OPS
SPRING ISSUE 2015
core M A G A Z I N E
Featured Articles BOOST YOUR HEART SMARTS THE IMPORTANCE OF VITAMIN D THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF HAPPINESS & GRATITUDE FAST TWITCH SLOW TWITCH WHATS THE DIFFERENCE
‘Whats Cooking?’ MARINATED GRILLED CHICKEN BREAST JALAPENO SALSA SPRING SHAKES-A GREAT START
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS TRYING TO TAME THE MONSTER
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HK RUGBY SEVENS  
What is Rugby Sevens? Sevens is a cut-down, speeded up version of traditional rugby. Far quicker, higher scoring and with less rules, Sevens has a far wider appeal than the original fifteens version. The Hong Kong Rugby Sevens is the main event in the larger Sevens tournament which tours the world, with the ultimate champions decided on points earned from all of the tournaments. The Sevens game is often used as training ground for players to prove themselves, before moving onto fifteens. Two of the finest players to grace the Hong Kong tournament have been Jonah Lomu and David Campese, who fine-tuned their game in several years of Sevens’, before going on to dominate world rugby.
What: Hong Kong Rugby Sevens Tournament When: 28th -30th March, 2014 Where: Hong Kong Stadium, Causeway Bay
OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE STUDIO
Optimum Performance Studio brings a refreshing perspective and sense of purpose to the business of Performance Education and training. Optimum Performance Studio also brings with it a sense of pride and ownership when it comes to fitness education and training.
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SPRING issue 2014 FORWARD
Well here we are, Spring already and it seems like just yesterday that we were eating Christmas Dinner and watching the New Year fireworks.
Friday July 24, 2015, 9.00-5.00
This first quarter edition of the OPS Core magazine for 2015, has some really awesome recipes to prepare you for the warmer months ahead.
NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist (8 hours) Sunday July 26, 2015, 9.00-5.00
This February we were lucky enough to have the guys from Gray’s institute, Matt and Chris, pay us a two and a half day visit, bringing with them their unique Thirst 4 Function running workshops. We had an overwhelming response to this workshops series with a lot of specialist therapists having their valuable input to the training sessions. The other BIG news I would like to share with you for this issue, is the return of Fabio Comana, from NASM Education, brining the live specialisation courses back to Hong Kong in July.
NASM Weight Loss Specialty Course (8 hours) Saturday July 25, 2015, 9.00-5.00
NASM Sports Nutrition Specialty (8 hours) Monday July 27, 2015, 9.00-5.00 Behavioural and Lifestyle Coaching (9 hours) If you are thinking of doing a specialisation then this might be a great way to go about it. So sit back and relax and immerse yourself in this special Spring Edition, and please let me know if there is anything that you would like to see in upcoming issues. Please contact me here wayne@opstudiohk.com Wayne
CONTENTS 04 Forward 07 What’s Cooking 13 Special Articles 21 Studio 2 Pilates 23 Special Mention 24 Trainer Spotlight 26 NASM Exam Info 27 More OPS NEWS 28 NASM Study Guide 29 More Articles Online 30 About OPS 31 Course Outlines 32 Live Courses 36 Product Information 38 Social Media for PT’s 40 Course Timetable PDF 41 To Wrap up
OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE STUDIO
CONTRIBUTIONS A special thank you to the contributors for this spring edition of OPS CORE magazine. Your well researched and inspiring articles, I am sure, will benefit our readers immensely.
LIZ DIALTO FABIO COMANA EMILY DINGMANN JACOB VAN PUTTEN LAURA QUAGLIO AMY GALLAGHER CRITCHETT
KELLY ORAZI
OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE STUDIO
Whats Cooking?
