Archive for Personal Training Certification

IART ITALIA & NBFI Personal Trainer Certification Seminar 2013

By I.A.R.T. Writer/ Contributer
Thursday, April 25th, 2013

Mike Lipowski

The IART made its way to Florence, ITALY from April 19th to 21st for an intensive three day certification seminar on exercise science and its practical application.  The event was hosted by NFBI President (Natural Bodybuilding & Fitness Italy) and Olympians Gym Owner, Sandro Ciccarelli, and attended by a very knowledgeable group of fifteen students, eleven of whom earned their IART Personal Trainer Certification by the end of the weekend.

The running theme throughout the weekend was how the information being learned would affect each students “story”.  Meaning we all have a “story” about how we arrived where we currently are in our approach and application of exercise.  But for many of us the story changes over our training lifetime as we gather more information and experience.  Learning the philosophy and science behind the IART’s approach to exercise forever changed my story back in 2000/2001 and so throughout the weekend I asked the students how what they learned after each module would change their story going forward.  For many the story was changing dramatically and a new view of exercise was adopted.

Two months in advance of the event each student received a copy of PURE PHYSIQUE and Prescribed Exercise to prepare for the three day course and exams.  A tremendous amount of information was crammed into the seminar, covering such topics as the Principles of Exercise Science, Stress Physiology, Training Philosophy, Exercise Performance & Instruction, Advanced Methods of Exercise Performance, Zone Training, How to Create Custom Exercise Programs, Cyclical Training and MORE.  Thanks to our outstanding translator and student, Gabriele Tampellini (the human Google Translate) we were able to work past the language barrier and deliver the information in a concise manner that everyone could understand.  Those familiar with the depth of the IART materials could only imagine what a task this was.

Additional support in translating and explaining some of the more complicated aspects of exercise science and application came from IART Fitness Clinician’s Kristian Montevechhi and Annalisa Ghirotti who is also a WNBF Pro Figure competitor.  Kristian and Annalisa were also exceptional hosts who toured us around Florence at the conclusion of the event and are friends that will always hold a special place in our hearts.

I cannot speak highly enough of everyone who was a part of this event.  From our event organizer and host Sandro Ciccarelli and his family and staff, to Gabrielle Tampellini, Kristian Montevechhi, and Annalisa Ghirotti, and of course our students, Alberto Bertini, Doriana Bignetti, Barbara Cali, Alberto Contiero, Massimiliano DeFiglio, Alessio Donnini, Angelo Luraghi, Giorgio Manca, Fabio Morbidini, Sara Muccini, Primo Parisi, Ottavio Romagnoli, Gabriele Tampellini, Valerio Vescovo and Marco Zanoli.

Thank you all for contributing to a very successful event and we look forward to your continued growth as IART Instructors.

Categories : Personal Training
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Fitness Trends vs. Fitness Truth: P90X

By I.A.R.T. Writer/ Contributer
Tuesday, April 9th, 2013

It’s all about muscle confusion right?  Just keep doing different sixty minute workouts six times a week and your fat-loss, muscle building, fitness prayers will be answered.  At least that what the developer of the P90X series, Tony Horton, would have you believe.  As discussed in the first Fitness Trends vs. Fitness Truth blog the major mistake made among trendsetting workout programs, and the ultimate reason for their demise is ignorance of the 7 Principles of Exercise (intensity, volume, frequency, overload, specificity, diminishing returns, and individualism) and how they interrelate.   You might be able to fool people but you can’t cheat science.

Don’t get me wrong, not everything taught in P90X is wrong per se though I disagree with their overall approach to exercise and Mr. Horton does have a tendency to make many false or misleading statements such as “Do low reps if you’re looking for mass and high reps if you’re looking for lean [muscle].”  The concept of performing exercise with high intensity is one positive component to the P90X program as is adding variety to your routine so you don’t become accustomed to your routine which under certain conditions will result in plateaus.  When put into practice however, P90X takes valid concepts and misapplies them.

I will not go so far as to say that the program doesn’t work, it does…under certain conditions and to varying degrees.  However, nearly every exercise program “works” to some extent or has “some” effect.  That does not necessarily make it ideal or the most effective approach to exercise, especially in light of its risk/reward ratio and long term effects.  Keep in mind that what is tolerable over the short term might not (and rarely is) sustainable over the long term.  This is a major hang up for many people.  Because a program yielded good results over a period they begin to believe that their results will continue in the same direction or can be sustained on said program.

For a thorough examination of the pros, cons, and misapplication of P90X let’s look at how the program stacks up against the 7 Principles of Exercise.

Fitness Truth vs. P90X

At the core of every exercise program is the Principle of Individualism.  This principle states that exercise must be prescribed in accordance with the needs, goals, abilities, limitations, and preferences of the individual.  Whenever a program is created before you know anything about the individual who is about to partake in it you are already in violation of this principle.  P90X violates this principle on many levels as you’ll see in our examination of the other six principles.  That said I’ll be the first to admit that most people who are new to exercise or that have not exercised for a number of years will see results relatively fast doing almost any type of training program.  This is a very big factor in the success for those featured as P90X success stories.

Let’s be honest most of the people who undertake the P90X program are those that are under or untrained and looking for a way to get some direction and avoid going to a gym.  For the advanced trainee who has years of solid weight training under his/her belt P90X is unlikely to move the results meter unless it so happens—by sheer luck—to fall in line with their specific needs.

Be Intense…But Not Too Intense

Intensity is the possible percentage of momentary muscular and volitional effort exerted. The measure of how hard a person is working at any given moment during exercise.  P90X encourage its participants to exercise with a high level of effort which is great but they clearly misunderstand the principle.  If a person is truly training with their highest level of effort then they would be limited in the amount of exercise they could perform but the quality and effectiveness of that exercise in stimulating gains in muscular strength and size would be high.

