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In a Rut? Do This One Thing For a Mid Year Restart

September 3, 2018 by Kathryn Alexander Leave a Comment

This is an update of a post originally published in 2015. I think it is important to take stock of where you are and if it’s where you want to be. If not, make a deliberate change to get on the path.

It is fall as I am writing this. If you made New Year goals, you should be in your “after” situation right now. This was going to be the year, you were going to make the changes you know you’ve been needing to. You were going to establish a healthy, disciplined routine.

Did you?


The Texas coast

The Texas coast

Or maybe you’re on that vacation you wanted to get in shape for. The big trip you bought comfortable shoes for, in anticipation of covering miles of European cobblestone. Perhaps your active vacation was carrying golf clubs on your dream course. I hope some of you got to do that. 

We Are All Busy

One of the biggest perks of my job helping people in the gym is that I interact with a large number of the same people on a very regular basis, and I get to see real trends as they happen.

It is fascinating. We are more alike and in tune with each other than we think. When the seasons change and the weather is beautiful, nearly everyone bounds in the gym with energy and optimism. 

Likewise, I see moments when the collective sentiment is a very unenthusiastic “blah.” This was the case recently in Austin, and could have been caused by low grade, often undetectable mold allergies, according to a local acupuncturist. 

This is why I can say with certainly that if you feel like your year has gotten away from you, you are not alone. 

Summer is busy, fall is busier

Summer often passes in a blur of planning and flying by the seat of your pants. You’ve got to plan work and family schedules, childcare, summer camps, and vacation hotels and activities.


So many red dots.

So many red dots.

Regular appointments are subject to reschedules and cancellations, and long vacations end with a pile of emails and to-dos awaiting at the office.

Before we know it, summer turns to fall and the sweet relief of routine. Until after school sports, and new activities. Holidays and holiday planning sneak up.

And so, it is easy to see why our fitness routines fall by the wayside. We are almost a year removed from New Year’s Resolutions, where the abundant optimism of others propels you along too.

What Should You Do?

But you still have goals for your body even when life is busy. You still want your abs to be a little tighter, and your back to be pain-free. So what is a busy person to do? 

Something. Anything, but do it now. Do not wait for “the right time” or til life gets a little less busy. It’ll never happen, because as soon as it does, something else gets thrown in your lap. 

Healthy, successful people do not wait for the right time. 

Your Homework

Pick one thing and commit to doing that one thing. What is that one thing? I don’t know. I’ll give you a list of ideas, but I recommend you take a mental inventory of your strengths. You know yourself and your habits better than anyone else. 

Exercise is an extremely nuanced topic we could study forever. There are years-long graduate programs of study in exercise, and hundreds of thousands of research studies on exercise. The big things, however, are well understood: eat well and move your body. You know which of those you are good at, such as cooking a great chicken salad, or committing to morning yoga classes.

Guidelines

Your activity must be something: 

  • You can do everyday, or with some regularity

  • You are 95% sure you can maintain

See what we are doing here? We are setting you up to be successful. We are setting you up to win.

The Rules

  • Commit to doing this thing for one month. You can continue on if you like, but it’s perfectly fine to quit at one month.

  • No guilt! No guilt if you miss a day. Just prepare better so you can do it tomorrow.

Give this some thought, then if you choose to commit, give it a real, honest go. It doesn’t matter how small or insignificant the action is. You are making a commitment, making positive change, and establishing a habit.

Why Just One Thing?

People do better at change where there is only one change to focus on. After your month, you can pick a different one or add another. Remember, the smallest healthy change you make is better for you the the comprehensive health overhaul that you abandon.

(Reason #2 for just one thing, I always wanted to make a cheesy title like that. “Do this one weird trick!!” Haha!)

Examples:

  • Stretch for 15 minutes every evening

  • Attend yoga or Pilates class 3 times a week

  • Floss your teeth every day

  • Drink 64 ounces of water every day

  • Do this 2 Minute No Sweat Series to start your day

  • Weight train 3 times per week

  • Get 8 hours of sleep every day

  • Cook a healthy breakfast every morning

  • Have 2 boiled eggs every morning for the 12 extra grams of protein

  • Meditate for 15 minutes every day

  • Do a challenging sudoku or crossword puzzle every day

  • Express gratitude every day

  • Give a genuine compliment every day

  • Walk around your block every morning

  • Consume approximately 25/38 grams of fiber per day (female/male, respectively)

One final note. Email me if you need accountability! Email me to tell me your habit! I would love to update this list with healthy habits I haven’t mentioned, and I’m fantastic at nagging, I mean, checking in to see how you are sticking to your plan.

