The cost of a pound of flesh

3,500 kilocalories, an 8 hour jog, 1,460 stairs, 480 laps of an Olympic sized swimming pool...All of these numbers measure the energy required to burn a pound of fat. But what does that really mean to your way of life and the world that surrounds you?

What it means to you

Looks and appearance aren't everything, but if it is a source of grief in your life, then weight-loss can be a key to achieving a happier sense of self. In the developed world, our physical health is one of the few life factors that we have absolute control of, and it's the first place people turn when they find the rest of their world is in turmoil; this applies to both positive and negative influences on your life. If you are like many people who have had a stressful day at work, chances are you come home and eat, and eat, and eat. This impulse exists because something in your life that you can definitely control is what goes in your mouth. The more chaotic our lives get, the more we seek an internal locus of control. In fact, during the latest economic recession, health and fitness is one of the few industries that has still shown growth.

Losing weight is hard. Your body does not want to change, and certainly does not want maintain the consistent calorie deficit that is required to do so. So what a pound means to you is hard work, mental discipline, sweat, and more than likely a few tears. If you are just beginning this journey, know that the physical and psychological payoff is immeasurable. The amount of personal growth that comes from taking control of your health, overcoming obstacles, and breaking through mental barriers will change you and your life-trajectory.

What it means to the fitness industry

The first thing you should know is that beyond the physical price your body pays, fitness is FREE. You can go out for a walk or a run, you can swim in the ocean or run up some city stairs, and you can do body weight pushups, crunches, and squats, and it won't cost you a dime.

BUT

The health & fitness industry has done an awesome job of complicating something that should be almost intuitive by inundating the public with an avalanche of products and information (and most of it is crap). I should qualify that last statement by saying that I believe that a good personal trainer is a great investment for any beginner, but the reality of fitness, is that you can do it yourself.

Here is what a pound means to the fitness industry:

• 5-10 personal training sessions (variance due to the skill of the trainer and the heart of the exerciser). Depending on the rates you can negotiate (as low as $30/session, as high as $120/session, usually), one pound of fat will earn "the industry" between $150 and $1200
• Gym memberships are rarely sold for less than a month at a time, but chances are you'll be on the hook for a minimum of $20. People rarely cancel their memberships after one month, however, and many will keep the membership out of guilt and maybe's, but not use it for a year or more (the high-end gyms can easily cost over $1000/year)
• You have bought, are buying, or will buy a gadget or piece of equipment that claims to make exercising, more fun, easier, or more effective. You will use it once, and then you will forget about it. Let's just hope that "it" refers to a $5 jump rope and not a $1500 BowFlex   

What it means to the healthcare industry

"Healthcare" is an oxymoron of the most moronic sort. It should be called Sickcare, or more appropriately, Sickwedon'tgiveaf*ck. It is inefficient, expensive, and it relies on reactive, band-aid measures and thinking. It is a multi-billion dollar industry, and "healthcare" companies only make money when you are sick. What does a pound mean to the healthcare industry? It means you are not buying their product. Every pound shed means less of a strain on your heart and joints. Every step, stroke, or rep, releases endorphins, naturally enhancing your mood and outlook on life.

Pills, injections, respirators, etc, should not be a way of life. And yet health care professionals recommend baby Aspirin to reduce your chance of stroke, Lipitor to cut down on your cholesterol, Xanax for anxiety and panic, Cymbalta for depression...when did we just accept that we should feel terrible and that if we take a pill, it will all be better? Let's be clear, sickness is a business, and right now, business is good. Make no mistake, the healthcare industry is not here to help you, they are there to patch you up just long enough to empty your wallet and make you think that you are reliant upon them, but you aren't. Health, fitness, and happiness, are all within your grasp.

What is the value of a pound to you? PRICELESS.

@BrendanRolfe

Image Credit
[1]http://www.outsourcetothephilippines.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/350dollars-salary-of-va.jpg

5 exercises no real athlete will touch

When I go to the gym, I can instantly separate athletes from exercisers, both in the quality of their movement, and by the exercises they choose to fill their programs with. Here are 5 exercises you won't catch any real athlete doing at the gym.

