Innovative Thinking:

"McHelp"?

2013-05-24T15:45:00.001-07:00

Kids our the future. When a 9 year old speaks out at a high level meeting to a CEO of very well known company, it can not go unnoticed.

I can not wait to see what this young lady, quoted in the article, does in the future for the health and well being of her peers and canadian youth.

Check this out! McHelp!

Come Up With an Exercise Plan!

2013-05-23T16:04:00.001-07:00

A lot of people go into the gym with absolutely no plan outside of the basic premise that they are going to work out. One of the biggest ways to miss out on results is simply by wasting time and not being efficient in the gym. Whenever you walk into a fitness center, you can look around and see people standing, sitting, texting, chatting, and generally wasting time. The key to having a good workout is coming up with a plan ahead of time and sticking to it.

First: plan your month. As we are setting our fitness goals we should start with the macro first. Step one is to decide in advance what days you are going to exercise. This should be premeditated and not simply a reaction to having free time. If you wait until you "have the time to workout", you will have created a very effective strategy to never workout again!

Second: plan your individual weeks. Now that you know what days of the month you are going to exercise, you can start breaking it down into individual weeks. This plan should reflect an actual week. Look ahead and think about set-backs, schedule conflicts, and anything that could change your plan for any given week within your month of training and plan around it accordingly.

Third: plan your day. Now this is where things get a little tricky. Planning your actual workouts can be a little bit daunting. There are many systems and strategies around planning workouts. The actual session itself could be discussed at length, but that is not the point of this post. Instead we are going to keep it simple and come up with a generic plan that will work for most people. There are so many specific considerations when building a proper training program and realistically, in order to get the best results and make sure you are doing the right things, you should employ a professional who knows their stuff. However, most people cannot afford a full-time personal trainer so the next best thing is to come up with a plan for yourself and listen to your body. If you are doing something that feels “wrong”, then chances are it is.

Some guidelines to live by:

- For the first 1-3 months don’t do any chest exercise or anything where you are pushing weight over your head. Most people sit way too much and most of their general movements are in a push direction. This causes forward head and shoulder position and can lead to injury. Best to avoid making your muscle imbalances worse when starting an exercise program.

- No flexion extension movements with your back for at least the first 3 months. This means NO SITUPS and no back extensions. Like the above rationale for not doing push motions, we spend a lot of time sitting and this results in overactive hip flexors. Sit-ups are never something you will see endorsed here, but doing them in the beginning stages of a training program is paramount to lower back suicide. Stick to static abdominal contractions like planks and layouts.

- Be patient. Start slow as this is a marathon not a sprint. Exercise should always be thought of in the long term. There is no quick fix so you should go about your planning with this in mind.

- No jumping for the first 6 months. This is a general guideline for most people. Jumping is very hard on your body and realistically does not give you any amazing gains that cannot be attained though safer endeavors. Allow time for your joints, bones and muscles to adapt to taking the impact of heavier lifting before you start doing any type of jumping.

- The basics of progressive overload mean that, if you are manipulating the number of reps that you are doing and the weight that you are doing in the right pattern, you will see continuing results. What this means, in simple terms, is, if you start lifting a weight 10 times (meaning you are only capable of lifting this weight 10 times… not just only lifting it 10 times because that was your preplanned number), continue to lift that weight until you can lift it 20-25 times (this may take a few months). Then, once you are there, go back to 10 repetitions with a heavier weight and repeat that process. By doing this you will minimize plateau and maximize your results.

- Following an opposite muscle group pattern is a good general way to go. Push followed by pull. It is okay, however, to do 90% pull and only 10% push for the first 1-3 months in order to offset your muscle imbalances as aforementioned.

- Write down your workout and bring it with you to the gym. This should be basic but detailed.

o 10 Reps – Biceps, Triceps, Legs, Shoulders

§ Walking warm up

§ Range of motion warm up

§ Stability ball squats

§ Bicep curls

§ Tricep extensions

§ Lateral shoulder raises

§ Glute bridges

§ Planks

· Cardio block of 3-5 minutes and repeat above 4 times.

o This is, of course, a very simple sample workout. It is also very effective. Simple, hits the major muscles that we are deciding to work on, and can be done in any gym. No rocket science here, but it is a lot more effective than just going to the gym and randomly doing things.

The science of program design is something that should be left to professionals. However, if you are going to put time and energy into exercise, then you should come up with a plan and stick to it. There is no need to waste time wandering around the gym. Come up with a plan, follow the above guidelines, and get after it.

~ Yoshia

Workout your ears.

2013-05-22T05:13:00.000-07:00

The gym rats love it when bicep day comes. A chance to really grind out the beach muscles is what they are after. With all the information available to us today they know they have to do the other muscles most of the time. The stabilizers, the Bosu-ball stuff and even work the treadmill, but really what they like is the chest and biceps day. That gets the girls.
They think.

It appears the same exists in business. Except in business bicep day is the moment in a meeting that someone is asked what they do. Boom. Door open. Beach muscles.

People will typically launch into a myriad of differing titles that consist of things like Chief, Head, Strategic, Director, Chair, Lead or any other acronym that will have us all amazed by their resume type title. A puffed up and important feeling fills the room at this stage and then one by one people follow along silently trying to stay with the pack of title talkers. Slowly the room begins to feel like a University bar minus the athletic apparel. People talk about themselves and what their paid position is without allowing too much depth to come into the conversation.

Now consider the couples you might see where you wonder how the beautiful women ended up with that guy. You know that guy, the one who probably missed a few bicep days. The one who might not know what bicep day even is. [And yes, stereotypes are ruling the day here...go with me.]
He has a secret I’m going to share with you. A very important secret.

When asked what do you do he hears the exact question and responds accordingly. He has never translated that question to mean, how important do you find yourself or at what level of competence should I accept you at or what University degree have you attained or what title do you possess.
He simply hears, “what do you do” and responds.

In those meetings and in the conversations at the parties he has always been a man who has worked out his ears. His biceps have been neglected. But his ears are as strong and built as one could have.
His answer is often a short description of the projects and hobbies he enjoys and is quickly followed by a cordial question to find out what others do. he isn’t looking for the spotlight immediately. That time will come and he can be patient. He knows he doesn’t need to seal the deal the second the relationship begins. Instead, he listens for their actions not their title. He listens for their compassion not their arrogance. He listens actively aware that some need to fill space because they are filled with humanity including the fear of not fitting in. He wants to know why you are on the planet and has honed his skills to such a level that he can hear who you are breathlessly quickly.

His beautiful partner has always loved the feeling of being heard. She has loved his ability to see her soul as she expresses herself. It took her a long while to realize that she enjoyed actively being listened too and being in the company of such a skilled person. She now feels empowered and loved and able to express herself without fear. Active listening takes practice. He has not missed many workouts.

Where you work is not what you do.
Who you are is not what your title says.

The events, adventures, products, places and legacy you leave for others is what the world cares about.

Live life without a title. Skip bicep day.
Concentrate on Ear Day.

Go. Make a difference.
[shared from Willie Cromack. For more post written by Willie C, check out his blog @ http://ageofimpact.com/]

Don't Wait...

2013-05-21T19:50:00.001-07:00

for the next tragedy to remind you of what is important. It's not worth it because eventually it will be too late. We've all been there; staying late at the office, meticulously planning our diets, or ensuring we're getting our required exercise into our routines...however, these are just some of the things we should keep up with the majority of the time. But what about the real important items?