Read next: The craziest thing I did for recovery, and why what I learned still helps me today

Filed Under: Life, Misc., Recreation & Fun Tagged With: busy, goals, in a rut, investment, life, start here, timing, training, where to start

Get Out of the Summer Slump

July 15, 2015 by Kathryn Alexander Leave a Comment

We are deep into summer as I’m writing this. You should be standing in your “after” picture right now. Are you? Remember in January when you looked forward to summer, with ideas of the smokin’ hot body you’d be bringing to boat parties and beach getaways? OH yes, you were gonna kill it in the gym this year. 

Or maybe you’re on that vacation you wanted to get in shape for. The big trip you bought comfortable shoes for, in anticipation of covering miles of meandering European countryside, or walking blocks in the big city. Perhaps your active vacation was carrying golf clubs on your dream course. I hope some of you got to do that. 


summerbeach.jpg

Ahh, summer. A season of long, lazy days that allow us to enjoy a slower pace of life and refill our soul. 

Bahahaha. Don’t worry, you’re in good company if that doesn’t sound like your summer either.

We Are All Busy

One of the biggest perks of my job helping people in the gym is that I interact with a large number of the same people on a very regular basis, and I get to see real trends as they happen.

It is fascinating. We are more alike and in tune with each other than we think. When the seasons change and the weather is beautiful, nearly everyone bounds in the gym with energy and optimism. 

Likewise, I see moments when the collective sentiment is a very unenthusiastic “blah.” This was the case recently in Austin, and could have been caused by low grade, often undetectable mold allergies, according to my acupuncturist. 

This is why I can say with certainly that if you feel like your summer has gotten away from you, you are not alone. 

Summer = Work + Vacation + Kids (even if they are not yours)

Summer is still my favorite time of year (except football season), but it is hard work planning summers. No kidding. If you’re going on vacation, you’ve got to plan with your work and family schedules, book hotels and rental cars and fun things to do. This gets harder, people tell me, when you are packing for kids too. 

This isn’t even the regular summer change of plans if you have kids. You’ve also got to find childcare and summer camps. 


So many red dots.

So many red dots.

Even if you don’t have kids and aren’t taking a vacation, your schedule will likely be changed by others who do. If your profession involves regular appointments with people, you already know it’s crazy with reschedules and cancellations. If you are part of a team at work, you might be taking on extra work for the people out of office. 

And, if you’re among the lucky ones on a long vacation, you’ve surely got your work cut out for you when you come back in the form of emails and calls to return. It’s sometimes more work to just get back into work.

And so, it is easy to see why our fitness routines fall by the wayside in summer. We are half a year removed from New Year’s Resolutions, where the abundant optimism of others propels you along too. We are past that last pre-summer push, which happens in late March and early April. 

There are a couple variations of this one: 

  1. “Ahh, Spring Break is coming! I have GOT to get my booty in gear!”

  2. “Ahh, Spring Break is coming! Hahaha, nevermind. Just kidding. I’m too old for Spring Break. I’ve got a few more weeks before I’ve got to get in shape for summer.”

And then summer comes. And now, summer is here and we’ve got tan lines to show it. 

But you still have goals for your body even when life is busy. You still want your abs to be a little tighter, and to feel more energetic. So what is a busy person to do? 

Simple. Do something now. Anything, but do it now. Do not wait for “the right time” or til life gets a little less busy. It’ll never happen, because as soon as it does, something else gets thrown in your lap. 

Healthy, successful people do not wait for the right time. 

Your Homework

Pick one thing and commit to doing that one thing. What is that one thing? I don’t know. I’ll give you a list of ideas, but I recommend you take a mental inventory of your strengths. You know yourself and your habits better than anyone else. 

Exercise is an extremely nuanced topic we could study forever. There are many-years-long graduate programs of study in exercise, and hundreds of thousands of research studies on exercise. The big things, however, are well understood, and you know which of those you are good at, such as cooking a great healthy chicken salad, or committing to morning yoga classes.

Guidelines

Your activity must be something: 

  • You can do everyday, or with some regularity

  • You are 95% sure you can maintain

See what we are doing here? We are setting you up to be successful. We are setting you up to win.

The Rules

  • Commit to doing this thing for one month. You can continue on if you like, but it’s perfectly fine to quit at one month.

  • No guilt! No guilt if you miss a day. Just prepare better so you can do it tomorrow.

Give this some thought, then if you choose to commit, give it a real, honest go. It doesn’t matter how small or insignificant the action is. You are making a commitment, making positive change, and establishing a habit.

Why Just One Thing?

People do better at change where there is only one change to focus on. After your month, you can pick a different one or add another. Remember, the smallest healthy change you make is better for you the the best comprehensive health overhaul that you abandon. Reason #2 for just one thing, I always wanted to make a cheesy title like that. “Do this one weird trick!!” Haha!

