Your body is an amazing machine. It will take care of you if you take care of it. Many people experience a serious lack of common sense when they get injured. Here is some practical advice to get you back in the saddle again.
1) Stop doing any movements that cause pain.
This seems like a no-brainer, but so many people try to push past the pain in an effort to maintain their fitness regime. Your body is signaling pain for a reason. Pushing through a fresh injury and ignoring pain is the last thing you want to do. Your routine will need to be adjusted in order not to aggravte the problem. Many people feel that if they ‘lift lighter’ with the injured body part that they won’t cause further damage. If you’ve done this before, you know that you only cause further inflammation and pain in the end. Listen to your body!
2) What happened?
Write down everything you can remember about what you were doing
when you injured yourself or first felt the pain. Move carefully and slowly through the motions that cause the pain so you can pinpoint what movements are making it hurt. The more information you have the better. Your doctor or trusted
professional can make a better diagnosis with more information. Memories get foggy over time and its best to get the information down while it’s fresh in your mind. At the very least, a date is helpful as to when you think the injury occurred.
3) Ice is your friend.
Always apply ice for the first 48 hours. Even though heat may feel nice, using heat is not recommended for a new injury. Apply ice a few times daily for periods of 15-20 minutes.
4) Move it!
Recovery will be a faster process if you get some ‘active rest’. This means that you should move your body in ways that don’t aggravate your injury. With the increased blood flow to all areas of your body, you will feel better and it’s more likely that your injury will heal faster than if you stay sedentary. There’s almost always an exercise alternative to your regular routine and chances are the cross training will be good for you.
5) Find a qualified professional.
Common sense and the extent of your injury should dictate if and when you seek the advice of a professional. If the injured body part is not feeling better in a few days, you should seek medical attention. If you wait too long, you may cause more damage or your recovery will be delayed. You may seek the advice of a chiropractor, or physiotherapist as well as a sports doctor or family physician.
Unfortunately an occasional injury is to be expected at some point by anyone involved in an intense fitness regime. However, managing any injury is the key to long term fitness and health.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Calgary NW Adventure Boot Camp Girls Geta
What happens when 14 fitness minded women get together for a weekend in the mountains? AN UNBELIEVABLE TIME! I had the pleasure of being accompanied by 13 wonderful ladies, including Kristen Stuart our mountain guide/yoga instructor at the Blackstone Mountain Lodge in Canmore. We did a boot camp each day, hiked Mount Yamnuska on Saturday afternoon and ended with a relaxing yoga session Sunday morning. Fiddleheads Catering's chef Jennifer Helmstaedt provided a spectacular dinner in the Penthouse Saturday night. Mother Nature smiled on us by providing the best of the season weather for us. All in all, the weekend exceeded all our expectations in terms of fitness, fun and laughs. I'm looking into future dates to do it all again!
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Urban Adventure!
I had opportunity to participate in Calgary's City Chase this weekend. It was great fun with the highlights including repelling 17 stories, shooting a biathlon rifle, human bowling in a giant hamster sized ball, and racing all over the city in the snow, hail and rain. My neighbors and I didn't even come close to the winning time of an amazing 3 hours/22 minutes, but we made up for it in laughs. This will definitely be an event that Calgary NW Adventure Boot Camp will have to do as a group next year! Thanks to all the organizers for putting on such a fabulous event!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Burn Summer Calories...
A reporter from Metro (a free publication available across Canada) interviewed me about getting outside and burning some extra calories this summer. You can find the article in free editions of Metro around Calgary or here: www.metronews.ca. Go to the article called Burn 'Summer' Calories. Then get outside and start enjoying this weather!
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
How do I choose the right boot camp for me?
You may have noticed a ‘boot camp’ fitness craze that has exploded on the fitness scene recently, and will continue to grow. With the arrival of spring, here’s what to watch for if you’re considering giving one a try yourself:
First of all, look closely at the qualifications of the instructor. There are unscrupulous instructors out there, misrepresenting themselves to be something they really aren’t. If you aren’t sure what the qualifications mean, check them out. Call the issuing organization or governing body to verify what the qualifications mean. You should also ask for references. Not all boot camp operators are as qualified as they would like you to believe. As with any other occupation, while the name of the boot camp may have a good reputation, your camp will only be as good as the individual instructor. After all, some one has to be at the bottom of the class, just make sure it’s not your instructor! Also, some instructors may be great at teaching another discipline, but may not be certified or equipped to instruct a boot camp style workout. Ask how much experience they have with this type of workout program. Education and experience are paramount.
Some boot camps are military style. Is this what you’re looking for? Do you want a drill sergeant yelling in your ear? Many untrained people will not do well in a military style camp as the untrained body can’t tolerate the strenuous exercises done there. If a military style boot camp isn’t your style, find out if the camp offers modified programs and exercises to fit the needs of different clients. Or, explore if the camp you are interested in offers varying levels of programs, which caters to beginner and advanced clients.
Calgary, and many other areas have rapidly changing weather. It can change dramatically during your training session. What provisions has the instructor taken if the weather takes a turn for the worse? Is there an indoor option or a ‘rainy day’ policy in place? You don’t want to be paying for classes that are shortened or canceled due to poor conditions. And if the class continues to run outdoors, in poor conditions, what safety measures are taken? Are you comfortable running on icy sidewalks or in the dark? Make sure the boot camp has made provisions for your safety. Some boot camps neglect to consider these issues. Others make it clear that the classes proceed, outdoors, regardless of weather. This is a ‘buyer beware’ issue that you should be aware of.
