How To Train Outdoors This Winter

How To Train Outdoors This Winter


The previous article was on why you should ditch the gym this winter. Now I will share with you 3 ideas of how to train outdoors with winter.

 

1. Running

If you choose to go without and experiences coach, although you should consider it, running is the easiest way to begin with.

Mind that there is a running technique to run on wet or muddy surfaces or through snow and over ice. That’s why I advise working with an experienced coach who specialises in outdoors training. This is what I specialize in, so contact me.

However, here are some tips to consider, whether there’s mud or snow:

– keep your feet underneath your body

– small strides

– go slow

– don’t push off the back foot, lift the foot off the floor

Actually all four conditions are met if you keep small strides.

3. Think Live And BreatheOut Of The Box

2. Ditch the gym equipment

Leave the gym in the box, you are outdoors now so you leverage nature. Not in a bad, disrespectful way, not at all. You can use equipment such as longs and rocks for weight training for example.

Don’t use benches. Honestly, when I see people in the park using benches for step ups, why are they even outdoors.

Get creative and think outside the box.

 

3. Get your hands dirty

Want to condition your spirit and mind? There is nothing more wonderful than crawling on the ground with no gloves on. Your hands will get cold, but they will condition.

Besides, in London, winter is not as bad as in other parts of the world.

Cold is a matter of perception. Like walking over fire or walking on broken glass, don’t try these as home though. Physical conditioning is about getting the body used to certain temperatures, or a certain training routine.

Mental conditioning is about getting the mind to see things from a different perspective.

That doesn’t mean you hands have to go numb, but a little cold will only get the blood moving. Get gloves if it’s too bad, in time your body temperature will adjust.

The topic of one of the upcoming blogs is how to prepare for outdoors winter training and what to do after.

 

This winter, think, live and breathe outside of the box.

As usual, contact me if you need more advice or want to discuss more on the topic.

 

 

This Is Why You Feel You Are Not Making Progress

This Is Why You Feel You Are Not Making Progress


The reality is we all go through them. You know, the dips. Those moments that can last for days and weeks, where you feel you’re not getting anywhere, you just want to kinda “take your toys and go home”. You feel you’re not making any progress, or even worse you feel you are regressing!!

What a horrible feeling! Especially when you work really hard to get those results.

But you know what, if we didn’t have those dips we would never see any progress in the first place, in anything. Whether it’s training, or a new diet or a change in lifestyle habits, or even building a business and a brand, believe it or not. Entrepreneurship takes you through the same process.

And actually it’s those dips that make you grow. What happens is the adaption process. And this is how it works:

 

The Stimulus

This is your new training routine or you come back after months or years of not training.

And even if you have always been training when you start a new, intensive routine, that’s the stimulus that starts the adaptation process.

 

The Alarm Phase

The alarm phase follows the beginning of your training routine, or a new training routine, the initial stimulus.

This is where you feel you’re not going to make it. It’s difficult to push through. But that’s also when the adaptations in the nervous system occurs. It’s the first stage of adaptation.

Any stimulus will initially lead to a decrease in performance in the alarm phase. And this phase can last for days or weeks. During this period, you may experience fatigue, stiffness and soreness and a temporary drop in physical performance. Some confuse this with over training. Nope, that comes later and only if you keep doing the same things without changing anything, there are certain conditions.

The alarm phase is a must as without it we would not have the next stage, the adaptation phase. You must go through the alarm phase.

By the way, this is when most people give up. Whether we talk about a new diet, lifestyle or training routine, when the tough gets tough here’s where most give up. But if you push through it you reach the next stage.

women running

The Adaptation

If you “survive” the alarm phase adaptations begin to occur.

This is where your nervous system has adapted and you begin to notice muscular and aerobic adaptions. This is progress in performance.

There are also skeletal adaptations taking place and that is why it is essential not to grow the muscle mass too much too fast, to allow the skeletal changes to take place as well. Otherwise it will lead to joint damage. Slow progress is the best. It’s about building strong foundations first.

 

The Plateau

We’ve all heard about the plateau. You know, when you adapt to a certain routine and you stop making progress, or make very small progress.

It’s part of the adaptation process and unless you give the body another routine, to stimulate adaptation again, it will only be a maintenance program. You’re not getting anywhere when you hit that plateau.

Furthermore if you stay for too long in the plateau your performance will slowly begin to decrease as you reach the exhaustion phase which can lead to over training. This is where over training can occur.

This is where you need a scheduled break. By break I mean you either do a type of training like balance and fluid movement or do a different sport like swimming if you are a runner. You don’t just stop for a few weeks and do nothing at all.

 

The Exhaustion Phase

This is critical. You see so many gym enthusiasts doing the same routine for months, some even for years without changing much or anything at all.

Continuous exposure to the same routine, or stimulus, will eventually lead to overtraining. This is due to the inability of the body to tolerate the cumulative stress of the same stimulus over a period of time.

This is why I always say variation is key.

The exhaustion phase is characterised by a decrease in physical performance, as well as monotony, soreness and fatigue.

So the aim is to keep the body in the adaptation phase as long as possible. And to do this you need:

– periods of rest scheduled into the programme – remember rest doesn’t necesssarily mean you sleep all day and do nothing

– stimulus to be changed on a regular basis

 

This is how the process looks:

adaptation.

Technical Plateau

This is an element of the plateau which although it is not part of the adaptation process it’s something I’ve experienced in my athletic career and as a coach. And I’ve seen it in other sports people as well. Or rather heard about it.

The technical plateau is when you feel you just can’t get it right. You are still making progress in terms of adaptations, as we discussed above, but technical wise it feel weird and unusual. You just can’t get it right no matter how much you try. It’s like you have just lost your mojo, you know what I mean?

This is normal. It’s similar to the alarm phase. And what follows the alarm phase? Yep, adaption and progress. At some point you just get it right and it feels perfect.

 

So what do you do when you feel like you’ve lost your mojo?

1. Have patience

2. Focus on the process, on your training regime,  rather than on how things are not working out right that moment. Do your very best.