Examples:

  • Stretch for 15 minutes every evening

  • Attend yoga or Pilates class 3 times a week

  • Floss your teeth every day

  • Drink 64 ounces of water every day

  • Weight train 3 times per week

  • Get 8 hours of sleep every day

  • Cook a healthy breakfast every morning

  • Have 2 boiled eggs every morning for the 12 extra grams of protein

  • Meditate for 15 minutes every day

  • Do a challenging sudoku or crossword puzzle every day

  • Express gratitude every day

  • Give a genuine compliment every day

  • Walk around your block every morning

  • Consume approximately 25/38 grams of fiber per day (female/male, respectively)

One final note. Email me if you need accountability! Email me to tell me your habit! I would love to update this list with healthy habits I haven’t mentioned, and I’m fantastic at nagging, I mean, checking in to see how you are sticking to your plan.

I’m off to meditate, my goal for the next month!

Filed Under: Life, Misc., Nutrition & diet, Recreation & Fun Tagged With: busy, goals, in a rut, investment, life, start here, timing, training, where to start

The 6 Most Important Ways an Experienced Personal Trainer Can Help You

April 24, 2015 by Kathryn Alexander Leave a Comment

Seems like personal trainers are a dime a dozen these days, doesn’t it? Is it a fad, just a passing fancy, to hire someone to tell you you’re doing a good job and count your reps out loud? 

No actually, not at all! A trainer with a degree in exercise physiology, current certifications, and experience with many clients can help you in immeasurable ways. Just like the tax accountant you hire, and the doctor you consult, a professional trainer is a wealth of knowledge in his or her field. 

Consider this: are you getting results the way you are training now? Are you satisfied with your physique and performance? We are long past New Year’s Resolutions, and spring break even sneaked past us. If you aren’t where you want to be for the rest of summer, consider consulting with a trainer.

Given the plethora of exercise options, workout gadgets, and get-fit-now! marketing out there, a personal trainer’s guidance is invaluable.

Of course, you know the obvious benefits of having a trainer: they help you be consistent, they motivate, they encourage. The less obvious benefits of a professional personal trainer are far more important though. Read on for the 6 most important ways an experienced personal trainer can help you.

A Personal Trainer Can Save You Time

Time is the only commodity we cannot gain more of. You can save money, ration goods, stockpile supplies but you cannot change time. How many people do you know that go to the gym regularly, work hard, sweat, but never seem to change? Many people do this! Why is that? 

 


progresschart.jpg

It is because they aren’t making a direct path between their present situation and their goals.

Why would you want to spend the time in the gym, the effort, the sweat, the time away from your family or other hobbies, if you aren’t making full use of it? Find a good trainer to help you establish the safest but fastest way to get the body and performance you want.

An Experienced Personal Trainer Has a Trained Eye for Movement

This is two-fold. First, your trainer will obviously have a different point of view. He or she can stand behind you, beside you, and see your joint angles, the bar path, and bar speed. Do you know exactly what your back is doing on your third deadlift rep? Most people don’t.

Do you know, objectively, how quickly the bar moved on that heavy set? Probably not. What you feel is extremely subjective, and isn’t always the best predictor of how to modify your next working set. This is why many people find videoing and replaying their lifts helpful. 


squat1.jpg


squat2.jpg

I kid you not, this is exactly how my mind sees movement. Do you notice the angle of my back on the first squat? That green line? I want to maintain that as I squat. But, on my second squat, my hips shot up before my shoulders, changing the angle of that line. It is now illustrated in red. This video gave me pointers to work on, and I have improved tremendously in the months since.

A trainer will be even more beneficial than a video, because in addition to another visual angle, an experienced trainer will have a much fuller perspective. If you are not a personal trainer, it makes sense that you spend the vast majority of hours in your week becoming an expert in something else. A good trainer, on the other hand, is in the gym all those hours that you are not, becoming an expert on lifting and coaching.

In the 10 years that I have been a certified personal trainer, I have seen thousands and thousands of lifts. Many have been successful, many have been missed lifts. Others have been in the gray area between; a completed lift with ugly form, an easy PR, a grinder that was narrowly missed.

Because I have seen so many different lifters with a wide variety of experiences levels and technique, I can easily see the exhaustion near a maximal lift. I can see the body nearing a breaking point, or conversely, the body that can safely handle more, even if the lifter feels exhausted. Working out in a fatigued state is when it is most important to choose your next sets carefully, and a good trainer can be sure you don’t leave good work undone, or push unsafely.

 

A Personal Trainer Can Give You New Ideas and Breathe New Life Into Your Routine

Are you, like your gym acquaintances who seem to make no progress, spinning your wheels? There is a very fine line between a groove and a rut. You want to get into a groove. Changing workouts too frequently is not beneficial. Doing something different every week won’t let you master the exercises enough to earn results.

A well designed workout, which you take weeks to fine tune and perfect, will bring you the best results. Stay too long in that same exact workout, and it becomes a rut. The challenge is finding that well designed workout, committing to it for the right period of time, and knowing when to change. 

