While we can certainly all have a rich inner life mentally and spiritually, ultimately we translate our ideas, thoughts and spirit into reality through the vehicle of our body.

Isn’t it fair then to say that one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves is a strong, healthy, coordinated, and pain-free physical structure?

In today’s health and fitness world, new trends come and go. Fads in the fitness world are like negative campaign ads in politics… you just can’t seem to get away from them. And every new fad is trying to set that person or gym apart from the rest… show that they’re somehow special above the others.

However, we mustn’t forget what these fitness facilities are tying to do in the first place; our goal, no-matter what the means, is improved human function through an improved human structure.

Though, many personal trainers forget this, it is still at the heart of what they’re trying to achieve.

Sure, it’s nice to be admired for having a nice looking body, but it’s even nicer to get out of the bed in the morning without pain, and with the boundless energy and vibrancy of childhood, right?!

This is possible despite what you’ve been told…

You see, YOUR BODY came fully equipped with EVERYTHING IT NEEDS to be continually operating at its best… perfectly designed to adapt to the challenges you place on it. This phenomenon, called the S.A.I.D. principle, is a very well understood fact of human physiology. Its an acronym that stands for Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demand.

Let me explain…

If you carry 10 pounds of extra weight every day on only your right arm, soon your right arm muscles will adapt (grow larger) to more efficiently carry that weight… If you sit 13 hours a day you’ll fairly quickly adapt to becoming a “good sitter” (forward head, rounded shoulders and back, etc.).

This physiological principle, this adaptability, remains an over-riding phenomenon throughout our entire life. It does not go away with age.

And at ALL ages, the human body (with its ~300 joints and ~639 muscles) is beautifully designed to move in any and all directions fluidly, powerfully, and gracefully. You have these muscles and joints as a child and you still have these muscles and joints when you die. Unfortunately, once our childhood is over we typically stop moving fluidly, powerfully and gracefully and instead begin to develop unique patterns of dysfunction according to our lifestyle.

The SAID principle states that if you fail to periodically challenge your body to move in every direction (like a child at play does), you will lose the ability to do so. In other words, you will adapt to becoming stiff, immobile, and inefficient. There is a great deal of truth in the phrase, “Move it or lose it.” That is the SAID principle in a nutshell. It’s not age that causes the loss in function, it’s our lifestyles.

Here’s a beautiful picture illustrating the SAID principle at all ages. These are MRI images of thigh muscles in various men:

At the top, thighs that have adapted to their “imposed demand” -triathlons. In the middle, thighs that have adapted to their “imposed demand” -sitting. And on the bottom, despite being 70 years old, thighs that have adapted just like the 40 year-old triathletes thighs. Lean and muscular.

From the study (referenced below) the older triathletes had a greater number of motor units compared to their age-matched controls (sedentary older adults) and a similar number compared to the young. The authors concluded that lifelong high-intensity physical activity has the potential to limit the loss of motor units associated with natural aging well into the 7th decade of life.

So what needs to be done? Quit your job and go do triathlons or play like child all day long???

No, probably not the best idea. But, a focused daily exercise session trageting each and every joint, and especially your problem areas, e.g., the areas that don’t move fluidly, powerfully and gracefully, is a great start and just what you need to begin the process of rehabilitating poor posture, poor movement patterns and areas of pain, and get that boundless energy of a child back in your life.

At Athlon we start every session, no matter what your age, with sound mobility training for every joint and muscle, sound movement pattern training for every joint and muscle and then do some good exercise for your specific need.

This is the key, and to date, the only true fountain of youth that has been discovered. So be sure you’re including sound movement training into not only every exercise session but throughout your whole day every chance you get. Your body and life will be much better.

Now, actually DOING what you know you need to do and doing it correctly – well that’s the hard part.

That’s why if you think you need a little help in the “doing” department, I highly suggest you take advantage of your FREE Fitness Consultation (an $85 value).

During this consult, you’ll receive detailed information on how to get fit and trim that’s tailored to YOUR body.

There’s no obligation and it’s totally and completely free. To sign up, click here

Until next time,

Ryan

References:

McCrory JL, Salacinski AJ, Hunt SE, Greenspan SL. Thigh Muscle Strength in Senior Athletes and Healthy Controls. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2009;23(9);2430-2436.

Baker AB, Tang YQ. Aging Performance for Masters Records in Athletics, Swimming, Rowing, Cycling, Triathlon, and Weightlifting. Experimental Aging Research. 2010;36(4):453-477.

