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Physical Excellence and Your Mind.. Make The Connection

Coaching clients for over 20 years, I have realized that the goal of physical excellence and body transformation is a shared goal, it seems that the path to achieving it is often quite different. Without exception, these separate paths are determined by their present mental state. I have found that clients who enjoy and embrace the process of becoming more fit have a more pleasurable journey towards feeling and looking better. However I have also discovered that clients who are only concerned with an end result have a more difficult time with their fitness journey.  They will encounter more obstacles along the way and the reason for this can be summed up in two words, core values. In other words their actions do not match with their deepest personal belief systems.
Achieving a great body is not a destination but rather a process that gradually manifests itself during your life. To view it any other way can potentially lead to misinterpretation of what you are be actually be striving for. A zero resistance way to see your fitness endeavors is to think of everything that you want to accomplish as a long highway composed of never ending experiences that you encounter along the way.
To make your fitness journey work in your favor, become aware of your perception of yourself as it relates to fitness.  In other words your mind and body must be on the same page. This sounds very elementary but the reality is that it is often overlooked.  Think about for a minute!  When you first started to exercise, what was your initial goal? Now take it a step further and ask yourself what was your mental perception of that goal? What did it feel like? Can feel exactly what it would be like when you had accomplished or encountered this experience? Did you set mental accomplishments for yourself that coincided with those of your present physical condition?  If you did not, I will assume that your journey towards physical excellence is being met or has met some stressful resistance. If you do not make a mental picture of what you want to do i.e. your goal, how will you ever be content with any progress that you have made.  One law of the universe states that you can never have what you deny. Enjoy the “pit stops” along your journey and you’ll build the mental emotional strength to keep going.
To make your fitness journey as enlightening as possible, decide what is it that you wish to experience.  This can happen only when your mind and body are in harmony.  Often times the physical aspect of fitness is emphasized which is normal considering that our society places great importance on the superficial.  With this thought in mind you ask yourself; will your FITNESS goal be enough?  Will your mind be in harmony with your new level of physical prowess?  This is a very important concept to ponder for a moment.  If your mind is not in place with our physical self upon achieving your objectives you may not acknowledge your accomplishments but rather than dwell on what could be or should have been.
Being happy with your present accomplishments is paramount to making your fitness journey enlightening and successful. The key to doing this is to absorb all of your experiences and learn from them be they positive or negative.
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Have You Been CHEKed?

What Is Corrective Exercise?

CHEK (Corrective Holistic Exercise Kidra (guiding soul) and is a system developed by international strength coach and rehabilitation specialist Paul Chek. It is an integrative system that is rooted on the belief that the human body functions best and is most healthy when it is in ideal alignment. Corrective Exercise is different from other systems in that it involves several distinct yet integrated protocols. They are as follows.

I. Ideal Postural Alignment
Information dating back to 1934 explains how poor posture can contribute to a multitude of health conditions ranging from headaches to arthritis. Ideal posture is the position in which the body functions best with the least amount of mechanical stress.

II. Motor Learning
The nervous system is the driving force behind the muscular system. An inefficient nervous system will render well developed muscles useless. Corrective exercise improves the communication between these two important systems.

III. Primal Pattern Development (TM)
The quality of movement is equally important as the quantity being performed. Research shows that it takes 300-500 repetitions to develop a motor pattern. Conversely it takes about 3000-5000 repetitions to erase a motor pattern. Therefore it is important that movements be done correctly to avoid mechanical flaws that could result in injury or poor performance.

IV. Advanced Core Conditioning
The proper function of the abdominal wall goes far beyond merely doing crunches and sit-ups. In fact these two exercises are the least important and often time the most dangerous. Corrective exercise will improve or restore proper function to the diaphragm and abdominal wall. This is very beneficial to those who have chronic back pain, are recovering from any form of abdominal surgery such as c-section, hernia repair, abdominoplasty, or any laproscopic or open abdominal procedure.

