exercise: “…we observed no difference in the actual and predicted weight loss with 4 and 8 KKW of exercise (72 and 136 minutes respectively), while the 12 KKW (194 minutes) produced only about half of the predicted weight loss.”2 This study offers us another clear example of how exceeding the minimum effective dosage does NOT deliver greater results -- quite the opposite in fact.
By the way, I’m going to tell you that 72 minutes is too long of a workout for most people, specifically gen pop without a background in sports or training. Studying exercise in a laboratory is much different than analyzing workouts that are crowded in between shuttling kids around, working, making dinners, and having a life.
I generally recommend about 10 - 20 minutes of light bodywork (foam rolling & stretching) and movement prep (mobility & warm-up exercises) followed by about 20-30 minutes of metabolic resistance training for maximum fat loss and body shaping results to start.
Author Tim Ferriss writes in The 4-Hour Body that “More is not better. Indeed, your greatest challenge will be resisting the temptation to do more.”1 If on your exercise journey you blast out of the gate at top speed with an intensity that you can’t possibly sustain, you WILL burn out and likely give up.
Remember, what you do every day is more important than what you do every once in a while. Those everyday activities may not be terribly exciting while you are doing them, they may not feel like you are making progress, but give the compound effect time to work. Your effort will pay off. You will become leaner, stronger, more fit, and others will begin to notice.
Please remember the room that I'm speaking to. I know that if there was one caveat, my high performance rugby player who's 19 years old and getting ready for recruitment in the states will continue to push for the desired adaptation we want from him.
Most of my clients are gen pop, so understanding this write up is more catered to you, and for those that train with me know that I'm strict on my training variables such as sets, reps, tempo and recoveries between sets for a reason. We'll leave training variables for another day though.
Take care of your body and your mind by practicing the minimum effective dosage strategy and you will achieve your goals…for life!
And in the meantime; Stay healthy my friends...
Coach, Franco
P.S. Don't forget that this is the month for friends, family and yes, lovers! Bring a friend, and you each Train for $14 for 14 Days! Just write '14' in the subject line, and I'll get you started on the next phase of your health and wellness...
References:
Ferriss, Timothy. The 4-Hour Body. New York: Crown Publishers, 2010. p. 18-19.
Church, T.S., Martin, C.K., Thompson, A.M., Earnest, C. P. Catherine, R. M., Blair, S. N. Changes in weight, waist circumference and compensatory responses with different doses of exercise among sedentary, overweight postmenopausal women. PLoS ONE 4(2): e4515. Doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.004515. ... See MoreSee Less
Everyone's milestones are different. Some people want a certain look, others have a performance goal that is important to their success in their sport.
Others, like myself, want to build a business that is successful but also gives them the ability to spend more time with their family or even do the things they enjoy, like in my case my hobby; Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
There's this misconception that business owners build businesses only to become rich and successful. Well, success can be defined in many different ways to many very different individuals. For me success is to someday have more time with my family and practicing my hobby.
And yes that will mean I will have built a business that has one or two employees building their own careers within my gym. This in turn means more clientele, and yes more money, and more responsibilities.
So do I measure my milestones by money or time? Which one of these is more valuable?
To me, time is much more valuable...
My journey in training people has taken me to different professionals to mentor under, more courses, more reading, I've met hundreds of clients, and made just as many relationships. My milestones are quite simple; increase clientele, continue to better my services, by continuing my education, and this will give me back the time with my family as well as my hobbies.
If someone's ever come through my doors in the past 6 months there's a lifestyle questionnaire and two questions I always look at. "what are your short term goals?" and, "what are your long term goals?"
These are two very different and yet very specific questions that require you to think about what it is you want to work at and work for.
These are ways for you to build milestones to reach for. You can use the SMART principles, you can use any method you like, but use something that works for you.
My goal is to continue building relationships. I don't mind giving my training away for free if it means that there is a decision to be made at the end of our short courtship. In my case, I'm confident that I'm reading you right and by the end of said courtship, I'm positive you'll stay.