3. Have a coach, who can tell you what’s happening and who has been and/or goes through similar experiences and is familiar with the 4. phases. I believe a coach should go through all the stages themselves to be able to guide others through them.

4. Know that, if you coach says your techniques is fine, you are just in a dip and when you come out of it, in a few days or weeks, you will witness great progress.

5. Vary your training. For example I look to do something else than Karate, like Obstacle Racing. When you train and focus too hard on one thing, in my case the World Championship, you stretch yourself too much. You stretch like a rubber band and there so much a rubber band can stretch. It needs a bit of slack as some point.

I’ve been an athlete since 1995. Can you imagine how many adaption processes I went through? And they are never the same. But it’s beautiful to come out on the other side and see the massive progress. And this also helps me understand the different phases my clients go through and I am able to guide them accordingly

 

The same process applies to a new diet, implementing habits in your life, getting a new job, becoming an entrepreneur, moving from one country to another. You go through the initial alarm phase, adaptation and then plateau.

In terms of diet and healthy habits however, you want to reach the plateau, that’s where it gets comfortable and your body has adapted to the new types of food and new habits. Simple right?

Now that you understand how it all works you will not give up after a month or two of training or trying something new right? You know you are going through the alarm phase.

Are you going through any alarm phases or plateaus and not sure how to get through them? Are you stuck? Book a FREE call with me and let’s see how you can get through it.

100th Blog

100th Blog Post


Thought I’d make something special for my 100th blog post. So I picked (hand picked that is 😉 ) a few sentences from each blog post I wrote and added the link to the blog post it came from. A piece of wisdom from each of them. Some more interesting than others, but starting with the first ever…

    1. Researchers at the University of Essex in England are advancing the notion that exercising in the presence of nature has added benefit, particularly for mental health. Benefits of Exercising Outdoor
    2. Eating healthy snacks between meals helps control your weight and provides healthy protein, healthy fats, fiber and carbohydrates. Healthy Snack Ideas For You
    3. If you do them [breathing exercises] constantly you will feel great improvement on your stress levels,patience and coping mechanisms. Stress, anxiety and depression
    4. In the UK we have adapted the original food pyramid and underpinning guidance to follow what is called‘The Eatwell Plate’ . Nutritional Guidelines
    5. Just because it’s fruit doesn’t mean it’s good if you are trying to reduce the amount of sugar intake. 7 Easy Ways to Reduce Sugar Intake
    6. When breathing in a correct manner we have more power, more control over our bodies and we reduce the risk of certain injuries. Learn The Diaphragmatic Breathing Technique For Running
    7. Matcha tea is a natural caffeine boost & green tea finely milled or fine powdered.  Vivid Drink Matcha Tea Review
    8. Your skin absorbs anything you put on it from water to chemicals we use every single day several time a day. Why what you Put On Your Body is very Unhealthy and how you can Change that
    9. A mother’s depression, especially when untreated, can interfere with her child’s social, emotional, and cognitive development. What meaning do you give to depression?
    1. Even if you immune system is down you have less changes of contacting a virus outdoor than indoor with 100 other people. 7 Things I do to avoid the FluYoga silhouette virabhadrasana II warrior pose

    2. Use Ginger to reduce muscle and joint pain, swelling and stiffness Painkillers in your kitchen Part 1/4
    3. It is important to learn simple and fast ways you can do instantly to relieve the stress, center yourself and regain focus How to let go of stress instantly
    4. How you use your it determines how it works and how it feels; your body can be a well oiled machine or an old and rusty pickup truck. How To Use Your Body To Reduce Aches And Pains
    5. When you want to improve productivity, focus, reduce stress and be healthier but you struggle, there is nothing better that creating and nurturing a good habit, which comes automatic, it’s fast and easy. How to easily create healthy habits that stick long-term

    6. Rather than me or anyone else telling you what to eat I wanted to give you a very very brief explanation of what carbs are,, what are their properties and types of carbs are there.  Good carbs Bad Carbs
    7. Fitness, power and strength shape our bodies yes, but as a consequence our mental processes, our self esteem and finally the actions we take on a daily basis dramatically change. How fitness changes you at a physical and psychological level
    8. Do you dread Mondays? No need to, it’s a day like all the others. 10 Habits for a Happier, Healthier Monday
    9. The squat, even without any weight and when done properly, strengthens your stability muscles to recover faster after an injury, small or big, regain your balance faster and injury free when you trip, slip or otherwise lose balance, balance how the body functions, strengthening the weaker points. The squat: Why to do it,  How to do it
    10. Fish seems to help with tummy troubles such as Indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel diseases. Natural Painkillers in your kitchen Part 2/4
    11. Reconnecting with the Earth’s electrons has been proved to promote intriguing physiological changes and subjective reports of well-being. What does Earthing have to do with mental health?
      PauseAnd breathe
    12. Meditation is not only about quieting your mind, but rather allowing your thoughts to pass, one by one, without judging them in any way. Meditation What, Where, How, When & Why
    13. If you want to make any changes in your life then you need to change your attitude, that’s what training in cold weather does. Why 99% of my clients are afraid of outdoor winter training
    14. Your brain is naturally turned on when the phone is around, waiting for alerts from it, this prevents the body from achieving the desired state of total relaxation. 7 reasons why you shouldn’t sleep with your phone
    15. Whether we talk about mindful eating, walking or running, they all contribute to our mental and physical wellbeing. 3 steps to Mindful Eating and its benefits
    16. Besides getting stronger and fitter I’ve gained so much more, higher self esteem, confidence, calmness, patience, resilience.[when I chose the outdoors over the gym] 6 reasons why I choose the outdoors over the gym
    17. For a food to taste good it need fats and sugars, if it lacks one it has more of the other; watch out fat free food lovers. 13 simple nutritional habits to improve your health right now
    18. “Everything breathes: breathing is the inspiration of Life within all living forms of reality” 1st Principle of Conscious Connected Breathing – J. Yost. How I breathed my way into physical and mental well-being
    19. Mindfulness is paying attention rather than anything else, mindfulness is everywhere and in everything we do. The role of mindfulness in my childhood
    20. Press-ups are not limited by muscle mass. You do not need muscles to be strong and those who have muscles are not necessarily stronger than those who don’t. How to do a full press-up and Why
    1. Although no one has ever seen the mind, we can consider the brain as the platform for the mind and thus a platform for out mental wellbeing. How nutrition affects our Mental Health
      cherries
    2. Calm joint and headache pain with Natural Painkillers in your kitchen Part 3/4
    3. When you want to achieve something there are times when you need a kick in the butt, and no one is more able, motivated and caring enough than your coach to do that. Why on earth would you want a Coach?
    4. Recovery it’s largely about tissue regeneration and nutrient delivery. How much rest do you need for fitness gains
    5. MOBILITY is the ability to move or be moved freely and easily. FLEXIBILITY is the quality of bending easily without breaking. The difference between Flexibility and Mobility
    6. Scientists have discovered a connection between connecting with the Earth and reducing inflammation in the body which is responsible for many diseases we suffer from. How I discovered Earthing
    7. [training outdoors] is the best way to warm up when you’re cold. You will walk around in a t-shirt while others have coats. 10 awesome things about training outdoors
    8. [Breathing] helps detoxify your body. 16 benefits of practicing deep breathing
    9. When we sit or stand tall the exchange of information is free to go back and forth helping us function at our optimum level, heal faster and better, have more energy and vitality and sending nutrients where we most need them. 3 ways to enhance your meditation experience
    10. Don’t go to bed with your mind running around.Allow your mind to settle before you fall asleep for a quality rest. 11 habits to help you feel better in your own body
    11. Rhythmic exercise, such as walking, can be conducive to the process of self-discovery. What is a walking consultation and Why I do it

