Mobility: The Missing Link

With the increased time we all spend working we dedicate fewer hours a week towards taking care of ourselves and our bodies. The little time that we do have is spent doing what we believe or what we have been told is the right thing to do. Whether that is running, lifting, metabolic conditioning, or another form of exercise/physical activity, a key component to any program that is commonly missing is mobility.

Mobility is often overlooked in programs. Mobility could be left out due to lack of time or lack of individuals feeling like they are benefiting from it because they aren’t breaking a sweat. Different people will develop different tight areas largely depending on what they do for work and/or leisure activity. I can confidently say that regardless of what you are neglecting to mobilize, it either negatively impacts your workout or causes discomfort.

Tightness develops in soft tissue when we don’t move through that range of motion. The body adapts to the shortened range of motion and develops fibrotic tissue preventing the body from traveling through the normal range. These are easy corrections to make, but the longer the body neglects the mobility component of their health, the harder it will be to regain that particular joints comfortable range.

Mobility is important to maintain because it can cause compensations that put stress on the incorrect body structures leading to injury. Overtime a lack of mobility will also contribute to aches and pains that accumulate and can develop into serious physical health issues.

Hypermobility is a tissue that has excessive range of motion, and we don’t want to overstretch that joint. Hypomobility is a tissue that lacks range which is an indication for mobility work. Mobility work is also extremely important for maintenance of proper range of motion and health of surrounding tissues. Ask one of your coaches for any clarifications on this. Educate yourself and take control of your body and how it feels and performs!

TM

Kona Bound: Race Week

This is my last blog post before the biggest race of my life. I’ve spent 19 weeks and change training for this one race. Every workout, meal, nap, bedtime, wake up call, time spent with friends had a purpose; getting me to Kona.

Tuesday morning I hop on a plane (several to be exact but you get the point) to take the long trip to the Ironman World Championships. Saturday I will embark on the most challenging race of my life and Sunday, I rest.

Oh, how I wish it were going to be that easy.

Regardless, of what Madame Pele, the Hawaiian Goddess of Volcanoes decides to throw at me and the rest of the competitors I know it will be one of the most amazing and grueling days of my life. It is my goal to enjoy every minute and remember to smile…even when it hurts.

I have many thoughts swirling through my head as I try to recap 20 weeks of training and I keep going back to a few moments that shaped my future and kept me moving forward. The moment I learned I qualified for Kona and dropping to my knees half crying and laughing. The long lonely workouts I had to talk myself through. The weekend I got to spend with my college roommates and their kids and how they cheered for me as I ran by the house. The 70.3 World Championships and feeling like I had finally trained myself to a place were holding back (just a little bit) allowed me to still hold my own with the best in the world.

I’m ready. There’s nothing left to do but race.

I’ve trained long and hard. Hot and humid weather was like a training partner I couldn’t get rid of, but grateful I had.

I’ve leaned on my friends and family to get me through the hardest days and weeks of my training and have been reminded daily just how lucky I am to have these people in my life.

I’ve learned that racing with the best in the world doesn’t mean you race them it means you MUST race within yourself.

To everyone that has taken time out of their days to read my blogs I hope you’ve been entertained, inspired, and have a better appreciation for what it takes to train for an Ironman. To the few that I train, thank you for your patience with my constant eating, compression sock wearing, and racing from a workout.  To everyone that donated to my gofundme.com fundraising website I can’t thank you enough. You allowed me to pay for my stay in Mont Tremblant and airfare to Hawaii which was a huge relief to me.

The biggest race of my life is only a few days away and I can’t wait to toe the line.

If you’re interested in tracking me throughout the race follow the link below, punch in my bib number, and go about the rest of your day. It’s going to be long race just make sure you hit the refresh button every hour to check in.

SK

Bib #1707

Saturday Oct. 11th

7am swim start (That’s Kona time. You’ll be 6 hours ahead!)

Athlete Tracker: Ironman World Championships

http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/coverage/athlete-tracker.aspx?race=&y=-1 - axzz3FOhz84vk

Health is a Continuum

Soooo  … some of you may have picked up on the fact that my schedule has been kind of insane lately. I knew this craziness coming. I’m one of the luckys ones in that I get to do something I love day in and day out so it's all good. This is NOT a complaint. My average workday has been 13.5 hours for the last 3 weeks. No, I don't mean that I'm at work for 13.5 hours doing bullshit or emailing meme's between my friends. I'm out hustling and it's fucking awesome! Of course when that’s done there is the tracking of everything before the day starts, after it ends, making phone calls when driving, and connecting with other CPC staff on the fly. All in all, my life is nuts and I wouldn't trade it for anything. But even when you’re doing something you love there are risks involved. You need to be sure you’re not losing sight of the big picture and that you’re taking care of yourself. The last being the most important.