Often, people know when it is time to change workouts. They feel bored and become uninterested in going through the same motions. Results taper off, and progress becomes rare. The issue is that while they are aware that they need a change, they might not know what to do next.

This is when a trainer’s input becomes valuable. A knowledgeable trainer will be able to introduce you to exercises which are the next step for your level of competence. These will be exercises that are specific to you and your goals, and not just busy work, or exercises that are just different for the sake of being different.

 

An Experienced Personal Trainer Can Help You See Through the BS

Fitness is a multi-billion dollar industry in the U.S. Check out America’s fitness related consumption in 2012.


Source: http://www.statista.com/statistics/242190/us-fitness-industry-revenue-by-sector/

Source: http://www.statista.com/statistics/242190/us-fitness-industry-revenue-by-sector/

Clearly, Americans are interested in fitness, wellness, and aesthetics. However, not all of these things are genuinely good products, or even honest efforts at providing a quality product to the consumer.

Shiny fitness fads blow through Instagram and other social media outlets like wildfire; everybody jumps on the bandwagon with the “in” move or product. Weird abductions on the yes/no machine, anyone? #belfies? Shake weights, sauna suits, squeems, and waist trainers.

Ack! Google “worst fitness trends” for some laughs, but don’t actually try these things. Many can be dangerous, and if you unknowingly jump on these trends, you could cause more harm than just embarrassment at being seen in public with the worst footwear ever (ahem, Skechers toning shoes endorsed by fitness icon, Kim Kardashian). 


SkechersKardashian.jpb

By the way, Skechers paid $40 million to consumers in a settlement because the shoes have caused injury and have no basis for the claim to improve fitness.

The Thighmaster does not spot reduce fat on the thighs, but it does contribute to a poor movement pattern which can cause knee pain and ACL injuries. Most people do not need to strengthen their adductors, but actually need the opposite. Knee valgus, which is collapse of the knees inward toward each other, is a common occurrence and is exacerbated when the adductors are stronger in proportion then the abductors. Squeezing the legs together with the Thighmaster reinforces this movement pattern.

Waist trainers compress internal organs and can damage ribs. Sauna suits can excessively dehydrate you. Both of these can even make you lose consciousness. 

I digress. Rely on a professional personal trainer to help you find safe, effective exercises tailored toward your goals.

 

A Personal Trainer Can Solve Biomechanical Issues that are Unique to You

We are all the same, but we are all different. We all have the same muscular originations and insertions. The long head of my biceps originates on my supraglenoid tubercle, which is on the scapula. So does yours. But my scapula and yours are differently shaped, which is why some people have pain from heavy dips, and some don’t. And some people are more prone to impingement in the shoulder from upright rows than others. 

How do you know how your bones are shaped, and what exercises to avoid? Without exploratory surgery, you probably don’t. Becoming adept at listening to your body can help you head off problems before they become severe. A competent personal trainer who understands anatomy can help you solve problems you don’t even know you have, saving you time and injury. 

I, for example, am hyper curious, which is another way to spell “nosy”. Just kidding. But, I always wonder what works, what doesn’t. And, I ask! I ask people why they do the workouts they do, what their goals are, if their program has yielded results, and if they have had adverse effects like overuse injuries. I ask for tips that have helped their motivation, meal planning, and mindset. The collective knowledge and experience from the many individuals’ trial, error, and success is invaluable. 

 

A Personal Trainer Can Help You Avoid Injury

Do you know what population is in danger from doing planks? Do you know simple tweaks to make dips less likely to cause joint pain? 

Trainers can cause injuries that won’t manifest themselves for years down the road. 

Most importantly, did you know there is no legal requirement, qualification or certification to be a personal trainer in the US? It is a completely unregulated industry with no barriers to entry. Your neighbor kid who dropped out of high school can be a personal trainer, and if he’s a good salesman, he might even collect money from people for his “services”.

Your esthetician who does your facials, hair cuts, and manicures require more certification for their services than any personal trainer out there. Scary, isn’t it?

To answer the above questions, high blood pressure is a contraindication for isometric exercises like planks. A better and safer option is to do pushups while breathing regularly. Max effort lifts become isometric when the lifter fails, so knowing when/if to max is a critical decision too. Retracting the shoulders minimizes stress on the front of the shoulder, so dips are less likely to cause pain or injury.


In some populations, pushups are a safer option than planks for core work.

In some populations, pushups are a safer option than planks for core work.

I do hope that all of you reading are happy with your present situation, but working toward your goals too. I love to see people succeed! If I can help you do that, or if you have questions, please contact me!

kalexandertraining@gmail.com

512-348-8929

Filed Under: Personal Training, Research, Science Tagged With: fads, goals, investment, shake weight, skechers, video, video analysis

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