Kate Rita- Personal Trainer and Diastasis Expert

Here is a field report I wrote on core breath. I am posting it here for the clients who have been geeking out with me on core rehabilitation, and for anyone else who has interest in the practical application of core function. I am going to post this in installments bc it is so long..... Core Breath as Applied to Advanced Exercise- Pfilates & Beyond Not JUST for your pre and postnatal clients! This is a current field report of Core breath and Pfilates as applied to advanced strength training. I have been practicing both core breath and pfilates for over a year.  The application of the exercises to my client’s programs has given me a lot of feedback and insight into their functionality. Retraining core function is a process of mastery. With cues through exercise we retrain the core to function autonomously, supporting not only advanced exercise but also everyday meaningful movement and activities. It all begins with core breath: I work with many p...

I was absolutely mortified to see this video on facebook yesterday; it literally makes me sick to my stomach: Crossfit- do you pee when you workout? I seriously cannot shake this off. I am rattled to the core. I wrote this on the Crossfit Facebook page and also emailed it to CrossFit Toronto: Stress incontinence is no laughing matter and what these women are doing is wrong. The pelvic floor is a muscle which supports the organs in your body and when it is not functioning it is no longer supporting exercise, and possible meaningful everyday activities. These women train HARD! Why are they not training their pelvic floors in the face of such obvious dysfunction? Would you train through an injured bicep that could no longer support the weight of your arm? This is madness. Are you aware what will likely be next to start falling? Poo. Really funny! Then next? Your pelvic organs- think bladder, intestines, uterus. Your body is showing you it is no longer supporting you....

For the past 8 weeks I have been taking my workouts in another direction. With the help of a workout buddy I am pushing weights to maximum, trying to get stronger faster with more definition in my muscles. This is a body sculpting approach that is targeting and isolating muscles which is very different than my signature calisthenics compound-all-over-all-the-time workouts. Going into this program I was acutely aware of my lack of experience in this area. I have been enlististing support to delegate aspects of my training program, like bringing on a dedicated nutritionist to counsel me and deferring my strength routine to someone who has had success body building in the past. I am also on the hunt for a boxing coach. I am spreading out the hats, so to speak- not easy for me the control freak, but a good exercise in recruiting help and not spreading myself too thin. Also with a spotter's help I am able to push my weight load far beyond what I can safely do on my own. We started w...

I have been an avid fitness runner for 14 years. During both of my pregnancies I stopped running the first time because I was overcautious, and the second time because it caused bleeding at 14 weeks. We runners tend to be hyperactive A-type personalities who are a bit obsessive about the sport. We can’t wait to get back to running after baby! Recovering from my first pregnancy I hit the streets again after 6 weeks. I remember my hips killing me but I trained through it. I shudder to think of the state of my postnatal body returning to the sport before it was ready, but still I trained up to my first half marathon at 3 years postpartum. After my second pregnancy I started running again at 5 weeks. While rehabbing my diastasis I trained for a half marathon which I ran at 5 months postpartum because that’s how I roll. I strength trained all through my pregnancy. I am a strong fitness machine-not. I suffered compounded stress incontinence . I was ok to cough or sneeze; I ...

Today I had the amazing opportunity to participate in a research study on Diastasis recti . The study was done by the very prolific Diane Lee , and hosted at Physio Excellence in Toronto. My colleague Samantha from Core Expectations was also a participant. I was geeking out on DR with the best! :) I was the first participant studied. I was told that Diane wanted to take ultrasound images of the linea alba during functional movements, specifically in clients who had rehabilitated a DR with the "T" technique. I was thrilled that the core assessment and analysis was so thorough and lasted 2 hours. I learned a lot today! We began with a general postural assessment. Diane described me as "well balanced" which surprised me because despite being fit, I tend to feel generally out-of-whack in alignment as I notice offsets when I exercise. I proceeded to pass the weight load transfer test (which I haven't passed previously) and was feeling pretty good about my func...

My blogging attention was devoted to Core Expectations this week, as we trainers submit articles for publication on the company's blog. It gives clients, both new and existing, a sense of who we are as trainers, and the insights we have to offer. I am posting it here to pass it on! Postnatal training – Becoming a mother can inspire you! – by team member: Kate Rita I am very happy to be writing this article as this topic comes up often in my work and this is a perfect forum to share that conversation with many more women. Women are very understandably concerned about the long lasting impacts of pregnancy on the body. The transformation we undergo physically to carry a baby is staggering; delivery is a difficult, physical, painful although wonderful experience which leaves us injured to some degree without exception. Compound that with the new emotions we must understand, increased demands on our depleted resources, as well as social pressure to be a bikini babe in 3...

I have been meaning to write this blog for weeks, as I am at another juncture with my running (currently barely running) schedule. Last year after completing the Mississauga Half Marathon in May I took my typical summer off from running, as I cannot run in the heat. It's the Newfie in me I suppose :) Usually fall rolls around and I get back in the swing of running. This year that did not happen. As a single mom I am finding it difficult to make time when I do not have my kids. I am busy with life and work, but really that is nothing new. I recognize that like everything, running is a matter of priority and I just haven't been making it one. I even have fancy new running gear! So what's the problem? As I weigh in I am 8 pounds heavier than I was last year at this time. It's all muscle. I work so very hard for my strength improvements- why am I always losing weight when I run? It must be a simple calories in and calories out break down. If I am unable to keep up wi...