Random Gym Etiquette

If you are a consistent gym-goer, you will have a pretty good idea what is acceptable gym etiquette, and what is behaviour that could make most people there hate you.  Lately where I train, there have been a lot of dingbats that need some education in gym etiquette.

I am just sitting down now to rant, calm myself and see what comes out – completely random.

1. Put your weights away! (In the proper place.  No the lady on the treadmill is not your mom even though she may have the same hairstyle, and she won’t put them away for you)

2. Wipe Wipe Wipe. (Pretend you smell like onions, which you probably do, and imagine your dream person is going to use the equipment after you.  Don’t let them know how stinky you are.  Even if there is no sweat, wipe it down.)

3. Unnecessary Noise/Grunts .  (There is always someone stronger than you, they are just quieter than you.  You don’t have to grunt and groan when lifting warm up weights.  I guarantee that 99/100 people think you are a moron, and that one person who thinks you are cool, is you.)

4. Don’t tell me about the girl you are looking at. (I have a Hot, Godly Wife at home, and I don’t need you to tell me there is a girl in tight pants that I should look at.  I know they are there, I don’t need to look and Jesus Says that is cheating in my heart.)

5. Girls, don’t show off. (Guys are too weak to try to control themselves, and the less clothes you wear, the more I have to preach to the guys who approach me about rant #4.)

6. Be Patient. (There are a lot of good-willed clueless people out there.  They may plant they sweaty arse on your bench, just before you are about to lay back and dumbbell press <this has happened to me>, and when they get up there is a nice line of sweat from their butt crack, right where your head is going to go, but they don’t mean any harm, just say “Oh, excuse me.”)

7. Don’t Fight Over Cardio Equipment! (Follow the rules, stick to the time limit, don’t be selfish, go run outside if it is nice, or go squat instead.)

8. Allow people a way out of a conversation (Lots of people just want to work out.  Ask if they are OK to chat, or if they just want to work out.  Some people are too polite to tell you to shut your trap.)

9. Don’t pee in the shower! (I’m sure you have seen the Seinfeld episode where George does this… Anyways, don’t do it, save it for the pool, most pools don’t have the dye in the water I have found out.  Also on this note, don’t spit or wash your face in the water fountain.)

10. Love your Neighbour as yourself.  (The gym will run smooth if this is followed.  Forget that, the World would run smooth if this is followed!)

I’ll stop at 10.  Feel Free to comment with some of your gym etiquette stories or any added rules!

Finding Time to Train (My Story)

You may think that it is easy for a Strength Coach to train themselves, but it is just as challenging as the busiest person.  No excuses still, a strength coach must be in great shape, and show discipline and proper training methods.

If your trainer is not in shape, or doesn’t even train themselves, I don’t know how motivating that is and really, it is plain stupid because they should know all the benefits of being physically active.

On that note, I’ll let you into my life of training myself…

A few years ago I stopped playing competitive rugby where I would train in the gym 3 times a week and have rugby training sessions twice, and a game (or 2) on Saturdays.  I would always take Sundays off.  So after I stopped playing rugby, my 3 sessions in the gym remained, playing Hockey on Sunday Nights, along with runs and other recreational activity.

Two years ago, we had twin boys, and then I was a Zombie for 6months.  My wife and I would run on about 3hours combined sleep through the night looking after our premature studs.  After 6 months we were starting to get regular sleep and my training became more consistent.

Fast forward to these days, we have decided not to put our Boys in daycare so my wife and I organise our work around looking after our toddlers.  We both work all over the Lower Mainland which involves a lot of driving time.  We are committed to being involved at our church on top of all our life activities.  Right now I can squeeze in about 3 times a week to train in the gym and write the odd blog.

In February I competed in the BC Powerlifting Winter Open and ramped up my training heading into that with my supportive Wife allowing me extra time in the gym.  Starting in November I added Squats on Sunday nights, then would train Mon, Wed, Fri with all the other lifting.  Most of my workouts were about an hour in length.

After Christmas the whole family got sick with a stomach flu which interrupted training, often allowing me to only train twice a week, but I always I made it in to squat heavy.