    12. By stretching your fingers, toes and consequently wrists and ankles you: improve the blood circulation to those areas, you relax your tendons, ligaments, muscles which leads to relaxation further up the arm or leg and better connectivity to the hands/fingers, feet/toes, reduce the risk of plantar fascia or carpal tunnel syndrome, improve range of movement in your hands, wrists, feet, ankles and thus freedom of movement. How to stretch your fingers and toes and why
    13. Physical tension leads to impatience, mood changes, frustration and mental stress. This in turn lead to lack of focus, creativity and productivity. How to relax your shoulders while you sit tall
    14. [Self-Discipline] is one of the 20% skills that contribute to 80% of results when applied to the right habits or areas of our lives. Building Self-Discipline
    1. Make anger or stress a matter of minutes rather than days, weeks and months. How I managed to manage my anger and stress (when I used to be like this)Alexandra Merisoiu Urban Women Fitness
    2. “It was everything I wouldn’t and haven’t done before…it was LIBERATING” What Nadia has to say about her Urban Women Fitness outdoor training sessions
    3. Going to bed with your mind running around means it will still be running for a while after you fall asleep and there goes your restful night. How to wake up fresh and energized every morning
    4. A busy mind leads to an imbalanced body. And the opposite is also true, a balanced body leads to a balanced, calmer mind. 5 lessons I learnt from balancing exercises
    5. Walnuts, besides fats, have a good amount of iron, vit-B6 and magnesium, grapefruit (as you guessed) vit A and C in abundance and grapes vit-B6. Why listen to what your body asks…sometimes
    6. Train hard but train with purpose. No matter where you train, be creative and search for variety. Have a purpose and experience the journey Why your workouts are boring and 4 ways to make them exciting