I promised myself that I was going to be kind to ME this fall and not constantly place ME last. In order to do that, I knew I needed to do a few things differently. First, I'm saying "no" a lot more than I ever have. I like it when people are happy and I love to give so it's really hard for me to say “no” and not help someone out or not be a part of things. However, I am good to no one if I'm tired and worthless. We all need to stay efficient!  

Second, I personally hired my friend and colleague Tim to write an exercise plan for me. When my schedule gets insane I want to do what I am good at. I will stick with the lifts and movement patterns that are comfortable for me and not work too much on imbalances or weakness. When I am this busy, I lose the ability to objectively evaluate myself, so why add one more thing to my plate? Tim wrote me a plan, I will meet with him one-on-one 4 times a month, and I am accountable to him. I mean, I just publicly identified him as my coach, so if I get fat or hurt it looks bad on him. I can't do that to Captain Glutes - he works too hard for that.

The last piece is UP. You’ve all seen the small device I’m wearing on my left wrist. This thing is freaking awesome. Why? Because you can't hide! The device comes with an app for your phone and helps you get a  get a grasp on all aspects of your health - sleep, food, and exercise. Tracking food has been an eye opener. I am a person who tends not to eat when I get busy. This app has a detailed food log which doesn't just count calories it gives you a "food score". On a scale of 1-10 it rates how healthy the foods you are consuming are, gives your day an overall food score, and provides you with relative tips. Let’s take yesterday.  I got a push notification telling me that my average fiber intake over the last three days has been down. And asked “Do I want to commit to bringing my daily average back up to the recommended 38 grams?" Fuck yeah I do! Drink your green smoothie and treat your immune system properly Sullivan! Second, It tracks my daily movement. UP tracks my daily steps and relative intensity of activity for the day. I know what times of the day I am most idle and I can set alarms to go off when I have been sitting for longer than an hour straight. Finally, it tracks my sleep. Yeah … a huge amount of work needed here. I average 6 hours and 3 minutes of sleep each night, I wake up on average twice during that time, and I do NOT sleep as heavy as I once believed! These stats have helped me to curb my eating behavior prior to bed, to not watch TV prior to bed, and adjust to less of a water intake later in the day. Trust me: it's helping.

My message to you: Health is a continuum. Understand the mission now? I value all aspects equally and I know that excelling in one area will not make up for others. I am committed to being strong, lean, agile, rested, fed, hydrated, calm, caring, attentive, and fun - just to name a few. I have never believed that information is power but rather what you do with information is power.

I'm interested to see if any of you will invest a little more and take a deeper look at your wellness.

It's been fascinating from this side of things.

~Sully

What Can Kettlebell Swings Do For You?

Whether you have performed them or have seen another client do them, you all know what a kettlebell swing is . I hear all the time, “Are those safe for me to do?” or “I’m going to hurt my back doing those!”. As with any exercise, if performed with proper mechanics the risk of injury is minimal. The kettlebell swing is done in a functional manner that helps to develop posterior chain strength by activating the spinal musculature, hamstrings, glutes, and core all in one movement. The kettlebell swing is known primarily for its benefits to the hamstrings and glutes, but believe it or not, this exercise can be credited to restoring order and function for clients with lower back issues.

A study published by the Journal of Strength and Conditioning demonstrated the benefits of the kettlebell swing on the spine; more specifically at the L4 and L5 vertebrae of the lumbar spine. Unlike most traditional exercises, the kettlebell swing activates the spinal musculature in a way that allows for a more natural movement of the vertebrae. Compared to a traditional deadlift, the motion of the kettlebell swing cannot overload the lower back. With deadlifts, it is easy to overload the lower back leading to improper form. On the contrary, when doing a kettlebell swing the muscles will typically fatigue before overloading can occur. I’m not saying to stop doing deadlifts and other traditional lifts; but start supplementing kettlebell swings into your weekly routine.  

If you have questions or want me to walk you through some exercises, find me at the facility. You can also refer back to my kettlebell series from the CPC Summer Series.

- SW

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

At CPC we take great pride in always evolving and doing our best to move forward with everything that we do. From the programming of class content to bringing in new equipment to finding new partnerships, it's all at the core of CPC's mission.  Keeping with that theme, we are launching a whole new Season of Giving initiative that starts today. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and we are partnering with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation to bring education and awareness about this disease to the forefront. We have educational handouts at CPC along with #GoPink bracelets and ribbons for the taking. Grab one to help spread the work and show your support. We'll also be highlighting the latest in research, support, and health on our various social media channels. 

Part of why I wanted to write post is obviously to let everyone know where our heads are at for this month and what we'll be talking about at CPC. The other reason is I wanted to see if our community had any stories to share about dealing with breast cancer; either you, a family member, or a friend?  This is a disease that is becoming more and more prevalent, and sadly there are probably a lot of us that have had to deal with it.  I've had to deal with it a few years ago when we found out that my mother had been diagnosed with it. Fortunately after treatment and several procedures she is now cancer free and has been for some time, but it's always scary having to deal with something that can be potentially fatal.  