Tragedy struck Boston recently with the bombings that took place at the annual Boston Marathon. Tragedy also struck Oklahoma with the tornado that ripped through the town of Moore. Both of these events are emotionally impacting many people - whether it be directly or indirectly. In fact, it probably provided perspective for many of us.  

Unfortunately, sometimes it takes a tragedy like the Boston Marathon bombing or the Oklahoma tornado to remind us what truly is important in life. We get so caught up in things like how much money we make, the next to do at our work, or the stress of maintaining a tidy home, that we often forget about the things that really matter to us. 

Today, we challenge you to go out of your way, to plan, and to spend time with your loved ones or do whatever it is that you care most about. Working late at the office or sweeping the floors at home can wait another day. 

Don't wait. Do.

Fitness Tip - How to best use a foam roller!

2013-05-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

By now most of you have seen someone with a foam roller, many of you might even own one at this point. But what should we be doing with them and which one is right for us. Well the answer very much depends on the type of activities you engage in and preference of a hard or light massage.

The basic idea that applies to everyone is to add a foam roller to your post workout routine as a therapeutic pain reliever or to loosen the tightness of your muscles. The self myofascial release that you attain with the roller is similar to a deep tissue massage. You may experience some soreness just as you would with a real massage but the relief you will feel is worth it. The best part is that you can adjust the amount of your body weight that you place on the roller which in turn can adjust the intensity of your roll.

At Kintec we carry a 3ft length (full and half size) roller and a Go Fit Travel roller.

Click here for more information and an instructional Foam Roller video!

Evaluating Your Athletes

2013-05-17T09:52:00.000-07:00

We utilize an evaluation procedure with sports teams in the Innovative Fitness Sports Training program. We evaluate athletes to assess their individual abilities and skills. Our goal is to provide a measurement and objectivity to the athlete and their sport.

Why is it important to do evaluations?

It provides feedback on the progress of the training plan (Are the athletes developing under the plan and are they making gains)
It gives us a starting block when initially developing programs from which to work (A base line for the groundwork of the program-The building block)
It provides information on specific exercises related to the athlete's abilities and skills (Many athletes may be stronger in certain areas and weaker in others. Speed vs strength)
It also identifies areas of weakness or areas of limitations (We must always address weaknesses or imbalances in athletes first and foremost)

The previous are the physical reasons of why to evaluate. There are many other factors that fall under the Mental aspect of sport and evaluation:

Evaluations provide Competition for athletes. Every athlete will want to know who has the top score or what time to beat when they perform. For others it could be to challenge themselves and beat their previous score on the tested exercise
It provides Accountability. To the team, to the athletes, the coaches, and in some cases the parents. When the evaluation procedure is finalized, the coach can use the information to challenge the team to get better, and thus hold them accountable for their actions. That could mandatory weight room sessions, or homework given to them they do at home so parents can monitor.
It creates a platform for teams/players/coaches to set goals and objectives for the team and each of its players

When to Evaluate:

This varies with each sport and each athlete. Generally we would look at:

Pre-Season or Pre-Program
In-Season or In-Program
After Season and Off-Season (Generally not done as much as most athletes are fatigued after season in finished and spend time recovering and preparing for next phase)

Key Points to Remember When Doing Evaluations of Any Sort:

Evaluate Appropriately: Don't do lactate testing with billiards players. No need.
Select Exercises that are directly related to improving in the sport: Ladder drills for linebackers in football.
Evaluate with Performance Focused Goals: Adding additional reps on your bench press adds strength but does it relate to strength on the field??
Record and Share: Write down all the results and share with team. Its up to the coaches discretion on how to share, be it with entire team or individually.
Educate the Athletes on the Importance of Evaluation Procedures: Then they can take more interest and initiative in the teams progress and their own progress.

You Are Special!

2013-05-16T12:22:00.000-07:00

It is true. You have "special potential". You are a unique individual with special talents and skills. Some of us have been told this our whole lives; some of us have been told the opposite or have been told nothing at all. Regardless, it is true. Whether or not you choose to believe this information is up to you, but it is a reality - if you let it be a reality.

First, let's be clear here. You are not special for just waking up in the morning. You are not special for simply being you. That is quite frankly not enough. You need to do something special to prove to yourself and the world that you are indeed a special human being. Doubting whether or not you have this ability is asinine because, by nature, we are all individuals with amazing skills and talents that we may choose to use. Of course, we may also choose to ignore our "special potential" and simply be average or below. Now, if you are saying to yourself - “Wait a second. I thought you said I was special." That is exactly what was said but the important part of the statement is its small disclaimer. That disclaimer has to do with work and effort and altruism and motivation. Do something special, show the world that you are indeed a special person, and you will live up to your inherent ability to be amazing.

Generations of school-going people right now have a belief that they, in fact, are special - for simply breathing, eating, and taking up space. This is not actually the case. As our population expands and the competition for resources, jobs, space, and food gets harder and harder, we need to separate ourselves from the masses and live up to our ability to be special. We ALL have this ability. We ALL have special potential. We simply need to step to the plate, put in the work, take the extra time, go the extra mile, and actually be the special human beings that we are. Don’t sit and wait for it to happen. Go out today and do something extraordinary because you, my friend, are fortunate enough to be a unique individual with amazing and unique talents…if you let yourself be.

~ Yoshia

Don't Forget Where You Started!

2013-05-15T05:27:00.002-07:00

Spend enough time empowering and managing people and you’ll quickly appreciate those who do not forget where they started.

My business partner Jeff Sharpe & I started our business adventure 17 years to this day. We had just graduated and were on separate post grad vacations before we would convene, load up a Jeep YJ and drive from BC to Ontario to open shop. The reason for starting the business in Ontario was because we couldn’t get a job personal training in Vancouver. At that time, it was not yet mainstream in Vancouver. Having been introduced to the personal training world by a classmate Steve in 1990-91 @ Fitness 1on1, I was hooked from the get go & knew this would be my eventual career path.

We would arrive in Toronto with nothing, take a few odd jobs courtesy of Murray and begin to carve out our futures. With a handful of previous training contacts; Rob, Mario, Brock, Peter, Franchesca & Jeff we would quickly establish ourselves as the new celebrity trainers on the block growing from a single customer to 2-4-8 all the way to 40hrs each over the span of 3 months. It was at that capacity, we would have to take a calculated look at our next steps. Open a facility in Toronto or return to where we both eventually wanted to be and take the risk in Vancouver?

Enter Stewart who would introduce us to his network in Vancouver. The idea was one of us would return to Vancouver to assess the market readiness of a personal training only TEAM company while the other remained in Ontario to build the brand in case we were not successful. Through Stewart’s contacts we would meet Elaine (customer #1 - who still trains with us today) & Andrea, perhaps the most generous person on the planet. Eventually, with the help of our old class mates and new hires we would bumble and stumble our way to assembling a training team. At the pace we were growing Jeff & I decided it was better to have both of us in the same province rather than be split and he returned to Van in 96 and through the advice of appreciative customers Hector, Patrick & Lukas and the financial support of Dudley & Andrea, we received financing for our 1st personal training facility. It was a dream come true. A dream only able to happen with & though the support of the people above and some of our unbelievable customers; Sidnee, Maja, Lucia, Marina, Douglas, Tom, Elaine, Ross, Rick & Lela, the Bacci’s crew, Mary, Nancy & Mark to name a few. Two years later, we would open our 2nd facility in West Vancouver, largely through the support of Peeter and our existing (but small customer base) Sharlene, Julie, Tiffany, Gino, Don & Bonnie, Kim, Sharlene, Bob & Nancy, Heidi & Hiedi to name a few and the rest as they say... is history. Success would beget success, great trainers would help scale our movement and great customers would share their victories.

