DiVerge Fitness's Blog

An Attitude Shift for Better Results

DiVerge Fitness — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 12:58:27 +0000

An Attitude Shift for Better Results in the Gym

I posted a Facebook congratulations today to Sean Smith for being below 10% body fat. While his results are fantastic his attitude towards his workouts and his days got me thinking. Is there a common attitude among our clients that achieve great results? I viewed 10 different client profiles this morning that achieved great results with body fat loss. I also viewed 10 different client profiles of individuals that are struggling to decrease their body fat level.

What is the difference between each of these groups of clients when it comes to their attitude? Let me tell you the different phrases I hear each of the clients use in daily life. Remember our thoughts become our actions and our actions lead to our results.

Great Results Group:

1. Good morning

2. I feel great today

3. Thank you

4. See you tomorrow

5. I ate really well yesterday

6. It is good to see you

Poor Results Group:

1. I am tired

2. I didn’t want to come in today

3. I ate bad food yesterday

4. Are we done yet?

5. I don’t have enough time

6. I don’t know if I can do that

What group are you in? Are thoughts determining your results?

Back To Basics Nutrition

DiVerge Fitness — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 04:11:25 +0000

During the Paleolithic period, many thousands of years ago, people ate primarily vegetables, fruit, nuts, roots and meat—and a wide variety of it. Today, these staples have been largely replaced with refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup, cereal, bread, potatoes and pasteurized milk products… and a much narrower selection of fruits, vegetables, roots and nuts.

This is precisely the recipe for a leaky gut, and all of its associated health problems, which is why simply returning to a Paelo diet by eating foods that are concordant with your genetic ancestry may help you become healthier. This includes focusing on whole, unprocessed foods including vegetables (except corn and potatoes) and free-range organic meats, while avoiding sugars and grains.

Paleolithic lifestyle expert and Colorado State University professor Dr. Loren Cordain states:

“The nutritional qualities of modern processed foods and foods introduced during the Neolithic period are discordant with our ancient and conservative genome. This genetic discordance ultimately manifests itself as various chronic illnesses, which have been dubbed “diseases of civilization.” By severely reducing or eliminating these foods and replacing them with a more healthful cuisine, possessing nutrient qualities more in line with the foods our ancestors consumed, it is possible to improve health and reduce the risk of chronic disease.”

A New Years Lesson From Ryanair

DiVerge Fitness — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:08:19 +0000

During my flight back to Dublin from Barcelona I was reminiscing about the experience I had with a Ryanair staff member and its similarity to New Years resolutions. Most of you reading this have made a list for the year and if not a list maybe one or two things you want to accomplish. Unfortunately, most people will fail to achieve their goals. Why? One explaination involves not being able to adapt. Akin to my escapades in Barcelona, life can have unpredictable twists and turns. The key is to be flexible to change and do whatever it takes to achieve the desired goal. In my case, it was making sure i didn’t miss my flight. In the case of your goals for 2012, it might mean a simple change in food intake or perhaps an extra couple of hours sleep at night. A small tweak is all it might take to keep the ball rolling towards your desired goal or goals.

For those of you that are unfamiliar with the company, Ryanair is to Europe as Southwest Airlines is to the United States. Low-fares, no frills, get what you pay for air travel. This past week I was fortunate enough to travel to both Milan and Barcelona (both fantastic cities by the way) and the airline of choice was Ryanair. When traveling with Ryanair you have two choices when it comes to baggage:

1. Bring a carry-on bag no bigger than a glorified briefcase at no extra charge, or

2. Check your luggage at a cost of €15 per bag per flight

So, in order to satisfy option number one, some efficient packing is the name of the game especially since Ryanair staff are on hand to monitor the size of bags. The trip from Dublin to Milan was no problem. Milan to Barcelona was similar. Two for two. Unfortunately, when flying from Barcelona back to Dublin I was not so lucky. One of the last passengers to hand over my ticket at the gate (I refused to waste my time standing in line for 30 minutes before the gate opened like my fellow passengers) I was told by a Ryanair staff member that my bag was too big and I had to fix it otherwise I would have to check it and pay the €15 charge. I shifted things around, put the shoes here instead of there, compressed the bag a few times and tried again. No joy.