For those of you that are comfortable enough to share a little bit of your story I encourage you to do so, post a quick message to the blog, put up a short comment to one of the many social media articles we will be putting up this month.  Know that you're not alone and the best way to tackle this issue is together.

- MS

Kona or Bust Week 2 – Taper

It has taken 18 week to get here but the TAPER is finally on!

I’ve been waiting for it…patiently. I’ve put the time in. I’ve pushed my body and mind to places I wasn’t sure they would ever get to and can now enjoy the last two weeks of low volume training.

To be honest, the taper really started a few weeks ago. I had hit the mental and emotional wall so to speak and though my body was still responding everything else wasn’t. I was cranky, tired, and run down. My once energetic self was dragging ass and having a hard time getting out of the rut. My ability to objectively look at my training plan and make alterations was gone. AlI I could see was lost training time. I smartly handed my program over to a trusted friend and asked for an objective adjustment to the last 3 weeks to my training program. I got a massage. A long overdue, ass, hamstring, quad, and calf kicking massage.

That was the smartest thing I could have done. I feel great. I’ve bounced back. For the first time, in all of the races that I’ve done, I feel ready. Like deep down inside, ready. I know there is nothing else I can do. I have no regrets with my training. I’ve left everything I had to give out on the roads and in the pool. This may all change the minute I see the swim course on the Big Island but I know that will be just the nerves and butterflies talking.

Side note…

Nerves are an important part of racing…or anything that means a lot to you. My first year of high school I was one of two freshmen to make the varsity team. This was a big deal, at least to me and the small NH town I grew up in.  The night of our first home game the team and I were lined up in the hallway waiting to bust through the paper banner. My eyes were as wide as saucers and the what if’s were spinning through my head.  My coach asked me if I was nervous. I stupidly nodded “Yes!” She said, “Good! If you aren’t nervous, Sarah, it’s not worth doing!” That moment stuck, just like all of the other moments I’ve shared over the last 19 weeks. This trip and this race makes me nervous. I want to do well and not just for me but for everyone who has been there for me along the way. Believe it or not it’s the nerves that will get me through the first leg of the race.

Back to the taper…

When the taper begins you’re left with a lot more time on your hands. I’ve occupied that time by reflecting back on how I got to this moment. All of the twists and turns, ups and downs, and friends and family that supported me along the way. I’ve had the opportunity to create a lot of incredible memories through sport and competition. I’ve learned so many valuable life lessons on ball fields and basketball courts; in locker rooms and team van rides. Much more recently I’ve had the opportunity to really see just how far I can push myself mentally and physically. It’s crazy to think that one race can provide you so much perspective.

In the upcoming days I will run my last track workout with a friend who has been there every week in weather conditions that could categorize us as CRAZY! I’ll spend 58 hard minutes on the trainer one last time dripping as I pump my legs round and round. The last long ride/run brick is in the books and I get to look forward to an easy 2 hour ride this weekend. Having put so much of myself into training for Kona it’s sad to see these training sessions go. With that being said, I welcome the taper. It’s purposeful and I need it so that on October 11^th when I put the Game Face on…

It’s GO TIME!

SK

Know Your "Why"

“Why are you here?” That is the question I ask in all of my initial consultations. Most common answers include: “To lose weight”,  “To get stronger”, or “To get in better overall shape.” These are all valid answers, but what I hope every client is thinking about is why do you want those things? Why are they so important to you? Why now? Why here? I don’t expect you to share these things, but it is important for you to know.

We have some subscribers who train every day and their hobby has now become a lifestyle. All lifestyle changes are accompanied with peaks and valleys. It isn’t easy to wake up an extra two hours early every morning to bust ass through a met con or exercise mental acuity to perform a proper front squat on a strength day. Knowing why you push yourself so hard week after week is essential to getting yourself through those valleys. It also makes enjoying those peaks that much sweeter.

Isn’t it odd to think that you are supposed to enjoy a hobby? I’ll be the first to say that when I am dying on the floor after a Saturday morning Boot Camp my first reaction is to tell my boss that he is an exercise bully, but deep down I LOVE every second! I have been through multiple knee surgeries and I know how it feels to be laid up without the ability to move. After my last surgery I took charge of my health and my body and I am reaping the benefits – even on days where I DO NOT WANT TO LIFT I go in there.  I enjoy it and get it done and focus on why I am there. I do my best to leave my negativity at the door, remember where I came from, and get a good workout in.

I ask again, why are you here. What do you really want / need out of your program? Use that internal drive to motivate you, to push yourself, and to hold yourself accountable. As much as I wish I could tell you the opposite, THE WORLD DOESN’T STOP TURNING BECAUSE YOUR DAY DIDN’T GO AS PLANNED. Know your why, take control of your life, and keep KICKING ASS!!

- TM