The football athlete posted in the picture above is clearly very lean and muscular and obviously fast and powerful – a case of an athlete looking fit and being fit for his sport.  However, he would not be the fittest person to a marathon or play as a lineman (the big guys on the front line football), despite the impressive physique. To reiterate the last point of Part 1 of this entry; I would choose the “fit’ individual vs the “fit-looking” one in any situation that required “fitness” or physical ability. Don’t get me wrong; there is nothing wrong with looking fit, lean and muscular but do not gauge one’s fitness solely on his/her appearance. You can get into trouble there, in more than one way.

With the exception of a “physique athlete” such as a bodybuilder or esthetics-focused sport/activity, PHYSICAL QUALITIES such as strength, speed and flexibility is more vital to being fit than looks. Look at the top athletes on each sport – do each of them necessarily have the best physiques? For example, the top marathon runners are very lean but have low muscle mass. And none of them are what you would call “muscular”. Why do think that is? Excess muscle mass would some them down over long distances. However, added strength with minimal muscle increase via strength training would likely improve performance. So in this instance, more muscle mass is NOT necessarily better.

GENETICS can play a huge part in body appearance. The media has portrayed certain physiques as ideal or at least very desirable. Sure, it can be a sign of health and vitality but I have witnessed many people who train very hard and eat healthy and still do not have the leanness and shape of those in the magazines and internet.

Two things:

1) Many of these models DO NOT look this year-round, in fact, many of them do not look like this the majority of the time. they will get in ripped for the shoot and maybe have some lighting “enhancement”.
2) Many of them have the genetics for muscularity and leanness illustrated by the body somatotypes (ectomorphy, mesomorphy, endomorphy) – some people are just born with it, despite eating poorly and not exercising like a maniac

So…please, pretty please, do not punish yourself for not being able to attain which may be an unrealistic goal – not everyone was meant to have a six-pack.

According to Medical New Today, some of the physical fitness components include:

cardiorespiratory fitness
muscular strength
muscular endurance
body composition
flexibility

None of these includes “physique”, muscle definition, ripped, shredded, super lean, etc

However, body composition is the closely related to physique and appearance and in my opinion is a solid indicator of health and to a lesser extent, fitness. Usually, body composition is a measure of lean mass versus fat mass and is given as a body fat% and where excess body fat is often an indicator of poor health and fitness levels.  At Apex Strength & Conditioning, we do not focus on weight loss much but much more on body composition and fitness improvements, especially since many of our clients do not lose a significant amount of weight because of increased muscle mass during the training process. This can lead to the illusion of a lack of progress but if I ask them to try on a pair of pants they haven’t been able to fit in a long time, they are often surprised they fit!! Body girth measurements and body composition tell a much better story than the number weight scale.

So if you are focused on improving your physique, I suggest to try improving fitness components in some measureable way that is NOT just on what you see in the mirror and also focus on NUTRITION. Perhaps make it a goal to increase the number of push-ups you can do or run 5 km just a bit faster than before.  I also highly recommend the guidance of a good personal trainer or strength & conditioning coach to help you safely and effectively reach your goal(s).

Over the past several years, the terms “fitness” and “fit”, in my opinion, have been distorted by the industry and media. First look at the dictionary definition of “fitness”:

fit·ness
ˈfitnəs/
noun

the condition of being physically fit and healthy.”disease and lack of fitness are closely related”

synonyms:
good health, strength, robustness, vigor, athleticism, toughness, physical fitness,muscularity; More




the quality of being suitable to fulfill a particular role or task.“he had a year in which to establish his fitness for the office”
synonyms:
suitability, capability, competence, ability, aptitude; More

One of the biggest issues I have is with the difference between “looking fit” and actually “being fit”. For one, one does not necessarily require the other. What I am saying is that one can “look fit” but not actually be as fit they look or vice-versa. I have personally witnessed people who look very fit but are not actually that strong, fast or flexible. Looks can be and ARE deceiving!

