Why I Am Not A Personal Trainer

Who would have thought that the knowledge about the body learnt after thousands of hours spent in the Dojo training for Karate competitions and teaching will be the foundations of my coaching today.

Everything from breathing, posture and meditation to developing a strong, flexible and healthy body as well as knowledge about bones, tendons and muscles were ingrained in me from an early age. All I needed to do is fill in the gaps through studying and experimenting on myself and form a complete system: The Merisoiu Technique.

So why am I not a Personal Trainer?

I was a PT for the beginning of my career in the health and fitness industry. As a PT I used to help my clients lose weight, tone up, get fit, gain muscle mass as well as nutritional advice.

I loved it. I loved it until I realized that I had so much more to give my clients. And I wasn’t. I couldn’t give what I wanted and the way I wanted. I wanted to transform my clients’ lives by addressing the foundations and personal development.

Now as a Coach I not only help my clients with their physical appearance and wellbeing but change the way they live their lives.

I don’t coach my clients to get fit and healthy for the summer, I coach them to be fit and healthy for the rest of their lives. And we do it by addressing the root cause of their imbalances and slowly changing habits, starting with the smallest ones.

My clients leave my programs with a lot of knowledge about their bodies and how they function. They receive intrinsic knowledge which they cannot learn from a book. This comes from years and years of experience. In essence it’s a Personal Development journey.

I wanted to introduce my clients to a new way of living life. So I transitioned from Personal Training to Transformational Coaching…outdoors

[tweetthis]I wanted to introduce my clients to a new way of living life.[/tweetthis]

The roots of The Merisoiu Technique

So when I created the system, The Merisoiu Technique, it was because my clients wanted to get fit, strong and powerful. However they also needed to understand how their bodies function, how to move soft and fluid and how to prevent injury as much as possible. And it was essential not to sacrifice the later for the former.

It was imperative for them to understand the difference between tension and relaxation, intentional movement, posture and balance and counterbalance. The Mindful Control component is where my clients learn to bring together or to align body, breath, and mind. And then to catapult their results we brought in the physical and psychological benefits and the freedom of training outdoors all year round. Benefits such as strength and emotional balance. And of course the nutrition and healthy habits part.

Finally, it became clear that my clients needed to have access to a complete system which would offer them the foundations they needed to live a healthy and fit life for the rest of their lives. Once you understand the basics of movement, posture, breathing, nutrition and Mindful Control then you actually become in control of your own life, for the rest of your life.

All in all The Merisoiu Technique involves coordinated movement, breath, and awareness, building a strong and fit body and learning how to implement healthy habits and nutrition. It’s about building the foundations of a healthy lifestyle and reclaiming your nature.

The principles of The Merisoiu Technique

The Technique covers five main areas of health and wellness:

Earthing

It is no coincidence that The Merisoiu Technique is an outdoors system of Personal Development which takes place all year round, be it hot, cold, freezing or rain.

I believe nature is the most powerful force. And when you train with natures elements you become as powerful as the elements. Well…almost as powerful. It’s perfection to strive for. However they do make your stronger than you have ever thought you could be.

One of the elements of The Technique that many are afraid of is rain and winter training. What many don’t realize is that this is your challenge, this is what shows how dedicated you are to the way, the path you chose.

And this is when you strengthen your body and mind, more than in any other season. Winter is the season of breakthroughs for all my clients. You make it through winter training with me, you make it through almost anything else.

Natural Movement

Natural movement was created by Movnat Founder Erwan LeCorre. It’s training and conditioning the body through movement such as lifting, throwing, hanging, crawling, balancing, running, walking. So you will find natural movement element in this system as well.

Fluid Movement

I have personally development a range of fluid movement sequences based on my experience in Martial Arts. Imagine Tai Chi but different.

Fluid movement can be done very slow, slow, fast or very fast, it can still flow. The Merisoiu Technique fluid movement sequences covers all.

Mindful Control

Here we pay close attention to posture awareness, breathing mastery, attention and focus, technique and discipline.

This component also includes mindfulness and meditation practices.

There is a touch of Alexander Principles in the Mindful Control component

Habits Transformation

This component addresses any habits in your life that keep you from getting fit and healthy for life.

In general, with my client, we focus on nutrition, food discipline, individual training routines planned weekly and meditations.

