Physical Intelligence

Physical intelligence...

Like the mind, if you park it you can plan on some serious atrophy kicking in.

Keep moving.

Take it from one who knows. I went from very active to an unplanned corporate gig that added stress, wonky hours, and poor eating times for a decade.

Two guesses how my first run went once I realized I needed to get more active.

I had always been active, or so I thought. In reality there was about an 8 year gap in there.

Let's just say that when someone says they used to be very active or that they used to be an athlete I shift gears and approach them in a slightly different way than Joe or Jane. There is an ego to be handled as well as a physical component. The reintroduction of activity to a body that has a history, a memory of what it used to be able to do. And it will get frustrated with itself when it can't achieve the high water marks it was used to.

It's like cracking open your grade 11 math book, and you know you knew this. But you sure wouldn't want to write a test at that moment. Some practice would be in order.

But the upside, of course, is that it won't take any time at all to get back to where you were. You are not doomed. It takes time and patience, but a high level of fitness is achievable. Mental and physical.

So have at it you retired fitness fanatics. Just be smart. Use the wisdom of your years and the patience you have gained to make gains again. Oh, you know I am leaving that sentence there just to bother the grammar police.

Have a wonderful day all!

Be sure to check out my Facebook page. It's getting started and could use some joining.

Physical intelligence...

Like the mind, if you park it you can plan on some serious atrophy kicking in.

Keep moving.

Take it from one who knows. I went from very active to an unplanned corporate gig that added stress, wonky hours, and poor eating times for a decade.

Two guesses how my first run went once I realized I needed to get more active.

I had always been active, or so I thought. In reality there was about an 8 year gap in there.

Let's just say that when someone says they used to be very active or that they used to be an athlete I shift gears and approach them in a slightly different way than Joe or Jane. There is an ego to be handled as well as a physical component. The reintroduction of activity to a body that has a history, a memory of what it used to be able to do. And it will get frustrated with itself when it can't achieve the high water marks it was used to.

It's like cracking open your grade 11 math book, and you know you knew this. But you sure wouldn't want to write a test at that moment. Some practice would be in order.

But the upside, of course, is that it won't take any time at all to get back to where you were. You are not doomed. It takes time and patience, but a high level of fitness is achievable. Mental and physical.

So have at it you retired fitness fanatics. Just be smart.

Use the wisdom of your years and the patience you have gained to make gains again. Oh, you know I am leaving that sentence there just to bother the grammar police.

Have a wonderful day all!

Be sure to check out my Altius Fitness Facebook group. It's getting started and could use some joining!

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_214436551930376

todd at altiusfitness dot com

Youth Training - Mind and Body!

Have you been searching for a performance coach to work with your young athlete?

Do you want programs for young athletes that need mind and body training for their sport?

One can make physical strength and speed gains while increasing knowledge on how to focus and reduce anxiety to improve sport performance.

Todd is a Fitness Professional with a background in Psychology that has been working with young athletes since 2004.

Sessions are private and on location.

In your gym, you're #1.


Contact me for more information.

Todd at altiusfitness dot com

Still here ;)

Oh my goodness, you wouldn't believe the twists and turns life's road can take. Actually... you probably can.

Well in the meantime, I am mid hairpin turn. I am continuing to learn and I will be sharing my new lessons with you in the very near future.

I want to welcome the new people who have begun to follow my posts and thank the ones who have stayed with me.

We'll all be rewarded handsomely for our patience! lol

Have a wonderful day everyone.

In health,

Todd

I'm Alive and here is why)

Choose a goal!

As you get a few years under your belt you begin to notice some patterns. And much to your chagrin, they are patterns that friends, family and loved ones may have told you a long time ago.

And here it is. Something every productivity "guru" out there espouses.

Choose your goal.

Choose it wisely. Make it clear. Define it. Make it realistic. Make the smaller goals one of many that will progressively get you closer to the largest of your goals.

I can't stress it enough.

This applies to your fitness! Without a driving force, to get out of bed, or to work hard every day or every workout, not much is going to happen. Perhaps you'll start but inevitably it will taper off.

Define your goals.

IT has become more and more clear to me that this is critical to success.

Not only that, but the goals need to have an emotional impetus, something that grips you by the heart (not just the noggin) and absolutely propels you to get up, move, and take action.

So start thinking about it. It may be the most important thing you do today.

I'm not going to drag this one out. If I keep talking it will loose it's punch. Just take your time and really put some thought into it.

I can't wait to hear about the results!

Time is flying

Hello everyone.

I didn't realize how long it has been since we last talked.

Due to an illness in the family I have been rather sidetracked and away from my posting. I will be picking up the blogging and the newsletter again next week.

Thank you for your understanding.

Miss you all and we'll talk soon.

In health,

Todd

Breaking the pattern

It's still old school out there.

There are new ways to train. Smarter ways. Limiting exposures to young joints. Keeping them happy, motivated AND progressing. It can be done.

