YEG Fitness - Nov/Dec 2015

ISSUE 9 Nov/Dec 2015 YEGFITNESS.CA

ROLLER REVIVAL EVILLE ROLLER DERbY

HOTEL FITNESS keeping fit on vacation

ESKIMOS CHEERteam Hard Work. Dedication.

Strength.

Capital city athletics FITNESS

NUTRITION

WELLNESS

PRINT MAGAZINE LAUNCH Coming January 2016 Join us January 6 at MKT as we celebrate the launch of our print magazine.

Tickets available now!

Featuring: Catherine and Daniel Vu – See The Ability Indoor Wall Climbing Basics Rocky Mountain Soap Company Eating Local With RGE RD. 2016 Fitness Trends take A Fitcation This Winter

+ more!

november - december 2015 paint with your heart 5 fabulous fall fitness in canmore 12 best of yegfitness 18 heroes for zero 19 lose your willpower? here’s why 20

by Kaylor Betts

getting yegfit with capital city athletics 24

by Clayton McAdam

looking for fresh meat in yeg 34

by Belle Rebelle

university can be all fun and games 37 training for youth athletes 49

by Eric Kebernik

eskimos cheer team 54 hotel room fitness 57

by Clinton & Rachael Senkow

Twitter : @yegfit

Time to set fitness goals 62 Facebook : facebook.com/yegfitness

Sadler vs. Smith vs. Williams

Instagram : instagram.com/yegfitness

For advertising inquiries, contact info@yegfitness.ca No part of this publication may be copied or reprinted without the permission of YEG Fitness.

The fitness and nutritional information in this publication are not intended to replace professional medical advice. Readers are encouraged to consult a health professional before beginning or changing in their fitness or nutritional activities. Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the contributor and not those of YEG Fitness or its employees and associates.

Advertising in this publication does not indicate an endorsement by YEG Fitness.

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EDITOR’S NOTE At YEG Fitness, we are always motivating our readers to never get comfortable. To always set new goals. To always aim to achieve better.

So it’s with these thoughts that we are taking a bit of our own advice.

This edition will be the last one in its traditional form.

We’ve got some amazing stories including a feature on the Eskimo’s Cheer Team. The Eskimo’s are in the playoff hunt with the goal of reaching the Grey Cup and the Esks Cheer Team is doing their part to help them in that hunt. We caught up with head coach Dianne Greenough who shares with readers the level of physical and mental fitness the team achieves to keep in their best form on the field.

Check out the hard-hitting action of Roller Derby in YEG. The ladies of the E-Ville Roller Derby League mix a blend of athleticism and bone crunching action in what is becoming one of the most popular spectator sports in North America.

If you’re travelling this winter, Clinton Senkow shares with readers how to keep fit while on the road. You don’t need any equipment other than a bed or chair and can get an amazing body-weight workout right in your hotel room before heading out to enjoy the sites of your destination.

TJ SADLER Editor tj@yegfitness.ca (780) 504 - 7428

We also share our reader’s votes for the Best of YEG Fitness 2015 Awards. You told us your favorite studios and trainers in the city and we’re handing out the hardware yet again to celebrate all that’s awesome in YEG. As you have likely heard, YEG Fitness is moving to a print edition in January. We’ll still be providing readers with their same digital source, but now we’re going to be available at most major fitness studios and wellness centers in the Edmonton area with our print magazine.

JOEL VERHAGEN Creative Director

CHAN RIN

We’ll be holding a launch party in January at MKT to celebrate with our readers. Stay tuned as we announce the details on our social media channels in November.

joel@yegfitness.ca

chan@yegfitness.ca

So get ready Edmonton. Just like you, we’re setting some great new goals going into the New Year. We can’t wait to get started with you.

JENISE KROPP Account Manager

ARIEL ZORYCHTA Account Manager

jenise@yegfitness.ca

ariel@yegfitness.ca

-TJ

Director of Photography

PAINT with your heart Wevive Fitness makes a point of drawing the connection between great friendships and great health. We are please to share that the turn out for Paint With Your Heart event was a HUGE success! Their clients share their vision of giving back and creating a community that makes itself welcomingly known to outsiders. We were there along with over 50 other guests who supported, mingled, and made the event what it was. Last year $800 was raised and this year they were able to raise $1200! Since it is an annual event, an anticipated “Save the Date” of Sept 17, 2016 is being planned. Wouldn’t it be amazing if they could DOUBLE that?

paint with your heart

discover fresh products delivered right to your door!

Subscribe for our hand picked favourite goodies from the YEGFit team! Every two months, we’ll deliver these products right to your door. Everything from passes to check out local fitness studios, to health and wellness products, we bring you an amazing selection with each box. this month’s box includes: Gym Rat Earth Group FitSet WeVive Fitness SpinUnity Prairie Naturals Urban Organics

Bloom Cookies Organic Box Bro Brick KeyLime Edmonton Power Yoga Oliv Tasting Room Sweet and Spicy YEGFit Savings Card

yegfitbox.com

When it comes to sport conditioning and injury prevention programs, there are a multitude of options. What’s right for you?

In-season is the time to maintain, not build. The repetitive nature of sport will degrade mechanics over the course of a season, and the demands that sports like hockey, soccer and basketball place on the body put athletes at increased risk of injury. At minimum athletes should incorporate weekly training that focuses on maintaining fitness and good mechanics. Programs that focus on flexibility should be supplemented with functional training. Under no circumstances should an athlete who is playing or practicing 4 or more times a week be attempting to build strength in season.

Off-season training should be equally focused on recovery, injury prevention and improving mechanics as it is on building strength, speed and power. Correcting movement patterns and improving neurologic adaptation (activation, twitching mechanics) during the off-season will translate into greater gains in speed and power, and set the athlete up for reduced injury risk.

Ensure that cross training complements rather than sabotages your sport performance. Your training should consider the risks of overloading while improving the specific movement patterns and energy systems challenged by your sport. For example, a runner’s cross training program should prioritize building the functional and core strength required to support high volume training. Cross training should never increase your risk for injury.

If you train at a high level all year, your conditioning program should complement your sport-specific skill development and competitive schedule. Strength workouts must incorporate high-quality fundamentals and skill components so as not to overload the athlete.

Adequate recovery is key. There are a multitude of variables that affect recovery time - a good trainer will ensure that build, skill and recovery days are aligned with the athletes’ training and competition schedule.

In season, it is imperative that athletes and teams incorporate an injury prevention program and proper warmup. There are a multitude of injury prevention programs and warm-ups to choose from - how do you know what is right for your sport and ability level? The key is to ensure that you are able to do the warm-up exercises properly and with a focus on quality, symmetry and total body position. Doing a jumping or one-legged movement to build strength and improve mechanics is counterproductive if the athlete cannot perform a body weight squat with proper control. If an athlete is unable to control their movement the exercise is above their ability level and they are actually increasing their risk of injury. It doesn't need be perfect, but it does need to be controlled and the athlete needs to be aware of their body position.

Red flags for any movement include knee collapse, asymmetry, lateral shift of the hips, arms, legs or knees crossing the midline, poor control, inability to balance, ankle instability, and knee or quad loading (leading with the knees first as opposed to a hinge movement).

