5 MINUTE MEDITATION - RELAXING, SOOTHING PIANO MUSIC(WEVIDEO) : C.N.S. ...

THE HUBBLE TELESCOPE : BEST,AMAZING IMAGES OF MCLASS GALAXIES - PARASYMP...

The BEST AC joint Routine part 1 - For Mild Irritation Level 1 (Full Bod...

ATE TOO MUCK CARBOHYDRATE? OR FAT? FEEL SLUGGISH ...HERE IS HOW TO BALANCE YOUR SYSTEM!

How to balance your system:

Side effects of too much carbohydrate: headache, Energy high and lows, get hungry quickly

What to do: 1.Drink water

                   2.No caffeine, coffee , Redbull

                   3.Protein shake or high fat snack

                   4.Exercise

                   5.No Gatorade! (sports drink)

Side effects of too much Protein or fat: Sleepy, Feel full but hungry, crave sweets or caffeine

What to do: 1.Eat high glycemic fruit ( grapes,banana,etc..)

                   2.caffeine, coffee (Redbull, green tea...)

                   3.Eat rice,potatoes, pretzels,bread

                   4.Use digestive enzymes

3-Remember that 1protein will balance 1carb!

4-Avoid saturated fats with sugars:

Ex: Hamberger: Saturated fat: hamberger meat/ Sugar:White bread

Ex: Pizza: Saturated fat: Cheese/ Sugar:pizza dough

Ex: Ice Cream: Saturated fat: 35% cream/ Sugar:white raffined sugar

TROUBLESHOOT GUIDE ON PRE & POST WORKOUT SNACKS

Troubleshoot guide

 

Today there is a lot of information on nutrition. Opinions will differ from author to author. Here are a few tips from some of my favorite Authors : Tudor Bompa and Paul Chek. How about a little Troubleshoot guide on Pre and Post Workout snacks.

Q.How much protein should I take a day?
A.(1.2 to 2 gr/kg)  It depends on what phase of the program you're in, Hypertrophy may be around (1 to 1.2gr/kg) and Strength MXS(2gr/kg)

Q.What should I take before a workout?
A.Make a Protein Shake (50 to 60 ounce)and add Banana and Berries.
-Drink 10 to 15 ounces of the mix before the workout (30mins before)
-If your taking Caffeine or Pre-Workout, its better to take it as the training starts(to avoid an energy crash!)

Q.What should I take after the workout?
A.Immediatly after, you may take a yogurt to bring back the balance of the body from a negative to a positive((MacDougall and Al.,1995)
-Then take sips of the rest of the shake following the session.

Q.What if my stress Level(Cortisol) is too high what supplements are available?
A.Glycine by AOR or Cortistab by OAC.

Q.What should I have for a Pre-Game meal?
A-->A Full meal 3 to 4 hour before the game but no fruits or processed foods and It should respect your Metabolic Type!

Q.Should I have Caffeine on game day?
A.Beware of caffeine on game day as it may dehydrate you and weaken your performance!

Q.How much Gatorade should I drink?
A.150ml / 20min activity

Q.After a game how much water should I drink?
A.1.5liters/kg of weight loss

Q.After a game how much Carbohydrates should I eat?
A.1gr /kg or .45 X weight in pds

-Now as far as yogurt goes,Paul Chek recommends avoiding yogurts with fruit added as sugar is also added to the mix.Second the fruit added may also be over-ripened or too damaged to sell in the stores!(Eat,Move and be healthy! .,Paul Chek)

So the tip is: go organic on this one! I like ''Kefir'' its not a bad brand

-ALCOHOL is NOT to be taken 24 to 36 hours before a game!

SECRETS FOR BEATING INSOMNIA

Secrets for Beating Insomnia

1- Get to SLEEP by 10:30 p.m. , going to bed at 10:30 and falling asleep at 11 defeats the purpose of the whole thing.

2-Minimize your exposure to bright light bulbs for at least 2hres before going to bed. If you cannot dim the lights try installing low wattage light bulbs.

3-Sleep in a room that is completely dark.

4- Avoid consuption of ANY STIMULANTS (caffeine,sugar or nicotine) after lunch. If you have a hard time sleeping avoid desserts wihich can contain Alcohol, sugar or caffeine

5-Eat by your metabolic type and and beware of desserts in the evening which will results in disrupting the sleep cycle.

6-Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated so the body does not produce Cortisol while sleeping and wake you up in the night.

7-Exercise! It does help some people sleep better at night. Be aware not to do it too late before going to be bed. Increased cortisol level will disrupt sleeping patterns. (Cardio incl.)

8-All electrical devices should be away from your resting Area!!!!!!!!!!

9-Power naps ARE AMAZING FOR RECOVERY!!!!

Remember that sleep is important and you should respect your body at all times:

The sleep cycle works in waves so for all of you, here are all the best hours to feel good and complete each wave without waking up feeling dizzy: 2,3,5,7,8 hours of sleep

If your sleep is off and you need an Anti-Cortisol:

Tudor Bomba suggest: 1-500mg of vit C, 400iu of vit E and 4mg of Zinc

                                 2- Bcaa before workout and 30min in the workout

                                   3-Glutamine or Taurine: Depending on the level of overtraining                   

Thank you for reading this news letter and Good luck on your way to better health

Patrick Gravel, Le Fitness Fix

Chek Coach Specialist, Personal Trainer ;University Mcgill Certified

Biotonix Posture Specialist

NLCoach Level 1

THE HUBBLE TELESCOPE : BEST,AMAZING IMAGES OF JUPÎTER AND SATURN - PARAS...

MUSCLE INHIBITION OR UNBALANCED DIAPHRAGM PART 2

MUSCLE INHIBITION OR UNBALANCED DIAPHRAGM. PART 2

Sorry if it took a while for part 2 of this article but I was doing more clinical trials on the assessment process. So to get back on the subject,what is the logical order in treating the diaphragm and short tonic muscles?