Throughout P90X the trainee is prompted to not push themselves to fatigue; to be able to complete every repetition of every set.  Why?  Because if they actually pushed some of their exercises to momentary muscular fatigue (failure) they would not make it through the entire workout—in effect they would not need to perform as much exercise as is suggested.   It is at this point it becomes obvious that this is an endurance program and not for anyone who wants to develop muscle or strength.  (Note: while exercise will burn calories and can have a positive effect on the metabolism the success of P90X in burning fat is a function of participants following a calorie restricting diet and NOT the exercise program itself).

Since intensity is a function of a person’s mental capability to push themselves and work through discomfort the degree of intensity experienced from these workouts can be sufficient for those who are newbies or that lack the ability to push themselves to the level suggested by P90X.  For the experienced lifter or those accustomed to hard training already the intensity of this workout will be a step back.

If Some Is Good, More Is Better

Volume is the amount of exercise performed in a workout.  It refers to the number of repetitions, time under tension, and the number of sets performed.  Exercise volume is determined largely by an individual’s muscle fiber type, rate-of-fatigue, tolerance to exercise stress, and objectives (improved endurance, muscle hypertrophy, increased strength, etc.).  It is not farfetched to say that the overwhelming majority—if not everybody—who does P90X does not know their muscle fiber type, rate of fatigue, or tolerance to exercise stress because if they did they wouldn’t need P90X.  The only thing they may be clear on is that they want to be in better shape when they finish than when they start.

Why performing the appropriate volume of exercise is important is best explained by looking at it in conjunction with training frequency.  Frequency is how often exercise occurs.  P90X has trainees exercising 6 days a week.  Is this frequency of exercise really necessary?  Hardly.  Can and will it become counterproductive over time?  Absolutely.

As with volume, frequency should be a byproduct of individual’s muscle make up and goals.  The only thing the high volume, high frequency approach promoted through this program accomplishes is the burning of calories on a daily basis.  For those not adhering to a proper diet in which calories are at or below maintenance levels this extra activity may help in burning body fat but is unnecessary if in a caloric deficit.   Over the long run this frequency and volume of exercise has the potential to negatively affect recovery and will result in Diminishing Returns.

On a side note: there is absolutely no need for individual abdominal/core routines like that in P90X which involve 300 movements and last 16 minutes.  This is not only redundant but ineffective in furthering Ab development.  Plenty has been written on this subject so we’ll forgo going into detail.  The only points needing to be understood are that the Abs are  engaged in most every exercise (especially squats, deadlifts, pulldowns, and pullovers) and that achievement of the sacred six-pack is more a function of low body-fat than muscle development.

This Can’t Work Forever?

The Principle of Diminishing Returns explains that exercise that exceeds the minimum necessary to produce a (potentially) optimum response is pointless as it relates to the best interests of the individual.  Because the volume and frequency of P90X is fixed the chances of the program resulting in a lack of progress after (or before) the ninety days are completed is very high.

When you fail to regulate training demands (i.e. intensity, volume, frequency) according to your needs what do you think happens?  You stop getting results.

When you fail to regulate training demands what else could happen?  You could regress.

It needs to be understood that exercising an hour each day, six days a week is not a recipe for success for everyone based on the principle of individualism and for most people will result in diminishing returns if adhered to for too long, as validated by the science of stress physiology —and serve as a waste of your valuable time.

Confusion over “Muscle Confusion”

Muscle confusion is touted as the secret sauce of P90X.  The theory is as stated on the Beach Body website (the producers of P90X) is that “P90X uses targeted training phases so your body keeps adapting and growing. You’ll never “plateau”—which means your body will never get used to the routines, making improvements slow down or even stop.”

Sounds great…in theory.  Muscle confusion is nothing more than a gimmicky way of expressing the benefit of variation in an exercise.  It is true that variation can help break through plateaus and avoid boredom but one needs to be careful in how much and how often variation is applied.  This is best explained by examining the S.A.I.D. Principle.

The S.A.I.D. (specific adaptation to imposed demands) Principle states that the nature of the exercise program will place specific demands on the body that leads to a specific result.  This is why someone who wants to build muscle for the purpose of being stronger lifts weights instead of doing water aerobics.  It’s why someone who is training for a marathon runs does long distance runs each day instead of sprints.  What you do determines what you get.

So what do you get from P90X?  You get a lot of endurance training in the form of rep pumping high volume weight training, calisthenics which they attempt to pass off as “plyometrics”, and cardio kickboxing.  You get a workout that over time will help you get good at, or at least accustomed to, doing a lot of exercise.  You are likely to become more physically fit but only up until a certain point (which is true of any exercise program) and in a specific way (i.e. improved endurance).  There’s nothing inherently wrong with this but make no mistake, although you are lifting weights in some of these workouts you are not going build much muscle if that is what you are looking for.  If you are looking to improve your strength you are not going build much of that either unless you are completely new to lifting weights.   These workouts are all about endurance.  Even if you’re focus is on fat-loss these workouts as with any other will do little to burn body fat unless it puts you in a caloric deficit as already mentioned earlier.