Dana Perkin is the Director of Strength and Conditioning for River Valley Health and The Base by RVH. He has 16 years of training experience and trains athletes from a variety of sports, including many of Edmonton’s best athletes. Contact him at danap@rivervalleyhealth.com

FIND YOUR FIT

18 RECREATION CENTRES. ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES. At City of Edmonton Recreation Centres, there’s something for everyone at affordable prices and flexible times. From drop-in programs to fitness training, art classes and lessons, you’re sure to find your fit.

edmonton.ca/findyourfit

NAMASTE IN A

VARIETY OF WAYS Tired? Stressed out? Sore?

The key to feeling better, moving better and becoming more energized is right at your fingertips.

Yoga is known for increasing flexibility, improving posture, building strength and can help reduce stress. It’s no wonder that the City of Edmonton offers over 42 different Yoga classes a week throughout many of its Recreation Centres!

The best part of the many different types of Yoga the City of Edmonton offers is there is a class for every level! If you are new to Yoga, try Gentle Yoga, Yoga, Yin Yoga and our soon to come Chair Yoga. If you know how to own your downward dog then you might prefer Power Yoga, Advanced Yoga, JOGA and Iron Yoga.

Here are just some of the Yoga classes the City of Edmonton has to offer: Chair Yoga: Traditional yoga poses are adapted so they can be safely done sitting in a chair, or using a chair for support, making yoga more accessible for everyone. In addition to a healthy stretch, benefits of chair yoga include improved muscle tone and range of movement in the joints, better breathing habits and stress reduction.

Gentle Yoga: A low intensity yoga ideal for beginners who want to learn more about yoga and work on flexibility.

Iron Yoga: A challenging, full-body workout using dumbbells and resistant bands to incorporate weight training while performing a series of yoga poses.

Joga: An athletic style of yoga focusing on a unique blend of postures to find balance in strength and flexibility, a variety of breathing techniques to improve breath control/ recovery and relaxation tools to maintain a calm mind in sport and in life.

Power Yoga: Incorporates breath work to facilitate the continual movement of the body through a sequence of Yoga postures.

Basic yoga knowledge and experience is recommended.

Prenatal Yoga: A class integrating correct breathing techniques and specific yoga postures to increase strength, relieve tension and increase flexibility. There is a focus on good posture to support your growing tummy and strengthen your pelvic floor for labour.

Yin Yoga is a slow paced style of yoga focuses on the body’s connective tissues; bones, ligaments and tendons, to increase circulation in the joints and improve overall flexibility.

Grab your mat and a friend and check out one of many Yoga options at the City of Edmonton Recreation Centres.

For more information about City of Edmonton Recreation Centre memberships and programs visit: edmonton.ca/findyourfit Create a personal recreation guide at MyRecGuide.ca

Fabulous Fall Fitness In Canmore Fall is the time of year in Alberta when the scenery changes everyday, and beautiful colours come out in their glorious shades and hues. We recently took a road trip four hours south on Highway 2 to visit the community of Canmore for a bit of fun family fitness before the snow starts flying. A bit of cycling, hiking and climbing made for a great weekend getaway that left us looking forward to our next visit.

photo: Tourism Canmore Kananaskis

Sheer luxury is artfully combined with the warm comforts of a rugged mountain retreat at Solara Resort & Spa in Canmore. Designed for corporate conferences, luxurious family vacations, and romantic getaways, their stylish Rocky Mountain lodge provides spacious vacation accommodations alongside five-star resort amenities near Banff National Park.

Our 2-bedroom suite offered luxurious appointments that elevated what you typically expect from a mountain retreat. A full selection of 1, 2 & 3-bedroom suites are each well appointed with full gourmet kitchens featuring granite countertops and state-of-the-art stainless steel appliances. All the comforts of a home kitchen are available which made our stay more enjoyable. This gave us the option to cook for ourselves, or just microwave some popcorn for a night in with a movie in front of the fireplace after a full day of exploring the local trails.

A stay at Solara will have you enjoying the high-end details at every turn with cozy fireplaces, cork flooring, hand crafted natural wood, stone, leather and metal elements, oversized windows, and flat screen televisions. Bathrooms feature spa-inspired touches such as vessel sinks with artist-inspired vanities and 6-jet massage showers. Plus balconies and patios for bringing the outdoors in, as well as underground parking, washer & dryer, BBQ area, and convenient storage for skis and gear. Bikes are available for use by booking at the front desk.

One Wellness and Spa is located right in the Solara Resort and offers services including personal training, Pilates, spa services and physiotherapy. Their 9,500 square foot facility includes a co-ed sauna and steam circuit, relaxation lounge and refined men’s and ladies locker rooms.

After a day spent hiking and biking, we took advantage of the indoor plunge pools and had a couples massage. It was definitely a great way to unwind after exploring the kilometers of nearby trails. You can hit the fitness center to get in an invigorating workout or take to the great outdoors and take advantage of a wealth of recreational options at the resort, including bicycle rentals, hiking trails, mountain biking, and running paths. Plus, there’s a special games and activities room that the kids will love.

Stationary bikes, treadmills and free weights are all found in the fitness center. As well, you will find TRX equipment for a great suspension-training workout.

Elevation Place It’s on my 50 before 50 bucket list. 50 Things I want to do before I turn 50. Rock climbing on an actual mountain with all the gear. I’ve got a few years before I get to 50, but I took the first step with my son at the Indoor climbing facility at Elevation Place.

Their climbing gym was designed by the world-renowned climbing company Walltopia, and includes an interior that will make you forget you’re indoors due to the natural light and open spaces. The training area has been designed so you can make the most of your climbing experience and whether you’re a beginner or training for international competition, you will love this place.

If you are like us and have never climbed before, their staff will show you where and how to start. We had some private instruction for an hour and it put my son at ease. He has a bit of a fear of heights, but after about 20 minutes on the wall, he felt comfortable pushing himself to explore higher.

With over 11,000 sqft of climbing surface and reaches as high as 15 m at its peak, there is something here for everyone. There are a variety of different terrains and 100 colour-coded climbs for climbers of all abilities. Over 40 climbing lines for top roping or lead climbing, seven automatic belay systems that require minimal training or experience and extensive bouldering terrain will keep you exploring for hours.

trail sports Located at the Canmore Nordic Centre, site of the Nordic Skiing events of the 1988 Olympic Winter Games, Trail Sports serves all your cross-country skiing and mountain biking needs. It’s just a short five-minute drive from downtown Canmore and features some of the areas best biking trails. Wide rolling dirt roads can take you on leisurely rides to lookouts and spectacular scenery. The cross-country ski trails offer a challenging experience on rolling terrain, while those wishing to experience the highest level of mountain biking can ride the wide variety of single-track trails, ranging in difficulty from beginner to advanced.

Trail Sports set us up with bike rentals suited to our heights and abilities allowing us to go and explore the trails. Trail Sports mountain bike guides are certified Professional Mountain Bike Instructors and have been teaching and guiding groups of all ages since 1991. Their knowledge of the area allows them to find interesting rides for all abilities.

After a couple hours on the trails, we checked out their orienteering courses. We’ve never tried it before, but that’s the fun of staying fit with your family.

Sent off with a compass, a timing chip and a map, we spent the next forty-five minutes covering over two kilometers of terrain searching for checkpoints. Some were tricky to find and we got of track a few times, but it was an awesome way to spend time in the great outdoors with the whole family.