In the competition on Feb 13th, I Squat 202.5KG (446lbs), Benched 130kg (286.6lbs), and Deadlifted 195kg (429lbs) weighing 156lbs.  Official Results Here.  A great day of lifting with some good buddies to support me and enjoyed my first bit of competition since playing Rugby.  Training is always more enjoyable when you have something to achieve.

Since the competition I have been working on my Olympic Lifting Technique and playing hockey occasionally, along with tossing my boys in the air etc.  Hopefully Life will allow me to compete in Olympic Weightlifting in the fall.

On my plate right now is allowing my wife time to study as she finishes her Masters in Science, and I have now started working with Canada’s U20 Mens Rugby Team that will be heading to Georgia in Eastern Europe for the World Youth Rugby Trophy (Cheer On Canada and Support Rugby!).  My plan now is to train at a less than ideal gym closer to our house after our kids go to bed.  This will allow me to spend more time with the family before I am away to Vancouver Island and Georgia for most of May and the beginning of June.

No matter how busy you are, or I am, there is always time to fit training in somewhere.  You also have enough time to achieve results.  They may not be ideal results, but you can still achieve something.

Below is a Video from my Powerlifting Competition.  I am self-conscious with my attire, so no comments on that!

 

New Pool Needed?: My Post For Tenthtothefraser.ca

My Boys Working Their Kiddie Pool

The new year has been very busy for me and I have not had a post on here for a bit.  However, I was asked to write a post for my friends at tenthtothefraser.ca that you can check out.

My intent was not to trash the City or City Council, but to inform individuals with my opinion on the current status of the Canada Games Pool, and promote discussion on the issue.

You can read/discuss the post here

Running Not Required (via Share the Run)

Family Snowshoeing on Mt. Seymour. My Wife’s post!

Wondering what to do for exercise during the winter? I have been. I love running. It is by far my most preferred form of exercise. One that is totally exhilarating for me. But when winter comes I face a series of challenges that hold me back from embracing my running routine on a regular basis. First off, it's cold. Who am I surprising with that comment?! While I like the cold and enjoy bundling up in sweaters, my ears do not enjoy running in col … Read More

via Share the Run

Start Now!

January is quickly approaching.  As you read this, people are purchasing a holiday trunk load of groceries, filled with high caloric (delicious) additives.  Once these treats are consumed, they will once again be found in a trunk, and not your automobile’s.

Each year, countless people prepare for New Year’s fitness by gorging themselves through the holidays without discipline.  This is like firefighters driving up to a burning house and tossing on extra lumber, patio furniture, garden gnomes, and gasoline, sitting back to roast marsh mellows and discussing how best to deal with the house when the time is convenient.

Obviously Firefighters approach each call with urgency and discipline, ultimately prepared.  Likewise, if you want better fitness and health in the New Year, be proactive now so that you will have the discipline and self control to keep with your goals in 2011.

Here are 8 tips to help you toward your goals.

1. Start Now! If your house is on fire you won’t delay in putting out the fire.  Exercise (Canada’s Physical Activity Guide), eat according to the Canada Food Guide and have fun!

2. Practice Self Control and Discipline: You will not succeed without these two characteristics.  Discipline is conscious thought, planning and dedication while self control is the ability to overcome internal challenges that will knock you off track.  For example, a rugby player who practices and trains all through the week with a game on the weekend is disciplined, but when angered on the field, fights out of lack of self control and is thrown out of the game.

Practice these characteristics now in your lifestyle, specifically with physical activity and diet.

3. Goals! Goals! Goals! Set performance goals, which will be more fun than stepping on the scale.  Use S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, with a Time-line) Goals.

Plan a hike in the summer.  Enter a race (sun run is fun).  Do a New West Loop (Hill Workout).  Learn a new sport.  Take on your own landscaping/gardening project.  If you are able to reach your performance goal, I guarantee you will look better than if you trained only for aesthetics and you will have more fun.  Aesthetics training is torture for your mind, and body!

4. Lift Weights: Learn some simple free weight exercises with good technique, and your overall health and performance will skyrocket!  Furthermore you will look and better and no ladies you will not put on bulky muscles like Arnold Schwarzenegger.  MAKE SURE YOU LEARN PROPER TECHNIQUE!

5. Do Cardio: Use your heart, lungs and circulatory system every day.  Work towards 30mins moderate activity 4+ days a week.  Walking, Running, Hiking, Swimming etc.