The S.A.I.D. Principle not only relates to the nature of the workout program but the exercises themselves.  For the beginner and intermediate trainee it is important to perform the same exercises, and workouts, for a period of 4-8 weeks in order to make neuromuscular adaptations.  Simply stated you must become skilled at performing an exercise so that you can adequately stimulate the target muscles.  Until the skill is learned you will engage unrelated and outlying muscles minimizing stimulation to intended muscle group.  In getting it wrong P90X actually got it right in this instance.  Meaning their focus is on variation but it’s only in the type of workout being performed (i.e. weight training vs. calisthenics vs. cardio kickboxing vs. yoga).  When performing the weight training workouts as well as the others the trainee is repeating the same movements over and over again.  In this way they are getting the opportunity to learn the exercises and make the necessary neuromuscular adaptations…just hope it’s the right ones.

The most fundamental way to stimulate gains in muscular size and strength is through overload.  Overload is the application of progressively greater demands through regular progression.  In a traditional weight training program overload is achieved through an increase in the amount of weight lifted, repetitions performed or time under tension.  P90X does encourage its trainees to up the ante and make the exercises heavier which is definitely one bright spot.  They also suggest at times adding more volume to this already high volume routine but ignore how this impacts the program on a whole and more importantly the person following it.

And Technique?

A major drawback of P90X is the poor weight lifting technique that a newbie could easily establish from the onset.  (Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of people who have decades of weight training experience that also have exceptionally poor technique—much of which they developed in their first year of training.)  The demonstrated performance of weight training exercises in these videos are best described as “rep pumping”.  Meaning there is no real emphasis or focus on the muscles being trained, it’s all about pumping out reps in a certain amount of time.  It would be easy for someone to assume based on what they see in the video—not what they hear—that the most important factor is to pump out a certain number of reps instead of slowing things down and putting concentrated effort into the movement.

Over time this can result in injury as well as diminished effectiveness of the exercise.  To be fair, the same situation can arise from following any training program in which proper technique is not first learned.  The inability to properly perform ones exercises is the reason that so many trainees are quick to add extra exercise when results begin to stagnate.  If better at targeting the intended muscles and getting the most they could out of each exercise then additional exercise to make up for poor exercise would be necessary, reducing the likelihood of incurring an overuse injury.

For advanced trainees that have developed a high level of lifting proficiency and have reached the upper limits of how much weight they can lift, frequent changes to their training can help to disrupt homeostasis and present the body with a new set demands from which it must adapt.  This is where the “muscle confusion” concept comes into practice.  That being said the changes must still comply with the exercise principles and be in alignment with your goals.  Random changes or workouts for the purpose of confusion will in fact confuse the body but likely to have negative consequences or no impact at all.  Change needs to be deliberate, planned.  Check out the IART books APEX and Tactical Fitness to learn more about how to implement variation as a plateau busting tactic.

Final Thoughts

They say that the “X” in P90X stands for “extreme” but the only thing that’s extreme is the amount of activity performed and how often you have to do it.  There is a tremendous amount of mysticism built around this program which is sure to contribute to the already mass confusion surrounding exercise. When it is all said and done we will be left with legions of people who tout the greatness of P90X and preaching the importance of muscle confusion but don’t know what aspects of the program work, what doesn’t, what’s necessary, what’s not, what’s true, what’s false, and why.  What won’t change however is that the Principles of Exercise Science will always stand firm and trump the next trend.

Categories : Exercise, Fitness Trends, Personal Training
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Fitness Trends vs. Fitness Truth

By I.A.R.T. Writer/ Contributer
Friday, March 29th, 2013

The 21st Century version of Richard Simmons “Sweating to the Oldies” in neon clothes and to Latin pop music.

Choose a trend…any trend.  Choose Zumba, CrossFit, P90X, Insanity, Body Pump, or whatever else might surface in the next twelve to eighteen months.  Exaggerative claims of the superiority of each fitness trend compared to the tried and true are made in just the same way Jazzercise, Tae Bo, and Buns of Steel were said to be the greatest fitness discovery since the last fitness discovery.   Despite their varied take on exercise the one thing these trends have in common is that they are just trends.  Many will die off and some will survive by taking on new form fifteen years from now, but none will ever enjoy as much popularity or acclaim as when they first surfaced.   However, regardless of what trends come and go the fundamental principles of exercise never change.

The fundamental principles (intensity, volume, frequency, overload, specificity, individualism, and diminishing returns) are the judge and jury when it comes to deciding the fate of fitness trends.  Violate one or several of these principles and its life in prison without parole or the death penalty.   Although the average individual seeking to get in shape might not fully understand these seven principles or how they interrelate, they’re smart enough to recognize if what they are doing is yielding the result they want or not.  If it is not working or has stopped working then some aspect of the program is in violation of the principles.  It is at this time we see the rightful demise of the heralded fitness trend.

Here’s a brief overview of the 7 Principles of Exercise Science:

  1. Intensity – The possible percentage of momentary muscular and volitional effort exerted. The measure of how hard a person is working at any given moment during exercise.
  2. Volume – The amount of exercise performed in a workout.  It refers to the number of repetitions, time under tension, and the number of sets performed.
  3. Frequency – How often exercise occurs; whether in general or for a specific muscle groups.
  4. Overload – The application of progressively greater demands through regular progression.  This increase can come in the form of how much weight is lifted, reps performed, TUT, or frequency.
  5. S.A.I.D. (specific adaptation to imposed demands) – The nature of the exercise program will place specific demands on the body that leads to a specific result.
  6. Diminishing Returns – Exercise that exceeds the minimum necessary to produce a (potentially) optimum response is pointless as it relates to the best interests of the individual.
  7. Individualism – Exercise must be prescribed in accordance with the needs, goals, abilities, limitations, and preferences of the individual.

Each of these principles are present in every exercise program.  The extent to which they are applied and balanced relative to the person’s goals and recovery ability will determine the program’s effectiveness.  To the educated fitness professional or trainee who understands this it is easy to spot the flaws in fitness trends like those mentioned and predict when, how and why they will fail in the long-term.  In upcoming blogs we’ll breakdown some of these trends individually to show the difference between trends and truth.