Tourism Canmore was our official resource for visitor information.

Check out their website when planning your next visit. www.tourismcanmore.com

TOP QUALITY TRAINING & NUTRITION PRODUCTS Lowest prices guaranteed, we will price match any lower Canadian price.

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Custom nutrition, supplement and diet plans available by appointment.

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BEST OF 2015 Our Best of YEG Fitness Awards are back for another year. We asked you to share your favorite studios, trainers and places to stay fit with us and we’ve compiled your choices. Over 720 votes were cast and these are our reader’s choices.

1. Best personal trainer

6. Best city owned rec center

1st - Mike Clark 2nd - Shara Vigeant 3rd - Shane Kokas

1st - Terwillegar Rec Centre 2nd - Millenium Place 3rd - Kinsmen

2. Best free fitness

7. Best private gym/studio

1st - November Project 2nd - Running Room 3rd - Lululemon Yoga

1st - SVPT Fitness & Athletics 2nd - Pure Wellness Studio 3rd - Body By Bennett

3. Best Ski/snowboard

8. Best yoga studio

1st - Rabbit Hill 2nd - Snow Valley 3rd - Sun Ridge

1st - Yogalife 2nd - Moksha Sherwood Park 3rd - Bliss Yoga Studio

4. Best Fitness event

9. Best spin studio

1st - Spartan Race 2nd - Edmonton Marathon 3rd - Wanderlust 108

1st - Spinunity 2nd - Tru Ride 3rd - Exist Cycle

5. Best pool

10. Best boxing/martial arts

1st - Millenium Place 2nd - Terwillegar Rec Centre 3rd - Kinsmen

1st - Panthers Gym 2nd - Krav Maga 3rd - 9 Round

heroes for zero Another superhero task completed! With over 200 “Heroes for Zero” walking to combat stigma of HIV and raise much needed funds and awareness, our September 19th event is done for another year! Despite some challenges, over $65,000 was raised, including cash sponsorship! The funds raised will help support local operations. Thanks to the Edmonton community, including the new addition of yegfitness, in helping increase awareness of the important work of HIV Edmonton to ensure people living with HIV have a safe, warm and stigma free open door! Next year they will be celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the AIDS Walk in Edmonton as well as the 30th Anniversary of HIV Edmonton, so it’s guaranteed to be the most epic event yet!

Save the date on Saturday September 17th 2016 when the Heroes for Zero return!

Photo Credit: River Sky Photography

Spin & Yoga each other very well. They both allow for challenges in different ways. Spin challenges your physical limits and with yoga, immediately hopping off the bike and allows your mind to be challenged as well.

Together, spin and yoga is the ultimate balanced workout.

Join us every Sunday evening for our Candlelit spin and yoga class. It’s truly the perfect reset to your week ahead” — Bre, Spinunity Instructor

w w w . s p i n u n i t y. c a

BRE

JORDAN

JEFF

REBECCA

New Riders

$25 Week Unlimited Pass

Welcome to Spinunity — more t han a spi n s t udi o —

S P I N • S T R E N G T H • YO G A for more details on classes visit www.spinunity.ca/class-types

ROBIN

TEGAN

TRICIA

ABBY

Lose Your Willpower? Here’s WHY

by Kaylor Betts

Have you accomplished all of your goals?

Many articles, books and courses on goal setting will have you believe that goal setting is an overly complex and arduous task.

Let’s KISS - Keep It Simple, Stupid.

When creating a goal for yourself, start by writing down two things: 1. What the goal is (WHAT) 2. Description of how to get started (HOW) Keep this brief and simple. Successful people find a way to figure out all the details and specifics as they go.

Next is the most crucial, most powerful aspect of accomplishing any goal you desire: Ditch your willpower, and never use it again.

Bold statement, yes, but read on…

“Ok Sally. This is your 5th shot at losing 20 lbs. You can do this girl. This time you are going to be a lot stronger than the last.”

This is the mindset of someone attempting to accomplish a goal, the strategy being willpower.

But herein lies the problem: although Sally may have learned some important lessons from her previous attempts, Sally is not stronger than the last four times she tried to lose 20 lbs. Even if she is, she has to have the strength to last a lifetime in order to stay at this goal.

Consider a goal that you have attempted to accomplish.

Most likely, you did not accomplish this goal simply because along the way, some sort of distraction or temptation came about that forced you off track.

Relying on willpower Science actually proves it.

does

not

work.

Numerous studies have established that the willpower function of a brain is very similar to a muscle, in that it can get fatigued when overused! This means that we can only say no to temptations and distractions so many times before this part of our brain fatigues, and starts to fail us completely.

Meet Why Power - Willpower’s much more successful, powerful sister. This is a technique that all high achievers use to accomplish their most desired goals – even if they are unaware that they use it.

Why Power is having an undoubtedly, clear cut idea of why accomplishing a particular goal is personally important, and this is used to replace willpower.

While this sounds eminently simple, its effects are extremely profound, and using Why Power separates average achievers, from high achievers.

People who have an innate ability to reach their goals consistently are around just as many distractions and temptations as those who fail to do so.

The difference, is that instead of merely trying to be strong when a challenge comes along, achievers visualize and remember why the goal is personally important.

Therefore, the third step for formulating a goal strategy, once recording the “What” and “How”, is to write down “Why” this goal is a personal must.

Let’s go back to Sally.

In planning for Sally’s goal, she should write down three things (What, How and Why): 1. (WHAT) Lose 20 lbs 2. (HOW) Find a professional whom I can hire to coach and help me accomplish losing 20 lbs 3. (WHY) I want to set a powerful example for my kids to lead a healthy and active lifestyle in order to increase their happiness and quality of life.

Now, when one of Sally’s co-workers brings donuts to the lunchroom and she is tempted to take one, instead of focusing on how she must resist the urge to eat a donut, Sally can use her why power to make a meaningful decision to turn the other way, and feel good about doing so.

The superb substance in this strategy is that it makes it irrelevant to map out complex plans regarding how to achieve your goals. If you establish a WHY and consistently remind yourself WHY you chose a goal, it will force you to simply do whatever it takes to get there.

Two questions: What’s your next big goal? But more importantly, WHY? Kaylor Betts is the founder of TNP Fitness Inc. and has helped hundreds of clients all over Edmonton succeed in attaining their peak body and health for over the past 6 years. Kaylor has quickly become one of Edmonton’s top trainers and experts in the areas of both fitness and nutrition.

CLEANING UP YOUR BEAUTY ROUTINE For many, the process of switching from beloved, well-known brands to smaller, more obscure (but healthier!) lines can be terrifying, and we consistently hear cries of, "But I don't even know where to start!” Sure, there's a plethora of clean, cruelty free, non-toxic beauty products out there to discover, but you don’t have to figure it all out overnight.

Start small: If you're like most women, you probably have anywhere from 20-50 (or more) beauty and cosmetic products in your household -- everything from bath products to body lotions to hair products, makeup, perfumes, etc. (and we're not even touching the cleaning and household categories).

The process can quickly get overwhelming if you try to tackle everything all at once. That said, our best recommendation is to start the transition slowly. Whatever you choose, tackle a small sampling of products at first. You can ALWAYS go back and do more if you're feeling comfortable, but it's hard to rebound once you've exhausted yourself.

