Fit and Hungry

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Reader: While working out has a client ever “let one rip” and how do you handle that as a trainer?

Wow! I admire your boldness as this is a taboo subject that no woman wants to address. (Guys don’t care.) But yes, I have had clients “let one rip” during their training sessions. Some incidents were predictable: client warned of indigestion or client was doing a supine leg lift.  Their reactions, on the other hand, were not predictable. Some were embarrassed, “oh my gosh, Angel, I’m so sorry, oh god, I can’t believe that happened, move away from me, MOVE AWAY FROM ME!”  Others were not, “Oops”.

My reaction to this “slip” is always the same. I am stoic in the face of battle.  I do this because, if it were me, I would be horrified! So when a client passes gas, I simply hold my breath- praying that the smell of blue cheese and mango doesn’t linger- and move on to the next exercise. I never acknowledge what occurred. I never make them feel bad about it. I’m cool like that.

[Editor's note: Reader questions are in bold and my response immediately follows. If you have a question, send me a message via the contact page.]

“God wanted me to swim more so he broke both my legs.” Angel Stone

It’s Spring! This means open-toe sandals, pollen, gelato, and sidewalks packed with runners. For me, Spring means triathlons: bad tan lines, goggle eyes, and a new training regimen. I have increased my swim training 180%. But not by choice; life forced me into the pool. Now, I am swimming faster than ever. I’m stronger and more confident in the water and I’m going to tell you how I did it. If you follow these 6 rules, your performance will soar.

1. Break something. Or two things.

Crash your bike into a cement wall then fall to the ground and watch another cyclist run over your right knee. If this unilateral paralysis doesn’t push you into a pool then start a new exercise program. Go so hard at it that you strain your left achilles tendon. If being cripple in both legs doesn’t compel you to swim more, there is no hope for you. Don’t let that be the case.

2. Train your mind.

For me, swimming was not a physical inability, it was a mental one: I was scared of drowning. Once I realized my mind was my biggest hurdle, I began an aggressive mental training regimen. Every night before swim practice, I picture myself as I’d like to be in the water: long, smooth, and balanced. By the time I get to the pool, I almost believe it. To give you a better idea of what I see in my visions, Watch This

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3. Practice.

If you want to be good, you’ve got to put your money where your mouth is. I spent last year talking about how I was going to swim more but was doing little. Then things changed, i.e. God pulled my card.  Now, I swim at least 3 days a week. Each session starts with drills: catch up, one-arm, side stroke, single arm. etc. If you are not doing drills, you are not going to win. Do them! Drill Video

4. Buy stuff for a reason.

I bought a pink pull buoy on purpose. When I lap a guy, I want him to know I’m a girl.

5. Find an expert.

Find someone who knows more than you do and STALK THEM! I hired a swim coach to analyze my stroke and improve my technique. If you can’t afford a coach, then watch videos of swimmers being coached. Videos provide amazing insight and can aid in your development. Here’s an excellent video of a coach critiquing a swimmer’s stroke: Swim Analysis.

6. Lie to yourself.

I purchased a swim cap that says, “I Love to Swim”. I don’t. But with those words suctioned to my head three times a week, it’s only a matter of time before osmosis occurs.

[Editor's note: I don't recommend step 1. It just happened that way for me.]

This is the best workout song I’ve heard this year. It’s fast, slow, energetic, subtle, lovely, and grimy. What more could you ask for?!

It’s Usher

Featuring Will.i.am.

It’s called OMG

Can you top this?

One of my clients returned to the fold to gain what was lost: perfectly formed quads. On her first day back, I gave her a look that was familiar but more intense. It said, “This ain’t the hokey pokey but you will be turning yourself around.” After three weeks under my tyranny, she began logging her soreness sessions in a journal. One session moved her in such a way she was compelled to send me a copy of that day’s entry. Here it is: Read the rest of this entry →

Recently one of my clients returned to the fold. She wanted to gain what was lost: perfectly formed quads and the ability to both hate and love a person in less than an hour.

On her first day back, I gave her a look that was familiar but far more intense. It said, “This ain’t the hokey pokey but you will be turning yourself around. You will want to punch me dead in the face but you won’t. Because you won’t be able to lift those puny, baby arms. Oh, you mad now? Look at me when I’m talking to you.”

She was in for a treat. And she knew it. On her third week of training, she logged her sessions in a fitness journal and happily sent me a copy. Here it is. Word for word.