Tonight's examples came today after evaluating a long term client of mine complaining about spasms in the lower trapezius muscle of the left side of the ribcage. So initially, I would do all the assessments of the rib cage and then proceed to treat the ribcage accordingly to the blockage. Then if the pain would still be present, I would proceed to stretching the culprits or short tonic muscles involved.

Today was different, I decided to observe the rib cage and see if the breathing came with lateral expansion or elevation first. Basically, people can be pullers or pushers of air. Another thing I watched , was the action happening at the sternal costal angle during inhalation and exhalation. The findings we're very interesting as there was no lateral expansion and the left side of the rib cage was the only thing elevating during inhalation.

My next decision was pretty obvious, I started to release the short tonic muscles inhibiting the right side of the rib cage (latissimus Dorsi, intercostal muscles and paravertebral muscles). After these were inhibited, the repositioning was a piece of cake! So to conclude the second part of this analysis, I would say that observing the client first is key to deciding the course of action.

Stay tuned as part 3 is coming soon!

THE BENEFITS OF MILK... ARE THERE ANY?

Tip of the day:''Milk it does a body good'' or does it? At the Chek Institute , we learn how milk can be a deadly poison. I wonder usually if the cow was boosted with hormones or just fed anything just to get more milk production. Another good argument is also that gluten intolerance and dairy intolerance goes hand in hand. With so many alternatives, why risk it?Another problem is the pasteurization.  It has been known to change the molecular structure of the milk. The Chek Institute recommends drinking raw goat's milk as a good safe alternative. Nevertheless, here is an Article by Harvard Health on the subject.

http://www.askdoctork.com/is-milk-good-for-you-201207172242

CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY WORKOUTS

Tip of the day:Ah Christmas is finally here! Now starts the shopping and preparing for the holidays.Here is the dilemma... I bet you you have no time to train! Well if your in a rush and you need a fast workout try doing a reverse Pyramid (tip on Mens Health) and use the Primal Patterns. So let's spilt the days: Day 1- Squats and Pushing, Day 2-Twisting and Pulling, Day 3- Bend and lunging, Day 4-Farltlek interval training(any Cardio Machine or outside). Now here's how it works EX: Day 2- Alternate Wood chops and seated Rows. Start with 1 wood chop and then 10 Rows, then 2 Wood chop and 9 rows and etc...till you end up with 10 wood chop and 1 row.Its fast and all compound move should be done in the week.This will keep you on your toes and functional! Enjoy.

ANOTHER GREAT ''EASY'' RIBCAGE EXERCISE TO LOOSEN THE LOWERBACK

Got a tight lowerback? Maybe you want to get your diaphragm in a better alignment? Feeling a little bit tight in the rib cage with lack of rotation and movement in your shoulders? Try the "stair short Seated Balloon" exercise.

To make this explanation "short " simply sit down on a 6" step with feet together.
¤make sure you are sitting on your sits bones.
¤ inhale through your nose in slowly blow out into the balloon.
¤ pause 3 seconds with your tongue on the top of the roof of mouth and take another breath in through your nose.
¤ slowly blow out again as you stabilize the balloon with your hand and make sure you do not strain your neck or cheeks as you blow. ¤ after the 4th breath in, pinch the balloon neck and remove it from your mouth and let the air out of the balloon.

#stretching #Montreal #McGill #samurai #mobility#posture #training #fitness #lefitnessfix #meditation#relaxation #diaphragm #posturalrestoration#lowerback #paravertebralinhibition

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN APP FOR CHEAP

Are you a trainer? Therapist? Or fitness professional?  If you've been in the field for long enough, I'm sure you have a Facebook, Twitter, blogger or Instagram account. Social media is part of our lives and there are great tools for putting yourself out there. My latest adventure involves making an app. I found the "APPER" app easy and relatively cheap to make. The yearly cost is 50$/year or 6$/month. It took me an hour or two to play with the template and get interesting results. Here is the results of my test trial...

GET THE MOBILE APP. And the best part it's FREE!

IT'S a QUICK an EASY APP TO USE: http://samurai99.igenapps.com/stretchingsamurai

THE 80/20 RULE AND GETTING YOUR DREAM BODY

We all love cheat days and im sure everybody has their own idea of what a cheat day looks like. A friend of mine is a bodybuilder and his favorite cheat is banana-chocolat pancakes with candies on top(ANY!!!!) .

The reason for this blog is to remind you to treat yourseld once in a while. I have nothing against determination & ambition but its good to reward yourself sometimes. In most cases, people never get to their goals because they forget to use the 80/20 rule. Its a simple rule: 80% of the time, stick to your diet and exercise regiment & 20% of the time, feel free to indulge yourself.  For me, sunday is a good day for a cheat meal or like many, have a few beers! So, for all of you that likes a cold one, here is a list of Beers by menshealth magazine you have to try!

http://thebestlist.menshealth.com/node/1587

HOW TO BE CREATIVE IN YOUR TRAINING

Tip of the day: In life and in training you must always be creative. Always think outside of the box. Here is a good example: A few year ago, I broke my wrist (styloid fracture) and ended up in a cast for 3 month. My sport doctor said to move my fingers everyday and prevent stiffness and atrophy.What was my rehab? ...Guitar Hero(lol) !

I played 3 songs a day and got actually good at the game. They asked me what i did to rehab it because when they took off the cast, my wrist was in amazing shape! When i told him how i did it, he didn't believe me!

Well just shows that a little imagination goes a long way! So never be afraid of trying new things.

EXTREME PUSHUPS - CALISTHENICS with Edouard ''The Pushup Magician'' Archer

THE REAL DEAL/TRUTH - HOW MUCH MONEY YOUTUBERS MAKE : WHAT YOU WILL NEED!

AN EASY WAY TO ACTIVATE THE VMO!