[1]

Seated Hamstring Curls - There are only 2 occasions that call for leg isolation exercises: 1) Recovering from an injury 2) Body building...and when was the last time you saw a body builder do something athletic?


[2]

INSTEAD
try Deadlifts




[3]

Pulldowns - Studies have shown that doing pull ups will increase the amount of weight you can use while performing a pulldown, conversely, increased pulldown capacity has not been shown to do the same for pullups. 'Nuff said.

[4]

INSTEAD try Eccentric Pullups

[5]

Tricep Kickbacks - The body positioning required by kickbacks cuts off potential range of motion and opens up more opportunities to cheat. 


[6]


INSTEAD try a Sphynx Pushup

[7]

Concentration Curls - Single arm isolation exercises are great...if you have 4 hours per day to spend at the gym. Not only do you get secondary bicep activation when you do real exercises like pullups and rows, but there are about a million more effective bicep exercises that don't make you look like a tool.



[8]

 INSTEAD try a Zottman Curl



[9]








Machine back extensions - I have tried this one at different stages of my fitness journey, and every time it feels awkward, uncomfortable and unnatural. That is because your lower back is not built to move independently of the rest of your posterior chain. Because it is easy to grip tight and cheat, people load up the weight on this exercise and risk injury for very little benefit.




[10]

 INSTEAD try Scorpion Extensions



@BrendanRolfe

Image Credits
[1]http://buffblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/VR1-Seated-Leg-Curl_13060.jpg
[2]http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/cms/uploads/1/barbell-deadlift_1.jpg
[3]http://www.carrienyden.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/lat-pulldown-start.jpg
[4]http://nicktumminello.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/pullup_negative.jpeg
[5]http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/exerciseImages/sequences/348/Female/m/348_2.jpg
[6]https://loseyoself.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/sphinx-pushup-garcia.jpg
[7]http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/exerciseImages/sequences/136/Male/l/136_1.jpg
[8]http://munfitnessblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Zottman-Curl-Workout-Woman.jpg
[9]http://www.fitsociety.nl/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/back-extension1.jpg
[10]http://m.ufc.com/news/mma-power-training-cub-swanson

 

If you're in pain, it's probably your own fault

...you just have to know how to listen...

No, I'm not talking about your last failed relationship. Your body is smarter than you, it will tell you when it's happy or unhappy, and you best be listening.

Tell your stupid ranch tooth to shut up

[1]

First, I want to address exercising. When you are exercising, there is body talk, and there is brain talk. More often than not, your brain gets in the way of a good workout. When you are 9 reps deep in to a 12 set, or 15 seconds from a minute interval sprint, there is a moment where you question whether you can reach your target. I don't care whether you are wet behind the ears or a power-lifter of 25 years, "can I do 1 more rep" encroaches your mind on every set. This is when your brain pipes up first and says, "better not, we could hurt ourselves, there's no shame in 9 reps." But guess what? Your brain can and will lie to you. It does it all day, every day. Your brain is responsible for the cant's and dont's in your life, and more often than not, it gets in the way of success. Your body can, and it will, as long as you bring focus and real effort to the last reps of each set.

So, the "can I's" come from your brain and stem from fatigue. I hope I have been clear in establishing that this voice is of no use to you and should be ignored. What you need to listen to is pain signals. Pain signals are different from discomfort signals and are easily recognizable. For instance, that burning feeling you get in your muscles is discomfort, that stinging sensation in your knee is pain. And in fact, the goal of working out is to achieve discomfort and keep pushing through it. Enduring discomfort will make you stronger (physically and mentally), but working through pain can cripple you. The answer is not to avoid anything potentially painful and to park your rear-end on the couch with a cool beverage. Try modifying the depth, execution or the exercise itself so that you can exercise without pain. Remember, the human body is built to move and thrives of adversity; use it or lose it.