Dear Fitness Gods,

Painfully yours,
A. Hill

Southern adj. situated in, toward, or facing the south.
Fitness n. good health or physical condition, especially as the result of exercise and proper nutrition.
Maniac n. an insane person; a person who has an excessive enthusiasm or desire for something.

Southern. Fitness. Maniac.

Those three words are the first to come to mind when I think of our guest expert, Sarah Rippel. She is a talented personal trainer with a tough spirit and training philosophy to match. She is unconventional in her approach to fitness and that’s what makes her programs effective. She gives 100% to her clients and to her own training regimen. (Her southern accent is just a bonus.) Sarah is one of the few trainers in the industry who thinks outside of the box. She is a fitness “maniac” dedicating her life to building strong, lean bodies. I respect her for she is the truth!

The Three Issues Most Women’s Workouts Aren’t Addressing!
By Sarah E. Rippel, BS, CPT

When Angel asked me to write a guest post, I was both honored and excited. Then, when she suggested the topic for which I was to discuss, I became even more excited. Why? Angel suggested that I write about the three most neglected muscle groups in women. I knew instantly that I should bring up three issues that pertain to most of my female clients: decreased hip mobility, lack of proper glute functioning, and scapular control. I address these issues in my clients’ workouts on a daily basis and feel they are often neglected by people who do not work with a trainer.

1. The first issue I want to discuss is a lack of hip mobility. A decrease in hip mobility may be the result of several things, most often spending too much time in the seated position is the culprit. Also, I feel that many people who have low back pain mistakenly believe the “cure” is to perform stretches for the low back. Low back pain may often be the result of decreased hip mobility. The same goes for knee issues. The body can be viewed as a stack of joints. Typically if an area isn’t functioning properly (ie: tight hips), it affects the joints above and/or below it. There will be compensations made for this lack of mobility. It is important to address this because not only can a lack of hip mobility lead to pain and/or injury, it can lead to a decreased ability to move, resulting in less enjoyment of exercise and daily life.
Mini Hip Mobility Routine:
a. Half-Kneeling 3D Psoas Stretch – 5 reps each plane of motion per side, 2 sec per rep
b. Modified Cossack Stretch – 5-8 reps per side, 2 sec per rep
c. Half Turkish Get-Up – 5 reps per side, bodyweight first, then add 8-15 lb dumbbell

2. The second issue on the hit list is impaired glute function. The glutes are neglected because many women do not know how to train them. This leads to imbalances and faulty recruitment patterns, further exacerbating the problem. Most exercises that women associate with glute training (ie: squats and lunges) aren’t as effective if the glutes aren’t firing! Many women waste their time using fancy glute machines at the gym, which simply don’t get the job done. It is important to address this issue because the glutes not only allow the body to function more efficiently when trained properly, they add shape. You can tell when someone’s glutes are “asleep” – they typically have a flat butt!
Mini Glute Function Routine:
a. Bridge – 15 reps
b. Staggered Stance Hip Hinge + Rotation – 10 reps per side
c. Kettlebell Swing – 8-20 kg

3. The third and final issue I want to address is insufficient scapular control. We’re talking shoulder blades, ladies. All of the muscles that work to control the scapulae are often neglected because you can’t see ‘em. Many women tend to shy away from upper body exercises because they feel weak. I also feel that the scapular region is neglected because many women are simply unsure of how to train it properly. It is important to improve the strength and mobility of this area because it plays a big role in posture and injury prevention.
Mini Scapular Control Routine:
a. Dowel Awareness Drill – 5 reps of 10 second holds (retraction; depression)
b. Scapular Push-Up – 10 reps
c. Quadruped Sliding Reaches – 5-10 reps per side

These are some “outside the box” strategies for improving weaknesses found in the female body. Give these exercises a try, aiming for 2-3 times per week. You should see an improvement in not only these areas, but your entire body. Why? The body doesn’t function as as individual muscle groups – it’s a beautifully-crafted machine designed to function flawlessly. Life interferes with proper functioning of the areas I discussed, therefore we must pay extra attention to them so that our bodies move better and we feel better! – Sarah E. Rippel, BS, CPT

Not sure how to do the exercises Sarah mentioned? Check out her videos for a thorough demonstration of each exercise. Hip Mobility Video, Glute Function Video, Scapular Control Video.