Here is a tip to activate the VMO in people that are quad dominant. This tip was given to me by Bob McAtee.Take a can of coffee and put it under your knee. Then do the extension that is available while pressing on the inner thigh close to your knee cap, 2sets of 15 reps. Beware if you have hypermobility locking you knee at full extension may NOT be a good idea! With more stability in your knee, squat away...

MOTRIN OR ADVIL? WORTH THE MONEY or HEALTH HAZARD?

Im sure all of us have at one point & time has taken Motrin or Advil but what do we really know about them? At the C.H.E.K institute they recommend to take Cod Liver oil. Its been known to have the same effects as Motrin or Advil but in a natural state. Also today, Here's an article by Bob McAtee on the subject that will surprise you! How sure are you of the benefits of anti-inflammatory drugs? A must read :

http://massagemag.com/massage-blog/massage-art-science/2011/02/24/nsaids-interfere-with-tissue-healing/

HOW TO AVOID BACK PAIN FOR EVERYONE WITH OFFICE JOBS

Tip of the day: The most common injury today is lower back pain. Sitting on a chair has been proven to increase spinal compression by 40%. In Primal Patterns, just performing 1 or 2 sets of squats with no weight during your day is an excellent way to decompress the spine and keep your spine with the ability to rotate and stay healthy. Another way is to incline your chair in a +/- 5 degree tilt while respecting your posture.If your chair cannot tilt, just buy a Sitfit or a dynadisc.

GOOD FATS AND HOW THEY REACT TO HEAT

How well do you know your Cooking oils? How do they react to heat in order to stay healthy?

Well here is how much heat to use when cooking with them:

1- No Heat (up to 120 F) ; flax,Borage,Cod liver oil.
2-Low Heat (up to 212 F);Sunflower,Safflower,Pumpkin oil.
3-Medium Heat (up to 325 F); Sesame,Olive, Hazelnut oil.
4-High Heat (375 F); Coconut, Ghee, Palm, Lard.

What is your favorite?

PROGRESSIONS & REGRESSIONS OF LUNGES

Are you bored with your training program? Well, here is a way to spice up your workout and have multi levels of stimulations that starts from low to high. Its called descending & ascending of Primal Patterns. Here is an example: Lunges

1-Smith machine
2-Both arm support.    "DESCENDING"
3-Single Arm support
-------------------------------
LUNGES
-------------------------------
4-Walking
5-Jumping                     "ASCENDING"
6-Wobble Board Lunges

 This can be done with any exercise and there you have it... 6 progressions to the lunge.

IO HAWK - 2 WHEEL SELF BALANCING SCOOTER: THE BEST SHOES FOR YOUR HOVERB...

TABATA INTERVALS BODY PART TRAINING : ACTIVE RECOVERY FOR THE PARASYMPATHETIC SYSTEM?

Welcome to all! I'm sure that everybody knows the benefits of tabata interval training. The principle is actually simple, 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest for 4 minutes. Lately, I have been experimenting with this technique on how my body reacts to shorter workouts due to a high physiological loading of my everyday life.

Like a lot of people, I work around the clock getting very little sleep and reached severe levels of adrenal gland fatigue. One of the first steps is using Active Recovery. By reducing your workouts to 60% of intensity and volume, one can slowly allow your body to recover and make the training sessions parasympathetic to your body.

The big challenge of trainers today with cases such as myself is always the ability to keep the client interested & motivated in their training sessions. How could one be goal oriented and still have amazing results with a modified short Tabata training sessions? Here are the two rules i use to get results and feel i accomplished something in my workout.

1- I never go to failiure on any of my sets and use open and closed chained movements.
2- I make myself a 4  day split program workout using bodypart training principles of bodybuilding.

Example 1: My chest workout was an open/closed chain program using 2 exercises :

- Close grip press with neutral grip on a vicore bench
- Pushups on the Powerplate machine

Example 2: My Back workout was an open/closed chain program using 2 exercises :

- Trap bar Deadlifts
- Seated Rows on hammer strength machine

Of course these are only examples but these can be tweaked to include a bicep on back day and a triceps on chest day. Which i do for a pump!

Nevertheless, i never feel drained  and still feel like i got a decent workout. Now combine this with stretching and zone exercises and you got yourself a cool little program.

TUDOR BOMPA'S QUICK TIP ON MUSCLE HYPERTROPHY

How to increase muscle mass by none other than Tudor Bompa! There are 2 types of muscle hypertrophy... 1 and 2. Hypertrophy one increases the diameter of the muscle fibers and hypertrophy 2, the length of the muscle fibers. So be sure to mix both in your training programs. Remember that no.1 is simply a set followed by a rest of 60 to 90sec.  No.2 is any Bodybuilding technique: Supersets, tri-sets, Drop sets etc..

RHYTHMIC STABILIZATION : A MUST IN ALL TRAINING PROGRAMS

I see a lot of people asking me why do i give my clients exercises with the "Bodyblade" ?  Simple, it is called the principles of Rhythmic Stabilization. The use of this type of exercise encourages optimal recruitment of agonist and antagonist simultaneously. Its also amazing to improve joint stability in sports that requires static and dynamic stability such as Surfing, Skiing and running.

Here is a few examples:

What does push ups on a bosu and kettlebell presses have in common? Probably the most important part of shoulder stability known today. It's called dynamic stability. It's one of the three components important to keep a shoulder healthy while strengthening the internal and external rotators cuff. There are two types of dynamic stability. You can have open chain movements and close chain movements. In this picture, push ups on a bosu is a great close chain movement and the kettlebell press, an open chain movement.

HOW SUGAR AFFECTS YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM

Hi everybody,i was wondering what to talk about in today`s article. Well In my life my biggest weakness has always been sugar. Let`s face it! its EVERYWHERE! And in a time when a lot of people are getting sick, sugar can be harder on your system than you think. Did you know that as little as 15gr of sugar can suppress the immune system for 4 hours! Now knowing this, imagine someone eating 60 pounds of sweet stuff a year! Yes, this is an average in the United States for most Americans.