Today, Innovative is proud to have 11 franchises in two provinces across Canada and we've been in and out of the USA. The legacy is deep, the alumni are strong and the impact on others lives has led to many a self actualization. Most importantly, along the way, we have never & will never forget those who helped us get our start. We are happy to report to those people that we’ve not forgotten their impact and have paid it back by paying it forward to new, young entrepreneurs like ourselves with the hope that these valuable life lessons keep blossoming into future success.

Don’t forget where you started. Don’t forget those who helped you get there. And Don’t forget to pay those very lessons forward across all facets of life.

Your challenge... to You!

2013-05-14T08:44:00.000-07:00

Today I would like you to do something a little different, perhaps something radical.
Today I would like you to swim upstream and challenge the status quo.
Today I would like you to go against the grain- in your own life.

Tuesday sees many people hard at work, executing the plan they set for the week, or sometimes merely trying to keep their head above water or play catch up. The point is, almost everybody is busy DOING. While this is all well and good, and we need to spend at least us much time in action as we do in visioning, today I'd like to propose an exercise, a framework to direct that action.

Today I want you to write your own eulogy. You see, for most of us, we'll never have a book written about our lives, or a movie made to commemorate our legacy. For most of us (which is by no means a bad thing), the most detailed and high-level account we'll ever have of the impact we had on this world will be our eulogy.

There are 2 problems with this. First, it is written by somebody else. Second, it is written on (God's/ the Universe's/ someone else's) timeline. Today I'd like you to write your own eulogy in a way that would make you the happiest and most proud if this was exactly what was written about you after you pass away.

What did you do? What did you innovate? How are your loved ones better for having known you? How will the world never be the same (in a good way) because of you?

Write down what you WANT to mean to the world, and then you can guess what tomorrow's homework will be...

Take the first of hopefully over 1 million tiny steps to manifest that best life possible.
Get busy living!

To wear or not to wear a cross trainer?

2013-05-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

By: Mikaela Patterson, Kintec Fitting Expert

To wear or not to wear a cross trainer, that’s the questions. The answer is: depends on your activity.

Unlike running shoes, that are designed to withstand high impact force with forward momentum, cross trainers are designed to absorb impact while offering additional ankle support.

Why a cross trainer?

The most common ankle injury is an inversion ankle sprain (as seen below). Cross trainers help prevent this type of injury by keeping the heel of the foot closer to the ground and building up support to resist excessive motion.

Who benefits from this support?

For all the loyal gym goers, you will be able to transition between light cardio, weights, step class and intense plyometrics while preventing ankle injuries. Multi-directional sports are more areas we see success with cross trainers. Sports such as ball hockey, squash, and tennis involve sudden stops and changes of direction and create a demand for footwear that can provide protective and performance functions.

Examples of Footwear:

The New Balance 871: Light weight, low profile and offer the structure needed to keep athletes of all levels in the game. A bonus feature of the 871 is the wide forefoot and lateral flare. These create solid contact with the floor and a physical barrier, providing high-performance lateral stability.

The Nike Free TR Fit 3.0 provides lightweight comfort and natural movements. The flex grooves in the mid sole allow your body to utilize your natural proprioception (the awareness of our body in space) to keep our body stable while specifically placed grips on the outsole offer excellent traction on the gym floor.

Not sure if a cross trainer would make a difference in your fitness or performance? Come into any Kintec location and ask one of our Fitting Experts. The best way to know if adding a cross trainer to your gym bag is the right move is to try them on and feel the difference.

Food Swap

2013-05-10T17:29:00.001-07:00

After reading a book called Wheat Belly I have been convinced to go for it and give it a try, so I have cut out wheat from my diet. Most people will have something to say about this and ask me “why?” I can say I have joint pain and “gastrointestinal” problems or I can say because I want to. Both are the truth.

Where to start when you are swapping the old foods with the new comers? There are the obvious foods you will have to avoid but it also made me take a closer look at anything that I was purchasing that was not a “whole food” when getting my groceries. In fact it is the easiest to stick to only whole foods because you just can’t go wrong and you don’t have to look at a label!

First place I had to take a good look at was lunches. In the last year I have taken a job, where I am driving a lot more. During my transition from my previous job, preparing food took a back seat. I found myself a regular at Starbucks, a place I could both hook up to Internet to work and get a sandwich. Since I have been back to preparing my food and taking it with me I started to grocery shop a lot more again and eat the food I have in the fridge instead of letting it rot, and throwing my money in to the garbage.

One thing about grocery shopping is some people tend to love it and others despise it. First tip, and really take this seriously, is don’t go to the store hungry. In fact don’t leave your home with out a piece of fruit and small palm sized handful of nuts. This is a great snack that will be the reason you do not buy that dry, tasteless scone at the store even when you don’t even like scones.

Next, watch the gluten-free foods as they are made with ingredients that may skyrocket your blood sugar. I won’t go in to this in detail but I do recommend reading Wheat Belly. In fact, the Wheat BellyCookbook has all the great information in a lot less pages.

Give yourself time to adjust to any major diet changes you wish to implement. And don’t cheat because you will get over the “hump” and withdrawal period. This goes for coming off sugar, wheat, anything. You will salivate when you see what you cannot have but it will pass. Promise.

Vegetables are your friends, your very best friends. Eat these first and you will be full. Water, fiber and nutrients will be in your “belly” and with a little lean protein you will be on the fast track to feeling incredible!

What works for one person out there is not the tell all answer for everyone but you can’t go wrong when you swap in the old habits for some fresh “whole” new ones.

SETBACKS

2013-05-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

We have all had them. We know what it feels like to want something, work for something, and then have it taken away or delayed. It is frustrating, angering, disappointing, and can be very upsetting. Setbacks can happen in almost any aspect of our lives. The good news, though, is that it's not the trials and tribulations of life that shape who we are but how we respond to them. Setback responses are really what determines who we are.

Perspective becomes an essential part of the setback process. The first question to ask ourselves is “does this setback change my life”, not in the short term but in the long term. If the answer is “no”, then it is immediately time to get over it and move on. If the answer is “yes”, then it is immediately time to get over it and MOVE ON. If the setback is a matter of life and death, then, of course, it is time to reflect and evaluate, but if it is, as it is in most cases, simply a matter of frustration and temporary pain or irritation, then why dwell?

What good does frustration and anger do for us? Does it get us to our ultimate goal or get us beyond our momentary reaction to a situation? NO! Push beyond your knee jerk reactions and create a plan to accomplish what you set out to do. Change your focus to accommodate the setback or side-step it and get to work.

If you thought that life was going to be a series of easy task and only small hurdles that would propel you to becoming your wealthy and omnipotent self, then you were deeply confused or misled. Whoever told you it was going to be easy or fair owes you an apology.

Setbacks can frustrate and anger you, but, ultimately, you decide how you will respond. You are responsible for your own thoughts and emotions. A malevolent force does not thrust them upon you and they can, in the long run, act to serve you if you let them. Using your setbacks to get stronger, faster, tougher, or whatever is going to serve you best. Bottom line is that there is no victory without challenge and adversity and there really is NO EXCUSE that will magically fix your problems.

Get back up, dust yourself off, come up with a plan, and get after it.

~ Yoshia

How do you want to go out?

2013-05-08T09:11:00.000-07:00

The end comes no matter what. The only thing that matters is how you want to go out.

