Own Your Profession

With the Spring semester coming to an end, many of our interns are preparing for their graduation and saying their final goodbyes as they move on to the work force. This has made me somewhat sentimental as I reflect back to my graduation just a few years ago, remembering the panic and worry as the thought, “what now?” ran through my mind. I have been a trainer since I was 18, and I still love it and know it is what what I want to continue to do. But at the time of beginning my senior year of college, I felt as though I still had no idea what I was actually doing. Yes, I had improved from when I started, but I hadn’t obtained the overall understanding of human adaptation  that I thought I would get from a college degree. There had to be more.

Even though I was just a few classes and an internship away from finishing my bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology, I felt as though I was still a blank slate for knowledge within the field. And I was. I still am. At the time, this filled me with frustration. My whole intention throughout  college was to get out and crush it as a trainer and performance coach, but when I got done, I realized how little I still knew. I started thinking that I had to go back to school to get the rest of the puzzle. Maybe get a doctorate in physical therapy? Surely then I would understand the body and its neurological, physiological, and mechanical variables upon movement and how they could all be manipulated in training. I could master the realm of corrective exercise and then use the background knowledge to conquer the performance realm. “Yeah, that’s what I’ll do,” is what I thought as I began to immerse myself in the idea of going back to school.

After looking at my already daunting student loans and the prerequisites that I would still have to fill to get into a DPT program, I became nauseated with how much more needed to be done just to be able to apply. I told myself it would still be worth it and decided to just study what I could in the meantime and then figure out how to tackle the prereqs later.

I started reading more into clinical work and research. I read about the Janda and his ideas, about DNS, some Kendall & Kendall, lots of functional anatomy and several blogs that focused less on performance and more on rehab and general function of the body. I followed Gray Cook, read all of his books, took several of his workshops, whent to other seminars on human movement. I loved all of it and started applying the new concepts and methods with my clients. I became very good at correcting movement. I started to figure out better progressions, better ways of coaching movements and I started to notice something… Many of the PTs and chiros that I saw at these seminars were just as new to many of these ideas and concepts as me.

How could that be? These people had spent YEARS learning about functional anatomy, physiology, joint arthrokinematics, and all things tied to pain and movement. Surely they could already tell what compensations were apparent in the individual’s squat with whom we were using as an example. I had been certain that they would know great regressions, progressions or even breakouts to help correct the issues and train the person with restored function… That certainty turned to disappointment as it became apparent that many of them had little experience with this.

The idea of going back to school started to lose its luster. I started to shadow a PT of whom I really respect. I then noticed how much of current physical therapy is actually manual therapy followed by isolation work. I noticed how insurance limits them to working on and rehabbing one body part at a time. I saw clear compensations going on in many of the patients, yet he could only focus his work on one area due to time and/or insurance restraints. I started to realize that this is what they had been prepped for in school and it did not seem to be in line with what I wanted to do. Why had I thought that this would provide me with the answers I wanted?

Then it hit me. I had put the clinicians on a pedestal, viewing them as the next step up from trainers, when in fact it’s not even comparable. It’s a totally different profession with different objections and entirely different scopes. This is also not to say that one scope ranges further than the other. Yes PTs can do manual therapy and other treatments, but when was the last time you saw a PT write a macrocycle to prep a soccer athlete for their season, including such factors as injury prevention, conditioning and applied agility work (put your hand down Charlie Weingroff). A GOOD trainer is just as valuable as a PT, we’re just going to have an entirely different skill set and knowledge base. In order to become a great trainer you do not need to try to mimic another profession, you just need to really own what you do. (I’ll get more into this at the end.)

This made me then wonder: Why was it that I originally viewed Physical Therapists to be a step above trainers rather than in their own rightful category? I mulled this over while scanning facebook one day, then it hit me like my mama would have had I been rioting in Baltimore once I saw this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXnzDKUm7-s

The fitness industry is stupid. There I said it and I’m not taking it back. Yes, there are some REALLY smart trainers out there, but they RARELY get credit for the genius that they put into their craft. In fact, look at the 100 most influential people of the fitness industry. The top 50 alone  is full of misinformed zealots who preach, “muscle confusion” and an ignorance of exercise form, not to mention that quack, Dr. Oz, being number 2.... This aspect alone had harvested a distaste for the industry within me since my introduction to it. Deep down I wanted to separate myself from it, I wanted to be evidence-based and results driven. I wanted to be like Cook, like Weingroff, like Boyle and Gentilcore. I realized that one of the other differences in trainers and PTs is that PTs need to know their shit, in and out, to be able to treat a patient. Trainers just need to be able to sell. I wanted to know my craft, in and out, just as PTs do theirs. I had put them on a pedestal because they practice in an industry that regulates competence, whereas my industry couldn’t be any further.