Assessing trunk rotation just got easier!

MUSCLE INHIBITION OR UNBALANCED DIAPHRAGM?

Lately, I've been experimenting with inhibitory patterns while repositioning the upper and lower diaphragm. I usually do all my experiments on myself before trying it on my own clients.

Here is the situation : I've been doing some clinical testing on how short tonic muscles of the pelvis influence the condition of my lower back. Even after a total myokinetic repositioning, I have noticed that I still have some serious inhibitory patterns to solve due to tight iliotibial bands and possibly the psoas major on the right side.

The next step would be use facilitated stretching on these culprits. Once the pelvis is balanced, I have noticed that my body still has a contralateral rotation on the upper body. In modern posturology, this would be an indication of a malocclusion of my jaw. Which I do have and wear a mouthpiece "new age performance" to remediate the situation. So my next step would be to use some postural restoration of the upper diaphragm to fix the issue. Then like magic, my trunk rotation is now perfect and my IT band and lower back seems to be back to normal.

So the question is ... Should I stretch the short tonic muscles of my pelvis first after the myokinetic restoration of the lower body ? Or do a full diaphragm repositioning of the upper and lower body followed by facilitated stretching.

I guess I'll find out has the clinical testing continues in the following weeks!

So stay tuned...

AC JOINT IMPINGEMENTS: YOU ASK THE QUESTION, HERE IS THE ANSWER!

AC joint impingement frequently asked questions

TO VIEW THE VIDEO IN QUESTION SEE: https://youtu.be/2y5jWZbh4XI

Starvin Marvin
I've spent many years surfing and lifting weights, plus work an office job. So lots and lots of internal rotation. I've been focused on releasing internal rotators and strengthening external rotators and have seen huge improvement. In my case, would I need to incorporate internal rotation in? no more weights, but I do still surf when I can, so I get some internal rotation?

A-yes definitly! the subscapularis is the stabilizer of the front of the shoulder.....

Dean Morrissey
Hey man I have had pain in my front delt for almost a week now. I am a college student and have a terrible mattress and on top of that slept on my shoulder and it has not allowed me to lift. I also did a ton of pressing and i think that combined with lack of voume for my back may have messed me up a bit. Overall I have always have great shoulder health. Whats strange is I have done a ton of foam rolling and stretching and all and It feels painless for a while then goes back to hurting with any horizontal pressing. Can you please help me !!

A-To start off there is a lot of thing that can contribute to that pain. An AC joint impingement is often overuse and repeated movements that created impingements. Also in the same area there could be an Anterior labrum tear in the front of the shoulder. What improtant is to find out how and when it started to narrow it down. Example doing Db flys can create bursitis in the shoulder if someone goes too heavy and over stretches the gleno-humeral ligaments... please tell me if before the incident, you felt a twinge or someting that you found insignificant but could give me a clue of what might off contribited to that pain. retrace your steps and tell me any detail that could be pertinent ! thks waiting for news...

Prangan Duarah
Very nice video.. very helpful.. I would like to ask something abt my AC Joint seperation grade 3. I had a motorbike injury and seperated AC Joint 5 weeks back. Now I am having a dull pain. How to progress as per exercise prospects

A-That my friend is a compliacted problem. Sometime Grade 3 seperations may take up to 12 weeks to recover and may need surgery(most likely!). The first amd most impostant thing is bringing the inflammation down and having your arm in a sling may be needed to speed up recovery. Ask your doctor if surgery is needed & and once the sweeling settle down and the joint is stable, concentrate on soft tissue release and rehab. Keep me posted! i would like to know the diagnostic... Stay positive and don't rush it!

WANT TO KNOW MORE ... SEE THE COMMENT SECTION ON THE LINK!

TO VIEW ALL THE COMMENTS OF THE VIDEO SEE: https://youtu.be/2y5jWZbh4XI

IS YOUR THYROID DEFICIENT? HERE IS HOW TO FIND OUT!

Tip of the day: There are many ways to find out if your thyroid is deficient.Take an old thermometer and take your temperature when you wake up for 8-10min. Wait 30min, have breakfast and then re-take your temperature for 8-10min.Finally re-take temperature 3hours after breakfast.If your temperature stays the same, its deficient!

HOW TO PREVENT VARICOSE VEINS

Tip of the day: I see a lot of women getting treated for varicose veins.To fix the situation women will pay up to 100$ a shot to get rid of them. I believe that prevention is the key in most cases. In the end, all you need to do to prevent these veins is to fix the posture in question(Lowercross Syndrome) and strengthen the knees (hypermobility).So here is the solution: Stretch the hip abductors (It band and Tfl) and hip flexors(Psoas and Rectus Femoris),then perform some Box Step Ups for knee and hip stability.

FACILITATED STRETCHING by Robert McAtee , a must for all libraries

Tip of the day:Want an easy exercise to strengthen your rotator cuff? This one comes from Robert McAtee's book ''Facilitated Stretching''.This is also good for tendinitis or bursitis but always make sure to work in a pain free range of motion.Standing or sitting,hold your arms straight out in front at shoulder height,with thumbs pointing towards each other.Move your arms outward to 45 degrees and turn your thumbs down, and lower to your side.Repeat 8 to 10 times.Remember to use a slow to moderate tempo.To know more about the stretches before strengthening, I highly recommend ''Facilitated Stretching'' Third Edition or get the 4th Edition!

HICCUPS: HOW CAN I GET RID OF HICCUPS, BEST TRICK, CNS DISORDERS & CAUSES

AC JOINT IMPINGEMENT:PROBLEM SOLVING THROUGH POSTUROLOGY & PRI (PART 1) ...

FAT LOSS: BETTER IN a HEATED OR A COLD ENVIRONMENT?

