Stress is one of those things that people have different experiences of.
Symptoms:
You may suffer from such things as headaches, constipation, anger, loss of appetite, withdrawal from life, feeling of helplessness, blaming others, depression, crying, irritability, insomnia, or substance abuse.
Unfortunately most of us are too busy worrying about the demands of our lives that we don’t have time to listen to what our bodies are telling us.
How the stress response works in the body:
The adrenal glands are triangular shaped organs that sit like caps on top of the kidneys and are the system responsible for the coping of stress. They provide adrenalin to the body during the day when you put your body through unusual amounts of physical and emotional exertion.
Stress is not necessarily something bad. In fact, the stress of something that is creative, successful and exhilarating is beneficial to the body. It is the detrimental stress like failure, infection and breakdown (humiliation, complaining etc) that has long term harmful effects on the body such as... irregular heart rhythm, indigestion and heartburn, hardening of the arteries, and a breakdown of the immune system.
Some causes of stress:
Poor time management, lack of exercise, poor diet, over-commitment, no time out, finances, relationship breakdown.
Stress depends a lot on people’s perceptions of a particular situation and their ability to manage and cope with it.
Impacts on your lifestyle:
• No respect for your own needs
• Not eating properly
• No exercise
• No time for yourself
• No time for family and friends
• Lose perspective for what really matters to you
A 7 point management checklist:
• Diet and Nutrition: Eat small nutritious meals and drink plenty of water. Dr. John Tickell says that everything in moderation except sex, laughter, vegetables and fish. If you don’t like sex, then replace it with rice. Not as much fun but it is good for you.
• Lifestyle: Use your weekend as a change of pace. If you are stuck in an office all week, get outdoors on the weekend and do adventuress things. Have your favourite holiday destination as your screen saver.
• Time management: Do unpleasant tasks early in the day. Plan ahead. Don’t let the fuel tank get below one quarter before filling it. Use this same method for pantry items. Be prepared to wait. If you always have a paperback book in your bag, then the waiting line at the post office can be very pleasant. You have an alarm clock to remind you when you should get up right? Well how about one to remind you when to go to bed.
• Take time out: Have the courage to temporarily turn off your phone for an hour. The chances of an emergency happening in an hour are almost nil. Use an answering machine if you need to.
• Explore alternative therapies: Manual healing methods like massage, chiropractic or osteopathic have proven to be beneficial to many people. Other therapies include acupuncture, naturopathy, acupressure or movement strategies like yoga or tai chi.
• Know your stress busters: Paint or decorate your office space with some wild colours, or hang a colourful picture up. Play indoor golf or cricket with your workmates. Use soft balls or tightly rolled up paper. Tell a joke. Buy a pet. Play games with them. Take a kindy nap. Sing your favourite song at the top of your voice. Get up and stretch regularly.
• Medical intervention: Practice preventative maintenance. Your service of your car, home maintenance, health, and even your relationships are less likely to breakdown. If you are suffering from symptoms such as headaches, insomnia, depression or diarrhoea these may be masking other problems.
Summary:
While this article has many stress management techniques, it is meant as a guide only and readers should take the advice of a qualified health professional. Severe stress can cause health problems so if you have any persistent symptoms, please see a suitably qualified health professional.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Sunday, May 17, 2009
You’re a great Personal Trainer but are you popular?
You have been Personal Training for years, have all the knowledge you need to know about the human body, train 40+ people every week, have a striking physique and everybody loves you...or do they?
Are you open to being a true mentor to your clients? This article invites you to take a deeper look to see if you are as well-liked as you believe you are.
I invite you to take off your bullet proof vest and take a look at 7 of the top reasons Personal Trainers fail the popularity test.
1. Communication: This is by far the most important aspect of every trainer. Do you believe you get your message across to your clients? Seriously; have a think about what could be going on in your client’s heads when you are doing the talking. Are they really engaged in what you are saying? Do they really want to know the finer details of your life? Or are they just too polite to interrupt. Do you talk about yourself more than they talk? We all have exciting things that are going on in our lives from time to time (e.g. new relationships, how much you lifted on the bench press this morning, new baby, getting married, new car, going to a concert, special achievements, a new house etc) and with the investment of time and money that your client has contributed, it is a problem I see all too often. Observe how much talking you do in each session and aim for a balance in favour of the client.
