Functional Physio: Why Prehab?

Have you got an upcoming surgery or recent change in health that will require intensive treatment? Maybe you should strongly consider the concept of Prehab and how it could benefit your recovery.

What is prehab?

Prehab is rehabilitation performed before your surgery or to prevent injuries in high-risk activities. A regime of planned exercise ideally 6 weeks before the event has been academically proven to improve post-operative function, minimise time to return to normal activities and improve the recovery process. 

Your prehab professional can assess how much help you need currently and after surgery, set a plan for hospital discharge (a great way to manage any pre-op anxieties), improve strength and conditioning and help practise with any walking aids or movement restrictions.  

Conditions that benefit from prehab and following rehabilitation include joint replacements especially in the elderly, cardiac conditions, general surgical, cancer diagnosis and athletes or high level sports that carry a known risk of injuries during a game/ season.

My Mum’s knee prehab

After ongoing complaining about knee pain (and lack of family sympathy) I finally conceded that Mum should go for an MRI. 

As it turns out, she wasn’t making it up! Imaging revealed a meniscus tear with a cyst (associated with larger tears) but otherwise very healthy cartilage and ligaments (not bad for a sixty year old knee!). Small meniscus tears on the outer edges sometimes heal, but as they get larger and towards the centre the likelihood of this decreases due to poor blood supply. 

The next step is a referral to an orthopaedic surgeon, but first, let the prehab begin!

The main aim is to build quadriceps, hamstrings and glute strength, bulk and awareness. After surgery, pain and inflammation decreases your ability to contract surrounding muscles and leads to wasting and compromised control. In mum’s program we try and combine a mix of exercises that produce co-contraction or emphasise the three types of muscle contractions (isometric, eccentric and concentric). 

We have maintained overall strength and fitness with boxing and short runs on a straight track against a thick resistance band. Avoiding pivoting at the knee, bending the knee past 90 degrees especially with weights is essential to avoid aggravating the current injury. A tear with a cyst can compromise the cartilage of the knee joint with repetitive irritation so a professionally planned program is essential for prehab programs.  

To see more from Functional Physio please follow us on FB @functionalphysioqld or Instagram @functionalphysio.

Email courtneybuckley.massage@outlook.com or phone/text 0448131617

Accelerate Health and Performance: How to Write Your Own Successful Training Program for Weight Loss

How many people do you know that go to a gym with the idea that 'a little bit of everything' or 'just doing my own thing' will help them achieve their goals?

How many people do you know that go to a gym with that plan and ultimately end up disappointed with the fact they have not achieved as much as they hoped to?

Programming can be the most challenging aspect of being a Personal Trainer. There are times when it is really hard. The right combination of exercises can provide a client with an experience they will shout about from the roof tops. The wrong combination can practically leave you scratching your arse in the unemployment line at Centrelink wondering where it all went wrong.

It's tough and I'm educated in this shit. I'm continually educating myself in this shit. It's one component of Personal Training that does not necessarily get easier. But there are ways that you can make it easier on yourself. By understanding a few of the basic principles, you can very easily write or adapt a program to suit you. Your needs, your goals, your experience.

Things to understand...

What Role Will Nutrition Play? 

To lose weight you have to be a calorie deficit. YOU HAVE TO BE. It's physics - the law of thermodynamics. Energy cannot be created or destroyed in an isolated system. We are an isolated system. We consume energy (food) -  we either use it (action) or store it (love handles). If we consume more than we use we store the excess - not a calorie deficit.
One size does not fit all, but it's safe to say that a calorie deficit of up to 200 Calories per day is probably going to be easily sustainable and not overly aggressive for most. Add in some training on top of this and you're going to see the numbers on the scales start to shift and your pants are going to feel a bit looser within three or four weeks.

What is Progressive Overload and how do I Progressively Overload myself? 

Progressive Overload is a gradual increase of stress(work) placed upon the body. A slight increase in sets, reps and or load, potentially with a decrease in rest time. Hot Tip: Take 'Progressive' in a very literal sense - increase things gradually, don't try and be Mr or Mrs Olympia in Week One...you're probably going to fuck up your chances of success right up that way.
An increase of 1.25kg on either side of the barbell each week is nothing to be scoffed at! Over a year that's 130kg. If you can add 130kg to your Squat, Deadlift or Bench Press in that time you're an absolute freak and you need to start doing something more competitive A-Sap. Small steps forward are not steps backward.

