Kim gets interviewed!

Last week, I spent a completely energizing afternoon with my friend and fellow fitness professional, Aaron Benes. Aaron owns a transformational facility down in Newport Beach, California, and we honestly love getting together (when time permits!) in order to compare notes, get/give advice, and brainstorm up new ideas. Two minds are always better than one, right?!

We had a ton of fun interviewing each other... take a look at just a small piece of our conversation in this vid.

Reader question - "How do you deal?"

During one of our recent training sessions, one of my clients had a great question for me.

Kim,
As you know, I spent some time in the past training for a triathlon... so I do have a bit of experience with working toward a fitness goal. And when I did complete that goal, I personally had a hard time regaining the motivation for working out and keeping up with the activities that I enjoyed so much. Once there was no longer a looming deadline, I struggled with putting forth the same effort. I felt
kinda depressed and definitely unmotivated.

After just finishing your long journey to the CrossFit Games, I wanna know... how do YOU deal with the after effects of completing a big physical goal? How do you handle the wane in motivation that tends to occur once the wind has left the sails?


This was a very insightful question!

I especially liked it because I've accumulated a bunch of different types of competitions (and participated in plenty of different competition training processes)... so I definitely have some strong thoughts on the subject.


In the past, when all my training efforts have been focused on one singular event - one important day - one deadline that becomes an obsession - I can remember feeling lost, depressed, and unmotivated when that day quickly and suddenly passes. In instances where you put so much energy, effort, and emotions into one fleeting point in time, there is a sense of loss once you no longer need to continue putting forth the same efforts.

It's funny because that statement doesn't just apply to physical goals. Any female who's ever been heavily involved in the process of planning their own wedding knows this to be true. So much time and effort is invested in every detail of one day - and when that day is over, one can go through withdrawals simply because that all-consuming project (and the anticipation & excitement that goes with it!) has completely disappeared. What will you do with yourself now??

In the same respect, my figure competition gave me a similar experience. Months and months of concerted effort and calculated details, all accumulating to produce one big goal on one big day... the moment of truth passes by so quickly in comparison to the time spent preparing. And after the elation wears off, the celebration fades, and a well-deserved break has been taken, you are left with no direction.

I had changed so much in my life for this one day that I didn't deal with the post-goal process very well after the figure competition. The problem was... there was no set plan or no new goal to put in place of the old one. I had to try to accept the idea of just letting all my hard-earned work slowly melt away so that I could return to a healthy, maintainable body composition. Getting "fatter" is not a comforting process. Even when it's a healthy level of fat and it's necessary for your wellness and livelihood :)

Anyway, if I would have had another goal to work toward - even a completely different goal - I would have handled the post-competition transition phase much more successfully. That's a huge takeaway from that experience.

But the biggest lesson from my recent competition experience is this...

I trained HARD for the CrossFit Games. I clocked a good 6 months of effort toward that massive event. But, you know what? My training wasn't solely focused on that one weekend.

While working out for constant improvement and eating for performance, I was more focused on pure progress in the activity itself! I was developing a love for a physical activity and a physically active community - and I was finding new and different ways to make it a big part of my life.

I knew that CrossFit would continue long after the Games - and I actually started to develop new goals to work on for the time when training finally ended. I began looking forward to picking up other activities that I had decided to drop in the process of training. The Games were a BIG goal, but they didn't overtake the whole picture. I could visibly see life after the competition!

So... as soon as I returned from a brutal weekend of physical challenges, I NEVER had to deal with those negative effects that were so prevalent in other post-competition phases. NEVER.

I think, my friends, that THAT is the trick.

Having goals is an excellent way to spend your time. It's an incredibly productive way to help push yourself toward limits that are beyond your current capacity.

But, to avoid that intensely unmotivated phase that follows a big physical goal, we honestly need to do 2 things... 1) Keep in touch with our passion for that physical activity and not let the goal bring us to overtraining, burnout, and obsession 2) Constantly be developing new goals - new ways to improve and get better. Because we can always be better.


