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woman-plank-exercise

Power Up Your Planks!

/21 February 2022/ All MFN blog/

You know the importance of core strength — tone abdominals, obliques, and glutes. Thanks to spinal health, gone are jerky sit-ups. Ab crunches increase the “C” curve we have from sitting. New research says isometric planks are not effective. How can we improve our functional core stability? The answer is power! 

Power = Work X Speed 

We need power to avoid a fall. We use power to stand gracefully. What is a power plank? Consider Yoga — unison of breathing with posture and mental focus. Let’s skip the Sanskrit. Simply focus only on the exhale phase, to drive each outgoing breath with an abdominal contraction, about once or twice per second.

Plank Basics

Depending on comfort, support yourself on hands or forearms, and on knees or toes. Plank means straight hips. To protect your lumbar, lengthen it. Our sedentary lifestyle puts extra curve in the back. For neutral pelvis, slightly tuck your tail. Then, tuck your lower ribs. Don’t reference online photos. Society likes a curvy look, but it hurts your back. 

Your upper back should neither be rounded nor collapsed. Tuck your chin slightly and draw back to align your head with the spine.

A Power Plank

In your well-aligned plank pose, add quick, punchy exhales, like blowing out a candle. Use your nostrils or mouth but make a sound. As you draw your abdominals toward the spine, your hips may lift.

Once confident with the power plank, add a stability ball under the hands or forearms. Or place it under your shins or toes! This adds bounce to those abdominal punches.

To progress, add balance disks under your knees or toes, while the ball supports your hands or forearms. Nothing touches the floor! Use the disks under your hands or forearms, while the ball supports your knees or toes.

With a suspension trainer, start with ankles in the loops and hands or forearms on the mat. Progress to balance disks under hands or forearms.

Side Planks Anyone?

For obliques, do power side planks. Start on one forearm with the other hand on the mat, knees and feet on the mat. Hips straight, stacked vertically, with top foot in front. As you lengthen, slightly tuck the lower rib toward your lower hip. Use this action to power your exhales. 

Add a stability ball under the forearm or under the lower legs. If the big ball rolls, tuck it into a corner. Ready? Put the balance disk under your knees or feet while your arm is on the ball. Or place the disks under your forearm, while your legs are on the ball. Your top foot goes in front, to prevent rolling backwards!

Power planks are intense, so shorten your usual time. Then repeat. Of course, your simplest ab move is extended, deep, belly laughter! Either way, have fun and do these often. The abs “live in the pantry,” so they won’t tire easily. Keep it up!

ACE-certified Medical Exercise Specialist and ERYT-500, Emma Spanda Johnson designs fitness solutions for clients of all abilities. Watch her video demonstration of these techniques during a free trial at https://well.burnalong.com/pss/class/16318 . With an Orthopedic Specialty, Emma offers online personal training via www.FlightLive.US and your first 60 minutes are free.

 

References

  1.  James W, Kendra C, Erin E, Stephanie D, Nicole L. John H. Hollman. Magnitudes of muscle activation of spine stabilizers in healthy adults during prone on elbow planking exercises with and without a fitness ball. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice.2018:34:
  2. Escamilla RF, Lewis C, Pecson A, Imamura R, Andrews JR. Muscle Activation Among Supine, Prone, and Side Position Exercises With and Without a Swiss Ball. Sports Health. 2016 Jul;8(4):372-9. doi: 10.1177/1941738116653931. Epub 2016 Jun 14. PMID: 27302152; PMCID: PMC4922527.
  3. Badau D, Badau A, Manolache G, Ene MI, Neofit A, Grosu VT, Tudor V, Sasu R, Moraru R, Moraru L. The Motor Impact of the Static Balance in the Up Plank Position on Three Different Balls in Physical Activities of Physical Education Students. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Feb 19;18(4):2043. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18042043. PMID: 33669792; PMCID: PMC7922917.