Tip of the day: I love to read about new studies and research done on fat loss. What do we know about fat loss? Most of us rely on heat to lose weight but what if a mild cold was the key to success? In the 80's Weider Int'l published an article on Saunas and fat loss.Then a colleague of mine with Bachelors in Kinesiology told me that to burn fat you have to be in an aerobic state(in presence of oxygen!).So a sauna would be useless! Well ever heard of Brown fat cells? Its what happens when your sick and your body turns your body to a human inferno. As humans we have brown fat cells and this study demonstrated that our metabolism increases by 80% in a slightly cold environment.Its a fun article and if you are like me, it will have you wondering about the whole process.


http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/25/health/brown-fat-burns-ordinary-fat-study-finds.html?_r=1&smid=tw-nytimeshealth&seid=auto

GOOD FATS and NUTS... THE BEST CHOICES

Tip of the day: For todays tip,I am sure we all know the value of good essential fats in our daily requirement. I was reading this nutrition book yesterday and i saw an odd piece of information...I have learned the value of nuts depending on the protein content.This book classified them in order of most Alkaline to most Acidic! Interesting as my favorites and highest were named the most Acidic. So the conclusion is what do you need? More protein or to eat more Alkaline?

Nevertheless here are the best nuts with the highest Protein counts:
1-Walnut
2-Pumpkin
3-Peanuts

The most Alkaline:
1-Almonds
2-Cashews
3-Chestnuts
Remember to always eat them raw and Organic.

STRESS AND YOUR LIFESTYLE

Tip of the day:Their are many factors that influence stress in our bodies.Im sure you have been told at least once in your life that you need to relax.LOL easier said then done! We all have hectic lives and sometimes,it is not an option.So why not just look at the source of the problem.There are six factors that come into play.(Taken from Eat ,Move and be healthy;Paul Chek)

1-Physical Stress (Bad:Over-Exercising)
2-Chemical Stress (Bad:Too many Medical Drugs in your system)
3-Electromagnetic Stress (Bad:Too much use of , Cell phone,TV,Microwave)
4-Mental Stress (Bad:Being Rushed or taking on too much responsibility...)
5-Nutritional Stress (Bad:Food Preservatives or food colorings etc..)
6-Thermal Stress (Bad:Working in Cold or Hot Environments)

If you can recognize yourself in a few or all these listed above maybe you should cut down on the use or change your lifestyle ...1 goal at a time! One rule i have learned ''BE REALISTIC ''.

Oil of Oregano: MASK THAT AWFUL TASTE AND BURNING THROAT SENSATION & Dos...

GYM MEMBERSHIPS... WASTE OF MONEY?

Here is a nice statistic for you. Did you know that only one person on three will actually use their memberships this year? Yup 100% have a good resolutions but only 33% will follow through.When i worked at Energie Cardio, we had 1737 members and 600 used their  memberships.In the end, the gyms are the clear winners in this transaction. I got a great idea, let's make them work for you're hard earned cash and actually use the membership!The trick is simple, start small (30min/2-3X week) and increase as you get in a routine. Start with realistic goals! Make your money and efforts count!

THE DOWNFALL OF NAUTILUS MACHINES

Tip of the day:
 It is important NOT to fall in Pattern Overload. Briefly, If  you use the same machines repeatedly and lock your joints into a fixed pattern, the results will cause the body to recruit the same muscle fibers causing long term injuries. Remember that the body is designed to work in 3D, so avoid using the same movement (machines) too many times. You can add primal patterns to your training program like : a one arm cable push to your chest workout. Always be careful and prevent trauma to the same muscle tissue. All i am saying is that free range motions are essential!

WHAT was NEW IN FUNCTIONAL TRAINING APPARELS (2012)

Tip of the day:Well the Canfitpro was awesome.I made some new contacts and met some great trainers.I came to the convention this year with the intention of seeing where fitness was going. I was very surprised to see that everybody is going functional these day. Today, I wanted to review a few good products that came out that year.

1-VICORE: A company making training benches(Inclined,declined,Flat) but in bosu form. Interesting bench but the price that was a little steep as a bench will set you back (700 to 1200$)

2-Core Stix Fitness System:A product that uses a flat board surface(52pds) with an anchor system and bending rods that vary from (5pds to 60pds). This one will set you back 1400$ for the premium package.

3-Gyroboard:An amazing tool for testing balance and core in more ways than one. At a price of Around 250$,its a great tool and i am probably going to order one!

Now the Icing on the cake...

6- The SYNRG360 by LifeFitness:WOW now that is a tool.I would recommend for any gym serious about functional training. I do believe a picture is worth a thousand words.

www.lifefitnesscom/synrgy360

HOW TO PREVENT INJURIES IN THE GYM

Tip of the day: I am fortunate to work with a lot of athletes in ten different sports. When I teach my main concerns are always 1-Posture and 2- Proper form. One day,I was teaching a Bent over row to a student when at the same time, I had a football player using a more sport specific form for the same exercise. So he wondered why could he not use the same form? I told him that his position on the field requires him to work in same the pattern (EX. Offensive lineman). So the question is, ''when can you break form?''. I say the most strict of form(neutral spine) should always be used at the beginning. It takes 300 repetitions to learn a movement and retain the pattern. Then you could tweak it to more of a sport specific form. In the end,if you are not pursuing a sport or it is just for pleasure, then just remember that neutral spine in all exercise is the key to injury prevention.

WOMEN : LOWERBACK PAIN AND POOR POSTURE? QUICK 10MIN PROGRAM TO FIX THE PROBLEM

Welcome to the ''Flexibility/Stability Series''. The Next set of blogs is dedicated to people on the go with little or no time to train. Have you got 10min in the morning? Remember that 10min a day = one full training a week! So for most women with a big pelvis tight or Anterior tilt AKA (Donald Duck). Try this combo Camel pose for 30sec to 45 sec alternate with Hamstring Lean Feet against the wall for 6-8 repetitions. Since the pelvis is key to optimal posture, i thought this duo would be a great way to start the week! 

