Getting into the holidays, I wanted to take this opportunity to talk about nutrition and digestion – fitting for the feeding frenzy that usually accompanies the next few weeks!!

 Before we talk about nutrition, let’s talk about digestion. The best eating habits in the world mean nothing if your body cannot absorb the nutrients locked up in the food – and that is exactly what your digestive tract does.

 Here is a quick run down of the process: Food enters your mouth. You chew and add some saliva which starts the whole breakdown process of the food. After swallowing ,the stomach begins to churn, adding in some enzymes to further break the food down. It also absorbs the protein in the form of amino acids and then passes the food “pulp” along to the small intestine, which is where most of the absorption of the nutrients take place. What is undigested or needs to finish digesting (some proteins and carbohydrates) passes along to the large intestine, which gets ready to vacate the body.

So as you can see, if your stomach is not breaking down food and preparing it to be fully absorbed in the small intestine, the small intestine is compromised and cannot perform well, robbing your body of valuable nutrients. Food continues along the tract, leaving again unsatisfactory breakdown of food, which creates an unnecessary job for the large intestine, thus resulting in bloat and gas. This is the case with milk for those of you who are lactose intolerant. You do not have the enzyme lactase in your small intestine so the lactose (milk sugar) is passed along to the large intestine where it does a poor job of trying to break it down, resulting in some unpleasantries! Likewise, if the small intestine is compromised and cannot fully absorb the nutrients from the food, the body is left undernourished, and vulnerable to sickness. And I do not have to tell you what happens if your large intestine is compromised, but suffice it to say – it is not pleasant.

So, even all of that great whole, natural food is a better choice than all of the processed foodstuff we have in abundance. However, it means nothing if the system is underperforming. Avoding those foods that cause distress is a good idea, but not as a long term plan. The reason for this is that although the distress is kept at a lower rate, it has not solved why the food causes the issue in the first place, and is an indication of an underperforming digestive tract.

Great, got it – now what do you do to improve the tract? Well, it is quite simple take some high quality probiotics, digestive enzymes and get plenty of fiber.

Probiotics – “Good” bacteria that help to keep the stomach environment optimal for the most effective breakdown of the food stuff, also they stave off the growth of “bad” bacteria that can create an unpleasant environment and therefore compromise the breakdown of your food.

 Digestive Enzymes – Added to the ones already produced by the body, they merely assist in the breakdown and ready the food so that the nutrients can be fully gleaned by your small intestine.

Fiber – Get the stuff out! Keep it all moving and the majority of the population don’t even come close to consuming enough to keep the intesinal tract happy.

The point of all this is to get you thinking about how things work and therefore make good choices from an educated standpoint. So

 1. Eat clean (natural, whole foods – stay away from packaged anything and throw in some raw fruits and vegetables that have some good things in them!)

 2. Make sure your digestive tract is in good shape by taking probiotics, digestive enzymes and appropriate amounts of fiber.

 3. Exercise (As One!!) Exercise stimulates the digestive tract and keeps it firing, improving metabolism (converting foodstuffs to energy).

 For further discussion of probiotics, enzymes and fiber intake, send us an email or see us and we can see about doing a seminar/class on the subject.

 Now enjoy yourselves throughout the holiday as you think about what is happening to all that food you’re eating!!!!!

Have you ever wanted a personal trainer, but could not justify the spend? Ever thought about having Mark or George all to yourself for an As One workout? With our new LOYALTY program, that can become a reality!

We are excited to announce our LOYALTY program that is as simple as spreading the word and giving your ringing endorsement of As One.

Starting today, if you refer 3 people who purchase at least one unlimited or one 10 session package, you can earn a 30-minute personal training session with Mark or George. It’s as simple as that. Invite your friends to a FREE class. Once they see what all the hype is about, talk to them about As One packages and tell them to refer you when they sign up. Once you get 3 friends to sign up, you get your one-on-one session with Mark or George! Not only will you be helping your friends get fit, but you could give your fitness a boost too!

So, bring your friends to FREE class, persuade them join you at As One by signing up for a package and make sure they let us know you referred them! Then get ready to be tortured by Mark or George!

*Please Note:

If you choose a session with George, it can be used to learn about maintaining your hair (shampoo, condition, and bandana tying for a workout).

If you choose a session with Mark, it can be used to learn how to get your kids to do push ups, burpees and squats in order to earn their dinner.

Foam Roller, SMR and me!

Training and Recuperation – In its simplest form this is how we fight the aging process, improve our fitness levels, manage our weight, and prepare for activities. Most of us are very good about the Training aspect of this approach, but fail miserably on the Recuperation portion. Let’s take a look at what happens during training that makes the recuperation phase at least as important if not more important than the training.

