The War Machine - available now in the UK and Ireland

Not so long ago I wrote a post about the War Machine, the Pulley Training system creation of Cross Core USA and is soon to be hitting the UK and Ireland courtesy of Balance Performance Physiothzrapy http://www.warmachine-europe.com

Having been in the possession of only a few strength and conditioning coaches in the UK and Europe the War Machine will now be made available to Personal Trainers, Strength and Conditioning teams, Bodybuilding coaches, sports teams, health, fitness and gym facilities, sports injury/ physiotherapy departments, and martial arts clubs.

The War Machine is a high quality, high spec, robust suspension and pulley training system that offers everything from simple rehabilitation to sophisticated movement control, from early stage shoulder rehabilitation to advanced strength and/or conditioning.

To register your interest and for presales information go to http://www.warmachine-europe.com/ and plug your email address in on the right hand side.

The War Machine will be challenging coaches and trainees in every setting from the serious home training of the individual, one to one fitness training with a PT, in high street gym classes, MMA conditioning and sports strength training.

To sample what the Crosscore WAR MACHINE can offer you as a rehabilitation specialist, a strength coach, personal fitness trainer or physical/sports training enthusiast book a session with one of the strength and conditioning team at Balance Performance on 02076272308. For those out of London call Jonathan Lewis on 07960861267 to find out where else you can go in England, Wales and Scotland.

For a quick visual taster and glimpse of its potential take a look at one of Cross Core USA’s clips:

Women and weights - but I don't want to get big!

I find it interesting that guys are killing themselves in the gym to get huge, but some women are afraid to pick up anything heavier than a pink dumbbell for fear of getting too huge.

The reality is that most guys need to check their ego and cut back on the weight and focus on fixing their skitzoid form. Most women need to lift heavier.

When a woman athlete asks me how heavy the kettlebell she is working with, my standard answer is 16. They carry on knocking out KB swings no problem. Most are then shocked that it was actually 16 KILOGRAMS (about 35 pounds) since they did not believe they could lift that much. I tried telling a few how much it was in pounds before they started in the past and I had one that refused to try it since she was already convinced that they could not do it. Remember, the body does what the mind believes.

Muscle is more DENSE than fat, so it takes up less space for the same amount of weight. It also is a primary regulator of your metabolic rate; so more muscle = more caloires burned while NOT exercising. I have yet to meet one female athlete that wants to live the rest of her life only eating 1,000 calories a day. More muscle = the more you can eat and still fit in your skinny jeans.

Below is a video of some female kettlebell Sport lifters. This is one of the events often found in womens competitive kettlebell lifting - a relatively new sport in the West - 10 minute effort of clean and jerk with one kettlebell weighing 16kgs. Hee you will see that they are pushing themselves way more than some guys do at the gym and pushing a 16kg weight for 10 mins is no mean feat and none of them are remotely close to being too big; so relax and go lift some heavy stuff.

Are you new to Kettlebells, looking to improve your technique, looking to add kettlebells to your training regime and don't know how to, interested in coming to one of our Kettlebell Workshop then get in contact with me, Ato Chandler.

I love comments, so feel free to leave me a comment below if not help me spread the word retweeting by hitting the “retweet”button above! I really appreciate it!!

Barefoot Training: Fitness Fad or Great Training Method?

Men running in a chariot race at the Piha Surf Club carnival (circa 1938)

THis a great post which I first saw on Mike T Nelsons Blog and which was written by a friend of his Sean Casey is back and has a great write up for all of you on barefoot training! Here goes

Quick Hit Summary: Barefoot Training by Sean Casey

The newest training craze in the fitness world today is barefoot or pseudo barefoot (Vibram FiveFingers®, Nike Frees®)training. Barefoot training forces athletes to land on the balls of their feet when striking the ground. In contrast, individuals tend to strike the ground with their heels while wearing shoes. Research indicates that striking the ground with the balls of your feet vs. heels, reduces initial impact as well as the load felt by your knees and hip. Thus, it may be effective at preventing osteoarthritis of these joints. In addition, barefoot training strengthens the intrinsic muscles of the foot, possibly preventing injuries such as plantar fasciitis. Although barefoot training appears to have many benefits, I’m obligated to mention that long term studies are still required to support these initial findings. That being said, I strongly encourage you to work barefoot training into your exercise routine. Kick off your shoes while resistance training, moving about the house, etc. However, for endurance runners, I caution you against taking it to fast, as this may cause injury. Please refer to the advice of Harvard researcher, Dr. Daniel E. Lieberman, when implementing barefoot or pseudo barefoot training into your routine.

Barefoot Training

Every few years, a new fad seems to take hold in the fitness community. A few years back, unstable surface training was the rage. {Check out my interview with Christian Carter for my thoughts on the topic}. The “next” big thing I see working its way into the fitness industry is barefoot training. Although I refer to it as “next”, barefoot training has actually been around for awhile. If you look at vintage photos of Arnold Schwarzenegger & friends, you’ll notice that they often trained barefoot. Additionally, elite training centers, such as Athlete’s Performance, have long had their athletes go barefoot while completing lower body exercises (squats, deadlift variations, etc).

The rising popularity of barefoot training is not restricted to the resistance training community. It has recently gained popularity in the running community thanks to strong endorsements from Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run and Harvard researcher, Dr. Daniel E. Lieberman. In response, shoe companies have responded by making pseudo barefoot shoes such as Vibram FiveFinger® and Nike® Frees.

In my experience, proponents of barefoot training, especially endurance athletes (sorry if this generalization offends anyone), speak of it in an almost holistic/mystical sense. They love the organic, natural feel of barefoot training. Furthermore they claim that wearing modern shoes, with little flexibility (ie- can’t twist it along long axis and unable to flex it at multiple locations), may actually weaken our foot muscles and increase the risk of injury.

