exercise

Not All Strength Training is Equal – How To Get The Most Out of Your Lifts.

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Fast-twitch, slow twitch, speed work, strength work, conditioning work, mobility, neuro function, agility, balance, cross-training, etc, etc, etc.

The world of strength training can be so confusing and it can be hard to know what type of work can help you and your activities the most. What is the best way to get faster? Stronger? More agile? Recover from injury? The way you train – the load, the speed, the tempo – all of these change the response in your body. 

When designing strength programs, I like to think in layers. Take a look below for a guide on how to set up your own programming. Need help? Reach out to Koa Fit and schedule a session.

Layer 1 – Strength vs Conditioning

This is where I see people make the biggest mistake. In Boulder, most people are doing some sort of endurance activity, whether it it cycling, hiking, walking, or running. Then they head to the gym and do high rep, low weight strength training. These are similar stimulus and will illicit similar responses in the body. Meaning, there is no cross-training happening.

Benefits of Strength Training

  • Hypertrophy
  • Power
  • Explosive/Dynamic
  • Bone Health

Benefits of Conditioning Training

  • Foundational Fitness
  • Stamina
  • Endurance
  • Aerobic Capacity

If you are doing an endurance activity, most of your conditioning will already be covered. Think about using the gym for more strength focus. If you are new to lifting or are using it as your primary way of moving and exercising, you will want to stay in more of the conditioning realm or include both.

Within this layer, you can also include:

  • Corrective work/rehab – remember to train for when things may go wrong, not just power for when things go right. 
  • Prep work
  • Isolation Movements
  • Compound Movements

You will want to progress each week. Whether it is 1 extra rep or extra load, you want to do more each week so you can see improvement.

There are 2 ways to progress:

2 Ways to progress

  • More load – reps, weight, time under tension
  • More complexity – position, stability, multi-joint, coordination

Layer 2 – Tempo

There are 3 different stresses put on the muscle with every movement. Depending on which part of the movement you focus on, you can change the input.

  • Concentric  – Muscle shortens under load
  • Eccentric – Muscle lengthens under load
  • Isometric – Muscle is static under load

Concentric focused will help you create explosive, dynamic power. Eccentric focus can be better to increase overall strength and is utilized for injury prevention and recovery. Isometrics are helpful if you need a lotto strength in a specific range or if the joint you are working is compromised and you want to strengthen while not aggravating the area.

Layer 3 – Specificity

Once you have the first 2 layers dialed for what works best for you, you can start to get very specific with your program.

Things like:

  • Joint Focus
  • Pattern Focus
  • Sport Specific

Layer 4 – Extras

Once you have your program dialed with the first 3 layers, take a look at what could be missing. Some extra things to think about when training are:

  • Balance
  • Coordination
  • Rhythm
  • Mobility
  • Agility
  • Mind/Body Connection

I hope this helps you improve your strength training program and gives you some ideas about how to make it work better for you. If need guidance or would like me to set up a program for you, please reach out at Brenna@koafitusa.com

Exercises for Knee Pain Prevention

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At some point, most adults will experience some form of knee pain. Depending on what that pain feels like and where you feel it can give us clues into what to do to prevent it from getting worse or coming back. Below is a quick guide. Think of it as a starting point. It is not meant to diagnose or treat and ailment, but as an offering to help keep the knees as healthy as possible for as long as possible.

Movements of the Knee

Before we jump into specific areas of pain, let’s talk about the biomechanics of the knee. The knee is commonly known as a hinge joint. Most people are familiar with the knee’s ability to flex (bending the knee so our heel gets closer to our butts) and extend (straightening the knee like kicking a soccer ball). But, the knee also rotates in 2 directions which are called tibial internal rotation (IR) and tibial external rotation (ER). This rotation is the primary movement of the knee. If we are lacking in either of these rotations (most people lack IR), it inhibits are ability to flex and extend in full range without putting stress on the knee joint.

This means, no matter what type of knee pain you experience, you should always start with rotation exercises. Below are a few ways to learn how to rotate, assess how much you have, and then help to increase the range and strength of the rotational movement.

Once you have established healthy rotation, scroll below to address where you have pain.

Pain in the Front of the Knee

Pain in the front of the knee, either above or below the patella (knee cap), is one of the most common forms of knee irritation. It can come on as quick as a little “tweak” or linger for a few days or months, maybe after a big hike. This is usually a sign of a strength imbalance in the legs where the quads (front of the thighs) are stronger than the hamstrings (back of the thighs). This can happen for a variety of reasons, but the exercises below are a good place to start when this type of pain sets in. Remember, always start with at least some of the rotational exercises above before moving on to anything below.

Pain in the Back of the Knee

Though it may feel counterintuitive, pain in the back of the knee is also associated with weakness in the hamstrings, specifically eccentric (muscle gets longer under tension) strength. When the hamstring can’t stabilize and support the back of the knee, the ligaments, tendon, and other connective tissue in the joint have to do the work. This leads to inflammation from being overworked and shows up as a symptom of pain in the back of the knee. Below are a few exercises you can do to help support the knee.

Pain on the Inside or Outside of the Knee

If you have pain in the inside or outside of the knee, then you have a rotational issue in your knee. Pain on the inside and outside can have a variety of reasons it is showing up, but at the heart of it, is that you don’t have enough rotation in the knee to support how much flexion and extension you are needing/demanding from your knee joint. Spend a lot of time on the very first exercises at the top. Once you have gone through those, you can start the movements below.

Up and Down the Chain

The knee is commonly called the “victim” of our movement. Meaning, our feet and ankles and our hips have a lot to do with the force our knees experience.