Booth FW, Zwetsloot KA. Basic concepts about genes, inactivity and aging. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2010;20(1):1-4.

Faulkner JA, Davis CS, Mendias CL, Brooks SV. The Aging of Elite Male Athletes: Age-Related Changes in Performance and Skeletal Muscle Structure and Function. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine. 2008;18(6):501-507.

Foster C, Wright G, Battista RA, Porcari JP. Training in the Aging Athlete. Current Sports Medicine Reports. 2007;6(3):200-206.

Mayer F, Scharhag-Rosenberger F, Carlsohn A, Cassel M, Muller S, Scharhag J.The Intensity and Effects of Strength Training in the Elderly. Deutsches Arzteblatt International. 2011;108(21):359-364.

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Here at Athlon, we follow the nutritional strategies of the very well respected Dr. John Berardi, creator of Precision Nutrition. One of the latest subjects his team has investigated is intermittent fasting (IF). From his book, here is a cheat sheet outlining two of their favorite protocols:

1. The Trial Fast

What It Is:

Simple, you try it out. The Trial Fast is what we have our own Lean Eating clients do: try going without food for 24 hours.

Why Do It:

To experience hunger intentionally in order to get accustomed to the feeling, and, well… not freak out. The ability to manage hunger is essential to fitness and good health, and this is a great way to get better at it. (Check out more benefits of the trial fast in the Introduction.)

Who It’s For:

The Trial Fast if for anyone who wants to try fasting without committing to it full-time. It’s also an excellent way to see if more advanced forms of fasting will be right for you.

Get a little spacey during your trial fast? A little irritated at people? Well, those are actually common responses. Nothing to worry about. Want to put your head through a wall or yell at everyone who enters the room? That could be a problem. But you’ll never know until you try.

How To Do It:

Essentially, you pick any 24-hour period, and don’t eat during it. But we like to add a few things to make it easier. Here, we’ll assume a Sunday fast:

10 PM Saturday:

• Eat your last meal of the day
• Drink 500 mL (2 cups) of water

10 AM Sunday:

• Drink 1 L (4 cups) of water + 1 serving greens powder
• Drink 250 mL (1 cup) of green tea
• Take 5 grams BCAA (branched chain amino acids) powder (or take 5 capsules)

3 PM Sunday:

• Drink 1 L (4 cups) of water + 1 serving greens powder
• Drink 250 mL (1 cup) green tea
• Take 5 grams BCAA (branched chain amino acids) powder (or take 5 capsules)

10 PM Sunday:

• Eat a small snack before bed
• Drink 500 mL (2 cups) of water

Monday:

• Eat normally

Tips and Strategies for the Trial Fast:

• The tea, greens, and BCAAs aren’t essential to fasting, but in our experience, they make it a lot easier.
• Drinking water in particular helps to mitigate feelings of hunger.
• Be aware of your body cues. Feeling stressed out or “upset” during your fast? Relax. Take a few deep breaths, and pay close attention — this is what hunger can feel like. The more you know about the feeling, the easier it is to manage in the future.
• Have healthy food (lean meats, veggies, etc.) in the house and ready to go when you “break” the fast on Sunday night with a small meal. We suggest a tablespoon of almond butter and some celery. Also, having healthy food in the house is good insurance that you won’t binge on Monday when you return to normal eating.

2. The Periodic Fast

What It Is:

The Periodic Fast is exactly what it sounds like: you fast periodically. So while you should still eat well (high protein, lots of veggies, a balance of fats, and a moderate intake of minimally processed carbohydrates) you’d periodically take a full day to fast (just like the Trial Fast).

You can do this once a year, once a month, once a week — whatever works for you. But we recommend no more frequently than once a week; as you can read in Chapter 5, twice a week proved disastrous. Fair warning.

Why Do It:

To further practice hunger management and experience more of the potential health and fat loss benefits of intermittent fasting.

Who It’s For:

The Periodic Fast is for anyone who responded well to the Trial Fast.

How To Do It:

The Periodic Fast is flexible: you can choose whichever 24 hours you want. Want to fast from breakfast to breakfast? That’s cool. Just eat breakfast on Monday, and don’t eat again until breakfast on Tuesday. Want to fast dinner to dinner? That’s cool too. Eat dinner on Wednesday, and don’t eat again until dinner on Thursday.

To do it, simply follow the rules above from the “Trial Fast”.