After posting a mediocre blog this morning, we hopped on the bikes for a quick rip up the mountain. Somewhere on the way this quote caught my attention and got me to thinking a) HOW DO I want to go out? & b) am I taking the steps now, to go out on the note I want... later? We don’t often think about how we’ll go out. In fact, I’m pretty sure many of us believe we’re immortal. Kind of a cross-that-bridge-when-we-come-to-it type thing. The problem with that approach is we’ll not likely come to the bridge WE want to cross if we haven’t purposefully invested in our direction.

Investing in our direction isn’t easy. Ask a kid what they want to be when they grow up and they’ll likely tell you within 20 seconds. They dream without barriers. Ask that same question to a teen and more than less will have no clue. A young adult may be closer to their desired path, or spend years finding what they want to do, or they may be settling for something – anything to get by. How many people do we know that are getting by? How many people do we think, when the chips were falling on their final days said “this is exactly how I wanted to go out”? How many people (given a 2nd chance) would alter their life course?

Most importantly, how could we help people pen their own stories from beginning to end? Is it possible?

I believe it is. I believe it’s a simple formula that reads passion (what I’m passionate about) + skill set (what I’m good at) = success. Its probably not ironic that many of those who reached their level of success had always dreamed of that very level of success as a kid. What was the difference between them and others who didn’t achieve it? Work ethic? Talent? Opportunity? Compromise? (eg: I’m not a Hollywood actor, but I am a producer / cinematographer). Finding out what you're passionate about & good at requires discovery. That discovery can & should happen as early and often as possible. Just as we learn the element is hot – don’t touch, we’ll also learn our proficiencies & deficiencies. We should be advocating & encouraging discovery as well as supporting ourselves & others to follow the passion most meaningful to us.

If the only thing that matters is how I want to go out, the answer for me is simple. I want to go out doing what I’m passionate about and good at. To me, that’s a fulfilling life lived... without regrets.

Own your life. Own your direction.

Focus. And the fundamantals of business excellence.

2013-05-08T05:33:00.001-07:00

I must have drove my business partner absolutely crazy. To be honest, knowing now what I didn’t know then I’m not sure how he didn’t strangle me early on in our business partnership. The problem; my lack of focus on doing one thing well before moving on to the next thing. It wasn’t as intentional as it was natural but none the less, I’m sure I contributed to many a sleepless night.

The day-to-day aspects of doing great business were (dare I say) boring to me. I've since come to learn the reality of great business & team success is contingent on repeating the same fundamentals day after day & play after play. This isn’t always exciting and they say you come to understand that in your 40’s. You learn & know very little in your 20’s, everything in your 30’s and then understand it in your 40’s. I’m hoping this is true. The wasted time, money & energy around corralling players & keeping teams focused can be exhausting.

This may explain why it’s near impossible for modern sports teams to re-create some of the great dynasties that existed back when. So many more distractions. So many other things we’ve got to be & do. A singer, isn’t just a singer turning our great music after great music. Now a singer also needs to be actor, soft drink endorser & reality series game show host... and eventually, they get further removed from the focus that brought them fame & fortune in the 1st place.

I rationalized my behavior as the creative type and supported that with what I wanted to believe from our personality markers. The truth is, I was undisciplined & unfocussed and it cost us at various points through our business. It’s the simple as the cliché, you can focus 100% on doing one thing well, or 50% on two, or 33.3% on 3 and the list goes on. The reality is you’ll get out of it – exactly what you invest into it and the rest will become nothing more than excuses for why things didn’t work.

Think about the example as it may relate to your life and/or business. Are you remaining focused on doing few things well or are you spreading yourself thin? Are you achieving the results you're striving for or spinning your wheels? If the answer is latter then perhaps what your results are trying to tell you is...

more focus on doing less things well.

Shift the Focus

2013-05-07T10:47:00.002-07:00

It seems like every time I turn on the television lately, there’s yet another update on Reese Witherspoon’s DUI incident or what the Kardashians are up to! Instead of focusing on outcomes of particular situations…or even better, updates or coverage of more meaningful and concerning topics, the media dwells on the drama, gossip, and actions of those in the so-called ‘spot light’. What’s amusing is that we actually create the spotlight for these people by focusing on these ridiculous events to report on, instead of turning the spotlight on more relevant & impactful events or issues such as childhood obesity, poverty, politics, etc.

However, just like the media puts a spotlight on the latest gossip…so do people in our organizations. And it’s something as leaders that we need to manage.

It’s called idle talk, hearsay, grapevine, scuttlebutt, rumor, dirt, slander, scandal. Have you heard the scoop or the latest? By any name, it’s still gossip, and it’s all ugly. It’s easy for gossip to get started in an organization, and even harder to stop it. Once gossip starts, it quickly destroys group morale and damages friendships and reputations. If gossip threatens your organization, try these strategies to get your group back on track.

Prevent Gossip

The obligation to prevent gossip belongs both to the person who speaks gossip and the person who listens to gossip. Good members show loyalty and friendship by refusing to listen to or spread gossip, so do not permit insinuations or negative discussion at all.

How can you do this politely? You actually have a few viable options. If a member begins to repeat a story about someone, politely say that you would prefer to talk about that person when she is present. Alternatively, listen politely, but do not comment, then change the subject as soon as possible, and do not repeat the information to anyone else. If someone confides personal information to you, keep it to yourself. Finally, because many rumors begin from miscommunication, keep your members informed about every aspect of the organization so that gossip has no chance to start.

Ignore Gossip

Sometimes rumors get started despite the best prevention methods. In that case, the best way to defuse gossip is to ignore it. Even though it may be difficult to ignore untruths spoken about you, and even though your first reaction may be indignation and righteous anger, actually the best response is no response at all. If gossip is directed at you, show people that the rumors are not affecting you.

Instead of lashing out defensively, continue with your agenda with a patent disregard to the talk. If you know you are right, gossip will not really matter because your good reputation will overcome it.

Confront Gossip

Decide whether confronting the lies will make them go away or cause you to waste time answering accusations. If you decide to face the accusations, you need to ascertain if you should confront the group as a whole or just the source. By privately talking with the source of the gossip - if you know who it is - you might get at the root of the problem without causing more damage. If so, remain calm and detached during the conversation, and do not accuse. But address the issue in a direct & to-the-point way!

Even if you feel that you need to confront a group of critics, be calm and concise in your response. Although getting the gossip out in the open could relieve tension in the group, you risk inadvertently escalating the problem and inviting more accusations and negative comments. Perhaps simply state that you are aware of what is being said about you and that it is sad how the truth gets so distorted. Then do not say anything else, and do not go into any justification at all.

Minimize The Damage

If gossip has gone beyond prevention and you cannot stop it, try to minimize the damage. Choose to respond to the criticism in positive and proactive ways. For a large organization, perhaps call an open forum to discuss the problem at the root of the rumor, find a solution and get past all the negativity. On the other hand, sometimes misinformation due to lack of communication may be the cause of all the trouble. In that case, increase your availability to members, or foster better communication through various venues such as a regular newsletter, email forum and web site.

Whether you are a group leader or group member, don’t let gossip cause you to waste time when you need to focus on more positive issues, challenges or projects that lie ahead. Don’t be the television that is stuck on Entertainment tonight or the TMZ magazine that people pick up to get ‘the inside scoop’. Instead focus on creating the positive change in the workplace by directing the spotlight somewhere else.