2. Technique Correction: Placing a client on a machine and standing back and counting reps is another common fault. Many trainers fail to correct their client’s technique and lack the ability to communicate how to execute correct form.
3. Intimidation: Intimidating prospects or clients with your physique and strength by showing off how fit or strong you are, every session, every week. Use your verbal cues to let them know what they will be doing. You don’t have to demonstrate a push up to let them know that you want them to do some. Not only does this take advantage of the time they have paid for but you may not be even aware that you are doing this.
4. Appropriately dressed: Dressing to suit the type of client and the environment you are training in is essential. Avoid dressing in anything that shows too much skin. Outdoor training my warrant shorts and a t-shirt but these should be subject to suitability as well.
5. Being too helpful: Are you aware of how much you help your clients lift the weights they do and have them think that they did it. Do you recommend the 60+ year old you train do all machine based exercises at a light weight and talk to them like they are a little old person? Do you cheat your clients out of the experience of having them know they are really doing, or do you tell them they do well every time, no matter what? If you are a male trainer then you may not be aware that you are doing this to your female clients.
6. Using the session to sell products: Are you really thinking about your client or are you just thinking about how much extra money you will make at the end of week if you have them buy your products. Examples are protein powders, weight loss supplements, vitamins, clothing, training tools, gift certificates etc.
7. Not focusing on your client or easily distracted: Whether you train your client in a loud gym or outdoors, there are many things going on around you. Even a ringing phone, sirens, other people, or personal reasons can get in the way of giving your client your undivided attention and value for money that they deserve. An important question to ask yourself is “Is the exercise and attention that I am prescribing for my client right now, the very best I can give at this time and will it help them reach their goals?” If you can be doing or saying something different, then why are you not doing it?
Copyright 2009 Healthy Executives©
Author Chris Bakens is head Performance Coach with Healthy Executives, a leading Brisbane corporate health company. They work with senior executives to implement healthy initiatives in the workplace. Her experience spans more than 2 decades in the fitness industry, working as a Personal Trainer, PT manager, Group exercise instructor and co-ordinator in some of Australia’s large gym chains. She also established a highly successful Personal Training studio in South Brisbane and personally coaches Personal Training studios with strategies and tips to dramatically transform and master their trainers.
Are you open to being a true mentor to your clients? This article invites you to take a deeper look to see if you are as well-liked as you believe you are.
I invite you to take off your bullet proof vest and take a look at 7 of the top reasons Personal Trainers fail the popularity test.
1. Communication: This is by far the most important aspect of every trainer. Do you believe you get your message across to your clients? Seriously; have a think about what could be going on in your client’s heads when you are doing the talking. Are they really engaged in what you are saying? Do they really want to know the finer details of your life? Or are they just too polite to interrupt. Do you talk about yourself more than they talk? We all have exciting things that are going on in our lives from time to time (e.g. new relationships, how much you lifted on the bench press this morning, new baby, getting married, new car, going to a concert, special achievements, a new house etc) and with the investment of time and money that your client has contributed, it is a problem I see all too often. Observe how much talking you do in each session and aim for a balance in favour of the client.
2. Technique Correction: Placing a client on a machine and standing back and counting reps is another common fault. Many trainers fail to correct their client’s technique and lack the ability to communicate how to execute correct form.
3. Intimidation: Intimidating prospects or clients with your physique and strength by showing off how fit or strong you are, every session, every week. Use your verbal cues to let them know what they will be doing. You don’t have to demonstrate a push up to let them know that you want them to do some. Not only does this take advantage of the time they have paid for but you may not be even aware that you are doing this.
4. Appropriately dressed: Dressing to suit the type of client and the environment you are training in is essential. Avoid dressing in anything that shows too much skin. Outdoor training my warrant shorts and a t-shirt but these should be subject to suitability as well.