    7. Target shooting is indeed a sport of the mind. It also teaches you about relaxation, mindfulness and focus. It’s a challenging sport. 3 Mindfulness Lessons From Practicing Target Shooting
    8. Weight loss is a result of a healthy lifestyle and a healthy lifestyle has several components: Body, Mind, Emotions, Soul and Social. Weight loss is simple…
    9. The difference between leaving someone with the love for sport and exercise and making them hate it for the rest of their lives. “Beasting” vs Smart Coaching
    10. Science has proven, beyond doubt, that the content of our thoughts and emotions directly and immediately influence our biochemistry” Kelly Howell (Sound Healer, Meditation Guide, Consciousness  Researcher) How the meaning you give to your words can make you sick
    11. When you deal with weight loss have a plan, a healthy lifestyle plan, and stick to it. Have a schedule of exercising, create healthy habits for the entire family and just focus on the process only.  3 Mistakes Women Make Which Increase Stress Levels
    12. One of the reasons they [athletes] do [have coaches[, and one of the reasons I have 3 coaches training me right now in Karate, Obstacle Racing and running and business, is Struggling to stay motivated? This is why…
    13. You know I always mention about “the purpose behind your training” and I always say the purpose is not the same thing as a goal. Purpose vs Goals
    14. All [The Merisoiu Technique] 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. How Does The Merisoiu Technique Really Works
    15. I believe, from my experience, that running can and should be enjoyable and pain free. I know because my running transformed from painful to actually enjoying it. 7 Ways To Make You Enjoy Your Running
    1. Mindfulness does not have to be meditation, a chore, a to do thing on the list and in fact i tcreates more time and space rather than reduce it. What’s all the fuss about mindfulness
      swimming
    2. We struggle too much to follow thousands of rules. 3 Ways To Stay Healthy And Fit For Life
    3. If you brushed your teeth only once a week would your teeth be healthy? Why Training 4 Days A Week Is Essential For Transformational Results
    4. We do not realize that if we respond to stress and tension with more stress and tension we make things worse. We cause tension after tension after tension.Why You Should Master The Art Of Nothing
    5. Don’t believe what I, or anyone else tells you or writes about,you need to filter the information we all give you and think for yourself.  Confused About Food: How To Get Past The Confusion
    6. I am a firm believer in taking long walks outdoors after leaving the office. The space and fresh air  clears the mind and calms down the nervous system. By the time you get back home you’ve cleared most of the negative emotions and thoughts. 3 Ways To Cope Better With A Stressful Working Environment
    7. You’ll never ever progress being comfortable. Nature will get your out of your comfort zone at every single training session, no exception. 3 Things That Happen Instantly When You Train With Nature’s Elements
    8. Every habit, healthy or not, has its purpose in the body. Your brain uses those habits to solve something. The Secret To Creating Healthy Habits That Stick Long Term
    9. We run from one corner to another, always in a rush, always looking at the time and always under some type of pressure. We seldom, if ever, stop to breath and look around. Finding Balance In Life
    10. When I think about my daily diet I always go back to when my grandmother used to cook for her grandchildren in the countryside. 9 Simple & Intuitive Approaches To Healthy Eating Habits
    1. Among the benefits of tree scrambling you have  core strength, arm and shoulder strength,coordination, agility, flexibility, mobility and even lower body strength depending on the tree and how you climb through it. Reclaim Your Nature
      tree-scrambling
    2. It’s the details make the whole so cutting out all your favourite foods and going to the gym 5 days a week all of a sudden will not necessarily work for building healthy habits leading to a healthier lifestyle. How To Use Triggers To Effortlessly Create Healthy Habits
    3. Make it easy and fast to prepare your training by making permanent lists and strategically placing them where you can easily see them. 3 Ways To Design Your Environment And Make Exercise Easier And Enjoyable
    4. Posture sends stress signals to the brain. 3 Awesome Benefits Of A Great Posture
    5. Muscle soreness can kick in anytime within 72 hours from your training session. Some experts say 24-48 others go to 72. 5 Ways To Deal With Muscle Soreness Without Medication
    6. We, humans, are build to move, yes. But we are also programmed to grow, to learn, to develop, to make progress one way or another. We are evolving all the time. And that makes us happy, thrilled, excited about that thing that we do. So why is it that so many people don’t like it. Some go so far as saying they hate it, exercise that is. Why? How To Fall In Love With Your Training Routine
    7. Weight loss is easy, it really is, when you stop trying to lose it and just look after your body from the inside first. And have patience. Why Weight Loss Should Not Be Your #1 Priority
    8. Running is more than just physical movement, it requires consistency, dedication, resilience and discipline. When you become a runner your body changes but most importantly your mind changes as you face challenge after challenge. What Can Running Do For You
    9. As the spine straightens and lengthens you get that feeling of release in your lower back and throughout your spine. 5 Awesome Benefits Of Sleeping On The Floor
    10. It’s good to have a Coach you can lean into when things get difficult. It’s even better if you like your Coach, the teaching methods, exercises, the empathy, enthusiasm, energy, philosophy (if they have one) and what they stand for. The First Step To Take As A Beginner In Fitness
    11. Stop exercising and start moving in ways you’ve never done before. STOP Exercising! Do This Instead
    1.  5 Secrets To Less Pain And More Freedom Of Movement
    2. If we cannot control the simple act of breathing how are we suppose to control our thoughts, our bodies or ever the world around us. And if we cannot feel and fully experience breathing how are we supposed to be mindful of anything else within or around us. HOW to breathe and WHY it is important
    3. When you feel your body is not working at its peak, you feel aches and pains everywhere,you feel as if your body is falling apart.  Are you falling apart?
    4. Your mind and body are always connected. One influences the other and when one is out of balance the other will be as well. Where Do You Hold Your Stress? And 5 Steps To Combat Stress
    5. MOBILITY is the ability to move or be moved freely and easily. MOBILITY is an indication of how well and efficiently we move. FLEXIBILITY is the quality of bending easily without breaking. FLEXIBILITY is a component of MOBILITY. Why Your Flexibility Today Is Different From Yesterday
    6. To get rid of many of these physical pains and stress all you need it 5-10 min. Do This NOW To Revitalize Your Body
    7. Bringing mindfulness into running makes it a lot more enjoyable. Do You Hate Running? Here Are Three Steps To LOVE It
    8. Zanshin is the state of readiness in Budo practice. Budo is the code of Martial Arts, the Martial Arts path, an education system in the modern world, rather than a fighting system  like many people believe. What Is Zanshin And Why It Is Important For You
    1. Everyone lives different lives and so we all need different things. It all comes down to mindset really. What Day & Time Is The Best For Training Sessionsbarefoot

    2. We are so dependent on our eyes nowadays. We receive most of our information through the sense of sight. It seems to me we are slowly losing the ability to feel. Stop Looking And Start Feeling
    3. Why does our butt stick out when we heel strike if heel strike is the natural way? Then back arches and we end up with back pain, thus hating running. Don’t Run On Your Toes…Or Heels
    4. In the end the experience you have is the only thing that matters . Getting Off The Treadmill Of Life
    5. Cultivate the art of attention and focus and your life will change Why I Stand For 1h30m Training Sessions
    6. The way you go through life, the way you see the world, how you feel and what you listen to will change the way you live your life. How To Cultivate The Art Of Attention And Focus
    7. Practice breathing and your running performance and your general health will see huge improvements. TMP 001: Breathing Technique For Runners
    8. Your cannot balance properly to strengthen your foot muscles and the rest of the body if you cannot hold a nice, relaxed, elongated posture. You MUST address your POSTURE. Strong Foundations For A Strong Pain Free Body
    9. If the foundations of a system are weak then the entire system is weakened and will collapse sooner or later. Why And How To Look After Your Feet
    10. If I had to choose the one thing I’d like my clients to take from their experience of training with me that’ll be Posture. If there was one thing I could choose. How To Stop Your Shoulders From Hurting At The End Of The Day
  1. We are organic beings and we should remain in contact with the matter we are made of. The Risks Of Going Barefoot

crocodile

TMP 001: Breathing Technique For Runners

TMP 001: Breathing Technique For Runners


 women running

Part of what I teach is Running Technique and today I would like to talk to you about breathing while running. One of the most overlooked aspects of running, health and physical and mental performance.

There are many ways to breathe while running and coaches teach their way, the way that works best for them. I will teach you the breathing pattern my sensei taught me many years ago.

So let’s begin.

Correct breathing

First we must make sure you breathe in a correct way:

1. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. This way you avoid inhaling dust particles by filtering the air. You are also using your nose which is part of the respiratory system. We are supposed to use that to breathe because that’s what it was designed for in the first place. You can also breathe out through the nose.