Society has no way to quality-check a trainer (other than, you know, fact checking their claims with research) so people often go with the hype and dump their money into whatever shows the most pictures of a six pack. Because of this, the industry has grown less science and results-based and more sales and revenue-based. Certain “fitness” academies, associations, councils and groups of  monkeys wearing silly hats will even sell personal trainer certifications consisting of a weekend or even online course just so they can get a high turn-around. There is no way possible you can learn everything you need to know about training an individual in one weekend... Just to prove my point more, Jilian Michaels holds the weekend certification that I linked. That's the one she's had since 1993...

This has  flooded our profession with individuals who don’t take the time to apply themselves in their craft. Trainers who may drive their clients into the ground, regardless of what training stimulus they’re trying to achieve. Trainers who don’t program and just do a different workout every session, hindering their client’s results. Trainers who have no rhyme or reason for the exercises or methods they prescribe. Yet, their clients may still feel exhausted, giving a false confirmation that their session was actually productive towards their goals. Or maybe the trainer is really well liked by their clients, gaining trust and hiding their actual competence level. I’m not saying they’re bad people, but if they aren’t programming a systematic progression of workouts and do not have science-based reasoning behind what they’re prescribing, then I can absolutely say they are bad trainers.

I can say this because that was me when I started training at 18. My clients got very little results, yet I never got questioned or even put on the spot like I should have because again, there was no way for my clients to understand the quality of what I was dishing out. Even though I had gone through a legitimate certification program, I was still equipped with only a fraction of the knowledge needed to truly, in my mind, be competent. I slowly improved with experience, but I don’t think I really reached any clairvoyance until that point in my senior year when I started asking myself, “what am I doing?” and, “why?”

I’m still very early on in my career, but I can honestly say that the more questions I ask myself, the more it pushes me to know and own my profession. To know movement correction, to know programming, to know energy system training, to know nutrition, to know the subtleties of cuing, it’s literally endless. Each variable of training in itself has a wealth of detail and other factors contributing to it. This plethora of details can seem daunting when considered, but we should view it as a challenge. It’s a plethora of opportunities to become better and a plethora of things to understand to better serve people within your scope. It's actually quite empowering when you realize all the different ways your role as a trainer can positively influence someone's health, happiness and well-being.

If you’re a trainer, I urge you to never stop questioning yourself. Always look for better ways to improve and don’t dare stop seeking out new information. If you’re a client, I urge you as well to always ask your trainer, “why?” Hold us accountable to be the trainers that we claim, want and charge to be, it is what you’re paying for after all.

For those that are graduating this Spring, congratulations! But don’t stop there. College gives you the tools to grasp a very basic understanding of many of the variables you will encounter in your line of work. It’s up to you to continue to ask questions and seek out the answers you need. Start to know everything about what you do and never get comfortable with your knowledge base, then you will really start to own your profession.

**Just a quick note: I by no means am saying that ALL of the individuals listed on the aforementioned top 100 list are incompetent, there are many on there whom I very much admire and aspire to be like.

Deadbugs: The Best Core Exercise You Aren't Performing

Hello Ladies and Gents!  Today will be light on words, but heavy with information, and we'll be covering everyone's favorite topic: Core Training! Chances are high that most of you have, at one point or another, tried achieving that sought after 6-pack.  Ask most people how you're supposed to train your abs and they'll throw out the following: situps, planks, and leg raises.  These are all well and good (maybe not the situps), but there are so many other options out there for core training.  Coach Jarrett wrote an excellent post providing 12 gut-wrenching core exercises that will make you harder to kill and easier to look at, so be sure to check that post out.