Tips and Strategies:

• I like to do the Periodic Fast when traveling. When I’m in and out of airports and good food is hard to come by, I’ll throw in a full-day fast when it makes sense. Other people find that travel stresses them out, and fasting may exacerbate that feeling. You may prefer to pick the least stressful day in your week or month and start with that.

But ultimately, fasting is a “nice-to-have.” It’s unnecessary to get in shape, and alone it’s insufficient.

You know what’s both necessary and sufficient? Things like eating good quality food in the right amounts at the right times. Things like learning to prepare healthy food in the first place. Those things are enough for most people to get in the best shape of their lives. I know, because my team and I have helped thousands of clients get there; none of them did any more than the Trial Fast, but all of them are taught those essentials.

So if you’re looking at all this intermittent fasting stuff and aren’t sure where it fits in for you, what should you do?

Learn the essentials of good nutrition. It’s by far the best thing you can do for your health and fitness.

Let the professionals at Athlon help guide you into superb nutrition and ultimately outstanding mental and physical wellness. All you have to do is CLICK HERE and ask!

‘Til next time!

Haley

P.S. We’re serious about helping people achieve what they want out of their bodies (and lives). We’re here for you. Just click the link above and request a free consultation to learn exactly what we do and how we do it. It could be the best decision you’ve ever made!

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You want in on a dirty little secret around that 5-10 pound holiday weight gain?  It’s a myth! It’s not true!

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What is true, however, is that most people put on 1-2 pounds – that they never lose.  (Unless you are already significantly overweight, in which case you are likely to gain 5-7 pounds.)

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So, it’s not the weight gain that is the problem, it’s the lack of weight loss. Over 5 years that’s 10 pounds – which looks remarkably like the middle-aged spread phenomenon we see, right?

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How to Have a Scale-Friendly Holidays

Keep Your Stress Down. Stress causes inflammation, generates a hormone cascade that causes us to stop metabolizing fat, and make food decisions we wouldn’t normally make.

No one will remember if you are 10 minutes late to the party, didn’t get the holiday cards out, or forgot the cranberries for the Turkey dinner (though my family might). Swap it all for a deep breath, a smile, and a laugh – that’s really what you want people to remember about you isn’t it?

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Maintain Your Dietary Restrictions. If you are gluten-free, lactose intolerant, grain-free, or adhere to any of the other numerous dietary restrictions that are common in today’s society, the holidays are not a time to give them up.  If your body is intolerant, you’ll just be adding fuel to the fire by indulging. One option? Find an awesome dietary-compliant treat that fits your specific food criteria, and bring that to the party. Your body – and the other guests – will thank you.

Choose Wisely. It’s true that variety is the spice of life.  However, during the holiday season of festivities, it can also be a recipe for overeating.  With all the amazing variety of good, fun food during the season, one option may be to simply choose your foods wisely.  Pick one to three foods during a get-together that you are most likely to enjoy, and enjoy them.  A second option: get your plate, put the food on it you’re going to eat during that party, eat it and then be done. The reasons are simple – if you fill your plate once, you can see and know your calories more easily and because you are still eating with the group, you won’t feel deprived of the joy that we get when we enjoy good food and good friends.

Use Caloric Averaging. One bad meal isn’t the end of the world, I promise.  Our body isn’t like a cash register that cashes out at the end of every day. We can look at our caloric intake over longer periods of time, giving ourselves permission to average over a weekend, a week, or several weeks. Some days we intake more calories, and some days less.

Be Active, Stay Active. Activity levels matter.  Studies show that those who become active or stay active during the holidays are less likely to gain that one to two pounds.  As you relax and enjoy your family and friends, make a plan to keep moving (like coming into Athlon and training).  And if you need help with that plan we’re here for you!  Just ask.  And if you’re not already a member sign up for your free consult today and learn how we can help you get the body and performance that you want and deserve!

www.SLOPersonalTraining.com

Don’t skip it or put it off!  You’ll burn calories, reduce stress, and improve brain function – the trifecta of wellness for a healthy and happy holiday season.

Happy Holidays to You and Your Loved Ones

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Great video by Dr. Mike Evans.  Check it out.

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Attention runners and non-runners. I have a challenge for you (and myself)…

The first annual SLO Marathon will be held on April 22nd, 2012. I would like to invite any other first time marathoners to join me in participating and COMPLETING our very first marathon.  That’s right, I have never done a marathon, but damnit, it’s about time!

Let’s help support a great local activity and a worthy charity, and be a part of something that’s going to be huge someday right from the beginning?

