Hi there: I'm down here in Las Vegas at a fitness conference and have picked up a number of nuggets to be able to pass your way when I get back. One of them is a tip which will improve your workouts for almost everyone, immediately.Last night after dinner I had a little free time so I went to look for some shoes. Yeah, I'm a shoe guy. Girls may love their purses. But I like shoes. No big deal.Anyways as I was walking around the mall I noticed the number of people walking in front of me. And they all had something in common going on. In particular when walking in front of me I could see the palms of the their hands.If he ever gets off the couch you'd see his palms as he walks away.Why is this important? Or more importantly why does it matter with regarding your workouts?Well you see proper posture is one of the most important factors related to a proper functioning core. Anything less than ideal posture and your core doesn't work as well as it should.Now I've mentioned in the past how important core function is to performance and joint stability. But what about fat loss? Does the function of your core play a role in this? I believe it does and here's why.***quick aside...think of someone who is really fit...what is their posture like?***When our core is not operating optimally we will develop compensatory mechanisms to complete the movements we are trying to do. For example if I can't maintain core stability through the low back during a deadlift I will break down in my form in order to complete the rep. Now while I may not injure myself performing the lift I am putting additional stress on joints rather than allowing...

Hi there: I'm away in Las Vegas for the weekend. Yeah I know, Las Vegas. But this is for work. I'm actually meeting up with some of the top fitness minds anywhere for our regular two day meetings. We've got an incredible group of people getting together to share the latest and the greatest in the world of fitness, performance and health. And yours truly will be there to learn as much as possible and pass it on to you upon my return.So since I'll be away at these meetings that means I'll miss our weekly stairs workout. But don't worry I've put together a workout for you follow in my absence. The workout combined with a few regulars such as GK, JM, JK, MG, AC, SM and a few others will make it easier to follow. This group will be meeting at the Quigley elementary playing fields at 830 am on Saturday. If you don't know where this is go to the corner of Perry and Hollywood in Rutland and you're there. Make sure to drink a couple of glasses of water, bring a water bottle and dress in layers as it doesn't take you long to warm-up. Here's what I want you to do.1. General warm-up - Jog a lap around the soccer fields at a very easy and comfortable pace. Pace attention to how your body is feeling. How do your calves, hamstrings, quads and hips feel? What about the rest of your body? Is it feeling loose and limber? Put emphasis on the areas that need it in the next part.2. Dynamic warm-up - Do each of the following for 15 yards or so.a. world's greatestb. inch-ups (SM asked I put these in because there are no burpees)c. knee hugsd. tin soldierse. lateral lungef. reverse side bend...

Hi there: Last weekend we met for our weekly stairs workout. Everything was as per usual leading up to the workout. Rest was good. Motivation to train was good. I had hydrated well before the workout and had breakfast before training. As we showed up for the workout we began with a general warm-up consisting of an easy jog around the soccer fields. From there we went into our dynamic warm-up, some skip drills and then a short jog over to the stairs. After a few leg swings and some ankle mobilizations we then proceeded to walk up the first flight of stairs. By the top of the stairs everything was feeling loose, warmed up and ready to go.But I wasn't feeling too hot. I wasn't sure why but thought the feeling would pass.So we proceeded on with the workout. And I was having difficulty getting my legs going. You know the feeling I'm talking about? Even though you've gone through a thorough warm-up your body still feels sluggish.Well that's how I felt. Add to that my heart rate was at or above the normal level for this type of workout. Then I realized what I had done wrong. The day before I had made an omelet. And whenever I cook I like to make extra on purpose. This saves me time then next time I go looking for something to eat.So when I woke that Saturday morning all I could think about was the left over omelet calling to me from my bed. 3 eggs, a good dose of shredded cheddar, more than enough bacon with some peppers. After getting ready I was in the kitchen warming up these left-overs and looking forward to my pre-workout meal this omelet would make.Bad idea.I should have known better. When we load the...

Today we're celebrating Thanksgiving weekend in Canada. So with the indulgence in turkey, gravy, potatoes and of course some pumpkin pie the mind tends to shift towards thinking about ways to burn all these extra calories. Plus as the seasons change our activities move from links and lakes to the hills for winter fun.So with this in mind I usually like to incorporate more step-ups in the workout. Step-ups are great in that they work well for all levels, they allow you to get in some quality single leg work and with a few changes in the acute variables of sets, reps and rest you can train for a variety of different purposes.But before you jump in and start with the step-ups there are 5 technique points that will help you perform this lift more safely and effectively.1. Maintain a neutral foot. Many of us tend to roll into pronation when we bend at the ankle-knee-hip. Imagine your foot collapsing towards the arch when you take a step. If this happens you will disrupt the chain reaction that occurs with ground based motion and have altered mechanics as you step up. Keep a neutral foot and watch that the knee is in line with the 2nd/3rd toes.2. Paw the bench. With the foot that is on the bench imagine pulling the bench towards yourself. This loads up the glutes and hamstrings which many of us have difficulty recruiting during our leg training. 3. Take a larger step. This ties in with the previous point of trying to engage the posterior chain. Many of us are quad dominant and look to use our quads first and glutes and hamstrings, second, if at all. With a larger step you open up the angle at the knee and hip which takes load off the...