[2]

Silence is golden
Eating: this is where my ass gets so chapped with both people's complaints, and niche-market products, that a bowl of Vaseline would not provide any relief. If you can't get through the day without products like Gaviscon, Beano, Tums, Rolaids, Pepsid AC, etc, you need to give your head a shake. The reason your body gets bloated, heart-burn, nausea, etc, is because it doesn't want you to ingest that crap! When was the last time anyone got heart-burn from cucumbers, brown rice, and baked salmon?!? Nevruary, that's when.

Instead of masking the symptoms of a pissed-off body, try listening to it instead. Further, every body is different; some people can get bloated from healthy food like apples, beans, yoghurt, etc. Listen to your body in this capacity as well. If these healthy foods bloat you, it is probably because there is something in them that does not agree with your chemistry. If everyone made it their goal to eat only foods that did not make them burp, fart, bloat, burn or drowsy, the developed world would not be facing the health epidemic in which we currently find ourselves.  

Home body
You may like to party HARD, but you will pay for your transgressions. I won't go too in depth on this one. I think most of us can say that we have felt the icy, steel toed boot of tough love in our ribs from a night (or 10) of partying. Just know that your body keeps a tab. Scarring on your liver, clouding of your lungs, clogging of your veins and intestines, etc, all result from the nights out that you don't remember. I'm not saying don't party, in fact, you will be relived to know that your body is a beast when it comes to repair and recovery, but you should know that if you don't treat it like a temple in between keg-stands, the effects can be cumulative. Around the 30 years mark, I have now been introduced to the magical 2-day hangover, which makes me carefully weigh the value of a night out to get loose, and necessity to be a grown up the next day and get stuff done.


[3]

The point is, your body talks to you and it doesn't lie. The sooner you are hearing it, and truly listening, the sooner you are happier and healthier. Like anything else in this world, you get out what you put in.

@BrendanRolfe

Image Credits
[1]http://drronhillchiropractic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/depositphotos_10772870_m.jpg
[2]http://cdn.istoresinc.com/prankplace/images/fullsize/8311.jpg
[3]http://www.gifsforum.com/images/gif/party%20hard/grand/party-hard-eccbc87e4b5ce2fe28308fd9f2a7baf3-293.gif

2015 Gym Review

Does Your Gym Measure Up?

At some point in every fitness freak's gym career, they will look back and say to themselves "Damn, I've spent a lot of time in the gym." In my case, not only have I spent a lot of time in the gym (like A LOT a lot), I have been pretty unbiased in my allegiances (you might say I get around). Here is my professional opinion about some of the joints I've dropped a weight or two at:

Trevor Linden Fitness (Club16)/She's Fit

membership cost: $15-$25/mo.

facilities: Clean, well maintained, new equipment. Like most gyms, too many treadmills, not enough squat racks. Bathrooms are clean, gym is bright and open, though there are issues with locker break-ins, oddly enough. There is a women's-only side (She's Fit) if you require a little more privacy. Unlimited tanning is available for an extra $5 per month. They do not offer classes, per se, but do offer a lunch hour circuit training program.

clientele: You get a real mixed bag, but the majority of exercisers fall in to the "college student" category. Low price-points and fairly central locations make it accessible to all. At times there is a frustrating mix of newbies with no sense of gym etiquette, hard-cores with no sense of consideration, and social butterflies with no sense of purpose.

staff: Staff are young, friendly, and helpful. There are no "in-house" personal trainers there, but the staff seems knowledgable at a basic level and are a good resource for beginners.

value rating: 7/10 - Good staff, clean facilities, low fees

YMCA/YWCA

membership cost: $40-$60/mo.

facilities: Depending on the age of the facility, the equipment is reasonably new and well maintained. You will notice extra wear and tear from the volume of use, but on whole, it is reasonably clean accessible. They tend to pack A LOT of equipment in to a little space, but have a good variety. You are going to wish there was more space. Bathrooms are clean and large and there is a pool, which is a nice feature. They also have a gymnasium where they run various sports, health, and other programs. This is included in your membership.

clientele: A decidedly youthful and international flavour. Frequent sprinklings of the super fit senior and many cardio warriors. This is actually a gym that could stand to gain more cardio equipment, though there is no where to put it because they are maxing out their space as it is. This space gets INSANELY busy at peak hours, to the point where I have walked 20 minutes to get there and just said "F-it" and left without a workout.