Is the above true? Should we ditch our traditional gym shoes and go barefoot? Before we make this decision, let’s examine the evidence supporting and/or refuting barefoot training.

The Biomechanics of Barefoot vs. Shod (shoe) running

As one would naturally expect, footwear greatly influences the way we move. Clear distinctions in foot orientation, upon striking the ground, and stride length are present between conditions. When wearing shods (shoes), one tends to takes long strides and land on their heels (ie— rear foot strike (RFS)1. In contrast, when barefoot walking2 or running4, one’s strides are shorter (~6%4) and are characterized by either mid- or front-foot strikes (MFS or FFS).

(editor’s note: figure3 is not showing up and working on it now–thanks)

Figure 3. As seen in the top picture, front foot strikes, which occurs while walking/running barefoot, leads to a gradual rise in force upon striking the ground. Walking barefoot also leads shorter, but faster strides vs. wearing shoes. As seen in the bottom picture, rear foot strikes, which occur while wearing shoes, are characterized by a rapid spike in impact forces. Please note that this figure does not represent the images of any one specific study. Rather, it’s a general trend seen in most studies on this subject.

Differences in stride length and foot strike position differ for 1 reason. Namely, RFS cause large transient impact forces that must be absorbed either by the body (ie- the heel) or ones shoes. Thus, rather than painfully absorbing the impact through ones heels, barefoot runners generally employ MFS or FFS running strategies. In doing so, large spikes in pressure are minimized as the impact force is more evenly distributed over the foot (See Figure 3). In a study completed by Divert et al., researchers had 31 participants, with no previous barefoot running experience, complete both shod and un-shod running trials. Final results indicated that running barefoot decreased initial impact force by 13% vs. that observed while wearing shoes3. In a somewhat similarly designed study, Squadrone & Gallozzi, found that running barefoot reduced initial impact forces by 5% vs. shod running in 8 experienced barefoot endurance athletes4.

Right now you’re probably thinking… “OK, I understand why we don’t want to land on our heels if we are barefoot. However, rear- foot striking is not painful if we have shoes on. Thus, does it really make a difference if we wear shoes or go barefoot?”

Barefoot vs. Shod on Performance variables.

Movement Efficiency during Running

As aforementioned, one has a longer stride when running in shoes vs. barefoot due to how their foot strikes the ground (ie- RFS vs. FFS). To the naïve individual, RFS sound like a good thing… If one can take longer strides, he/she should be able to run faster, right?!? This makes sense assuming that we can maintain stride frequency. However, when running at comfortable endurance speeds (7-8 mph), longer strides are associated with decreased stride frequency134. In other words, when running barefoot, we increase the rate at which we take strides. Thus, at endurance running speeds, the effects appear to cancel each other out. In competitions that involve speed (ie- 100 meter sprints), FFS are actually the preferred method of running. This about it… Have you ever seen a sprinter RFS? Of course not! By FFS, they are able to take advantage of the elastic energy found in connective tissue such as the Achilles tendon to propel them down the track. This boost is in addition to the force produced by muscles.

As noted above, FFS are the preferred method of sprinting because it allows you to tap into your elastic energy. By taking advantage of this, our ability to move is obviously improved. If this improved movement efficiency carries over to endurance running is debated. In the previously mentioned study conducted by Squadrone & Gallozzi, each barefoot trained athlete completed three 6 minute treadmill runs (set at a constant ~7.5 mph) under the following conditions:

• Barefoot
• Pseudo Barefoot (Vibram FiveFingers® Classic model)
• Running Shoes

Movement efficiency was measured via VO2 (oxygen consumption). For those not familiar with VO2, it’s a way to measure the amount of energy used to perform a given physical feat. A higher VO2 equates to greater energy expenditure when performing a given task. Thus, if running the same distance, at the same speed, the condition that burns more energy is less efficient. (If trouble grasping this concept, think of 2 cars of the same make & model; the one that burns less fuel to perform a given task is the one that you want in your garage). Final results of the study indicated the following….Despite running the same distance, at the same speed, runners had a significantly lower VO2 (2.8%) while wearing Vibrams in comparison to running shoes4. Although a reduced VO2 was measured in the barefoot condition (1.3%), it was not significantly different from the shod conditions.

Resistance Training

To my knowledge, the effects of resistance training in shod vs. barefoot conditions have not directly been studied. However, indirect evidence does support the use of barefoot training to strengthen the intrinsic muscles of your foot. In a study completed by Robbins & Hanna, 17 athletes increased barefoot activity (1+ hrs/day) or continued with their normal footwear patterns for 4 months7. At the conclusion of the study, it was found that those who increased barefoot activity had stronger, more “active” intrinsic foot muscles. This was not observed in the group that did not increase barefoot activity. Robbins and Hanna also hypothesize that by strengthening these intrinsic muscles, issues such as plantar fasciitis could be avoided. Although I have a few methodological issues with the study, I do agree with the final analysis—> increased barefoot activity strengthens the muscles of the feet, improving overall foot health. In turn, healthy feet equals healthy movement.