That's one more membership that gets me closer to giving a young individual a career in this business and gets me closer to the quality time I'll want with my family and my sport.
I won't bore you with the nuances of my particular business but there is one detail you need to understand. I ask my clients to look at their progress every 4 weeks, and ask themselves what improvements are needed?
Remember that their improvements can be aesthetic or performance, so they need to be specific in regards to that short 4 - 6 weeks ahead. Their milestones will be different but they need to be specific. A powerlifter may need to add 2 more kilograms to their deadlift. A young lady wants a bit more butt, the sprinter might need to add to his clean for more power in his start. You would like to drop just one more dress size...etc. etc.
Measure the time, distance, speed, weight, or size. These are many ways to measure your success, but all are how we build milestones. And even though we fall sometimes, even though we fail, our character is measured by what we do in the face of this failure. These small steps we take daily are part of everyone's journey to their own success.
The keyword is small steps. When you've built up so much success in your journey the gains become smaller and smaller, but it is your drive that keeps you moving forward regardless of how small the gain is.
Set your milestones, this takes pre-planning, more importantly, it takes maybe 5 minutes of reflection daily, or maybe 15 minutes, either way, it is the only way you will continue building on your milestones. If you fail, if you fall, just get up, dust yourself off, and keep moving forward. And never forget why you started.
Me, I do this so that my kids can be inspired someday and see that you can build from nothing, and with hard work, you can have something. I want to teach them that it's ok to fall, and it's ok to fail, you just have to keep getting up, and continue learning.
Keep building those milestones and in the meantime;
Stay healthy my friends...
Coach, Franco
P.S. It's February, and the season for lovers, friends and family so I'm extending my offer of training with a partner, Train for14 Days for $14! ... See MoreSee Less
Metabolic Resistance Training
“Who Else Wants To BURN MORE FAT Than Ever Before Without Wasting Countless Hours Of Their Life Away On Unbelievably Boring Cardio Machines?”
Discover the Fat Loss Secrets of MRT…
Have you been wasting your time with traditional exercise routines that produce little to no results? What if everything you’ve been told about exercise and fat loss were wrong?
I’m not really sure how the trend started, but somewhere along the way we’ve been steered in the completely wrong direction for fat loss training. The fact is long steady-state cardiovascular exercise (running, biking, elliptical trainers, etc.) is NOT an effective method for long-lasting FAT loss. It is actually a great baseline increaser when it pertains to your energy systems.
Long duration cardio has been exposed as ineffective at best and dangerous at worst. In fact, the Journal of Obesity notes,
“Most aerobic exercise interventions have consisted of moderate-intensity steady-state exercise, for about 30 to 40 min for 3 to 4 days per week, over a four- to six-month period. Disappointingly, these kinds of exercise programs have resulted in minimal fat loss."
Another study in Obesity (15:1496-1512, 2007) reports that after logging 300 hours of cardiovascular exercise (one hour each day, 6 days per week) over the course of one year, women only lost 4 pounds and men lost 6. That means that for every 50 hours of cardio, you lose only one pound of weight! Sounds insane, right?
In addition, the constant repetitive motion and potential pounding your body goes through with continuous cardiovascular exercise places a tremendous amount of stress on your joints and connective tissue. Excessive cardio can also impair the production of the thyroid hormone – the preeminent regulator of metabolism. Finally, too much cardio can cause muscle loss, thus slowing your metabolism, decreasing your bone density, and lowering your overall level of health.
One caveat of course; if you were to jump off the couch and jump on a treadmill 6 days a week for an hour a day, that could be detrimental to anyone. That is why as a training professional it is important to understand the balance between strength training and resilience training.
When you put all that together, I’d suggest thinking twice about making cardio your primary source of training for fat loss… I’m not saying some cardio isn’t good for you. In moderation, cardio can be a wonderful ADD to your fitness program. Just don’t make it the main feature of your program if sculpting a lean, fit & trim body is your goal.