How do I Choose Exercise and How Often Do I Train? 

Choose the ones that are fun. Done correctly, very few exercises are inherently bad for you. Try to hit each muscle group at least once every time you train. Train every two to three days.

'But when is Chest and Tri's Day?' NEVER. Virtually nobody (other than professional body builders) actually need a Chest and Tri's or Back and Bi's day.

'Do I have to do Cardio?' No. You can if you want to though. If you need to do cardio training because you have cardio goals then have at it. If you hate cardio and don't want to do it then don't do it.

The Basics of Programming...

Rep Ranges: 

1-5 Reps = Strength 

3-8 Reps = Strength Endurance

8-15 Reps = Hypertrophy

15+ = Conditioning.

* These are approximate and they cross over heaps. Sticking to 1-5 Reps will still result in Hypertrophy and sticking to 8-15 Reps will still result in some increased strength.

Sets: 3 to 6 Work Sets for any Rep Range will tick the box.

Load: As heavy as you can go with good technique and the ability to function in your daily life the next day. Using Warm Up Sets and Work Sets effectively will help this. If you're not sure, go light and have a trial run - if you don't feel like you exerted yourself much at all, go heavier.

Rest: As long as you need to do the same set again nearly as well as the last time. Nearly. You need to induce some fatigue or you're not overloading.

Programs: One program per week done well will get things moving, two programs per week will keep you entertained, three is our preferred sweet spot. The less you know and the more confidence you need to gain the less you should worry about variety and focus more on getting the basics locked and loaded.

  

Muscle Group	Synergist	Opposite
Quads, Calves and Glutes	Hamstrings and Glutes	Upper Body
Hamstrings and Glutes	Quads, Calves and Glutes	Upper Body
Chest, Triceps and Shoulder	Back, Biceps and Shoulder	Lower Body
Back, Biceps and Shoulders	Chest, Triceps and Shoulders	Lower Body

Program Structure...

1) Focus Muscle Group Compound Strength

2a) Same Muscle Group Compound Hypertrophy
2b) Accessory Muscle Group Hypertrophy

3a) Opposing Muscles Group Power
3b) Core/Glutes/Mobility or Opposing Muscle Group (One Program Per Week)

4) Synergist Hypertrophy/Conditioning

This structure can be used to write one, two, three or twelve day training programs. You just have to be mindful to give enough focus to your target muscle groups. If you just want to sort the whole rig out, spread the work load as evenly as possible.

One Program Per Week Program Example...

1) Goblet Squats (5x8)

2a) Alternate Lunges (4x10)
2b) Glute Bridge (4x15)

3a) Top Hold DB Chest Press (4x12)
3b) Lat Pulldown (4x15)

4) Seated Hamstring Curl (4x20)

Need some help with technique? Check these out. 

Goblet Squats: Instagram

Offset Walking Lunges: Instagram
Single Leg Glute Bridge: Instagram
Top Hold DB Press: Instagram
Lat Pulldown: YouTube - Instagram
Seated Hamstring Curl: YouTube - Instagram

If you have any doubts about your ability to train safely due to any health concerns you may have please seek medical advice prior to starting.

Mitchell Knight

Accelerate Health and Performance
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acceleratehealthandperformance/

Instagram: @mitchellknightpt @acceleratehealthandperformance

GUEST BLOG: Why Pilates is for everyone?

Everyone’s heard of Pilates right? It’s been around for a while now (since the 1920’s). To be honest when I first heard about Pilates I thought it was just another one of the many fitness fads that would come and go. That was until my running obsession was interrupted by injury! I was forced to take a bit of my own Physiotherapy advice and give Pilates a try and from that day on I was hooked.

What is Pilates?
The most common answer I get to my question, ‘have you done pilates before?’ is no but I’ve done yoga. Well, that’s like comparing apples and oranges. Pilates focuses on core stability. It works all those small muscles that your body has forgotten we have but need to use. The ones that stabilise your joints and work to create a ‘powerhouse’ to take the load off your spine. While Pilates can be performed on a mat the rolls Royce of Pilates is the Reformer. This machine uses different spring resistance to challenge, strengthen, stretch and lengthen muscles.


Pilates is for EVERY-body
No Pilates is not just for women. I’m sure some people think that Pilates is airy-fairy just lying around the floor. I challenge anyone with that perception to a 1 hour reformer class! In fact Pilates was actually developed by a male, Joseph Pilates back in the 1920s for the army and athletes. 
Men, women, children, athletes, elderly people, pregnant women….. anyone can (and in my opinion SHOULD) do Pilates. The amazing reformer and it’s spring resistance mean endless exercise combinations and difficulty levels.