Working barefoot into your program

Many advantages appear to be present with barefoot training. I’d recommend switching over to barefoot resistance training as soon as you’re comfortable (Just don’t drop any weights… Speaking from experience, dropping a weighted implement onto your bare foot has a little more of an OUCH factor to it!). Also, for around the house type stuff, or going to the store type activities, kick off you shoes entirely or go pseudo-barefoot (ie- Vibram FiveFingers ® Nike Frees ®, etc). As my friend Mike Nelson, PhD candidate, says:

“…the foot has many moving parts and it should be trained in many directions. If we only moved it up and down, there would be simple hinge joint there…Smarter the shoe, dumber the foot. Messed up feet = messed up hips due to the arthrokinetic reflex which roughly translated is code for jammed joints equal muscular weakness. (Editor’s note – when he says smart shoes, he’s referring ones to lots of supports, straps, rigid design, etc) [12]”.

If you’re interested working barefoot or pseudo-barefoot training into your endurance exercise program, I wouldn’t recommend quitting “cold turkey” with respect to your training shoes. Doing so would actually increase your risk of injury as you’d be putting demands on your body that it’s never experienced. For example, one’s calf and Achilles tendon face much greater stresses when barefoot training (due to FFS/MFS vs. RFS that occurs in shoes). In addition, after wearing shoes for our entire lives, our feet are actually misshaped. According to research conducted by K. D’Aou et al., wearing shoes appears to decrease both the length and width of our feet9. Thus, your lower body won’t be able to handle the physical demands of barefoot training as well as someone who grew up not wearing shoes. I’m not trying to discourage you from running barefoot, I just want to emphasize that you should BE SMART & TAKE IT SLOW!

With respect to working barefoot training into your endurance training program, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND taking the advice of Harvard researcher, Dr. Daniel E. Lieberman, lead investigator of the famous barefoot study that most advocates rally around in support of the movement10.

CLICK HERE FOR DR. LIEBERMAN’s RECOMMENDATIONS/TIPS.

Long Term Studies

Short term studies seem to support the idea that barefoot training supports healthy movement. However, I feel obligated to mention that no scientific studies to date have shown that long term barefoot training is better/worse than wearing normal training shoes. More research is still required in this area.

Bottom Line

Although more research still is required in this area, it appears that adding barefoot exercise into your training arsenal may be beneficial for both power and endurance athletes alike. Research indicates that it reduces initial impact at foot strike while simultaneously strengthening the intrinsic muscles of ones foot. In turn, this may decrease the risk of developing painful foot conditions such as plantar fasciitis. I encourage everyone to slip the shoes off while doing “around the house” type of jobs and while lifting weights. However, don’t ditch your running shoes overnight. Heed the advice of Harvard researcher, Dr. Daniel E. Lieberman, and SLOWLY work them into your training program. If you have increased foot pain, STOP!

References

¹ De Wit B, De Clercq D, Aerts P. Biomechanical analysis of the stance phase during barefoot and shod running. J Biomech. 2000 Mar;33(3):269-78.

² Wolf S, Simon J, Patikas D, Schuster W, Armbrust P, Döderlein L. Foot motion in children shoes: a comparison of barefoot walking with shod walking in conventional and flexible shoes. Gait Posture. 2008 Jan;27(1):51-9. Epub 2007 Mar 13.

³ Divert C, Mornieux G, Baur H, Mayer F, Belli A. Mechanical comparison of barefoot and shod running. Int J Sports Med. 2005 Sep;26(7):593-8.

⁴ Squadrone R, Gallozzi C. Biomechanical and physiological comparison of barefoot and two shod conditions in experienced barefoot runners. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2009 Mar;49(1):6-13.

⁵ Divert C, Mornieux G, Freychat P, Baly L, Mayer F, Belli A. Barefoot-shod running differences: shoe or mass effect? Int J Sports Med. 2008 Jun;29(6):512-8. Epub 2007 Nov 16.

⁶ Jungers WL. Biomechanics: Barefoot running strikes back. Nature. 2010 Jan 28;463(7280):433-4.

⁷ Robbins SE, Hanna AM. Running-related injury prevention through barefoot adaptations. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1987 Apr;19(2):148-56.

⁸ Accessed on June 10, 2010 from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/666_is_money/4083813727/. Creative License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en.

⁹ K. D’Aou, T.C. Patakyc, D. De Clercqd and P.The effects of habitual footwear use: foot shape and function in native barefoot walkers. Aerts. Footwear Science. Vol. 1, No. 2, June 2009, 81–94.

¹⁰ Lieberman DE, Venkadesan M, Werbel WA, Daoud AI, D’Andrea S, Davis IS, Mang’eni RO, Pitsiladis Y. Foot strike patterns and collision forces in habitually barefoot versus shod runners. Nature. 2010 Jan 28;463(7280):531-5.

¹¹ Nelson, Mike T. RE: VFF and Followups. Message to Sean Casey. June 9, 2010. Email.

About the Author:

Sean Casey is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison with degrees in both Nutritional Science-Dietetics and Kinesiology-Exercise Physiology. Sean graduated academically as one of the top students in both the Nutritional Science and Kinesiology departments.
Field Experience: During college, Sean was active with the UW-Badgers Strength and Conditioning Department. He has also spent time at the International Performance Institute in Bradenton, FL where he worked with the USA U-18 National Men’s Soccer team. More currently, he has worked with multiple NFL 1st round NFL draft picks and All-Pro NFL athletes at the Athletes Performance in Tempe, AZ. His nutrition consultation services are avalable by clicking on the Strength Sport Consultation tab. Be sure to read his awesome blog at http://www.caseperformance.com/

If you like this article leave a comment below. Let me have your thought.

LeBron James talks about how to live the life you want to lead

Say what you want about LeBron, this guy can seriously play basketball.

It brings up a great question about the expectations others may have of him versus the expectations he has of himself.

What should he do?

What should YOU do?

Are you trying to live up to someone else’s expectations?

Are you living the life that your parents or friends want you to live?