Hi there: Before I get to today's email I want to let you know we've made a few changes on our website. In addition to a bit of a re-design the major change is that we've switched it over to a wordpress blog. What does this mean for you? Well, now you get to have your say. You can go to the site every time I post an article and leave some feedback. You can ask a question. Or you can present an alternate argument to a question. Maybe you're an expert in a particular field and have info that really would benefit the people reading these emails. Case in point when I wrote about celiac disease you replied to me with some excellent resources and info that I had to pass on to others.And so I really encourage you to go over to the site and post a comment, a question or whatever's on your mind. From time to time I'll reward those who post with meal plans, training programs and other freebies.So go take a look, let me know what you think and make okanaganpeakperformance.com your home for health, fitness and performance.Now on to the article.A while back I put a challenge out to you. I challenged you to lose 7 lbs by Thanksgiving. And we gave you the tools of how to make this a reality.And you responded. Big time.But one of you didn't stop at 7 lbs. Or at 10 lbs, 15 lbs or even 20 lbs. Annette Welke has managed to drop 22 lbs and is on track for more!Read on to see what Annette did to achieve this incredible result.Hi Chris! Since I have started working with you (almost 4 years!) I have seen my weight go up and down, with nobody to blame but...

Hi there: So last week I introduced the debate 'Is being vegan/vegetarian healthier for you?' And now I want to present my answer to this question. Yours may differ. And that's ok. But I thought it would be important to have the information listed below before coming to a conclusion. Before I get to the article however I wanted to share something funny from last weekend with you. After stairs last Saturday we had everyone over for brunch. Yes, you do get rewarded for exercise. Anyways while we were preparing the meal we offered everyone something to drink and cinnamon buns. But there were no takers. I was pretty surprised that after a hard 90 minute workout no one was going to go for a cinnamon bun. Alexandra and I continued on preparing the food while everyone sat out on the deck. At the end of the meal as plates were being cleared I noticed all the cinnamon buns were gone except one. Good to see everyone was able to relax and enjoy themselves. We look forward to more of these in the future. So back to the vegan/vegetarian (v/v) question...it seems like people automatically ascribe this as being a healthier way of living without considering all of the facts. So here we go. BenefitsI do recognize there to be some benefits to being a v/v the most obvious being that you'll eat more fruits and vegetables. Many of us don't get enough fruits and veggies to begin with and then we tend to eat the same ones repeatedly with little variety in our nutritional habits. So out of necessity a v/v will eat more fruits and veggies which would be a good thing. As well, by incorporating more fruits and veggies into the plan we will get a shift towards a more alkaline diet. Most North Americans...

Hi there: I know a number of you are taking some time to get away and will not have access to your kitchen, favourite grocery or the containers needed to manage your daily eating.  Since eating out will be the norm rather than the exception here are 8 tips to use when eating out.1. Eat your calories and drink water.  The first question you are always asked upon being seated in a restaurant is what you would like to drink.  Choose water and pass on the high-fructose-corn-syrup, sugar, preservatives, caffeine and extra calories found in most beverages.2. Take half home.  We are annoyed when restaurants don’t over serve us and restaurants have responded accordingly by over supplying huge portions.  Italian restaurants are the worst culprits.  Order a regular meal but eat half and get half to go.  To resist the temptation to finish everything have the server package the remaining half at the same time the rest of the meal is brought out.3. Pretend you are the Mercedes Benz of human machines.  Top end vehicles require the best fuel and so should you.  Pass on the value items and what appears to be a deal.  Ever notice that salads and fruit platters are never the daily specials?4. Look for key terms that describe how the meal was prepared.  Good options include grilled, steamed, poached, broiled or roasted but pass on those that that are battered, deep fried and accompanied by sauces and dips.5. Pass on the grains.  You can get all the carbohydrates you need from fruits and vegetables.  Just because bread is brought to the table doesn’t mean you have to eat it.6. Pass on the buffets.  We are usually full upto 20 minutes before we recognize the feeling of fullness.  Having unlimited amounts of food available to you makes...

One Size Does Not Fit All‏Hi there: We usually get the best results in life from efforts that are focussed and efficient. Besides ball caps there really is not a lot of benefit to making efforts where the program is designed for a one-size-fits-all approach. Let's consider some examples.Education - If you wanted to read up on a particular topic would you simply grab any book of the shelf? Most likely not. You would ask those in the know who they like and respect in a particular field or topic area. You would google the topic, check amazon and maybe browse a few options at a bookstore before deciding on the book that you think can enlighten you. The more research performed prior to choosing results in a better resource in the end.Nutrition - Would you gather 19 of your closest friends and each put in $10 to get a customized nutritional plan from a dietician? This probably wouldn't work very well for you when you consider the differences in allergies, tastes, cooking abilities, schedules, travel and goals. Some of your friends would be ok with no chocolate while others would do anything to keep this in the plan.Medicine - If a few friends were all suffering from the various colds that go around this time of year would you go together and buy some medicine in bulk? There's no way anyone would ever consider doing this. Prescriptions are very specific to the individual, their health, age, size and dose and are suitable for one person only.As with the above examples we want to ensure your training is specific to your abilities and goals. We take the time to determine where you have previous injuries and compensations and prescribe the appropriate drills and exercises to re-align and stabilize the body. As you progress through the training we...