So you see, this is a complete system. It pays close attention to every detail of your life. From breathing to posture and daily movement.

Your training never ends in the forest we train, it goes beyond. You take this knowledge home with you and you transform your life. What I was doing as a PT could not be taken home, it was left in the gym and it was changing your body but it didn’t go much further than that.

If this sounds like something you desire I invite you to book a FREE call with me to go over the struggles you are facing and see what are the best options for us to work together.

February 19, 2015March 8, 2015

How Does The Merisoiu Technique Really Work

The Merisoiu Technique or TMT is based on Six Guiding Principles of a Healthier Lifestyle:

1. Earthing or Reconnecting With The Earth
2. Natural Movement or Reclaiming Your Nature
3. Zanshin or Awareness and Mindfulness
4. Nutrition
5. Personal Development
6. Habits Transformation

TMT is not a step by step plan, you cannot do one principle and then go to the next.

All principles blend into each other creating a bigger picture which gives you a better understanding of how health really works and stop seeing health as a goal in your life.

Health is something we should not have to think about, and I should not write about…. but I do for some reason. We should not make a life purpose out of it, a milestone or a goal.

How I came about it

The simple answer is 20 years of sweat, blood and tears. Ha ha, seriously it’s everything I’ve learnt and applied from my coaches and mentors from the age of 8 to this day. And I am still learning of course.

TMT has strong roots in Japanese Martial Arts, particularly Karate Shotokan, but Daito Ryu and Ninjutsu as well. I also apply some of the internal Chinese Martial Arts philosophies of Tai Chi and Chi Gong.

Everyone sees Martial Arts as fighting methods. I agree and disagree with this.

Martial Arts, when the students is wise enough to take the essence of the art, can be a powerful Personal Development journey.

This is a different story of how Martial Arts planted the seeds of discipline, determination and motivation in me from a very early age. A story I will talk about in another blog.

For now it is enough to say that The Merisoiu Technique brings together everything I learnt and applied in six pillar which are the Six Guiding Principles.

Here’s how TMT principles intertwine:

Natural movement if the physical part of the program which takes place outdoors.

But it’s not just Natural Movement you are practicing because another principle is involved as well, Earthing.

You may do natural movement training indoors but then you are missing a very important element of your health: reconnecting with nature, with the organic matter of which you and me are formed. Break that connection and you suffer the consequences.

Natural movement in the outdoors challenges your body in so many different ways, from flexibility to strength, power and physical fluidity and balance to mental focus and emotional stability.

Zanshin is an essential part of natural movement.

When they hear about outdoors training most people think about bootcamps. Natural movement is NOT bootcamp, it’s technique. Technique requires awareness and mindfulness, energy and focus.

This does not mean that your training will not be challenging. They will be more challenging than you imagine. And no, you do not need machines to get results. Training outdoors is more challenging that indoors.

Nutrition is what gives you the energy, focus and strength for your training.

You cannot train the body on the outside and forget about the inside or the other way around. They come together to form the whole. Only then you can say your body is healthy.

Personal development is continuous learning and growing.

It’s about rewiring your brain, doing things you haven’t done before and explore your true potential. Through natural movement and Zanshin you develop, learn and grow.

Habits transformation is the principle that brings everything together.

No matter how much you study, apply and you are coached on if you do not address your habits you will not be consistent and you will not get the results you seek.

However, it is not easy to wake up and go training at 6 am. It’s not easy to put your training kit on in less than 1 min and run out the door to meet your coach (that’s discipline). It is not easy to say no to ice-cream when we love it so much. It is not easy to do anything.

That’s why the habits transformation principles in The Merisoiu Technique takes you through a series of steps which you can apply to any habit to create and make it stick long term without so much struggle.

So here’s another benefit of The Merisoiu Technique: IT SAVES YOU TIME…. and money.

So instead of going to the gym, then doing earthing separate because science has proven to be beneficial, then of course you need Yoga and some fluidity so you go to Tai Chi lessons. But then you want to practice mindfulness and awareness so you go to yet another class where you spend more time searching for it and travelling to it and of course more money.

So stop spending time and money and embrace The Merisoiu Technique.

This is a brief intro to The Merisoiu Technique so if you really want to know how it works and how it works for you in particular, book a FREE call with me and let’s chat.