Marinated Grilled Chicken Breast With Watermelon Jalapeño Salsa
FULL RECIPE
Low-Calorie Foods That Will Actually Fill You Up
FULL RECIPES
 
10 Best Aubergine Recipes For the finest aubergine recipes we look to the Med (with a quick detour via India), where they combine it with goat's cheese, fig, bacon or anchovies
FULL RECIPE
5 Simple and Healthy Smoothie Recipes for Spring By Kelly Orazi from KANDALS TEAM
SPRING SHAKES A GREAT START
Drinking a fruit smoothie is one of the easiest ways to stay healthy during a busy college semester. But who says it has to be all about the fruit? Adding vegetables and leafy greens to your fruit smoothies adds valuable nutrients, kickstarts your energy and tastes great. Veggies like spinach and kale are high in iron, essential vitamins, and are powerful antioxidants. If you already have a favorite fruit smoothie recipe, try adding a handful of spinach or kale to it. If you're a smoothie newbie, here are some simple recipes to get you started:
FULL RECIPE
TRX THE ORIGINAL & THE BEST
TRX PRODUCTS CLICK HERE
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SPRING FEATURED ARTICLES
The Importance of Vitamin D  
The last twenty years of research have demonstrated that we need much more vitamin D than we had previously believed. Sunlight is the best way to get it, but depending on your geographic location, it can be hard to get enough. FULL STORY
 
The Health Benefits of Happiness & Gratitude
Being grateful is one of the most powerful ways to change your perspective almost instantly. It's true that there is always something to be grateful for and this collection of learnings teaches you to focus more on what's good in your life. FULL STORY
 
Multiple Sclerosis: Trying to Tame the MonSter
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) affects 2.5 million people worldwide (National MS Society). Unfortunately, there is not a cure, but there are some steps a person can do to help control the disease.
FULL STORY
 
Fast Twitch slow Twitch - Whats the difference and does it matter? By Stacey Penney, MS, NASM-CPT, CES, PES, FNS Looking to build endurance? What about power? Do dreams of being an all-star hitter or marathon runner need to be dashed if twitch ratios aren’t ideal? Not necessarily. The types of muscle fibres targeted in different types of training programs can impact performance goals. As most of us may recall from our physiology studies, there are two main types of human skeletal muscle fibre types, type I and type II, or slow-twitch and fast-twitch, respectively. Fasttwitch are further classified into type IIa and type IIx. They differ in both their biochemical and contractile properties. Slow-twitch, Type I These muscle fibres have high concentrations of mitochondria and myoglobin, and although they are smaller than the fast-twitch fibres, are surrounded by more capillaries. This combination supports their capacity for aerobic metabolism and fatigue resistance, particularly important for prolonged sub-maximal exercise activities. Type I fibres produce less
force, are slower to produce maximal tension (lower myosin ATPase activity) compared to type II fibres, but they are able to maintain longer-term contractions, key for stabilization and postural control.
Fast-twitch, Type II Our fast-twitch, type II muscle fibres are further divided into type IIx and type IIa. Typically, these have lower concentrations of mitochondria, myoglobin, and capillaries compared to our slow-twitch fibres and are quicker to fatigue. These larger-sized fibres are also able to produce a greater and quicker force, an important consideration for power activities. Type IIx: These fibres produce the most force, but are incredibly inefficient based on their high myosin ATPase activity, low oxidative capacity, and heavy reliance on anaerobic metabolism. Type IIa: These fibres are also known as intermediate fibres, a mix if you will, of type I and type IIx, with comparable tension. Able to use both aerobic and anaerobic energy systems, these fibres have a higher oxidative capacity and fatigue more slowly than type IIx.
What’s my type? So now that we’ve covered the different types, are you wondering what type you are? Short of having a muscle biopsy, and make that multiple biopsies since not all muscles in the body will be the same, we are a mix of both fast and slow in all of our muscles. Nonathletic individuals have close to a 50/50 balance of fibre types. When you start looking at highly skilled, top-performing athletes, some differences may begin to appear. For the power athlete, there’s a higher ratio of fast-twitch fibres (e.g., sprinters 70-75% type II), whereas for the endurance athlete there are more slow-twitch fibres (e.g., marathon/ distance runners 70-80% type I) Of course, muscle fibre type is not the only factor in an athlete’s success! There are plenty of other variables that take an athlete from good to great. Age is also a factor for our muscle fibres. As we age, there’s a loss in lean muscle mass, with a decline in our fast-twitch fibres, especially the type IIx, but there is also an increase in our slow-twitch fibres. Recall that the fast-twitch fibres are larger in size than the slow-twitch, metabolically efficient fibres. This loss of lean muscle mass can contribute to agerelated metabolic dysfunctions, body composition changes, even an increased risk of falls. Resistance training can help combat this decline.
