Your Body Is Functional
Are you dysfunctional?
Here's a tactic to get people to buy something.
Tell them there is something wrong, like a "dysfunction". Then make yourself sound smart and sell a "solution".
Your body is not dysfunctional. It is functioning exactly the way it is supposed to. Even when it is not functioning optimally.
Here's an example: Limping.
You can observe someone limping and assume they sprained an ankle, or hurt their knee. Or that they have a blister. Or are recovering from a surgery.
Are they dysfunctional? Not at all. Limping is a normal response to address the current situation. Should you limp forever? Nope.
There are plenty of things fitness and health gurus will promote as dysfunctions.
Posture
Alignment
Limp length
Shoulder height
Walking gait
What you eat
How you sleep
...
The list is endless.
Want to improve the way your body functions? Amazing. Love that for you.
But don't let someone else feed you a bullshit narrative that you are dysfunctional and that you need some product or program to be fixed.
Disclaimer: This post is about categorizing normal things as dysfunctional. There are certain things that need to be addressed by medical professionals.
Are You Starting At The Right Point?
Frustrated by a lack of progress? Maybe there is a better starting point for you?
Do you ever get frustrated by a lack of progress? Like you've hit a wall and results just aren't happening.
Maybe you would benefit from a different entry point.
Let's say you want to learn how to play hockey. The first step probably wouldn't be to throw you into a professional hockey game and hope for the best.
Or maybe you've played hockey for many years, but have aspirations of playing at a certain level. The first step probably wouldn't be to throw you into your 5-year-old cousin's hockey practice and hope you learn something.
Where you start is important. We want the appropriate level of challenge.
The same goes for improving your health and fitness.
We want it to be hard enough that we are able to improve, but not so challenging that it becomes overwhelming.
Where you start is important. It's ok to take a step back when things aren't working. Maybe then you will be able to take two steps forward.
“I Don’t Have Time To Train”
Do you have time to improve? Yes.
"I don't have time to train" - says the hard-working person with a ton on their plate.
This statement may 100% be true. But it doesn't have to be. We can change our definition of training.
The way the fitness and gym industry conventionally operates can lead to people assuming that they need to allocate a 60-minute block of time to exercise. But why?
Training and exercise are simply a means of self-improvement. There are plenty of ways you can improve yourself. You can read a book to learn something. You can meditate to calm your mind. You can create the habit of drinking more water. The list is endless.
Self-improvement does not need to have a minimum requirement.
Can't read for more than 5 minutes? Don't bother.
Can't meditate without distractions. Don't bother.
Can't drink a glass of water at every meal. Don't bother.
Can't exercise for a full 60 minutes. Don't bother.
That would all be bullshit.
Start wherever you are at.
Some truly have the craziest schedules.
Here is an idea I gave to a client who is struggling to fit training into their current day:
Set reminders for yourself at whatever time interval you want: 1 hour, 3 hours, whatever.
Move your body for whatever time period you have. That could be 1 minute, 5 minutes, whatever.
What you do really isn't that important. You could do some squats, some pushups, some stretches, or if you are feeling wild, some burpees.
What matters is that you are making the time for yourself. That is progress.
Motivation Won’t Always Be There. That’s OK.
What is more powerful than motivation? Purpose.
A common reason that people start to work with a coach or a trainer is to help them stay motivated.
I get it. You want someone to help you with something you are struggling with; the motivation to do things to help you improve.
Here's the thing: they can't. Not long-term.
Sure someone can be encouraging, supportive and energetic. Maybe you respond well to that. It gets you motivated. But for how long?
I don't believe motivation is the issue.
It's purpose.
You need a driving force for your actions.
Something to fall back on when motivation is not there.
I can't define your purpose. I can't make you do the thing.
Only you can do that.
But I'm here to help. To guide you there.
The Purpose Project: a self-directed guide where you get the opportunity to ask yourself some challenging questions. Dive into your goals. Find a driving force for your actions. The purpose for the things you want. Because your motivation won't always be there. But your purpose will be.
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I Have Insurance. Why Would I Work With A Coach?
The case for coaches on your rehab team.
I like sports so here's a sports analogy.
Rehab is best accomplished with a team approach.
Your doctor, physiotherapist, chiropractor or (insert registered rehabilitation profession); they are like the head coach.
They have a lot of responsibilities. They are extremely knowledgeable and have a unique set of skills that put them in the position of head coach. But their resources, especially time, can be limited. When they have a big team they can not spend multiple hours a week with every single person on the team. They would get burnt out.
