5 Biggest Posture Mistakes

As you know, resistance training is an important part of building and maintaining strong bones and muscles. It can also be very dangerous if you have incorrect posture and biomechanical movements. Here are 5 of the biggest postural mistakes you can make while resistance training (or exercising in general).

1. Rounded back - Doing any bent over exercise puts strain on your back. In order to protect your back from injury it is incredibly important to keep your back in a neutral or slightly hyper-extended position. These pictures are showing a deadlift. The top picture is demonstrating a dangerous rounded back posture and the second picture is showing a safe posture.

2. Locked knees - Knees are complex joints with a lot of room for injury. By "locking" your knees you are putting tremendous strain on the ligaments and the other soft components of the knee joint. Whenever you are doing ANY exercise at ANY time (including most stretches) you should focus on keeping your knees slightly bent so that the muscles are actively working to protect your joint. Here is an example of locked knees and slightly bent knees during a bent over row exercise.

3. Shrugged up shoulders - When we are stressed or working really hard, most people have a tendency to tense their upper trapezius muscles so that their shoulder scrunch up to their ears. This causes increased tension in the shoulders and neck which can lead to headaches, and neck and back pain. It is always advised to focus on keeping your shoulders down away from your ears while doing exercises that aren't explicitly targeting the upper traps and neck muscles. Here is an example of the wrong and right way of doing a seated row.

4. Bent wrists - Your wrists consist of 8 little bones that work together to give you such incredible range of motion. This also means that they can be easily injured under heavy loads. When you are doing any pushing motion you should be aware of your wrist position and try to keep it as straight as possible in it's strongest position. Think that you are punching using your two big knuckles.

5. Loose core - "Core" is a big buzz word right now and it's got a right to be. Your core is comprised of many muscles on the front, sides, and back of your torso, and also the diaphram and pelvic floor. They are important for supporting your spine through movements, and if your core is weak or the muscles are imbalanced, it can be the cause of many back-related issues. Even if you have strong, well-trained core muscles it is possible to injure your back if you forget to "engage" them while exercising. Below is an example of the wrong and right way to do a plank.

5 Practices of Self-Care

I'm currently reading Robin Sharma's book The Saint, the Surfer, and the CEO. I know I've already posted some of his wonderful insights on the 10 Rituals of Radiant Living, but this has really resonated with me and I want to share my thoughts about it with you.

Love is a strange word. We all have our different definitions for it based on our experiences in life. We can love other people, love nature, love material things, and most importantly, we can love ourself. I am guilty of being very critical of myself as I'm sure many of you are. And I'm also occationally guilty of mistreating myself by not getting enough sleep, not eating nourishing food, not resting when my body needs it, not moving when my body needs it, spending too much time in front of the TV, and telling myself "I can't",just to name a few. Correct me if I'm wrong, but do you know anyone who can honestly say they take truly care of themselves all the time?

Can you imagine how spectacular our lives would be if we loved ourselves as much as we love others? Here are some practices of self-care to get you started:

1. Simplify your life - Eliminate the complexities that bog you down and waste your time. Distractions, excessive TV and internet browsing (not including this blog!) shouldn't be priorities. Although setting goals and planning out your daily schedule is important, it is also important to have time where you can free flow and be spontaneous to truly experience life in the moment.

2. Journal - Let your inner dialogue flow onto the paper. Write down your goals, your fears, your joys, and your blessings.

Questions to ask yourself each morning:
1)How would I live out this day if I knew it was my last?
2)What do I have to be grateful for?
3)What's one thing I can do today to help make my life extraordinary?
4)What can I do to make today incredibly fun?
5)How can I help someone today?

3. Daily period of peace - Taking time to be alone in silence every day let's truly hear your own voice and take a time out of the hustle and bustle of the world around you.

4. Commune with nature - We are all connected to and depend on the environment. Spend time being surrounded by the power the Earth provides. It's incredible how our human problems seem so insignificant when you are standing next to the vast ocean or looking up at the universe of stars.

5. Nurture your body - Exercise, eat well, get a a massage, and relax.
"Those who don't make time for exercise must eventually make time for illness."
"Eating well is a mark of self-respect and self-love."

Old vs. New

I was recently chatting with a colleague of mine who has been working in the fitness industry for over 30 years now. We discovered that we share a professional trait that is rarely found in our field of work: genuine interest in educating the public about health and fitness. We talked a lot about our frustrations with many big names (and small names) in the industry taking advantage of people, and how we sometimes feel embarrassed to be associated with it. Somehow the word “health” is now linked to words like “diet”, “beauty”, and “supplements” when many of those things are far from healthy practices. Just because a product makes your teeth whiter, your skin smoother, or your waist smaller, doesn’t make it healthy. Using the “new and improved” tread-climber won’t burn calories three times faster than the traditional treadmill, and using the shake-weight 5 minutes a day won’t tone your arms like the models in the commercial. The reason the “health & fitness” industry (and I use those terms lightly) is a multi-billion dollar industry today is because preys on the misinformed and is doing a pretty good job of it.

