Exercise Trains you for Life

So often I hear my clients say "Oh, I (insert activity here: chase the kids around, run around at work) all day, I don't need to workout. My life is a workout!", or something along those lines. Let me say this once and for all, it is NOT the same as dedicated exercise. In fact, I think this is looking at it backwards.

Dedicated exercise is exactly what prepares you to do these activities, not visa versa. Everyday activities are exercises yes- in fact the exercises we do more often than not mimick everyday movements. They are designed for that sensible reason. When you are lugging laundry up 2 flights of stairs or chasing a toddler in a half squat jog you don't have mental capacity or control to focus on your form.

Dedicated exercise is our opportunity to establish strong form in our range of motions, so that when we are on the move in real life we will carry that form automatically. This helps to keep us from being injured and to be more effective in our movements.

Clear as mud, right?

Comments

I don’t have a Diastasis- Why is my abdomen still distended postpartum?

I get asked this question all the time! Here is my answer:
Research has shown that 100% of pregnant women will develop some degree of diastasis recti. A diastasis is a lateral separation in the abdominal wall between the recti or “six pack”, due to a stretching of the midline connective tissue or “linea alba”. Although some diastasis will heal postpartum, in many cases a separation will remain without restorative exercise.
Distention from DR will present as a doming in the midline. Women who heal a diastasis spontaneously or through restorative exercise may still find that their abdomens are distended, particularly after a meal and/or at the end of the day. If there is no diastasis, why is this?
This abdominal distention does not occur in the midline, but rather across the entire abdominal wall. This is due to a weakened hypotonic TVA- transverse abdominis muscle. The TVA is the deepest anterior abdominal muscle, wrapping around the midsection like a girdle, with a left and right side. T…

Day 3 Carb Flush- Ketosis

I am on Day 3 of my pre race carb flush. Here is my food plan for today:
Wednesday:
- Coffee & Banana
<--- Left was my mid day post client meal- chicken chunks, red cabbage and spinach in a white sauce, quinoa.

---> Right was my dinner- raw veggies with homemade mayo, bacon (mmmmm), 2 perogies, edamame.

Tonight I had 1/2 pear, cheddar cheese chunks and 3 thick crackers. O yes and this......

Sangria FTW! :)

I am wrapping up the 3rd and last day of my carb flush. Tomorrow I begin to replenish, Friday is the big homemade pasta dinner we have planned, then Saturday is bean salad and regular program pre-race day. I have completely avoided refined sugar even in my coffee (favouring extra milk over sugar). I will continue this until race day and beyond, now seemingly hyper-mindful of glycemic indexes and performance (from race day to every day!).

The Mississauga Half Marathon Clinic at the Winston Park Dr. Running Room store had its last clinic meet on Tuesday. I loved running with …

Challenges and Strategies with Bodybuilding

It's been 4 months of a solid push 1-2x week in the gym weights to max with my buddy. A few weeks ago I wrote this blog post on the challenges of recovering from the workouts. I am doing my best to keep up with demands of calories and rest to support this program. I am not suffering the extreme symptoms as I was a few weeks ago, although the post workout fatigue on the following day is pretty noticeable.

I have noticed some tendon soreness post workout. My elbows feel as if they have been struck- tender to the touch. I mentioned it to a body building client of mine and she suggested wrapping to provide support as the tendons strengthen with the muscle growth. The only way to make these big improvements is to push the envelope, but I want to train smart, as always! Here is my gimpy exhibition in the gym- wrapped and pushing hard.

I've been able to max at 100lbs once. 90lbs is my new consistent max, with increasing ROM. I tend to cheat to get the reps, and form nazi that I am …

Kate Rita- Personal Trainer and Diastasis Expert

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