According to the definition of Fitness, it is also relative to the sport or activity. Take a sport such as North American Football (NFL, CFL). This is a sport with many different positions along with many different physiques, if you had not noticed before. If you watch a football game, you will see many different positions with corresponding physiques. The lineman are huge and muscular and sometimes even fat-looking, the running backs are often perfect-looking physical specimens, while the receivers tend to be long and lean. This is a perfect example of how “fitness” is dependent on the sport and the position in that sport. A lineman is too big and heavy to be “fit” as a receiver and a receiver is much too small and light to do the job of a lineman; he would get crushed on every play. So yes, physique can indicate fitness level but not necessarily the physical capabilities of an individual.

Another important point on this subject, is physical appearance and body image. I think it is important that people do not define their fitness and especially their self-worth based only on appearance/physique and focus more on capability and physical capacity.  ULTIMATELY, IN ANY SITUATION I WOULD PREFER TO HAVE THE FIT PERSON RATHER THAN THE FIT-LOOKING PERSON AT MY SIDE.  Part 2 in late August…

The First Step

There are a lot of reasons why you “don’t have time” for the gym – work, family, and so on. However for each of those excuses there is an even better reason to start taking better care of your health now. We won’t even get into that,  let’s just say if you are here then you already realized that you have to take care of yourself first and foremost. And the first step is to make that appointment with your trainer. However, that is only the beginning. The next phase is what separates those who sees great versus mediocre results after training for a period of time.

Staying Consistent

Now that you are in a routine, do you make an effort to stay consistent or do you only workout when it is convenient? Here is a simple scenario you can ask yourself to see how committed you are to  your training routine:

Let’s say you always workout after work. You live 30 minutes from work, and your gym just happens to be right in the middle between the office and home. As you are leaving work to head to the gym, you realized that you had forgotten to bring your gym clothes. What would you do? You could drive home to grab your stuff but then that would mean adding another 30 minutes of commute going back and forth. On top of that, you still need to get groceries and cook dinner after you are done. It’s going to be late.. and you are going to be tired! Should you just cancel your session?

The problem with only working out whenever it’s convenient for you is…LIFE. Life never works out conveniently for anybody.  Things will come up. Plans, situations, and circumstances change. Shit happens. If you are quick to throw in the towel every time,  it will be impossible to stay on track at the gym.

If you are truly making your health a priority, you will have to consistently make decisions that reflects that (this extends to nutrition as well, but that’s a whole other topic). Of course everyone is going to miss a workout here is there. Emergencies happen. Or sometimes you may just have another priority. Don’t beat yourself up over a missed session every now and then. What is a good reason? How many sessions can you miss in a month? Only you will really know. Maybe your trainer will too.

Short answer is “No” – we do not offer Crossfit Training. If you are set on finding a Crossfit Gym in Richmond you may search for an affiliate  at www.crossfit.com/affiliate-list

Over the last few months, I have encountered a few people who think that we what do at APEX is similar to Crossfit or that we specialize in “group training”. Even with the term “semi-private” many still think that our members are doing the same workout at the same time in a group setting. This is completely inaccurate, our Semi-Private Classes are more similar to a Personal Training Session, which is what makes our gym so unique. Each of our members  receive a  completely customized program based their goals and our assessments, and individualized coaching attention despite being in a class.

If it is still unclear, I will illustrate this with a spectrum or hierarchy diagram:

Personal Training

1:1 Personal Training
– individualized programming
– highest coaching attention

APEX Semi-private Training Model (2-4 clients/trainer)
– individualized programming
– high coaching attn

______________________________________________________________________

Group Training

Crossfit or Crossfit-type training
– not individualized programming (everyone does the same workout), but often scaled to the individual’s level
– varying coaching attention (depending on coach to member ratio)

Bootcamp
– not individualized programming (everyone does the same workout)
– usually low coaching/supervisory attention due to high # of participants

With that being said, we do have ONE true group training class – the weekly APEX Strength & Conditioning Class, only for our semi-private training members.  This class functions as a supplement to our members’ semi-private sessions to introduce them to new exercises/workouts and spice up their training.