5. Being too helpful: Are you aware of how much you help your clients lift the weights they do and have them think that they did it. Do you recommend the 60+ year old you train do all machine based exercises at a light weight and talk to them like they are a little old person? Do you cheat your clients out of the experience of having them know they are really doing, or do you tell them they do well every time, no matter what? If you are a male trainer then you may not be aware that you are doing this to your female clients.
6. Using the session to sell products: Are you really thinking about your client or are you just thinking about how much extra money you will make at the end of week if you have them buy your products. Examples are protein powders, weight loss supplements, vitamins, clothing, training tools, gift certificates etc.
7. Not focusing on your client or easily distracted: Whether you train your client in a loud gym or outdoors, there are many things going on around you. Even a ringing phone, sirens, other people, or personal reasons can get in the way of giving your client your undivided attention and value for money that they deserve. An important question to ask yourself is “Is the exercise and attention that I am prescribing for my client right now, the very best I can give at this time and will it help them reach their goals?” If you can be doing or saying something different, then why are you not doing it?
Copyright 2009 Healthy Executives©
Author Chris Bakens is head Performance Coach with Healthy Executives, a leading Brisbane corporate health company. They work with senior executives to implement healthy initiatives in the workplace. Her experience spans more than 2 decades in the fitness industry, working as a Personal Trainer, PT manager, Group exercise instructor and co-ordinator in some of Australia’s large gym chains. She also established a highly successful Personal Training studio in South Brisbane and personally coaches Personal Training studios with strategies and tips to dramatically transform and master their trainers.
Monday, May 11, 2009
You don’t know SQUAT- Not your average leg workout
For those seeking overall balance in their workout, there is nothing that compares to the squat.
It is hailed as the king of all lower body exercises yet it is often neglected because most people focus on upper body muscles like chest, biceps and shoulders.
The legs are some of the strongest muscles in the body. Squats work most of the muscles of the legs (quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, hip flexors), inner thighs (adductors), outer thighs (Abductors), Bottom (gluteus muscles). There are also muscles of the lower back (erector spinae) and abdominals that get a workout as well.
Excuses for not performing a squat
• It is too hard on my knees
• It puts too much stress on my lower back
• It is too much effort
• My legs get enough of a workout when I am on them all day
At first glance the squat looks like a relatively simple exercise. After all, you just put the appropriate weight on your upper back and shoulders and squat, right? It is actually a very complex lift and requires special attention when attempting for the first time.
Common poor technique
Common bad techniques range from rising of heels at the bottom range of the squat, rounded back during the squat, knees not following line of toes (either going in or out), locking knees straight at the top of the movement.
A lack of flexibility will limit your range of depth in your squat. If you find you cannot get down into a squat without tipping forward or lifting heels, then you may have tightness in the hips, gluteus muscles or hamstrings. Work within the range you can manage and don’t forget to stretch.
It is recommended to seek the advice of a Personal Trainer or experienced gym goer when first starting.
Tips for executing the Perfect squat
• Warm up appropriately for 3 – 5 minutes on a bike or rower
• Perform a warm up set of squats at a lighter weight for 8 – 10 reps
• Use a squat rack with safety rails or enlist the help of a trainer
• Position bar on the squat rack at a level just below the upper shoulder
• Place the bar on a comfortable position across the top of the upper back/shoulder area (Trapezius)
• Place your hands outside shoulder width at a distance that is comfortable.
• Keep head up and chest up. Brace abs (Imagine someone is about to punch you in the tummy)
• Pick up bar with shoulders (use legs for power, not back) and step slightly back from where the bar was cradled.
• Position feet in a position that is comfortable. Find the stance that will work for you. Depending on your hip flexibility, it is best to stay with what works for your body style.
• Descend to a point where you feel you can still maintain good technique. Start with the hips moving back and imagine sitting into a chair.
• Drive the weight back up and repeat.
• Avoid locking legs at the top of the movement
• If you suffer from lower back discomfort, try doing front squats. Lay the bar across the front of your chest, resting the bar on an area between the biceps and shoulders(the sweet spot), fold arms underneath and secure bar with hands.