Why am I deciding to do my first marathon now?

I recently took a few days off to participate in a yoga and meditation retreat. Having a lot of time to reflect, I realized I am in need of a new challenge… A new perspective.  And a new goal. I want to put myself in a new mindset.

During this time of reflection, I’ve noted the times I’ve been most happy with myself (my accomplishments, my capacity for love and growth, overall confidence and body image) is when I was running.

I’ve done a lot of running in my life, including many half marathons. Being a lifelong competitive soccer player, running was always the next logical step in terms of training and challenges. But since my diagnosis of Ankylosing Spondylitis about 18 months ago, I haven’t run more than a handful of times. Since the very first symptom, my running regimen had been almost immediately haulted. I’ve been doing a lot more high intensity strength training to fill the running gaps, which has greatly increased my strength, but running is no longer easy for me. It was once my go-to exercise for stress relief; a simple no-brainer, just put on my headphones and cruise my way to bliss.

Running just like any other exercise, is a drug for me.  And I must admit, I’m totally addicted…

I love that “high” you get from a hard, sweaty workout, as anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that I’m a little crazy when it comes to exercise. Granted I’ve toned it down A LOT, but my workouts are the one thing, the one drug, that I cannot live without. As painful as it sometimes is, as much as I sometimes don’t want to do it, I still cannot, and will not, give it up.

To quote one of my favorite musical groups NeedtoBreathe:

“Though I feel like I’m just as strong, as any man I know, I’m not able. I’m not able. I’m not able…on my own.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself… I am strong. Sometimes I don’t feel strong. I am able. Sometimes I don’t feel able. But together, united, we are stronger, we are able.

So as I challenge myself to this feat, I also challenge YOU to accomplish something different. Perhaps you’ve never given a thought to completing a marathon, perhaps you’ve never believed you could do it. But together, we are able. It’s time to get out of our comfort zones and force a little self-growth.

As a bonus, I am also going to hold weekly running sessions in which you can choose to attend. Typically this will be held Sunday mornings on the beach. If you do not already have a running buddy, I will put myself “on lease” through this journey.    This will help everyone stay on track, stay focused and stay motivated.

Who’s with me?!

Call Athlon and ask for me, or leave me a message, if you have any questions about getting started or want to confirm the weekend’s run.  I look forward to running with you.

Here’s to 26.2,

Haley

P.S. Of course I’m not just limiting my challenge to first timers.  Anyone who needs a little something to work towards, this is your chance!

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It’s that time of year again . . .

The Annual Procession of All Things “Carb”… potatoes, bread rolls, chips & crackers, candied yams, cranberry spreads & sauces full of sugar, and all manner of desserts.

You know that we typically frown on the heavy carb eating here at Athlon; so here’s your solution to get through the Thanksgiving Holiday without cutting out too much of those yummy carbs:

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1. Thursday morning wake-up, have a cup of coffee and then go for a 30+ minute run; or hike Bishops Peak or Cerro San Luis (Madonna mtn).  This will create the right hormonal environment in your body so it will know exactly what to do with all those carbs.  Now go ahead and enjoy the rest of your day and eat what you want (what the heck, it’s Thanksgiving)…

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2. Then, Friday or Saturday, come into Athlon and do your

**Turkey Payment Workout**

Start with 2 Rounds of front and side planks: 30 seconds each .

Then do 3 rounds of:

• 10 Kettlebell/Dumbbell Swings
• 10 Push-ups (or Incline Push Ups)
• 10 Jumping pullups (or Lat Pulldown)
• 10 Walkouts
• 10 Walking Lunges (or Split Squats)
• 10 Ring Rows

Finish with 15 minutes of Cardio: preferably a run outside if the weather’s nice, otherwise use the Bike or Stairclimber.

**Bonus**

**10 extra minutes of Cardio for every extra serving you ate on Thursday
**10 extra Jumping pullups or Lunges for every alcoholic beverage consumed on Thursday

Happy Turkey Day!

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I was recently reminded of an article I read this summer when I met with the parents of an 11 year-old boy last night.  They came to me to get a second opinion on whether their son should not play basketball and baseball this year so he could instead focus on speed training and play only football (the advice given to them by a “speed coach”).  Let me tell you… thank god they had the wisdom to “feel” that this didn’t make sense.