Four Weeks to Boise 70.3

2013-05-02T16:23:00.001-07:00

Becoming half an ironman

This is a personal post about my attempt to complete a half ironman. I started this training plan in September of last year and I was a not a runner or a swimmer. My rationale for starting this adventure was simple. It was something that was way out of my comfort zone and something that would take an enormous effort on my part to complete successfully. I decided to register for the half ironman in Boise Idaho on June 8^th, 2013 - No Excuse. I bit the bullet and registered; I was totally unprepared and was completely taking a leap of faith that I would be able to accomplish the task, now with 4 weeks to go things are getting real!

Over the course of the last several months I have posted the occasional video blog about my training. The link below will be my final posting before racing in Boise in 4.5 weeks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxmlYqmsdjA&feature=youtu.be

~ Yoshia

leadership.

2013-05-01T05:17:00.001-07:00

Monday afternoon, a conversation with an industry peer led to a poignant comment relating to the challenges of being a great leader during these times (in the context of corralling great follower-ship). Monday evening we received the above picture from respected colleague Adam King with a suggestion this may be a suitable topic for the IF blog. Tuesday morning we received the same picture from IF owner Yoshia Burton with the subject line FB post material? Recognizing this was the third touch point in 24hrs we suggested Yoshia write about it on the IF blog . His reply segues perfectly into today’s post: I am not a big fan about posting about great leadership... don't feel I have enough expertise or credibility yet as a leader to talk how to be great at it. We’re going to come back to this statement in a second, but before we do:

What this picture mean to you? Does it resonate at any level? If so think about why & hold that thought.

The 1st reason this picture resonates with myself is because it speaks to people’s desire to see/hear/feel their leadership leading vs. leadership being advocated & dictated. This desire seems to be more pervasive as our organizational EQ drives our moral compasses. To me, the word leader has become another over utilized buzz word (kind of like epic) eg: “I’m a leader!” If you have to label yourself a leader, you’re probably the furthest thing from it. Most great leaders are too busy leading others to be promoting themselves. In fact, authentic leadership focuses on seeding, planting & cultivating follower-ship to be as good as & better than thyself. Meaning, a great leader is someone who’s entered into an opportunity at x level and nurtured it (with & through those affecting it) to leave it in better standing than they found it at y or z level.

Quick business, community, regional, provincial, national, global audit : based on above - do we have great leaders?

The 2nd reason it resonates with myself is because of the myriad of experiences I’ve had over time (bad & good) relating to this leadership picture.

the kid who is the cancer & the cure in the locker rooms
the friend who's present during good times & bad times over the course of a relationship
the employee who leaves the organization in worse & better shape than they entered it.
the manager who puts themselves & their people first in recognizing achievement
the owner who’s about their ego & their values when it comes to running the business
the expert who’s providing implied & experienced based advice when selling their knowledge
the parent who advocates & exemplifies healthy habits in the home

In every example above the highlighted person represents the leader at the front of the group while the other depicts the boss (who thinks they are the leader) sitting in the chair.

Quick self audit: based on above have you been & are you being a great leader?

No really. When you thought about the question what does this picture mean to you, did you think about your leadership IQ or did you immediately relate the picture to someone else's affect on you? Chances are, if you thought about your leadership IQ and how you could improve - 1st, you’re probably on the path to becoming a better leader. Just like Yoshia replying with an honest reply, he recognizes the need master great follower-ship followed by seeding, planting & cultivating potential leaders in order to credibly develop into a great leader.... in order to credibly comment as a great leader.

Bottom line - we need more great leadership and that starts in house.

Teaching isn't always Telling

2013-04-30T09:10:00.002-07:00

Up to a certain point in my career, my success was defined largely due to my ability to find creative and often changing solutions to difficult problems. With this strength in mind, I found that when working with others I often jumped past a lot of the detail and rapidly offered solutions and alternatives. The sheer volume of options I can provide means many did stick and work. However, using this approach risked those seeking support or assistance becoming dependent on my problem-solving rather than developing knowledge and learning to solve problems themselves.

When I became responsible for other staff I recognized that many of the strengths that got me to that point were not appropriate to leading or coaching others. I had spent little time learning basic coaching skills such as coaching through questioning and other simple tips and rather gave people the answers or did the work myself – which led me to be overwhelmed and unable to scale the business.

Having led a number of teams, managed a full spectrum of staff, implemented organizational programs and most recently was responsible for company-wide challenges and strategies, my coaching skills have become more and more critical to the role that I have played.

The Lesson.

So here’s the thing I’ve learned. Just because you’re coaching doesn’t mean you should only ask questions, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t direct or tell and it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get to have the fun of solving problems for (or with) others. You just need to understand more clearly when it’s appropriate to do so and when it’s not. *And although I am not a parent - I assume the same theories can apply.

Learn to spot when you’re “telling” when you should be ”coaching” and vice-versa. This can be really tricky to achieve when you have all the answers and ideas.

Fortunately for me, I learned a lot from several resources that included management & leadership courses, systems like “True Colors” & DISC analysis, as well as, from mentors such as one of our founders who really invests in our franchisees & staff. All managers are trained and encouraged in doing just this…

The Tools.

Recently I stumbled across a coaching and leadership model that is based on “Situational Leadership”. Without being able to cover the full depth of the model in a blog, here’s the basic conceptual framework – this should be plenty to help you recognize when to coach and when to “tell”.

There’s a direct correlation between the style of leadership you (as a coach/leader/mentor/manager/team member/person) use and the development level of the coachee/seeker/mentee/staff/team member/person/team.

This is termed as the four “Development” levels (D1-D4) and 4 corresponding “Styles” (S1-S4) (see below in diagram)

As an analogy, consider learning to drive a car. Most new drivers are really keen, think this is going to be easy and can’t wait to be out under their own steam (Level D1). As an instructor, you need to let this play out, give them the space to try and succeed (or more often fail) but you do need to be quite prescriptive in what they do for their own safety (and that of others) (Style S1). When things get hard and motivation wanes (Level D2), you continue to tell them what to do but in a coaching style (S2). As competency develops, the trainee becomes more competent (D3) and your style will need to follow. Eventually they will (hopefully) become self-sufficient (D4).

There’s a few really important points that help us use this as a thinking tool.

The model applies to each specific task. If a person has never performed that specific task before, re-assess their development level. Some complimentary skills may apply but don’t assume competence in one area translates directly to the task at hand.
Watch for transitions in motivation as a guide to levels of support to offer. When individual motivation is low, the coach/leader must be more supportive – more guiding and questioning. When motivation is high, less support is needed.
When individual competency in the specific task is low, the coach/leader should be making the decisions on the course of action (even if leading through questioning). When individual competency is high, the coachee makes the decisions but may still occasionally want to validate these with the coach.
A mismatch between leadership style and development level can be harmful. The further apart the difference, the more dissonant the leadership style will be.

Extensions.

There are a couple of important extensions to the model that need consideration.

In many work environments, there are times when a person may have high expertise in an area but not be motivated to actually work in it. Similarly, someone who reached a high level of competence in an area but is ignored may lose motivation. In these instances, they have actually regressed around the model (from D4 to D3). Your leadership style needs to change!

In other situations, you may have someone with little or no motivation to work on a new task and little or no competency. Rather than starting at development level 1 (D1), you’re actually starting at D2. You need to work with the other person to build motivation and competence. At this point they either develop to “D3″ or first to “D1″ and then back through the cycle.

And Finally.

Like all frameworks, this is a tool only. Use with caution. The more you understand how to use this, the better you’ll manage with it.