And read more about the technique by downloading the free ebook

January 2, 2015May 17, 2015

10 awesome things about training outdoors

1. It’s the best way to warm up when you’re cold. You will walk around in a t-shirt while others have coats.

2. When you’re bored of one place you have the option to move in a totally different place 2km away

3. Research shows that people who spend more time outdoor are happier.

4. There’s no one standing in your way. There’s more room to do more things.

5. Raises your vitamin D level

6. Harvard Health Publications say that it improves concentration

7. May help you heal faster

8. Researchers found a link between connecting with the Earth and Mental Health – depression, anxiety, emotional stress, panic, fear, headaches, cardiac palpitations, and dizziness

9. It is never boring

10. There is loads of clean, fresh air and no or few viruses to come in contact with

If you’d like to learn more please download my free eBook “15 Healthy Habits For The Body” orbook a free consultation with me.

January 1, 2015January 1, 2015

How I discovered Earthing

A few weeks ago I was asked this question, how I discovered Earthing. So I decided to write a short blog about it. The fact is I didn’t discover it, it was there all the time, I just didn’t know the science behind it.

To try and answer and need to go back in time in my childhood.

I lived in a capital city with my parents in a flat in the middle of the city. Concrete and dust was (and still is) everywhere. Until the age of 15 or so, I used to spend my school summer holiday, 3 months, in the countryside with my grandparents. I also used to go fishing with my father. And play with my friends at my grandparents’ house at the outskirts of the capital city I was living in.

Every time I went to the countryside, fishing or playing with my friends my mother used to send me out barefoot. Actually naked until I reached the age where I became aware of my nakedness :)).

In high school things changed. I was growing up and I stopped going visiting my grandparents as often. I was spending time with my friends in the city, in clubs and pubs.

Long story short. I went back to connecting with the Earth when I went into my worse wave of depression ever (I suffered from depression ever since I was a child). What triggered me to think of going outdoors I do not remember but I remember instant relief. As if a stone I was carrying for many years came off my shoulders. I was able to breathe, to explore and had room to move.

When I moved to London I began training with Michael Cohen coach at Wild Forest Gym where I still train today, 2 years later. Michael trains us for Obstacle Racing, we don’t talk much about Earthing but I began digging into the topic myself.

Then I began talking and writing about the concept of Earthing so friends were sending me articles they would bump into online.

I began to be more and more fascinated about the idea and I started reading more about the scientific research. I am not a tree hugger….not yet at least, ha ha.

I found out that scientists have discovered a connection between connecting with the Earth and reducing inflammation in the body which is responsible for many – if not most – diseases we suffer from. Earthing helps muscle recovery and reduces muscle soreness. It heals wounds and improves blood circulation. It also shows big improvement in people who are stressed, suffer from depression, insomnia, anxiety and other illnesses such as cardiovascular diseases.

This is the reason I am so fascinated about this topic. The cure is literally underneath our feet but we are too busy looking at the top shelf in the local pharmacy for chemical treatments.

At this point in time we cannot just replace professional medical treatment with Earthing. Our bodies will need time to adapt and react so please do not replace professional medical treatment.

If you’d like to learn more please download my free eBook “15 Healthy Habits For The Body” orbook a free consultation with me.

December 19, 2014December 28, 2014

6 reasons why I choose the outdoors over the gym

No doubt gyms have their purpose in forming the complete athlete. When training specific muscle groups, for rehabilitation or for other purposes such as the type of sport you practice what the gym offers can help you take your training to high levels if that is what you are looking for.

But those of us who are seeking mental and physical health, who want a break from the overwhelming world around us, not looking to beat the marathon record, we do not seek to become the strongest, the fastest, the mightiest. We are looking to be fit, strong, maintain a healthy weight, reduce stress levels, have more energy and joy in life.

What I’ve experienced while training outdoor from a physical and mental perspective beats 19+ years of indoor training. Besides getting stronger and fitter I’ve gained so much more, higher self esteem, confidence, calmness, patience, resilience. Different people have different experiences, here I will tell you mine.

1. Getting some space

One of the things I don’t enjoy in a gym is the lack of space. I feel like I’m going from 1 box (the office or house) into another box (the gym). Most gyms don’t even have windows.

Outdoor I can have all the space I want, there are no limits to where I can go and what I can do. There are no walls to stop me.