So if you have not tried APEX Semi-private Training and are interested in tasting the APEX training experience, including our Strength & Conditioning Class, please contact us!

info@apexthegym.com

Again, back to the whole weight loss thing. So 150 lbs is a 150 lbs, right? It is but not all weight/mass is created equal. It could be 150 lbs of fat or 150 lbs of muscle or 150 lbs of bone or a combination of the three. This is where body composition comes into play and body weight/mass can lose its importance and meaning. Two people of the same weight, height, age, and gender can appear to have quite different body shape and appearance. In fact, the SAME PERSON AT THE SAME BODY WEIGHT/MASS can look very different:

Body Composition

Yes, that is the same person at the same weight but with a very different body composition and as a result a dramatically different appearance. It is obvious in this case that weight has really lost it importance in the pursuit of being fit and especially looking fit. And also supports the validity and relevance of body composition. Generally, there is a healthy range for men and women, respectively. Too high of a body fat level is obviously unhealthy, especially very high, that is often in tandem with obesity. But excessively low body fat is also unhealthy since the body requires a minimal amount to ensure bodily functions can be maintained and restored. Being ripped or shredded can look impressive but it can also be unhealthy for many people, especially if it has been done in an unnatural or extreme way.

Mood and Well-being

One of the first things that is noticeable with a new client is the improved mood and energy levels, even before noticeable weight loss, increased strength and other benefits of exercise and training. The endorphins released during training can improve mood during and especially after a workout. You may have heard of “runner’s high”, this term is used describe the process of endorphins binding to receptors in the brain, which give a feeling of well-being, reduce sensitivity to or the perception of pain, and also act as a sedative (relaxant) giving on a sense of calmness.
Regular exercise, even light exercise, can increase a sense of well-being, general positive attitude and can even prevent or to help treat mild depression. To help treat depression, it is recommended by www.webmd.com:

“Try to exercise at least 20 to 30 minutes, three times a week. Studies indicate that exercising four or five times a week is even better. Take it easy if you are just beginning. Start exercising for 20 minutes. Then you can build up to 30 minutes.”

Physical exercise and activity not only helps with the physical, but just as importantly, the mental, emotional, and psychological aspects also. In my opinion, it really is the best form of preventative medicine for the overall well-being of a person or even an animal.

Posture

The SEATED position can and does put the human body into a series of dysfunctional positions over time potentially causing pain and more importantly creating a body which does not function optimally, often not even close. In addition, being seated for long periods also contributes to a highly sedentary lifestyle, which is a major factor in most modern health concerns and ailments such as cardiovascular disease and obesity. Starting from head down to toe, I will briefly explain the postural problems it creates and how it can effect movement and cause pain. These are most of the major the posture and health problems sitting causes:

FORWARD HEAD POSTURE
NECK AND UPPER BACK TENSION
EXCESSIVE KYPHOSIS (UPPER BACK ROUNDING)
LOWER BACK PAIN
TIGHT HIP FLEXORS, INHIBITED GLUTEALS
TIGHT HAMSTRINGS

And according to a website article by Belle Beth Cooper the most common areas of pain for long-term sitters by % are:

lower back – 63%
neck – 53%
shoulder – 38%
wrist – 33%

That is an alarming rate of pain being suffered by office workers and people who do hours of sitting per day and hundreds of hours per year!  Although I have 5 postural issues listed, I will only discuss the first one to maintain a reasonable article length:

FORWARD HEAD POSTURE – Forward head posture can be caused by sitting for long periods, especially when looking at a computer screen for hours or looking down at a desk.