Categories : Exercise, Personal Training
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7 Things the Top 10% of Personal Trainers Do

By I.A.R.T. Writer/ Contributer
Wednesday, May 16th, 2012

Mike Lipowski

Being a fitness professional extends well beyond what you do when actually training someone. In fact, it could be argued that what you do when not in-session will be the true determinant of whether others see you as a professional in this field or just another trainer. To be viewed as a pro, you must exceed people’s expectations of what a personal trainer is and does.

Let me say that again. You must exceed people’s expectations of what a personal trainer is and does. Sounds simple right!? Well, it is! But it’s not easy. And therein lies the reason why few become fitness professionals, while the rest — even the very good instructors — remain ‘just another trainer’ and have trouble making a living in this most rewarding profession. It takes a certain level of time and effort, of which you will not be paid for, directly or immediately. That turns off about 70% of the trainers out there who believe that being certified is all that’s required to be considered an expert and paid for every morsel of information they divulge. Then there will be the 20% who understand the importance of exceeding expectations but ultimately will not take action out of sheer laziness. But for the 10% that make the decision to do the things which will put them on a pedal stool in the eyes of others, a wonderful and lucrative life as a fitness professional awaits.

7 Things the Top 10% Do

1. Articles — What’s great about writing articles is that it’s free advertising. Although we’re taught not to believe everything we read, we still do! So when you’re the author of an article that provides valuable information to help others improve their fitness, you automatically get deemed as the “expert” in their minds.

2. Books — The same applies here as it did in #1, except that a book carries much more weight in the eyes of a consumer/client. These days, with so many print-on-demand and self-publishing companies out there, it’s easy to produce a book and get it out there or at the very least have it at on display at your gym or studio.

3. Newsletters — If you’re not already doing this, you need to get going right away.  A monthly (printed) newsletter is a very simple, cost-effective means of delivering extra value to your clients and potential clients. Make sure it is informative AND entertaining.  No one wants to read a boring newsletter. Allow your personality to shine through and be sure not to overtly market your services. Instead, provide useful information, hints and tips and keep it short; 4-6 pages is more than enough.  You’ll know how much your clients enjoy and appreciate your newsletter the first time you’re a few days late putting it out 🙂

4. Presentations/seminars — While this may not be for everyone, there are not many other ways that are more effective in singling you out as an expert and professional.

5. Blog — Much like an newsletter, this also is a very cost-effective means of delivering information and providing value. And the best part is the number of people you can reach is unlimited!

6. DVDs, CDs, mp3s — As with books, informational products which can be sold or given away will always put you in a different class.

7. YouTube — This is a great way to reach out to those 35 and younger, who tend to spend more of their time on the Internet than they do reading newspapers or books. This can come in the form of a short informative piece that you can even load onto your own website.

 

Seeing that you do more than train and are out there educating people will go a very long way in how consumers perceive you. They view these types of things as major accomplishments, and they are! But what they really do is put you in another class, separate from everyone else. Think about it: How many authors do you meet each day? How many stars of a show or video do you meet each day? How many speakers? Not many, I’m sure, and neither does everyone else around you, which means if you become the author or the video star you instantly gain a level of credibility and status reserved for but a few.

Categories : Business & Marketing, Personal Training
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7.5 Ways to Distinguish Yourself as a Personal Trainer

By I.A.R.T. Writer/ Contributer
Wednesday, May 16th, 2012

 Mike Lipowski

 

1. Only talk training when training — During a session, most of your time spent talking should be on the muscles, exercises, the way you are doing them and why as well as how this will help your client reach his/her goals. Leave the small talk for after the session. They’re paying you for training, not socializing, even if they want to engage in it.

2. Focus completely on your client — Don’t get distracted by what others around you are doing. Leave your cell phone off the training floor, and don’t engage in conversations with other members or trainers when working with your client.

3. Record everything — Take notes during the workout. Other than having a means of looking back on progress and determining where to go in the future this — in the eyes of your client — shows you that you care and take their training seriously and that you have attention to detail.

4. Develop your own system — Trends will come and go, but having your own system of training that has been proven to work time after time will make you sought after, regardless of what’s “hot.” When a trend dies, so too does your business. Don’t be a trend — be timeless.

5. Have the answers — People will come to you only if you can explain to them rationally and in detail how you can help them reach their optimal level of health and fitness. Specify the process of how your system of training gets them from where they are now to where they want to be.

6. Look the part — Like it or not, consumers will judge your health and fitness by the way you look and not what your yearly physical exam states. They feel that if you’re going to hold them to a higher standard, then you better look as though you hold yourself to a higher standard.

7. Give it away — One of the easiest ways to build a solid reputation as fitness pro is to freely give away information. The only way people will know whether or not you know your stuff and are worth working with is if they receive intelligent and practical information from you. This could come in the form of a one-on-one conversation, presentation, article, newsletter or various other forms of communication.

7.5. Exceed expectations — You hear this one all the time, but what does in really mean?

Categories : Business & Marketing, Personal Training
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Repetition Performance

By I.A.R.T. Writer/ Contributer
Thursday, December 29th, 2011

Mike Lipowski

There is no shortage of fitness magazines you can read or internet sites you can visit to find training routines that will lead to, “Massive Muscles…Mind Blowing Strength… Faster Growth…A Championship Physique…Shredded Muscle” and a laundry list of other desired benefits of weight training.  It’s interesting (and amusing) to read the scientific explanation given by the author as to why and how his program will succeed where others have failed.  Provided is the reasoning for the systematic placement of each exercise, how they should be rotated, stacked, and staggered, as well as the specific repetition range, targets and percentage of one-rep-max that must be adhered to in order for the magic formula to work. 