MASSAGE THERAPY & FOAM ROLLING FOR WEIGHT LOSS?

Tip of the day: I have noticed that foam rolling might have more benefits than we know. It's a great way of releasing fascia and mobilizing your spine. Now, I tend to believe that it is also a great way of triggering weight loss. You heard me ! WEIGHT LOSS! Lymphatic drainage massage is used by Massage Therapist to get rid of cellulite and more. When i think about it , Foam Rolling Horizontally the Erector Spinea could do the same effect if done right.

Foam Rollers tend to warp in time so i like to use a high density one... they last longer.

FROZEN SHOULDER: NO PROBLEM!

Frozen Shoulders are always a burden on people. In a lifetime, we all get a tight capsule at least once! So i thought maybe just show you guys a few moves you can do to loosen the capsule.

The 2 first pictures illustrate a manual stretch that should be gently performed. Simply align the shoulder and elbow and internally push down gently getting a greater ROM every time. Then take the elbow and perform the '' Sleeper Stretch'' as shown in the 3rd and 4th pictures.

HOW TO ADD CORE TO A BODYBUILDING ROUTINE...

Including Core and Functional training is sometimes hard for a Bodybuilder. Their routineS can contain up to 36 sets! To get to the point, it's not Crossfit. Since their program is sagittal plane dominant, the trick is just to include some twisting patterns that are relevant to the body parts worked. So here are two exercises you can add to your next chest and Back day.

Ex: Superset 1:Inclined DB press / Bent over row

Core move: Palloff press with Rotation

Ex: Superset 1:Floor Press / Seated Row

Core move: BOSU Walk-ups

You can perform 1-3 sets of 8 -12 repetitions. Remember not to over do it. '' Less is More!''

HOW TO MOBILIZE YOUR RIBCAGE

FELDENKRAIS ( shoulder to spine) Mobilization

Another important factor in keeping spine and the shoulder healthy is avoiding ribcage stiffness. In the US ribcage stiffness is the number one reason for supraspinatis tendonitis. In other words a common shoulder pain.

Mobilizing shoulder and spine with this method is a great way to avoid shoulder injuries in training.

HOW TO DO IT:
1-Place yourself in the position shown in picture no.1
2-While maintaining the knees together and legs bent at 90degree inhale as you open your ribcage show in picture 2
3- The purpose is to open and integrate one vertebrae at a time till you are able to fully rotate the upper body.

If you are stiff it may take 16-20 reps to acheive this goal. In the pictures shown below, you are seeing the beginner level of this exercise

THANK YOU TO ALL THAT FOLLOWS MY BLOGS!

Thanks to all that read my blogs and follow my Blogger! Thanks to all of you...

I love to workout and my work is a big part of my life. Sometimes tho, i wish had more time to spend with my family and friends. At 39 years old, i lost my dad and my grandparents last December. I wish i could come back in time and spend more time with them.

In this video, Vincent one of my best friends invited me for supper and this time, I took the time to have fun and also put him in an awkward situation (Brought my gopro lol).

So remember, that money and muscles are not everything in life. Its spending time with the people that are important to you and that matter. Remember that life gives you everything when you are born but takes it away as you age! LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST...God bless

http://youtu.be/QDFMJ-Kg08U

I WANNA GET A BETTER POSTURE... WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS?

POSTURE ... a world of possibilities! (PART 1)
In 2015, I have lancé myself into one of the biggest adventures of my life. I have Decided to learn as much as I can on how to get full postural restoration. My first contact with posture Was Becoming a specialist in 2003. Biotonix Sylvain Guimond Was the first man to Instructed me on how to use posture to help fix bread and injuries.

Then came the second phase which was also fascinating using the (2007) CHEK Institute method. The technique consists of bringing back balance between the inner and outer core while utilizing tonic and phasic muscles to recalibrate a posture. The results were very good and fixed many of my clients back pain and shoulder pain.

The journey continued in 2011 with the adaptation of Thomas Myers, Anatomy Trains. This method was very interesting as we use yoga poses to bring back balance in the posture through myofascial lines and meridians. The results got better!

This year I've taken the next step using the Postural Restoration Institute, bringing back balance in the diaphragm and giving fully restored motion in the joints. My shoulders never felt this good! Finally this month, I am learning how the Motricity of the eyes, vestibular system,scars,shorter limbs and jaw positioning can influence posture. Results....

This month, I'm doing clinical tests on all four options to see how they can be implemented to help and complement each other and also in what order should they be organized in. The results are coming soon stay tuned!

POWERPLATES WORTH THE MONEY?

My POWER PLATE adventure. PART1

I bought myself a power plate two weeks ago. I must admit that 3 years ago at Canfitpro seminar, I was asked to participate in a Power Plate training ending up in a massive headache and severe dizziness.

 From that moment on I had preconceived ideas of the whole machine and its efficiency. Now a few years later, I reattempt the experience but with a rehabilitative and muscle activation mindset. The first thing I did was to do my homework and try to see what would be the great frequency in order to achieve my goals.

 The latest studies indicated that a 30 megahertz frequency was ideal for increase mass and stimulation of phasic muscles. so far I've tried 30 megahertz mixed with isotonic resistance at a 30/70 ratio. the result were very ordinary and ended up with a slight overload of my nervous system. This week, I attempt a 50/50 ratio ak 40 megahertz frequency and got increased blood flow in the muscle and a massive pump. of course it's a little bit too early to say what will be the impact on my nervous system but I feel great. Stay tuned more to come..

TAPING MUSCLES OR FASCIA?

HERE IS A FUN ARTICLES ON KINESIOLOGY TAPING BY ROCTAPE 

TAPING MOVEMENTS, NOT MUSCLES

Nothing in the universe is static. Everything moves. Everything is dynamic. The human body is no exception. Movement is key to all healing regardless if your patient is pregnant or suffering from a car crash.