Another famous Ryanair rule is how strict they are about boarding on time and closing the gate when they say they will close it. The gate was due to close at 1.45pm and not one minute after. By now, I was running out of time and desperate measures needed to be taken. As before, I shifted things around again but I also took some clothes out and put them on over the clothes I was wearing. After all, you can never wear enough clothes for the infamous Irish weather…problem solved and I made it on the plane in time! Remember to be flexible and willing to change course as you take on the challenges 2012 will present to you. It will not all be plain sailing but with some creativity and perseverance you can achieve your goals and make this year a great one!

Chris Kendrick, CSCS

Low Back Pain and the Connection to Glute Activity

DiVerge Fitness — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 20:17:41 +0000

Low Back Pain and the Connection to Glute Activity

Looking for low back pain exercises? Well, the answers may not be as obvious as you think. In this article, I’m going to show how by training your glutes (and NOT doing sit ups or crunches)(STOP doing ineffective exercises), you can help prevent low back pain.

As more and more people develop lower back problems one cannot help but question the type and quality of their exercise, if in fact they exercise at all. Low back pain can arise for a number of different reasons from prolonged sitting, poor core stability, and even poor lifting mechanics in the gym.

Whatever the cause, a recurring theme is noticed in individuals with low back pain – inhibition of the gluteal (buttocks) muscles. Traditionally, core-stability programs tend to focus on the trunk muscles (transversus, multifidus, obliques and paraspinals); however, the glute (bum) muscles are also very important for core stability and preventing low back pain. Remember the more you sit the bigger your butt gets.

Anatomy and Mechanics of the Glutes

The glutes are comprised of the gluteus maximus (the largest muscle in the body), and the gluteus medius and minimus. The gluteals play a dual role – not only do they act as mobilizers (to create movement) but they also act as stabilizers. For instance, as mobilizers, the gluteus maximus initiates hip extension (pulls the leg back), meaning that it is involved in movements such as the push phase in running or jumping, whereas, the gluteus medius and minimus abduct the hip (move the leg sideways out from the body).

From a stability perspective, during running for instance, the gluteus maximus acts to maintain upright posture and stabilize the sacroiliac joint. The gluteus medius and minimus work to maintain a level pelvis when weight-bearing on one leg, preventing the free side from dropping down.

The problem that I notice most often is that many individuals train body parts and not movements. They opt for the “vanity” workout instead of the intelligent workout. At the same time, these same people are very often the sporty type engaging in activities such as running, cycling, tennis, and team sports. And this is where the problem arises. The body is being trained to look good and not necessarily to perform well and/or prevent injuries.

To Squat or Not to Squat?

Here’s an example of a functional movement that many gym-goers incorporate into their “vanity” workouts – the squat. The squat is a great functional movement that mimics many daily and sporting movements patterns.

But here’s the problem – it has been shown that individuals with poor core stability, inhibited gluteals, or pre-existing low back pain DO NOT activate their glute muscles properly , when performing exercises such as the squat. What’s happening here is that the hamstrings are firing first to extend the hip, followed by the lower back, and then (and sometimes not all) the glutes fire. I performed an FMS testing on a group of very fit individuals two weeks ago and the findings were very interesting. All individuals had some form of low back pain. However the most in shape individual who currently has 2.6% bodyfat was unable to fire his right gluteus medius or minimus at all.

This poor pattern of activation leads to tremendous stress on the lower back as the load is directly transferred from the hamstrings onto the lower back via sacraltuberous and dorsalsacral ligaments, thus, totally bypassing the “supposed” prime mover – the gluteus maximus! Thus, the load is dangerously placed on the passive structures (ie. ligaments and joints) rather than the active structures (ie. muscles).

Weak Glutes and Knee Pain in Runners

Here’s another example of how weak gluteals can even lead to other problems. Many runners often complain about knee pain due to the repetitive high stress nature of running. These runners often turn to buying new shoes, orthotics, or medicating themselves to mask the symptoms. Although these methods may have there place, preventing knee pain (and back pain) for that matter can often boil down to having functionally trained, endurant gluteal muscles, especially the gluteus medius. Any time I come across someone complaining of knee pain, one of the first things I assess is their gluteus medius. And guess what? It is often inhibited, misfires, or weak!