 

physical-therapist-and-client

7 Reasons Why Exercise is Important for Chronic Pain

/9 February 2022/ All MFN blog/

When it comes to managing chronic pain due to past injuries, most of us are familiar with common modalities like oral medication, topical analgesic gels, acupuncture, massage, pain therapy machines, meditation/mindfulness, or even surgery. However, did you know that exercising regularly is also an effective tool to manage chronic pain? 

Treating pain mainly falls into 2 categories:

  • Passive Treatment: Designed to address the pain (symptoms) 
  • Active Treatment: Designed to address the cause 

Passive treatment includes treatments that are performed on you such as ultrasound, infrared rays, needling, and manual therapy such as massage or chiropractic manipulation. The therapist is in control during this type of treatment and it mainly focuses on acute pain relief. It does not address or correct the cause of the pain. Brief pain-free periods may ensue, but passive treatment rarely increases the likelihood of complete recovery. For most, one of the main reasons is because people rely too much on passive treatment alone. Passive treatment is usually recommended during the early stage of rehab or for acute pain to help regain minimal functionality, to promote early stages of healing, and to break the vicious pain-cycle. 

Active treatment requires you to be physically involved in the process while working towards a cure to pain. Some active treatments include stretching, a corrective exercise program, and resistance training. However, it is extremely important that you are given the correct active treatment program that is relevant to your injury or condition as well as your goals. Correct exercises are able to address the root of the problem and may even prevent injuries. Active treatment is salient in the mid to late stages of rehab when one is nearly back to full functional capacity. The key is to strike a balance between passive and active therapies to best suit the type of chronic pain. 

In order to treat chronic pain, it is important to understand that pain is a complex and individualized experience. Moreover, physical exercise may seem counterintuitive when you’re already suffering from pain, but whether your pain is intermittent or constant, adopting exercise as part of your active treatment can play an important role in managing pain for the long run. 

Here are the 7 reasons why exercise is essential to manage chronic pain:

1. Exercise alters pain tolerance

Athletes tend to report higher resilience towards pain compared to people who are sedentary. Studies have shown that active individuals are also likely to perceive pain differently. People who perform aerobic exercise or resistance training regularly, may develop the ability to adapt and desensitize the sensation of pain, thereby altering their pain tolerance in the process. 

2. Exercise increases the tissue’s tolerance threshold

Recurring injuries can happen when an excessive load surpasses the tissue tolerance level. Excessive load can come in many forms such as lifting up a pail of water, gardening, or from over-training. Gradually performing optimal exercises coupled with rest can stimulate and improve tissue tolerance margin. An increased threshold can help prevent an injury from reoccurring. 

Source: McGill, Stuart; (2017). Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance. Backfit Pro Inc.

3. Exercise improves blood circulation

Frequent exercise is associated with enhancement of the cardiovascular system. Aside from reducing risk of heart disease, increased blood flow raises the oxygen levels and helps deliver key nutrients within the body that are essential for cellular healing and reparation of injured tissues.

4. Exercise releases feel-good hormones

People living with chronic pain may experience severe disturbances in their psychological state. One can become anxious, depressed or stressed due to physical limitations. Therapeutic exercise can help elevate mood by releasing feel-good hormones such as endorphins and dopamine while at the same time reducing stress due to the release of hormones such as cortisol. 

5. Exercise may help address the root cause of the pain

Common injuries such as chronic lower back pain can be caused by many factors like continuous poor movement, muscle imbalances or past traumatic injuries. Exercise can help tackle the root of the problem by identifying compensating movements or muscle weakness through a series of assessments and resolve them with an exercise program. 

6. Exercise strengthens the body’s structure

“Use it or lose it” is a popular phrase used by physical therapists and exercise professionals when it comes to exercise. The connective tissues that move our body and support the joints are muscles. When the muscle stop being challenged, they lose function and strength. Over time, this weakens muscles and exposes the musculoskeletal structure to potential harm. 