Type Training Fibre types can be modified to some degree by exercise. Type I fibres are targeted with endurance training, such as lower resistance with higher repetitions, or longer duration with a lower intensity, as seen in OPT ™ Phases 1 and 2. Strength training targets the type II fibres. Resistance training increases the size of both type I and type II muscle fibres, with greater growth (i.e., hypertrophy) occurring in the type II fibres with an increase in actin and myosin filaments, which also results in an increased ability to generate force. An increase in type IIx to type IIa, but not increase type I can also be seen in prolonged resistance training. Fasttwitch fibres can be slow-twitch recruits: endurance training and highintensity intervals can be effective in improving aerobic power. Tapering during training programs (e.g., reducing volume and intensity) can also improve the strength and power of type IIa fibres, without a decrease in type 1 performance. For example, in a study investigating muscle fibre changes in recreational runners training for a marathon, after 13 weeks of increasing mileage and a three week tapering cycle, it was found that not only did the functions of type 1 and type IIa fibres improve, but that type IIa continued to improve significantly during the tapering cycle.
GETTING YOUR HEART SMARTS BY LAURA QUAGLIO HOW IT WORKS Your heart is about the size of your two fists; it pumps five or six quarts of blood per minute throughout your body. • Each heartbeat starts in a group of specialized cells called the sinoatrial node (SA node) in the heart’s upper right chamber. The SA node serves as a pacemaker: It triggers electrical impulses that squeeze that chamber of the heart slightly earlier than the rest of the heart, forcing blood into the lower chambers for each beat. This is why your doctor might refer to normal heart rhythm as “normal sinus rhythm.” • When you exercise, your muscles require more oxygen and nutrients, at a quicker rate, to fuel contractions. The natural response: Your heart beats faster to deliver more blood. In addition, the arterioles (smaller blood vessels leading to capillaries) serving the exercising muscles dilate to accommodate the increased flow. As these vessels open, other arterioles constrict in less active parts of your body, including your digestive system, skin, and the skeletal muscles you’re not using. • Exercise makes your heart stronger. A stronger heart pumps blood more easily throughout this entire process,
keeping blood pressure healthy or reducing blood pressure that’s too high. It can also improve circulation, lower heart disease risk, improve blood cholesterol levels, and lower resting heart rate. IS A LARGE HEART A PROBLEM? “Enlarged heart” usually refers to a weak heart in heart failure, often in an older adult. But competitive athletes’ hearts can be larger than normal—a condition referred to as athlete’s heart. This happens as the body adapts to regular, strenuous training. In athletes, the changes are relatively small—the heart size is usually still considered to be within normal limits. And if training is stopped, the trend reverses and the heart returns to normal. Surprisingly, research doesn’t show a link to better performance during competition. TRAINING WITH HEART Heart rate is a good exercise-intensity gauge. Here, two ways to track heart rate to help your fitness. • Resting Rate Have a client record his or her resting pulse at the same time each day for three days or so, and use the average to learn what’s normal. Then, use it to monitor recovery. If their resting heart rate starts to be consistently higher (or lower) than normal, they might be overtraining. Ask about other signs, like fatigue, and watch to see if performance is lagging. If so, it might be time for extra rest days.
TRAINING WITH HEART
WHY CPR MATTERS
Heart rate is a good exercise-intensity gauge. Here, two ways to track heart rate to help your fitness.
We’ve all heard reports of young athletes who collapsed on the playing field. Though rare (one study of 1.4 million student-athlete sports participations found only three sudden cardiac deaths), cardiac events during exercise can occur without warning. That’s why NASM requires trainers be certified in the use of automated external defibrillators (AED) and CPR.
• Resting Rate Have a client record his or her resting pulse at the same time each day for three days or so, and use the average to learn what’s normal. Then, use it to monitor recovery. If their resting heart rate starts to be consistently higher (or lower) than normal, they might be overtraining. Ask about other signs, like fatigue, and watch to see if performance is lagging. If so, it might be time for extra rest days.