This article by Max Prokopy sums it up perfectly.  Read on and learn…

1997 was a landmark year for young athletes, burgeoning internet gurus, and helicopter parents. As Tiger Woods drained the final putt of a record-setting performance at the Masters, millions of parents, coaches, and educators watched in awe. Tiger’s first TV golf appearance was at age 2(!). By age 21 he was the most formidable force in the sporting world. Either conscious or sub-conscious, these well-documented facts galvanized the early specialization movement. Best-selling books such as Outliers, The Talent Code, and Bounce are wonderful accounts of the grueling ascent to expertise. However, they might create as much trouble as inspiration. The message received by parents and coaches often places early specialization into one sport above the value of diverse movement. More importantly, it’s held high above “play.” While there may be more Tigers-in-progress than ever before, we’ve also seen a rapid rise in youth sport overuse injuries.

Tiger joined a list of young phenoms like Mozart and Bobby Fischer; people who got in their 10,000 hours at a remarkably young age. The message is loud and clear to many parents and sport coaches: start your kids young. However, I think the real lessons are distorted. When I think of starting young, the intent should always be developing the fundamentals that can apply to all branches of a discipline. For Mozart, that’s developing pitch and scales; for Bobby Fischer it’s reading people and strategies; for athletes, it’s the fundamental patterns of movement. To borrow a phrase from my colleague Dewey Nielsen, getting in your 10,000 hours should have this goal: “Be brilliant at the basics.” It’s not about sending your kid to pitching camp at age 9. It is about playing football or soccer in the fall, basketball or wrestling in winter, and track or baseball in spring. It is about playing with your neighbors until dark during the summer. It is about learning how to run, rotate, lu nge, skip, and pivot. One day it’s kickball, another day street hockey. What can be developed is fundamental to athleticism: acceleration, deceleration, rotational power, read and react, etc. No one sport corners the market on these skills. Likewise, no one sport should dominate the lives of children or even young adults.

This theory was given weight when I recently read The Boys of Winter. In reconstructing the personalities of the 1980 US Olympic ice hockey team, I began to realize a common thread of diversity amongst the players. Be they from Minnesota or Massachusetts, everything from stickball to fishing was enjoyed. What came out of these circumstances was deep passion for hockey but this was allowed to grow over time. Motivation, just like movement, was not funneled into one all-encompassing sport. Kids who got to play 7 sports with the neighbors eventually found one they loved. This lies in stark contrast with the evolution of Tiger Woods and those who wish to emulate his life. It’s unfair to draw from a sample of one but we can look deeper into the early phenom phenomenon and find more clues. Athletes like Tracy Austin, Jennifer Capriati and Ty Tryon (there are many more) all reached notoriety at a very young age — and subsequently slipped due to injury and burnout. How about young e ntertainment stars who regularly collapse into a life of chaos? I hope most people realize the miniscule chances of turning little Suzy into the next sensation. In doing some research, I found there are about 546,000 male high school basketball players. The NCAA hands out 7177 scholarships over Divisions I and II. That means about 1.3% of varsity players will have access to scholarship money over a four-year cycle. For many parents and coaches these statistics suggest that camps and single-sport focus is the way to maximize the chance of being in that 1.3%. While I am all for dedication to a personal passion, I have to respectfully disagree. This comes after years of watching coaches do things like mimic a golf swing with a 15-pound dumbbell or having throwers only do ¼ squats for legs. Collegiate sport coaches look as much for athleticism as anything else. They want their players to be athletes first and it is best developed by a wide range of sports. Early specialization can accomplish this but it carries the likely prices of burnout and overuse injuries.

Research has clearly shown that the body will accomplish an assigned task with little regard to correct movement mechanics. So if a 12-year old is pitching 8 months a year, the task remains the same but the movements will change due to fatigue. This is the platform for developing an overuse injury. Statistics show these are on the rise. The same holds true for any posture specific to a single sport. It’s why swimmers have a hard time with good shoulder mechanics and tennis players struggle to hip hinge. It’s precisely why baseballers should pick up a soccer ball. (It’s also why desk jockeys should favor rows and deadlifts over biking and benching.) Some sports are less skill specific and thus seem to produce more well-rounded athletes. Funny, that.

Let’s be clear: there is nothing wrong with sending a child to soccer camp over the summer. Problems occur when a child plays the same sport year-round. There is no suggestion to drop the concept of hard work or “deliberate practice.” Simply put, a child’s 10,000 hours should be spent moving in all kinds of environments and being a part of different sport cultures; aka playing. What comes of this is a group of athletes who are (a) less likely to burn out; (b) more capable of adapting to a new coaching style (a highly underrated piece of the puzzle); and (c) less likely to be hurt. These players will look like athletes and work in whatever sport they end up loving. So feel free to work on those 10,000 hours. But don’t drive by the playground on your way to Jimmy’s “elite” summer hockey league. Stop the car and let him go play.