2. Clean, fresh air

I admit the fresh air in the countryside where I used to spend my 3 months summer holiday with my grandparents was pure. In a city not so much. In a gym not at all.

However, although pollution is omnipresent we can still find patches of cleaner air, especially in winter. And what beautiful places we have in London, you only need to stick your nose out the door to see the beauty around you.

Go outside and smell the fresh air.

3. Virus free

Gyms are the heavens of viruses. I wish they weren’t. If one person has the flu virus and touches half a dozen machines or sneezes over them there are good chances many other people will catch the virus as well.

Outdoor there are small chances for that to happen. Plus viruses cannot thrive in cold weather.

4. Benefits of Earthing on mental and physical health

Research suggests that disconnecting from the Earth may be a major contributor to physiological dysfunction and general unwellness.

Several studies have shown that being in contact with the ground may promote intriguing physiological changes and subjective reports of well-being.

In patients who experience anxiety, emotional stress, panic, fear, and/or symptoms of autonomic dystonia, including headaches, cardiac palpitations, and dizziness, grounding could be a very realistic therapy. These patients may see positive effects most likely within 20 to 30 minutes and in almost all cases in 40 minutes.

Read my full articles on this topic here

5. Never boring, never the same

Every session is different. And I don’t only mean different exercises, but different everything: terrain – muddy, frozen, hilly, wet, dry, even if you are in the same place; different weather – rain, snow, wind, hot.

Every time you move your hand and foot you will never ever place them in an similar place as you would on the nicely finished, shiny, straight gym floor. There are roots, stones, logs, mud, water, ice waiting for you. Never the same. Every time you lift a rock or piece of wood it will always be different every time you pick it up.

This is training in a multilateral way and it means that your body will develop muscles which were asleep for a very long time but your body needs them. Your body will be prepared for anything, whether it’s lifting, carrying, throwing, catching or unexpected events such as falling or slipping.

6. Resilience

I left this one last on purpose, because I want you to remember it. Resilience is the ability to recover quickly form difficulties, to fall, get up and go again.

Never in my life I thought I would reach a point where I would decide on a path and follow it to completion no matter what. Two years ago, when I was introduced to natural movement by my coach Michael Cohen, I told myself “yep this is what I want to do”. And guess what, 2 years later this is what I’m doing.

But in these 2 years I went through many tough moments, and there are more to come. Every single time I picked myself up and went on, no matter how difficult it was.

When you wake up at 4:30 am often after 2-3 hours of sleep, you look outside and see poring rain, or snow, or frost on cars. You don’t really want to go in the middle of the woods to do balance exercises or tree scrambling. But you put your shorts on (yes, shorts), your compression top, warm coat and step outdoor. The fresh, crisp air fills your lungs, you smile and walk slowly down the road.

And you do this every week, never missing, never cancelling. This kind of experience literally changes your beliefs about yourself and the world around you. This creates a different version of you. I tell you from my personal experience and seeing others going through similar changes.

You will be amazed of how far you can reach after you face the forces of nature. Nature is the strongest. And if you want to be strong you need to face those who are stronger than you.

If you’d like to know more please download my free ebook

December 12, 2014March 13, 2015

What does Earthing have to do with Mental Health

What does Earthing have to do with mental health?

Earlier this year I went through more than 14 research papers and studies on Earthing. I have seen a shift in my wellbeing over the years.

From good to bad and good again. I was not aware however why that happened and exclusively blamed it on sport performance, nutrition, sleep deprivation or simply growing up.

What is Earthing?

Earthing (grounding or Electron Transfer Technology) is defined as placing one’s skin on the ground (especially when humid or wet), whether it be dirt, grass, sand, or concrete.

Earthing can be done in direct skin contact to earth or through patches attached to the human feet and/or palms of hands and an earthing cord leading to the outdoors to a rod driven into the earth.

There are different technologies which try to imitate the effects of Earthing. Nikken for example is a Japanese company which created insoles, mattresses, pendants and more which mimic de electromagnetic field of the Earth to help healing and better functioning of the body as a whole. It is however better to send as much time outdoor barefoot.

Earthing and health and well-being

Many research papers ask us to allow for the possibility that human beings have been and always will be connected to the Earth and any attempt to change this universal law may disturb the natural and healthy processes in the human body.