5 Ways to Upgrade Your Nutritional Plan‏Hi there: We all know the importance nutrition plays in achieving our health and fitness goals.  Below are 5 ways to upgrade your nutritional plan.1. Eat your calories and drink water.  Part of the reason we are seeing increases in obesity rates is that we are drinking more of our calories.  We have more coffee drinks with a shot of flavour, cream and sugar.  We chug sports drinks when we haven’t broken a sweat.  We have replaced eating fruits and vegetables with drinking cocktails.  And lastly, we have upsized our combo at the drive-thru to have enough drink to last the entire weekend.2. The less legs the better.  When choosing a protein source we want to select fish and seafood, before chicken and turkey, followed by beef and pork.  Following this order results in less saturated fat and more essential fatty acids.3. Choose walnuts or almonds over peanuts.  More of the fats we want.  Less of the ones we don’t.  And no, chocolate covered almonds don’t count.  The same applies for the spreads (i.e. butters) as well.4. Use salsa instead of mayonnaise or ketchup.  Pass on the extra calories, fat and sugar of the latter two condiments and opt for the lycopene from the tomatoes and anti-inflammatory benefits of the peppers.5. Use a saucer and a small cup instead of a plate and a large glass.  Most of us don’t weigh our food and count our calories.  At the same time many of us eat based on portion size.  With this is mind consider using smaller dishes to control our calories and set us up for weight loss.All the best,Chris.www.okanaganpeakperformance.com250.212.2972

Why simple is the best‏Hi there: Just a quick note about how sometimes the simplest things in life are the most efficient and effective. Let's look at 5 examples.1. nutrition - Have you ever noticed that the best foods for you are the ones with the fewest ingredients? Water, fish, fruits, vegetables all are pretty simple. At the same time look at the foods we all know that we probably shouldn't be eating such as candy, chips, soft drinks, puddings etc and notice how long this list is. Try and eat foods in the most natural state you can find them and you're digestive system will thank you for it.2. water - We should try and get as much of our nutrition and calories from food as we can. As our obesity rates continue to rise we are noticing that this is paralleled by an increased number of our calories coming from liquids. There are exceptions to the rule with respect to sports drinks and protein shakes however the quickest way to shed 5 pounds is to try and drink a glass of water for every 15 pounds of body weight. You won't be able to indulge in the fancy coffee drinks you once enjoyed and will providing a flush to your system at the same time.3. fitness machines - The human body is one of the most incredible machines ever created yet many of the machines in the gym will become lined up before we squat, lunge, hinge, press and pull our own bodyweight. Not only does moving your own bodyweight require stabilizing the core and overcoming gravity but we don't have to wait to do a bodyweight squat, there is freedom to move in all planes, there are less space requirements not to mention zero cost involved.4. footwear - More and more...

Gravity can be your friend Normally we think about gravity as a negative but it can actually help to protect us.When we perform movements in the sagittal plane (think forward and back) gravity will slow us as we work against its pull. See the first set of pictures of a back extension and we can see how gravity is opposite the direction of the movement.In the second set of pictures gravity works against us us in the frontal plane (think side to side) as we perform a side bridge. Gravity slows us down as we move us into the up position.However in the last of pictures we are performing an exercise in the transverse plane (think rotational) as we perform a cable chop. On rotational movements gravity acts perpendicular to the access of motion and therefore does not help to decelerate the motion.So since on rotational movements we do not have the benefit of gravity helping to slow down the motion at the end range we want to ensure we have stability in the sagittal and frontal planes first. Next start with slow tempo, short ranges of motion, short levers and minimal external load before challenging yourself more in the transverse plane.Follow these tips in your training for optimal back health and increased performance in sports involving rotation.All the best.Chriswww.okanaganpeakperformance.com250.212.2972

Mobile hips for a healthy backIf there is something almost all of the adult population will have in common at some point in their lives it's low back pain. This can be as minor as a tightness and restriction in full range of motion to extreme pain necessitating specialized care and treatment. Since it is such a common problem for so many here are a few things to keep in mind for a strong, healthy and pain-free back.1. Keep your hips mobile - Whether it be at a desk, at school or work, in the car or relaxing in front of the tv we tend to sit too much. Add to that many of the machines in our gyms put us in a seated position and we can see the imbalance this creates with our bodies. Look to incorporate more standing positions throughout the day to relax the hips and strengthen the glutes.2. Extend as well as flex the trunk. We tend to bend forward at the waist (flex) whenever we reach for something off the floor, perform a sit-up or anything else then flexes the hip. Part of the function of our core is to resist forward bending or flexion so look to add some extension and core stability exercises to keep everything in balance.3. Avoid sustained postures for extended periods of time. The healthiest backs are the ones that have mobile bodies. Try to keep moving and change positions frequently.4. Stay hydrated. We don't tend to think of drinking water as being related to low back pain but a large cause of joint injury is dehydration. Drinking a little bit more water allows the connective tissues to have optimal cushioning capacity and allows joints to glide more freely with less friction.5. Move in all 3 planes. This one applies...