Today we'll be covering one particular core exercise that I absolutely love.  It's called the Deadbug, and it has a number of progressions and regressions that make it a tangible training option for trainees of all levels.  This is an anti-extension exercise that, when performed properly, will strengthen your rectus abdominus, transverse abdominus, internal and external obliques, and deeper spinal stabilizers, while also improving the motor control of the muscles involved in stabilizing the lumbopelvic hip complex.  In short: this may be the best core exercise that you aren't currently performing!

In the below video, I'll touch on a few of the progressions and regressions, but understand that there are a number of variations that I don't mention.  With that, enjoy!

That's all folks!  Remember to BREATHE when performing these!

The Apple Health App

Today I just wanted to share this really cool article that I found by the tech savvy folks over at PC Magazine. The Health app is one of the many built in apps on many late generation Iphones. Many of these apps such as Newstand are a bit annoying but for those looking to track and store health and wellness data at their fingertips the Health app can be a great tool.

Since reading this article I have began using the app to track my daily steps and mileage and often find it fun to challenge myself to go further. Today I have already gotten over 24,000 steps!!! Another great feature of this app is its ability to play nicely  and share information with other health and fitness apps such as MyFitnessPal. This makes things much easier to track as everything rolls into a centralized app.

If you have an Iphone I highly recommend checking out the Health app and seeing if any of its capabilities can help you in your health and well situation whether you are trying to track macronutrient intake or keep track of your steps.

Supplements: Top Recommendations

First, before we get into talking about various supplements, I have a few notes: 1. They're called "supplements" for a reason. The bulk of your nutrients should come from eating REAL food. Most of the time, I would argue, if you're eating a healthy diet chock-full of lean meats, fish, lots of vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts/seeds, eggs, and the ilk, supplements are not necessary. I do, however, live in the real world and recognize that sometimes it's not always an option to eat perfectly and so supplements can prove a useful addition.

2. I'm not a doctor. Don't take the information provided here and start adding stuff willy-nilly without consulting your real doctor.

3. Should you choose to supplement, do your research! Most of the information in today's post came from the smart people over at Examine.com. They have a plethora of supplement research so you can easily determine if the product the advertisements are claiming you "need" is legitimate or a waste of money. Also research the company you purchase from- ingredients matter!

Onward and upward! This is going to be a two (maybe three?) part series as I can't cover everything out there-- nor do I want to since Examine.com does a way better job than I could hope to do. I will mention the main points of each common supplement along with a link to the research page in case you want to know more.

Whey Protein-

- 1 of the 2 proteins found in milk (casein is the other). It is actually a group of proteins categorized by their water solubility.

- One class of peptides (protein structure comprised of chains of linked amino acids) called immunoglobulins are bioactive in the immune system (in various ways). They can help bolster immunity. For example, the amino acid L-cysteine is involved in glutathione production- which is an antioxidant the body produces.

- Due to it's high content of the amino acid leucine, whey will stimulate protein synthesis (making more protein i.e. muscle tissue). Best results are found when whey protein intake is paired with exercise. Exercise breaks down protein during a work out and that breakdown stimulates the repair process (aka protein synthesis). Whey protein is a natural fit, no? However, it doesn't stop protein breakdown over the long term, so real food is needed to provide a continued supply of protein post-workout. Real life application: drink whey right after a work out, then have a protein-rich meal a couple hours later.

- Note that whey protein on it's own doesn't inherently stimulate and increase in protein synthesis, meaning your body will do it above and beyond it's normal rate, unless you're currently under-eating your protein needs.

- While it does not induce fat-loss, on a calorie-restricted fat loss protocol, whey appears to enhance fat-loss and preserve lean muscle

- Three types of supplemental whey: whey concentrate, whey isolate, and whey hydrolysate. Concentrate is the least processed and can contain anywhere from 35%-80% protein by weight; though the general standard for supplements is 80%. Isolate is roughly 90% protein by weight. Hydrolysate is the most broken down (via enzymes and acid) to produce very small particles; it's more easily absorbed thus resulting in faster protein synthesis. Is this necessary? Meh, maybe not. It would be best utilized for athletes who are performing 2x/day workouts and need quick recovery between them.