If we are lacking dorsiflexion (the forward movement of our shin to the top of our foot), we will more than likely externally rotate at the knee and turn our foot outward to help us move through our gait. This causes an unwanted rotational pressure through the knee. If we are weak laterally (outside of our hips), we tend to collapse at the hip, putting a shear force through the knee joint and putting pressure on the inside and/or outside of the knee. Below are a coupe of exercises you could add to your knee program, to help ensure the entire chain of joints and movements is working properly.

These exercises should be used as a tool kit. At no point, should you experience any pain or discomfort with any of the movements. The mechanics behind your knee pain can be different from another person’s even if the same symptoms are present. A full movement assessment is a good way to get the full-body picture of what may be causing you discomfort. If you would like to set up an appointment to get a full assessment and a personalized exercise program, please reach out to me at Brenna@KoaFitUSA.com.

8 Daily Habits to Maintain Your Health

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At 26 years old, I weighed 186lbs.  I currently weigh 135lbs.  Over the course of 5 years from age 26 to 31, I lost over 50lbs and I have kept it off for the last 7 years.  Over the years, a lot of my clients have asked me for my “secret” or praised my discipline and focus, but the truth is, I am just a regular person, trying to make healthy choices, one at a time.

Setting big goals is great and necessary to progress.  However, I find, it is the small, daily choices and actions that help us move towards being the healthy person we all want to be.  Small changes over time, lead to the big changes we are ultimately after.

My success is due to my consistency in making those healthy choices.  I take every day and every choice one at a time.  I try to make the best choice each time, sometimes I fail, but I only allow myself to think of the choice in front of me, not what I did earlier or what I might do in the future.  This is the “secret” to successfully becoming the best version of yourself.

Over the years, there are healthy habits I have tried to make part of my daily routine.  It makes them feel more regular, something not special or hard to do each day or that I have to remember to do.  I just set an expectation and choose a place or specific time to plug it into my day.  I attach the new habits I am trying to form to  already established routines, like brushing my teeth or letting the dog out, so that it becomes easy to move from one thing to the other.

If you are trying to “get healthy” try adding one new habit from the list below.  Take your time, moving one day at a time.  It does not matter how long it takes you to get towards your goal, just as long as your are moving in the right direction, getting better with each day.

Here are 8 things I do everyday to maintain my health:

  1. Drink 16oz of water as soon as I wake up.  Drinking water first thing in the morning, after your body has been “fasting” for the past 8-10 hours is one of the best things you can do for your organs.  It can also make you “crave” water throughout the day which acts as a little reminder to keep yourself hydrated.
  2. Move.  I move every single day.  It does not mean I workout everyday, but I move.  This could be as small as a 15 minute stretch session or a 4 hour bike ride or anything in between.  The important thing to me is to use my body each day.  To move it in ways it was designed to move.  Walk, jog, jump, lift, play – do whatever feels good to you.
  3. Give myself time.  I HATE to rush and I don’t like being late.  In order to avoid this, I wake up earlier than I need to which means I go to bed earlier than I need.  I want enough time in the morning to talk with my husband, pet my dog, make my breakfast and prepare my lunch, and even take in some news or answer emails.  I want to enter my day prepared and organized, not scattered and overwhelmed.  If waking up an extra 20-30 minutes earlier is what I need to do, that is fine by me.
  4. Eat my vegetables.  I try to eat some sort of vegetable at every meal and snack.  I put spinach in my eggs in the morning, usually have some sort of salad at lunch, and prep roasted vegetables for dinner.  If you are trying to eat healthier, stop thinking about what you need to take out of your diet and start adding vegetables in.  It will automatically make you eat less junk, crave better food, and smooth out your blood sugar spikes.
  5. Reflect.  I don’t always have time to meditate or even sit still, but there is always time to reflect.  Sometimes I only have time on my drive into work.  I turn the radio off, think about my day and what challenges I may encounter, and start to think of solutions to any problems that may occur.  Again, I like to enter the day calm and prepared.  10 minutes of “prep” can go a long way in helping me make clearer decisions and prioritizing my responsibilities.
  6. Read.  I like to read, so this is easy for me, but I didn’t always like to read.  If you are not a reader, it is an acquired taste, like coffee.  It may be something you don’t enjoy at first, but after a while, you look forward to it.  Reading helps us get out of our “bubble” and exposes us to alternate places, schools of thought, and people.  It is an easy and convenient way to expand your mind.
  7. Take a probiotic.  I take a few supplements like Vitamin D and C and others, but the most important for a healthy gut is going to be a good probiotic.  A healthy gut leads to a healthy immune system, higher energy levels, better food processing, and more.  It is a very easy thing to add in to your daily routine.  Consult with your doctor, nutritionist, or dietician to find one that works best for you.
  8. Sleep.  No shocker here.  I have talked about it on my podcast, I have written about it, I take slack for the fact that I have been known to go to bed at 830pm.  I need sleep to function and perform at my best.  I work with clients on a one-on-one basis who deserve my full attention and my full brain power and there is no way I can give it to them if I am sleep-deprived.  On top of that, getting an adequate amount of sleep helps lower stress, blood pressure, and improves your focus.  Get the sleep you need, so you can be your best the next day.

When making changes to your regular routine, add a little at a time.  It is too much to demand of yourself changes in multiple areas.  Pick one habit you want to add in to your daily routine and give your self 1-3 months to get it established before moving on to the next habit.  Remember, it does not matter how fast you move towards your goal, only that your are moving in the right direction.