2. Breathe in expanding the stomach or pushing the belly button out. Breathe out pulling the belly button in towards the spine. Your chest should not move in and out and your shoulders should not move up and down. You should practice this stationary or while walking before you bring it into your running.

3. Don’t slouch when you breathe out or push your hips forward, rounding your lower back when you breathe in. Your body is stationary and only the stomach moves in and out.

The rhythm

Now let’s move on to breathing rhythm while running. This works for myself and my clients and it’s a good place to start.

1. Breath in on 2 steps, breathe out on 2 steps. It goes like this…

2. Break down the breathes , don’t do a long inhale and long exhale. You must control the air that goes in and out so you don’t inhale or exhale too much pr too little. It can also make you dizzy . So try to do This…… And not this…..

3. Do not fill up your lungs with air or empty them all the way. Leave some space otherwise you create pressure and run out of breathe

4. From time to time you may need to take a long in breathe through your nose or mouth or exhale long. Thats ok, there was a break in the rhythm and your body needs to adjust that

5. If you are not used to breathing through your nose this will seem very difficult and unnatural. That’s ok and normal. Practice the breathing when you walk before you run and practice other breathing techniques as well to increase lung capacity. Remember that the nose is part of the system responsible for breathing, it was made for us to breathe through it not through the mouth. The more you practice the easier and more natural it becomes.

Practice breathing and your running performance and your general health will see huge improvements.

Getting Off The Treadmill Of Life

Getting Off The Treadmill Of Life


I am not even sure the title is the best one for this post. I was inspired by one of my students to write about this after a conversation we had the other day.

Let me tell you my thoughts first.

One day, last Wednesday to be more precise, a thought came to my mind: Wednesday? I thought Wednesday was last week. I thought we were done with it and moved on.

Now that was a funny thing (for me at least). I wasn’t really serious.

But come to think of it we never move on. Wednesday will come every 7 days, again and again…..and yet again. May will do the same. We keep ourselves in this infinite cycle.

“We” because we humans invented the cycle and named the days of the week.

Another wheel going nowhere

Now the point is that not only we are on a hamster wheel already we also run on treadmills and cycle on stationary bikes…..going nowhere…..again.

Do you really want that? Do you really like that? Just askin’…

Yeah, but I’ll hurt my knees otherwise

If your running is aggressive you will probably hurt your body wherever you run or even just walk. And you will probably hurt it more on surfaces that absorb that aggressiveness and you will never become aware of it. You will never learn, never grow, never understand, never move on.

Is that what you want? Another wheel going nowhere?

You will ache anyway

You will be old and you will ache anyway, might as well ache for a good reason. That’s the answer I gave my aunt who said running will damage my body.

I will not say it doesn’t. Anything can damage your body, even if it’s wear and tear. And it comes sooner or later even if you do nothing.

girl-running

We live it, we breath it

In the end the experience you have is the only thing that matters . That’s what you will tell your friends, family and grandchildren.

You will never talk about the shoes you wore on the treadmill at one point in time. You will not tell them you ran a 5k on the treadmill and actually feel awesome about it.

But run outdoors through mud, water, rain, snow or whatever the weather. Then come home and tell your story.

At Urban Women Fitness we live and breathe every moment we are outdoors. Whether running, climbing trees, lifting logs or moving in ways we’ve never moved before.

We feel the wind, the cold, the snow, the sun, the rain, we feel them all and we become a part of the elements and the elements a part of us.

We listen, we touch, we experience, we discover, we experiment, we live even if just for a few hours every week. 

And the stories we tell our loved ones are precious, are unique but most important we are proud of ourselves and we finally LOVE this thing that many call “exercise”

Don’t Run On Your Toes…Or Heels

women running

Don’t Run On Your Toes…Or Heels


You may or may not agree with my ideas and practices. But that’s ok. The world would be so boring if we all had the same ideas and philosophies. Don’t you think?

So I would like to share my opinion on running skills. Particularly regarding the strike in this blog post. First of all I base my running technique on POSE Method and Chi Running elements as well as Natural Running. Plus I bring into it some elements from Karate. Yes, Karate and running have common grounds, believe it or not.

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About heel strike

I’m not saying heel strike is good or bad but I am asking the following questions:

Why don’t children (up to the age of 5) run heel strike? If heel strike was the natural way.

Why does running feel so heavy when we heel strike? You only notice the heaviness when you experience the opposite, lightness.

Why so many people struggle so much when running? …and most people heel strike

Why does our butt stick out when we heel strike if heel strike is the natural way? Then back arches and we end up with back pain, thus hating running.

Why don’t we run heel strike first when we don’t have padding/platforms (that’s shoes)? The moment we try to heel strike barefoot that impact goes right up the head is it’s too aggressive. Have you ever felt that? I tested.

Why do we feel so much pressure on the knees when heel striking? And why does it look so aggressive on the body when we heel strike? Have you ever notices the aggressive force on the body? I notice it by watching runners every single day…

Why do we lose control and easily slip on ice, snow or mud when we heel strike?

Why is running so difficult for my clients before I teach them the “other way”?

About toe strike

If we run on our toes, without placing the heel on the ground, there are other problems.

As the foot touches the ground, knee bends and if the heel doesn’t touch the ground then the knee bends further passing over the toes and so receives all the pressure and weight. There is a similar principle in Karate.

You can also get shin splints and force the ankle too much. Add to that the poor weight distributions and poor alignment of the body which keeps it in a weaker form. Let’s not mention the strain on the calf.

No heels, no toes….then what?

There’s another option: Ball of foot – Midfoot strike

That is landing with the ball of the foot (has nothing to do with the toes) a fraction of a second before the heel touches the ground. It’s really that long, a fraction.

You should not point your toes and never land on your toes as this can indeed lead to other types of injuries.

Ball of foot is wrongly mistaken for toe landing. It is completely different and the body works in a different way. It is actually heavy and difficult and you bounce up and down all the way. Who’d want that! It can be exhausting.