Or

Are you doing the best you can do to live up to your OWN expectations?

Are you following someone else’s plan for your body in your training?

Are you forcing yourself to crank out 1 more horrible feeling rep just because it says you were supposed to do 5 reps on your third set today?

Is that the best way?

Is there a better way?

I think so……

Hell i can remember not so long ago I myself was torn between doing what other people wanted me to do but at the end of the day deep down you know you will end up not feeling right and feeling you have missed out on something that you should have done.

Are you looking to get in shape, prepare for a marathon set some new goals in your fitness training, get in touch with us here by filling out our contact form and we will get back in touch with you our alternatively you can give me a call Ato Chandler on + 695 972 662. Watch yourself reach your goals under our watchful eyes

Comments

What do you think of this one? I know you have an opinion, so let me hear it in the comments below. All your comments are useful so dont be shy!

Lessons to be learnt from the great surfing legend Andy Irons

I just found out that surfing icon Andy Irons recently passed away at age 32. For all the details see the link below

In Loving Memory, Andy Irons (1978-2010)

I can’t say I knew Andy personally, nor can I say that I was such a knowlegdeable person on the sport but to watch him surf was a thing of beauty. I first got to find out about surfing from an old friend of mine who lives in Barcelona Spain. IAs I liv by the beach I try and do as much swimming as I can and hit the waves and there is not much that compares to the feeling of great waves, wind, and friends.

My thoughts and prayers go out to Andy, his family and friends. He will be missed, but never forgotten.

The Time Is Now

We can never truly predict what we will happen, so we need to live each to its fullest.

Dare to dream the impossible and take steps to make it happen.

Perhaps not today, or tomorrow, but with enough steps in the right direction it WILL happen.

It HAS to happen in time.

Your goals ARE possible.

All you need is to be pointed towards “better” and start taking action.

The perfect time is now.

Let me know what your goals are, are you looking to get back from injury, get in shape, looking to get ideas on how to get greater benefits from your training regimes, then let me know, Ato Chandler by leaving your comments below and we can talk about ways in which you can take a step towards your goals.

Find the time to exercise

One of the most common excuses for not exercising is “not enough time”. Now, I realize you’re busy with work, the kids, hobbies, projects, running errands, watching your stories – enough of the excuses. Take some time for yourself and exercise. Don’t wait around any longer. This week is the perfect time to do it!

So why is this week so special??
With daylight savings we moved the clocks and gained an extra hour this weekend. Instead of allowing the clock to dictate when you go to bed and when you get up, stick to your body’s internal normal routine. Yes that may mean going to bed an hour earlier (according to the alarm clock) but your body’s internal clock doesn’t know that. Keeping your old routine will allow you to get up an hour earlier. Look at what I just did; you now have an extra hour every morning to exercise without losing any sleep.

“There’s no way I can go to bed an hour earlier. I just have too much stuff to do…….” – here we go again with this excuses business. So why not get that stuff done first thing in the morning? If an hour is too early for you shoot for going to be 30 minutes earlier and getting up 30 minutes earlier (according to the alarm clock). This gives you 30 minutes to exercise. Go for a walk, cook a healthy breakfast, go to the gym on the way to work. Find the time. Take the time to exercise. Make it a habit. So go to bed. Your body knows its dark so it must be time to sleep and the sun will be coming up soon and it’ll be time to get up and get going.

SO if you are looking to get fit,run a marathon or simply looking to get back in form then please give me a call +34 695 972 662 or www.fisionostra.com

Erwin Le Corre and the MovNat system

This was an original post from Rannoch Donald at Simple Strength Edinburgh. Even though my knowledge of Erwin LeCorre was very little before I read this post I was quickly fascinated by the training methods of this guys. Its an impressive read from an impressive guy. I will be doing my best to get up to speed with this guy and may even try out some one of his workshops. In the meantime enjoy the read as Rannoch Donald says.....

How do you train a tiger? You don’t! Us human animals on the other hand have become so removed from simple everyday movement that we need a map. But it’s a pathless land and each of us has to blaze our own trail. Fortunately, there are a few individuals out there who act a scouts, exploring the outer limits, going back to their roots and if you look…they leave signs.

Erwan Le Corre has been off the reservation for some time. He recently brought his own unique system, MovNat, to Edinburgh.

I tell people how lucky having the opportunity to train with the people I do, Erwan’s visit was exceptional. I had the chance to ask Erwan a few questions about “MovNat”, the Paleo trend and the role of imagination in training and moving. I think the following gives an excellent insight into the world of MovNat.

What was your own personal journey that brought you to the MovNat philosophy?

Probably an intuition, but that intuition was born from my experience.

Over the last couple of years MovNat has gone from strength to strength. It is easy for people to get seduced by the wonderful video clips on the MovNat website. For most of us that is simply not the environment we live in. What is it that MovNat offers in practical terms for the average person who wants to get “healthy as nature intended”?

When people attend my workshops, they’re not watching my videos all day. If there is such a growing word of mouth about MovNat, it is because people find value and content they can not only experience, but that becomes part of what they do and ultimately part of who they are. Obviously, the concept of MovNat is not just a philosophy, but also something very practical people can experience at a level that finds them where they are. It’s fully scalable and can be applied anywhere, that’s why it’s practical.

What are the key criteria for a particular activity to be “MovNat”?

First, movements involved in a MovNat must be highly practical. “Functional” can be a very blurry concept. The fact that a movement is a “compound” movement is good, but it has to be practical, to help us perform a task whose utility is very direct, obvious. For instance, jumping over an obstacle. This is why movement must be also as adaptive as possible. It has to relate to a particular context or situation. For example, a jump forward in a conventional fitness realm is often no more than a plyometrics drill supposed to “condition” your lower body limbs. In MovNat, we want to jump as a practical move (motion forward and overcoming an obstacle) that is adaptive (dealing with the specificity of a particular obstacle which determines and modifies how the movement should be optimally performed).