No time to workout?Have you ever found yourself struggling to fit everything in to a day? Do you feel that you have no time and cannot add something to your day such as a fitness program? How do some people manage to have it all and can even make it look effortless at times? The answer is one of priorities.There really is no such thing as not having time. Sure on occasion we may get bogged down during a busy season at work, or when there are extra family commitments that come up or when we catch the occasional flu bug that is going around. For the most part however there is no such thing as not having enough time. Don't believe me? Consider the following.* What is your favourite tv show?* What is your favourite website?* How often do you check your facebook page?* What do you like to read?* What are your hobbies?If you have an answer for any of these then you have some extra time.When it comes down to it we spend our free time in different ways. Now, some of you are thinking that my situation is different and I really don't have 30 extra minutes a day to give to an exercise program. I call bolshevik! If you were at work and someone told you your house was on fire what would you do? Say how you're in a meeting and you'll check on it later? No, you'd head screaming out the door to check on your home.If the priority is not high enough we will never take action nor find the time. Simple as that.See if you can find 30 minutes a day and I'll do my best to get you in the best shape of your life.All the best.Chris250.212.2972

On lifting technique Stalin was wrongAs many of us get started on a new lifting program for 2009 we want to ensure that we are using optimal technique. Not only does this ensure we are in control of the resistance and performing lifts in a safe way, there are also other benefits to consider. These includedeveloping eccentric strength, which helps prevent injury, and increasing our lean body mass, which burns calories.Those of you that have trained with us are familiar with a core stabilization drill we perform with a partner. This drill involves following the leader's hand with your own, with only very soft pressure  and without moving the feet. While it may be difficult to visualize this challenging drill I'll give you another analogy to help you improve your lifting technique.Imagine an egg attached to the lowest part of the weight or body that touches at the bottom end of a rep. For example on a push up imagine an egg glued to the chest. Or an a squat imagine an egg attached to the tail bone. Or if performing a biceps curl an egg attached to the bar where it meets the top of the thighs at the bottom of the lift.If we concentrate on controlling the weight at these key points in the lift we will be on the path for optimal technique. The goal is to gently touch the egg at the transition of these movements without breaking the egg. Our chest should gently graze the floor on the bottom of the push up. The glutes should gently touch a bench beneath us and the bar should lightly rest on the top of the thighs on a biceps curl. Use just enough pressure to imagine touching but not breaking an egg at these transition points to be...

It is at this time of year that many of us will identify our goals for the year. When these are health related, often times we include things like: losing 10 lbs increasing our strength or dropping a few inches off our midsection.There is a big difference between wanting to change and being ready for change. Here are 5 tips to assist you in realizing your goals, rather than simply wishing for them.1. Be concrete - Don't just say I want to lose some weight. Be specific! How much? What is your current weight? How long will this take? Is this reasonable for you? What would be an appropriate short term goal?2. Write it down - When you put your goal in writing, you are more likely to succeed! Better yet, write a contract with a friend and then you both sign off agreeing to the terms related to your goal. You are now accountable to both yourself, and someone else. Plus, by having your goal in writing, you can monitor your progress as you go and make adjustments along the way.3. Choose a different path for a different destination - You wouldn't keep driving the same roads expecting to arrive at a new destination, so don't expect the same efforts used in the past will yield different results. Try something new! Whether it's physically, with a new type of workout, or by adding more water during the day. Also, look to improve upon what you tried in the past.4. Be reasonable - If we are carrying a few extra pounds we must realize this weight gain didn't just come over the last few weeks of holidays. More likely than not, it started soon after college (or as we entered the workforce, or started families) and has been gradually creeping up since then. Let's...

I just got back from Nashville where I attended the NSCA Sport-Specific Conference and will write on some of the highlights of the conference during the week. For today I want to talk about the Racist Diet.Being a racist can simply be defined as an intolerance based on race or colour. No one wants to labelled as such socially, nor with respect to our nutritional habits. What this means is the most effective and nutritionally beneficial diets are the ones that have greatest variety.  They include a complete spectrum of vitamins, minerals and essential nutrients. We want to choose fish, seafood, poultry and lean cuts of meat for our protein sources and our fruit and vegetable selections should look like a rainbow.Imagine a piece of pink salmon partnered with a spinach salad, an avocado, some nuts, a tomato, a yellow pepper, dried cranberries and yam fries on the side. Picture all of the colour in this meal. Compare this to having some pasta, with an alfredo sauce, parmesan cheese and some garlic toast. It's pretty clear which meal option provides the more complete supply of everything our bodies need while limiting that which they don't.So the next time you are preparing a meal choose a lean protein and partner it with as much colour, in terms of fruits and vegetables, as possible. And whatever you do, don't be a food racist.I've got to go. Someone from the FBI wants to talk to me about posting racist content on the internet.

The number one goal of gym members is fat loss and the greatest indicator of success in this regard is a flat stomach. It doesn't matter if you're male or female, young or old, a toned mid section is what we're after.  If losing extra bodyweight is the goal, then the ultimate result is a flat stomach. Achieving this result comes down to three main areas.The first area to attack is to increase the number of calories we burn during the day. In future emails I will go into more detail as to why we would choose certain workouts and intensities over others for this purpose. For now we want to aim for a minimum of three, one hour workouts per week. These workouts should be resistance based and fairly intense. By intensity I mean you shouldn't be able to do 20 reps of a given exercise. If so, you should look to increase the load. If you're already at a reasonable fitness level then walking on the treadmill for an hour isn't going to cut it.The second area to address for achieving a flat midsection is to reduce our caloric intake. The two big mistakes most make in this regard are failing to adjust their caloric intake after losing some weight and not spreading their calories out over a 24 day. Here's what I mean about each.Imagine if a 200 pound individual needs to consume 2400 calories per day to lose weight. After three months this individual has lost 25 pounds. Our daily caloric requirement is based on a number of factors including our goal and our current mass. As our mass changes we need to update our caloric intake as well. Continuing to consume the calories of our former, larger bodies will not facilitate continued weight loss.The second mistake...