I hope my epiphanies and ramblings have helped.
Or, at least, I hope they have entertained ;)

Til next time,
Kim


**Remember!! Any other fitness/nutrition questions can be directed to deliberatemovement@gmail.com

Quotation of the Week

"I think a training philosophy is a dynamic process that never ends. You may have read something of mine from a year ago that contradicts what I'm saying now. I'm fine with that. I'm still a student and reserve the right to learn and continually let my thinking evolve. In fact, if you haven't changed your mind about something
over time, then I worry about you." -Alwyn Cosgrove

I'll admit that I don't know everything. Influential fitness pro Alwyn Cosgrove is willing to admit it, too. But those of us who are passionate about the health and fitness world are always trying to learn as much as possible. And since the body is so complex... since we are constantly searching for answers... and since knowledge in fitness/nutrition/and human studies is so transient... what we learn is bound to change.

Yes, we've been taught certain things for many, many years... simply because some information was perceived a certain way by a group of people, then everyone else passed it on. And the whole world took in these perceived ideas as fact.

But perception can be wrong, my friends.

The woman in yesterday's post will not listen to my new, effective advice because she has come to believe the incorrect perceptions of past researchers.

I'm not bashing these researchers. One set of ideas slowly but surely leads us to seek out better ideas, more answers, a better view of the big picture. But just because these individuals were hard-working innovators... doesn't mean that their ideas were right.

I'm not bashing those who have believed past ideas, as well as those persons who have put in the time and effort to make those ideas work for them and their fitness goals. But, when something is shown not to work - or better yet, when something new is shown to get results much more effectively - it is really in your best interest to consider those ideas.

I've learned so much in my 4+ years as a trainer. My knowledge base has completely changed from year to year. And that will continue to happen, considering I LOVE to learn, and I love to search for new ways to help all of you! :)

I will continue to be a student for the rest of my years. But I want you to be a student, too. I want you to realize that methods for fitness, nutrition, and health will change over time. We all need to accept that. We need to be willing to change our minds and to try new things.

If you are a true reader of my blog, you should know that by now.
You should practice tolerance of new ideas.
You should understand that information evolves.

Don't stick with old, antiquated ideas because it's all you know. Or because you're scared of the new ones. Take a chance and change your mind!

Wasted efforts... So sad...

Here we go again...

One of the well-intentioned members of my gym has been trying to lose weight.
But she's going about it ALL WRONG!

Every day, she puts on a full sauna suit and a weight vest...
Then proceeds to do an hour or more of steady-state cardio on a plethora of cardio machines.

YIKES!!!!!

I find a problem with her weight loss tactics on so many levels.

She's been working so very hard, diligently plodding away day after day, with the belief that this is the only way to effectively shed fat from her 50-year-old body. She doesn't know any better. I give her my respect for her persistence.

But...
Her way sucks.

Why?

#1 - Sauna suits give no extra benefit toward fat loss.
People believe that these rubberized vinyl suits (which are supposed to mimic the experience of being in a sauna) will cause you to burn extra calories during exercise as well as lose excess weight. This is a load of crap.

Since when does excess sweating signify an increased metabolism or an elevated rate of caloric burn?? It doesn't. Excess sweating will simply rid you of large amounts of body water and electrolytes like sodium and potassium. This is not necessarily dangerous, unless its used for extreme amounts of time.

And how does losing water weight constitute a productive loss of weight? Once you drink water after the exercise session, to rehydrate yourself, that water weight will immediately return! Besides, we don't want to lose water weight... we want to lose FAT weight, right?!

The only effect a sauna suit will have on the body? It will cause the body to acclimate to exercising in the heat (the heat that is being generated by your body in the suit). I know this for a fact because I completed my master's thesis on heat acclimation! After multiple, consecutive days in a heated environment, your body simply adapts so that it won't be at risk for heat stroke, dehydration, or electrolyte imbalances. It gets used to the stimulus! That doesn't really sound like the type of situation where excess calories are being burned...

#2 - Doing long bouts of cardio at a steady-state (whether wearing a sweat suit, a weight vest, or nothing at all!) is NOT an effective way to shed fat.
Long, slow cardio only burns calories during the exercise session. If you go for an hour, good for you, you've burned calories for an hour.