6.  Get A Partner: Support each other, reach your goals together.  It works!

7. If You Don’t Know, Ask! If you have specific goals, but don’t know how to get there, ask a professional.  Everything done in training should be done for a reason and backed by research.  If you want to get a six pack by doing abdominal crunches, it won’t happen but you may get a herniated disc!  Be aware that there is a lot of Fitness Garbage out there, just to get your money.  Look for professionals who have university degrees with additional certification from CSEP and NSCA.

8. START NOW!

Back Pain Part 1. My Child Labour

Almost everyone has experienced some degree of lower back pain (LBP), myself included.  In this post I give some personal experience with back pain in hopes to get you thinking about your own back health.

When I was 17, going into grade 12, I got a summer job sandblasting metal trusses for Coverall Building Systems in Hague SK, just outside Saskatoon.  For this job, I was put in coveralls, with a big plastic helmet with a hose pumping air into it so I would not have to breathe silica sand.  The sandblasting room was about 12 feet by 8 feet and the truss would come in from the welders when I pushed a big red button.

I had to sandblast all the welds on each side of the truss, ducking back and forth under the truss, pulling the heavy hose that blasted the sand.  When I was finished the truss, I pushed the button, and another one came in… Lots of fun for a kid.

The best part of this job was that halfway through my shift, the sand would accumulate reaching 4-8 inches deep all through the room.  Outside the room was a big wooden box and a shovel!  Keep in mind that this is during a Saskatchewan summer where it is usually above 30C.  So I would shovel all the sand out of the room into the bin, and then start blasting again.  I did get some breaks where I could hang out with all the veterans of the plant who would fill the lunchroom with a haze of cigarette smoke.

After a month, my back was killing me on my right side and I was starting to smell like cigarettes.  I thought to myself, ‘This is the last summer I have while in high school, this sucks’.  I explained to the forman that although I was making incredible money, $2.50 over minimum wage to total $8.50/hr, I was going to have to end my lively hood and enjoy being a kid.  Their response was, ‘You’re still in high school?!’

I am thankful for this experience.  I realised how hard many people work to support their families, and I this job confirmed that I wanted to go to University.

My second stint of LBP came with commuting to University on the bus and skytrain.  I would slouch and sleep and look like one of those pathetic, lethargic commuters for about 2 hours a day.  This slouching and then sitting in lectures really caused my back to be ticked off.  Tight and just not feeling right, down in the middle of my back, just above my butt.

Dr. Stuart McGill out of the University of Waterloo has world leading research on back health and low back disorders that I have been digging into.  It has revolutionised my whole approach to training and my own personal daily activities.  Check out his website at www.backfitpro.com

McGill offers this approach when dealing with Low Back Disorders which I now follow.

The five stages of exercise progression:

• Stage 1: Corrective Exercise
• Stage 2: Stability
• Stage 3: Endurance
• Stage 4: Strength
• Stage 5: Power and Speed

For rehab clients he recommends the first three stages and for athletes he adds the 4th and 5th stages.

Let’s look at my examples of LBP.

In both of my above examples, I had horrible movement/position patterns.  When sandblasting, I was always twisting with a flexed lumbar spine (in the above photo, this sandblaster has a rounded back which may seem fine to most people, but hours of this position will lead to injury).  When commuting, I was slouched with a flexed lumbar spine.  The cumulative damage of these movements lead to my discomfort and back pain.  Often my sleep was disturbed because my back was so uncomfortable.

When I quit my sandblasting job halfway through my summer, by the end my back was feeling normal.  Also, in the summers when I was not commuting for University, my back felt great.  My underlying factors for back pain were removed, so my symptoms went away.

Now not everyone is able to quit or run away from their environments that cause them back pain.  People need to commute and people need physical and desk jobs, but there are strategies that you can use to avoid back pain, and strategies that you can use to rehab back pain.

If you have back pain, try to think about your underlying factors.  What movements do you do repetitively?  Does your lumbar spine flex often?  While reading this is your head forward bringing your back to be rounded?  How about when you drive?