“So, What’s the Right Way to Exercise For Long-Lasting Weight Loss?
If you’re serious about losing weight and even burning fat while you sleep, then metabolic resistance training is one of many ways to go.
Metabolic Resistance Training (MRT) is a form of Interval Training that involves the total body, resistance-based exercises done in quick succession with little or no rest between. Typical workouts last 10 – 30 minutes (not including warm-up and cool-down).
What really makes this kind of training perfect for fat burning are the work/rest intervals and alternating between non-competing exercises of strength.
Alternating sets allow you to work on different areas of your body when you would otherwise be resting with the straight-set format. Plus, by working another area of your body with a non-competing exercise you allow your body to recover from the previous exercise(s). The result is more work accomplished in less time - one of the cornerstones of any sound fat loss program.
There are a number of different ways to perform alternating sets:
Supersets: Alternate between 2 different non-competing exercises (e.g. upper body and lower body such as pushups and lunges)
Tri sets: Alternate between 3 different exercises (e.g. push, pull, and lower body such as pushups, rows, and lunges)
Circuits: Alternate between four or more different exercises
The result is a metabolism that is supercharged so that it keeps burning fat even after you have stopped exercising. Plus, you get a built-in heart-healthy cardiovascular workout!
“It Really, Really Works!”
Steven Boutcher, a scientist at the University of South Wales, did a study on intense interval training and found that more fat is lost during shorter, maximum intensity intervals than during slower and longer workout periods.
Two groups of obese women were divided into two groups with identical diets but different exercise protocols for fifteen weeks.
The first group exercised three times each week for twenty minutes. Their high-intensity workouts consisted of intervals with eight seconds of max-effort and twelve seconds of recovery.
The second group also exercised three times each week, but for forty minutes, and the intensity was steadier.
The results? In spite of the second group’s longer exercise periods, the first group saw a higher loss of body fat, especially in the belly, thighs, and hips.
We now know through both empirical and scientific evidence that you can get even better body shaping results when you perform interval training using multi-joint strength training exercises like squats, deadlifts, rows, presses, etc. It’s also a lot more fun!
Sample MRT Workout:
Alternate between 60 - 90 seconds of work, 5 - 10 reps/exercise (dependent on the exercise) and 2-3 minute recovery after all 5 exercises in the following circuit.
Perform this circuit 4 times; a total body fat burning workout. One of the important factors to consider is to use a weight that is challenging and competitive to what you're used to so that your muscles are working just as hard as your heart.
Exercise 1: Deadlift Variation
Exercise 2: Push-up Variation
Exercise 3: Lunge Variation
Exercise 4: Row Variation
Exercise 5: Plank Variation
Train hard and TRAIN HEAVY!
Now you know the facts. You have the proof. Metabolic Resistance Training is the key to your fat loss success.
Let’s get started, and stay healthy my friends,
Coach, Franco
P.S. I only have one AWESOME offer for you!
Train in February, 14 days, for $14! Get your assessment free, and experience our Wolfpack Training System, and understand why training in a group environment with your very own program will bring you the success you want out of your goals. Just say you're in, and write '14' in the subject line! ... See MoreSee Less
Too often we get caught up in the “should” and “have to” in life and lose sight of the things we enjoy doing and support our physical, emotional, and mental well being.
What better time to do that then on/around your birthday?
I have found over the course of the last few years that the more actions I take to positively feed my mind, body, and soul the happier I am, the more productive I am, and the better person, coach, friend, and family member I am.
It doesn’t need to be your birthday to celebrate YOU!
Why It’s Important to Celebrate Yourself
Let’s face it; if you don’t take control of your own happiness, health, and well being, no one else is going to do it for you.It’s time that we realize that catering to everyone else’s needs before our own doesn’t lead us to being the best versions of ourselves that we can be. Often times it leads us to fatigue, unhappiness, a sense of not being fulfilled, health problems, burn out, and the inability to sleep. We are left tired, stressed out, and emotionally, mentally, and physically drained.