When I posted that you were coming to Scotland someone asked, do we really need to be shown how to run and jump? My own answer was a resounding “Yes!” but I would be interested to know why, if movement is our nature, you think we need to get back to movement basics?

That’s because some people think that what’s natural is necessarily good. But that is not necessarily true. Some capacities that are fully natural sometimes follow inefficient patterns. For instance breathing, do you need to tell anyone how to breath? you don’t, and yet many people can and should re-learn proper, efficient breathing. Lifting is a natural right, same for defending oneself. Does it mean you will swing a KB with ease and optimum form (as if you were to catch or throw it) or that you will parry strikes or counterstrike with efficiency to defend yourself? Obviously not. The same applies to all our natural capacities for movement.

Basically, some people need to re-acquire what’s innate because they’ve lost it. Some people have kept themselves physically active so they may be less in need of instruction, but personally I am still making progress and I think that’s a good indication that optimum efficiency can never be taken for granted. It’s about nurturing the nature in us, growing the potential in ourselves. The fact that we have natural abilities does not mean there is no room for progress. A skill is the ability to do something well.

Indeed, there’s always the possibility to do something better. Even breathing, even thinking, and certainly the same applies to the rest.

You talk about the role of “imagination” in training and it’s importance. Why is this?

Because adaptability is the essence of life, it is also the essence of moving naturally. Adapt-ability, the ability…to adapt. Routine lowers this ability. It is essential to surprise the body and the mind, not only to keep on making progress, but also to constantly refresh your motivation. Slow and low adaptive individuals are not good human animals. That’s usually people that stick to their routines very dearly. So in the absence of external circumstances forcing you to adapt, you need a strategy to challenge yourself in new ways. In this process, imagination is key. In MovNat we’re not talking about movements that are creative in the sense that they are divorced from any practical application or that do not need to adapt to any environment. We may imagine a particular context or a particular situation that are totally imaginary, but the movements and efforts that they push us to perform are 100% real.

If you’re unable to imagine ways to challenge yourself, you might stick to routines, stop making progress and become bored in the process. In a zoo environment, imagination combats boredom and breeds adaptability.

The whole Paleo approach has become very fashionable with various camps arguing over a number of things that we really can’t know about for sure. How do you answer the critics who say this approach romanticises a brutish existence?

Let me be a bit provocative here, purposely: I do not care about my ancestors. They’re all dead!

An evolutionary approach is only interesting if it helps us, people of today, people that are still alive. In that sense, I am not interested in a so called “truth”, but in what we can experience today, and how understanding our past may help us improve our present lives. I am not living a caveman lifestyle, I’m sorry. I am a man of today, I’m in the here and now. I am not “sprinting and lifting heavy things” thinking that I am mimicking a caveman lifestyle. That is BULLSHIT. I am sprinting and lifting heavy things (among many other things I train) in order to be ready to do so in today’s world when the need arises. It’s about real-life preparedness and not role playing. MovNat is about connecting to reality, not to a reality that does not exist anymore.

I know you have worked with a number of athletes and martial artists. What about the MovNat approach makes it so effective for these individuals?

Specialized athletes are usually bored with the repetitiveness of their training, often suffering chronic injuries because of that. They are usually also good at spotting their weaknesses, and with MovNat it takes seconds for them to see their limits.

Elites athletes have a taste for improvement and like to excel in what they do, and MovNat reopens their eyes to a great potential for improvement. They usually see the short and long term benefits reagarding their field of excellence (their own athletic specialty) but they’re also aware that excelling in their sport will have an end and that afterward they should embrace a healthier, more balanced, holistic approach and practice.

I know you are a fan of Frank Forencich and Exuberant Animal whose focus is spontaneous playful movement rather than formal structured training, how important do you feel “play” is for adults?

It is tremendously important. However the MovNat approach is more structured than EA. I also believe that a fighting spirit is as important as a playful spirit. It’s not either or. MovNat plays are usually tough plays. We play through training real stuff, but that’s certainly not always playful and enjoyable. At the same time, it is also important to find satisfaction directly in the process of doing what you do. It’s all about balance.

If you just had 20 minutes each day to train, practice and move what would you choose to do?

I would probably do specialized sessions most days and a combo session (combining many skills and techniques) once or twice a week. I would recommend to inverse that ratio in beginners. It all depends on your experience and level. Beginners will make faster progress by combining movements. To an advanced practitioner that reaches plateaus in most areas of movement, more specificity becomes essential to progress.

Obviously diet is an integral part of overall health and wellness, I know you are friends with Rob Wolf, author of the excellent Paleo Solution, are there any particular guidelines you follow or approaches you endorse.

Paleo, 100%. Well, 70-80% is probably best and more practical though. I know some people argue that humans can be okay with a variety of diets, and that diet is only one component of health. I still believe that an evolutionary approach to nutrition is essential. Without intending to hurt anybody’s feelings, to me natural does not mean yoga and tofu. Talking about what’s “natural” to us means understanding biology. Well, nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution.

What are the movement and nutrition patterns that we have collectively inherited from millions of years of life in the wild, and that are not social or cultural patterns? That is the answer to what “natural” is to a human animal.

How do you like to see MovNat developing over the next few years?

At a wide scale. Very wide. I’m working on it. But what matters is not Movnat. MovNat is the tool, a medium. What utlimately matters is what people experience. If MovNat helps many people to live better, then it deserves to grow and spread, just like any of the many things that are beneficial to people.