My thoughts: I love whey protein. I use it post-workout, mostly because I don't do well with solid food for a few hours after a workout so it's an easy whey (pun totally intended) to ingest adequate protein when my body needs it. I will also use it in a pinch- while traveling or during periods of time where I know I won't have access to decent food. Outside of those times though, I relegate my protein intake to whole foods. And for crying out loud, whey protein does not cause kidney damage!

I recommend it to athletes looking to put on muscle mass, as it helps with that, and clients who are on a fat-loss diet as it can help preserve lean mass on a calorie restricted diet (and it helps keep you full).

Fish Oil-

- Contains the omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaeic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), typically found in fatty fish (salmon, cod, sardines etc) and plankton (krill). Not to be confused with alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) a plant-based omega-3 found in flax and chia seeds.

- Another fatty acid group, omega-6, is highly prevalent in Western diets (from things like canola and soy bean oil and all the animals that eat it). It's not a bad thing per se, but the ratio of 3:6 needs to be kept in check- the recommended ratio is 1:1. Unfortunately, the typical ratio is anywhere from 1:6 to 1:10. Thus, the recommendation to supplement with fish oil to bring that ratio back in balance. (Note: if you eat fatty fish 2-3x/week, you probably don't need to supplement).

- Fish oil is one of the most researched supplements, almost ad nauseam, so here's a run down on the benefits that have the best scientific support: lowers triglycerides, improves depression, decrease ADHD in children, lowers blood pressure, increases HDL (the good cholesterol), decreases inflammation (all over). Fish oil also has many positive effects on the neurological, cardiovascular, and immune system. They're way too many, so I suggest digging into the article.

- Notably for athletic performance, fish oil seems to have an influence over glucose and fat metabolism in muscles. What does that mean? Muscles use either glucose (sugar) or fat for fuel, fish oils seems to make the transition between the two substrates fairly easy. This possibly makes fat a preferential fuel during activity which will aid in fat loss(more study is needed).

My thoughts: I like fish oil too. I've been taking it for almost ten years now. My doctor was pleased to find I was already taking it when I started treatment for Lyme, and I believe it definitely played a role in keeping my body from utterly tanking when I started treatment. Given it helps reduce inflammation and improves cognitive function, it serves valiantly in my treatment protocol. While I never "prescribe" it to anyone, I highly recommend it as an overall beneficial supplement to just about anyone.

Vitamin D

- Fat-soluble vitamin, the body makes it from cholesterol and sunshine. It's also found in small amounts in fish, eggs, and fortified dairy products.

- Definitely attain blood levels through testing before deciding to supplement. Since it's fat-soluble, D will stay around in the body longer than the water soluble vitamins, which could increase the risk of toxicity. Most people are not utterly bereft of D, but do not have optimal levels, therefore supplementation is often recommended. The generally accepted safe dosage is 1-2000IU/day (though I've seen up to 10,000IU/day if someone is really, really low). You want to get D3 (cholecalciferol) over D2 (ergocalciferol) as it's more useful in the body.

- There's still a lot of research that needs to be done to prove conclusively some of the preliminary benefits of vitamin D. Anecdotally, though, I noticed an improved mood when I started taking vitamin D.

- Noted benefits: decreased blood pressure, decrease risk of bone fractures, decrease in fat mass, increased cognition, and decreased risk of cardiovascular diseases, cancers, and diabetes. It also has positive effects on athletic performance and overall mood.

My thoughts: I was low in vitamin D and it made a marked difference when I started supplementing with it. I've heard the same from multiple other clients, colleagues, and friends who started taking it regularly. I don't generally take it during the spring and summer (since I'm outside a lot more). Given it's wide range of health benefits, it was no surprise  that my doctor added it to my regimen (enough to get to adequate blood levels) for Lyme treatment.

Whew, I think that's enough for now. We'll hit a few more next week!

Common Beginner Mistakes - Part 3

Part 3 of the "Common Beginner Mistakes" series is underway!  Like all the great series' out there (Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, Star Wars...), it's important that you check out each and every single one.  Take a look back at Part 1 and Part 2.  I'm sure you'll find a hidden gem or two in there that will help you make better progress in the weight room. As you may know, I'm a creature of habit.  I tend to order the same meal from Taco Bell (6 crunch tacos), dry my body off in the same sequence after taking a shower (I know... I'm weird), and I always choose the color blue while playing Settlers of Catan. With that, let's check out a couple of videos of incredible feats of strength.