Research: Believe it or not, most people have no idea that cosmetics can be harmful. So many of us believe that these big brands would be keeping our health and wellness in mind rather than profits, hah!

Do some research about toxins in personal care products. Read about ingredients, their industrial uses, levels of toxicology and decide which of them sound the worst to you. Remember, this is an individual process and you make the rules, so you don’t have to avoid everything that's harmful if you choose. But do determine which ingredients you care most to avoid, make a list and keep it on you. When buying, consult your list of ingredients.

Evaluate: Devote a half hour to checking ingredients in the items of your chosen category. Some include a full listing on the package, whereas others try to hide this information: either by including it only on the packaging or by not listing it at all (common on travel/sample sizes, or those with "active" ingredients which is required by law).

No full listing? Often brand or retailer sites list this information. You may be surprised that some of your products are healthy, while some are much more harmful than you imagined. Take stock of your current collection, and list the product types for which you may require healthier options in the future.

Sort your stash: Divide into keep, toss and donate piles. Keep the healthy and purge the unhealthy items. Allow yourself some grace here -- if your favorite mascara happens to not be healthy and you JUST bought it, it's ok to allow yourself to keep it and use it up. Make the commitment to a healthier alternative next time. Any new, unused and sealed items can be donated to a local women's shelter or sold on sites like eBay. You could also do a garage sale. Anything that's almost gone, expired or in poor condition should just be thrown out.

Cleaning Up Your Beauty Routine Shop: This is the best part! There are so many amazing companies that sell healthy products, and now that you've got some empty space, it's time to replace what you've tossed! Read blog reviews or join forums with others trying to make the switch. Take advantage of sampling programs, try new brands and products (like a powder foundation or mineral eyeshadow). Don't get discouraged if it takes a while to find something you really love -- great products are out there for you to discover. Most importantly, make sure you're reading the ingredient list for every product you buy before you fork over any cash. Just because something is labeled natural, organic, or cruelty free doesn't mean that it is. Greenwashing is rampant. Overall, remember that every baby step you make is a positive change that will contribute to your health and happiness. Have fun with it, and enjoy each step of the journey! If you need help switching over your cosmetics or if you have any questions, please contact us – we’d love to help!

Getting YEGFit

With Capital City Athletics Capital City Athletics is a 5000 square foot, fully equipped functional fitness facility located at 11505-106ave. As a registered CrossFit affiliate, they strongly believe in CrossFit’s versatility and effectiveness. At Capital City Athletics, you will find an encouraging fitness community, with a sense of camaraderie like no other.

All classes are done in a group setting with a coach that ensures everyone is using proper form and getting the most of out their experience. Helping clients learn and use proper technique, as well as ensuring their safety is their top priority. They also encourage everyone from all walks of life and fitness levels to take advantage of their classes.

We’ve put together some of the more common movements they do at Capital City Athletics along with brief introduction of each movement as well as a instructions to help you get started. As always, it is important to consult or work with a professional before beginning any fitness routine.

Photos by Vivid Ribbon Photography

By Clayton McAdam Owner of Capital City Athletics crossfitcca.com

Air Squat Steps and Tips: 1. Start from a standing position with your feet approximately shoulder width apart and your toes slightly flared.

2. Begin by breaking with the hip, sending the butt back and down. Keep your core tight and your head in a neutral position.

1

3. Emphasize and maintain the lumbar curve (lower back) and ensure your knees track over your feet. Cue; Knees out! Ensure knees do not travel to far forward, or you will fall on the balls of your feet, stay back on the heels.

4. Keep chest up and your arms straight-out in front of you as you descend.

5. To ascend out the bottom of the squat, activate glutes and hamstrings by squeezing them. Drive your hip joint open as this is where most of your power is generated.

6. Put pressure on the outside and midsection of your foot. Visualize trying to spread the ground open with your feet as your drive upwards. This will keep the knees from tracking in.

2

Barbell Strict Press (shoulder press) Steps and Tips: 1. Begin with hands should be outside of the shoulders. Knuckles point up, or towards the ceiling.

2. Elbows below the bar and slightly out in front. Feet should be under the hips.

1

3. Standing tall take a deep breath, hold and begin pressing the bar overhead.

4. The bar path should be as straight as possible. Move the head back out of the way to ensure the bar doesn’t come forward or hit your chin or nose!!

2

5. Keep the back straight, resist the urge to lean forward or arch your back.

6. Using your traps and deltoids press the bar overhead, locking out the elbows.

Active shoulders, (press to the ceiling!).

7. Releasing your breath, control the weight back down, reversing the steps.

Reset to the starting position!

PULL UP

1

Steps and Tips:

1. Grab the bar with a full grip about shoulder width apart or slightly wider.

2. Pull yourself up by pulling your elbows to the floor until your chin passes the bar.

3. Lower yourself down until you are back at the starting position.

Tips: Keep your stomach and butt tight! Keep your back tight, avoid over extension.

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CONNECTING HEALTH & PERFORMANCE

NOW OPEN!

Sherwood Park Sports Physiotherapy is ecstatic to announce the opening of our very own movement training facility: THE BRIDGE. THE BRIDGE features state of the art training and diagnostic equipment to expand on our existing treatment, movement training and performance programs for all ages.

Specializing in: • Injury Treatment and Recovery • Movement and Performance Training • Injury Prevention

Leading-edge care for concussion prevention, testing and treatment.

In sports, it’s often described as “seeing stars” or “getting your bell rung.” Yet no other injury is less understood and harder to manage in sport medicine than concussions.

The good news is that Edmonton and Sherwood Park are at the forefront of an interdisciplinary approach to concussion research, testing and treatment.

Through a unique partnering of professionals, Sherwood Park Sports Physiotherapy and Health Pointe Medical Centre are working together to provide the direction and education that is needed to manage concussions. As well, they are supporting a local research study at the University of Alberta, led by Neuropsychologist, Dr. Martin Mrazik, looking at the effect of body checking in hockey in Alberta.

Athletes seen at Sherwood Park Sports Physiotherapy now have the opportunity to be part of this current research by participating in baseline testing in addition to receiving the highest possible level of treatment and injury management for a concussion.

If an athlete sustains a concussion, he or she can make an appointment at Sherwood Park Sports Physiotherapy for an initial screening assessment. We then arrange a priority appointment with a Sports Medicine Physician at Health Pointe Medical Centre within 7 days of the concussion. Sports Therapists and Sports Medicine Doctors work together to return athletes to sport and an active life safely and as quickly as possible.

To learn more about this innovative program which is being coordinated in partnership with the U of A, Glen Sather Sport Medicine Clinic and Health Pointe Medical Centre, visit sherwoodparkphysio.com

Concussion Checklist for Parents and Coaches Symptoms: • Headaches, nausea, dizziness, visual problems, neck pain.

• Sensitivity to light or sound.

• Feeling “foggy” or slowed down.

• Difficulty concentrating or remembering.

• Increased irritability, sadness, nervousness.

• Sudden emotional swings.

Action: • Have baseline concussion testing completed before each new sport season.

• If one or more symptoms are present remove the athlete from participation and seek qualified medical attention within 24 hours.

• Monitor the athlete for worsening symptoms for 3 hours post incident and awaken every 2 hours throughout the first night.

• Seek follow-up medical attention from professionals with training in concussions.