V. Integrative Health Concepts
Corrective Exercise addresses all systems of the body and how they interact with each other. Comprehensive structural evaluations allow for a complete perspective of a person’s health status. It also helps to determine if outside medical assistance will be needed. This creates an integrative or team approach to helping clients and patients achieve success.

WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM CORRECTIVE EXERCISE?
· Chronic pain patients
· Athletes and industrial workers
· Law enforcement and military
· Post-partum mothers
· Children and teenagers
· Anyone who seeks to improve their overall health and appearance.

Are You Ready For Excellence?

What is your dream?

Achieve it by learning the six foundational principles of physical excellence:
1. Thoughts:
In the popular documentary “The Secret”, Bob Proctor stated that the laws of the universe dictate that we become what we think about the most. It is from your thoughts that everything in your life is created. This holds true for positive or negative events. When you can fully wrap your head around this concept, you will control your life like a puppet on a string.
2. Breathe:
Life begins with breath. Proper breathing sets the rhythm for all other body functions. Daily breathing exercise will make you efficient at bringing energy into your body.

3. Hydration:
Adequate hydration is the foundation of good metabolic functions. The body is predominantly made of protein and water therefore the body is very sensitive to dehydration.
4. Food:

Eating according to one’s metabolic type will allow the body to achieve optimal levels of health and vitality. Metabolic Typing has proven effective in weight loss and improving chronic health challenges.

5. Exercise:

Life is movement and a corrective exercise program will teach you how to be a master of your physical body.
6. Sleep:
Sleep is absolutely vital to maintain normal biological rhythms, which can affect weight loss, pain management and even hormone levels.
These six principles are your ticket to the body and life of your dreams. Use them to take charge of your destiny.

Do You “Workout” or Do You Train?

The “bigger is better philosophy that swept America in the 80’s and 90’s is giving way to a “The new way of thinking when it comes to working out.  A way of thinking that contains more substance than flash”. Steve Blechman Editor-in-chief of  Fitness Rx magazine, is quoted as saying this I couldn’t agree with him more (October 1999 issue of Muscular development).

Today’s standards not only require you to look good but to perform optimally as well. Blechman also went on to say that adding muscle for the sake of bulk is not the wave of the future. The ability to perform skilled athletic movements is more practical than just adding bulk. It is no coincidence that some of the greatest athletes in the world also have some of the best-built physiques. Their aesthetically pleasing figures are the consequence of years of exposure, to balanced purposeful physical activity. If they would have limited themselves to the use of exercise machines or fixed modes of physical activity, their high level of performance may never have been possible. So what better way to achieve an elite-level body than by emulating their training philosophies. This is the essence of training versus workout out.

In today’s modern world, technology has provided us many ways that we can exercise increase fitness and improve our bodies.  There are strength machines, aerobic equipment, the numerous exercise gadgets that range from health riders, , ab rollers, ab doers, ab dollies, ab cruncher, ab stimulator and the many other devices present in the market today. We can also choose methods of exercise such as the pilates method, step aerobics, spinning classes, kickboxing, super-cardio, body sculpting, the list is endless.  The intent of all of these machines, gadgets and methods are to improve one’s health and physical fitness levels and to exercise your body.  But I am here to tell you that Exercise Doesn’t Work, and here is the reason. All of these techniques are meant to exercise the body but WHAT IF YOUR BODY DOESN’T WORK? What do you when your body does not work? Confused? Keep reading..
More people today live sedentary lifestyles that contribute to a wide range of chronic physical dysfunction in the body. Sedentary lifestyle brings with it obesity, overweight as well as muscle weakness that prevent safe execution of exercise. Millions of people are starting exercise programs when their bodies are not working properly.  As a result there is more than 2.8 billion dollars a year is being spent on medical costs related to exercise and weight training injuries according to the US product and safety commission. I question the reason for this. My theory is that first people are starting exercise programs when their bodies just do not work and secondly people are not being taught how to use their bodies properly.

Machines and other modes of exercise the body, but who’s to say that any machine or particular exercise is suitable for everyone. There is nothing that takes into consideration the critical factors such as posture, muscle balance, movement skill and current level of physical conditioning. The reason why most mainstream “workouts” don’t work is that the majority of people have bodies that are not functioning properly on some level.