Life is all about choices and a lot time these choices come down to choosing the lesser of the evil. Take for example the idea of missing a workout or missing a meal.When we do have to choose between two negatives we want to think in terms of which one will have less negative impact. Financial advisers are great at showing  how you can make changes in your portfolio while minimizing the impact of the taxes you will pay later. We want to think in the same way here. Which choice leaves the least negative impact?If we are already eating and working out optimally then I would rather miss a workout over a meal. The reason for this is many of us are either over-reaching, over-training, burned out, sleep deprived and or stressed out individuals who would benefit more from a day of rest from a workout than from another session in the gym. The best workout in the world is only one small piece of the puzzle whereas training when you need rest will set you back more than the expected gains from doing this workout.On the other side if I skip a meal I slow down my metabolism. Personally if I know I am going to miss a workout I try and eat more frequently to off set my missed workout. Yes, you read that correctly. I will focus more on my nutrition when I know I am not working out. Missing a meal means my body is burning fat and building lean tissue more slowly. Your body has no ‘meal memory’ and so when you skip a meal it thinks it may never eat again. As a result it is going to hold on to its energy reserves for the starvation it is experiencing rather than burn them...

As we close out 2008 I thought I would take a look into my crystal ball and share with you where I see the fitness industry heading in 2009. So here are my Top 10 Fitness Predictions for 2009.#1 - A decrease in overly intense workouts on day 1In 2008 and with the popularity of the movie 300 we saw a number of people trying to replicate the workouts performed by the actors in that movie. While these workouts had a number of great components to them what we saw happening was the general public attempting the same without proper coaching, instruction, planning or periodization. Picture the individual with low back pain attempting Olympic lifts. Or the person with knee instability doing 50 box jumps in a row. Subsequently we have realized an increase in rhabdomyolysis (damage to muscle tissue), injury and burn-out. In 2009 the hype that came with this movie will have died down and hopefully the negatives associated with it as well.#2 - Less training on balance toysThis one may take a while but eventually the fitness world will realize that standing on a half ball doing biceps curls does not make your biceps stronger. 'But it burns more calories when I have to engage my core to stand on the ball' is the quick answer from some 'trainers'. The answer should be if burning calories is your goal then choose activities, resistances and workouts that burn the most calories. Besides a less than effective way to train for caloric consumption, standing on a balance toy causes the foot to over-pronate, lengthens the ground reaction time during plyometrics and results in a decrease in power production. The athletes and parents of athletes should be paying attention to the last sentence and questioning what is the purpose of the...

Some of you may have heard these tips yesterday on AM 1150 with Jessica Samuels. Even if you did catch the program here they are again for your future reference. These last few days we have had some new records for low temperatures. Many people enjoy getting their exercise outdoors and would like to continue doing so. With that in mind here are 10 Tips For Workouts In Cold Weather.1. Dress in layers using performance gear. By performance gear I mean the materials that wick moisture away from the body. If we get cold it's one thing but if you get wet you have to have to call it a day and get indoors.2. Consider your footing. You may need to wear different shoes for your winter runs or activities and run on the shoulders of roads rather than the areas that are compacted but potentially ice covered.3. Head out going into the wind. If you do a traditional out-and-back workout it's always better to have the wind at your back for the home stretch. This is especially true for your first workouts outdoors and for when the weather turns worse during your workout.4. Consider mid-day workouts. There is less light early in the morning and in the early evening. To ensure you are easily spotted by other traffic consider training at the time of day when light is not an issue.5. Warm up indoors. Perform a dynamic warm, jump on a stationary bike, jump rope or do something indoors to warm up before heading straight out into the cold.6. Wear sunscreen. We usually don't think if this one because it's not summer but the fact remains you are still being exposed to UV radiation compounded by the reflection off the snow.7. Stay hydrated. This one is huge. Warm air holds...

Did you know there's a quick and simple way to determine your risk for injury from sport? I'm not talking about contact injuries such as football or hockey where if you get run over enough times by a 300 pound lineman you'll eventually break. I'm talking about non-contact injuries that we tend to develop at the weak links in our bodies. Well there is a way to self diagnose, to a certain extent, to determine our vulnerability for injury.When we have a deficit on one side of the body relative to the other, and this deficit is greater than 15%, there is an increased chance of injury. Simple as that. It doesn't matter if we are measuring strength or flexibility we want to see balance between the two sides of the body.So if we want to pre-hab our bodies to minimize the potential for injury we should ensure that the left and right are balanced. Once we are equal, or as close to equal, on both sides, then we should look to eliminating weaknesses that may exist in the kinetic chain.Next time you are working out test yourself to determine how much stronger you are on your dominant side. Choose an exercise you can do with one limb (your non-dominant limb) and see how much load or how many reps you can perform. Repeat with your dominant side. As well, when you are stretching have someone help you to assess if you have equal range of motion on both sides.Using these quick tips will help you identify imbalances, prioritize these weaknesses and lessen your chance for injury.Wishing you an injury-free holiday season.