• Ensure the athlete does not return to sport or physical activity until cleared by an appropriate medical professional.

Seek Immediate Emergency Medical Attention if: • Symptoms worsen or the concussed player experiences: • Seizures • Extreme drowsiness (or cannot be awoken) • Repeated vomiting or slurred speech • Poor recognition of places or people • Abrupt behavioral changes • Weakness/numbness in the arms/legs

Other Programs available at The Bridge: • ACL Return to Sport • RUNFIT • Preseason Prep Training

109-2055 Premier Way, Sherwood Park, AB • 780.464.5915 •Wsherwoodparkphysio.com

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burpee Steps and Tips:

1. Start by standing with your feet about shoulder width apart.

2. Lower your body into a squat positon with your hands in front of you flat on the floor.

3. Kick your feet back. You should now be in the push-up position. Lower your chest to the ground.

4. Push yourself back up into the top of the pushup position while kicking your feet up towards your hands, you should now be in the starting positon.

5. Spring into a jump clapping hands overhead.

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6. Repeat!

kettleball swing Steps and Tips:

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1. Feet should be about shoulder width apart, toes can be flared out approximately 30 degrees.

2. To initiate the swing, grip the bell with both hands and drag the KB back letting it swing slightly back between your legs.

3. You now want to accelerate the KB upwards. To do this you need to fire your hip joint open, thrusting the KB forward. Hip and Knee should come to full extension in the top positon.

4. Keep your chest tall and head neutral as to not round your back.

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5. When decelerating back down, the KB should go back between your legs near your upper parts of your thighs. This will ensure more power is generated from the hip joint as you accelerate back up.

6. Keep in mind your forearms should come into contact with your thigh in the bottom phase. If your elbows are coming in contact with your thighs you are letting the KB drag you under! This can cause injury to our posterior chain and isn’t very efficient.

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THE CONCEPT OF CORE STABILIZATION IS GENERALLY CONSIDERED TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF REHABILITATION, STRENGTH TRAINING, AND INJURY PREVENTION. THIS GROUP OF MUSCLES SERVES AS THE PRIMARY COMPONENT FOR ALL MOVEMENTS OF THE HUMAN BODY. WITHOUT ADEQUATE CORE STRENGTH, SIMPLE TASKS SUCH AS BENDING, LIFTING, SITTING, STANDING, AND WALKING, BECOME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT AND THE RISK OF INJURY INCREASES SIGNIFICANTLY.

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The following simple exercises will provide you with a basic strengthening program that will greatly improve your core stability!

FRONT PLANK

5 ROUNDS - 10 SECOND HOLD Start laying on your stomach. Tighten the abdominal muscles and lift your body up off the floor using your forearms and feet as a balance point. Ensure that the lower back is in a flat stable position for the duration of the plank hold.

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SIDE PLANK

5 ROUNDS PER SIDE - 10 SECOND HOLD Side-lie starting position. Tighten the abdominal muscles and lift your body up off the floor using your forearm and feet as a balance point. Ensure that the lower back is in a flat stable position for the duration of the plank hold.

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BIRD DOG

3 SETS, 10 REPETITIONS (ALTERNATING) Four point kneel starting position. Tighten the abdominal muscles and lift the opposite arm and leg off the floor to a level that is parallel with the floor. Hold this position for 3 seconds.

Ensure that the lower back is in a flat stable position for the duration of the hold.

DEAD BUG

3 SETS, 10 REPETITIONS (ALTERNATING) Start laying on your back with the knees up towards the chest, and the arms straight up towards the ceiling. Tighten the abdominal muscles and slowly lower the opposite arm and leg towards the floor. Maintain a flat back the entire time without coming off the floor.

BRIDGING

3 SETS, 10 REPETITIONS Start laying on your back, knees bent, feet on the floor. Tighten the abdominal muscles and lift your hips up off the floor until your body is completely parallel and hold for 3 seconds.

Ensure that the lower back is in a flat stable position for the duration of the movement and do not hold your breath.

CALL 780-455-5068 TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT TODAY

OPTIMIZE YOUR BODY. OPTIMIZE YOUR LIFE.

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Eville Roller Derby.

Looking For Fresh Meat In YEG

BY Belle Rebelle

I’m Belle Rebelle and I’m a roller derby athlete.

I play with Eville Roller Derby League on the house team, the Slice Girls, and on the competitive travel team the Eville Dead. If you didn’t know that there’s a fantastic derby happening in the city then you need to come check us out.

And if you’re wondering if it’s as awesome and badass as it looks? Oh yeah.

The older crowd associate today’s derby with the roller derby of the ‘70s and ‘80s. Back then it was a flashy blend of WWE-style entertainment on skates with contrived storylines and hair-pulling fights. There were few rules, very little safety gear, and the track was banked.

Roller derby has evolved significantly since the days of famed derby girl Skinny Minnie Miller.

Roller derby has undergone a revival and today’s derby is significantly different.

The sport has become legitimized, there’s an evolving rule set, and an international governing body (Women’s Flat Track Derby Association or WFTDA). There are tournaments, WFTDA playoffs, and a World Cup. While roller derby has maintained a lot of it’s kitschy charm at the house team level, competitive roller derby has a more athletic focus. It’s been touted as the fastest growing sport in North America, with leagues in most cities and small towns alike. There is junior roller derby for kids, and men have gotten into the game and have their own governing body, the Men’s Roller Derby Association or MRDA. Here’s an overview of how the sport is played: Roller derby is played by two teams with a roster of 14 players on a flat track. Each team has four blockers and one jammer on the track. A jam lasts up to two minutes. At the whistle, the jammers fight through the opposing blockers to get lead jammer status, which allows the lead jammer to call off the jam and prevent the other jammer from scoring. One point is awarded to the jammer for each opposing blocker she passes with her hips on the second and each subsequent pass. The game is full contact and the blockers are using their body position, hips and shoulders to prevent the jammer from passing. As a jammer, I use my hips and shoulders to hit my way through the blockers. Nothing is choreographed; all the hits are real and unexpected. Blockers switch from defence to offence and hit the opposing blockers to help their jammer get through the pack. We wear safety equipment to protect our bodies and brains from injury. There are lots of rules around safety and rules around maintaining integrity of the game play. Refs call out penalties and violators serve time in a penalty box. The bout is played in two 30-minute periods.

Photos by Vivid Ribbon Photography

Roller derby leagues are very inclusive and encouraging. No skating experience? No problem - we’ll teach you. We hold Fresh Meat classes for new skaters to learn how to skate and play. After 6 weeks of classes you’re ready to get tested to ensure you can skate safely and then you join the league.

I was one of the skaters who didn’t come from a skating background. I have kids and spent many years just focused on being a Mom. I went through the Fresh Meat program and I’ve now been skating for 5 years and love it.

I don’t have an athletic background either, and no experience on a team sport. Now I play with the Dead and also on Team Alberta.

I’ve become athletic, learned team dynamics, and developed the mental toughness to play competitively. In order to be conditioned for bouts, and to prevent injury, I do cross training outside of practice. I do weight training, plyometrics and cardio like running stairs, spin class, or skipping rope.

I’ve asked my teammates to share their experience with derby.