Therefore, to improve muscle function, it is easier to think in terms of the mobiliser/stabiliser system as it guides us into using exercises that will be more functional. The system tells us that stabiliser muscles need to switch on easily at low-load levels, they need to be able to maintain joint position and they need to have good endurance. Stabiliser muscles tend to become inhibited and are not active enough for sufficient duration.

Therefore to train stabiliser muscles correctly, exercises should involve positions that mirror your daily activities or athletic movements, they should be trained with light loads and many repetitions or made to hold the correct position for a prolonged period. In so doing, you will strengthen your lumbo-pelvic stabilty and help prevent muscle imbalances resulting from biased training. The end result – better core/pelvic stability, proper muscle activation timing, better energy transfer, and less chance of developing low back problems.

3 Awesome Glute and Lower Back Exercises to Prevent Low Back Pain

The following are several excellent movements for developing better glute activation, lumbopelvic stability, and eventually improved back health. They start very basic and progress in difficulty.

Equipment needed: • Your Body

1. Deer in headlights – Lying flat on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground, place both hands on your glutes. Try to contract your right glutewithout engaging any other muscles, specially the hamstring. Hold for 5 seconds trying to squeeze as hard as you can. Repeat this on the leftside and then on both sides.

2. Clams – Lying on your side with both legs bent, ensure that your feet are still in line with your torso. Then, open legs (like a clam shell) apart while ensuring that your feet remain together. Only raise the leg to about 45°. You should feel this in the glute of the working leg. Perform 15-20 reps per leg.

3. Bridge – Level 1  Lie on your back with knees bent. Brace your abdominals and squeeze your bum cheeks together as if holding a $100 bill between them. Curl the bum off the floor, lifting the hips until the knees, hips and chest are in line. Hold this position, purposefully squeezing the glutes to support the bridge position. Start with 10 x 10 seconds, building up to 2 x 60 seconds. If you feel a strong contraction in the hamstrings or the lower back is straining, then you are not using your glutes strongly enough. Focus on them to ensure they do the work.

Synergistic Dominance of Hamstrings & Low Back Pain

Low back pain is one of the most common medical problems reported in Western societies, with an average 60-80% adults experiencing low back pain at some point in their lives (1). With the advances in research, the exact mechanical or biomechanical causes for low back pain still not fully understood. When presented with a client experiencing low back pain, a general postural and movement assessment should be performed. Special attention should be directed to pelvis position (specifically the degree of anterior tilt) and to foot position.

Muscle activation patterns and strength testing should be performed to the gluteus maximus, hamstrings and abdominal muscles. Research has demonstrated that adults suffering from low back pain, often present with underactive gluteus maximus and overactive hamstrings (4). This blog post will review the association between low back pain and underactive gluteus maximus, and how you can correct this muscle activation pattern in your client suffering from low back pain.

Since low back pain is often a myriad of muscle imbalances contributing to the low back pain, it can be difficult to find the postural or movement compensation which initiated the low back pain. In a client presenting with low back pain, but no osseous changes in their spine (no arthritis, no stenosis) the low back pain is often a case of altered reciprocal inhibition and synergistic dominance.

The gluteus maximus plays an important role in human locomotion, by decelerating hip flexion during the swing phase of gait, extending the hip back for the propulsive phase and by stabilizing the SI joint for attenuation of ground reaction forces. Since all muscles are assisted by synergistic muscles, if the main agonist is not firing correctly the synergistic muscle will activate. This is referred to as synergistic dominance. In this case, due to a decreased neural drive to the gluteus maximus, the hamstrings act as the synergist and take over the role of the gluteus maximus.

Although the hamstring functions acts as a good synergist to the gluteus maximus, it is not designed to be the sole hip extensor. Synergistic dominance by the hamstrings can lead to pre-mature fatigue, overuse and over-activation of the hamstring muscles. This could put the client at risk of hamstring strains, hamstring cramps and SI joint pain.

Reversal of altered reciprocal inhibition & synergistic dominance

The reversal of the reciprocal inhibition includes inhibition and lengthening the hip flexor complex, coupled with activation of the gluteus maximus.

References:
Larsen, K. Prone hip extension with lower abbdominal hollowing improves relative timing of gluteus maximus activation in relation to biceps femoris. Manual Therapy, 2010. 15: 61-65

Lewis, C. Muscle activation and movement patterns during prone hip extension exercise in women. J Athletic Training, 2009. 44(3): 238-248.