Most of us probably don’t listen to the flight attendant go over the safety instructions when we fly but we could take away a BIG LESSON in life if we did…”Make sure to put your own oxygen mask on first before assisting others.”
In that tired, stressed out, drained state we aren’t much good to anyone including ourselves. We aren’t living each day to it’s full potential and sharing the gift that each one of us has to offer.
Life is too short to not live it to the fullest!
Is Self-Care Selfish
Taking time for us is often associated with being selfish. We feel guilty if we set boundaries with our friends and family to meet our own needs. We use the excuse that we “don’t have time” to exercise, or simply relax doing something we enjoy. What you will find when you practice self-care on a regular basis is that you are more productive and don’t need as much time to get the things done that you need to. You will waste less energy mentally and physically because you will be fully engaged in what you are doing at any given time. It is proven that regular exercise, clean nutrition (avoiding gluten, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, etc.), quality sleep, and meditation all increase productivity.
I can’t quite understand how taking care of ourselves by carving out time to meditate, exercise, do yoga, take a walk, relax in the bath, read a good book, make a nutritious meal at home, or time to just simply be alone is selfish.
Is it our own belief that taking the time to care for our needs is selfish or are we taking on someone else’s belief? The great thing is that we have control over our own mindset. We can change our mindset and self-talk to reflect these actions positively. “I take time daily to care for my body, mind, and spirit.”
Daily Self-Care
Don’t wait for your birthday, or any other special occasion to celebrate YOU! We take the best care of ourselves by establishing daily self-care habits. This can be as small as setting aside 5 minutes to sit quietly and focus on your breathing. Keep in mind that daily self-care to increase our health and well being doesn’t need to take up a lot of time.
Self Care can be…
Taking a detox bath
Going for a short walk in nature
Taking a nap or going to bed early
Preparing a delicious meal that supports your nutrition plan and sitting down to enjoy it
Writing in a gratitude journal
Talking with a friend, spouse, or family member
Exercising
Practicing a few yoga poses or taking a class
Meditation
Reading a good book
Engaging in your favorite hobby
Massage
Writing down and reading positive affirmations
Any behavior or activity that increases your health and well being
Each individual needs to identify what self-care is/means for them.
In the meantime, take care of you, you deserve it;
And stay healthy my friends...
Coach Franco ... See MoreSee Less
That's right folks!
February is 2 weeks away and I was taking note of where I'm at in my businesses, my personal life, and I have to say I'm almost caught up and working to better each aspect of it.
I fell short on my schedule as well as my training, a couple injury setbacks put me in a little slump, but now I'm back to full strength and I have to be responsible on my road back to my own personal programming.
One thing left to bring back to my life and that's my Brazilian Ju-Jitsu practice.
I always have considerations when looking at my own programming, I have to look at all my external stresses first. Family's been sick and out for the count for the last 2 weeks, this means you have to pick up some of the slack. back and injury setbacks in the holidays, sleep deprivation when starting a new gym as well as another business venture at the same time. And, I'm no spring chicken anymore, creeping up to 47.
I'm not a resolution kind of coach, I make one small change at a time, and for me last year was to wake up quite early to be more creative in the morning, and it worked. This new year it's been a struggle but I haven't lost my focus which is the most important factor for me to succeed for my family.
This year I was happy to start with new clients and slow growth but very happy to see new faces, and I have to thank my great clients for that. Word of mouth is always the best way to grow, I have to be grateful that I have a great little community of people that will continue to profess my resume.
On that note I am going to start my new promo for February!
February as you know is the infamous month for Valentines Day! This day in my own personal history has been riddled with great moments, irritable ones, but looking back it was always a bit of an adventure.
That is why I'm going to do the the first PROMO for our little location:
February 14 Days, For $14 For All Couples!
That's right, and by couples I mean all couples, bring anyone you like or love.
This includes, Lovers, husbands and wives, husbands and husbands, wives and wives, a couple of friends, a couple of family members, etc. If you like them or love them, just bring them.