7. Exercise improves confidence

In addition to strengthening muscles and improving overall health, exercise can also enhance motor skills by stimulating the connection between the central nervous system and the muscles. Neuromuscular training helps improve balance, stability, proprioception and joint control. This can translate to pain-free movement and a decreased risk for falls. Practicing quality movements via routined exercise can boost functional capacity to perform various activities of daily living without fear of injuries. 

Regular exercise that encompasses both aerobics and strength training is strongly recommended because it is both healthy and effective to decrease chronic pain. However, be sure to seek the advice of a certified medical fitness professional to help you design an appropriate pain management strategy that is appropriate for your condition.

Ke Wynn Lee is an author and an international award-winning corrective exercise specialist who currently owns and operates a private Medical Fitness Center in Penang. Apart from coaching, he also conducts workshops and actively contributes articles related to corrective exercise, fitness & health to online media and local magazines.

 

References

  • Ageberg, Eva1; Roos, Ewa M.2 Neuromuscular Exercise as Treatment of Degenerative Knee Disease, Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews: January 2015 – Volume 43 – Issue 1 – p 14-22 doi: 10.1249/JES.0000000000000030 
  • Järvinen TA, Järvinen TL, Kääriäinen M, Aärimaa V, Vaittinen S, Kalimo H, Järvinen M. Muscle injuries: optimising recovery. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2007 Apr;21(2):317-31. doi: 10.1016/j.berh.2006.12.004. PMID: 17512485. 
  • Jones MD, Booth J, Taylor JL, Barry BK. Aerobic training increases pain tolerance in healthy individuals. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2014 Aug;46(8):1640-7. Doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000000273. PMID: 24504426. 
  • F. Koltyn, R W Arbogast. Perception of pain after resistance exercise. (Br J Sports Med 1998;32:20–24)
  • McGill, Stuart; (2017). Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance. Backfit Pro Inc. 
  • Staying Healthy: Exercise to Relax. Harvard. December 2021. 
  • https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/exercising-to-relax 
Women-with-Kettlebells-Fitness

Studies Show COVID-19 Has Led To More Injuries

/26 January 2022/ All MFN blog/

The coronavirus pandemic has had a major effect on all areas of people’s lives, and physical activity levels are no exception. Recent studies show that the pandemic and associated lockdowns prompted many people to go one of two ways with regard to their exercise program. They either decided to work out more in an attempt to get in the best shape of their lives, or chose to spend lockdowns sitting at the computer, watching TV and/or enjoying long phases of inactivity. Both of these choices, while seemingly unrelated, have led to an increased number of people experiencing musculoskeletal injuries.1,2,3

What is Causing the Increase in Injuries?

The COVID-19 situation prevented most people from utilizing in-person fitness and exercise services. Consequently, those individuals who decided to increase their physical activity levels often did so without the supervision of a qualified fitness or exercise professional. In addition to engaging in exercise endeavors unsupervised, research found that they tended to work out longer and harder than would have been appropriate, and tried more extreme forms of exercise. This has resulted in many of these people experiencing musculoskeletal overuse injuries.1

Alternatively, individuals who stopped exercising during the pandemic and instead spent more time watching TV, playing computer games, and generally sitting for longer periods of time became deconditioned. Once lockdowns and COVID-19 restrictions began to ease up, these people experienced musculoskeletal injuries as they tried to return to their pre-pandemic exercise levels in a deconditioned state. 1,2

Guiding Clients Back from Pain and Injury

Corrective exercise specialists and fitness professionals well-versed in corrective exercise methodologies are uniquely positioned to help people overcome pain, injuries and musculoskeletal issues that have arisen as a result of over- or under-exercising during the pandemic.

