Kate Rita- Personal Trainer and Diastasis Expert

Strength 201- Performance benefits of core breath Core breath control improves pelvic stability control. Once it becomes mastered through movement dynamics it can be applied to advanced strength exercise training for improved results! When performing a set of 15 L/R pistol squats (1 legged squats with full ROM) on a BOSU ball assisted by side bars, I was tiring by 8 reps. Cueing core breath and PFM made the reps less difficult and I had a noticeable increase in strength. That is incredible! Not so unpredictably, as with the 101 of seated core breath it is the release that is the most difficult with advanced movements. We engage the core during exercise and when intensity and difficulty increase it can become hypertonic, resulting in a weaker PFM contraction, often cued from the transverse. A weaker PFM contraction results in less strength and increased difficulty. When we release the PFM the contraction has more ROM and is stronger, resulting in improved performance. Excellen...

Strength 101- Application of core breath to strength training Once a client has worked through Pfilates form I begin to apply core breath to simple bilateral exercises. A good example would be a standing front and lateral arm raise. The client stands with feet hip width, untucked in active posture, arms with 1-3lb weights at sides. The exercise begins with an inhalation and PFM release followed by exhalation and PFM contraction while raising arms to sides shoulder height. With inhalation and PFM release the weights are lowered back to sides. The grip rotates and the movement is repeated to the front, shoulder height. Alternating lateral and front arm raises, the client syncs core breath for perfect exercise form. Increased Pelvic Stability Control: Progressing into unilateral exercise, the focus is on improving pelvic stability control. We already know with the weight/load transfer test that core set will improve pelvic stability control. This becomes even more apparent as ...

In response to the Crossfit Video that has been in circulation recently, I contacted the Toronto Crossfit HQ to bring awareness to the issue. As far as I understand, Crossfit has released a statement in which they stand behind this horrible video: "....Mr Newburn insists. "You have actually had a dig at a video that has actually brought light to the situation and made a lot of women feel like they are not alone," "  This is disappointing. I did receive a reply from CrossFit Toronto which happily surprised me. Here is the ongoing correspondence: Hi Kate, My name is John Vivian and i am one of the owners of CrossFit Toronto. Thank you very much for your email and i apologise for not replying sooner. We really appreciate you sharing this information with us, as well as your concern for what you saw on the video. i can assure you that at CrossFit Toronto we prioritise the health and safety of our members above all else. Urinati...

 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 tha...

I am very proud to be a part of this amazing team We are a group of postnatal experts contributing to a non-profit organization whose mandate is to bring comprehensive reliable one-stop-shop info for mothers online. What a powerhouse! Maternal Goddess I am very proud to have my first article published this week. Returning to Exercise After Baby New moms are often very anxious to start exercising. Postnatal exercise is a fantastic pursuit which ideally serves to strategically strengthen key areas and also facilitate our recovery from delivery, no matter what kind of delivery it was. In the first 6 weeks postpartum it is imperative to do breathing and pelvic floor exercises as soon as possible. Depending on trauma, the ROM may be extremely gentle, but it is the best investment in restoring core function postpartum. The postnatal body is designed to heal, and these first 6-8 weeks are crucial for that reason. Ideally these exercises are started prenatally so they are...

Core Breath Level 2- Dynamics This is the 2nd installment of my core breath field report from earlier this year. The 3rd installment will apply to advanced strength training. I will be writing another report soon which will build on these fundamentals functionally as I have experienced in the field training, so stay tuned if you'd like to geek out with me :) Pfilates 101- Introducing dynamics Once PFM release and contraction are mastered we can progress effectively to Pfilates 101 which introduces dynamic movement into core control and synergy. Seated and side lying core breath refine the form with a control that we do not have during dynamic movement, and therefore we have built functional memory to support the increased dynamics. I typically begin with the lunge as it is an easy position to connect to. In a wide scissor stance my clients sync PFM work to the lowering into lunge and pressing up- inhale, release, lower; exhale, contract, press. I begin in an isometric s...