Without fail these routines typically…fail.  Aside from the most obvious reason that no routine or specific formula can address or make up for the various intrinsic and extrinsic factors of all individuals, the second common reason why they fail is because they never address how the exercises should be performed.  More specifically, they give no detailed instruction on repetition performance other than a few generic recommendations like, “Lift the weight under control.  Don’t cheat.” or “Move slowly.” 

It is impossible to provide anyone with a training routine or to follow a routine that is certain to produce the desired result unless you are assured that the exercises will be performed properly or in the manner intended.  Although the repetition is the most fundamental element of weight training it is also the most overlooked, underappreciated, and misapplied component.  This should not come as a surprise.  Consider how many trainees (the author included) have stepped into a gym for the first time and had mapped out exactly how they will perform their very first repetition.  It would not be a long shot to say none, unless the first visit was with a very mindful and detail oriented personal trainer. 

Unfortunately, many bad habits are established within those first few months of training which for the majority will never be reversed unless conscious thought and effort is given to improving rep performance.  Whether new to exercise or a seasoned veteran, it serves one well to be very clear about the purpose each repetition serves.  It should not be to simply move the weight from point A to point B—that’s a simpletons approach.  The purpose of each repetition is to maximize muscular tension and force output so as to effectively recruit the greatest number of muscle fibers available and deplete the muscles chemical resources (ATP and glycogen) while minimizing the force and strain placed on the joints and tendons.  This is best accomplished by moving at a tempo slow enough to keep momentum from becoming a contributing factor in the completion of each repetition and being able to feel the muscles at each point of the range of motion.

Fast repetitions (i.e. 0.5-2 seconds to lift the weight, 0.5-2 seconds to lower it) utilize momentum to carry out a better part of each repetition whereas repetitions performed slowly (i.e. 4-6 seconds to lift the weight, 4-6 seconds to lower it) must rely on the muscular force generated in order to complete each rep.  Moving slow makes performing the exercise harder and as we know, the harder or more demanding an exercise is the greater the likelihood of it encouraging a physically adaptive response. 

Effective weight training begins and ends with the repetition.  It is the foundation from which every set of every workout is built, and will be a determining factor in any programs success.  Address the rep and everything else will begin to fall into place.

 

Click Here to see what proper rep performance looks like!

 

Categories : Exercise, Personal Training
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Adaptation at the Molecular Level

By I.A.R.T. Writer/ Contributer
Monday, November 28th, 2011

Brian D. Johnston

Understand that adaptation of muscle is not limited just to hypertrophy and strength, but is a diverse conglomeration of activities in the body that necessitates closer study of mycellular research in order to understand macro-changes in muscle architecture.1  As an example, the hormesis theory suggests that biological systems respond with a bell-shaped curve to exposure of chemicals, toxins, and radiation; this makes sense since different organisms will respond and adapt to different extents — hence, the Bell Curve in action. A group of researchers extended the hormesis theory to include reactive oxygen species (ROS), to propose: “the beneficial effects of regular exercise are partly based on the ROS generating capability of exercise, which is in the stimulation range of ROS production. Therefore, we suggest that exercise-induced ROS production plays a role in the induction of antioxidants, DNA repair and protein degrading enzymes, resulting in decreases in the incidence of oxidative stress-related diseases and retardation of the aging process.”2  In other words, “Regular exercise causes adaptation of the antioxidant and repair systems, which could result in a decreased base level of oxidative damage and increased resistance to oxidative stress.”3

Consider another example: “Repeated acute or chronic exposure to a particular stress results in adaptation whereby the hypothalamopituitary adrenal (HPS) axis becomes less responsive to subsequent or continued exposure to that particular stress.”  Hence, the body gets USED TO the SAME stimulus, whereby that same stimulus has less of an effect than when introduced originally. What researchers discovered was that when comparing highly-trained ultra-marathon athletes to healthy individuals that there was “no significant overall difference in plasma cortisol levels between the athletes and the control subjects, and urinary excretion of free cortisol was similar in the two groups.”  Their data show that demanding and highly stressful physical training leads to “adaptive changes in basal HPA function, including a phase shift and increased pituitary in basal HPA function and increased pituitary ACTH secretion, but also blunting of the adrenal cortisol response.”4  And other research shows molecular changes in mRNAs for transfer of metabolic substrates (gene expression) as a result of exercise.5  If this occurs in non-muscular systems, then why not in the muscular system?

Another example of highly-acute adaptation involves Platelet Derived Growth Factor (PDGF), Transforming Growth Factor-beta (TGF-beta) and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), all of which are released during exercise. These serum growth factors “could be involved in the process of adaptation of human organism to physical training. In addition, in the context of the role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of various diseases, results point to the potentially deleterious effect of strenuous physical exercise.”6   In other words, the body adapts so that exercise has less of an intrusive effect…and let it be known that forcing muscle to grow is very intrusive! Then there are hormonal changes, adaptations and effects dealing with myostatin, IGF-1, and the central role of satellite cells,7   all which serve to regulate, control and limit muscular growth (which roles are less of a concern as the body adapts to the same exercise stimuli).