It’s time for change. A revolutionary change. FMT lays out the argument of why we’ve been doing it wrong for 100 years. It presents new ways of thinking about acute and chronic care. It integrates the best treatments with kinesiology taping to deliver the best possible patient outcomes.

Fascial Movement Taping (FMT) is a new way of thinking about our bodies. Based on the obvious yet largely overlooked concept of muscles acting as a chain, FMT’s revolutionary technique utilizes “longitudinal anatomy”, also known as the “movement patterns” concept. Quite simply, FMT focuses on the body’s integration of movement via multi-muscle contractions as a means of connecting the brain to the body’s uninterrupted fascial web in order to enhance rehab and athletic performance via cutaneous (skin) stimulation.

HOW SHOULD YOUR WORKOUT LAST TO AVOID INJURIES IN YOUR SPORT?

IAIDO, my passion that lead to my downfall. ..Part 1

Tonight is about seeing your sport in a different way. This whole ordeal with my shoulders started a year ago when i finally realised my dream to practice Iaido (samurai sword fighting). I Had prepared my shoulders for war and put aside enough money to pay myself a 1000 dollar samurai sword from Japan. I had prepared my rotator cuff and all my joints prior to starting the sport. One thing i should have known is that the rotator cuff alone will not cut it to prevent injuries.

The class starts with 200 strikes to the head with shoulders at 30 degrees of horizontal abduction and a 70 degree of abduction which is the scapular plane angle. At this point, you know that the pectoral minor will be over utilised and in time definite trauma to the fibres will be caused. If i started to enumerate the rest of the sport, I could write a book on micro trauma to the fibres and impingements linked to Iaido.

So where did i go wrong ? Wasn't i prepared for this? How could i prevent all these injuries?

Well guys, here is secret number one for preventing injuries in sport!

You have to determine the endurance factor that will need to finish the class with no injuries. In golf, we determine the endurance factor by calculating the number of swings and the time it takes to setup for a swing in a bent position. This determines, how much endurance for the lower back will be needed during the game.

The equation is :
No# shots X (setup time) sec. = total time of work on the lower back

So if my iaido class is an hour, how can 6 to 9 sets of rotator cuff twice a week save me from injuries?

VEGAN BODYBUILDING ''MEAL PLANS'' FOR MEN & WOMEN - WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS?...

BUILDING HYPERTROPHY USING A POLAR WATCH

Tip of the day: Hypertrophy is one of the most popular goal in gyms today. We like to put our hopes on supplementation and training techniques. At the end, how many are really happy with the results of all that hard work?

Today, i will show you how to calculate the perfect rest period to gain size! The easiest way is to buy a polar watch. I would recommend a basic Polar watch model FT2.

To use the watch, put the Polar Wearlink on the ribcage under your chest. Set the watch on the heartbeat monitor and try a set. You will notice that you heart might go to 150 to 160bts/min on a hard set. Now, all you have to do is wait till your heart rate comes down 30bts/min or around 120bts/min. Remember that each individual recuperate at a different pace. To gain size you must respect that variable.

CHOOSING THE PERFECT REPETITION RANGE IN YOUR PROGRAM

Tip of the day:In the last Article, I have shown how a polar watch can be used for hypertrophy. For today, let's clarify the rep range to use depending on your training goals.

In hypertrophy, I like to use Charles Poliquin's magic number "42 reps". To apply it in your program, here is an example: 4 sets of 10 repetitions, 5sets of 8 repetitions.... etc

What about strength? For that one, I like to follow Tudor Bompa's chart. In this chart, the rep range depends on the percentage of the 1RM used .

-100% to 95%=15 to 25reps
-95% to 90%=20 to 40reps
-90% to 80%=35 to 85reps
-80% to 75%=70 to 110reps

A Example : 90% for 3reps X 3sets, 95% for 2reps X 3sets and 100% for 1rep X 2sets.
In total, we have 17 reps and we are respecting the chart.

POSTURE CORRECTION THROUGH VISION

Watch "HOW TO SAFELY INSTILL EYE DROPS - POSTURE CORRECTION USING EYE DROPS & ANKLE STABILITY" on YouTube

https://youtu.be/sM5h1SB16vo

PRE AND POST WORKOUT SNACK GUIDE

Tip of the day: Today, there is a lot of information on nutrition. Opinions will differ from author to author. So here is a few tips from some of my favorite Authors : Tudor Bompa and Paul Chek.

How about a little Troubleshoot guide on Pre and Post Workout snacks.

Q.What should i take before a workout?
A.Make a Protein Shake (50 to 60 ounce)and add Banana and Berries.

-Drink 10 to 15 ounce before workout of mix (30mins before)
-If your taking Caffeine or Pre-Workout, its better to take it as the training starts(to avoid an energy crash!)

Q.What should i take after the workout?
A.Immediatly after you may take a yogurt to bring back the balance of the body from a negative to a positive((MacDougall and Al.,1995)

-Then take sips of the rest of the shake following the session.

Now as far as yogurt goes, Paul Chek recommends avoiding yogurts with fruit added as sugar is also added to the mix. Second the fruit added may also be over-ripened or too damaged to sell in the stores!(Eat,Move and be healthy! .,Paul Chek)

So the tip is: go organic on this one! I like ''Kefir'' its not a bad brand

BIGGER PUMP ON BODYBUILDING MOVEMENTS

Tip of the day:I love to boost my intensity of my trainings with ''The Proprioception technique".

So to give you a perfect example of this technique, we will focus on the Leg group today. If you're alone, to use this technic you will need an isolation movement.

A good exemple would be the leg extension. It is known to be a good bodybuilding exercise but its has the flaw of mostly working the outside of the leg(Vastus lateralis).

