Recently a group fitness instructor sent me a video of animation whereby the trainer is counting up and down to 10 while the client is doing his push-ups. The video titled "Thank you, personal trainers, for getting paid to count to ten" appears in The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
I do not know what is the intention of the instructor who send me the link but I thought I have to speak on behalf of personal trainers who often get unrecognised among celebrity trainers or group fitness instructors.
No our clients do not just pay us to just count to 10 or count backwards. We get paid for the time we take outside the training time to study our clients' goals in health and fitness.
We get paid to update our knowledge on fitness related matters so that we do not end up like dinosaurs.
We almost blur the line being a counsellor, a rehab therapist, a healer, a sports nutritionist, mentor etc...
The investment we put in our own education > what we earn from training clients. At least it is true for me.
Keeping myself updated in the fitness world!
I get it we are not on stage performing in front of a huge crowd.
Trying out some home workouts that I have planned for my client.
We transform one body and one spirit one at a time.
(Blogging helps me reinforce the concepts I have learned. As a Women's Fitness Specialist, I revisit my study guide often.) Diastasis Recti (DR for short)
DR is known as a seperation of the rectus abdominus muscle. The separation is actually caused by stretching of the fascial attachments surrounding the rectus sheath. Although DR is prevalent among post-natal women, it can happen to in any stage and can happen to men as well. Below is a Youtube video which I find useful.
What can cause DR?
Incorrect body mechanics while exercising
Genetics
Weight gain
Imbalance of abdominal muscles. Over exercising rectus abdominus and/or the transverse abdominus.
May occur during pregnancy an/or child birth itself.
During the course of c-section
It is often thought or being said especially in the fitness industry that pregnant women need strong abdominal muscles to "brace" the growing uterus as well as to aid in "pushing" the baby out. The truth is, the stronger and tighter the abdominal muscles are during pregnancy, the more likely of DR. While we do need strength to support the growing baby, there are ways to keep the integrity of the abdominal area. (For my own pre and post natal clients, I usually prefer to work closely with my client's physio. I incorporate Pilates, Yoga, Strength Training, Visualisation and Mindful breathing. I recently have discovered using singing bowl and coloured flags as well)
Coming back to DR, I attended a course on pre and post natal pilates. The formula (RRS) prescribed for DR condition by The Center For Women's Fitness (TCFWF) is as follows:
First release
Then realign
Then strengthen
During pregnancy the pelvic floor fascial attachments to the abdominals
may become overstrectched due to both hormone relaxin and the pressure
of the growing uterus behind it. So this fascia may become damaged
during the birthing process.
Using a myofascial release ball, the fascia through the pelvic floor can be released. Here is a short video link by Ms Carolyne Anthony showing how the ball is being used: https://vimeo.com/197834151
Usually 6 weeks post partum, most women can resume exercising. For women who have diastasis, the sequence that TCFWF recommends is through breathing sequences and pilates based exercises. Here is a podcast (my first!!!) on breathing sequence. My home is not sound proof so you might here the sound of my husband clearing his throat and the sound of the train. supine breathing exercise sequence
For C-sections, we usually begin the breath in the ribcage and work towards the site of the incision.
Moving on... Women's bodies are amazing! I am both fascinated as well motivated to study more. I will be taking up Pre and post natal courses through Burrell Education. I will definitely blog more on this subject matter. Hope you find them useful. Before I end this blog, I have also added info on Fascia (and two exercises I do with my post partum clients). I think it is an integral part of studying human movement. The Fascial Connection
Fascia! It is such a hot topic among movement professionals. Here is a link expalining what fascia is (I couldn't have explained it better): The Top 5 Ways Fascia Matters to Athletes And a video for those visual learners:
Fascia is the body’s connective tissue. It is a head to toe,
inside to out, all-encompassing and interwoven system of fibrous
connective tissue found throughout the body. Your fascia provides a
framework that helps support and protect individual muscle groups,
organs, and the entire body as a unit.