Eating for Exercise

2013-04-25T10:36:00.002-07:00

There is a lot of information out there about what to eat before, during and after exercise. Much of what is published is done so by companies trying to sell products, many of these products are great, while some of them are terrible and full of chemicals. In this post there will be an attempt made to describe what you should be eating and when with regards to exercise.

It is important to note that how people fuel is very individualized. There is no substitution for experimentation. Make sure that you try a few different things to figure out what works best for you!

Pre

“Pre workout” is a very broad term. The general rule of thumb is that as you move closer to your workout your intake should get less and less and move towards simple carbohydrates. If you are:

The day before your average workout you should eat as you normally do, unless you normally eat fast food in which case STOP and eat something healthy. If you are the night before an event you should be eating a carbohydrate based meal that consists of primarily complex carbohydrates (brown rice, multigrain pasta, quinoa etc..). Most events will have a big pasta dinner the night before for all the competitors, but this is something that you will want to attend at your discretion. Often the day before a big event you should stick to things you know and cook yourself to minimize the chance of any gastrointestinal issues on race day.

2 or more hours away from your workout: you want to eat a whole meal. Preferably a balanced full meal consisting of primarily carbohydrates (50-60%), but also including some proteins and fats.

1 hour away from your workout: At this point you should be eating simpler carbohydrates. This can consist of fruits, seeds, nuts, juice or a meal replacement bar of some kind (preferably something healthy!).

30 minutes or less away from your workout: Now you are in pre workout mode. Either driving to the gym, trail, track etc... and if you need to eat at this point you are probably in a rush and did not have time to eat earlier. Simple carbs are key here and should only consist of things that will break down in your body quickly. A good rule of thumb is juicy fruits! Mangoes, pears, grapes, raspberries, oranges and pomegranates make great pre workout snacks.

There are many pre workout products out there and many of them contain stimulants. The stimulant varies from caffeine to ginseng, but they all have the same goal, which is to get you excited before your workout. Very few of these products are actually beneficial to the workout itself and can often have negative effects; however many people like to use them to get themselves psyched for what is to come.

During

60 minutes or less: you don’t need to consume anything during a short workout except water. If you have eaten properly throughout the day then your body has enough stored carbohydrate to get you through a hard 60 minutes.

Over 60 minutes: your bodies store of carbohydrates will be depleted after about an hour of hard work. It is important to make sure that if you are planning on continuing on beyond this point that you are fueling. Again this is going to consist of primarily simple easy to digest carbohydrates. While your body is working at a high level your digestive system slows dramatically to save energy for your muscles; therefore if you eat anything heavy or hard to digest while your exercising you will most likely not feel very good and the food will simply sit in your stomach and take up space!

Eating for endurance sports is very individualized and there are numerous products out there. These products are usually gels, drinks, bars or chomps (candy like substance that is usually full of quick burning carbohydrates). Again it is very important to experiment with different things before committing to one or another. A general rule to follow is consuming 3-400 calories per hour of exercise. This will leave you in a calorie deficit for the event, but will maintain your ability to work at a high level for a long time.

Post

What to eat after a workout is the most debated subject in this topic, but the research is fairly conclusive in that the 20-30 minute window after exercise your body is trying to restore the muscle glycogen that it has lost, therefore the best thing to eat after your workout is carbohydrates. Most people that will argue this point will say that you need protein. While it is true that protein is the building block of all cells and is necessary for muscular recovery, the window immediately following workouts is a time for carbohydrates. Protein is not a bad thing to have after a workout, but it is not what is required for immediate recovery.

Longer than an hour or two after a workout your body will start to catabolize and break down muscle tissue if there is not enough substrate (food) for it to break down and use to facilitate the cellular repair. It is essential that you eat a full meal (or have a meal replacement type drink) within 90 minutes of your workout. This will decrease muscle soreness and increase muscular recovery.

All of the above information is based on the current working theories of exercise physiology. There are movements that swear by one trick or another, but the bottom line is that the above method is tried, tested and true and works very well for the vast majority of people. Experimentation is key due to our individual differences and tastes. Use the above as a general guideline to work from and you will be on the right track!

~ Yoshia

Our proximity to healthcare implosion.

2013-04-24T05:13:00.000-07:00

Perhaps the greatest liberty bestowed on Canadians is our access to free healthcare. This privilege draws respect from countries worldwide and is a hallmark of Canadian citizenship. We are not just in jeopardy of losing this privilege, we are free falling towards it’s conclusion. Perhaps the most disturbing part of our race to the bottom is our laissez-fare attitude around understanding the severity of our inaction. Lets take a look here

*Note gun fatalities (deaths amplified the loudest at the highest daily frequency) are at the BOTTOM of the death list with 1 death every 6 days.

Conversely health related deaths are occurring at the frequency of 1 death every 13m – 2hrs and hold the top FOUR positions on the death list at over EIGHTY THOUSAND.

Do we shut down a city in an effort to save millions from killing themselves? Do we press criminal charges on parents for aiding and abetting the shortening their children’s life spans? Of course not.

Why don’t we take action? That answer is simple. We don’t need to take action because there is zero accountability around our inaction.

Our health leadership is failing us.

It’s a race to the bottom for everyone who thinks THEY have the silver bullet answer to repairing a broken system. This is not leadership, it’s not even follower-ship. There is no silver bullet solution. We will require a silver buckshot solution and until such time where the researchers, policy makers, marketers, influencers, educators and implementers understand and embrace the need for multiple skill sets to solve this challenge, we will continue to operate in silos & flood the landscape with excellent projects that end up in the great tool graveyard. What’s particularly frustrating is the fact we have the intellectual, social & financial capital to right this ship if we were just able to park the ego’s.
Leadership policies are designed to satiate our instantly gratified society. A four year term is too short to see the deployment of an effective upstream strategy. Our sick care system is reactionary; more beds to take care of more people who are burdening the system (largely) because of their choice of poor health habits. The stats are staggering and the investment borders on negligent. Yet, who has the courage to stand before the people and let it be known we are no longer flogging this generational-dead-horse in order to preserve our future? No one.
It’s all about the money. Not the long term ramifications of the spend, rather the immediate spend. How many times can we hear the phrase, 'how can we justify the investment in upstream prevention when we’re facing the level of crisis that requires our immediate attention'. If we wanted to find the money we could. Banks found a way to charge for convenient cash. Soft drink companies found a way to charge for the containers our sugar is delivered in. Countries find ways to spend billions discovering remote planets, liberating other countries from tyranny and spare no expense entertaining us. The money we are investing in preventative healthcare is being directed towards way too many self interested - low producing initiatives. We should be less focused on promoting and more focused on affecting.

Our education system is failing us.

There is zero accountability around ensuring physical education is a bonafide pillar of education. Reading, writing & arithmetic are. It would not be acceptable to see a teacher who’s not proficient at math delivering a math class. It would not be acceptable for Johhny to jot a pile of incorrectly spelled words with no particular context in an essay and receive an A in writing.
There is zero accountability around teaching physical literacy. 99% of all preventable issues begin with education and Canada, with all of it’s promise and prospect cannot align it’s provinces to agree to ONE consistent curriculum around physical literacy. There’s only 10 of us + 3 territories... but we need to be different in the interest of? We’re not even being different well, case in point our failing grade in terms of the report card on our children’s health.
There is zero accountability over those charged with the implementation of the curriculum we have created. No individualized baseline metric, accompanying progressive program and then subsequent reevaluation of the baseline metric to determine progress. Instead, physical health education curriculum is being delivered more & more by generalist teachers which means we are rolling the dice when it comes to our children’s health education.