If you have the chance to attend a MovNat clinic or workshop, do it. Erwan is an exceptional teacher and a clear and lucid voice amidst the “static” of the fitness world.

Motivation: Why we do what we do and how we can do it better

I really liked this vidio made by Tony Robbins he presented at a workshop where he asks why we do what we do. I recently made the decision to go back to university. What this will mean is less disposable income, less holidays and will inevitably make my life difficult having to combine work and studying. Help us Tony, how can you put this into context!

What is motivation?

What is it that drives you?

Why do you seek to get better?

So I am sitting here wondering why I am here. Why do I want to go back to university to study. I mean I am already 38 have a good job and things are going well for me, I live in a sunny place and I have he benefit of the great outdoors to enjoy what I love doing best. SO why would I want to do something now which will make my life more difficult?

“Decision is the ultimate power” -Tony Robbins

I decided I wanted to go back to study. I decided to work as hard as I could to put myself in the situation to be able to do this, even though I may miss out on things now they will benefit me later in some way.

At what point do you throw in the towel and go, that is enough.

The opposite is that I would wonder what if I did not try and did not make it. What if I missed out?

I would rather go for it all the way, than wonder/regret the “what ifs.” This can carry a high cost though.

Fitness Application

Be willing to try new things and open your mind.

The opposite is you will wonder “what if?”

We at Fisionostra believe we are at the cuuting edge of fitness and back pain treatment and rehablkitation we believe in working as a team as this provides the greatest results to our clients. To find out more about us send us an email or visit our main site.

On a note if you look at the video you will see the Wikileaks Julian Assange taking notes at 1.51

The Grid. Is this the new revolutionary fitness tool?

Following the advice from some of our friends from Balance Performance Physiotherapy we have been advocating and using Trigger Point Performance’s (TPT) “Quadballer” as it is a highly effective tool for removing the tension so many of our clients display in their quads, hip flexors, ITB (iliotibial band), hamstrings and low back. The quadballer allows you to roll through all of these areas whilst keeping your hands free and is used in positions that allow you to breathe, relax and focus on your intention (to become supple, pliable and extensible).

It is a great adjunct to sports massage and as part of your injury prevention regime or rehabilitation following sports injuries or surgery.

For an independent review of the quadballer click here http://tinyurl.com/quadballer-review

Despite it’s superiority many of our clients have wanted cheaper alternatives so would go for foam rollers but now TPT have saved us by producing the Grid.

It offers the effectiveness, size and portability of the Quadroller and in addition it won't break down, lose its shape, or require costly replacement as a result of day-to-day use. The Grid can be used from the comfort of your home, as part of your daily massage routine, or integrated into your athletic activities to help support and achieve a comprehensive core workout.

This is a summary of the Grids properties:

“Green” technology – Constructed with less foam than traditional foam rollers – Designed to withstand constant, heavy, and repeated use without breaking down – Built from EVA foam

Variable zones of density (they call them “the Matrix & Distrodensity™ Zones”!!) to allow for targeted massage with 3 areas described as “flat and wide; narrow firm and rigid; and targeted and precise” and allow for a more realistic massage experience.

As with foam roller producers TPT describe “Core body workout versatility” to “achieve a comprehensive core body workout”. I believe there are better approaches to producing trunk strength and control but it obviously gives some options.

Anyway we are pleased because the Grid now gives an extra option for our clients whether long distance runners, endurance athletes, yoga or kettlebell practitioners or anyone else who needs to work on their suppleness and recover from high training loads.

- Quadballer for a more intense and prolonged effect.
- Foam roller softer on lower limb but useful for upper back mobility and self-massage
- The Grid – economical version of quadballer but highly effectiveand can be used for an intense core workout

Take a look at this link for a nice review and description of this product.

Meet our latest sponsored athlete, professional footballer Magno Vieira

The very best of luck to FisioNostra sponsored athlete Magno Vieira in the game tommorrow aginst Luton Town. Magno has spent the last 10 years in England and has played for various football clubs incluing Wigan Athletic, Carlisle and Northampton Town. We’re sure Magno's hard work and discipline will pay off tomorrow and he won’t need our luck but we send him our best wishes all the same.

I first met Magno in my time as 1st team physiotherapist for Barnet Football Club who play in the League Two of the English Football League. Magno nows plys his trade at Fleetwood Town in the English Football Conference. Magno has always been a hardworking player and good news was he very rarely spent anytime in the medical room at Barnet. After work with me Ato Chandler, overcoming a training injury, has been getting his soft tissue recovery with regular sports massage and just recently introducing the Grid Foam Roller http://bit.ly/bjDBnr into his recovery and regeneration regime.

For more information on how the Grid and TPT poducts can help you in your ttraining send us a post here or email us at info@fisionostra.com

Physiotherapist, Ato Chandler talks about Trigger Point Therapy

What is TP Therapy?

It all started with Cassidy Phillips who suffers from fibromyalgia – “Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by widespread pain in your muscles, ligaments and tendons, as well as fatigue and multiple tender points — places on your body where slight pressure causes pain.” As I’m sure you can imagine this is not an easy condition to live with, Phillips needed to find a solution for the continuous pain throughout his body. He was told that he may never be able to train again, and from being an active man who was into all extreme sports and a stunt man, this was unacceptable to him. So he spent years researching his condition and seeking help from all specialists to find a solution.