• Recovery Rate Heart rate recovery (HRR) notes how much heart rate falls during the first minute after peak exercise—it’s a simple tool for measuring cardio fitness. The recovery rate for the average person is a drop of 15 to 25 beats per minute. Those who recover more quickly have a healthier heart. If a client’s heart rate decreases by just 12 beats (or fewer) in the first minute after exercise, you should have them visit their doctor before continuing to train. • Heart-Rate Tracking Tip for Trainers: Hold the Monitor If your client is using a heart-rate monitor during training sessions, have him or her wear the chest strap while you hold the accompanying watch or display unit. That way you can track numbers while your client focuses on form.
CHECK YOUR HEART (DISEASE) SMARTS When working with a client who has heart disease (and whose doctor has given the OK for exercise), make sure the client: • Fills out a complete pre-participation health screening to share health history; if there are concerns, have a doctor sign off before training begins. • Shares a list of medications so you can discuss how to deal with potential side effects • Does an extended, gradual warm-up (and cool-down) of up to 20 minutes • Exercises at a comfortable pace based on rate of perceived exertion (RPE) • Avoids heavy lifting and breathes normally throughout the workout session • Doesn’t over-grip weights or clench fists during exercise • Performs exercises in a standing or seated position • Progresses slowly • Exercises with a buddy when working out without you
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PILATES WORKSHOP
SINGAPORE ATHLETE STRIVING FOR PERFECTION DSI Academy (Singapore) is proud to announce that Dipna Lim Prasad, one of the TeamSG athletes will be taking part in the upcoming NASM Certified Personal Trainer Live Workshop on 27 to 29 March 2015. Dipna is a Singapore National sprinter and hurdler. Dipna has represented Singapore at the Olympic Games and is currently training hard for the 2015 SEA Games. Crowned the "queen of hurdles" by the Singapore Straits Times, this 24 year-old Olympian holds the Singapore National Open Record for the 400m Hurdles and is ranked top 2 in Singapore for 100m, 200m, 400m and 100m Hurdles. NASM is evidently the most sought after certification in the fitness and health industry, setting the standards in fitness and keeping our trainers at the at the top of their game.
TRAINER SPOTLIGHT
Anthony Lee NASM CPT HKU SPACE Diploma Fitness & Exercise Studies Trainer Force Fitness HK
ANTHONY LEE
 
Anthony Lee, is by comparison, a relative newcomer to the fitness business, but has in a very short time, established himself as a trainer on the move. Someone that grabs every opportunity to improve and succeed. Currently enrolled in the Hong Kong University Fitness and Exercise Studies programme, Anthony is an NASM CPT and trainer at Force Fitness. Lee has also featured in many local magazines, featuring specialised training sessions for REEBOKS running programme. With his sights set on being the best trainer that he can be, undoubtedly, Anthony will ultimately reach each and every goal he sets for himself. Anthony has other pastimes that he pursues with the same amount of vigour, like his karate, and his passion for cooking. Anthony unwinds by creating delicacies that he loves to share with his friends and colleagues.
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Its back, Anatomy in Clay 3D, the ultimate way to gain a better understanding of how the human body, specifically the muscular skeletal system, is put together. During this two day training you will be taken on a journey of discovery as you unlock the mystery that is the human body, by reconstructing the muscles, their origins and insertions, using specially designed clay and mannequins. A great precursor to your NASM CPT training.
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Social Tools for Personal Trainers: Posted on February 6, 2015 by National Academy of Sports Medicine Liked by Aaron Treguboff, NASM Digital Advertising Specialist In today’s busy world, personal trainers are not only asked to provide fitness programming, guidance, and support for their clients, but are also supposed to market themselves to build a bigger client base. How do you accomplish these different tasks while still maintaining a small amount of personal “me” time? Social media could be the solution! Social media marketing is one of the biggest and easiest ways to connect with your existing clients and grow your reach to new clients, especially with Facebook. Here are some of the apps, tools and tricks you can use to get the most out of social media to connect with your audience. (Note that not all of these platforms are good for everyone—choose what is best for your personality, lifestyle and clients!) Facebook Right away, decide if you want to connect with your clients using a personal account or if a business page is better. Sometimes a personal account may share more information than you would want with current or potential clients. There is no right or wrong, just make the decision on what works best for you and your marketing goals. If you choose to use a Facebook business page, make sure to: Add a cover photo that is hi-res and sized correctly Profile image Make it professional but also showcase what makes you an interesting person Fill in the “About” section Include contact info for people interested in your services Add your website link (if you have one) After you set up your Facebook page, familiarise yourself with the page insights feature—this is where you can see information about the page, such as age, gender and times your clients interact with the page. Decide how often you are going to post (once a day is great if you can handle it, but try for at least a few times a week) and what content you will post. Make sure to mix up the content—have some fun posts, share other people’s content, create your own content, and once a week post about your services and ask if anyone wants to become your client. Once you have your page set up, start by asking your current clients to like the page and follow your posts. If you have a good relationship with them, you may even ask if they would recommend the page to their friends that may be interested in personal training services. Finally, as your page starts growing, make sure to interact with your fans. If they post or comment on your page, take a few minutes each day to respond to them. This will create a great relationship with them and can help with client retention and growth.