We are failing ourselves

When we do not pay our taxes, there are consequences. When we drive excessively fast, drunk or recklessly, there are consequences. When we intentionally bring harm to others in a manner that jeopardizes their safety, there are consequences. Yet, there are no consequences for living an unhealthy life and stealing from a broken system.
We defect responsibility. I vote my leadership in to.... I pay my educators to... I pay our coaches to... Parents fly into the school in a nano-second to debate that low mark on reading, writing or arithmetic, yet there’s no rush to the physical education teacher? Why? Because mom & dad are inherently aware of their child’s attitude & aptitude relating to healthy habits after all, THEY have been modeling the behavior. On an individual level we pay into the multi BILLION dollar lottery called the fitness gizmo industry searching for the magic pill & easy way. Ample stats prove, that doesn't work either.
We’re a nation of well intentioned talkers. We’re RIDING the elephant in the room and have it all figured out... right up to the point of action. It’s not what we know. It’s what we do with what we know and historically we will not take action until we reach crisis mode. Are we not there yet?
- 1 in 3 Canadian children are overweight
- Millions of unhealthy people are entering their ‘golden years’
- Countries, provinces, communities & businesses are going broke.
It’s time to shut our mouths (literally & figuratively speaking), lace up and start moving.

Healthy living cannot be optional. The statistics indicate the growing majority are choosing unhealthy lifestyles over healthy ones. This is unsustainable and at many levels unacceptable. If we are not able to manage the issue on our own accords, it’s obvious we need an intervention of accountability. Nothing else will save our system. Nothing else will preserve the privilege of free Canadian healthcare.

We need accountability and we need it now.

Progressive Overload Principal of Life

2013-04-23T13:26:00.002-07:00

_{In the big wide world of exercise science there’s a training
principle called Progressive Overload (PO). PO is pretty much the cornerstone
of any training program designed to produce performance improvements for the
individual who is following the program. In layman’s terms, PO simply means
consistently graduating the intensity of the workout by manipulating the
training variables – sets, reps, weight, recovery time, range of movement,
speed, time under load, distance travelled, gradient, revs… and so on.}

_{In terms of producing results, the sad reality is that…}

_{The
majority of people that have gym memberships don’t train at all (upwards
of seventy percent) and once the initial emotion and
motivation subsides, so too does the commitment, the sweat and the
results (for many people).}
_{The
majority of people who do work out – and not just in gyms – are
essentially “going through the motions”. That is, maintaining (at best)
but not seeing significant improvement, adaptation or change.}

_{Change… almost.}

_{Naturally, most people who exercise are looking to create some kind of
physical improvement via their training program; leaner, lighter, more
strength, flexibility, speed, power, aerobic endurance, muscular endurance and
of course, change in appearance. It’s also true that most people won’t achieve
and maintain their exercise goals
– and not because they don’t have the potential to achieve great results – but
because they won’t get uncomfortable enough, often enough and keep doing it enough.
Great at starting, crappy at maintaining.}

_{Working Against Resistance.}

_{If we want to see significant positive physical change with our exercise
program then we need to be prepared to work against resistance consistently –
because that’s where the improvement lives. No graduated resistance, equals no
improvement. Maintenance perhaps, but no significant physical change. This
resistance might come in the form of a heaver weight, an extra rep or five, a
steeper gradient on the treadmill, a faster speed on the bike, a different
activity, less recovery time between sets, a higher target heart rate… and so
on. Our body won’t adapt / change unless we give it a reason to – and most
people don’t.}

_{PO in our Head.}

_{This concept of Progressive Overload, adaptation and improvement is also
true for life beyond the gym, beyond the running track and beyond the physical
realm. Just like we subject our biceps, abs, thighs, heart and lungs to a
certain level of stress in order to create particular desirable physical
outcomes, so too do we need to subject our psychological and emotional muscles
to a type of PO in order to become stronger and more effective at dealing with
the realities, challenges and speed bumps (all forms of resistance) that life
presents us. Here are some of the muscles that can only be strengthened and
developed by injecting some sensible and strategic PO into our world:}

_{Decision
making muscles}
_{Dealing
with feedback muscles}
_{Standing
up for yourself muscles}
_{Self
control muscles}
_{Doing
what scares the crap out of you muscles}
_{Perseverance
muscles}
_{Attitude
muscles}
_{Problem
solving muscles}

_{How do we begin to address our fears? We do what scares us – that is, we
work against emotional and psychological resistance; we lift that mental
dumbbell. And then we lift a heavier one. Once we face our fears, we become
stronger, we develop new skills, our mindset shifts, the “weight” seems lighter
and we move to the next (heavier) dumbbell on the rack. This is PO of the
psychological variety. And it works. Very effectively. How do we build our attitude muscles?
We consciously and consistently choose to find the good, to ask better
questions and to deal with “challenges” in a positive and pro-active manner. We
choose to work against the resistance that people, circumstances and situations
might provide and to do what most people won’t. Lift the heavier dumbbell.}

_{Decision Time.}

_{There comes a time when we all walk to the dumbbell rack and we ask
ourselves a question; do I keep lifting the same (comfortable) weight,
repeating the same behaviours and producing the same less-than-desirable
results in my world, or do I give my body / mind / potential the workout it
actually needs?}

Do minimalist shoes last as long as regular runners?

2013-04-22T16:31:00.002-07:00

By Ryne Melcher

Unlike wine, shoes do not get better with age. While a collector may keep a pair of Nike Air Jordan 11s buried somewhere in the closet and they would have huge EBay value, those shoes from a performance and usage standpoint would be worthless.

Shoes have a lifespan typically of around 400-500 miles (650-800km for the metric system folks). This total is not just relating to the miles you spend running in the shoe. If you use that shoe for other activities and as your daily walking around shoe, that mileage gets added to your running tab!

A common question asked is how much time does it take to hit 400-500 miles. That answer is very unique to you. For a marathoner or ultra distance runners, some hit that benchmark after 4-6 weeks. For the weekend warrior working towards an occasional 5km or 10km run, that number pushed closer to 6-8 months. If you keep a running log making a note of the miles you put on certain shoes naturally gives you a clear idea of when you hit the magic number when it becomes necessary to replace your shoes.

At Kintec one of the recent systems we have implemented is a shoe expiry email trigger. The system automatically sends you an email reminder a few weeks before your shoes are set to expire. How does it do that is a perfectly logical question! Our fitting experts factor this into determining when that email gets sent when you are in seeking to purchase shoes from us. Along with an array of questions about your athletic intentions, history etc our trained staff will be picking your brain about the amount of usage you intend to put on the shoes thus doing the equation for you!

What happens at that 500 mile mark?

Don't worry, mile 501 isn't anything that will land you in the hospital with a career ending running injury because you didn't make it back to get new shoes in time. As you draw closer and closer to the 500 mile (800km) mark the cushioning and the support systems in the shoe become less and less effective. The shoes may still look in usable condition but without the support and/or cushioning the shoe just isn't performing to it's best capabilities. And if you are planning on doing an event or race, don't run the final few miles of your shoes race day, have a newer pair slightly broken in. Like a car, mile 50 is a lot smoother of a ride than mile 500.

Does a minimalist shoe last 500 miles too?

Less is more! Or is it less is less?! Short answer, no, typically your more minimalist/racing flat type shoes are a shorter life span somewhere in the 300 mile (500km) range. There is less to those shoes so naturally they break down faster.