Injuries
All injuries can be accommodated which makes it the perfect mode of cross training. This low impact exercise is also the perfect way to rehabilitate post injury. Pilates is also the perfect way to prevent many injuries through addressing muscle imbalances, improving muscle strength, flexibility, balance and even body awareness. In the same way it can lead to improved athletic performance. 
Just want a solid workout

If it’s easy, it’s probably not pilates! Pilates should be challenging, you should feel that deep muscle burn. It works all those problem areas- abs, butt, inner thighs, love handles and backs of the arms. You think your squats are working your butt? Wait until you discover those deep glue muscles!
Like any type of exercise correct technique and expert instruction is critical. It’s often a good idea to do a one on one session with a Physiotherapist to teach you the basics and address your specific goals. Health fund rebates apply too!

If you haven’t tried it make 2017 the year of Pilates. Your body will love you for it

Kirsti Leeson
www.handsonalliedhealth.com.au
29 Ben Lexcen Drive Sunrise Beach
Ph: 0418885027
E: kristi@handsonalliedhealth.com.au
FB: www.facebook.com/physiopilatesmassage
Insta: @physiopilatesnoosa

Accelerate Health and Performance: Sifting BS

Last year I worked with a trainer who pushed all his clients to take Pre-Workouts, BCAA’s and Protein – None were body builders or athletes. They were very run of the mill general population clients who all wanted to lose a bit of weight, get a bit fitter, healthier and stronger.

Why did he push them toward supplementation? So he got a discount on all the shortcut bullshit he was doing because he wasn’t actually training or looking after his nutrition properly.
 
He won’t read this but I’d say it anyway...He was being a bit of a dick.
 
Not because he wanted to make a profit and not because he recommended supplements to his clients, but because he never really assessed or met their needs and never yielded tangible results. His clients generally liked him so they stayed a while but they often got jack of not getting the results they wanted and he didn’t stretch himself further to find out why.
 
You see, as a Personal Trainer, over time you develop a great bullshit detector. You also talk to a lot of different people and learn a lot about those people - Their heritage, their culture, their personality traits, their habits...whether they’re a folder or a scruncher.

But this guy didn’t talk to his clients and engage them...he never learned about them as people and never retained the knowledge that would join the dots and shed some light on the people he would meet in months and years to come.
 
One of his clients was a big English bloke. I’d estimate 120-140kg and 50% body fat plus...and he had him knocking back pre, intra and post workout amino acids at 5:30am.
 
Mitch: “Why have you got him on so many aminos? He isn’t lifting that much weight and that’s a lot of calories to take in before he even gets to breakfast.”
Trainer: “Nah, there’s no calories in aminos. The label says so.”
Dear oh, dear oh, dear.

Amino Acids make up protein molecules...1g of Protein yields four calories of energy...but what makes up protein molecules has no energy?

Layne Norton explains it very well here: https://www.biolayne.com/coaching/faq/part-e-bcaa/
 
So clearly there were some holes in this guy’s education. He was young and naive, and credit where credit is due, he took that on the chin and accepted the knowledge.
 
What else was there about that one client though that really, really stood out straight away, for me? He was English. A Pom. He was from the Mother Country, Guv’nah... And what do we know about the English diet? It’s pretty horrible.
 

* This actually looks delicious even if it gives me seven simultaneous heart attacks

Chips with every meal, even breakfast cereal. Sweet drinks on the regular. Highly processed bullshit as far as the eye can see. And I can say this...I married a pom.
When I met my wife her diet was shiiiit. My diet is by no means perfect but with a few simple changes my wife lost over 10kg in six months with a little bit of exercise and a shitload less Yorkshire Puddings.
 
Now I admit, I never actually analysed this guy’s diet but I’m willing to put a pineapple on it being pretty whack – a significant calorie surplus, a large amount of deep fried food and whole lot of processed sugar. That, plus a shit ton of calorie filled supplements...he didn’t lose weight. He gained weight. Fast.

When there’s no interaction and no engagement there is no bullshit detector. No little voice in the back of your head saying “This bloke isn’t telling pork pies, he is eating them!” and that is a HUGE pitfall for new, inexperienced trainers. Most trainers won’t become older, experienced trainers without this ability.
 