I’m going to assume everyone knows what a BOSU is? You know the half ball you see people using in the gym?  They will do as much of their workout based on this device at the exclusion of regular ground based training.  By ground based I mean one or both of the feet are in contact with stable ground.  Well unless you are rehabilitating a sprained ankle it appears lower body unstable surface training (UST) may be impractical for your workouts.  Here’s why.In our training we usually start with setting a proper postural foundation from which to initiate movement.  At the feet, we strive to find and maintain that neutral position between pronation and supination or rolled in and rolled out.  This is a challenge for most people to set this position when standing on two feet and is very difficult on one foot.  As the foot deviates from neutral we notice changes at the knee, hip, back, shoulders and throughout the rest of the body.  If a neutral foot is that hard to maintain on stable ground we don’t necessarily want to jump on an unstable surface to start for a number of reasons.First on all the body is designed for stability at the ground.  Our bodies function best with stable footing.  When we use UST we cause the feet to over-pronate, we see a loss of force production and an impaired plyometric effect.  Athlete or not, nobody wants this.  Athletes constantly crave more power and many of the falls experienced by the elderly are related to a deficit in power production.Secondly, if our goal is increased lean mass we want to handle as much load as possible.  We won’t develop the same type of physique or calorie burning furnace from pressing 5 pound dumbbells overhead while standing on a...

What is a good night's sleep worth to you? To many it's invaluable. Our best days tend to follow nights where we had a good 8 or 9 hours of quality sleep. On the other hand how many times have you had to hit the snooze button a few too many times and ended up scrambling when we realize we are going to be late. Below are a few tips to encourage optimal quality sleep.The first thing we can do to facilitate a good night's sleep is to set the environment. This means a cool, dark, quiet room. While we can control the temperature and light, external noise may be harder to eliminate. In this case white noise such as a fan can help to mask the traffic outside or loud neighbours.Our bodies respond to light and release different hormones based on the presence or absence of light. Jut before bed try and minimize exposure to bright lights which includes tv and computers. If you read before bed use a lamp rather than the main, larger light in the room.While  many other factors such as exercise, napping, food intake, alcohol consumption, smoking, bed comfort, medications and mental activities,  can also play a role in sleep quality I won't cover these in as much detail. The last item to consider is the time we go to sleep and the time to awaken.For the best quality sleep it is important to go to bed and rise at the same time, everyday. That last word is the deal breaker for almost everyone. During the week we have a paycheque to summon us to work and ensure we get up at the same time. But on the weekends? It's my time to relax and sleep in! When this happens we disrupt the internal clock our...

There are certain conditions that effect most of us such as low back pain and upper trap and neck tightness. With respect to the upper back and neck tightness there are a few things we can do to ease some of this strain.The lower traps and rhomboids help to keep the shoulder blades down and back. As a result of our occupational demands i.e. sitting at a desk, our training programs as well as previous injuries we tend to have shoulders that are in an elevated and forward position. The following drill helps to activate the muscles of the mid and lower traps to help re-align the shoulder to a more optimal position and thus relieve some of the upper back and neck tension. Here's what you do.1. Place the heels, hips and head against the wall. The arms are set like goal posts with the elbows just above shoulder height and the entire arm against the wall.2. From this position pull the elbows down through a comfortable range of motion holding the bottom position for 2 seconds.3. Do not allow the backs of the wrists to hyper extend and come away from the wall.4. Do not allow the shoulders to shrug.5. Do not allow the head to jut forward.6. Perform 10 repetitions.This simple drill performed a couple times a day will lead to improved shoulder position and function not to mention less stress and tension through the upper traps and neck.Have a stress free day.

Hi there: A college professor once said to use words as though you had to pay for them. So I'll get right to it.1. Tryptophan Is Not The CulpritI hope all my American friends reading this had a relaxing and enjoyable holiday. Usually after sitting down to a big Thanksgiving meal we feel lazy and want to do nothing more than pop the buckle and watch football. Most people incorrectly attribute this feeling of sluggishness to the amino acid tryptophan found in turkey. This belief has more to do with how ingrained Seinfeld became in pop culture than with this amino acid. In order to avoid this feeling as you hit the kitchen for left-overs , make sure to reduce your portion size especially the high fat foods and go for a walk after eating. Your waist line and energy levels will thank you for it.2. Glow Magazine www.glow.caIn the September issue of Glow Magazine I was a contributor for an article on stretching in the workplace. The editors must have been pleased enough as I was contracted for another segment on workouts on the road. The article talks about how to ensure your training doesn't get derailed when you don't have access to your home gym or fitness centre and your schedule is disrupted. You can find the complete article in the current issue or contact me if you would like a reprint.3. The Tortoise And The HareRemember Paul Harvey and this radio show "The Rest of the Story"? Well if Paul ever covered this one it would tell you how the hare took off like a lightning bolt and got his resistance based, high intensity interval workout completed early in the morning. The hare then had kickstarted his metabolism for the entire day, burning calories at an inflated rate...