staff: The instructors are good, but in general I find the staff at the YMCA and YWCA to be somewhat disinterested and apathetic. They seem very hands off and unwilling to go out of their way to be helpful. There are personal trainers offered at the YMCA and YWCA. In fairness, I have not had a session with any of them, so cannot speak to their abilities. When reviewing their qualifications, I find them to often be new to the industry. This can be a plus however, as you will get an enthusiastic trainer with good intentions.

value rating: 6/10 - Good facilities & activities, but cramped quarters and disinterested staff

Steve Nash Sports Club

membership cost: $70-$110/mo.

facilities: Extremely large facilities with plenty of space. Equipment is clean and new, though often "under repair." There is a pool offered at one location an outrageous amount of cardio equipment offered at all. Their equipment includes many of the industry's newest and trendiest. They offer classes (included) in spinning, yoga, dance, group training, etc, though oddly enough, none of the "Sports Clubs" include any facilities to do sports. The gym space is usually very clean, but the locker rooms and surprisingly unkempt. Used towels overrun the floors and the wait for showers can be aggravating.

clientele: Here is where you lose me. These gyms attract young, single professionals. Lululemon is strongly encouraged (required?) and sleeves need not apply. If you are single and looking to pick up, you are going to love this gym. It does get busy around peak hours, but it is not lacking space, so if you can be creative with your workouts, you'll never be sitting, waiting, and cursing someone under your breath for being on the equipment you need.

staff: The staff is knowledgeable and engaging. They go out of their way to be helpful and are very approachable. You will be hard-pressed to find a better group of personal trainers and class instructors than you get at Steve Nash Sports Clubs. They are knowledgable, experienced, and usually extremely well-certified. Continued training and skills and knowledge improvement are strongly encouraged.

value rating: 7/10 - Facilities & staff that are 2nd to none, but it's pricey & a little douchey

Steve Nash Fitness World

membership cost: $20-$35/mo.

facilities: While most of the facilities have been given a facelift since the merge between Steve Nash and Fitness World, I still find them to be worn, dated, and cramped. The locker rooms and showers often have serious cleanliness issues and could use more care and attention. The machines are maintained, though dated and uninspiring; the same goes for the cardio equipment. Classes are offered as part of the membership cost, though popular classes can be cramped, given small spaces.

clientele: I don't know why, but these gym seem to attract the middle aged, fitness crowd. I think it may be to do with the fact that original memberships are grandfathered in (I know a gentleman who pays $7/mo because he was one of the original members), and they refuse to give up such a great deal. You will find a good portion of the membership occupying the cardio section, which is good, because there is not a lot by way of free-weights. These gyms are everywhere though, and there is likely one right around the corner from your house. So they are convenient.

staff: The front desk staff is always friendly and helpful. The personal training staff is definitely a mix of new trainers and, shall we see, seasoned trainers (from the old-school). While I have seen some quality training sessions be administered, I have also had to bear witness to cringe-worthy sessions that have me questioning the legitimacy of the industry.

value rating: 5/10 - The price is right, but everything else will test your commitment

GoodLife Fitness

membership cost: $35-$55/mo.

facilities: GoodLife fitness is known for having large facilities. They are spacious, though maybe slightly dated. The machines and equipment are well maintained and the atmosphere is un-intimidating and focus-oriented. There is a good variety of equipment for beginners and experienced exercisers alike and many of the gyms have a women-only area. Facilities are clean and well-maintained. Group classes are available and included in membership.

clientele: Attracts the young to middle aged crowd who wants to come in, do their work, and get out, back to real life. Peak hours are busy, but a good amount of space allows for uninhibited workouts so you do not feel squeezed.

staff: Call them. They will answer with "It's a great day at GoodLife", and this really does set the tone. Customer service and friendliness is a clear mandate. Personal trainers are knowledgeable and well trained, and on average, probably provide the 2nd best training services in the box-gym industry. Instructors are all Les Mills certified and friendly and knowledgeable.

value rating: 8/10 - Facilities & staff are welcoming, lots of space, somewhat dated