Come as a couple and pay $14 each, from February 1 to February 14.
Quick caveat: If you train only 2-days, it's still $14. So take advantage
What Do I Get For $14 Coach?
You get an assessment which includes a Functional Movement Screen, as well as a Body Composition test. A lifestyle questionnaire and your very own program that you will use in our signature small group personal training, the Wolfpack Training System.
The start of this month will give you the opportunity to test drive our Wolfpack Training System for up to 5 days a week. The proof is in the pudding, there's is NO way you will succeed in training if you don't pin point your specific needs, and build consistency around it.
Be accountable, be consistent, be true to your goals; I promise you results!
If you're interested in starting in February, Just write "14" in the subject line!
In the meantime;
Stay healthy my friends...
Coach, Franco
P.S. GO NINERS!!! ... See MoreSee Less
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February is almost here and yes it’s Valentine’s Day! Well @cogoperformance is giving couples of all walks, friends, husbands, wives, girlfriends, boyfriends, brothers and sisters; the first 14 days of training for 14 sweet loonies! That means all Wolfpack Training Systems available, assessment, personal training in a small group environment, programming,likeminded community all yours for less than 4 Starbucks! #cogoperformance #showthelove #valentines #promo #bringthelove #personaltrainer #personaltraining #smallgrouptraining #wolfpack #yyc #yycliving #yycfitness ... See MoreSee Less
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I’m going to be taking a small group of people through a fun 2-week program to start the new year off right.
Comment below if you're interested. ... See MoreSee Less
How to Succeed with your Resolutions
Any time of the year is a good time to address the issue of FAILED New Year’s Resolutions. According to statistics compiled by a “big box” gym, the most drastic drop off in gym attendance occurs 38 days from the New Year (February 7th).
We all begin the year with high hopes and big goals for our health and fitness. But only 30 days into the year, only 6 out of 10 people are still on track with their goal to "lose weight," "exercise more," or "eat healthy."
And by the end of the year, only 1 out of 10 people have sustained their New Year's Resolution to be healthier.
What’s even worse for those who actually do lose weight, 80% of them gain it back again AND 67% of those people gain more weight back than they originally lost!
Without getting into the physiology of a messed up metabolism that extreme dieting, crazy HCG protocols (Human Chronic gonadotropin), and over-training causes let’s look at it from a different angle…
PARADIGMS
Your paradigm is essentially how you see the world.It’s a multitude of beliefs and habits (passed along and picked up) that ultimately control your actions.
Joel Barker said, “To ignore the power of paradigms
Side note to parents – YOU form your children’s paradigms.“What you don’t fix they will inherit.They’re an extension of YOU.” – Bob Proctor
It’s important to note for those of you trying to “get rid of bad habits” and “pick up good habits” that HABITS CANNOT BE ERASED. THEY MUST BE REPLACED.
But, once your old habits are replaced with new ones, what’s the secret to creating LONG-TERM habit change and keeping the weight off?
FAITH
Faith requires believing in the unseen and/or not yet materialized into reality.
Your weight-loss and fitness journey will not be linear.
There will be plateaus
There will be temptations.
There will be obstacles.
But, faith in YOURSELF and in the process will overcome these setbacks.
When times get hard, you will unconsciously fall back on your faith…or lack thereof.
So, how do you build up your faith?
REPETITION and COMMUNITY.
Repetition is at the foundation of learning. We must see, hear, read, experience things over and over and over again before they truly become engrained in us.
Community is the reinforcement of behavior through group participation and group approval – THIS is important when it comes to your weight loss and fitness goals!
Think about the most powerful passionate belief systems…
Church, politics, sports, and even AA meeting are held in groups for a reason.
Although not everyone in a community may be your best friend, communities provide support to keep you on track through the “power of loose ties.”