But it’s not just up to us...sure, you pay us to help you achieve your goals but we aren’t magicians. You see us maybe three or four hours per week tops...what are you doing in the other 160+ hours?
Are you actually eating really well or have you had salads with your Big Mac instead of fries? Are you really doing your hill sprints or are you doing a hill sprint and then taking selfies? #fitspo
Before you even try your bullshit with your trainer, be your own bullshit filter. Be your own bullshit filter every day!
 
Are you training as hard as you need to or as hard as you’re supposed to be? Are you keeping your macros and calories in check or are you mismeasuring to allow yourself some extra Ben & Jerry’s? Did you really eat pretty well this week or did the bottle of vodka, late night kebab and Large Popcorn Chicken Meal kind of fuck that up?
 
Trust me, the first answer that comes to mind is ALWAYS the right one and if it is second guessing yourself the answer to the questions above is “no”.
 
Not every has to be bodybuilder strict. The successful ones are disciplined as hell. Those guys and girls are freaks. But if you can become a lot more honest with yourself and a lot more honest with your trainer your results will go through the roof in a matter of weeks.
 
Trainers: Get to know your clients in detail. They may up and leave one day but you will be so much more prepared for the next one that comes along. Sift their bullshit!
Trainees: Sift your bullshit. Cut your bullshit. Be real with yourself and be real with your trainer. If you need someone to be your bullshit filter call me. I’ve got many bullshit filters that tell me to shut the fuck up constantly. It’s great – It helps – It is important.
 
Life is way easier and way more fun when we keep it real and own our choices and actions.
 
Please direct all hate mail to the owner of this website. 
She's the one to blame for me continuing to be published.

Mitchell Knight
Accelerate Health and Performance
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acceleratehealthandperformance/
Instagram: @mitchellknightpt @acceleratehealthandperformance

Accelerate Health and Performance: Master Your Body Weight, Then Master The Weights Room (Part 1)

There has been an amazing shift in thinking when it comes to health and fitness over the last ten years or so. No longer do we see weight rooms completely dominated by only the biggest guys while the smaller males and females are left to slog it out on the treadmills.

HALLELUJAH! The internet has spread the gospel of the barbell.

More and more people are realising that weight training is the most effective weight loss/weight management training technique of all. Fewer ladies are approaching Personal Trainer saying "I don't want to get too bulky." because they already know that there is very little chance of that happening. Smaller guys are able to show up and deadlift 150% of their bodyweight in the comfort of knowing that pound for pound the gorilla shaped man beasts can't match him.

It's great...ish.
See here's the thing...with everyone having an iTelephone any Joe or Joanne can jump on the World Wide Interweb and download a training program from the Google Drive and upload it to their My Space account and head to the gym.
But should they? Are they ready for the program they got from NapsterBook?
Often, the answer is no.
See there is this amazing piece of equipment that we often forget to utilise!
Our own body.

A good Body Weight Squat is thoroughly under estimated being able to control a Paused Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat is undervalued, the ability to effectively hinge at the hip is paramount and the art of being to perform many clean push ups is slowly being lost.
And why is this so bad?
Because too many people are in the gym doing shallow squats, being unable to balance and stabilise unilaterally (on one leg), turning into a question mark doing deadlifts and doing nothing but bench press because "Babes don't care about legs!"

* Trust me...they definitely do care!

It might not get you 4000 likes on InstaMSN but it will get your body moving well and allow you to develop some serious athletic potential that will ultimately lead to more #gainz no matter what you're trying to achieve.

And this goes hand in hand with what we now know about the transference of work capacity from one movement to another or lack thereof...

Ever wondered why people can Lat Pulldown a whole stack which totals as much as or more than their bodyweight but they can't do as many reps on Chin Ups?
Ever wondered why people can Leg Press 400kg but they can often on Squat a quarter of that?
Ever wondered why people can Machine Press comfortably but their Push Up resembles someone doing The Worm on a dirty dance floor?
But on the flipside if they can Chin Up, Squat Heavy and perform a sick Push Up they can do the alternative (almost always) with ease?
Are you starting to see a pattern???

Don't get me wrong, I'm not bashing Leg Press Machines or the people that use them. I use them with my clients every day...but not at the expense of the body's natural ability to Squat and Lunge, Hinge, Push and Pull Vertically or Push and Pull Horizontally as its own form of resistance.

Do it, trust me, you'll be better for it.