During his research he worked with traditional trigger point therapy, utilizing key areas of the body to release tension and create blood flow to the area. It worked for him, but he had to rely on someone else to get the release. He needed a way to be able to do it for himself and take responsibility for his condition. His solution was to try to find a material that mimicked the pressure and accuracy of a thumb. Most of the tools we currently use – tennis balls/golf balls/foam rollers etc have a different feel to them than human touch, so the body doesn’t respond as openly – it senses it as something ‘foreign’. They are also not the best of materials, for example a tennis ball will simply collapse and a golf ball can cause more trauma as it is so hard.

A material was needed with significant denseness that could change shape and manipulate the muscle and it took over two years of intense research and development before Phillips created Trigger Point.

The material he developed basically changes shape after five to seven seconds, and it thus aids in penetrating and therefore massaging the belly of the muscle safely and effectively when ample pressure is applied. The body also senses this and is more able to accept it and relax into the pressure – especially on sensitive areas – and believe me, some areas are very sensitive.

How does it work?

Phillips looked at the body and its biomechanics and came up with the Ultimate 6 areas – the ones that will give the greatest rate of return in the quickest time. Pressure is applied to the area, using whichever tool, and as a deep inhale is taken the trigger point of the targeted muscle is forced to relax as the oxygen reaches the muscle. Then as you move over the tool the blood starts to flow and the tightness/spasm is relieved and elasticity is returned to the muscle. All that is needed is 3-5 minutes each area so it is a very effective and time efficient method.

There are different ways to move on the tool depending on which of the Ultimate 6 you are working on. The aim of TP Therapy though is to empower the end user so with the full kit you receive an ‘instruction manual’ so you can follow it easily on your own.

When to do it?

It is recommended both before and after workouts and races and prior to stretching, as it realigns the joints by freeing the tightness and allows the body to find a more stable platform to work from.

Who can benefit from it?

Everyone! Trigger Point is user friendly and allows you to be responsible for your own wellness program wherever you are. From top class endurance athletes to weekend warriors to office workers – and at any age – everyone can benefit from massage to improve their every day life and their training and performance.

Why is it different?

I have used other toys before for self myofascial release, and started training with the expectation that it would be another tool to massage me with – no big deal. I was wrong.

And there is definitely something to the denseness/shape and methodology he has created that gives a much greater sense of release and lightness once you have got through some tender spots! You feel more ‘on top of yourself’ and feel the desire to stand and sit better. My postural default is to sit in a round back slump – it’s comfy! However, since doing TP Therapy I find myself sitting more upright and walking taller. Combining this within your regular exercise routine, whatever it may be, is very powerful for postural change, body awareness and injury prevention.

Consistency and moderation are the keys to any program and this is no different. By owning your own tool box though, you have the power to change yourself. .

In Cassidy’s words:
“It’s not what the product is, it’s what the product DOES.”

At FisioNostra we use and recommend to our clients the whole range or Trigger Point Performance tools and the Grid Foam roller every day. We only provide our clients with products and equipment we know through our depth of experience and knowledge are the most effective available. Give us a call or write to us at info@fisionostra.com if you have any queries.

What makes a triathlete more economical

Well for starters, biomechanical efficiency.

I recently read an interesting article on Xtri.com which talks about the Trigger Point Performance Therapy philosophy that by maintaining elasticity and mobility in joints, you are going to help the body’s propulsion while also maintaining structural integrity. Simply put, increased mobility in the joints means increased efficiency. An athlete with the ability to move faster or conserve energy more effectively is a more economic athlete.

As Mark describes at length in his article,

“More improvement comes from the efficiency of movements than any other aspect of training. It’s all about economy and learning biomechanical adaptation to ultimately achieve better movements. And there is no better way than working on the development of stability, mobility and technique first and foremost.”

Stability, technique and mobility affect energy costs and can lead to overuse and chronic musculoskeletal injuries. By incorporating mobility, stability and technique practice as a core element of training regimens, athletes will likely realize even greater performances.

Trigger Point Performance tools are specifically designed to address key areas of the human body which should be targeted to maintain elasticity and mobility. By using Trigger Point’s deep tissue massage tools and methodologies, athletes are able to achieve peak performance out of the muscles and joints used every day in training.

To read Mark’s full article on Xtri click here

We use and recommend to our clients the whole range or Trigger Point Performance tools and the Grid Foam roller every day. We only provide our clients with products and equipment we know through our depth of experience and knowledge are the most effective available. Give us a call or write to us at info@fisionostra.com to find out more.

"Avoid bonking" - how to run a marathon scientifically

NPR.org had a really interesting article on marathon training and how to avoid “hitting the wall”. Read Richard Knox’s article below if you want to learn how fast you could run a marathon and how to do it without bonking.

Avoid The ‘Bonk’: Running A Marathon Scientifically

by Richard Knox

About 200,000 Americans will run marathons this year, and by some estimates about 4 out of 10 of them will bonk.

That’s runner-speak for “hitting the wall,” which is what happens when a long-distance runner runs out of gas, metabolically speaking.

Use Ben Rapoport’s mathematical formula to calculate your own endurance potential and how much carbo-loading you should do before a race.

Hitting The Wall

Ben Rapoport hit the wall while running the New York City Marathon five years ago. Here’s how he describes it:

“Somewhere in the Bronx, I started to feel like I couldn’t keep up the pace,” he says. “It was awful. I couldn’t make my legs run any faster. And when I tried, it was very painful.”

Rapoport is getting a Ph.D. in electrical engineering this year at MIT. He also happens to be a Harvard medical student who plans to be a brain surgeon. You might say he’s pretty driven.

So he decided to apply his brain to the problem of hitting the wall. It’s all about carbohydrates, he says.