Conclusion

I do not claim to know the best way to run. All I know is that since I changed my running form there is less pressure on my body, running feels light like gliding over the ground and it’s so much easier.

I also have a lot more control when running on different surfaces and can apply the principle of body weight transfer so I don’t push off.

Because push off action, or pushing against the ground, causes will lead to a response an equal and opposite reaction – according to the laws of physics.

When you heel strike you end up pushing off to move forward. Alternatively when you lean from your ankles, using gravity and using the body weight transfer principle you make use of that source of free energy. You also nicely and smoothly lift your foot and place it softer on the ground. More control, more enjoyable run.

And this doesn’t come only from my experience. Once I begin teaching running techinique my clients start smiling and begin enjoying running. Even those who hated it before. They feel lighter and more in control of their own bodies. And they look like runners from their first session. Because it’s about forma AND efficiency.

You must also bear in mind that landing is only ONE element of the running technique I teach. There are many other elements which when brought together transform your running and how it impacts your body.

So there you have it. What I stand for in terms of running and the reason why I stand for this. As mentioned the technique is much more complex but this gives you a glimpse.

Review your running technique

If you’d like me to have a look at your running film yourself running 50m a few times, book a call with me and we will look at it together

Do You Hate Running? Here Are Three Steps To LOVE It

Do You Hate Running? Here Are Three Steps To LOVE It


Many people tell me they don’t like or even hate running. The most common 3 reasons I get when I ask them why (but not the only) are:

1. It’s boring
2. It’s difficult (running out of breath)
3. It’s painful (on the joints, muscles)

If you feel you don’t like running because of the reasons above or other reasons (let me know which) here’s how you can overcome them:

1. It’s boring

I don’t blame you. Running can be really boring when you’re just…….running. Unless you reach “the zone”, which requires time and practice.

So to counter that here’s what I do. I take my clients through drills such as breathing techniques, fluidity in running, relaxation while running (yes, that’s possible and recommended) and posture.

Bringing mindfulness into running makes it a lot more enjoyable. And it’s not me saying this, but my clients themselves.

[tweetthis]Bringing #mindfulness into #running makes it a lot more enjoyable.[/tweetthis]

Photo Credit: Alain Limoges via Compfight cc
Photo Credit: Alain Limoges via Compfight cc

2. It’s difficult (running out of breath)

It’s true that if you run out of breath after running for a few minutes there’s not fun or enjoyment in running. You need patience and consistency to overcome that.

Ooor you could do breathing exercises three minutes before you fall asleep. Don’t tell me you don’t have time. No one falls asleep within three seconds from placing their head on the pillow. If that’s the case then that’s not good.

Three minutes before falling asleep do a breathing technique. Here’s one to get you going. Do it for two weeks, ever week, religiously and you will see improvements. Do it for longer than three minutes and the progress will be even greater.

Triangle breathing technique:

Imagine an equilateral triangle. It has 3 equal sides

• BREATHE IN through your nose on a count of 4.
• HOLD on a count of 4.
• BREATHE OUT through your nose on a count of 4.
• No hold after this one. Repeat

If 4 sec is too much take it down to 3 or 2. If it’s too little take it up.

Note: make sure that when you breathe in you breathe into your stomach (making the stomach big) and when you breathe out you squeeze your stomach, pulling your belly button towards your spine. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.

After you increase your lung capacity running will not be a nightmare anymore.

At the end of this blog post you have 2 other breathing techniques if you need progressions. But believe me if you go up to 10-20 sec with the triangle you won’t need any progression.

3. It’s painful (on the joints, muscles)

Ok here’s a real pain. Literally. Although we’ve been designed to walk long distances and to run, that’s what history of evolution shows us, and although we have such amazing technology around and comfy shoes we still experience loads of running related injuries. Ever wondered why?

Here’s the thing. Any sport you practice can lead to injuries, whether we’re talking about running or not. So let’s leave the running leads to injury part and see how we can reduce the pain you feel so you enjoy running.

It’s simple really. Technique, mindfulness, breathing, fluidity and posture. Five elements that will take the stress off your joints and make you not run but glide over the ground (won’t promise you will levitate though)

[tweetthis] Five elements that will take the stress off your joints and make you not #run but glide over the ground[/tweetthis]

A good running technique looks at the following major components:

• posture
• stride and pace
• landing and kick off
• using gravity instead of brute force
• arm movement, angle and hand position
• leg and foot movement
• hips movement
• breathing rhythm

[tweetthis]A good #RunningTechnique looks at the following major components:[/tweetthis]

Read my blog post on What Can Running Do For You and you will understand what I am talking about.

Need advice on your running, get in touch.

What Can Running Do For You

What Can Running Do For You


Do you feel like running is a physical exercise, boring and a “must do” for health? If so then it’s time to open your eyes and see beyond appearances so you can enjoy and love running.

I am the kind of person who likes to look beyond appearances. I believe there is always something more than just what we see at first glance.

When I was asked what can running do for someone it was difficult for me to put into words what I feel when I run and what it can do when you leave aside the physical benefits such as:

• weight loss
• cardiovascular fitness
• tone your body
• strengthen your body

My longest nonstop run was on 11th of Sept 2010 when 44.172 km in 3h 27min 42sec in Bucharest, Herastrau Park. Since then I did many other runs under 30km and recently obstacle course races.

My longest OCR was Spartan Beast on the 9th of November 2013, 25km, 75 obstacles finished in 3 hours 41 minutes and 2 seconds.

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The “other” benefits of running

We focus a lot on the weight loss side of running. That’s probably because we are all paying a lot of attention on obesity. Messages regarding obesity are in our faces every day. If we looked beyond these things, then obesity would disappear as well.

So what are the other benefits of running that not many talk or write about? Well this is my personal experience but I am sure there are many runners out there who would agree that when you run:

You let go.

You let go of stress, worry, plans, work, responsibilities and housework.

You begin to see a different side of yourself.