Hi there: Hope you had a great weekeend. Three points to cover in this email. The first is a question on post-workout nutrition. The second is a reminder of the 1 Month of Training 3 d/wk for $1 deadline this Wednesday. Lastly, I will talk about some goofy things we see in the gym and why they just don't make sense.1. Post-workout nutrittion - Thanks to SK for submitting the following:"So a good many of us know that it's important to eat after a workout. My question is, how soon before it's too late to replenish and receive benefit from our training session? Also, does this differ from men to women, say a 105 lbs person compared to someone 200 lbs? And does fitness level play into this at all, an elite athlete vs someone who trains occasionally?"You are right to eat as soon after your workout as possible. It's hard to say at what point there are no benefits to eating after working out. This can tie in to something called EPOC where the benefits can last for a while. As a rule make sure to eat within an hour. In terms of differences between men and women the difference is one of mass. We were advising one gram of protein for every 10 bs of body weight. So a 150 lbs person would consume 15 grams of protein post-workout and the corresponding carbohydrate intake would be four times as much, or 60 grams of carbs. Whey protein would be an optimal protein choice for both sexes but I wouldn't advise men to use a soy based protein supplement. Lastly, yes it does make a difference if you are someone training for esthetics or performance. We would manipulate the carbs and protein depending on what the goal is and the...

Hi there: I've got a few things to cover in today's newsletter. The first is another quick piece on post-workout nutrition. That one really seemed to pique a lot of interest. Secondly, I'm going to let you in on the title for the upcoming seminar and give you a taste of what's in store for you. Next, in future articles I want to start profiling the various athletes we work with and introduce you to them. I think you will find their stories inspiring and will hopefully motivate you as well. Lastly, I'm going to share a conversation I had with one female client that perhaps many of you will be able to relate. Now on to the newsletter.With regard to the post-workout nutrition I tried to give you some examples of real food, that can be easily prepared and consumed and meet the objectives laid out in the previous emails. What I didn't address was actual recipes for meals or post-workout shakes. The reason for this is that I want you to begin eating as soon as possible after the workout. If I give you a recipe for grilled chicken and vegetables some people may think they should head home after training, begin preparing this meal and then eat. With this approach we would lose almost all the benefit of the post-workout meal and sacrifice the potential gains from our training. Remember timing is crucial and the sooner the better.In regards to using a shake after your workout I think this is a great idea. The only thing to keep in mind with any supplement is the definition of the word which is "in addition to" not "in place of". Read the product label and choose products with a quality protein such as a whey isolate. Use the same guidelines...

Hi there: Many of you had feedback and questions about the previous article on post-workout nutrition. So here are the main points again along with some sample post-workout meals. Thanks to KB for submitting the following question:"Can you recommend an excellent post work meal?? should i be eating cards or protein?"Our goal with post-workout nutrition is threefold:1. to increase glycogen stores2. to increase protein synthesis3. to decrease protein breakdownWe can accomplish this by applying a few strategies after our last rep. A few keys to always apply with your post workout nutrition include:* eating as soon after working out as possible* choosing a liquid over a solid meal* make sure to eat carbs with protein* consuming four times the amount of carbohydrate than protein i.e. a 4:1 carb:protein ratio* eat 1 g of protein for every pound of bodyweight e.g. a 150 lbs person will consume 15 g of protein post workout and 60 g of carbohydrate* if possible avoid fructose as the main carbohydrate source as this will slow gastric emptying and may cause stomach crampsSample post-workout meals2 cups nonfat chocolate milk316 calories, 52 g carbs,16 g protein, 0 g fat1 orange1 apple1 oz almonds1 cup vanilla yogurt414 calories, 60 g carbs,18 g protein, 15 g fat2.5 oz of lean turkey breast 17 g protein1 cup cooked yams 46 g carbs3/4 cup blueberries 15 g carbs1 large banana 31 g carbs3/4 cup blueberries 15 g carbs1 cup low-fat plain yogurt 15 g carbs, 15 g proteinI hope this helps. Remember the early registration for our 1 Month of Training 3d/wk for $1 ends tomorrow. Make sure your registration is post-marked with tomorrow's date to grab all of the bonuses and the training at the lowest price. After tomorrow the price goes up and some of the bonuses disappear.All the best.Chris250.212.2972www.okanaganpeakperformance.comfacebook group...

Hi there: I was visiting with a family member recently who asked me if there is the possibility of wrong information appearing in a fitness magazine. While subscriptions do their best to review and edit for spelling and grammatical errors there is the potential for the information itself to be inaccurate.The magazine in question is a major women's health magazine that covers topics in fitness, nutrition and healthy living. I do not want name the publication but it is very mainstream and familiar to any woman, and some men, who read fitness magazines.In this issue there is a question as to whether it is necessary to eat after working out if you don't feel hungry. The answer provided is that no, you do not need to eat after working out if you're not hungry. Simply wait until you are hungry and eat then. Unfortunately the primary literature i.e. research journals does not come to the same conclusion.When we exercise we expend cellular energy that is derived from glucose. To initiate the recovery and repair process we need to replace the energy that was utilized in our workouts. Failing to replace this energy causes our bodies to conserve energy, because none is being supplied, and thus slow our metabolism. A slower metabolism means fewer calories burned throughout the day and thus higher levels of body fat. Additionally, right after working out our bodies secrete catecholamines that allow us to us use higher glycemic carbohydrates more favourably than we might use them at other times in the day. Lastly, many of the enzymes necessary to build muscle mass and burn fat are at peak levels right after working and thus is a perfect time to take advantage of a meal.If the Olympics are too far removed from your memories google Micheal Phelps and...