And, of course, most in the athletic/fitness industry is well aware of how chronic exercise can alter the menstrual cycle. As one researcher noted: “Exercise-related changes in the menstrual cycle can be viewed as a functionally adaptive rather than a maladaptive dysfunction. A strong case can be made that the changes in the menstrual cycle as a result of exercise are an energy conserving strategy to protect more important biological processes. This hypothesis is consistent with the theory of metabolic arrest that has been identified in lower organisms and hibernating mammals.”8

For our purposes, we are concerned specifically with muscle hypertrophy and strength, but the point is that the body is highly diverse in how it adapts, right down to the molecule, and this is an important consideration for what is to follow. To reiterate the fundamental point of this position paper: The muscles adapt by becoming larger, but the nature of that adaptation also involves (must involve) getting used to the stimulus. If muscles were not getting used to the stimulus, then the process of growth would be shunted (and a person would enter an overtrained state, or the third stage of the GAS, the Stage of Exhaustion), since that is the process and nature of hypertrophy – getting used (adapting) to exercise. But once adapted (the second stage of GAS), there is less need for more growth – the process has been contained, controlled, and constrained. Therefore, constant change in challenges is required in order to give continual reason to adapt to the stimulus of exercise in order to adapt by way of more hypertrophy.

Consider that performing unaccustomed exercise, even among those who do exercise regularly, has a more profound impact on agitating the immune system.9  This makes sense since strain that is different will have a greater alarm reaction (first stage of GAS) on an organism than what occurs with strain that is typical. Thus, a greater alarm reaction will stimulate greater growth potential in the stage of adaptation (so long as the stressor is within the tolerance of the organism), which means a superior and higher level of function (e.g., muscle hypertrophy).

 

1 Blazevich AJ, Sharp NC. 2005. Understanding muscle architectural adaptation: macro- and micro-level research. Cells Tissues Organs. 181(1):1-10.

2 Radak, Z., et al. 2005. Exercise and hormesis: oxidative stress-related adaptation for successful aging. Biogerontology. 6(1):71-5.

3  Radak, Z., et al. 2001. Adaptation to exercise-induced oxidative stress: from muscle to brain. Exerc Immunol Rev. 2001;7:90-107.

4  Wittert, GA, et al. 1996. Adaptation of the hypothalamopituitary adrenal axis to chronic exercise stress in humans. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1996 Aug;28(8):1015-9.

5  Booth FW, et al. 1998. Molecular and cellular adaptation of muscle in response to physical training. Acta Physiol Scand. 1998 Mar;162(3):343-50.

6  Czarkowska-Paczek B, et al. 2006. The serum levels of growth factors: PDGF, TGF-beta and VEGF are increased after strenuous physical exercise. J Physiol Pharmacol. Jun;57(2):189-97.

7 Solomon AM, Bouloux, PM. 2006. Modifying muscle mass – the endocrine perspective. J Endocrinol. 2006 Nov;191(2):349-60.

8  Bonen A. 1994. Exercise-induced menstrual cycle changes. A functional, temporary adaptation to metabolic stress. Sports Med. Jun;17(6):373-92.

9  Sorichter S, et al. 2006. Effects of unaccustomed and accustomed exercise on the immune response in runners. Med Sci Sports Exerc. Oct;38(10):1739-45.

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FOCUS VS. CONCENTRATION

By I.A.R.T. Writer/ Contributer
Thursday, June 30th, 2011

Daniel W. Nolin

“Focus is everything.” This was the opening sentence from one of six-time Mr. Olympia winner Dorian Yates’ articles. From the context from which he was speaking, he was correct. A trainee’s level of focus is one of the deciding factors in how far he will go in his exercise career. But what is focus? How is it used? Is focus the correct terminology to use for this mental state? These are questions that will be addressed in this article.

Aside from genetics and drug use, it is the ability to concentrate, not necessarily the ability to focus, which is a key factor that separates the professionals from the average trainee. Perhaps this is an exciting prospect for many trainees since their dreams were shattered upon the discovery that they either did not have the genetics to become a competitive bodybuilder (or athlete) or did not want to abuse anabolic steroids to get to that level. Granted, although the proper use of concentration will not compensate for poor genetics, it may help a trainee take his or her physique to a level never dreamed before.

WHAT IS FOCUS?

Being in focus is not the same thing as concentrating, although people use the terms ‘focus’ and ‘concentration’ interchangeably. And if an individual is talking casually there is nothing wrong with doing so. However, from a philosophical perspective the two are different, albeit, they do work best when used together. And so, let’s see what each one is and how a trainee can derive optimal benefits from both.

First, take a look at the concept of focus, a much more fundamental concept than concentration. To be in focus is to be in tune with reality. A focused individual is concerned with facts and not feelings, fantasy, or other peoples’ opinions.

Focus is such a fundamental aspect of volition that there is no step-by-step process by which one initiates focus. It is simply a volitional switch that can be turned on or left off. Focus must be maintained on a moment-by-moment basis. A trainee literally must reaffirm his focus every two seconds at minimum. The more consistently the choice to focus is made, the easier it becomes. Many individuals think that once a strong focus is established they can ‘coast’ for a while without negative consequences, but this is not true; either an individual is in focus or is not. What may seem like a comfortable coast is actually the beginning of a descent that will end up in a pit of chaos. Focus is what gives an individual control over his life, and there can be no substitutes.

It is also not true that there are different levels of focus. Either a trainee is in full focus or he is not; there is no middle ground. It may seem as if there are levels of focus since most individuals are not in focus consistently on a moment-by-moment basis. The measurement that should be considered is not the level of focus, but the consistency of time spent in focus. Meaning that if throughout the course of one minute an individual is in focus for thirty of the sixty seconds then that individual may reflect on that minute and feel that he was only half in focus. The actual truth was that at any given moment he was either in full focus or not.

