This is one of those fun times of the year where we all want to be social, but also are looking to squeeze in training while we can. All this while trying not to run ourselves down and stay as healthy as possible. Building and Maintaining Strength- Yes, even in busy times of your life, you can build some strength. Even if you’re not quite getting the training in that builds your strength, you’ve likely taken a lot of time and care to build your strength, you don’t want to go back to square one if you can help it, right? Just 1 training session a week, though I’d recommend 2, can help you at the very least maintain what you’ve built. Stress Management- When you’re in a busy period of your life, you will undoubtedly be stressed out. Unless you are perfect when it comes to managing your stress on the, then you are going to need take time to relieve it to some degree before you have some sort of break down. Strength training might not be the cure all, but it does the job well for most. You exert yourself, you get back some of your confidence, release some of those endorphins, pretty good stuff if you ask me. Keep the Sick Bug Away- Not unlike above, when you train during a busy block of life, assuming you don’t train to absolute train-wreck-failure, you can keep that little sick bug away that tends to pop up when we overdo it and our body breaks down. Adjust the weights and your intensity of your training to match your energy, and you’ll keep your immune system in good shape, let alone your body.
Hope you find these little bits helpful for you as we get into the New Year as well. Have yourself a week and great end of the year fam!
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To me the biggest focus on the fitness industry should not be on little ins and outs of nutrient timing or posting about how much time you should be off social media before you lift (seriously I saw this one and wanted to throw my phone). It should be about how can we get more people moving. Especially when you consider our healthcare system in the U.S. has so many issues, the focus should be on trying to get movement in, so we don’t need to lean on it so much. I know for some that is hard because of certain conditions, still let’s do our best to get moving so we can let those that have issues that nutrition and exercise can’t fix, have the room they need. Won’t go further into this part because there’s tons of layers to peel back, I think you understand what I’m driving at here.
Of course, I’m biased to picking up heavy stuff and putting it back down, not only because I enjoy it but because of the loads of benefits it provides, I’m not against other things. Hell, if walking is what is going to get someone consistent movement, get after it and good on them. The way I see it, is if we can get more of the population up and moving, more of them will eventually find themselves with weights in hand. One of the reasons I very much enjoy working with my young athletes is because I know I can set these kids up to do this for life, so they do not end up like those that are working on just getting off their butts. I get to teach them that just because their sports go away does not mean there is benefit in getting to the gym and getting a bar in their hands. Does the reason change? Yes, it does. Do the benefits change? Not a chance. I’m especially proud of the female athletes that move on from me but continue to get in the gym and pick up some heavy stuff, that is another positive way to move fitness forward. The question remains if you were not taught this at a younger age, how do you start now? Just do the thing. Ready for a walk? Off for a stroll you go. Feeling like some yoga? Get your stretch on and enjoy. Body weight circuit? Cool go for it (and hit me up if you need ideas). If nothing else, ask someone you feel like has some (even if limited) knowledge about exercise and go from there. Those are the things in my brain for today folks, happy Thursday and enjoy your weekend! Today, I have bone to pick with some folks out there, I’m talking to you dudes who don’t like to let anyone not in your clan in to the weight room. This has got to change, now. I have had the pleasure of coaching some of the most badass, hardworking female athletes and they still get uncomfortable because guy’s can’t control themselves or at least act in a welcoming manner. I had two distance (online programming) athletes tell me about uncomfortable situations at the gym. 1) Had just the awkwardness of many boys being Bros, we know what it means and giving off the vibe that nobody but their kind is allowed to lift on the deadlift platforms. 2) Another had the very uncomfortable event of being the only female in the gym that wanted to use the trap bar and the guys seemingly pressuring her to hurry up with it by constantly staring at her. When dude’s wonder why there are women only gyms or women only areas of gym, THIS is why. I have had some athletes be able to defy this and tell the boys to shove it. With that they created themselves a space of comfort so they could do their lifts with no issue, but not every one of them finds success like this. I think I do a pretty damn good job making sure that female's that want to pick up heavy shit with me feel like 250 Cypress street is a safe space. Naturally, I'm annoyed that it's so easily undone once they leave my gym and use other facilities. To counter this, let's lay down some easy rules that can make a female feel more welcomed in the gym, the heavy weights area especially;
-Ask if they need the bar or platform. Might be all it takes for them to get after it. -Wait your damn turn if someone you want to use is in use, you wouldn’t want someone vulturing around you for a piece of equipment, imagine this being 10x more uncomfortable for a woman. -Don’t stare, this should not require reminder or explanation. -Lastly, keep your conversations appropriate for public. Little boys tend to talk about little things too often in the public sphere and when a female can here a conversation like this, even if it’s somewhat tame, it gets uncomfortable very quickly. In the end, SHARE because the more people picking up heavy shit, especially at younger ages, the better off the world is, promise. Thanks for reading friends have a great day! |
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AuthorJarrod Dyke, CSCS Archives
December 2023
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