I sat in some highly technical lectures that although very dry!! held information that has changed my thinking and will definitely affect some training strategies ahead. The information that researchers around the world are releasing will impact how we do activities and will significantly impact treatment of injured athletes. While I left the sessions with my head spinning, today I am processing the information, sorting through it all, contemplating what to incorporate and how to incorporate these new ideas into long-distance [...]
In the fitness industry the cake is the researchers with their new training strategies, the cutting-edge technology changing the way we workout, the creative geniuses that design new classes that will excite our clients, and the motivational speakers that help us get refocused on our passion – helping people get fit. Can-Fit-Pro gives us the cake with an impressive selection of workshops and lectures presented by industry leaders from around the world. The Can-Fit-Pro Conference is THE opportunity for fitness professionals to increase their knowledge and enhance their [...]
With the exception of when Daughter was in a stroller, I have always trained on my own. Now generally speaking this is because I Power Walk and I don’t know anyone local that can walk my pace. Fitness walkers are slower, runners are faster, and while run/walkers may average the same pace, they [...]
As a Personal Trainer I know that medications altered our physical abilities. What I did not know was the extreme degree to which some medications can affect our bodies or that some of these side-effects can actually create muscular damage which can lead to long-term chronic pain if training is continued while on the medication.
Typically when we experience muscular pain following a training session we look to the actual training for a reason behind the pain. Checking for shoe wear, questioning our pace, blaming inadequate warm-up…all potential areas that could lead to a training injury. And if we are taking a medication we rarely make the connection that the drug has changed our body to the degree that it is affecting our [...]
So if the road is calling you and your sneakers, before you head out the door you should first do what I call the Spring Equipment Checklist. Even if you have been out training all winter long now is a great time for you to assess the state of your equipment. A good assessment will allow you to see areas where things can be improved, which in the long run will improve your training [...]
I have always said that it takes courage to decide to run or walk a marathon. Our first foray into this new realm can be intimidating, particularly for those of us who are not particularly athletic. We imagine the exhilaration of crossing the finish line, we covet the medal that will be presented by a smiling volunteer and we bravely decide that this is a challenge we will [...]
So that is why I like articles such as this. (Toss aside the misadvertisement – we all know that the chick does not look like that because of these exercises. ) Those 5 simple exercises give you something small and manageable to work with. Five exercises that you can do to tone your shoulders and arms. They will take 10 maybe 15 minutes out of your day. You don’t need a gym or fancy equipment. Doing these exercises won’t sideline your whole day – your whole life. They represent one easy manageable task that you can master for your healthy new lifestyle. You will see the benefits. You will reap the rewards. And once you have mastered this you can tackle some other area of your new healthy lifestyle. Maybe it will be time to learn to drink enough fluids during the [...]
SYSTEM CRASH. That’s what I get for opting to upgrade. So sorry everyone. I am working on getting the site functional and pretty again. Jaclyn
As I lay in bed this morning, contemplating an early morning walk before heading to my yoga class, I struggled. I could hear the wind blowing through the trees. It was dark and cold out there. Husband was peacefully sleeping beside me and I struggled with exerting myself in the freezing temperature or tucking in closer to the warmth his body. Yesterday I did 10K in a -20 windchill. I knew what it would be like. And I know that it will be like this everyday for weeks to come. Such is the life of winter [...]
Defensive walking is anticipating that vehicles don’t see us and modifying our walk accordingly. This means that as we approach an intersection, even if we have a walk signal, we stop, look around to make sure that no vehicles are heading our way, and only if all is clear stepping into the intersection. Yes, this may slow down your time. But a slower time is more appealing than the option is it not? Think about what a car can do to your body. It could just hit your legs and break them. It could slam into your legs and throw you. Or worse your legs could get caught and pull you for a distance. None of these are pretty options. But truth be told these are scenarios that I keep in my mind whenever I am out walking. I make my living because I am able bodied. It would be very hard to be The Walking Coach from a wheelchair or worse [...]