Running is more than just physical movement, it requires consistency, dedication, resilience and discipline. You cannot become a runner if you do not run on a regular basis. When you become a runner your body changes but most importantly your mind changes as you face challenges after challenges. After that many of your other problems will seem small and insignificant.

You reach “the zone” or the “runner’s high”.

This has to do with endorphins. The greater the endorphin surge in certain areas of the brain, the more euphoric a runner feel. Well this is what every runner is searching for. That moment when everything disappears and you “just run”, nothing else matters. To get the runner’s high you have to push yourself hard but not too hard.

You solve problems.

Here I have to tell you my own experience. There are phases you may experience when you run:

• first your mind is flooded with thoughts. It’s like a waterfall, they all come at once.
• after a while, depending on how busy your brain is, thoughts start to fade
• then your mind goes quiet, there is finally silence
• but then you start getting ideas, solutions to problems and get creative.

There is research done on why this happens. The thing is that many times on my runs I create blogs, art work and I have brilliant ideas.

It all has to do with letting go of stress, with brain oxygenation, improved blood circulation to the responsible areas of the brain.

It’s not a random thing that just happens. But leaving science aside for a moment, try to just enjoy this pure feeling rather than analyse why it’s happening.

[tweetthis]We get so caught up in scientific evidence and forget to just enjoy the moment.[/tweetthis]

You see, it’s not what you do but how it leaves you feeling. That’s it. Scientific proof will not make you feel happy. Knowledgeable yes, and that’s important, but happy …. not so much.

 

How long does it take to reach that stage where you can let go?

You can “let go” and just run when you are comfortable with running. I wish I could give you an exact time frame. It depends on a lot of factors such as:

• if you have injuries and how long do those take to recover
• how much you run and train for running
• what you do besides running to build up your running, such as breathing techniques
• how dedicated you are
• why you want to run
• how disciplined you are
• whether you are coached or not

How can you reach that level where you can let go?

There is some good amount of work to put into it. After I injured myself back on August 2014 I haven’t reached that stage since.
When I recover I’d have to resume my running training well under my normal level. I’ll have to built up again.

But what you should think about is the process, the journey, not the destination. You may or may not find “the zone” for a very long time. Don’t aim for that, just enjoy your run.

 

As a beginner what is the first step?

Because of my experience with injuries in the past and then moving onto a new style of running which proved to be more beneficial, if I was a beginner I’d want to be coached so I could:

• learn a running technique which puts less pressure on joints
• learn how to hold my posture so I don’t close up my body and restrict breathing
• be pushed outside my comfort zone and make progress
• learn how to breathe properly so I can enjoy my run
• train my body in a multilateral and creative way because running is a full body movement

A good running techniques looks at the following major components:

• posture
• stride and pace
• landing and kick off
• using gravity instead of force
• arm movement, angle and hand position
• leg and foot movement
• hips movement
• breathing rhythm

 

Are you looking to start running or take running at the next level? Running is my passion and I’d love to give you some advice. Book a FREE call with me and come with a few questions.

3 Ways To Design Your Environment And Make Exercise Easier And Enjoyable

3 Ways To Design Your Environment And Make Exercise Easier And Enjoyable


Developing the habit of exercising regularly can be difficult for some. For others it may be easier to start with but when they hit the plateau it gets really difficult to keep going. What’s your challenge?

There’s a thing you can do to make life easier for yourself. That’s designing your environment in the right way.

From experience I can tell you that waking up at 5 am 6 days a week to go running, followed by work (I worked in corporate banking back then) and then to courses (Masters in International Business) can sometimes be very difficult.

However not matter how difficult it gets you need to push a little bit through it otherwise you end up at the beginning and have to start all over again.

So here are 3 tips to think about when designing your environment for success.

woman-running

3. Use triggers

I wrote about triggers in more detail in another blog, right here.

Triggers are habits you do automatically without thinking too much about them. Like brushing your teeth in the morning and before you go to bed. Or pushing the right pedals when you drive, you don’t think about it anymore.

Triggers can also be for example when your kids come from school or when the alarm sounds in a certain way.

Choose a special ringtone for when you have your running days, you will set your brain to activate when it hears that particular ringtone and you will jump out of bed and run out the door.

These are triggers you can use to get you up and running, literally.

 

 

2. Make a list

Depending on the type of exercise you go for you will need different kit and accessories. Make a list of what you need.

I used to have a list for Karate class, one for running in summer, another for running in winter, at night or on rainy days and others for whatever other types of activities I was doing.

I’d have the lists on post-it notes and place them somewhere where I could easily see them without actually looking for them.

Make it easy and fast to prepare your training by making permanent lists and strategically placing them where you can easily see them.

 

1. Don’t wait until the last moment

Waiting to put your kit in your bag 5 min before heading to your outdoors session might just put you off.

Same goes for when you go for a run after work. When you arrive home don’t change into house clothing, change into your running kit straight away. Trust me it works like a charm.

Have everything prepared and ready to go.

 

Now you have 3 simple steps to make your workouts easier and less of a hassle: use triggers, make lists, and get everything ready beforehand.

 

Want a more personalized tips on designing your environment? Then book a FREE call with me and let’s get your triggers, lists and prepare you to enjoy your exercising days.

7 Ways To Make You Enjoy Your Running

7 Ways To Make You Enjoy Your Running


woman-running

The other day one of my readers asked me a series of questions about running and how to enjoy it more. As you probably already know, and if you didn’t know you will now, this is one of my favorite topics. I am a long distance runner, to be more precise, since 2007.

I believe, from my experience, that running can and should be enjoyable and pain free. I know because my running transformed from painful to actually enjoying it.

So here are her 4 questions and my answers:

How to enjoy running?

This is a common question because so many of us run just to train for a race, to lose weight or for general health. Now, these are all good but let’s at least enjoy it if we dedicate so many hours for it. Try these tips:

1. Learn to relax. Relaxing when you run not only makes it a more enjoyable experience it actually saves a lot of pain and reduces the reduces the risk of injury.