A fitness professional who is educated in the rehabilitation realm, is like the assistant coach. They are more involved in the day to day activities. They have the time to make changes in coordination with the guidance of the head coach. They also develop the entire athlete or client, not just the problems (pain, etc) that have already been identified. They communicate with the head coach to inform them on the progress of the athlete, so that adjustments and further care can be provided.
Without the assistant coach, the head coach could have athletes (clients) who are struggling to progress. Maybe they are struggling with accountability. Maybe they are struggling to maintain an active lifestyle in their rehab.
Without the head coach, the assistant coach could hit roadblocks that become out of their scope. Maybe it's its a treatment or diagnosis they are not qualified to provide. Maybe it's knowledge about a particular issue.
When working together, fitness professionals and health care providers can all succeed. And more importantly the client succeeds.
So yes, if you have insurance you don't need to also work with a coach to solve your problem. But with a good team, I believe it to be a results multiplier that gets you a better return on your investment. Especially if you want to live an active lifestyle.
The Pain Solution Does Not Need To Be Your Weight
Your weight is probably not the only source of your pain.
The physical pain you may be experiencing does not need to be attributed to the weight on the scale.
Here's why: You did not become that weight overnight. And people can experience pain regardless of weight.
Injuries can occur from doing too much too soon. Like trying to squat too much without adequate recovery and adaptation.
So if weight was supposed to be the cause of pain, then you would have to have dramatically changed your weight. And fast. I really doubt this is the case for most people.
Your body is adaptable. That includes your body weight.
Pain is not as simple as saying that if you lost 20lbs your pain would be gone.
It's a false narrative that can promote unhealthy diet culture and lead to people not getting the treatment and care they need because of their weight.
Pain has multiple factors worth investigating. Thankfully the activities that can influence weight loss can also influence pain (sleep, stress, physical activity, nutrition). Weight loss may help your pain, but it's probably not the only thing going on.
If you want to lose weight while reducing pain, great. If not that is totally fine as well.
The Magic Pills
Are you waiting for magic?
In fitness, there are no cures. No magic pills. No silver bullets.
It's the unfortunate truth.
If you hear someone in the fitness industry say they have the cure for XYZ, RUN!
There are no cures for back pain.
There are no cures for weight loss.
There are no cures for ageing.
But there can be solutions.
Solutions that are unique to the situation and the individual. Those solutions require information and investigation. Time and effort. Commitment to a process.
Your time and energy should be devoted to those willing to learn about you instead of offering a cure that does not exist.
Get Started. Then Keep Moving.
Perfect conditions don’t exist. So you might as well get started.
If you are waiting for the perfect conditions to make progress on your goals you will be waiting for a very long time. Because perfect conditions don’t exist.
You can make progress with the conditions and constraints that you have.
Sure, maybe if there were fewer obstacles you could make more progress.
But we don’t need to wait for the obstacles to magically disappear.
One small step forward is better than none.
Get started. Then keep moving.
Need help getting started? Let's chat.
Your Resolution Can Be About More Than 2022
What is your New Year’s resolution about?
Your New Year’s resolution could change the rest of your life.
2022 is a small portion of your life. But it could have a lot of impacts.
You do not need to set New Year’s resolutions.
But if you do, let’s make it impactful.
Maybe it’s making physical activity a part of your life.
Maybe it’s addressing that pain you have had for years.
Maybe it’s improving the way you fuel your body.
Those things, if implemented over the long term could change your life.
They could lead to the best version of you.
They won’t happen immediately. They will take time. They will be challenging.
And they will be worth it.
Need help with executing your goals? Let’s chat.
And subscribe to my newsletter for more New Year’s Resolution tips. Link in bio.
It’s Not About Fitness
Are your goals about fitness, or something bigger?
I realize that if you want to lose 20 pounds, it’s not just about the weight.
It’s about how you think you’ll feel when you’ve lost 20 pounds.
If you want to get your first pull-up, it’s not about the pull-up. It’s about feeling strong and confident.
If you want help getting rid of aches and pains, it’s not about the aches and pains. It’s about being able to do whatever the pain is keeping you from doing.
People come to me looking to get fitter. I realize the results they really want are to feel the way that they think a fit person feels.
Your goals aren’t silly.
It’s not about fitness.
It’s about how fitness will help you feel.
It’s about what you can do and who you become through fitness.
Let’s work on becoming that person, together.
Look Ahead
Keep your eyes on the road ahead.
When we make decisions in training are we looking at the road ahead?