Many people do ‘Core’ training to help their backs, but they still have back pain.  Many ‘Core’ exercises cause more damage and only make the pain worse (Do you do sit-ups and crunches?).  Also, if underlying factors for back pain are not removed, the back pain will not go away.

Over the next few weeks I hope to put up some posts with some videos to help you understand the first three stages of McGill’s approach and give you some practical ways to get rid of your back pain.

I am not a superblogger by any means, so if you can’t wait for my posts to help you get rid of your back pain, send me an email or buy some of McGill’s resources from the above website and get at it.

You don’t have to live with back pain!

Coquitlam Fire Fighter Recruit Testing

On Saturday I helped a fellow Exercise Physiologist (Mike Stafford, Stafford Consulting) with the Coquitlam Fire & Rescue Department’s Psycho-Motor Testing.  We had over 100 applicants go through the testing, which made for a long day.

It was a pleasure to be involved with such high class and well prepared applicants and I am sure the Department is going to have a tough job ahead of them selecting the few for the job, but will end up with some quality recruits.

A brief outline of the testing can be found here.  All of the tests administered are scientifically researched, valid and reliable.  Mike has done a tremendous job of putting the testing together to provide Fire Departments with valuable information in aiding their recruiting decisions.

The atmosphere among the applicants was very interesting.  Each individual was competing against themselves to do their best while knowing they will be compared with everyone else in the group.  You could feel the controlled nerves and anticipation in the air and all the while, each applicant carried themselves in a very professional manner.  I have never seen such an encouraging group of people who were all competing against one another for something they each greatly desired.

In one group doing the 1.65 Mile run, nearing the 12 minute mark, one of the applicants took a nasty spill on the track.  Even though the other applicants knew they were being timed, a group of them helped their fellow competitor to get up and stay in the recruiting process.  It was like a scene out of a movie, actually (A little like in ‘The Ringer’ but different).

If you are a Coquitlam Resident, you should be extremely proud of the way your Fire and Rescue Department goes about their thorough recruiting process.  By the time applicants are selected for psycho-motor testing, the standard is already extremely high.  By the end of this process, your municipality will have the best recruits in the country.

Furthermore, if you are interested in becoming a Fire Fighter with any municipality in the Lower Mainland, you had better work your butt off in preparation, because I have just tested your competition and it is First Class.

Where everybody knows your name…

 

Me (left) and my Brother (right) trying to look like our Dad for Moveber 2008. Good thing he kept is old sweaters!

 

They call me Andy.  Sometimes I have a shaved head, with the #2 guard.  Other times, such as now, I have bushy hair, and a beard that my wife does not approve of (I’m trying to get a head start on MoVember).  No matter what I look like, they call me Andy.

They, who are ‘They’?  Friends, customers, work out partners, ping pong players, hot tubbers, sauna goers, that’s who ‘They’ are.  Over the past five years I have spent a lot of time at the Canada Games Pool, and have met some wonderful people, and some really good friends.

So, do you live in New Westminster, or want to work out in New Westminster?  Come on down and ask for Andy, thats me.  If you are scared of going to the gym because you don’t know anyone, or think people there are intimidating, you now know me.  Come on by!  Sometimes I feel like I am at Cheers, but in gym form.

It is an awesome community of all types of people.  The best part about the gym is that once you get to know people, there is always something going on that is very entertaining.  Come join the sitcom at Canada Games Pool, it’s such a friendly place where “everybody knows your name” (cue the piano).

Other than already knowing myself, if you come a couple times you’ll probably meet my Father.  He will be the guy who talks about how I put him on a program, and then take his shirt of and flex for you.  He may even come into the gym wearing one of the sweaters in the photo above!  His name is George, and he would love to know your name!

Anyways, I am just writing this post to let you know that the gym does seem to be an intimidating place, but once you join the community, it’s just a bunch of great people, from all walks of life, with fitness in common.

Hope to see you there!

“No Such Thing As A Diet”

I grew up watching classic cooking shows.  I was the kid watching full episodes of ‘The Urban Peasant’ and ‘Wok With Yan’.  James Barber, The Urban Peasant was like the Mr. Rogers of cooking and would always have a neighbour conveniently show up at his door when his meal was all prepared.  And Yan, would have a volunteer from his audience put on and apron with an awesome zinger on it like ‘Wok-sy Lady’ or ‘Wok This Way’.  Like me, I bet you always wished you were either that neighbour or volunteer.