We need more people to stand up to coaches who are still working the way they did in highschool. For example.

What I am talking about is limiting exposures. Developing joints need exposure to develop properly. Exposure to balance, power, and coordination moves.

They do, however, need to be protected from overexposure. Some coaches think that the young body can bounce back from anything so they push until there is nothing left. This is not good for anyone at any age.

Just in the little time that I have had working with young athletes in a professional capacity I have seen just this kind of attitude. Start young, work em hard.

Here is a little twist on that theme. Tiger Woods is often cited for this "start em early". Take a guess at what happened a few ago. He lost, for the first time, after leading after 54 holes, to a golfer who only started golfing at the age of 19. Tiger "started" when he was 3!

Obviously talent factors into this. But NOT age and NOT early specification.

I don't think there is a better example of taking the time to develop an athlete over time. Play everything, have fun, and don't train to break down.

Train to learn.

Have a wonderful day and enjoy your activity!

In health,

Todd

Spare Their Spines Please

This one is going to be quick and painless with more to follow. It's just getting too late for me to get a full on rant going. I'd be up all night.

Well it has happened again. I have started working with another young athlete who is competing at a national level. And the condition, the stability of the core muscles, which determine power, speed and range, are lacking.

Are the coaches blind to this. This athlete suffered a back injury over a year ago and still needs a complete reno of the core stability technique. FROM SCRATCH!

I've seen this in every young athlete in a wide variety of sports I have worked with. Football, track and field, hockey, basketball, and raquetball. Local, provincial and national athletes were alike, all needed a core tune up.

I will put this out there before I drop off into sleep-world. DON'T do more situps. Dear lord, please no.

Core stability comes from stable core activities like planks.

So be on the lookout for your athlete. Have them or the team do lunges. If they can not keep there upper body upright you had better get to work ASAP. That is an injury waiting to happen. It could show up in the back, neck, hip, knee, or ankle. But it will show up.

Well, so much for keeping it short. I just don't want to see kids get hurt unnecessarily.

Have a wonderful week and weekend.

If you want any info on core training contact me!

In health,

Todd

sticktoitveness

Begin early. Get out and play. There is nothing better than chasing friends, climbing stuff and playing as many sports as you desire to get your body in tune when you are growing up.

No, not all sports at once, but choose different sports in different seasons.

You end up stronger and less likely to get injured.

NO, playing one sport all the time is not a good solution for injury prevention. In fact it is quite the opposite. Weaknesses develop compensatory patterns (new, less healthy patterns). Injuries for hockey players, for instance, are very often hip and lower back related. Two guesses why!

Play 3 or 4 sports through out the year through the ages of 6 to 10. Wind that down to a couple through the teens with good solid, fundamental workouts. Not workouts professionals do! They have years of experience and a team of experts to coach them.

The younger you are the more broad and movement based activities will serve best to improve athleticism.

You will see improvements. You will have them much longer.

As Brian Grasso says, it's like school. If you cram for a test you do well for a short period (test time). But the long term effects are minimal because you will forget most of what was crammed.

Take the time to learn proper movement over time and it will stick with you for life!!!

There, that's my two cents. In case your wondering. I've got a whole lot more. Stay tuned.


Todd

This is for the smart ones!

Boost your recovery with sleep.

I have run into this thought many times. The thought more is better.

Distance runners running 5/6 days a week. Gym rat mentality that you have to be in the gym every day of the week.

Not only does it hinder recovery but it may even stunt progress, sometimes even sending people backwards when injuries occur.

You see, injuries don't just stop progress, they set you back.

This is why it is very important to be well rested.

Sleep is one very significant component to getting stronger, faster, leaner or bigger.

Here is the kicker. The more sleep you get, the clearer you think and more productive you become.

AND it helps you solve problems!!! http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8090730.stm

So, not only are you resting and recovering, you are thinking more clearly and setting yourself to be able to solve problems. This would reduce your stress levels, which are also counterproductive for your results!!!

So get yourself some deep sleep. Deeper the better, also known as REM sleep or the "dream stage".


So get make yourself comfy and have a good night rest. That's an order! :O)

In health,

Todd

it's not just you.

Partnering up is very important. There might 1, maybe 2% of people who are driven in a particular way that they succeed with no support.

Odds are, then, you and I are not one of those people.

It's not a bad thing. It just is.

Don't take it personal. Make plans knowing this.

So if you have a 5 or 10k road-race coming up, gaff someone (like minded) and make a plan to meet up and do your thing.

This, of course, applies to many other aspects. Making money. Running a business. Cooking or planning meals.

This is not gender or "anything" specific. But know it and take advantage of it.

So no surprises. Get healthy by partnering up. Succeed through partnerships. Take advantage of the knowledge.

This is an opportunity to meet friends you don't see often or invite others you would love to learn from to join you.

Now you know they are thinking the same thing about their goals. "Why can't I keep going?"

Have a great day!

In health,

Todd