Shorter, more intense bouts of cardio as well as shorter, more intense bouts of strength training will not only burn cals during the workout... It will elevate your metabolism so that you burn extra calories for an extended amount of time afterwards! (sometimes 24 or even 48 hours afterwards!) So, if you kick your own butt for just 20 minutes, well you could possibly have created excess caloric burn for that 20 minutes PLUS an extra 20 hours.

Which is better?
I thought you'd say that.


Listen to me, folks!
Fat loss is not easy... But it could be so much easier if you try what works!!

And sauna suits DO NOT work.
Slow cardio for excessive amounts of time DO NOT work.
Performing both of these together DOES NOT work.

Now, if I can just get this poor woman to understand that...

Wish me luck!

Avoid the battle!

It's true. The psychological aspect of eating is often the hardest to overcome for most people who are trying to make changes in their lifestyles.

Habits are strong, emotional ties to food are even stronger, and social interactions can dictate how you eat, even in the face of a strong willpower and a sturdy plan!

So, how do you continue to eat healthy with all of these obstacles pushing you to remain in unproductive habits?

First of all, you need to plan for success. Don't approach a challenge, like finding something to eat when you're hungry, by saying, "I'll just figure something out." No... You've gotta buy the healthy foods and make them handy, keep the evil temptations out of your house, find restaurants and deli's that carry healthy selections, decide when to eat healthy and when to splurge, and take food with you to work. Don't just leave it up to chance when you're trying to change how you eat! You will only fall back into old patterns.

Second, you need to tailor your plan to YOU. There are many eating plans out there. So many! Some of them are completely unrealistic for you. You won't stick to 'em. Don't choose those. Find eating habits that will work in your individual life. No, that doesn't mean, "well, Dunkin' Doughnuts and KFC fit well into my life!" You're an adult with free will - you can do whatever you want - just don't come cryin' to me later if that's the pathway you choose on a regular basis.

I DO think that we are all human experiments, and we need to find the best way of eating for us through persistent trial and error. But the only way to do that is to first try some way of eating, to follow it consistently, and then to make judgments based on the results from that eating plan. So find something, ANYTHING, and stick to it.

Lastly, you need to avoid temptation. DON'T stand in front of the candy aisle in the grocery store and tempt yourself with your fav sweet treats. DON'T go out to the bar with your friends on a Tuesday night and try to refrain from drinking - because if you normally partake, it will be almost impossible to muster up the willpower to do something that is unnatural for you (not drinking in a situation of normal drinkin'). DON'T agree to meet a co-worker at your favorite pizza place for lunch if you cannot resist the greasy pizza.

Just DON'T put yourself in situations where you're bound to fail! You don't need to set yourself up for an internal battle. It's not necessary. Half of the battle of being successful at changing your body through proper diet is avoiding those situations where willpower is necessary. Just accept that you are a weak individual when temptation surfaces. Accept it!


The more you work with yourself in the quest for optimal health and fitness, the more successful you'll be.

Oh, and if you slip up... please don't beat yourself up. We're only human, right? Make your mistakes every once in a while. Then, strive for lotsa mistake-free streaks!

Good luck...

Helpful Pushup Tips, Part 2

Okay, let's talk about my four best tips for working up to a deliciously perfect pushup.
Go back to yesterday's post to SEE the deliciousness ;)



1. The best way to improve at a skill, like a pushup, is to actually practice that skill! Of course, you should practice only at the level you can master (meaning... perform with impeccable technique). Here's a progression stepladder for pushups:

• Standing / Elevated pushups - hands on an elevated surface (you can lower that elevated surface as you improve)
• Kneeling pushups - knees bent, feet pointed toward ceiling, body straight from head to knees
• Pushup NEGATIVES (see #2 below)
• Regular pushups
• More advanced pushup modifications
  

2. Another way to improve at a skill is to focus on the "eccentric" portion of the movement. That is the "lowering down" phase of any motion. For example, lowering the bar on a bench press, lowering your entire body from a flexed arm hang position in a pullup, lowering / sinking down into a squat, AND lowering your super-straight body from the top of the pushup all the way down to the floor.