What Happens

“When an athlete hits the wall, [he or she is] essentially running out of carbohydrates in the leg muscles and in the liver,” Rapoport says. “So when you bring the carbohydrate fuel tank to empty, the body is forced then to metabolize fat rather than carbohydrates.”

Fat is a much less efficient fuel than carbohydrate. It takes more oxygen to burn. So an athlete needs to pump more oxygen to the muscles to keep going. As a result, the athlete needs to slow down dramatically.

There are all sorts of recipes to avoid running out of carbohydrates. They involve “carbo-loading” — eating a lot of rice and pasta and other carbs before the race. There are also protocols for how to time these carbo pigouts to maximize the amount of carbohydrate that gets stored just where it’s needed: in the legs.

How To Avoid The Wall

But Rapoport is a precise guy. He wanted to quantify just how many carbo calories a particular runner is capable of storing, and how much he or she would need to run a marathon at a particular pace.

His formula occupies eight pages in a scientific paper just published in a journal called Public Library of Science (PLoS) Computational Biology.

Understanding Rapoport’s formula requires an advanced degree. But in principle it’s pretty straightforward — and accessible to any runner interested in finding the answers to two questions:

1. How can I avoid hitting the wall?

2. How fast a marathon could I potentially run?

To illustrate how Rapoport’s formula works, I recruited a young marathoner, Erin Wyner. She met Rapoport and me at an MIT gym.

Wyner, 29, says she just completed her eighth marathon with a time of 3:08:06.

“That’s an excellent time!” Rapoport says. “Have you ever hit the wall?”

“I have crashed and burned and hit the wall in my first marathon,” she replies. “It was a mindless struggle, a death march to the end.”

(You have to take such statements from dedicated marathoners with a grain of salt. In fact, she finished that race with the enviable time of 3:35. But to her that was a disaster.)

How The Formula Works

First, Rapoport has to determine Wyner’s maximal oxygen uptake. The technical term is VO2-max. There are fancy methods for determining a person’s VO2-max, but Rapoport says a good-enough estimate can be derived from clocking an individual’s heart rate at rest and while exercising.

Wyner’s resting pulse is 63 beats per minute. After she runs on a treadmill for a few minutes, Rapaport measures it again — 120 bpm running at 6.1 miles per hour.

Next he asks her weight — 100 pounds. Knowing her weight allows him to estimate how many carbs her liver and leg muscles can store.

Rapoport plugs all of the numbers into his computer and comes up with an answer that impresses Wyner.

“It seems that you’re capable at full carbohydrate loading of running a 2:44 marathon,” he says.

“Wow!” she responds. “I’m surprised! I may never live up to it, but it’s very intriguing. It’s out there for me!”

To run her best time — and avoid bonking — Rapoport tells Wyner she’ll need to stoke up before the race with 1,900 calories worth of carbs. And of course, she’ll need a lot more training, not to mention that hard-to-quantify quality called grit.

Rapoport’s formula isn’t just for elite athletes, he says. Any long-distance runner can use it. “And,” he says, “you’d better believe I’m plugging my numbers into that formula to know how many calories of carbohydrates to load before the race.”

The race he’s talking about is the New York City Marathon on Nov. 7 — the one he plans to run in 2:50.

Fitness is not a marathon nor a sprint, but a series of intervals!

I have been involved in the fitness industry for many years now and I’ve seen so many ideas come and go. I’ve seen trainers come and go and I’ve seen clients come and go. The ups and downs of the fitness industry parallels the ups and downs experienced throughout life. Sometimes we’re up and sometimes we’re down, but we’re always striving for something higher.

I remember a friend of mine once told me that “Life is like the stock market. There are ups and downs, but as long as the trend is going upward then we’re doing alright.” I’m not sure where he came up with that from, but it made so much sense that I began to apply it to my fitness…but not just my periodized programming, my overall fitness.

I used to look at fitness as a destination…as if I was going to reach a point and that would be the end. However, fitness is not a race. There is no finish line in fitness because we can always do better than yesterday. We can always do better than last week, last month or last year. Often times we have a tendency to set a destination point in fitness and many of us stop before reaching it or once we reach it we feel that we’re done. I’m here to say that you are never done. My goal has always been to be fitter at 30 than I was at 20 and now that I’m past 30 my goal is to be more fit and strong at 40 than I am today.

But there have been ups and downs over the years. There were times where I needed to take a step back and let my body heal. I needed to take time out and lower my intensities, lower my weights and work on keeping my body from falling apart. There have been other times where I needed to go “balls to the walls”, pumping out the iron, hitting the weights hardcore. I’ve gone through periods of bulking up and periods of slimming down.

I’m always challenging my body to new heights and looking for new things to stimulate both my mind and body, developing better neural connections in attempts to recruit more muscle and keep my body off-balance, developing and changing.

A marathon is a long and monotonous event, and if your training routine is monotonous and without change then it’s most likely you will become bored and give up. A sprint is quick and over within a matter of seconds. The vast majority of people are looking for a quick fix in 6 weeks, thinking that the journey stops after this. Since fitness is a lifestyle then we need to understand that there are peaks and valleys to our overall fitness and so in the end our fitness lifestyle should look more similar to interval training with periods of high intensity, lower intensity and rest and leisure periods. Don’t get caught up in the mundane or the quick fixes. Variety is the spice of life.

Core stabilisation exercises for middle and long distance runners

Many runners have asked us for a hip and core stability program. These are common areas of muscular imbalances or weakness. Here are my favorite fundamental core exercises designed for runners. This does not take the place of weighted exercises to gain power and strength, but you have to have proper stability and mobility as a foundation for strength. Stability is the ability to control motion. In this sequence you are training the neuromuscular system and the brain.