This postural deviation puts much strain on the neck (cervical spine) and can cause headaches, neck aches and can eventually lead to shoulder dysfunction.  This is just one of the common postural issues seen in many people that can cause an array of physical and health problems such as chronic pain and limited physical capacity.

Other Goals of Success

With the exception of Strength, all of the other fitness goals I have not mentioned are ones related to higher performance. Examples of these performance goals are speed, agility, power, and endurance.  The intriguing part is that many of these performance goals can be improved simply by improving some aspect of strength, since strength is the attribute that feeds many other ones, such as speed.  No one who is really fast or powerful is really weak.  But this really is a topic of discussion in itself reserved for another time.

Conclusion

The fitness industry has evolved and is evolving into something more well-rounded and beneficial for its participants and professionals.  However, much of society needs to catch up to the more current trends in fitness and even strength & conditioning.  It would be beneficial if more people were educated in a broader definition of fitness and health, beyond the weight on the scale.  Not to downplay the benefits of a healthy weight and the treatment of overweight and obesity, but there is much more to a healthy body than being slim.  So if the topics discussed in this 2-part article are not a part of your fitness/training routine, perhaps it would be a good idea to include even one or two of them now!

By Kevin Hirose – BHK, CSCS

What is fitness? More importantly, what is your definition of fitness? In my experience, for many people it means being at a particular weight. But what if the person is already at a normal or healthy weight? What’s next? Losing more weight? Is that fitness – becoming as skinny or as light as possible? For some people, it seems like it is. Perhaps this thinking is limited and quite possibly an unhealthy perspective on health and fitness.

Many gyms, certain personal trainers, the media and just society in general focus so much on weight that it becomes the benchmark of health, which it can be for some, especially for people with obesity.  However, I believe there is much more to health and fitness than the weight scale. In fact, the gym that I co-own does not emphasize body weight at all, unless requested by the client or an athlete has to make a weight limit for competition. Success in the gym or an “exercise” program can be measured in many other ways that are more important than weight, in many cases.  Can you think of other methods that can measure success?  Waist measurements?  Bigger biceps?  Getting a “six-pack”?  Those are some that may have come to mind but there are some other important ones I should mention and discuss…

Mobility/Flexibility

Regardless of age, gender, occupation MOBILITY is vital in the ability to move with adequate Range of Motion (ROM). I mean what is the point of all that strength and/or size built up in the gym when one doesn’t have the ability to bend over to pick something up or reach overhead without major compensation or even injury? Developing or actually restoring mobility is the first thing that I look for in a client or athlete. For example, someone who has limited ROM in their shoulders may not be able to reach overhead or even above their shoulders and therefore may not be functioning well at their job, sport or even their everyday life. Improving ROM of the shoulders and upper back will improve functionality, in addition, reduce the likelihood and severity of injuries of the neck and lower back. Often people will compensate poor shoulder and upper back mobility by using their lower back to create extra ROM and as a result often ending up with recurring lower back issues.

Strength

In the world of sports and performance STRENGTH is often vital for success. However, there are many types of strength ranging from maximal strength to speed strength so the type of activity will determine what kind of strength(s) will be necessary for success. For example, maximal strength is absolutely necessary for a sport such as powerlifting, where in the squat, bench press and deadlift the heaviest loads are lifted. Whereas, in Olympic Lifting, the Clean & Jerk and Snatch requires more explosive strength (more SPEED required and more POWER is produced) and the weights lifted are not as heavy as in powerlifting.

Strength is the physical quality which contributes to other physical attributes including speed, agility, and even durability. If you think about it, a weak athlete or person who is will not be as fast, agile or even as durable as a strong athlete, whether the strength is trained or natural. Strength is strength. This also translates to the average person. Stronger people tend to be more functional and healthier than their weaker counterparts because everything physical they do is less of a strain on their system because of their greater strength and often higher energy levels. So it is imperative that one increase strength, especially as one ages, as natural strength levels decrease over time, especially after 50. I think most people need to become stronger in some way, whether it be upper body, lower or pillar (core). And this doesn’t mean everyone needs to become a strong man or powerlifter; they simply need adequate, balanced strength to allow them to comfortably live their life and job, if he or she is still working. A line by strength coach, Mark Rippetoe:

“Strong people are harder to kill than weak people and more useful in general.”