I urge everyone to be critically minded of the claims made on fitness equipment, exercises, supplements, and diets. Improving your health doesn’t mean you have to spend money, and it certainly doesn’t mean you need to get the latest gizmos on the market. I often get patrons at the gym suggesting that we need to get new equipment that they saw at another gym or on a TV show about what actors use. At this point in the conversation I tend to see images of Rocky IV flash through my head of Stallone pulling a sleigh in the snow, chopping trees, and punching slaughtered meat in a montage mixed with Lundgren being monitored by high-tech equipment and taking steroids. Both competitors are doing similar training (cardiovascular, strength, sport specific exercises) but they do it in different ways with different equipment. It is a classic story of Old versus New and guess who wins.

The science behind fitness is simple but not entirely understood. There are a lot of grey areas when it comes to training individuals, and that’s why the industry has been able to take advantage of that by proposing new and better solutions. What provides gains to a certain person may or may not provide the same gains to someone else. Living healthfully really isn’t as confusing as marketing makes it look. Start by making small additions (walk more) or subtractions (eat less sugar), be aware of buzz words such as “core training”, and make informed decisions about how you invest in yourself. And remember: if you are not having fun, then you won’t adhere to it, and what’s the point in that?

Radiant Living

Welcome to 2012! Are you where you want to be?

I can honestly say I'm no where near where I thought I'd be at this point in my life. But luckily, "it doesn't matter where you start, it matters where you end up", and "today is the first day of the rest of your life." Last night I gave a New Years presentation to a lovely group of women based loosely around the 10 Rituals of Radiant Living by Robin Sharma (author of The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari). We had a wonderful time exploring these rituals as a means of bringing more health, happiness, and fulfillment in our lives daily. I hope you do too.

1. Solitude - Having a place to be alone.

2. Physicality - Your body is a temple; treat it that way.

3. Live Nourishment - You are what you eat.

4. Abundant Knowledge - Be a student of life. Try not to live your life bound by the shackles of schedule. Instead focus on those things that your conscience and your heart tell you to do.

5. Personal Reflection - Know who you are, where you are, and where you want to go.

6. Early Awakening - There really is magic in the early morning.

7. Music - Sing like no one is listening and dance like no one is watching.

8. Spoken Word -

your thoughts become your words,

your words become your actions,

  your actions become your habits,

  your habits become your character,

  your character becomes your destiny.

9. Congruent Character

10. Simplicity

Being happy and achieving your goals really is a simple task, although not always easy. All you have to do is ACT. So get off your butt, move away from your computer, and dance to your favourite song, write in your journal, make a delicious snack, say one thing you love about yourself out loud, or call a friend and plan an early morning adventure. Make 2012 a year to be proud of and start right now.

Snowshoeing fun

Winter time is a great time to enjoy snow-related outdoor adventures. Snowshoeing is a relatively cheap and safe option for anyone. If you live in BC you have a lot of local options ranging from guided snowshoe trips on a local ski hill to multi-day trips in the back-country. Mount Seymour and Cypress Mountain both have snowshoe rentals, guided trips, and a number of trails to choose from.

December 31, 2011 a few of my friends and I decided to snowshoe/ski up to Red Heather Hut on Diamond Head mountain in Squamish, BC.

This trip is moderate in intensity, safe with no avalanche risk, and approximately 10 km round trip. It will take you around 4 hours to get there and back and you will need tire chains (and preferably a 4-wheel drive vehicle) to make it up the logging road to the parking lot though. The Red Heather Hut is equipped with two picnic benches, chopped fire wood, a wood stove heater for winter use, and an outhouse. So make sure you bring appropriate clothing, lots of water, and a snack to have an enjoyable trip.  It is a popular destination for families and back country skiers alike.

This is a view from the top of the next ridge above the Red Heather Hut.

If you are looking for a little more excitement, you can continue on this trail to Elfin Shelter (11km from parking lot) at the top of Diamond Head. It is a much larger hut capable of housing over 30 people with wooden bunk beds, gas stoves, and outhouses. There is a much higher avalanche risk and weather exposure so it is important to check the conditions before leaving home. This is typically an over-night trip, so make sure you plan accordingly.