Or are we looking at the ground in front of us, seeking immediate gratification?
Sure it can be nice to go for that PR. Or to try something new.
But that immediate gratification, that boost to your ego, does it serve you well? Does it get you where you want to be?
Look at the road ahead, make decisions that get you where you want to be. Have a coach or someone to keep you accountable.
Keep looking at the ground in front of you, eventually you will hit a wall.
Professional Coaching
What is professional coaching?
There’s fitness (trainers and coaches, ass and abs), and there’s healthcare (doctors, insurance, and the healthcare system).
Between those two things, there is a HUGE gap.
In that gap live people who doctors don’t have time to help (because we are asking them to do too much), and fitness trainers who don’t know how to help (because they can work around “it”, but they can’t fix “it”).
In that gap are people who went to therapy for their back pain, and when it got better and they eased back into activity, it came right back.
People who went to therapy week after week, month after month, for their knee pain, and still can’t run.
People who have shoulder pain, and are told “just stop lifting overhead”.
People who want to say “yes” to being active. “Yes” to all the activities they enjoy.
These are my people. The people I want to help.
This is why I invest time, money and energy learning from companies like @activelifeprofessional.
Those people in the gap are worth it. If you are one of those people and are still struggling, I am here to help.
Solutions Without Information
Have you been offered a solution without that person knowing anything about you?
A proposed solution without information is not a solution. It’s a guess.
This story comes from a Facebook group of a very popular CrossFit programming company.
Someone posted that they had developed tendinitis in their elbows during the 13-week strict pulling cycle that they had just completed (as per the group programming). They were looking for advice.
The first comment is from a coach and gym owner.
“Smash scapula with lacrosse ball leaning on the wall, don’t do any movements that are more than a 5/10 for pain. Don’t take anti-inflammatories. Don’t ice. Do get a voodoo band and then message me when you get it”.
So far the only information from the person experiencing pain is that they just did 13 weeks of strict pulling. They say they have tendinitis. We do not know if that is a diagnosis from a professional or a self-diagnosis.
There is very little information.
So I ask this coach why he chose the scapula. I thought it was a more professional question than my alternative of “why are providing solutions without knowing what the problem is”.
The answer: “Anatomically I can’t tell you. I just know that where this is pain it’s often upstream or downstream causing it.
So what is NOT downstream from the elbow? The scapula.
But he’s going to send me some magical video of how to “fix” elbow tendonitis. I’m really looking forward to it.
To offer advice you need information.
Without information, anything is a guess. Guesses have a low likelihood of success. It’s ok to not know.
Information that would be beneficial:
What was their training volume like before the 13-week cycle? Especially with pulling movements.
Is the pain isolated at the elbow? Anything in the shoulder or wrist? Does it get better or worse with activity?
Do they have the mobility to get into the positions they need for the movements they want to do? Especially in the shoulder and wrist.
Any previous injury history?
What is their recovery like? How much do they sleep? What is their stress like?
These are only a few questions. There are plenty of others that could come up with a potential client.
Listen first. Get the information.
We Are Doing It Wrong
Training should not consist of pain.
If you are consistently working out in pain we are doing it wrong.
Maybe it’s the volume.
Maybe it’s the intensity.
Maybe it’s the technique.
Maybe what we are doing isn’t addressing your problems.
Maybe what we are doing isn’t the best path for you at this time.
I say “we” very intentionally.
Because it’s not only the responsibility of the client/athlete/member.
It’s also the responsibility of the coach/gym/program.
It should be a team effort. With all parties held accountable.
You do not need to tolerate pain.
Fitness should augment your life. Not leave you in pain.
Pain Isn’t Funny
Is pain a laughing matter?
If you have been dealing with pain for weeks, months or even years, it’s not funny anymore.
Sure there are videos all over the internet of painful experiences that could be objectively funny. Search for fail videos and I’m sure you will find a good laugh. That’s not the pain I’m referring to.
Consistent pain is not funny.
Maybe it’s the pain you feel when you walk up steps.
Maybe it’s the pain you feel in your wrist when you are at work.
Maybe it’s the pain you feel when you deadlift.
This pain can be addressed. Unfortunately laughing is not the answer.
It takes a coach and/or clinician willing to listen instead of laugh.
Trust The Process. If There Is One.
What process are you trusting?
It’s hard to trust something that doesn’t exist.
This idea comes from a recent @aocoaching podcast episode about cliché fitness advice.
Trust the process is a big one.