To make exercise work for the masses, there must be a system in place that will determine TRUE physical readiness. This means evolving beyond the realm of “biceps and triceps” and into the mindset of physiological stress from a hormonal, nutritional, emotional, and musculoskeletal.  This is the key step that most people forget to take when selecting an exercise program and is why traditional exercise does not work.

What does work is corrective exercise. Corrective exercise is not a method, exercise class, or quick fix. It is a philosophy that is based on the fact that the body functions best when it is in ideal posture and when all of the body’s basic movement patterns are working properly. The goal of any exercise program should be to improve posture, movement function and mechanics in the body. Unless there is an understanding of how your body is functioning before starting an exercise program, it will be very difficult to select exercises that will restore or improve function.

We are all dynamic in that when we exercise, there is more involved than just muscles. We have nerves, hormones, and internal organs that are also effected by the type of exercise that we do. Even our emotions are effected by exercise. Corrective exercise is about understanding the interactive nature of the body, a holistic approach if you will. Knowing how you will respond to exercise before starting a program puts you in a great position to achieve positive results. In my personal experience, I have evaluated and treated many clients that had been exercising for 5, 10, and even 20 years not knowing that their bodies were not working properly.  After a comprehensive assessment and consultation, they can see and even feel the difference between traditional exercise and corrective exercise.  Once I take them through specific tests that physically show them the difference between their current movement patterns and what ideal movement is, they realize that for most people traditional exercise does not work.  Then I explain that in order to make exercise work for them, they have to first understand their body. This is the philosophy of corrective exercise. Corrective exercise allows you to know your body better and address its needs with specific exercises. This is the type of exercise that works. If you are truly interested in knowing how your body functions and what exercises are best for you, I highly recommend considering a corrective exercise program.  C.H.E.K. practitioners have special training on how to assess the body through a comprehensive structure evaluation which includes a posture, orthopedic and movement analysis, thus creating a successful exercise program. ##

The Power Of Balance..

How many plates can you spin at once? Your job or business, significant other, hobbies and buddies can be a source of overwhelm if not managed efficiently. With that said, this metaphorical plate spinning is the key to the vault of happiness and personal fulfillment.
As human beings we are Holons, which comes from the Greek word holos, meaning “whole”. We are simultaneously a whole and a part. I’d like to share three ideas that will attempt to explain how embracing the holon philosophy can open up new doors of possibility and fulfillment in your life.

#1: Health, Vitality and your Mind:

Albert Einstein said “You cannot solve a problem with the same mind that created it”. I will take this idea a step further and say that you cannot change the mind that created the problem unless the chemical environment in the brain has changed. Dr. Candace Pert in her book Molecules Of Emotion: The Science Behind Mind-Body Medicine explained how thoughts, ideas, beliefs and actions are all expressed as chemical cocktails in the brain.  Happiness, anger, fear and joy are all feelings or specific brain signals. Now here’s the million-dollar question. Where are your ideas are coming from? What are you feeding your body and in tern feeding the chemicals that feed your brain? What fuel are you consuming that is allowing your thoughts to exist?

If your thoughts are serving you, then do more of that. If they are not, then it’s time for a change in fuel source. How do you know if your thoughts are serving or helping you? To sum it up in one word, its STRESS. Think of stress as the signal that your mind is giving your body that they are not on the same page. When we are overwhelmed, it is an indication that the mind is causing you to produce a result that you are not happy with. To stay out of overwhelm is for your mind to be in line with your holon nature, your core beliefs, and your body.
The fastest and most practical way to change your brain chemistry is to take a look at your diet. The closer you are to eating for your metabolic type, the fewer obstacles you will have on your journey towards physical excellence.

#2 Wisdom:
Wisdom is knowledge combined with experience. Take your new thoughts and immediately apply them to some area of your life on whatever level that resonates with you.

#3 Self Expression
You have been given a magnificent vehicle in your human body. You have limbs so you can maximize your human experience. Your body was made to GO not stop. Take the energy of wisdom and convert it into emotion. Emotion is energy in motion. It’s wisdom in action.