Hi there: Two quick topics today; one is nutritional the other at the bottom has all the details for $1 for 1 Month of Fitness Coaching.Having just returned from the NSCA International Conference on Strength Training in Colorado Springs I learned lot about how the body gets stronger. While the presentations were amazing the networking was as good if not better. The meal breaks during the conference were included with your registration so you could sit down to eat lunch next some pretty intelligent and passionate people. Over lunch I was able to pick the brains of a dietician, Shawn Wells, and a medical doctor, Dr. Dana House, for some valuable nutritional and medical advice.One of the current themes that came up repeatedly was the importance of dose, timing, content and frequency when it comes to proper eating. I'll use the next few emails to expound on each of these starting with dose.Dose refers to the amount of something. This can refer to food choices both good and bad. For example we can determine the dose of our B vitamins, the amount of fiber we eat or how many glasses of water we drink. At the same time we can also monitor how many refined carbohydrates, trans fats and alcohol we consume. The importance is to know the amount of our choices so we can more easily determine the benefit or detriment they will have on our health and performance. For those who are familiar with the glycemic index we can see how dose is important.The Glycemic Index is a measure of carbohydrates that indicates how quickly they will be absorbed into the cells. Low glycemic index carbs are absorbed more slowly into the cells whereas high glycemic index carbs are absorbed more quickly. A quick google search will provide a...

Hi there: Have you ever noticed that when you are ready to do something to improve your health through fitness and nutrition the list of things to do can seem overwhelming? I'm referring to things such as trying to eat 5 small meals a day, to drinking a glass of water for every 15 pounds of body weight or to ensuring that the workouts are intense and resistance based. We can sometimes do everything on the list for the first few days then the weekend comes. Maybe we get busy and don't have time to plan out proper meals. Perhaps work causes us to be out of town unexpectedly and we can't access quality food and hydration as easily as at home. Whatever the reasons that come between us and optimal nutrition and activity the fact remains that change is never easy and we'll have the greatest chance of success when we tackle one task at a time.I am currently working on a project to facilitate incorporating all of the things that are necessary for optimal health and performance. You will have a plan to jump start the holidays and make 2009 your best ever. Included in this plan are simple things you can do to optimize your training and eating to be as efficient with your workouts and as thorough with your meal planning. Watch your email in the near future for details on this project and how you can take advantage of numberous health tips that are common sense and science based.On another note would you or someone you know be interested in 1 month of training 3 days per week for $1? I want to ensure that the best ways to stay lean, have pain-free joints and energy to do what we enjoy is available for all so...

Can balance training impair our balance?Hi there: Recently I wrote about how we do not use balance training to the same extent as we once did. We know recognize some of the limitations of balance training and will incorporate it in specific situations whether it be for a rehab purpose or to challenge the extremities of the upper body. For a healthy, competitive athlete, stable ground contact is preferred.When we are performing an upper body exercise from a standing position we want to ensure stability throughout the trunk with the upper extremities in motion. The more load we can handle without motion at the trunk is a measure of our core stability. The first picture below demonstrates good core stability while performing an alternating row exercise while the second one is of a chest press.In the first picture the pull is in front an therefore the extensors of the low back and the scapular (shoulder blade) muscles must be activated to prevent the trunk from being pulled forward.In the second picture the pull is from behind the body and therefore we need to engage the front side muscles so the trunk does not get pulled back on the recovery phase.With both of these exercises you should ask yourself three things:1. Am I able to maintain a neutral spine throughout?2. Are my arms the only source of motion?3. If the cables snapped unexpectedly would I lose balance?The last question underscores the reason to ditch the balance toy when performing these exercises. 99% of the time when we see someone performing a pull or a push exercise while standing on a balance toy they are balancing on the cables rather than being balanced on their feet. If the cables were to snap on them they would lose balance and fall or step off. Most of our daily activities and...

This is Part II of my Top 10 Fitness Predictions for 2011.  Please see below for Part I.6. Long duration workouts are out.  If intensity is to become more popular than long distance training will be out.  The harder you push the shorter you can go.  And vive versa.  Everyone's time is at a premium and we want the best results in the fastest way possible.  It used to be that being in the gym 2-3 hours a day five days a week earned you respect amongst your peers.  Now they're more likely to see this amount of time in the gym as a waste.  Unless of course you're a pro athlete working on a variety of different elements in that time.  Most likely this doesn't apply to you.7.  Increased demand for higher quality nutrition.  Previously we weren't as aware of which foods were toxic to us and should be removed from our nutritional plan.  Next we learned which foods we should be eating and tried to include more of them.  Lastly we start to see that there are various grades of the foods we should be eating and people are opting for the highest quality possibility.  The perception that quality nutrition always has to cost more is beginng to fade and more are making better choices during their grocery store trips.8. The hips are cool. For a while there everything was about the core. Everyone wanted core stability. They wanted core strength. They wanted core to fix their bad back. And they wanted core to help them in their sport.Well guess what? The emphasis is going to switch more to training the hip complex. There will be more attention to strengthening the hips. There will be more attention to aligning the hips. And there will definitely be more attention to mobilizing the hips....