You tell your coach that you aren’t seeing any progress. Trust the process.
You tell your coach that your knee hurts. Trust the process.
You tell your coach that you ate some really bad Taco Bell before the workout. Trust the process.
Trust the process would be great advice if a process actually exists.
If there is no process there is nothing to trust.
Saying to trust the process would be a way to escape accountability.
When there is a process, trust is very important. Results don’t happen overnight. The process takes time.
As a coach, it is my job to develop a plan and a process to get you to where you want to be. And to communicate it well so that you can trust that it will work for you.
You Don’t Need To Spend Hours In The Gym
How much time should you spend in the gym?
Unless you are a competitive athlete you do not need to spend hours in the gym multiple days a week to see results.
These are the physical activity guidelines from the World Health Organization for adults age 18-64:
1: should do at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity;
2: Or at least 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity; or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity throughout the week.
3: should also do muscle-strengthening activities at moderate or greater intensity that involve all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week, as these provide additional health benefits.
That's a minimum of 2.5 hours and a maximum of 5 hours of moderate intensity activity. A lot less as your intensity increases. They say you can increase those activity levels for additional benefits, but that isn’t elaborated on.
You can hit the minimums with 30 minutes of activity, for 5 days. Or by going to the gym for 2-3 days at an hour each session.
If you want to dedicate more time to the gym, that's great. But eventually there will be diminishing returns.
Maybe the additional time you spend in the gym could be spent on your recovery. Take a nap :)
Maybe the additional time you spend in the gym could be spent engaging in other enjoyable social activities that contribute to your mental health.
Maybe the additional time you spend in the gym could be spent preparing a nice meal. @hellofreshca sponsor me.
Just because you see someone else spending 2-3 hours a day in the gym, doesn’t mean you need to. Maybe they need to based on their goals. Or maybe they need another hobby.
Low Back Sore After You Deadlift?
Are deadlifts the problem?
Does deadlifting leave you with low back soreness the next day?
Deadlifts get a bad reputation for low back pain and soreness.
I often hear things like “I deadlifted yesterday and now my low back is sore, I must have done something wrong with my technique”.
Sure it’s possible that your technique could have been improved, maybe recruiting other areas of your body to assist you. Maybe leading to less soreness.
But soreness also doesn’t need to be bad. We don’t always want to be sore, but soreness is a normal response to training, including with deadlifts. I have yet to hear “My biceps are sore from pullups yesterday, I must have done something wrong with my technique”.
Deadlifts are a posterior chain exercise (back half of your body). Your low back is included in that. While we want your glutes and hamstrings driving the majority of the activity, your low back is absolutely involved.
Here are some things you could look at that could influence that soreness:
Recovery: How has your sleep and nutrition been? Are you adequately fueling your body? Were you giving yourself adequate rest between sets?
Training loads: Did you increase your training loads to volumes that your body has not experienced yet?
Movement quality: Was your movement quality better at different weights or reps?
Areas of strength: Is your low back simply not as strong as other areas of your body? Maybe it just needs time to catch up.
Soreness is normal and ok. It doesn’t need to stop us from progressing.
If It Sounds Cheap It Probably Is…
You don’t deserve cheap solutions.
You’ve been experiencing pain for years.
Maybe it’s the pain of not seeing the progress you want.
Maybe it’s physical pain.
You’ve tried so many things.
You’ve bought the gadgets.
You’ve read every article you can find.
Then someone comes along and says they have the solution for you!
And it’s cheap!
It sounds too good to be true!
And it probably is.
This isn’t to say that solutions can’t be affordable. They most definitely can.
But no one can say that they have the solution for you unless they can accurately understand your problem.
Pain is a broad subject with an incredibly broad array of factors that could lead to a solution.
Find yourself someone who is willing to listen to you first, before offering up a plan to solve the problem.
No Pain No Gain
Do you need to go through pain to get results?
No pain, no gain.
This sentence is on the All Star team for dumbest sayings about exercise. It's up for MVP.
It implies that to see progress you need to feel pain. That it’s inevitable.
It started in 1982 with Jane Fonda. She would say things like “no pain, no pain” and “feel the burn”. It’s led to some people thinking that we need to push past muscle fatigue and that delayed onset muscle soreness is the sign of an effective workout.
It’s been frequently mentioned in high level sports and athletics.
And it’s seeped into everyday life and gym culture.
And it’s false.
To see progress in your training in the gym, pain is not needed. Sure you want to challenge yourself. That is important. But there is a big difference between challenging and painful.