This phase of a movement is much easier to perform. You don't have to lift a weight or maneuver your body weight... you simply have to lower that weight under gravity. Basically, you are trying to slow down the weight as it heads toward the floor. When you do this, the same muscles that lift the weight are working to lower it. Therefore, you are teaching ALL of the necessary muscles for that skill to learn how to properly perform that skill.

Plus, more damage is done to your muscles in the eccentric phase (because they are lengthening instead of shortening). Without getting too scientific, this increased damage is good because it forces your muscles to more effectively adapt and become stronger.

**SO... get into a pushup position... hands a little wider than shoulder width apart and directly underneath the line of your shoulders... body straight from head to heels... stomach braced... head neutral. Slowly lower your body IN ONE PIECE for a count of 10. Every body part should reach the floor at exactly the same time. Do not push back up. Get back into the top of the pushup position and repeat the 10 second super-slow lowering motion again. This will train your chest, shoulders, triceps, AND stomach/midsection how to properly activate during the real deal.**

NEGATIVES are difficult! But do-able. Perform them religiously for a month, and then see how much better you are at pushups!


3. Pushups involve a large amount of abdominal/core strength. That is really the most difficult part of a pushup... that it requires so much activation of the entire "invisible corset" in the midsection. Therefore, exercises in the pushup position, that improve the muscular strength and endurance of the entire abdomen, will be extremely beneficial toward the acquisition of a fabulous pushup.

Here's a few ab exercises in the pushup position (or a similar position):

• Plank (hold the pushup position, on hands OR on elbows)
• Plank with elbows on a stability ball
• Pushup position with hands on a medicine ball
• Plank with shins on a stability ball
• Knee tucks on Stability Ball (pushup position, shins on ball, roll ball to tuck knees into chest)
  

Any of the above exercises with one leg raised...

• Pushup position, alternating rows (don't let hips move/wiggle/twist)
• Pushup position, alternating straight arm lifts (lift arm straight ahead or up to the side of the body)
• Pushup position, alternating knee crossovers (pull knee into body, twist it across body)
• Spiderman crawl (pushup position, place one foot near same hand, then switch)
• Plank to Pushup Position to Plank...
• Plank to Side Plank, alternating

4. Any compound pushing movement will increase strength in the chest, shoulders, and/or triceps... which will carry over to better upper body strength for the pushup. Remember that compound means - any movement that involves multiple muscles and multiple joints.

Some examples of compound pushing movements:

• Chest Press (barbell or dumbbells / flat, incline, or decline bench)
• Shoulder Press (barbell or dumbbells / seated or standing)
• Dips (off bench or hanging)
• Close Grip Chest Press (barbell or dumbbells / flat, incline, or decline bench) - this targets the triceps more than a regular chest press
  

There are many other choices, but these are the most basic movements.


Now, go make me proud and do non fish-flopping, strong, powerful pushups!
GO!

Helpful Pushup Tips, Part 1

So, after last week's pushup post, I had some requests to post some info about:

• correct pushup technique

and

• drills for improving pushup performance

To give you a rock-solid example of a perfect pushup, I've created this new video...





And for the pushup drills and tips, check out tomorrow's post!

Quotation of the Week

"Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict." -William Ellery Channing



Why do so many people insist on taking the
"poor me" stance?
Why do they play the role of the victim in their own lives?
Why do they crumble under the weight of challenges and hardships?

It's important to realize that challenges, hardships, difficulties, conflicts, and disappointments do not signify the end of the world!

They are simply a part of life. And they always will be.

The happiest, most successful people have come to understand this. They've realized that it's not WHAT happens to you (b/c shitty stuff happens to each and every one of us!), but HOW you deal with it!

So, instead of whimpering about how many problems you have and how hard your life is, why don't you take a step back, take a deep breath, and figure out how to best deal with the situation at hand.

People will be much more apt to be in your presence if you have stories about 'conquering evil' rather than complaints about how much your life sucks.