For my postpartum clients who have been cleared by their doctors, I add integrated fascial line exercises, unloaded and loaded. Here I am using the Bosu ball for added stability and Vipr for loaded movement.
Reference: Healing Exercises for Diastasis Recti (TCFWF)
(Adapted from “Pilates for the Menopause on the Mat” by Carolyne Anthony)
Menopause is an exciting and sometimes challenging time in a woman’s life. A time of physical, emotional and spiritual change.
What is menopause?
Menopause is the permanent end of menstruation and fertility, defined as occurring 12 months after your last menstrual period.
The symptoms of menopause may be felt for at least 10 years before
periods stop. This can actually be anywhere between the ages 35-55. The
female hormones progesterone and particularly estrogen begin to produce
less. Estrogen is responsible for the development of breast tissue, body
shape, body hair and prevention of bone mass.
Collagen is the main protein of connective tissue and is also for
skin strength and elasticity. As we age, the ability to rebuild collagen
diminishes. Fat deposits in specific areas start to shift and the body
is left with its sagging skin.
Exercise
has been proven to have the ability to stimulate collagen regeneration
in the muscle and bones, a benefit to prevent or slow down osteoporosis.
At this stage, the female body needs a different approach to exercise
programming. If you want your body to continue to function well beyond
your current age, you need to plan a smart workout system.
Your workout should include the following:
Strength training for bone health.
Cardiovascular workouts for hormone balance and weight management.
Getting the heart rate up and sustaining for at least 20 minutes will
release the feel good hormones “endorphins” into the blood stream.
Balance exercises, stretching and releasing, breathing and
relaxation for stress reduction, lymph drainage and resetting the
parasympathetic nervous system.
Many women make the mistake of forgoing strength training and doing
too much of cardio. Muscular movement is known to move lymph as well
which will aid in helping women feel better as the body rids itself of
toxins and excess hormones. As estrogen decline, there is a
corresponding decline in bone density. Strength training may help arrest
and even reverse some of these effects.
Strength training is also known to reverse the signs of aging through
increase production of HGH, Human Growth Hormone. To build muscle, boost
your metabolism up, increase Human Growth Hormone (hGH, your fountain
of youth), keep your bones strong, stop your skin looking saggy, keep
your cardio respiratory system in top shape…..the list goes on weight
training is a must at this stage.
“hGH is responsible for the rapid growth during childhood – and for
the repair and regeneration of human tissue throughout our lives. By the
time we reach the age of 30, our HGH levels are only about 20% of their
peak levels during childhood, and after the age of 30, they continue to
decline at about 12 to 15% per decade. By the time most of us are 30
years old, our bodies no longer produce enough HGH to keep pace with the
cellular damage that is occurring in our bodies. As our hGH levels
continue to decline, the damage that we collectively call ‘ageing’
accelerates.” – Human Growth Hormone (hGH) – The Key To The Post Baby Fat Loss
Kingdom??By jenny on May 31, 2012 in Fat Loss, Functional Training,
Optimum Nutrition/Re-Nutrition, Post Baby
Moderation Is the Key
Recent research results indicate that moderate—rather than
vigorous—physical activity has the most positive effect on menopause
symptoms and menopausal quality of life (MENQOL).
One study revealed
that women who participated in moderate-intensity physical activity
reported higher MENQOL and a lower total number of symptoms than women
who engaged in either low- or high-intensity physical activity (Luque
2011). Women with low physical activity levels reported the highest
frequency of symptoms and the greatest discomfort.
(http://www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/the-exercise-menopause-connection,
2013)
Below are some excercises that I have personally incorporated into my own and my clients workouts. Sorry about the noise. I am still working on my editing skills!
On this note, I want to assure our ladies that menopause is not a
disease. It is a time to reflect, renew and empower. Do look
out for another article on dietery consideration.
Reference:
– Pilates for the Menopause on the Mat by Carolyne Anthony
– 10 Ways To REALLY Rock Your 3rd Age – Powering up Your Peri-Menopause And Beyond! By jenny on August 10, 2014
This article first appeared in www.fitproacademy.com.sg