The squat is a functional movement that we do in everyday life. You will get amazing benefits from adding this most productive exercise to your gym routine. Because of its complex nature it is best to perform it before performing your other exercises. Remember to ask for assistance from your trainer or experienced gym person to get you started.
It is hailed as the king of all lower body exercises yet it is often neglected because most people focus on upper body muscles like chest, biceps and shoulders.
The legs are some of the strongest muscles in the body. Squats work most of the muscles of the legs (quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, hip flexors), inner thighs (adductors), outer thighs (Abductors), Bottom (gluteus muscles). There are also muscles of the lower back (erector spinae) and abdominals that get a workout as well.
Excuses for not performing a squat
• It is too hard on my knees
• It puts too much stress on my lower back
• It is too much effort
• My legs get enough of a workout when I am on them all day
At first glance the squat looks like a relatively simple exercise. After all, you just put the appropriate weight on your upper back and shoulders and squat, right? It is actually a very complex lift and requires special attention when attempting for the first time.
Common poor technique
Common bad techniques range from rising of heels at the bottom range of the squat, rounded back during the squat, knees not following line of toes (either going in or out), locking knees straight at the top of the movement.
A lack of flexibility will limit your range of depth in your squat. If you find you cannot get down into a squat without tipping forward or lifting heels, then you may have tightness in the hips, gluteus muscles or hamstrings. Work within the range you can manage and don’t forget to stretch.
It is recommended to seek the advice of a Personal Trainer or experienced gym goer when first starting.
Tips for executing the Perfect squat
• Warm up appropriately for 3 – 5 minutes on a bike or rower
• Perform a warm up set of squats at a lighter weight for 8 – 10 reps
• Use a squat rack with safety rails or enlist the help of a trainer
• Position bar on the squat rack at a level just below the upper shoulder
• Place the bar on a comfortable position across the top of the upper back/shoulder area (Trapezius)
• Place your hands outside shoulder width at a distance that is comfortable.
• Keep head up and chest up. Brace abs (Imagine someone is about to punch you in the tummy)
• Pick up bar with shoulders (use legs for power, not back) and step slightly back from where the bar was cradled.
• Position feet in a position that is comfortable. Find the stance that will work for you. Depending on your hip flexibility, it is best to stay with what works for your body style.
• Descend to a point where you feel you can still maintain good technique. Start with the hips moving back and imagine sitting into a chair.
• Drive the weight back up and repeat.
• Avoid locking legs at the top of the movement
• If you suffer from lower back discomfort, try doing front squats. Lay the bar across the front of your chest, resting the bar on an area between the biceps and shoulders(the sweet spot), fold arms underneath and secure bar with hands.
The squat is a functional movement that we do in everyday life. You will get amazing benefits from adding this most productive exercise to your gym routine. Because of its complex nature it is best to perform it before performing your other exercises. Remember to ask for assistance from your trainer or experienced gym person to get you started.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Is Your Workplace Making You FAT?
Does your brain work hard on the job but your body sit on idle all day?
Do you find it hard to put fitness into your day?
Are you or your co-workers spilling out of your seats?
Is obesity the key health problem in your workplace?
There is a big FAT problem in this country that is affecting the bottom line of businesses, our health system and the economy.
The average city worker has access to a smorgasbord of healthy choices. Yet there are lollies at the desk, biscuits in the lunchroom, pastries at meetings, and unhealthy snacks in the vending machines.
Levels of obesity can vary depending on the industry and occupation. The worst jobs for the waistline are sedentary office workers where you use a computer, high stress jobs like law and call centres, and transport companies.
And it doesn’t end there. Our FATNESS is contributing to the rising costs of living as well.
The billions lost to absenteeism due to sickness or poor health; injuries; and productivity where employees are at work but doing very little is staggering.
Our hospitals are forced to spend money on reinforced beds, provide wider door access, and buy equipment to accommodate the growing trend of obesity related diseases. This money is being spent on what could be prevented rather than treating things that cannot.