Nourbakhsh, M. The relationship between pelvic cross syndrome and chronic low back pain. J Back & Musculoskeletal Rehab, 2006. 19: 119-128.

Wagner, T. Strengthening and neuromuscular reeducation of the gluteus maximus in a triathlete with exercise-associated cramping of the hamstrings. J Orthopedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 2010. 40(2): 112 – 119.

Core Values

DiVerge Fitness — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 23:31:31 +0000

One of our Core Values at DiVerge Fitness reads:

Embrace change, drive change and never stop learning

With that said, let me introduce you to what I think is the future of training; The Joint-By-Joint Approach. Gray Cook and Mike Boyle who are two masters within the field are the leaders of this ‘Movement’. Cook and Boyle navigate through the joints of the body and establish the primary role of each:

Ankle – Mobility, Knee – Stability, Hip – Mobility, Lumbar Spine – Stability, Thoracic Spine – Mobility, Scapula – Stability, Gleno-humural – Mobility

At DiVerge Fitness we use the Functional Movement Screen to assess the movement patterns of all our clients. We do this to observe if any of the above joints have lost mobility or stability. Why is this important? Simple. The better the person moves, the better their results will be and the less injuries they will suffer in the near term and later in life. And that ladies and gentlemen is a winning formula.

Chris Kendrick, CSCS

Grade C Movements for Fat Loss

DiVerge Fitness — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 23:31:00 +0000

We have now made it to the bottom half of fat loss class. Similar to an academic class, you do not want to be at the bottom. Remember, the goal is to lose as much body fat as possible in the shortest amount of time possible. Grade C Movements or High-Intensity Aerobic Training is not conducive to that goal.

What constitutes High-Intensity Aerobic Training you may ask? If you went on a hard run for 45 minutes at approximately 80% of your maximum heart rate then you did High-Intensity Aerobic Training. Is there something wrong with running for 45 minutes at this intensity? Well, that is an entirely different topic for another day. However, for fast fat loss it is NOT a smart choice.

You may be reading this and saying to yourself that this is ridiculous and how could an activity that burns so many calories not be a smart choice for fat loss? I agree that you burn a lot of calories doing this type of training but it’s not about just burning calories, it’s about how the calories are burned. Still skeptical? Let’s see what the research says:

A study compared an interval training group versus a steady state group. The interval training group lost 9 times more subcutaneous body fat than the steady state group even though the steady state group burned over double the amount of calories

So, stop wasting your time slaving on boring ellipticals, treadmills and stair-climbers and start an exercise routine that will actually get you great results and get them fast! See the video below for a reminder on what constitutes a Grade A Movement for Fat Loss. Please stay tuned for what it takes to make a Grade D and F – both are coming very soon! Until then, Move Yourself!

Chris Kendrick, CSCS

Grade B Movements for Fat Loss

DiVerge Fitness — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 03:05:58 +0000

Before I go into the details of Grade B Movements for Fat Loss, let me provide you with a quick refresher on the Hierarchy of Fat Loss Training:

A: Metabolic Acceleration Training/Strength Training

B: High-Intensity Anaerobic Training

C: High-Intensity Aerobic Training

D: Low-Intensity Aerobic Training

While A movements is what you want to strive for, B movements are also extremely effective at torching body fat. For example, two scenarios that we use High-Intensity Anaerobic Training at DiVerge Fitness are:

1. At the end of a workout

2. When time is severely restricted

Performing Slide Board Mountain Climbers at the end of a Metabolic Acceleration/Strength Training session will serve as a very tasty finish to your workout. Similarly, if the amount of time you have to workout is very small, spend it on the battling rope. Remember, time is not an excuse! Refer back to my October 13th blog entry entitled: “Is a 4 minute workout better than a 1 hour workout”? for more.

To view a demonstration of the exercises mentioned above please click below. Stay tuned for Grade C Movements for Fat Loss coming soon! Until then, Move Yourself!

Chris Kendrick, CSCS

Day 2 How to Get what YOU Want

DiVerge Fitness — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 21:56:09 +0000

Step 2: The Perfect Day Process

How to accomplish the planned activity within the perfect day

You have now planned your activities within your perfect day. If you have not planned your perfect day hour by hour stop and please complete your perfect day activity line hour by hour. Once you have every hour filled in with an activity you can move on to step 2 of your perfect day. Are you ready to take the next step in creating your perfect day?