Mistake #7 - Program Hopping

"Programs Hoppers" are a severe annoyance to all experienced strength and conditioning coaches out.  They typically suffer from a mild case of ADD, commitment issues, and a severe lack of gains.  These individuals can often be seen at your local Crossfit gym, never performing the same workout twice.  These people need a lesson in the mechanisms of musculoskeletal adaptation.  Mentioned in part 2, a major principle behind strength training is called the SAID principle.  This states that you body will form Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands.  In other words, your body will adapt to the stimulus that you apply to it, HOWEVER, it's critically important that you apply the stimulus for a sufficient period of time. If you're constantly changing the stimulus, the training effect will be negligible, and your body won't experience enough of the same stress to adapt and grow stronger.

This is why most of the established training programs are designed in blocks.  The exercise selection inside of a single block is typically static, and each block typically lasts 3-4 weeks.  This way your body has enough time to experience and adapt to the method of training.  Now, I'm not advocating doing the same exact thing for 3 weeks straight.  Another important principle of strength training is termed the Repeated Bout Effect.  This principle states that as you apply a stimulus and your body recovers and adapts to it, the same stimulus will not elicit an equal amount of adaptation.  Your body experiences a point of diminishing returns, and this is the reason we apply progressive overload and increase the weight on the bar over time.  In this way, we're applying a slightly greater stimulus, but maintaining the movement and allowing our body to adapt to greater and greater amounts of the same stress, and grow stronger because of it.  Here at SAPT, we program our clients in 4 week blocks, increasing volume over time, which in turn elicits progressive and consistent adaptation.

Mistake #8 - Sticking to the Same Program Too Long

Now, this may seem a bit contradictory to our previous point, but hear me out.  I touched briefly on the Repeated Bout Effect above, and this point of diminishing returns applies to whole strength programs/methods of training as well. Eventually, if you continue to do the same thing over and over and over again, you'll reach a point where you just aren't making measurable amounts of progress.  Once this occurs, you need to change the stimulus that you're applying to your body.  This doesn't mean do 1 week of 5/3/1, 2 weeks of the Cube Method, and follow it us with another week of Starting Strength.  You need to stick to a program to actually elicit the adaptation you are trying to achieve, and then mix it up and change the program once you've gotten all that you can from it.

This is a tricky concept, but in reality, you should be grateful for these training principles!  They allow you to gain valuable training experience.  All these programs are created using different training philosophies.  They utilize different methods of manipulating volume over time to elicit strength gains.  We're all unique human beings, and, because of this, we respond to stimuli in different ways and to different degrees.  Some people respond better to high frequency training with low to moderate intensity loads, while others adapt more efficiently to lower volume, high intensity training plans.  You may not respond to a training program in the same exact manner as your best friend, and you also may not adapt as well the second time you perform a program.  As you become more and more experience in strength training, you'll discover what works best for you.  You'll discover the style of training that meshes with your personality, lifestyle, and preferences, and, with a little bit of patience, you'll develop a system of eliciting strength gains progressively.

The A Skip

Today we will take a closer look at the A Skip running drill. There aren’t many things worse than being outran by someone either in competition or when trying to snag a seat on the Metro and this drill is here to help you with your high speed running mechanics. The purpose of the A skip drill is to improve the coordination of your upper and lower limbs during running while also engraining proper arm and leg positioning into your movement library. Below is a video of the A-skip in action with solid technique. https://youtu.be/RKmVZe45CJI

Key Points:

• Maintain a tall posture keeping the hips and chest up throughout the movement to avoid slouching
• Arms rotate from the shoulders
• Elbows bent at 90?
• Avoid rotation and focus up keeping movement in a strictly forward and backwards motion
• Find you rhythm and stay relaxed to avoid looking like a malfunctioning robot
• Keep your knee and toes up and quickly strike the ground
• STRIKE THE GROUND UNDER YOUR HIPS AND PUSH YOURSELF FORWARD

For those who don’t feel comfortable hopping directly into a skips this drill can be regressed by following the key points listed above and turning it into a march like the video shown below.

https://youtu.be/DUSnDnUDm5Y