Helping Over-Exercisers

Clients who sustained overuse injuries in their pandemic pursuit of ultimate fitness will benefit most from incorporating activities into their exercise regime that actively promote rest, recovery and rejuvenation. Coach these people to take days off from strenuous activity to instead perform self-myofascial release and gentle stretching exercises appropriate for their musculoskeletal issue or condition. Areas of the body that were overly-strained, stressed and/or injured during high levels and intensities of exercise should now be prioritized with these corrective exercise techniques.4

Helping Under-Exercisers

A deconditioned client trying to resume their pre-pandemic physical activity levels without adequate reintroduction will benefit from the application of gradual progression. Coach them about the need to address musculoskeletal changes that have occurred as a result of prolonged static postures like sitting, and the importance of slowly reintroducing exercise stress to help safeguard their body from the pain and injury that can result if they overdo it upon returning to the gym.4

As the availability of in-person exercise and fitness services begins to resume, corrective exercise specialists are in a unique position to assist people that have sustained musculoskeletal injuries as a result of too much or too little exercise. Whether helping clients get over pain and injuries incurred during the pandemic, or reintroducing exercise safely to those who are unfit and out of shape as a result of long periods of inactivity, expertise in the area of corrective exercise is now more important than ever.

Justin Price is one of the world’s foremost experts in musculoskeletal assessment and corrective exercise and creator of The BioMechanics Method Corrective Exercise Specialist certification (TBMM-CES).  The BioMechanics Method is the fitness industry’s highest-rated CES credential with trained professionals in over 70 countries. Justin is also the author of several books including The BioMechanics Method for Corrective Exercise academic textbook, a former IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year, and a subject matter expert for The American Council on Exercise, Human Kinetics, TRX, BOSU, MFN, Arthritis Today, BBC, Discovery Health, Los Angeles Times, Men’s Health, MSNBC, New York Times, Newsweek, Time, Wall Street Journal, WebMD and Tennis Magazine.

 

References

  1. Clarence Valley Independent. Nov 7, 2021. Increased exercise leads to unexpected injuries during lockdown. Retrieved from clarencevalleynews.com.au on Nov. 8, 2021.
  2. Moses, S, and Robins, M. August 2, 2021. The COVID connection: Youth sports injuries on the rise. WKYC studios. Retrieved from WKYC.com on Nov. 8, 2021.
  3. Seshadri, D., Thom, M., Harlow, E., Drummond, C. and Voss, J. Case Report: Return to sport following the COVID-19 lockdown and its impact on injury rates in the German Soccer League. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, Feb 18, 2021.
  4. Price, J. and Bratcher, M.  2019. The BioMechanics Method Corrective Exercise Specialist Education Program (2nd ed). San Diego, CA: The BioMechanics Press.

 

male-trainer-female-client-gym

Fitness Has Become a Luxury Item. It Doesn’t Have To Be…

/4 January 2022/ All MFN blog/

Something strange is happening to the fitness industry. Or maybe it already happened – years ago – and I’m only just noticing now (having no social media presence can be a mixed blessing). There’s a shift in how fitness is being packaged and sold, a shift that emphasizes an almost slave-like devotion to the self. During my lifetime the act of “working out” was usually presented as democratic in nature, a basic right accessible to all. Now, it’s being rebranded as a sort of mandatory luxury item for this generation of digital nomads.

Hell, even the language has changed. Health is “wellness”; exercising is “training”; getting a massage is “self-care.” Forgive me for coming off as a younger Andy Rooney, but back in my day you’d hit the gym a few times a week, either before or after work, and that was that. Maybe you’d play some ball with buddies on the weekend, maybe run an easy 5K Sunday morning. Food mattered, but it wasn’t something to stress over.

Today the expectation is to be up at 4 a.m. for morning meditation and journaling while riding out the final wave of your 12-hour daily fast. Breakfast – and every morsel that passes your lips thereafter – is posted on Instagram for the approval of the oh-so legitimate dietitians, trainers and food scientists who lurk in the comments section. Your workout is no longer just that, it’s an “experience” to be shared with your tribe/team/pod, one that we must pause and express gratitude for whenever possible (quick, grab your journal!).