Scarstruck is a jammer on the house team the Berzerkers, the travel team the Dead,

and Team Alberta. She’s been playing almost 3 years and previously played 14 years of ringette. When she got into university she missed the team sport experience. Her Dad told her about derby through a colleague of his and talked her into watching a game and she was hooked. Scar keeps fit by doing cross-fit, spin class and weight training. Her favorite thing about derby? The aggression with all the exciting hard-hitting action!

Tuf Luv is a blocker/jammer on the house team the Slice Girls, blocker on the travel team the Dead, and blocker on Team Alberta. She’s been playing for 8 years and had previously curled for 10 years. She learned of derby through an Eville booth at a tattoo show (we do lots of promotion). She went to the new skater night without even watching a game and fell in love with it even though she fell and bruised her tailbone that first time. Tuf keeps fit by doing weight training, plyometrics and cardio on the treadmill and elliptical. Her favorite thing about derby? The competitiveness and the challenge. There is always something to improve on and challenge yourself with. And the camaraderie with your team and within the league. And the awesome friends you make.

Want to learn more?

Check out our website at evillerollerderby.com.

We’re on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr.

Check out our website for ticket information. Want to join derby?

Contact us at: info@e-villerollerderby.com for information on the next Fresh Meat intake.

University CAN Be All Fun And Games

Photos by Vivid Ribbon Photography

For most students, university is a time for focusing, hard work and training for your future. It’s a time to concentrate your attention on becoming the best you can be in your field and working every day towards reaching your end goal. For most, this involves spending hours in the library and lab training their brains and learning the skills needed to become masters of their subject areas. But for many others, it involves spending just as much time training their bodies to become the top student athletes in the country.

This month, we focus on the Bears and Pandas volleyball teams as they begin their seasons with the goal of becoming CIS Champions. John Goranson and Jessie Niles spent some time with us sharing how they got to be where they are today and to detail the commitment they put into becoming some of the countries best volleyball players.

John Goranson John grew up In Red Deer, Alberta and went to Notre Dame High School where he started playing hockey at a very young age. He continued all the way through high school and spent his summers playing lacrosse. In grade 7, he began playing volleyball for his school’s team and played with the Red Deer Kings Club volleyball team.

“In high school I played pretty much all the school sports,” he says. “Volleyball, basketball, track and field, x-country running, track and field and rugby.” Along with playing club volleyball and club lacrosse in the summers, he also played a couple of summers on the Team Alberta Volleyball team and competed at nationals. Then in the summer of 2013 John was selected on the Junior Canadian National team and competed at the u21 World championships in Turkey. He was also part of the 2014 and 2015 back-to-back CIS championship teams with the golden bears volleyball. >>

Unlike most students who are able to take 4 months away from school in the summer, university athletes typically use this time to begin their off court training for the next season.

Gone are the days where coaches expect all the training to happen on the playing surface.

Athletes today spend just as many hours offcourt training and pre-season training to build strength and speed to gain that competitive edge they all are looking for.

For John, his pre-season training typically follows a six-day schedule with a rest day. Typically a 4-day workout in the gym and 5-day practice schedule are on his weekly calendar.

This means he’s spending 2 sessions training most days focusing on strength and agility training in the gym and positional play and ball control on the court. When the season begins, his workouts in the gym decrease a bit, focusing more time on team play and improving ball control. He’s still training or practicing six days a week, which is on top of the two weekly league games.

It takes a lot of commitment to reach the level John has attained, and it didn’t come easy. “The first message that I think I would tell young athletes is to start getting in good habits of taking care of your body,” he says. As a varsity athlete it is extremely important that you take time to take care of your body, a lot of younger athletes look past this as most of the time they can get away with it at their age. But as kids get older and the training gets more intense it is crucial that they start forming good habits of taking care of their body.

“For me these things are proper nutrition (eating healthy throughout the day and good pre-practice/ game meal), stretching/rolling for at least twenty minutes after every practice, along with icing anything sore, making sure I keep up with my workouts, getting

enough sleep and making sure to rest on my days off.” This is something that he didn’t learn until later in his playing years John stresses the importance for a young volleyball athlete to work on explosiveness and foot speed. Ladder work is something that should be done every week along with accelerations and quick reaction drills. For weight training, he focuses on quick, efficient workouts. “As a student athlete we have to be diligent on how we spend time, so I focus on being in and out of a workout in under a hour because we have a lot of other things that we have to do in a day like going to classes, studying, practicing, and traveling to competition,” he says.

John’s Workout 15 MINUTES DOING A WARM UP AND MUSCLE ACTIVATIONS 30 MINUTES OF A HIGH INTENSITY WORKOUT. WORKOUTS ARE BASED ON 3 MAIN LIFTS (ONE DAY SQUATS, NEXT DAY DEAD LIFT, THEN CLEANS). THROW IN BURPEES/PUSHUPS/ CHIN UPS/WALKING LUNGES/CHEST PULL UP. HE CREATES A WORKOUT WITH 4-5 EXERCISES DOING 8-10 REPS AND COMPLETES THEM BACK TO BACK WITH NO BREAK. THEN DO 4-5 SETS RESTING 45 SECONDS IN BETWEEN. 15 MINUTES TO COOL DOWN/ STRETCH AND FOAM ROLE.

and-a-half hours. For their weight training, they do a lot of Olympic lifts (i.e. snatches, cleans, squats). On days that the team isn’t weight training, they are doing cardio training, which typically lasts around 30 minutes.

Jessie Niles Jessie attended Strathcona-Tweedsmuir High school in Okotoks, Alberta and played on the Senior Varsity Volleyball Team there. For club volleyball, she played for the Dinos Volleyball Club in Calgary, Alberta. She calls Turner Valley, Alberta her hometown, but she was born in Smiths Falls, Ontario. Volleyball has always been part of her life having played since she was 13 years old. Like many athletes today, she didn’t play just one sport. She also competed in track and field, cross-country, soccer, and badminton. >> “Pre-season is the most physically demanding part of our season,” says Jessie. “We practice on-court five times per week from two-and-ahalf to three hours per day.” Additionally, the Pandas weight train two to three times per week with each session lasting around one-

“Since our season is quite long compared to others the fitness training that we do in pre-season really helps with maintaining health and strength the entire time,” she says.

The attention and focus on fitness is one of the things that she feels sets the Pandas apart from other varsity volleyball programs in the country.

During the season, the team focuses more on the technical and team play aspects of the game, while maintaining strength and good health. “We have a team practice three or four times per week which lasts two to three hours per day,” she says. If the team is travelling, they typically leave on the Thursday and have a game-day practice every Friday and Saturday morning for about an hour. Their weight training drops down to once or twice a week in order to maintain strength but to ensure they have enough energy to play for the games on the weekend.

Volleyball is a very technical sport that can be somewhat frustrating for young athletes to learn. Therefore, there are many important movement skills that are specific to volleyball that, if instilled at a young age, can be

The Holiday Lifestyle With the passing of Thanksgiving and approaching Christmas, it seems that we just throw everything we’ve been working on out the window because we’re suckers for all things pumpkin and candy cane.

WHAT CAN WE DO?!

Don’t fret, we at Wevive Fitness have got your back!

1) Keep doing what you’re doing.

No seriously. Don’t stop just because you think it’s a waste being too busy to workout and not eating clean. There is a way to get through this without wasting all of your effort up to this point and having to start over again with the Resolution-ers.