Honestly. Do yourself and others a favor. Drop the pity party and charge ahead toward those challenges! That's what life is all about!

Why do I see this mistake ALL THE TIME??!!

Okay, I know the pet peeve video series is over, but I've got a frustration to share...



Why do SO MANY people insist on doing pushups incorrectly??!


Honestly, does anyone know why?
I'm not buying into the excuse that it's a difficult movement.

SO WHAT?

Slow down and concentrate on performing it with impeccable technique!

If you can't manage to push that body back up to its original position with a tight, sag-free midsection, solid, slightly tucked-in arms, straight legs, and a neutral head position... then drop to your knees or put your hands on a higher surface!

There's NO GOOD EXCUSE for

• performing quick pushups in a partial range of motion,
  
• flopping your entire body on the floor like a fish, or
  
• looking like your lower back is about to break in half & your head is going to fall off your neck!

Yes, pushups are difficult.
When your upper body is relatively weak, it is hard to perform a perfect pushup.

BUT, if you start from the most challenging position in which you can complete a stellar pushup, and progress slowly to more and more difficult versions of the pushup, then you will solidify that perfect technique in your body. You will be able to do fast AND fabulous pushups that will make others' jaws drop to the floor!

But until that point, people, you need to slow down, focus on the details, complete a FULL RANGE of MOTION, take a step back to a modified version (if necessary), and do those damn pushups correctly!!

Otherwise, what's the point of even doing them?

Don't cheat yourself, my friends.
Do it the right way, even when no one's watching.
Because THAT's the way to get stronger! Doin' them right every single time...

The ONE THING you need to be successful in fitness

At the moment, I have 2 different types of clients...

Client A is one who has no desire to exercise on his/her own (or simply has come to the conclusion that it won't get done if left to the responsibility of oneself!). The only time a workout happens is when he/she meets for an appointment with the trainer (ME!). and when the trainer has taken a leave of absence for vacation or holidays, this client is lost! Without any alternatives, he/she simply stops all physical activity until the trainer returns.

Client B is one who seeks out the advice and guidance of a trainer, yet completes the majority of his/her individual workouts without that trainer. This person receives workouts and intermittent coaching, but the bulk of the work is decidedly done solo, for whatever reason. In this instance... even if the trainer is absent for a short time period, this client is not worried because he/she has a plan and is used to carrying out that plan.


Now, you know what I've noticed through working with these two opposing clientele?

Do you wanna know the most glaringly important different between clients A & B??


Well, Client B - the independent client - is forced to learn how to push him/herself. He/she is forced to take an active role in knowing what to do in the gym. No one else will be there to lead them through those solo workouts. This client begins to fully understand what it takes to go the extra step, AND he/she begins to willingly self-motivate... even during challenging movements!

It's because of this internal shift in confidence and the growing belief in one's own potential that these "B" clients end up being much more successful in the pursuit of their health and fitness goals, much more satisfied with themselves as a whole, much prouder of their accomplishments, as well as much more willing to make exercise and healthy habits an integral part of their lives! Even without a trainer!


Now, I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with "A" clients. I'm not prejudiced, and I don't hate 'em! I have plenty of amazing clients who fit into the A category. That's just where they fit!

I'm simply eluding to the fact that...

- Client A is often less likely to be successful because they are so reliant upon someone else and so uninvolved in the complete process of becoming fit.

- Client A is often less likely to be completely and thoroughly satisfied with his/her progress as well as proud of his/her capabilities and functionality.

True "A"'s simply never get an extended opportunity to learn the art of pushing themselves.


Of course, there are many people who chose to work with trainers and who also have an uncanny ability to challenge themselves physically. I am not arrogant enough to think that everything is decidedly black and white. This is really a simplified explanation of extreme personas and a lesson of what's important when one is striving to develop and maintain a high level of health and fitness!


So, what is that lesson??

Developing the ability to push yourself is an extremely important step in the quest for improved fitness AND for the retention of healthy lifestyle habits.

Maybe it's time for you to truly learn how to push yourself?

I mean, if you really wanna be successful at maintaining fitness, that is... :)