Apps and Software: Getting the most from Facebook There are a number of great tools and apps to help you get the most out of your Facebook marketing. Here are five to start using today! Facebook Pages (App) This app lets you control your entire Facebook page from your phone and is perfect for answering questions or responding to your clients anywhere, any time. (Got downtime at the gym between sessions, build up your client base from your phone while waiting.) Canva (Website) This is for anyone that isn’t a graphic designer or does not have the time to learn Photoshop. Canva helps you create beautiful images with easy to use templates. You can even upload your own photos and just drag and drop them into the template you want to use. They have a variety of templates to use that are already sized perfectly for Facebook, and the best part is that the majority of the website options are FREE! (canva.com) Recite This (Website) Turns a quote into a stunning image. Just type your quote, choose a background and you are done! (recitethis.com/) Bitly (Website and App) Bitly is simply a utility website (and app you can download on your phone) that takes any website link and shortens it. Ex: http://www.nasm.org/become-a-personal-trainer would be turned into http://bit.ly/1yA4sDE. Why does this matter? Simple, people hate seeing busy and long website URLs—shortening the links will make your Facebook page look better and it’s actually been proven that shorter links get people to click more often. Hootsuite An essential for anyone running a social media marketing campaign! It integrates with Facebook and Twitter, allowing you to see both site’s information and news simultaneously. Plus you can schedule posts for both sites in advance. (Make an appointment on your calendar to plan and schedule your posts on Facebook for the week and then just respond to people daily—this should allow you to stay engaged and bring in new clients, while still giving yourself some free time.)
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TO WRAP UP Well there you have it another issue, hopefully you found some interesting articles and recipes this issue. I have a passion for food, both eating and cooking, I just hope that you get some pleasure out of the recipes that I search for you. Bear in mind as well that I try most of these out before sharing with you just to see how easy they are to produce. So far this year we have been pretty busy, education wise, with our NASM CPT course, training new trainers so that they can share their knowledge and passion with the rest of the world. The Team here at OPS are always looking at ways to enhance your training experience, so if you are a trainer or a potential trainer, we would love to hear from you, especially if you have any ideas of types of education that you would like to see in Hong Kong.
He graduated in 1987. Ivan joined the Bulgarian Elite Army sports program in 1987 and until 1992 competed in Greco Roman Wrestling for the Central Army Sport’s Club in Sofia, Bulgaria. During 1993 to 1997 Ivan Ivanov competed for the Wrestling Club Slavia Litex in Sofia, Bulgaria. On Saturday, May 5, 2012 Ivan Radnev Ivanov was Inducted with highest honors into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame of the United States of America for a Lifetime of Distinguished Service and Achievement. Exclusive Director of the National Headquarters and the National Museum at Stillwater, Oklahoma. Pretty impressive stuff and sounds like an awesome days training. For more details see the advertisement in this edition.
Well I look forward to sharing more information in the Summer Issue 2015, until then stay healthy and happy.
Feel free to drop me a line anytime with ideas or suggestions. Something new to our education programme this spring is the introduction of Bulgarian Bags Dynamic Movement workshop, taught by Ivan Ivanov. Ivan Ivanov was born in the city of Kazanluk, Bulgaria and grew up in a town called Gurkovo, Bulgaria. In 1981 he joined the Greco Roman wrestling program at the Sports School & Technical College in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria.
Thanks for reading WDC Contact Me Here wayne@opstudiohk.com
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