Even funeral companies have to install special lifting equipment in their morgues, provide wider and deeper coffins, use trolleys rather than pallbearers, and special lifting machines to lower coffins into graves.
It is not like we don’t know what to do. Rather, it is one of not being responsible for what we put in our mouths and looking at everything we do as an opportunity to move more.
It is simple science, Energy in versus Energy out. Energy in (what goes in your mouth) and energy out (how much activity you do). You adjust the equation according to your needs. If you wish to lose weight, you eat a little less and move a little more.
If you are faced with an expanding workplace, there are some simple steps you can do to trim the waist lines and boost the bottom line of our businesses, our health system, and our economy.
Strategies for fitting healthy options into your workday.
•Start a group fitness workout at lunchtime or after work.
•Hold your team meetings during an outside walk.
•Use the rest room that is the farthest away from your desk.
•Wear a pedometer to track how many steps you take in an average day.
•See your HR department to get a Personal Trainer to start a fitness class at your work.
•Take the stairs instead of the lift during your lunch or tea break.
•Walk to the end of the building to give a message rather than send an email or phone.
•Park your car a little further away from the office or get off the bus a few blocks earlier.
•Keep healthier eating choices at your desk for when you can’t get away.
•Freeze meals or buy healthy readymade meals and bring to work to heat in microwave.
•Get a hands-free on your phone so you can get up and move around.
As you can see, you don’t have to do a run a fun-run every lunch hour. You just have to look for opportunities to move more during the course of the day.
We can dramatically reverse the growing trend of workplace waistlines if we take on being responsible for our own health.
Do you find it hard to put fitness into your day?
Are you or your co-workers spilling out of your seats?
Is obesity the key health problem in your workplace?
There is a big FAT problem in this country that is affecting the bottom line of businesses, our health system and the economy.
The average city worker has access to a smorgasbord of healthy choices. Yet there are lollies at the desk, biscuits in the lunchroom, pastries at meetings, and unhealthy snacks in the vending machines.
Levels of obesity can vary depending on the industry and occupation. The worst jobs for the waistline are sedentary office workers where you use a computer, high stress jobs like law and call centres, and transport companies.
And it doesn’t end there. Our FATNESS is contributing to the rising costs of living as well.
The billions lost to absenteeism due to sickness or poor health; injuries; and productivity where employees are at work but doing very little is staggering.
Our hospitals are forced to spend money on reinforced beds, provide wider door access, and buy equipment to accommodate the growing trend of obesity related diseases. This money is being spent on what could be prevented rather than treating things that cannot.
Even funeral companies have to install special lifting equipment in their morgues, provide wider and deeper coffins, use trolleys rather than pallbearers, and special lifting machines to lower coffins into graves.
It is not like we don’t know what to do. Rather, it is one of not being responsible for what we put in our mouths and looking at everything we do as an opportunity to move more.
It is simple science, Energy in versus Energy out. Energy in (what goes in your mouth) and energy out (how much activity you do). You adjust the equation according to your needs. If you wish to lose weight, you eat a little less and move a little more.
If you are faced with an expanding workplace, there are some simple steps you can do to trim the waist lines and boost the bottom line of our businesses, our health system, and our economy.
Strategies for fitting healthy options into your workday.
•Start a group fitness workout at lunchtime or after work.
•Hold your team meetings during an outside walk.
•Use the rest room that is the farthest away from your desk.
•Wear a pedometer to track how many steps you take in an average day.
•See your HR department to get a Personal Trainer to start a fitness class at your work.
•Take the stairs instead of the lift during your lunch or tea break.
•Walk to the end of the building to give a message rather than send an email or phone.
•Park your car a little further away from the office or get off the bus a few blocks earlier.
•Keep healthier eating choices at your desk for when you can’t get away.
•Freeze meals or buy healthy readymade meals and bring to work to heat in microwave.
•Get a hands-free on your phone so you can get up and move around.
As you can see, you don’t have to do a run a fun-run every lunch hour. You just have to look for opportunities to move more during the course of the day.
We can dramatically reverse the growing trend of workplace waistlines if we take on being responsible for our own health.
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