Look at your perfect day time slots, specifically look at the 4:00am time slot. Are you asleep or awake at that time of the morning? If you are asleep are you sleeping well at that time of the morning or are you restless? Remember the more specific you are about your activities the higher the chances of you completing those activities. For instance at 4:00am I am sleeping in a deep sleep. How: I take 3 mg of sublingual melatonin at 9:00am in order to sleep from 10:00pm to 4:40am in a deep sleep and wake up well rested.

Take a moment to look back over your perfect day and complete each hour. If an activity takes two hours use two hours. However, write a how under each time slot and be realistic with your planning. For example if you want to watch a two hour movie at 8:00pm do not write down put kids to sleep at 9:00pm. Use the allotted two hours or write down watch 55 minutes of movie time from 8:00pm to 8:55pm. Always leave yourself a few minutes for proper time management when moving from one hour of activity to another. If your activity will not use a full hour such as taking the kids to school or making breakfast then bundle another activity with the shorter activity. You could use one hour in the morning to make breakfast, eat breakfast and answer two emails. Remember you must write down a How for each of those activities within that hour time slot.

The How: would read as follows: make protein shake for breakfast with blender Vega powder, Udo’s oil; drink shake in my favorite cup; sit down at desk and answer only two emails; I will not look at any other emails. Pay attention to the last part of that How: I will not look at any other emails. You must avoid the temptation to complete activities outside your planned activities. Use another time slot to answer other emails. It is very easy to veer off task when completing your perfect day. Use your perfect day time-slot planner as a road map to complete your perfect day. If you were following a road map you would not veer off course you would follow your planned path in order to reach your chosen destination. Your chosen destination is a perfect day.

Take a few moments to complete the How portion of your perfect day. Be very specific in planning your How portion. If you don’t know How to complete the How portion ask someone. Google it “ask how to burn body fat at the gym”. I will make it easy for you, just click this link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTwkjz5PFeg
The video link above shows you what movements to complete in order to lose body fat quickly. Whatever you don’t know the how to just ask. Isn’t technology wonderful?

Write down a How for each of your perfect day time-slots. We will chat next week about the most important line Physical Action. Have a great weekend.

First Day How to Get What you Want

DiVerge Fitness — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 18:03:52 +0000

How to Get What You Want:

Step 1: The Perfect Day Process

How do you know exactly what you want?

For many people knowing what they want is a daunting task that they block out and say what they think their peers, spouse or children would want them to say. I suggest an exercise that may help you figure out exactly what you want. I want you to be very selfish in this exercise and think about what your perfect day would consist of in an hour by hour format. What would that day look like? What kinds of things would you do? What people would you see? What emotions would you feel during your activities? What time will you wake up and in what state will you greet this new day.

You must be very detail oriented in writing out your new perfect day. The more detail oriented you are in your description of your perfect day the less you leave to chance. Remember you are creating your perfect day by planning your perfect day. Plan it down to the smallest detail. The most successful people I know plan-out their day to the smallest detail. It is not a consequence that they are planning for success and therefore successful.

Writing out your ideal day allows your brain to use your imagination and separate itself from your current daily habits and rituals. Most people are so stuck in these habits and rituals they are incapable of deciding what they want and how to get it. You must separate yourself from your current habits and activities. If what you are currently doing in your day is making you happy or more successful then stick to it, you are already living your perfect day. If not take this exercise very seriously don’t focus on the how focus on the now. You must embrace the concept that creating a perfect day is possible and you are capable of creating your own perfect day.

Most people are so caught up in their current habits they are unable to separate themselves from the past and think about the possibilities in their future. You must realize your future perfect day cannot not be determined by your past. Your past is behind you, your future perfect day is in front of you waiting for you to create it. Create your new day now. Write it down in order to see what your day will look like for yourself. If you can’t write it down hour by hour how ill it ever happen?

Follow the outline below in order to write out your perfect day. Please leave the lines below for your next activity, which I will post on the blog tomorrow. Use the time slots appropriate for your own personal perfect day.

4:00am:_______________________________________________________________________________________