Until a few generations ago, most humans walked and slept in direct contact with the surface of the Earth. Our modern lifestyle involves wearing insulating shoes and sleeping in buildings that electrically isolate the body from the ground plane.

Furthermore, although the internet and mobile phones are a blessing to many of us, all the waves and frequencies go through and around us and so disconnect us from the Earth’s electromagnetic field.

The science of Earthing

Emerging scientific research has revealed a surprisingly positive and overlooked environmental factor on health: direct physical contact with the vast supply of electrons on the surface of the Earth.

In our fight to achieve a more comfortable lifestyle we have separated ourselves from such contact or connection. The research suggests that this disconnect may be a major contributor to physiological dysfunction and general unwellness.

Reconnection with the Earth’s electrons has been proved to promote intriguing physiological changes and subjective reports of well-being.

Earthing (or grounding) refers to the discovery of benefits—including better sleep and reduced pain—from walking barefoot outside or sitting, working, or sleeping indoors connected to conductive systems that transfer the Earth’s electrons from the ground into the body.

While some people intuitively sense that they feel better when they walk or even sleep directly on the earth (as on a camping trip), most of the population is more or less permanently isolated from the earth’s electrical influences.

Living in direct contact with the earth grounds the body, inducing favorable physiological and electrophysiological changes that promote optimum health.

Earthing and stress, anxiety or depression

Earthing is the oldest and most basic form of natural bioelectric potential that supports physiological and electrophysiological changes in the body.

The many unpredictable sociological, economic, and political events of the 21st century have increased the stress of modern living as compared to earlier and simpler times.

Since the ANS (autonomic nervous system) is linked to the stress response, previous investigations have demonstrated that grounded subjects experience a reduction in stress and a normalization of the ANS.

When one grounds to the electron-enriched earth, an improved balance of the sympathetic (flight-or-fight response, which can lead to hypertension and cardiovascular disease) and parasympathetic nervous system occurs.

In patients who experience anxiety, emotional stress, panic, fear, and/or symptoms of autonomic dystonia, including headaches, cardiac palpitations, and dizziness, grounding could be a very realistic therapy. These patients may see positive effects most likely within 20 to 30 minutes and in almost all cases in 40 minutes.

Negative emotions such as panic, depression, anxiety, and hostility have all demonstrated reduced HRV (Heart Rate Variability).

Grounding has the potential to help support Heart Rate Variability, reduce excessive sympathetic overdrive, balance the ANS, and, thus, attenuate the stress response.

This is very important especially because an association between depression and increased risk of cardiovascular events has been repeatedly observed in both the healthy population and patients with established cardiovascular disease.

WARNING: It is important to follow your doctor’s instructions. You may use earthing in addition to your planned medical care but do not replace it.

My (personal) Earthing story

As a child my parents would send me in the country side to spend up to 3 months of summer holiday with my grandparents.

I used to spend those 3 months barefoot, day and night really. Through rivers and lakes, up on hills and through forests. Looking in retrospective, I was the happiest child, I was free from the city, I was wild.

With time I developed symptoms of depression, panic attacks and anxiety. I was a stressed out child form a very early age. Being outdoor kept my mental health stable, but who knew that then?

Growing up I stopped spending time at my grandparents’ and lived my days in school or university and in a busy city. Much like London just smaller but packed.

My depression, panic attacks and anxiety became more difficult to control and this lead to years of struggle for my parents who spent a lot of money to help me grow up … in a normal way. The pressure was especially on my mother’s shoulders.

Long story short, about 3 years ago (when my mental health was quite worrying), in a moment of clarity, I began connecting with the outdoors, to re-connect I should say. I don’t know how I made that decision but it happened.

And thus a new journey began. A journey of discovering another self, of understanding the cause of my mental and physical unbalances. At least from one point of view

Now, after going through this research, things start to make sense. At least I discovered one of the causes of my unbalanced health

This may not be the only cause but it is the only big thing that changed throughout my life, looking in retrospective.

Nowadays I start at least 5 days out of 7 outdoor and many times barefoot. Sometimes with my clients, other times with myself.

WARNING: It is important to follow your doctor’s instructions. You may use earthing in addition to your planned medical care but do not replace it.

Would you like to know more about what I do? Please book a 30 min free consultation and let’s just talk.