Being in focus at the gym does not guarantee a good workout. What being in focus will guarantee is that a trainee will be fully aware that he is at the gym, and this means that while he is in focus his mind will not wonder into fantasy. It will not drift to other menial concerns or other people’s awareness of him. His mind will only be concerned with himself, where he is, what he is doing, and why he is doing it.

HOW TO APPLY FOCUS

Remember that focus is a much more general concept than term than concentration. It would be incorrect to tell a trainee to stay ‘focused’ on his workout, as that would be too specific and the term that should be used for such a statement would be concentration. Being in focus means being in touch with reality in general. When in focus an individual’s mind is aware of where he is, who he is, and why he is there.

To reiterate, being in focus does not mean an individual is focused on the specifics of a task at hand. It means that his mind is ‘in touch’ with reality. And so, when a trainee is in focus while he is at the gym his mind is clear, alert, and ready for action; he is fully aware of the equipment around him. With every piece of exercise equipment he looks at a flood of information that instantly is available to him. Being in a daze and not being cognizant of his surroundings as various thoughts float in and out of his awareness would be the opposite of being in focus.

The best method a trainee can use to get focused is for him to ask (what may seem like trivial questions): “Where am I? What piece of equipment am I going to use? Why this equipment instead of another?” He should ask of himself orientating questions that will make him more aware of his physical surroundings. A sure fire way to know that he is not in focus is if he is distant or even seems separated from the objects around himself. A trainee who is at the gym, yet seems distant from his physical surroundings is most likely not in focus.

Being in touch with concrete objects around one’s self is vital for sustaining focus. However, physical objects are not the total of reality: an individual’s consciousness is just as much a part of reality as the steel dumbbells in front of him. It is just as important for a trainee to orientate his mind to his own consciousness as it is orientate his mind to his surroundings. This means a trainee must be fully aware of what is going on in his head, or ‘consciously conscious, so that he will be able to guide it in the proper direction.

WHAT IS CONCENTRATION?

Concentration is the act of isolating one’s attention on a specific object, task, or aspect of consciousness. Anyone who has done any type of meaningful work in his or her life has had some experience with concentration.

An individual does not have to be in focus in order to concentrate, and vise versa. This means that an individual can concentrate on an object or act without being focused on reality, such as when he is engaged in a training routine that he knows to be irrational and unproductive, but is doing it very well.

Unlike focus, concentration is not merely a choice of ‘on’ or ‘off.’ There are varying degrees of concentration, even though there are no means of measuring these degrees at present. Currently, you can give your full and undivided attention to what is being read, or your concentration may be divided, the latter of which may be more appropriate if there is something in the oven, there are children playing nearby, etc.

HOW TO APPLY CONCENTRATION

Remember that concentration is the isolation of your awareness to something specific, in contrast with focus that is a much more fundamental concept. However when most people use the term focus it is actually concentration to which they are referring. Even though it may be misnamed, the concept of concentration is much more widely used in today’s culture.

What concentration means in practice at the gym is that an individual’s awareness is riveted on himself and his workout. It means that his attention does not wonder about to other concerns or events going on in the gym. If a group of people beside him is listening to a joke one of them is telling, he is not diverted by it.

Unlike focus, which is either ‘on’ or ‘off,’ there are different levels of concentration. At present there is no objective way to measure different levels concentration. However, it is observable through introspection, in that one can heighten or lower the intensity of concentration at any moment.

FURTHER UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FOCUS AND CONCENTRATION

The idea that focus and concentration do not pertain to the same mental state may be so new to some that further differentiation may be warranted. The best way to see the difference between the two concepts is to isolate each from the other. The following are examples of being in focus without concentrating and concentrating without being in focus. An individual can be at the gym in full focus, but yet not concentrate on his workout. The clearest example would be a trainee fully aware of where he is and why, but having a nagging problem from his work day, at the peripheral of his mind that will not go away. Or perhaps a more common example is a trainee being in focus but not concentrating on anything in particular; simply moving from exercise to exercise, in focus, but doing so out of habit and routine.

Concentrating on a workout while being unfocused is a more common phenomenon. It can be done by concentrating on the particulars of a given exercise while not focusing on the routine as a whole. A trainee may be in full concentration when it comes to the concentric, eccentric, tension time, etc., but will ignore other factors that he knows to be important, such as regulating the volume and frequency.

THE PERFECT BALANCE

By now it should be apparent that to live a long productive fitness lifestyle there needs to be a harmony between focus and concentration. A trainee should be fully aware of himself, his surroundings, and why he is at the gym. As well, he should keep his mind isolated on each individual exercise and not have his mind wondering to other issues during the middle of a set.

The ideas discussed in this article are not new; they are discussed in philosophy classrooms around the globe. But perhaps they are new to the reader of this article. It should be obvious that the basic concepts discussed herein can be applied to almost any human endeavor, yet it is arguable that the amount of focus and concentration needed to be a successful trainee is higher than that of many other goals. Using rational high intensity training principles in exercise is one of the most physically excruciating activities that can be done. Yet learning how to harness the benefits that a properly focused and concentrated mind can provide is an invaluable ability that can help a trainee reach his or her fitness goals.

Categories : Personal Training
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3 Ways to Give Your Personal Training Business a Boost

By I.A.R.T. Writer/ Contributer
Monday, June 13th, 2011

Mike Lipowski

Looking to make this year more profitable than last?  The current state of the economy may be in shambles but that does not mean the same has to be for your business.  It all starts with making a conscious choice right now NOT to participate in the recession.  While the media will undoubtedly continue to report how terrible of an economic state we are in this is your chance to turn that assertion on its head by increasing your business in these harsh economic times. 

While I could come up 4-5 times more things to list here are three ways to help you grow your business today!