To Be Continued... In Part 2

As always, please forward all complaints and hate mail to the admin of Sunshine Coast Health and Fitness.

Mitch

Accelerate Health and Performance

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/acceleratehealthandperformance/

Instagram: @mitchellknightpt and @acceleratehealthandperformance

　

Primal Influence (Clint): Tips To Better Health and Fitness

Getting fit and healthy is not always about making massive lifestyle changes quickly. In fact for some people the whole idea of changing everything at once is enough to stop them even trying or they give up early on during the transition because it’s just too hard. The good news is... It doesn’t have to happen that way!


Today I’m giving you a few simple ideas of changes you can make to start a life-long journey of better health and greater quality of life. Making slow changes to different aspects of life is far more achievable, sustainable and enjoyable.


Sit on the floor more often – since chairs hit the scene we’ve come to rely on them for pretty much every resting minute of the day. This is having a damaging effect on our posture, our muscular structure, our flexibility and our mobility. By spending less time sitting on chairs and spending more time sitting on the ground we are allowing our body to take on a more natural position and rely on our own muscles and joints to support us as they are designed to, not a nice soft couch doing all the work for us. 
 
Sitting on the ground is a great way to allow feedback from our body and for it to indicate to us when it’s a good time to change positions, which will allow more of our body to engage and not become lazy and switch off. An example of this is our glute muscles; they don’t know how to function properly in every day movement because sitting at 90 degrees in chairs allows them to switch off for too long. This leads to structural imbalances and possibly injury and pain.


If you’re stuck for ideas on how to use chairs less often for your current ability level I recommend watching the following video to take you through some resting positions Http://tutorials.awarerelaxedconnected.com.au/programs/resting-transitions





Change your body position often – as mentioned above it’s important for us to change our body position regularly. I was once told "there is no such thing as bad posture, it only becomes a problem if we keep going to that same position over and over again". 

 So next time you find yourself sitting, standing, exercising and just going about your daily life waiting in lines, sitting on the train, etc etc… take note of what postures and positions you’re regularly using and whether or not they’re your default positions. 

 If you find you keep using certain positions (and I can almost guarantee you are) I suggest changing them up. Perhaps stand on one leg when waiting in a line, maybe you could use your less dominate hand for everyday activities, lean to the other side when you’re standing and sitting, cross the other leg over your other knee... the opportunities to explore this and adjust your positions are endless.



Balance more - in my books balance is one of the main movements everyone should spend some time focusing on. A lack of balance can lead to falls and falls are responsible for many injuries and even death.  

Balance is an easy thing to work on and can be adapted to whatever level you’re at. For example, a complete beginner may start by balancing on one leg standing on the floor, then the other. Balance on each leg for as long as possible. Once you’re comfortable with this then practice balancing on one leg with eyes closed! Practice these for a few days in a row.

 Once you’ve progressed past this you can then practice balancing and walking on a piece of timber from your local hardware store, just placed on the floor/ground, or even on logs or rocks in the bush and at the park.  

Once you’re capable of balancing on these different surfaces and low heights you can start testing your balance on higher and narrower objects. Look around at your local parks, in the forest, at the beach... there’s an abundance of objects and surfaces to balance on. Remember to practice walking forwards, backwards and sideways, not just in one position and in one direction (which relates to the last tip!)



Have fun - whatever direction your health and fitness journey takes it should be one thing if nothing else... fun! If you don’t enjoy doing what you’re doing, you don’t laugh and have fun then stop!
One of the main goals people have with their health and fitness regimes is to "feel good", am I right? So how can we feel good if we’re not feeling enjoyment in what we’re doing?! We’ll never reach a point of feeling good if we don’t feel good while on the journey! Simple.

Life should be fun. Our evolution to better health and fitness should be too. The "no pain no gain", "you have to work hard to get results", "you have to exercise to get fit and lose weight" are all incredibly misleading and, for the most part, untrue. The last one especially; we do not have to perform boring and unenjoyable exercise to get good results. We can move naturally and play games to get good results. And both of those are actually enjoyable!

Find a way of moving, or a few, that bring you enjoyment and happiness. Join a dance group, try acrobatics, go bushwalking, try slacklining, run around with some kids, play games with friends, look into MovNat if you’re not already familiar with it… just make sure what you do is enjoyable and you’ll have a much bigger chance of reaching your goals.



Clint and Aimee

Primal Influence

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/primalinfluence/

Instagram: @primalinfluence