The act of thinking creates electromagnetic fields or thought bodies. If you contemplate on what you are reading here, you are taking the first step in applying it to your life.  Consider these three ideas as you go about your daily life. Use them to keep the plates of your plates of life spinning in the direction of your choosing. ##

The Real Health Cost of Going Cheap

I saw a TV segment about how the health of Americans is suffering because of the economy.

The general consensus was that the financial stress is forcing many people to settle for the less expensive
foods.

Although things may be tight right now for many people, I do believe that with a shift in perspective, you don’t have to compromise on your health.

Consider the following..

1. Organic food may be more expensive than fast food and conventional foods but they keep longer.
You also don’t eat as much because the food is more nutrient dense.

2. Eating quality food will lessen the need to buy all the other stuff associated with the poor quality food such as
laxatives, antacids, breath mints, aspirin, nasal sprays and anything else that is used to treat the symptoms of food additives and preservatives.

I do agree that this is a time to focus on the bare necessities and eliminating the processed food is a great start.

Think about it.

Constipation Confusion..

Isn’t it ironic that we have more fiber supplements and products than ever before,
yet we are the most constipated society ever.

If you have a real understanding of nutrition, digestion and elimination you’ll know that fiber intake is but a drop in the bucket when it comes to understanding why people are so constipated.

The #1 reason people are constipated is….STRESS! period end story.

Stress comes in many forms and they key to developing normal digestive rhythms (i.e. a normal poop schedule) is to identify any and all sources of stress.

Here is a short list to get you started:

Emotional: Pent up emotions equals pent up..well.. you know..
Physical: If you are overtraining it creates a stress response in the body that locks the colon. Take a couple of days off from training and see if it helps.
Nutritional: Every meal that you do not eat according to your metabolic type produces a stress response.
Visceral: Any organ or gut inflammation will activate a stress response and lock up the colon. Excessive use of medical drugs, anti inflammatory (NSAIDs), coffee, soda and alcohol all contribute to gut irritation.

Women are more prone to constipation because of the monthy hormone fluctuations associated with menstruation.

The body does not lie and if your digestive rhythms are not regular, you are stressed.

if you are not moving approximately 12 inches of formed waste product from your back side EVERYDAY, consider yourself constipated.

Now go identify your stress and get into rhythm.

The Sign Of True Physical Excellence

So I got to thinking about something after I heard that a woman I know of was just diagnosed with cancer.

She’s barely in her 30’s.

With all of the body parts that money can buy these days;
breasts, buttocks, calves, lips, chins, cheeks, and even “you know where”

I swear I was listening to the radio and they were promoting a procedure called ” a woman part that rhymes with diagonal” rejuvenation.

But I digress…

Anyway..

With all this stuff that can be bought, you still can’t BUY a strong immune system.

There are no short cuts to real Physical Excellence. If your immune system is weak, nothing else matters.

Think about it..

What Is Your Gift?

Yesterday, I got to see Tiger Woods play golf in person at the World Golf Championships here at Doral. When he birdied the 15th hole, I was about 20 feet away from the greens.

Then I (along with what seemed all of Miami) followed him to the 14th tee. When he walked up to the tee box, I was so close to him that I literally could have patted him on the back. As the fans shouted their well wishes (“Welcome Back Tiger, “Put It In the hole” and “You da man”), I couldn’t help but feel a funny sense of divinity out there.

Now I’m not saying that Tiger Woods is God. (Or Is he?) 😉

I asked myself the question, what is it about Tiger that brings joy to so many people?

This thought stuck with me as I watched him hit the ball straighter and 50 yards past the other two people in his group.

Then it hit me.. “He’s sharing his gift with us.”

So from a few hours of watching a few ordinary men do some extraordinary things on the golf course I found some inspirational mojo.

I was inspired and there lies the divinity in it all.

When we share our gifts with each other, no matter how large or small, we bring joy and inspiration to the world.

I look forward to experiencing your gift one day.

Much Chi…
T.

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