Gold's Gym

membership cost: $30-$80/mo.

facilities: Gold's Gym is, by reputation, a body builder's gym, and so they offer an ARMY of machines, and also offer plenty of free weights. The spaces are usually large and clean, and if you are ok with the colour yellow, they are sufficient for whatever you need to do. Gold's Gyms are also strictly franchised, so different gyms offer different additions (for example, some gym offer a multitude of heavy bags and mixed martial arts training equipment). This also accounts for the large discrepancy in monthly fees.

clientele: Usually, Gold's Gyms attract the body-builder, string tank top, big sweats, Timberland wearing types...or the wannabe's thereof (basically, the Planet Fitness commercial stereotype). However, this type of atmosphere is IDEAL if you are serious about your lifting and want to push yourself. You do not generally find newbies at Gold's Gyms because of this reputation and therefore only have to put up with inconsiderate weight dropping and grunting, though at least nobody will walk into the end of your bar while you're deadlifting.

staff: The staff often reflects the clientele (physically anyways). But I have to laugh, because every time I do go in to a Gold's I expect Muscle-Mania or Bronzed-Barbie who's at reception to be a jerk, but they are always super nice and helpful (just goes to show you, don't judge a book by its cover). Some gyms allow outside trainers to rent the space, some provide in-house training. Many trainers seem to focus on body-building (when in Rome) and seem to know what they are doing in that faculty. Gold's offers classes as well, though I have never taken one there.

value rating: 9/10 - Great facilities, good staff, not as many facilities available

So there are my ratings. Did I reflect your gym's score accurately? Are there other gyms that you would like to add to the last? What are your ratings?

@BrendanRolfe

Top 5 Health & Fitness Trends that will be hot in 2015

There is hardly an industry more finicky and trending than the health, wellness, and fitness industry. Every new piece of equipment is the latest and greatest and every new pill is the answer to "building lean muscle" and "losing belly fat"...whatever that means...

The following list is one man's opinion about trends that will be bringing the heat in 2015:

1. Infrared Yoga: This is brand new and has the potential to be the new "hot yoga", only less hot, and more healing based. Infrared technology has been available in saunas for years now. It is believed to be efficient in free-radical and toxin elimination within the body, and, in my opinion, embodies what yoga really offers, mental and physical calmness and healing. Believe me when I tell you, this will be all the rage and there will be dozens of locations opened in your area within the next two years.
 
2. Floating: Less is more. Do less...no less...no...less...now you're getting it. I know, I know, it sounds odd. Basically, you are placed in a sensory deprivation pod (no light, no sound, no stimulation), in warm water, and you float. It is gaining popularity and locations...consider it new age meditation.

 
3. Parkour: Also known as "free-running". This is a callisthenic based training program that uses urban obstacles, body weight, and constant, fluid motion as training. It has strong cult popularity and is even gaining TV exposure with obstacle races and something called "American Ninja Warrior". There are a limited number of facilities offering lessons and obstacle courses, but look for this trend to blow up in urban centres.
 
 4. Slack-lining: The name is an oxymoron...damn hippies. More or less, it is tight-rope walking, but usually no more than 2 or 3 feet off of the ground. All you need is a sturdy line (woven, about 3 inches wide) and two strong trees to tie it between. It is a fun and social way to work on balance, core strength, and focus. It is inexpensive, portable, and you don't have to be an athlete to succeed and enjoy yourself.

5. Natural supplements: The once powerful and infallible Vega supplement suppliers have been beaten up a little bit over the last couple of years. They have made some mistakes in their product and their marketing, and while I applaud the idea of organic supplements (not as in USDA certified) as in non-chemical, they have lost their iron clutch on naturalists. Look to the supplement giants to release some natural products this year that will take the industry by storm.

Now, I'm not saying to go buy stock-options in all of these areas, but you can believe that you will be hearing more about these five in the coming months of 2015. If you feel this list is incomplete or if I missed the mark, add your voice to the comments section, and don't forget to follow me on Twitter! @BrendanRolfe


Photo Credit: http://www.fitterz.nl/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/bright-workout-equipment.jpg