Nothing could be more true. The bottom line is that improving/maintaining strength is more important for most people than “losing weight”.

Pain and Injury Reduction

Not surprisingly, many adults in the Western Society live in chronic pain and/or have recurring injuries, especially lower back, neck and shoulder due to our lifestyle. Excessive sitting and generally sedentary lifestyles make for a formula for poor posture and chronic pain due to muscle imbalances and asymmetries. Particular muscles become weak and lengthened, while others become overused and shortened often causing muscle and/or joint pain. This also increases the potential for injury in those areas also; this is often seen when an individual begins an exercise routine or does an activity he/she is not accustomed to. Another common sight is that formerly active people return to exercise or sport and don’t understand they aren’t the same person physically they were 10, 7 or even 5 years earlier and push themselves as such and sustain a major injury. But with proper soft tissue work such as foam rolling and mobility/flexibility work and balanced strength training can reduce/eliminate pain and reduce the likelihood and severity of injuries.

However, there are additional ways of measuring success and physical development that will be discussed in conclusion of this article, “What is Fitness? – Part 2”.

Summer is in full swing and what are your kids doing? Or if you do not have kids then what are your nieces and nephews or the neighbourhood kids doing? Are they playing video games or watching TV inside the house or playing outside? If they spend most of their day in front of an electronic screen, then it is time to change their habits now.

I was born in the 70’s and grew up in the 80’s and my generation was still pretty active although the age of video games and computers had already begun. When I was a young child I played on the playground, in my yard, and in the trees behind my yard and I as I got a bit older I played 2 or 3 different organized sports in addition to playing street hockey almost everyday in my early and mid-teens. But I don’t think it is as common with today’s children. Hearing the statistics in the media, most of us are well aware that today’s children are more sedentary and more obese than ever and it appears that it may get worse before it gets better. Granted, the Lower Mainland is better than the rest of the country in this respect due to the agreeable climate and more active lifestyle but it still not immune to the sedentary effect of our technology-driven society.

Being the father of a toddler, I can clearly see the importance and necessity of playing, especially, outdoors. I believe that only playing inside the house is not sufficient for the full development of a child from not only a physical development standpoint but also from cognitive and social aspects. And it is one place where children can be loud and active and act like kids, unlike being inside the house. If your child or children seem to have pent up energy and hyperactivity, maybe they need to go outside and release it. Adults or parents who think children are “little adults” who should know how to self-monitor and behave themselves when made to “keep still for long periods of time” are probably setting themselves up for disappointment and/or disaster. Of course, being outside has potential dangers such as road traffic, criminal activities and possibly dangerous animals but I believe the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. Parents must simply be intelligent about it

Taking it a step further, just playing outside may not be sufficient. An interesting piece of literature on the topic of “Nature Deficit Disorder”, a hypothesis formed by Richard Louv, indicates that there are benefits to interacting with nature. It also states that an absence or lack of interaction with nature and the outdoors has the potential to lead to a variety of behavioural problems such as attention disorders and depression, along with the growing physical problem of obesity. Interestingly, positive effects of interacting with nature in children have been documented with Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorder due to the calming effect of nature resulting in a reduction of anxiety levels (Barlow). Whether or not this hypothesis or theory is completely valid is not really the point, what is important is getting children to appreciate nature by playing and discovering the many wonders of it. And I admit, I am not an “outdoor” person but it does appear to have a calming effect on me when I do get a chance to visit the outdoors. So I believe there is some validity to this idea.