When exercising regularly and at adequate levels of intensity (As One) there is a cost for all of that output. Substrates stored in the body are depleted to create the energy necessary to perform the work. Although the metabolic processes that take place are pretty efficient, they still yield by products that if not removed from the working tissues will alter the environment and ultimately if work is continued without full removal diminish the quality of the tissue. Likewise, the work done damages the muscles directly, this is what the body responds to and tries to build bigger stronger tissue to withstand the work, provided the tissue has the time and the recuperative practices to facilitate the healing process!

This is the main reason for us taking the time at the end of class to foam roller! Your body’s signal for stressed tissues is pain/discomfort. If you are rolling and discomfort is present – that is a sign that the tissues need a little extra help in expediting the healing process. Time off doesn’t necessarily mean that the tissue will bounce back either, because another reaction to training is the tightening down of the musculature in response to the repeated stress created by training. So unless the tissue is massaged and stretched after strenuous exercise, eventually even with adequate rest between sessions the tissues will tighten down. Add in poor sleep, nutrition, etc. and the combination dramatically changes the health of the working tissue.

So, we encourage everyone to not only utilize the time in class to roll extensively (in other words don’t run out! It only takes 10 minutes!!!), but to take the time outside of class to roll on a regular basis. The goal is for your tissue to fully release within each rolling session – this will indicate that appropriate levels of recovery are being met and indirectly reflect a progression forward in your training status.

Roll!!!!!

Let’s take a look at the squat – an amazing movement and deserving of the title as ” the grandfather ” of all movements. It was the first movement you needed to do in order to walk. Watch a child who is beginning to walk and then marvel at the perfection of their squat. Amazing, if you can perform a squat regularly as well as you did when a young child, the chances of developing a structural injury will be greatly reduced!

If you could do only one exercise – this is it! Look at what a properly performed squat will do for you. By properly performed we mean:
1. Feet shoulder width apart
2. Toes pointed out ~15 degrees off center
3. Heels glued to the ground
4. Lower body to a position where the thighs are parellel to the floor.
5. Head and Chest up with shoulders depressed.

What the squat tells us if performed correctly is this:
1. Proper mobility of the ankle, knee and hip joints.
2. Adequate flexibility of calves, quads, hamstrings, and hip musculature
3. Appropriate control of your core.
4. Muscular balance of right and left sides of the body.

What the squat will do for you:
1. Stimulates the central nervous system more than any other exercise.
2. Improves balance and coordination.
3. Stimulates improved bone density.
4. Stimulates muscular development.
5. Improves connective tissue development.
6. Challenges the mind and builds toughness.
7. Whole body conditioning.

I always say “you cannot get fit unless you squat and squat a lot”. If you can run 20 miles but not lift your body out of a low squat, what good is it. But, if you can squat half your body weight 50 times – not much you won’t be able to do!!!! 

Let’s squat – time for a squat workout – that will be the next day 2!!!!!!!!!!

I love questions!!! Not only do they get the thought processes going, but it also gives me an opportunity to chat. So the question is: Why do you guys use these movements ( by which she meant the strength moves we always do )?

 Well, in the early 90′s a professor by the name Dr. Richard Schmidt was able to break the movements of “man” into six generic patterns. They are: squatting, lunging, pushing, pulling, bending, and twisting. All movements are either one of these or a combination thereof.

 Along with this knowlegde is the time for the body to become optimally efficient in a movement pattern which takes somewhere around six weeks. In other words, it will take you six weeks of practice to engrain a new activity/movement into your system to point where you will not have to concentrate on every aspect of the move. Case in point, how often do you hear one of us cueing about the body position during a squat or deadlift?

So progression of the new movement will be hindered until the action has been learned to such an extent that form breakdown will not occur as more load, reps, and sets are applied. By the way, you will improve to a far greater extent by keeping the activities the same and altering the sets, reps, and loads. This type of stimulus to the body is readily absorbed and adaptable.

 Now put it together – if your body basically moves in six ways, and your progression is attenuated by changing the exercises frequently (read my blog about the muscle confusion myth!) as opposed to the sets, reps and loads – voila, you get As One!

Work on those motor patterns that make up all movements, keep those motor patterns the same but challenge the movements by different variables, and now you end up with a progressive, intense, and safe training program.

 As One!!!!!!!!!!

“Staying On Top Of It!”

Keeping yourself on track can be as simple as asking some basic questions daily with regard to your fitness goals and plans. What you are trying to do is create a checklist that will keep you on track.

1. Does my weekly fitness plan match my fitness/training goals?

If you are trying to train for a 1 mile open water swim and all you are doing is running that is not a match! Likewise, if you are trying to improve your muscular endurance and create a metabolic shift to help manage weight loss but you only go to a yoga class three times a week that will not do. Have your goals and plans match!