In recent years, my love for cooking has been influenced by Chef Michael Smith.  If you watch his show ‘Chef at Home’ you will quickly understand his philosophy and approach concerning cooking.  For those of you who don’t have a clue in the kitchen, study up on Smith’s teachings!

For my last birthday, my wife gave me one of Chef Smith’ s cook books (excellent gift!).  Flipping through the pages I found the following paragraph.

Skip Diets

There’s no such thing as a diet; it’s a silly four-letter word. There’s only lifestyle. You gain weight by eating more calories than you burn. That’s why it’s so important to live an active life. It’s not your fault that you’re hard-wired to go great lengths to find food, eat every bit you can get your hands on then store the rest for the future. For most of history that worked just fine. But not today. Now diet-peddlers suggest that a narrowly defined regimen of processed food and bland flavour will sustain us. Baloney! There’s no magic solution but to avoid the pitfalls of the modern, sedentary lifestyle exercise your food sense. Put as much effort into your daily activity as you do cooking and eating.

I agree 100% with what Chef Michael Smith has to say, and I have experienced these words to be true in my life.  When I was in my earlier 20’s I used to eat like a freak.  I was actively playing rugby, spending 6-8 hours a week on the field, and in the gym on top of that.  Piles of food were required to fuel my activities.  I recall at about a month into our marriage, my wife informed me, “You can’t eat so much, you are going to have to eat less”.

Now that I am no longer spending as many hours in vigorous activity, there is no chance I can eat as much as I did when I was playing rugby.  Apples and oranges can actually do the trick for me now!  Amazing!  It has taken time for me to develop a sense of how much food I actually need.   Some chubby phases helped me figure it out, mainly after visits to my in-law’s in Newfoundland where fresh picked berry pies abound.  It took a few of these trips to realise that I can’t eat whatever I want, how much I want, and I need proper self control.

Are you able to tell how much food you actually need?  Can you look clearly at your life and say your eating is in check with your activity?  If you are putting on weight, there are only two factors to adjust, calories in and calories out.

Please don’t start counting calories, or eating only celery.  Look at your behaviours objectively and be honest with yourself.  Improve your eating, and improve your activity.

Enjoy your eating, and enjoy your activity!

A Mom’s Heavy Lifting

After doing a load of laundry today, my wife complained that her back was ‘out’.  Being a ‘Jock Nerd’ as she calls me, I had to get to the bottom of her pain and figure out what caused the problem.  Actually she even asked me saying, “personal train me” which sounded almost flirty as I am often quieted when I get overzealous and give advice when she doesn’t want it.  But today was different!

I put her through a few different tests to see if I could find some muscle imbalances that may be causing her pain.

I started off with a simple glute bridge, and she did very well.  At the top of the bridge, I asked her to extend her left knee, and as she did it, her left hip dropped down right away.  She repeated the same thing on the right side, but didn’t have as much drop.

Secondly, I had her do some side planks.  Her left side was strong, but her right side didn’t last very long.

Thirdly, I had her stand up, hold her arms out straight with her hands together as I applied a force to see if she could resist rotation.  This time, her right side was strong, but left side weak.

This is where my ‘Jock Nerd’ detective skills come in.  Here are my findings…

Multiple times a day my wife picks up one of our 30lb twin boys, and fling them up to her right side where she will carry them around for who knows how long.  In doing this, she strengthens her rotation to the right and strengthens her anti-flexion on her left.  Also these movements start low, and rise.

When doing the laundry, she lifted a new Costco sized bottle of detergent off of a high shelf on her right and rotated downward to her left side to pour into the washing machine.  This movement was the reverse of her strengths and set off the imbalances of her core muscles, causing her back to tighten to protect the spine.  I gave her some homework to bring things back into balance.

There are a lot of people out there who have imbalances.   I have them and am working myself through them, and I’m sure you have some too.  The good news is, you can fix it!

And most importantly, Mothers and Wives, I salute you for all the hard work that you do.  Lifting, carrying, tossing, tickling, dragging, wrestling, piggy backing, and more.  You truly spend yourselves on behalf of your families.

You are so appreciated.  Thank you!