This isn’t the last of Sarah. In the next installment, I will probe the mind of this southern fitness belle and force her to reveal her secret to getting great abs.

Sarah has been helping people improve their health for over 14 years. She is the owner of “Outside the Box” Training, (soon to be known as “Rippel Effect”), offering in-home one-on-one/small group training as well as outdoor fitness camps in the Baton Rouge, Louisiana area. If you live in the Baton Rouge area and want more information, drop her a line at fitprosarah@gmail.com & follow her on Twitter @fitprosarah.

Her name is Lindsay Wilkins. She has a beautiful face, a ripped body, and the audacity to be a nice person. I’m left with no choice but to hate her!

Actually, I am one of Lindsay’s biggest fans. She is a constant source of running inspiration and a friendly reminder that I need to do more abdominal work.

I sat down with Lindsay to discuss her life as an elite runner. She’s an expert so take notes.

1. As an elite runner, you are pretty much at the top of your game. What are your personal running goals?

Eventually, I’d love to qualify for the Olympic trials in the marathon. The next time is 2012 and the window opens up next Fall. The standard is a 2:47. My current marathon time is a 2:49.

2. What has been your greatest running moment?

The Marine Corps Marathon ‘08 was my greatest and worst running moment combined. I came in 2nd place. By 11 seconds!

As the race started, my legs felt more tired than usual. But I hung in there. I was in 3rd place for most of the race. I passed one of the girls at mile 21, which definitely gave me momentum to keep going. Then I was one minute behind the leader.

Everybody was yelling to me, “You’re one minute behind.” From mile 21 to mile 26, I slowly gained on her until I was just 10 seconds behind. She was within touching distance. During the last 2/10 of a mile, my calves cramped up and I couldn’t get her. It was a tough race.

3. Does it hurt more knowing you were so close to a victory?

Yes. If I had come in third or had been a minute or two behind I think it would have been easier to say, “Well, she was better than me and it wasn’t my day.” But to come that close and not win was very difficult. You can be perfectly trained, have everything working out perfectly, and just not feel great on that day.

4. What is your pre-race routine?

I lay out my clothes the night before. On race day, I wake up at 6:00 a.m. I like to eat an hour and a half to two hours beforehand. For the 10k, I don’t think it’s as important to eat that far ahead but definitely at least an hour and a half. Once I’m at the race, I warm up for about three miles.

5. What is your ideal pre-race meal?

I’ve gone through a bunch of different things. Currently, I like eating the Cliff Bar Kids, the little Z-bars. I’ll have one before a short race. Before a marathon, I’ll eat two. It’s important to make sure you’re not eating things filled with fiber. You don’t want stomach issues.

6. What are the common mistakes of runners?

When they start seeing success in their races, they start thinking, “Okay, more is better, and I’m just going to keep pushing it and pushing it”. And then they end up injured.

It’s a major mistake and it really does hurt their training. Also, people don’t pay attention to the smaller things like stretching and getting massages. I do ice baths in the summer after my long runs and after races. They are torture but it really, really helps my recovery and prevents me from getting injured.

7. Do you strength train?

Yes. I love doing weights, yoga, and ab work. It’s important to strengthen other muscles and keep your core and upper body strong. Strength is crucial during a race when you’re fatigued and your form starts to fall apart. I lift weights three times a week. It has definitely helped my running.

8. Have you ever had a bad day? Felt like taking a nap instead of running?

I have days during marathon training when I say to myself, “Oh, when is this going to be over?” I’m one to go out the door and then realize I “forgot” to do something. I will try to put it off every second possible. Even though I may not want to do it right then, I think of how much better I’ll feel when I get back. That’s what gets me out there and gets me going. It’s the feeling you get while you’re doing it and the feeling you get when you’re done.

9. Too many people don’t pursue their dreams because they’re afraid of failure. How do you stay driven and focused?

Running takes talent and training but a huge part of it is mental. Sometimes I struggle with that. I’ll think, “Oh, that person is better than me”. And then I’ll operate as if that person is going to beat me. But you can’t do that in running because you never know what will happen. You have to really believe in yourself and believe you can do it. Anything is possible!

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When you see Lindsay running down the street, be sure to honk, wave, or throw money. If you decide to toss her some cash, make sure the bills are neatly rolled and secured with a rubber band so it will be easier for her to carry.