•Still schedule in your workouts. If you miss one, you miss one but if you didn’t plan for it, it probably wouldn’t have happened at all.

•If you’re a person who counts macros, count your macros. If you end up going over your macros because you would like a cookie, eat the cookie! Nobody will die. Unless there’s an allergy involved, be careful about those. But don’t throw away your whole day for one cookie.

Or seven cookies. The seven cookies are still not as bad as seven cookies , a Big Mac, one can of pop, and five PSL.

2) Collaborate.

Listen, you are not the only holiday fanatic in the world. In fact, fall is very popular these days and Christmas is my absolute favorite. So the moral of the story is, it’s way more fun to play with a friend- you’re keeping each other accountable and maybe you can grab a coffee or a snack after as a treat both for being awesome and for having done your workout! Some might say it’s a waste, but we say, if people who workout can’t have a treat; who can?! I mean anyone can, but here’s another reason for you to feel good about it 3) Validate how you’re feeling and enjoy the holidays!

I mean ultimately, this happens once a year. If you can’t enjoy it, what’s the point?

Holidays are about merry making and appreciation, so do your best and don’t beat yourself up about it!

Wevive for Christmas As we’ve said before, we are all about the #fitfam at our gym. We don’t really have to work that hard to make people love us, it’s kind of our thing.

As always, we like to extend the warmth of our family out to the community. If you’re reading the last article and feeling overwhelmed, lonely, or unsure of how to navigate we invite you to visit us this season! Otherwise, stay tuned for several excuses to join us for Christmas; 12 in fact.

Follow us on Instagram/Twitter/Facebook @wevivefitness (easy right?) to get the scoop as we release our exclusive 12 days of Christmas. Just in time to get into the New Year with a sneak peak at the roll out of our new business model!

SO MUCH EXCITE!

By Lorelei Maher

Training For Youth Athletes

by Eric Kebernik

Resistance training has become more common among young athletes today. In the past, resistance training for youth populations have been associated with a high risk of injury. All athletic activities carry some inherent risk of injury, and resistance training is no exception. However most injuries related to resistance training are associated with excessive loading or improper technique (Faigenbaum et al., 2009). Under proper supervision and guidance, resistance training can be highly beneficial and safe for youth of almost any age.

Resistance training is effective and safe for young athletes, but what does that exactly mean? Should they be lifting weights? Is performing only body weight exercises safer than lifting weights? These answers are not black and white, and working with a fitness professional will help provide proper guidance. Age will play a factor in program design, but it is still possible for a younger athlete to have a more advanced program.

Bodyweight exercises are often used as an easy access to resistance training and are performed at a young age in most sports. One example of this is a push up. The push up is a great exercise for building strength, but it is one of the more common exercises we see performed incorrectly at Body By Bennett in our young athletes. Correcting the technique of the push up can often be done in a few sessions with

coaching and cueing. Some athletes however do not possess the upper body, core, or lower body strength to perform a proper push up. This is when resistance training can be counterproductive for the athlete. If we force the athlete to conform to the program and perform the push up anyways, we are creating a poor motor pattern and putting the athlete at a higher risk for a dysfunctional movement pattern.

Modifying the exercise so the athlete can be successful is essential to building a safe and effective program. This may require something as simple as a modification to the leverage point of the exercise. This could mean performing the push up on an incline or from the knees instead of the toes. In the case when the athlete is not physically able to perform a push up, the trainer should select an appropriate exercise that can be used as a building block. For example a lying dumbbell press from the floor creates a larger base of support for the athlete and can help develop the upper body strength required to perform a push up. This is a good example when an exercise with weights can be safer than a commonly used body weight exercise. This approach can be used for any type of exercise, and puts the athlete in the best position for success.

One of the most transferable skills gained from resistance training is developing motor control.

By improving an athlete’s motor control you >>

increase the ability of the brain to communicate with muscle groups and help develop force control, spatial awareness, joint mechanics, and reaction time. These skills will help set the foundation for building a more advanced training program in the future. For example we break down the mechanics of a sprint before having our athletes run full speed in drills.

Communicating in terms a young athlete can understand is vital when helping them learn a new skill. Coaching an athlete to activate their latissimus dorsi on a deadlift is a helpful cue to help set proper posture and stabilize their spine during the lift. However, the athlete most likely will have no idea what this means or how to use that information. Coaching the athlete to try and ‘bend the bar’ will accomplish the exact same result, and provides a cue that is clear and to the point.

When verbal cueing is not enough we will often use tools that provide external feedback for the athlete. Mirrors, a stick to assist with posture alignment, or a video replay are all examples of helpful feedback. The long term goal is have the athlete able to perform the skills without relying on external feedback. If the athlete can perform a skill properly without the aid of external feedback, the athlete is going to further develop their motor skills that will help improve their performance.

Today a surplus of information is readily available on resistance training and sports specific training. Sifting through that information to uncover what is safe and effective can be difficult. There is never going to be only one way to train. With the help of a fitness professional, a safe and effective training program can be designed for a young athlete of any age.

Eric Kebernik is a personal trainer with Body By Bennett. Opening their doors to Edmonton’s first private training studio nearly two decades ago, they remain committed to providing smart personal training and nutrition programs.

References 1. Faigenbaum, A. D., et al. (2009, August). Youth Resistance Training: Updated Position Statement Paper from the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 23.

We are lucky enough to get many (many, many) months to enjoy winter sports here in YEG ...

WINTER SPORTS

L A V I V SUR GUIDE

By Laurie Plouffe Physiotherapist

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Follow these 4 tips to ensure success no matter what your winter activity of choice is!

GET A “50 POINT INSPECTION” FOR YOUR BODY Just like we get the tires changed on our car to handle the new conditions, getting your body checked to see if it’s ready to handle your new activities will ensure success. A functional movement assessment checks how the body is moving, when it’s moving, and if we need to make it move better. Even if you feel great we want to make sure you’re actually functioning efficiently before problems arise.

CORE / STABILITY TRAINING (FOR MORE THAN JUST ABS) Winter conditions make winter sports a balancing act. You don’t want to be thinking about balance when you should be thinking about your next jump, slapshot or line down the hill. Proper core engagement should be automatic and allow your brain, arms and legs to concentrate on the complicated fun moves without worrying about falling.

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PREVENTING OVERUSE INJURIES WITH CORRECTIVE EXERCISE Most of the time pain that comes on slowly is the sign one body part is working overtime for another. A complete functional assessment can identify problem areas before they start to cause pain. The best athletes in the world in all sports are using preventative screens and corrective exercise programs to help prevent problems before they start. You should too! Corrective exercise is not a “one size fits all” approach, but when prescribed given the findings of your screen you can keep those nagging aches and pains from holding you back from the slopes.

INDIVIDUALIZED WARM UPS TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE Using the exercises or motor control drills that are specifically designed from your screen before you head out to your winter activity, or even out the door, prime your body to be able to perform your best. A few easy moves that address your individual issues acts like a pep talk to your brain, core and muscles to get them all on the same page for performance.

The Eskimos Cheer Team.

Hard Work. Dedication. Strength.