You see; we tend to surround ourselves with people that are similar to us, so our closet friends tend to have the same habits that we do (by the way, this works against ourselves when we’re trying to make a major lifestyle change like being more healthy & fit). There is also no pressure to impress your closest friends and family because you already know that you have their acceptance. If not, that’s a different conversation all together. Just remember, while you might not be able to pick your family, you CAN pick your friends…
On the other hand, “loose ties” or people that you would consider acquaintances can be a powerful factor in habit change. When you join a new community that has habits that you aspire to develop, but might be out of your current comfort zone, the peer pressure of gaining acceptance and wanting to impress your new peers HELPS drive these changes.
Belief is often viewed as something that develops out of our control, but understanding the subconscious psychological power of communities can help you put yourself in a position for long-term success. The power of “loose ties” plus seeing others in the community who have succeeded in situations similar to yours creates belief. As you begin to believe more you build up your faith.
So, if you’re SERIOUS about hitting your goals this year, find a proven system that you can believe in and a community that supports your goals.
Believe in yourself, believe in your journey; it's perfect...
Coach Franco
P.S. January is upon us, and you're probably scrambling to figure out, where's your community; here's a few ways I can help you...
1. Free Assessment: Come in for a free assessment that includes a Functional Movement Screen, and a body composition test, as well as your success coaching session to figure out how we can help you, and start 2020 right! Just say 'Assessment' in your email.
2. You're not in Calgary? No problem! Call me for an in-depth success coaching call so that we can get you started on the right Online Coaching Program. Sign up for 3 months, and receive your fourth month free! Email me with the word 'Online' in the subject line and we'll set up a call.
3. Try it all: For the month of January, try 2 weeks unlimited sessions of our signature small group personal training in our Wolf Pack Training System, as well as our Online Performance coaching for 2 more weeks. 4 weeks of training for $99! Just email us and put '99' on the subject line and we'll get you started on a success coaching session as well as book you in for your free assessment! ... See MoreSee Less
Well, my friends, most of us are all back at work.
We've finished the holidays and realized where did the time go?
For me it was working with clients, moving my gym and settling into the new permanent space for at least this year.
We had really sick babies at home, my wife got really sick with a throat infection, I myself got an ear infection, and threw my back out. In and out of client's homes for the in-home sessions and back to the gym for those taking advantage of the Calgary Food Bank donations promo. Also finally trying to sneak in a workout when I started feeling better.
And let's not forget Christmas shopping; thankfully my babies are too young to be picky, even boxes make them happy.
Wow! That was a mouthful.
The thing is my evenings with my Nathaly, gave us the opportunity to look towards the future. What do we want from 2020?
The better question we realized was, what are we going to do for 2020? How will we improve as a family, how will I improve as a husband and father as well as a business owner?
I'm not a resolution kind of guy, but I will definitely start to take better care of myself, improve my sleep and obviously my eating habits.
My reason is easy, it's how I become better for those I love. These 2 simple things, but you'll notice that they are specific, as well as simple.
Sometimes we put too much pressure on ourselves and set ourselves up to fail...
These two simple things will improve all facets that are important in my life, family, business, etc.
I'm not going to bore you with details in regards to every step I will take but keeping those things in mind always, will make me more disciplined in my decision making.
That's right, don't forget that in the end we have choices, and it's usually the easy and the hard road and nothing good came from the easy route.
Well, my friends, I'll leave you with this. Stay the course, don't make hard goals for yourself especially if you haven't come close to those goals in the past.
Hard goals are long term goals and they're a daily grind, the question is, what are you doing today to make your journey in life that much better?
Start 2020, right. Make good decisions in regards to your health, and make an effort to do one thing right daily; it's compounded interest towards a healthy mindset, I promise.
Stay healthy my friends, and here's to a year!
Coach Franco
P.S. I'm happy to say I am now permanently in Accurate Fieldhouse 7575 57 St SE, upstairs in the mezzanine and you come in through south doors. Feel free to contact me at 403-837-1023 via text or get on a call if you're looking to make some healthy changes. ... See MoreSee Less
“Yoga is a Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline, a part of which, including breath control, simple meditation, and the adoption of specific bodily postures, is widely practiced for health and relaxation.”