They say variety is the spice of life but for children it is beneficial to have exposure to a variety of different outdoor environments such as the beach, the forest, the mountains and areas where snow is present. It is also important to allow them to try a wide variety of foods, especially across different cultures, if possible. And exposing them to many different things will provide the opportunity to a wider spectrum of experiences and perhaps create a foundation to be open-minded as they grow into adults.

A Few Tips for Encouraging Outdoor Play (sparkpeople.com)

Provide simple tools to aid discovery. Kids love tools! Include a bug box, trowel, magnifier, etc.

When you take children to parks and other natural areas, allow them to explore. Let them decide which trails to take. Stay nearby for safety, but don’t interfere or help unless asked.

Encourage plenty of time outside. Consider taking a walk to the library, store or post office instead of driving.

Take a few leaves from different trees while the children are not looking. Give them the leaves and ask them to find which trees they came from.

If a child asks or remarks about a landmark or natural feature you drive past often, find out more about it and go for a visit.

The HUMAN BODY and most of earth’s creatures are meant to be active; moving around constantly changing positions and moving here and there without being in one position for long periods of time as is occurring in today’s society. These sedentary positions are causing an almost epidemic proportion of overweight and obese populations, poor posture, major back problems and a host of health problems linked to a sedentary lifestyle. These problems are presently beginning in childhood when it used to be considered an “adult” problem. Also, the special benefits of being active and in nature could be lost during the window of opportunity at a crucial age of development of children. It is OUR responsibility to get kids active on a regular basis and enjoy the outdoors, when possible.

As a bonus, here is the Canada Introduction to Physical Literacy.  This illustrates the importance of developmental movements skills during childhood for sports but more importantly for life!  For the full-size PDF click on the link:

introduction-to-physical-literacy

RELATED LINKS

http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=275

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/lack-of-outdoor-play-said-to-hurt-children-s-development-1.2497526

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/quit-drinking

Until now, it has always been just Victor and I coaching at Apex the Gym (Apex Strength & Conditioning Inc).  But we knew at some point we would have to hire staff, especially when we became busier and needed someone to cover vacations and such.  Enter Karen Tam…

Karen has been training at APEX since early 2016 and was officially hired by APEX as an assistant coach in late April.  A bit of background on her: she has been personal training at various community centres in Richmond for the past few years. Having led a sedentary lifestyle for most of her life, Karen struggled to kickstart her own fitness journey, but through proper coaching, she fell in love with strength training. Inspired by her positive experiences with fitness coaching, Karen is now dedicated to teaching the fundamentals of strength training and fitness to those who are interested in starting, but are feeling unsure, or intimidated in doing so and has worked with a diverse clientele but takes a particular interest in novices and older adults.

We could see the growth of Apex would lead us to the point of hiring staff quicker than we first anticipated, so we decided late last year to start thinking about hiring someone, the process of training staff and possibly hiring an assistant coach by the spring.  We first looked at our clientele, especially those who were currently or aspiring trainers and Karen was the one that stood out because of her background in personal training, her positive energy and eagerness to learn.  During this time we had decided to develop an Apex Mentorship Program (coming this summer) for current or aspiring trainers/coaches and thought it would make sense to have Karen Tam do the Mentorship Program.  So for approximately 3 months Karen did a “test run” of the program and, at the same time, train her for potential employment, which included shadowing sessions, 1:1 mentoring sessions and off-site assignments (homework).  She did very well and asked very good questions that indicated strong critical thinking.  I knew she would be ready if and when the time came; I am proud of the progress she has made but there is still much for her to learn, as for all coaches/trainers.  In addition, her exercise technique has gone to another level and her strength has become impressive; her deadlift is over 1.5 times her bodyweight and she accomplished 10 pull-ups last summer.

Please welcome Karen Tam, Assistant Coach, to the APEX team!

3 steps for prepping (and loving) your veggies. [Infographic]