Some of us enjoy breaking the rules or taking the shortcut, no matter how great the risk, regardless of the potential punishment, especially when for short term gains or self-gratification. After all, from an early age, we've learned that we can get away with it, without repercussions. My warning is this: Mother Nature has been at this for far longer than any of us, and she is a master serial killer, with no remorse for us and our ways. She will pursue balance, at all cost. This knowledge has caused me to begin looking at the teaching of movement and exercise from a different, more global perspective. My discovery is: Much of the pain, discomfort, illnesses and disease facing man, is of our own doing.
MOVE IT OR LOSE IT
We are born natural movers, and that is what we are intended to still be. However now, researchers are confused why some of us are not responding to exercise, no matter how hard we try.
"Is your workout getting you nowhere?", is the opening question posed by Ms. Gretchen Reynolds in her Globe & Mail newspaper article published, January 13th, 2017. For far too many, this acknowledgement is a bitter, if not overwhelming pill to swallow. They are discouraged.
JUST MOVE IT,
For more than 25 years, I've watched, often horrified as the most tragic accidents play themselves out. Hardworking people unwittingly propel themselves into catastrophic physical events disguised as fitness.
Movement is more than a new buzzword, hashtag or a catchphrase. It is a matter of life or death. And while that may seem like hyperbole, the evidence is clear.
BALANCE FITNESS WORKOUT COMPANION
Everyone suits up for their day differently.
For some, packing their headphones along with the required Lululemon gear and heart rate monitor is a normal part of a training preparation routine. For me, leaving home with my favourite BEATS in-ear or over-the-ear headset is a deliberate part of my “hear-no-evil”, get into my zone experience. And the day begins.
WANTING TO BE SOMETHING
I woke this morning with a Facebook notification on my phone that I had been tagged in a post by Richard Dixon, a longtime friend. With friends like Richard, you won't need family.
I was humbled and honoured by his comments. "I was listening to this podcast and at the beginning of the conversation, I could not help but think of my friend Devon McGregor", he wrote. "Not about the weight lifting, not about personal training, but about MAKING IT HAPPEN."
A RESPONSE to KNEE INJURY PREVENTION STUDY
"Some training methods are better than others at preventing knee ligament injuries in young women", wrote Ms. Madeline Kennedy on behalf of Reuters News Agency, quoting advice given by researchers.
Ms. Kennedy's column focussed mostly on recently completed research by Dai Sugimoto of The Micheli Centre for Sports Injury Prevention in Massachusetts. Mr. Sugimoto's conclusions were that: “We know neuromuscular training can reduce ACL injury in female athletes, but we were not sure what exercises are the best to attain the maximal prophylactic effects”. Really?
It's About Confidence, Not Race.
I was brought to this country, which I now call home, on Feb. 25, 1977. It was a miserable winter. I must have cried for a week. Frostbite on the first day of school didn't help, but I was curious about my new surroundings.
7 PATTERNS of HUMAN MOVEMENT WORKSHOP SERIES
#WhereFitnessMeetsWellness
SIX WEEKS, AND LEFT WANTING MORE
The participants entered with open minds and left knowing that there was far more to learn.
From December 1st through to December 6th, 2014, sixteen curious individuals walked into our studio anxious to participate in the Foundation Training Intensive Workshop that I would be conducting.
Technogym Partnership at Balance Fitness
I am thrilled to share some wonderful news with you.
Next week, you will see a dramatic change to our cardio space. Through a new partnership with Technogym, official fitness equipment suppliers to the Olympics, we are installing 13 new cardiovascular machines , which will be operational by December 10th 2014.
The Power of the Mind
Visualization is a tool used by professionals and novice alike during training and work. In the end, visualization is used to reach success. However, it can also be used more globally as a separate training tool (to see the desired outcome), to establish or renew awareness, to heighten sensory perception, to calm and relax, refocus, to improve well-being and to recover from injury or failure.
Foundation Training Interview
In may, 2014, I had the privilege of being interviewed for the Foundation Training Newsletter, answering questions about my business and personal practices, motivations, perceived trends, and why I'm such a proponent of Foundation Training. Please read the transcript below:
Failure is Insidious
Our lifespan allows us the luxury of ignoring the negative results of inactivity. But, we now have proof that pain and many symptoms of aging can be attributed to inactivity and the poor use of our bodies.
“Failure is insidious,” said my client.
Pre-Hab
"When you have a muscular or structural imbalance, says Dr. Eric Goodman (creator of Foundation Training), you're taking that imbalance further or making it greater when you begin to exercise before correcting the imbalance".
For decades, health officials have continued to encourage the masses to get moving – and with good reason.
The Only Vehicle You'll Ever Own
The most sophisticated machine in the world doesn't even come with a manual.
Do you remember the first car that you owned?
Imagine, on the day you were handed the keys to that car, you were also told, “This is the only vehicle you’ll ever own.” In hindsight, how would you treat that car differently? No doubt with better care.