To Your Athletic Success (no matter how old you are),

Ryan

P.S., I wrote the ultimate “off-season” training program and revealed it in today’s newsletter.  If you don’t get our newsletter you better get signed up right here:  www.AthlonSLO.com/newsletter

P.P.S., High quality strength and conditioning can also be a great “off-season” activity for developing a better athlete.  At Athlon it involves: running, jumping, lifting, carrying, twisting, turning, pulling, pushing, visual training, and good body positioning practice.  It definitely comes second to “play” for a child, but it’s better than playing the sport year-round.  Learn more and sign-up for a free consult at:  www.SLOSportsPerformance.com

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Moving is something you do everyday, even when your sleeping. Arguably it is the most important aspect of life. And if you aren’t doing it enough (or correctly, which is what this blog is about) you’re going to have some real problems in your life. So let’s talk about movement and a little thing we like to call “The Joint by Joint Approach.” Personally, ever since I started applying this way of thinking to my exercise program the dance floor hasn’t been the same!  Let me break it down for ya’ll.

First, there are two words you need to somewhat understand, though, one could write an entire blog post on each of them; mobility and stability. Basically, think of mobility as describing something that needs lots of movement in multiple directions; and stability as something that needs to be just that, stable, not move or at least have very restricted movements. Remember, we’re talking joint by joint here, not muscle by muscle. That’s important.

So, the joints from the bottom up (stick with me, this will be clear in a minute):

• Foot/Ankle: mobility
• Knee: stability
• Hip: mobility (by the way, the hip is where your butt is, hope that’s clear now)
• Lumbar Spine (lower back): stability
• Thoracic Spine (upper back): mobility
• Scapulothoracic (shoulder blades): stability
• Shoulder: mobility
• Elbow: stability

Do you see the pattern here? Pretty cool how that works, huh?! So, now imagine if one part of that chain is doing the opposite of what it should be doing, it would thwart the rest, right? The easiest example of this, and probably the most common problem we humans have physically, is back pain. When you have a lack of mobility in the hips, (from say sitting at a desk all day, then riding in your car to get home, then sitting in front of the TV watching your favorite TV shows until you go to bed only to do it all again tomorrow), you have a “break” in the chain of fluid “joint by joint” movement. That motion has to come from somewhere and so it will come from the joint just below (the knee) or the joint just above (the low back). Gravity doesn’t change… the universe stays in motion and so must we.

The body is an amazing adapter in this way, which serves us well, until we begin to “chronically” move this way. When your low back starts moving “extra” to make up for a hip that’s not doing its job you’ve got some real problems. (probably why 8 out of 10 Americans experience back pain in their life). So, if you’ve got some back pain there’s a good chance it’s not because there’s something wrong with your back but instead something wrong with the mobility/stability chain. If you train with us at Athlon we’ll be able to identify what part of the chain isn’t moving and fix it.

Another common example of a joint having a problem when it really isn’t its fault is knee pain. Knee pain is often a function of a lack of ankle/foot mobility (the joint below). Mobility in the ankle is incredibly important, I mean we do use our feet a lot, right?! Imagine if we took 10,000 steps on an ankle that’s not as mobile as it should be… again, gravity doesn’t change so that motion has to come from somewhere. Yup, you guessed it, the knee… and hence knee pain! Since the “stable” knee doesn’t want to move in ways that the “mobile” ankle does you’ve now got some real annoying knee pain. Again, we can help fix this with a methodical “joint by joint” approach to exercise and training.

These are only a couple examples, but now you have the overall picture. Hopefully, this will get your wheels turning and help you understand how we work with our clients at Athlon and why we harp on the things that we do. Movement is a very important thing in life (arguably the most important thing) and whenever movement is hindered by an injury, (either from a trauma or just years of moving poorly), it can drastically reduce your quality of life. Come train with us at Athlon and learn how to move optimally and hence look and feel great. That’s what we do and we’re here for you. Simply click here and sign-up for a complimentary consultation to learn about Athlon’s training programs and how it could benefit you more.

Move well,

Cory

P.S. we’re serious about this stuff, so sign up for your free consultation and learn how we can really help you move better and hence look and feel better.  It simple and it’s FREE.  www.SLOPersonalTraining.com/consult

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