Client safety should be the number one priority of every instructor, whether it is in terms of weather and lighting or with exercise modification. Not all clients are capable of doing all exercises. Boot camp instructors need to have a keen, trained eye to notice and make corrections on exercise form. Will you get this personalized instruction? You are in a group setting, but the instructor should create opportunities to observe all participants and ensure correct execution with all the exercises. The instructor then should be experienced enough to offer exercise modifications when necessary.
The purpose of boot camp is to provide diversity to your fitness regimen. This is one of the main reasons that boot camps are an effective method to enhance your current fitness level. Your body is constantly forced to adapt to the new challenges a good instructor will offer. What kind of variety is offered at the boot camp? The ‘fun’ part of boot camp is the assortment of activities that can be offered in the class. An instructor’s experience and imagination can make or break your camp experience. Make sure that you aren’t enrolling in a ‘running’ class (unless this is what you’re looking for). Some instructors will fall back on long runs if they run out of other ideas. Distance running will not give you the results that a good, diversified, intelligently orchestrated workout will. Ask how much time is spent just ‘running’.
Is there equipment you need to bring or is any provided? These are important questions to ask so that you come prepared for class. Many camps will provide some basic equipment, but most will require that you bring your own mat and hand weights. If there is special equipment, make sure that the instructor is qualified to use it. For example, if there is a kickboxing or suspension training component, find out if the instructor is certified in that discipline.
Undoubtedly, more outdoor and indoor boot camps will spring up in the future. They are a fun and effective way to return to exercise, add variety to a stale routine, or amp up your already high fitness level. Make sure that your boot camp experience is the best it can be by thoroughly checking out the program, and more importantly, the individual instructor, before you enroll in it.
Any comments on your boot camp experience? Let me and others know what YOU would recommend!
First of all, look closely at the qualifications of the instructor. There are unscrupulous instructors out there, misrepresenting themselves to be something they really aren’t. If you aren’t sure what the qualifications mean, check them out. Call the issuing organization or governing body to verify what the qualifications mean. You should also ask for references. Not all boot camp operators are as qualified as they would like you to believe. As with any other occupation, while the name of the boot camp may have a good reputation, your camp will only be as good as the individual instructor. After all, some one has to be at the bottom of the class, just make sure it’s not your instructor! Also, some instructors may be great at teaching another discipline, but may not be certified or equipped to instruct a boot camp style workout. Ask how much experience they have with this type of workout program. Education and experience are paramount.
Some boot camps are military style. Is this what you’re looking for? Do you want a drill sergeant yelling in your ear? Many untrained people will not do well in a military style camp as the untrained body can’t tolerate the strenuous exercises done there. If a military style boot camp isn’t your style, find out if the camp offers modified programs and exercises to fit the needs of different clients. Or, explore if the camp you are interested in offers varying levels of programs, which caters to beginner and advanced clients.
Calgary, and many other areas have rapidly changing weather. It can change dramatically during your training session. What provisions has the instructor taken if the weather takes a turn for the worse? Is there an indoor option or a ‘rainy day’ policy in place? You don’t want to be paying for classes that are shortened or canceled due to poor conditions. And if the class continues to run outdoors, in poor conditions, what safety measures are taken? Are you comfortable running on icy sidewalks or in the dark? Make sure the boot camp has made provisions for your safety. Some boot camps neglect to consider these issues. Others make it clear that the classes proceed, outdoors, regardless of weather. This is a ‘buyer beware’ issue that you should be aware of.
Client safety should be the number one priority of every instructor, whether it is in terms of weather and lighting or with exercise modification. Not all clients are capable of doing all exercises. Boot camp instructors need to have a keen, trained eye to notice and make corrections on exercise form. Will you get this personalized instruction? You are in a group setting, but the instructor should create opportunities to observe all participants and ensure correct execution with all the exercises. The instructor then should be experienced enough to offer exercise modifications when necessary.
The purpose of boot camp is to provide diversity to your fitness regimen. This is one of the main reasons that boot camps are an effective method to enhance your current fitness level. Your body is constantly forced to adapt to the new challenges a good instructor will offer. What kind of variety is offered at the boot camp? The ‘fun’ part of boot camp is the assortment of activities that can be offered in the class. An instructor’s experience and imagination can make or break your camp experience. Make sure that you aren’t enrolling in a ‘running’ class (unless this is what you’re looking for). Some instructors will fall back on long runs if they run out of other ideas. Distance running will not give you the results that a good, diversified, intelligently orchestrated workout will. Ask how much time is spent just ‘running’.
Is there equipment you need to bring or is any provided? These are important questions to ask so that you come prepared for class. Many camps will provide some basic equipment, but most will require that you bring your own mat and hand weights. If there is special equipment, make sure that the instructor is qualified to use it. For example, if there is a kickboxing or suspension training component, find out if the instructor is certified in that discipline.
Undoubtedly, more outdoor and indoor boot camps will spring up in the future. They are a fun and effective way to return to exercise, add variety to a stale routine, or amp up your already high fitness level. Make sure that your boot camp experience is the best it can be by thoroughly checking out the program, and more importantly, the individual instructor, before you enroll in it.
Any comments on your boot camp experience? Let me and others know what YOU would recommend!
Friday, May 15, 2009
This Week at Boot Camp!
Hey campers! I just wanted to thank you for your hard work, dedication and humor at camp this week. Take a look at yourself....How's your diet going? Remember clean eating and all your sweat at camp will have you doing the 'happy dance' at our up coming evaluations. I'm looking forward to the last few days of camp and your body transformations!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