Photos by Vivid Ribbon Photography

The Edmonton Eskimos Cheer Team is a professional group of athletes made up of dancers, gymnasts and acrobatic cheerleaders. Throughout the season they perform intense dance choreography, acrobatic stunting, basket tosses and gymnastics that combine to make entertaining routines that they perform at the Eskimos football games and numerous other venues.

Often, spectators are unaware of how physically demanding the sport is, and they underestimate the level of fitness required to put together the skills seen in the finished product.

The majority of the team has been involved in the sport for several years; athletes at this level have a very thorough understanding of what is required of the body and how to maintain the physical fitness level necessary to be successful in what they do. They have learned over the years which muscles are required to execute the various movements that make up routines, and how to train them to be most effective.

For example, a flyer must have amazing core strength and flexibility since both are crucial for everything they do. In order to maintain the level of physical fitness required, they dedicate much more time training than the few hours a week of practice with the rest of the group. Bases, on the other hand, require considerable strength, timing and agility.

Like any other team, the types of fitness activities they do outside of practice vary between each member. As a flyer or dancer, running stairs first thing in the morning a few times a week,

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and incorporating various bodyweight training exercises into those morning workouts are common. In addition to that, yoga classes offered at the studios around the city are valuable. Some members make training at local fitness facilities a part of their daily routine.

Bases train in a slight different fashion. Aside from practicing stunts over and over which is a work out in itself, they are in the gym five to seven days a week. They also add a few extra exercises to help increase their strength in certain areas, which will help them to stunt for four-hour game days. Adding dumbbell presses, squat presses, squats and a few other core exercises helps. If their core isn’t strong they will have a hard time holding a person in the air with one hand. Add to that about 30 minutes to an hour of cardio to round out their average workout.

Furthermore, they make their best efforts to look after their bodies by eating well, staying hydrated and getting enough rest to keep their energy up. The men on the team eat 5 or 6 small meals a day. Mainly consisting of some kind of protein, carbs and greens.

However, there is more to being a professional cheerleader than the physical aspect. It can also be a highly demanding sport in the mental and emotional sense. They perform in front of crowds as large as 60,000 people, which requires a level of confidence that can take time to develop. Having a positive attitude plays a huge role in creating the self-confidence and the trust necessary to safely perform in any environment.

They would not be able to do what they do without being physically, mentally, and emotionally fit to the highest standard.

The Edmonton Eskimos Cheer Team is known around North America as the premier coed acrobatic cheer team and dance combo. With athletes on Team Canada and National Champion Cheer programs like Perfect Storm Athletics they are truly the best of the best in this popular sport.

Hotel Room Fitness

Staying Fit On Vacation

by Clinton & Rachael Senkow

Photos by Vivid Ribbon Photography Shot on location at Fairmont Hotel MacDonald

We all find ourselves at one point or another during the winter months spending a night or two in a hotel, whether it’s for business or pleasure. Instead of having to leave your room to workout we designed a custom program for you to enjoy right in your hotel room.

Exercise #1 JUMPING JACKS

This is an exercise everyone is familiar with from a young age but as we get older we seem to get away from it. It’s a great way to get your blood moving and warm yourself up before you start the circuit. We recommend doing as many as 2 minutes straight or until you feel warm.

Exercise #2 SIDE PLANK + DIP

You can lay a towel down on the floor if you don’t want to directly lay on the floor. Lay on your left side with your feet touching on top of each other and left elbow supporting your body up. Now slowly dip your hips down to the ground and hold for 2 seconds then bring your hips back up. This exercise should engage your core muscles and obliques. Do 20 per side.

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Exercise #3

SINGLE LEG SPLIT SQUAT

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For this exercise you can either use the edge of your bed or a chair. Start by standing straight and placing one leg backwards onto the bed or chair. The front of your foot should be facing down while your other leg will be the main support facing forward. If you have done a normal single leg squat before this is the same thing except your back foot will be propped up on the bed or chair. Remember to keep your core tight and spine straight during this exercise. Lower your body to 90 degrees and the back leg should feel a slight pull in the hips and then come back up. Repeat 20 times and then switch legs. *TIP If you want and extra good workout try holding something that is at least a few pounds in your hands to increase the resistance.

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Exercise #5

ABDOMINAL TOE TOUCHES

Lay on your back on the floor with your feet up as high as they can go towards the ceiling. Then take your right arm and cross over your body to reach for your left foot, then repeat with the opposite arm and foot. Do this 20 times for each foot.

Rachael and Clinton Senkow Rachael competes in fitness competitions while also advising women on how to live a healthier life through fitness and nutrition coaching.

Clinton likes getting involved within the Edmonton community and enjoys hot yoga and home-cooking dates with Rachael.

You can follow them on Twitter or Instagram

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Depending on how hard you want your workout to be we recommend doing a minimum 3 sets of the exercises but if you want to be challenged and work a good sweat do 5 sets.

Now you have no excuses to not work out when you’re on the road.

Safe travels this holiday season everyone!

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Kathleen Smith Occupation: Political pundit, social media personality, philanthropist and co-host of the weekly web program “To The Point”.

Age: 48

Background: After struggling with her weight and relationship with food the majority of her adult life - including a starvation for vanity phase in her 30’s Kathleen gained weight after giving birth to her fourth child at the age of 40. Getting back into shape took a backseat to raising her children and pursuit of a media career.

Following the death of her youngest son at the end of 2014 and the loss of her father just weeks later, Kathleen turned to food as a means of comfort, resulting in a significant weight gain. By September of 2015, she realized she had gained 80 pounds in 10 years, and the weight gain was having negative effects on not only her physical and emotional health, but her relationship with the world outside of her home.

Goals: Kathleen’s fitness goals are to reduce overall body fat percentage while building lean muscle, develop a new relationship with food as fuel rather than emotional medication, make an active lifestyle her new normal, and make healthier lifestyle choices. Her long term goal is to lose 60 lbs of body fat, taking her from “a well marbled prime rib to a lean fillet”, and to no longer see Cheetos, caffeine, and vodka martinis as the perfect food pyramid. She also hopes to learn to enjoy sweating.

ROB WILLIAMS Occupation: Co-host CTV Morning Live Age: 43

Background: Rob has spent the past 24 years in radio and TV starting at LW1230 in Wainwright in 1992. He moved to Medicine Hat, where he eventually got his start in TV and has been with CTV Edmonton for more than 15 years. Being up early for the morning news can play havoc with your schedule including your fitness level and being a media personality involves may event appearances with local charities and Edmonton events that further cut into his time to spend on his own wellness.

Goals: Rob loves to bike and enjoys running, but would like to do some more circuit/speed training to get his heart pumping and blood flowing. He’d like to shed a few pounds, which would help get him back to his ideal fighting weight. It’s also fun for him to be back in a gym setting. He says it’s been a while.

TJ SADLER Occupation: Teacher/Editor of YEG Fitness Age: 41

Background: TJ has been an athlete most of his life having played basketball, hockey and competed as a diver. For as long as he can remember, fitness has been an important part of his life and he’s always tried to incorporate activity into his daily routine. Health and fitness are major priorities, but at the same time, life gets in the way and sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in the day though.

Goals: TJ suffers from the same dreaded disease that many other men suffer. It forces them to spend summers wearing long pants and sweats at the gym. While he’s made adjustments to his training over the years to increase strength and size to his legs, they just don’t get the size and definition of his upper body. He squats, deadlifts and lunges but they just don’t grow.