1.  Survey your clients

You know what you have to offer but do you know what your clients want?  With the New Year comes a fresh start.  This is the perfect time to email your clients with a list of questions that when answered, will give you greater perspective on what you’re doing right, wrong, and what you could do better. 

 Listening to what they have to say is key.  Don’t try to defend what you do and how you do it.  Take their advice and put it to good use.  They’ll be happy to see that you care enough to ask as well as act and this will go a long way in retaining them long-term and recommending your services to their friends and family.

 

2.    Market your business as a NECESSITY

Have you had family, friends or associates look at you with a bit of concern and ask, “How’s your business doing right now in this economy?  Are a lot of people dropping out because your business is a luxury?”  I cannot tell you the countless number of people who have asked me this very question and then the quite surprise on their face when I answer, “No, actually we’re doing quite well right now and the only people who have left for financial reasons are the ones that had financial issues from the time they started”.  I then I go on to explain to them how my personal training business is not a luxury but a necessity.  I paint them a picture of what would happen to our clients should they stop training with us and how this would negatively impact their lives.

 

When did your health suddenly become a luxury?  You need to position your business/service as a necessity because it is.  You have the ability to get people in better shape with less time investment which will lead to them being more productive in their own work or business.  Doesn’t sound like a luxury to me—seems more like a smart investment in themselves. The truth is most people right now will more likely to give up their vacations than their exercise.  In tough economic times people will cut back but only on those things which provide little to no value.

 3.    Work on YOU!

Personal growth is essential to the growth of your business.  If you are not constantly trying to raise your own standards and strive for greatness, how can you be effective in coaching others to do the same with respect to their health and fitness?  If you’ve hit a wall in your business it’s likely that you’ve hit a ceiling in your personal growth.  In order to break-through you need to do some serious self evaluation and start making some changes.  It will probably mean that you need to step outside your comfort zone and do things differently than you have been but such is the price we must pay to better ourselves.  If the idea seems a bit scary think of how much scarier it would be if 5 years from now you’re still in the same place as you are today or even worse off. 

 

Delve into as many self-improvement, business and marketing books, CD’s, DVD’s, seminars as you can handle. I would suggest starting off by reading at least 2 books each month and listening to a CD on any one of these subjects as you drive to and from work as well as in your daily travels.  Invest time in yourself! 

Categories : Business & Marketing
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Undercover Fitness Boss

By I.A.R.T. Writer/ Contributer
Friday, May 27th, 2011

Jim Reilly

Undercover Boss, the CBS-TV reality show provided a glimpse into the living room about a senior executive’s job…but could you image the discussions that took place in the other rooms, the boardrooms of companies around the world.

The idea behind Undercover Boss is for a CEO or President to go undercover as an employee working in the trenches of the organization. At this level the executive gets a ‘real-time’ experience of what it takes to do the job.  Companies such as 1-800-Flowers, Waste Management, Roto-Rooter, Churchill Downs, White Castle, and 7-Eleven participated.

An undercover strategy might work if you have such a large organization and you typically spend most of your time buried in the business behind closed doors. What if you are an icon like Jim McCann (Chairman & CEO of 1-800- Flowers) who is in the commercials and familiar to all franchisees, employees and customers? What if you are not the type to roll up your sleeves and go undercover, what are your options?

 FOUR proven and effective strategies for FITNESS Professionals that chose NOT to be an ‘Undercover Boss’

 1. Know your Personal Trainers at the deepest level. What sank the Titanic…was it the ice above or below the surface? It is what happens below the surface that typically causes the lack of success which eventually leads to a failed business. If your team members are not aligned with the values of the business it can lead to loosing clients. Using employee assessment tools can help both the studio owners and the trainer by providing a view into the total person. This information can be used during the hiring process and also to identify future talent…especially if you plan on opening another studio and need a reliable manager. It is the responsibility of the fitness professional to work towards getting the right people in the right position.

2. Schedule Strategic FITNESS Retreats. Set aside two days to work on a fitness plan (also know as a strategic plan) for the business. Fitness professionals and their personal trainers know the answers that will contribute to improved performance and bottom line results. At an off-site strategic fitness retreat and with a trained facilitator, you can uncover internal strengths and internal weaknesses. Focus should be on how the entire team can leverage strengths to capitalize on new opportunities and shore up the weaknesses to support the studio in a sea of competition? At a strategic fitness retreat, leaders come away with an agreement and method to track, communicate and reward progress.

3. Conduct a 360 Degree Feedback Campaign. If you want to get open and honest feedback on your studio and how effective the personal trainers are, then a 360 Degree Feedback is a powerful strategy to use. A third party that is a skilled facilitator will interview your clients, direct reports, suppliers and personal trainers. The objective here is to look for common themes that are vital to improving performance, as well as identifying potential derailers that could impact the studio’s future success and the fitness professional’s career.

4. Embrace a ‘Culture of Coaching’. Leaders that bring out the best in the business understand that fitness professionals and personal trainers need to constantly improve. A ‘culture of coaching’ serves as the foundation to develop leaders to learn how to successfully influence others, engage and mobilize employees, and shift the studio’s focus to build for the future. With a high-performance team and culture in place, the fitness professional benefits by reducing turnover and develops personal trainers at all levels.

A reality check for your fitness business does not have to start with a TV reality show.  The I.A.R.T.  provides training and business development for committed fitness professionals.

To learn more about how the International Association of Resistance Trainers (I.A.R.T.) can help you and your personal trainers achieve a new level of success, visit www.exercisecertification.com or call 914-740-1008

(Article courtesy of Jim Reilly of www.KeysToTheBusiness.com)

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