Next time to engage the inside of the leg just ''tap'' the inside of your leg(Vastus medialis) as you perform the exercise and rep it up (>20reps ). Its great for Hypertrophy and can be done easily with machines. For most muscles, you can isolated one limb at the time (unilateral) for better results. Remember to always put machine exercises at the end of your workout when your stabilizers are weak!

BIGGER CALVES NOW...

Tip of the day:

Q-On the subject of bodybuilding,who has trouble increasing the size of their calves?
A-Most of us! Now for you all,here is how to get a better contraction on the calves.

The Gastrocnemius or any exercise standing up,a good rep range would be from 8 to 12 reps(fast twitch dominant).

The Soleus on the other hand or calves raise sitting down, respond better to a rep range of 15 to 20 reps(slow twitch dominant).

To get back on how to increase the size of the calves, try this technique next time you do a calve raise:

1-just go to the top of the ROM.
2- contract your glutes and go 1'' higher and Keep a static hold for 1 to 3 sec.
3-come back to the starting position and repeat! Voila! instant CALVES!

HOW TO SAFELY INSTILL EYE DROPS - POSTURE CORRECTION USING EYE DROPS & A...

HOW TO SET A GOAL AND ACHEIVE IT - ''CORE VALUES EQUATION'' TO SUCCESS I...

BREATHING AND STRENGTH TRAINING PART 1

Tip of the day: Injuries are common in extreme sports and bodybuilding. Now if I were to tell you that you're breathing might have caused that injury, what would you say? How well do we know when and where to breathe?

 Normally, I trust the Axial loading method.We are meant to believe that we should exhale on the exertion phase. Are their exceptions to the rule?

This is what i learned from Dan Hellman. Inhalation always follows an extension (Axial), and exhalation follows a flexion. So conclusion: always follow the foetal position for breathing. If you are going away from the foetal position you must inhale and when coming back to foetal position you must exhale.

For example,in a bent over row with proned hands, inhale while pulling toward the belly button, and exhale coming back to starting position. Remember, this rule always applies when the load is not higher than (>80 1RM).

BREATHING AND STRENGTH TRAINING PART 3

Tip of the day:Breathing(Part 3).

We have learned how to breathe using two methods...The Foetal Position and using The Grip. Finally always find a way to mobilize your ribcage. Why? Because ribcage stiffness is linked to rotator cuff tears and tendoniditis.

Next time you start your workout try:Rectus Abdominis on Ball stretch,Foam Rolling or mobilizations like the ''Feldenkrais Shoulder/Spine Integrator''.Doing these techniques improve all your goals including hypertrophy!

BREATHING & STRENGTH TRAINING... PART 2

Tip of the day: Breathing (Part 2): We have learned the first rule of breathing using ''The Foetal Postion''.

Q:Now what else can influence breathing during exercise?
A:if you said the Grip,your dead on! Here are a few examples using Pushing and Pulling Patterns.

Pushing- Bench,Proned hands; Inhale(going down) Exhale(Going up)
- Standing One Arm push with Cable; Inhale(going down) Exhale(Going up)
-Db Inc Fly; Inhale(going down) Exhale(Going up)

Pulling - ChinUp, Proned hands; Inhale(going up) Exhale(Going down)
Supined hands; Inhale(going down) Exhale(Going up)
- Bent Over Rev. Fly;Proned hands; Inhale(going up) Exhale(Going down)

Remember that you must exhale through pursed lips to keep intra-abdominal pressure throughout the movement.

HOT OR COLD ... WHEN TO APPLY IT!

Tip of the day:Recovery from an injury is always a time consuming problem.So here is a COOL Guideline on a HOT topic.When do we use Ice or heat?How long? etc...Here is the troubleshot guide  to using ''Thermal Stress '' to our advantage:

Ice:It is recommended for recent injuries,and should be applied within 24hours of the injury.You can also apply ice for 10 to 20min every two hours for 2 or 3 days.The ice must be removed after the skin goes numb and pain free.Finally never apply ice directly on the skin!

Heat:Useful for Chronic or long-lasting injuries,spasms or stiffness.Heat is never a good idea if swelling is present.Ideally heat could be used for 20 to 30min and 2 to 3 times a day.One great thing about heat,its a great idea to apply on a chronic injury before exercise as it reduces stiffness.

TWISTING THE IGNORED TRAINING PATTERN.

Tip of the day:Did you know that 54% of the force delivered to any Throwing implement comes from the hip and trunk. In the Primal Pattern training, the twist is the most important pattern to work such an implement.When looking at a pattern, you will find four categories and with them the Top three exercises;

Basic(Beginners) :1-Horse Stance Series
2-Alt. Superman on Swiss Ball
3-Alt. Superman on the Floor

Stability(Intermediate):1-Prone Twister Feet on Ball
2-Swiss Ball Prone Bridge (one hand touch hip)
3-Supine Lateral Ball Roll

Strength(Intermediate,Advanced):1-two cable push,pull
2-Reverse Wood Chop
3-Cable Wood Chop

Power(Advanced):1-Turkish Get up
2-KettleBell Swings
3-Olympic Lifts or Tornado Ball Swings

Remember in most sports, the ''Twisting Pattern'' is very improtant so start twisting to better performances.

THIS ONE IS A MUST FOR ALL SPORTS where RUNNING IS INVOLVED!

Tip of the day: I have spoken on many articles about the many slings of the body. One of the most overlooked is '' The Deep Longitudinal System''.The DSL is important when running is involved.

How do i strengthen the DSL? The answer is by strengthening the bicep femoris. This Hamstring does a double action of assisting in force closure of the SI joint and causing tension through the peroneus longus with the conjunction with the tibialis anterior in stabilizing the foot and ankle.Here is a few exercises for the Bicep Femoris based on Axial loading(Hardest to easiest).

1-Romanian Deadlift
2-Goodmornings
3-Glute-Ham Ham Raise
4-Hamstring lean
5-Supine Hip Extension Back on ball + Leg curl
6-Machine Leg Curl