2. What did I do today/yesterday that was in align with my goals?

If you are trying to up your intensity in your training sessions and decide to bail on training to go to dinner and then eat and drink to your merry content – guess what – that doesn’t work.

3. Overall, are my lifestyle choices the correct ones to foster a comprehensive, healthy lifestyle?

Do I get enough sleep, eat right (we all know what that means!), exercise regularly and with appropriate levels of intensity, and manage the stressors of life, or do you skimp on sleep, grab a calzone, train inconsistently and let your life direct you not you direct your life?

These simple questions can at the least make you aware of the choices you’re making (provided you answer them honestly!) and help to keep you on track!

Click the link below to read up on the inner workings of Mark.

http://fitist.com/InsidetheNetwork-Mark%20Merchant

Core…. Everyone says it, but do you fully understand what it is suppose to do?

Core, what is it and why is there so much buzz about it? Let’s take a look at the “core”. Without going into an anatomy lesson on the musculature of the core, suffice it to say that the muscles that surround the vitals from the pelvic floor to the ribs and wrap around the body from the spine to the front make up the “core”. These include and are not limited to: Tranverse Abdominus, Internal and External Obliques, muscles of the pelvic floor, multifidi, Spinal Erectorae, Rectus Abdominus, and Diaphragm.

What is the job of the core? Really, it is all about power transfer. The core is the link between the lower and the upper body. The bulk of our activities, whether they are normal daily or sport, require us to transfer power from the lower body to the upper body, or provide a base of support to reach an extremity out. What we would like to have ideally is that the musculature of the “core” provide the most efficient contraction to hold the torso (meaning spine and ribs in their most secure position) in the most optimal position to safely and effectively transfer power between the two extremities. Since the safest position for the spine and the discs between the vertebrae is the S curve, the primary function of the core musculature is to maintain this curve regardless of the activity performed. So, really the core should not be thought of the muscles in the front or side but all the way around. Strengthening the low back should be as important if not more important when considering strengthening the core.

That is the main reason we work in class on maintaining a straight spine while performing all of the basic movements (squats, Deadlifts, split squats, pushups, pull-ups, etc.) By addressing the correct spinal position during these movements we are training the musculature of the “core” allowing for the optimal transfer of power from the ground to whatever resistance there may be.

So, don’t get pigeoned holed into think core training is all planks and ball work – get your feet on the ground and teach your body how to take the strength of the legs and transfer it to your arms via the “core”.

We have fielded the question – “I don’t want to bulk up, will As One make me put on muscle?” Love this question! Here is the “skinny” on “bulking up”. It is all about the hormones! Men have large amounts of testosterone in comparison to women. Women have very small amounts but do have some level of testosterone in their system. Testosterone is the primary reason that men tend to put on muscle to a greater extent than women. But do men and women become “bulky” from training and in particular As One training? NO! In order to build significant amounts of muscle, the training and nutritional habits must be designed to promote muscle gains. Typically these are large volume, long rest workouts with nutritional habits that consume large amounts of protein. The primary focus of the As One training is to improve Strength (primarily strength endurance) and Work Capacity via the anaerobic and aerobic energy systems. Now, if you have not been training intensely like in our programs, there will be some adaptation (meaning muscular development) that takes place, but this attenuates within 6-8 weeks and then muscular adaptation will slow to an undetectable rate. This adaptation is necessary so that the body can work at the requisite work loads to achieve the metabolic changes desired and needed to achieve true fitness.

So, for those of you worried about bulking up, do not fear! Get as fit as you can, be proud of your hard work and new ability and the rest will take care of itself and look fantastic!

Muscle Confusion – What is it and does it work?

Muscle confusion is the idea that by constantly changing your workouts you “confuse” your muscles and thereby increase the stimulation and resulting adaptation.

Does it work? Well, yes and no. Here is the dilemma – It takes the body about six weeks to fully adapt to a new exercise (we can also say movement). By adapt we mean the ability to perform the action as efficiently as possible. So if you constantly change the exercises and have no prior experience to these movements then you are compromising the absorption of the training stimuli. BUT, if you take the same exercises and work them for a period 8-12 weeks the body now has become efficient in the movement and will “remember” the exercise/movement with a high degree of efficiency.

So, this is how I would utilize muscle confusion in training. Take new exercises and work them for 8-12 weeks, but within that 8-12 weeks change up the sets, reps and loads. You see, by changing those parameters you are in effect creating the muscle confusion for greater stimulation. Then once these exercises/movements become ingrained in the body you can start to change your workouts with greater frequency without compromising adaptation.

New exercises – muscle confusion through changes in sets, reps and loads.

Old (known) exercises – muscle confusion through greater variety in programming.