2. Take your shoes off. You can run short distances (attention:risk of injuries) or just walk barefoot. This will not only change your routine, brining something new and different, it will also strengthen your foot muscles stabilizing that arch and again reducing the risk on some injuries

3. Don’t stick just to running. Alternate running with other sports. If you want you can choose a sport that compliments running such as playing squash, tennis or anything that requires power, change of direction or something similar. Personally I’d go with target shooting, rock climbing, hiking, these are the things I like to do that are not directly related to running, they’re like a reboot to the system

 

How to balance running fast and breathing?

Breathing while running is not very complicated once you find your own rhythm.  So my personal rhythm is 2 breathes is and 2 out, on each step. This is the topic of another blog so I will not go into detail here.

Once you find your rhythm then you practice it at rest every single day. Furthermore you also practice other breathing techniques, daily, such as: linear, triangular, square etc.

Breathing will be discussed in my book coming out in March. It goes into a lot of detail. So keep an eye out for it. For now find and focus on breathing exercises and see these 2 blogs where I talk about the briefly: this one and this one

Should we push through discomfort to improve physical performance at the expense of enjoyment?

It all depends what type of discomfort we are talking about. If it’s muscle burn, lactic acid, then push through it. To reach a certain level of performance we need to get out of the comfort zone.

And this goes for everything in life, whether it’s sports or business or you are a student studying for exams or to get a scholarship. It’s the only way to progress, get out of our comfort zone.

So yes, sometimes, not all the time so you don’t start hating running, push through this type of discomfort at the expense of enjoyment. And if I have to me precise I’d say push hard every 4th-5th running specific session.

This also depends on your training program so it may not work for you. You need to leave time for recovery as the progress and adaptations occur not while training but up to 7 days after your session.

If the discomfort is caused by an injury, a mechanical discomfort, then I advise caution and no pushing through. See a doctor, physio or GP instead.

women-running

How can we be happy running if we want to improve performance?

So as before alternate your training, try different things that would increase your performance as a runner but not only through running. You will improve performance and when you do your running training you won’t feel it like a chore.

Here are some tips on how to increase performance but still love running:

1. Change of scenery. Don’t take the same route all the time. Don’t ever run in the same place all the time. Would be good if you went somewhere in the mountains, in the forests, beaches etc and change

2. Try different sports that will make you a better runner. Unlike the first example where I said you can do sports non-running related here they are related. Don’t limit your training only to running. So cycling, rope skipping, log dragging are other ideas.

3. Alternate running training methods. You have long distance running, short distance, sprinting, interval training, fartlek. You can wear a weight vest or ankle and wrist weights. Spice up your training.

4. Run and/or walk backwards. This will develop your hamstrings and spice up your training a little bit.

 

I hope these tips will help you in your particular running program. Try them out and come back with feedback.

As usual if you need to talk to me just book a free call and let’s look over your particular case.

 

Building Self-Discipline

Building Self-Discipline


Self discipline is a trait everyone should have in their life. Whether it’s related to health, business, diet or fitness self control is what will get consistent results.
No one is born disciplined. It is a behavior we can learn, develop and use for success in any area of our lives. And as any other skill or behavior we can develop it but we can also lose it if we don’t practice it. I tell you this from personal experience.

 

Why is it good to be self disciplined:

 

1. Makes it easier to create and follow a plan. If you want to take up running 5 days a week, at 6 am it will be a lot easier to follow through if you have already practiced self discipline.

 

2. When you are disciplined you are in control of your world and life and you can make more rational decisions without feeling stressed or upset.

 

3. Self disciplined people get the results they are looking for. As my mentor Amanda Watts would say, consistency is key. When you are self disciplined you are consistent with your work, your training and your goals every day, week and month. You get where you want to get and let nothing get in your way.

 

4. Self discipline is training or control of oneself and one’s conduct for personal growth. It’s one of the 20% skills that contribute to 80% of results when applied to the right habits or areas of our lives.

 

5. Daily chores will be less stressful and frustrating. Everything will become easier.

 

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Here are some easy ways you can start to discipline yourself before you go for bigger, more relevant goals in your life:

1. Make a schedule for the first hour after you wake up. For example mine is 20 min practicing Qigong or another type of exercise, 20 min working on my to do list and 20 min reading, listening to TED talks or inspirational videos to get my mind ready for the day.

 

2. Wake up at the same time every morning. Not 5 min earlier or later and no snooze button. Put your alarm clock, or phone, far away from your bed or in a another room to make you get out of bed to turn it off. Just make sure wherever you leave it you can hear it.

 

3. Plan a to do list, decide how much time you will spend on each task and do them. Turn off any phones, laptops, email, facebook etc if you don’t need them to avoid getting distracted. You don’t have to start with 1hour per task if that’s difficult to keep up with. Instead start small, 15 min for example, and slowly build up.

 

4. To build discipline I ask my clients to do food diaries. Besides the fact that we look at their nutritional habits we also build self discipline which helps us later in the program and helps them later to keep going without me

 

5. And the cherry on top…..sign out of your facebook, email, twitter, linkedin accounts etc and only check them 3 times a day for 1hour maximum. That is if your work does not involve working on social media, even so you can sign off for a few hours a day.
As usual if you have any questions write me and I will answer.

 

And if you want to learn more please download my free ebook The Merisoiu Technique or book a free consultation to talk to me.


Learn The Diaphragmatic Breathing Technique For Running

women running

    Learn The Diaphragmatic Breathing
Technique For Running


In Martial Arts we always paid attention to breathing. When breathing in a
correct manner we have more power, more control over our bodies and we reduce
the risk of certain injuries.

Now, still a Martial Arts competitor but also a runner, I believe that breathing is
the most important activity when training for running but also walking, hiking,
cycling, everything.

If we do not learn to breath properly what we do just becomes very heavy,
very difficult and there is a higher risk of injuries.

Runner’s World show us how to bring breathing and steps together in a
rhythmic way for a more efficient and less risk of injury running.

This is only one of the technique I, as a Personal Trainer, teach my students.
And this is not only during the session, they take it home and slowly implementing
the teaching in their lives.

Post Source: JoggingYourLife.com  / Learn The Diaphragmatic Breathing Technique For Running