Does having multiple pairs of shoes help?

Absolutely! Shoes need a rest just like your body does. It takes up to 24 hours for the cushioning system to rebound to its full value after a lengthy run. Naturally if you wear that shoe to do your coffee runs, shopping, work etc, you are breaking down that shoe much quicker.

While I could write forever about shoes, I will sum up with the following take home messages:

Shoes DO in fact expire
Different shoes work for different people
Wear athletic shoes for athletic endeavors and casual shoes for casual endeavors
Ask questions to your knowledgable trainers at Innovative Fitness, or drop by Kintec to chat with a Fitting Expert.

Happy trails!

Ryne

Ryne Melcher is Kintec's Running Clinics head instructor. He has been at Kintec for over 5 years and has managed our Vancouver, North Vancouver, and Port Moody locations. Ryne has also been running ultra marathons for over the last 18 years, and represented Canada 7 times at the World 50 Mile Trail Championships. He is also the Canadian record holder for fastest 50 Mile Trail Runner, and a member of Montrail's Ultra Marathon team.

2013-04-19T18:01:00.000-07:00

TOUGHNESS

One of the questions I get in training with sports teams is "Can you make our players tougher and more physical?" My immediate thought is "Yes of Course," but the more I think about it the more uncertain I am. Physical of course but tough???

What makes a player tough? Is toughness necessarily a good thing or something that could hinder you in athletics. How does the situation you are in dictate your toughness and or ability to be tough. I'll illustrate and example.

A few years ago I was coaching a youth minor football team. It was our first year of being a team and we had many raw players who have never played football. I saw a team that didn't look tough or didn't know how to push themselves out of their comfort levels. So we began doing drills to see who would step up. Some of them did and some of them kind of hid behind others, as to be expected. But what I noticed more was toughness was directly related to a few key things: Pride, confidence, and attitude. When we would be losing games, at a certain point, many of the kids would go down with injury. Multiple times in the ladder parts of games. Not because they were physically hurt but because they were losing and their pride, confidence and moral was low. Interesting!!!

In college, I played many seasons with multiple shoulder seperations, broken ankles and fingers and multiple concussions. I played with others who were very similar to myself. But those are pains that we had to endure physically. Mentally that did not ever stop me. Nothing could keep us out of games. If we were losing, we would be still fighting back. The mentality was you can keep knocking us down but we'll continue to get up...Now sport has changed...For the better...If I knew then what I do now...

In today's sports world it is very different for amateur and professional athletes. I read recently that in the 6 years that the Chicago Bulls won their championships, Michael Jordan sat a total of 6 games over those years. 2 were for suspensions I believe. Now I watch sports and teams are resting their players in the weeks leading to playoffs to rest and recover.

So let's get back to our original question. Can you make players tough. I believe that you put them in situations and give them the opportunity to be tough. It's within each of us to fight or flight at any situation. Sport is the perfect setting for these opportunities. With structured training and practice, you can develop work ethic, drive, motivation, and passion. Which can lead to toughness. The situation is the game played. If an athlete has the drive, passion and work ethic to succeed then each opportunity/game/practice will improve confidence and make them tough. And by tough I mean a drive to be the best, to never back down, to play until the last whistle, and to give it everything you got. So yes you can make players more physical and yes you can teach toughness, at any level.

(Chris Spielman played Middle Linebacker with a broken neck. Tough??)

Show us... the value?

2013-04-17T05:14:00.000-07:00

I love sports. I mean I am a nerd. I will watch the games, read the story after watching and catch the highlights at the end of the day. I will phone friends to dissect that certain play and give my opinions when asked about style, jersey colors and even what I would have done if I’d have been coaching. I take my kids to the stores and I view replays online.
First class sports nerd. Not ashamed.

What I don’t do is spend time online or offline where I don’t get bang for my buck or anything back for my time. I’ll switch the channel to a different personality if I think you are trying to sell me. I’m not interested in a female sports caster if she doesn’t know her stuff. I’ll watch her all day if she’s the best. No fluff please. I don’t go to stores to see the latest jersey if I know you only bring in the latest, greatest stuff in size medium. Once. I want to see retro stuff and new stuff. Rare and fun stuff too.

You’ve got to look like you care as much as I do. I’m not subscribing to your online newsletter if you don’t add something to my knowledge bank. I’m not looking for a glorified article that tries to get me to click-through to your sales page. I know who scored because I watched it. I want more.

I want value.

And so do your customers. They want something more and they really want a reason to keep coming back to throw some money in your jar.

Your donors don’t want to know how much you have raised. They can see that on the brutal thermometer on your website. They want to know what you’ve done with their money and what you will keep doing to solve the problem. Your loyal customer wants to know what else is going on. There are thousands of ways to add value and support your fans.

There’s the pub that puts on a brew-fest or has a taster’s evening for their loyal customers. Those customers that know more than you about all things beer.

There’s the playhouse that does a tour backstage for the upcoming season or show. Just to season ticket holders.

The sport team that does the same thing and finishes with an autograph session.

The newsletter that goes so deep into the stats that only the fervent few even get it…but there is value. Real value.

We want value. And you are the expert.

You have so much to offer. So much to share. So much to keep our excitement and enthusiasm going.

Give us everything you’ve got and chances are we will give you our attention, our time and our money.

Simple trade really.

What can you provide us?
What’s your value?

Go. Make a difference. (credit to Willie Cromack @ the Age of Impact http://ageofimpact.com/)

Be Your Own Community HERO

2013-04-16T20:14:00.001-07:00

On heels of the recent Boston Marathon bombing incident, the air is filled with mixed emotions; from the disgust towards the people behind such a thing, to the prayers & support for all the victims and their families, to the appreciation & recognition for all the volunteers, health workers, police officers, bystanders, etc. that are still helping as a result from the disaster. Which may leave some of us thinking…

What would you have done if you were standing in the crowd near the bombing? How would you have reacted?

Do you ever daydream that you are the one to save the day? Perhaps you are the passerby who dives into the water to rescue a drowning child. Maybe you are the person who deftly persuades the robber to put down the gun, just in the nick of time. Or in this case, the person that comes to the rescue and save the lives of innocent victims.

It is human to want to make a significant difference in the world…and you can.

The day-to-day acts of community leadership are usually not as dramatic as described above, and they usually don't inspire a chorus of recognition. Still, as a community leader, you can make a profound contribution. Caring for your elders, increasing job opportunities in your community, getting rid of garbage & litter, or empowering others to lead are all activities that are heroic in their own way.

And we need many community leaders.

There is room in this world for more community leaders. The model of one leader at the top with everyone else at the bottom just doesn't work for communities. One or two leaders can't possibly solve all the complex problems that our communities face. With more community leaders, our communities will do better.

The more people become leaders, the more problems we will solve. We need community leaders to think about and organize around many issues: youth development, economic growth, substance abuse, crime, the environment, health care -- the list goes on and on. Each issue will require a group of skilled leaders to handle them. We need leaders who are women, young people, low to high income people, immigrants, people with disabilities and many others that have been told that they should follow others, not lead. We need leadership from all walks of life in order for our surroundings to be exactly what many of us wish – safe, clean, progressive, respectful, and organized to name a few.

At the end of the day, we may not all establish our own foundations by the time we are eight, but we can make a significant difference if we put our minds to it. So, don’t wait for disaster to hit – you can put on your cape and be the community hero that you may already aspire to be. Doing so can be infinitely satisfying.

Until then, may our thoughts be with friends & family of those impacted by the Boston Marathon bombing.