Wait! Aren't you a Personal and Athletic trainer and praise the benefits of good old fashioned steel in your hands? Grunting, sweating with loud music in the background?
I do, but I dedicate this write up to my lovely wife and her search for the perfect Yoga class...
And by the way, I've done the odd Yoga class and I rocked them! It's due to my superior strength and stability and waning flexibility that still lingers.
Ok, let's get started, The benefits of yoga are very vast. They include but are not limited to.
1. Helping you move better and feel less stiff or tired
Can help you to build strength and endurance especially core strength
2. Helps your body awareness and can therefore also improve your posture
3. Feel less stressed and more relaxed
4. Can help to lower blood pressure and slow your heart rate
5. Has been linked to lower cholesterol, lower triglyceride levels, and better immune system function
Types of Yoga
There are many different types of yoga. It will depend on what you are looking to get out of a yoga practice, as well as your personality as to which type will be most optimal for you. Below are the most common types of yoga to choose from.
Ashtanga
Bikram (Hot)
Hatha
Iyengar
Kundalini
Power
Restorative
Vinyasa
Yin
Restorative Yoga
I want to focus this article on Restorative Yoga because of it’s profound effects on our stress levels and the ability to bring our body back into balance. The guiding principle of this type of yoga is that support creates a release. By using props such as blankets, bolsters, and blocks the body feels supported enough to release and let go of muscular tension. You can virtually take any yoga pose and make it a restorative pose by adding support and lengthening the duration of the pose.
In our fast-paced, never-stop society, Restorative Yoga gives us the opportunity to be still and get back to our true nature.
Restorative Yoga postures help the body release built up tension by gently lengthening and opening the whole body including the muscles and connective tissue. Through this, equilibrium is restored in the body and the body regains lost energy and vitality. In a world where we are always going, going, going, restorative yoga is a remedy for the challenges of stress.
Because poses are held for 3-9 minutes or longer, you are able to deeply “let go. ”This “letting go” allows the body to naturally restore balance and well being. Our bodies want to return to homeostasis - a state of balance. The problem is that many factors including stress pull us away from this balance.
The practice of Restorative Yoga turns off the flight or fight response and engages the process of rest and digest, inducing a physiological state that is the exact opposite of the stress response and allows the body time and means to return to homeostatic balance.
Adding a yoga practice to your current training program can provide you with physical, mental, and emotional benefits. A great place to start is with a class once a week, a workshop, or even a DVD.
On that note, My wife loves to do this particular young lady's yoga videos on YouTube and after working on my laptop while she does a Yoga sequence or two, I started to take note. She's actually really good. So I'll leave you with this link below and you should subscribe to her if you also enjoy it, so let's welcome Yoga With Adrienne.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPK9WNtpBgk
Enjoy, and stay healthy my friends...
P.S. If you're looking to make some lifestyle changes in the new year, here's a couple ways I can help...
1. Try Our Small Group Personal Training For the Month of January for our Bring One Get One!
Achieve your health & fitness goals with the attention, knowledge, and accountability you need through working with my extremely knowledgeable and cohesive training philosophy up close and personal in a like-minded environment; only now, you get to bring a friend and share the experience together!
Just reply back to this email with the word 'BOGO' and we can set up a time to talk about your goals and see if Small Group training is a good fit for you.
2. Train With Me From Anywhere, and For The Month of December, You Can Try My Premium Online Performance Coach for 1 month for $1!
If you can’t make it to my facility in Calgary, you can still train with the best!
I have a ready made for your training platform shared through Google sheets, with your exercises hyperlinked so you can see them anywhere.
You'll also be part of our wonderful private group, Club Atletico where you'll receive weekly coaching, tips, and tricks regarding training as well as diet and lifestyle.
This is exactly like personal training, but it's anywhere you need it to be, and it's even more affordable.
If you are interested in the Premium Online Performance Coaching, anytime & anywhere program, reply with 'Online' and I'll get you all the details. ... See MoreSee Less
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