By now you’re likely wondering what my point is. Hasn’t the pursuit of physical perfection and ultimate longevity always been just a tad self-indulgent? And what’s wrong with indulging the self anyway? My point – and my problem – is that entry into this cult of wellness comes at a ridiculous cost, in both the literal and metaphorical sense of the word. Forget for a moment the time commitment required; society is being duped into believing you need a Fitbit, compression shorts and a $200 pair of lifting shoes to get in shape, when a notebook, sweatpants and Chuck Taylors will do just fine.

Of course, there’s always been a market that caters to the well-heeled. Peloton presents the most extreme example of this absurdity. Have you seen how much those bikes cost? And then there’s the monthly membership to boot. You could fly first-class to France and tour the countryside on your own damn bike for the same price. The same goes for Equinox – not a gym, but a “temple of well-being” that charges its parishioners thousands of dollars for the privilege of spilling sweat inside its walls.

Pay attention to the way these products are being positioned. Peloton ads feature every day, average folks pedaling away on $3,000 machines in their unspectacular homes. Lululemon ads feature every day, average folks running and bending and lifting in outfits that cost more than most people make in a day. The message is clear, yet entirely incongruent with reality. At least Equinox has the decency to showcase their upper crust offerings in the proper context; in keeping with the tradition of aspirational luxury brands, their ads make no sense at all.

Getting in shape doesn’t require a payment plan or a line of credit. I’ve spent time in posh gyms and I’ve spent time in musty warehouses and I can assure you there is next to no correlation between high fees and quality of service. In Toronto, Hone Fitness offers memberships for as low as $30 a month and you can bring a friend whenever you want. The YMCA has 120 fitness centers across Canada with fully-equipped weight rooms and loads of fitness classes; their membership subsidy program ensures everyone, regardless of income, can cycle their stress away. You may not be able to bathe yourself in eucalyptus-infused steam showers afterwards, but really who needs that anyway?

Paul Landini is a personal trainer, health educator and fitness columnist with The Globe & Mail. He specializes in making fitness fun and accessible to all, regardless of their age, gender or abilities. Paul has been a long-time advocate for plant-based nutrition and loves nothing more than dispelling the many myths surrounding vegan and vegetarian diets.

senior-couple-walking

Five Ways to Build Immunity

/24 November 2021/ All MFN blog/

A strong and healthy immune response can mitigate the effects of an infection. Boosting your immune system is the key to fending off illness when you get it or maybe avoiding it together. The best approach to maintain your immune system is to adopt a healthy lifestyle. 

While bolstering your immunity is easier said than done, several dietary and lifestyle changes may strengthen your body’s natural defenses and help you fight harmful pathogens or disease-causing organisms. Some of them are below.

Sleep In

Yes! Lack of sleep can make you sick. Sleep deprivation is linked to a higher susceptibility to sickness. During sleep, the immune system releases cytokines, some of which help promote sleep. Cytokines are also needed to fight against infection, inflammation and ward off stress. Sleep deprivation leads to a reduction in antibodies and cells necessary to fight infection. According to Mayo Clinic, adults should aim to get seven or more hours of sleep each night, while teens need 8–10 hours and younger children and infants up to 14 hours. Keeping a stable sleep schedule, making your bedroom comfortable and free of disruptions, following a relaxing pre-bed routine, and building healthy habits during the day can all contribute to excellent sleep hygiene.

Consume Whole Foods

A healthy diet gives your body the essential nutrients to fight off germs. Whole plant foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes are rich in micro-nutrients and antioxidants. There is a wealth of evidence that suggests that what we eat matters. The antioxidants in plants can help decrease inflammation by battling free radicals. The fiber consumed from plant foods increases your gut microbiome. A robust gut microbiome is essential for a stronger immune system.

Don’t Be Afraid of Healthy Fats

It is vital to consume healthy fats to receive positive advantages for our immune health. Healthy fats help reduce inflammation and fight infections.  Many plant-based foods are rich in fatty acids, linoleic, and alpha-linolenic acid, with an optimal omega-3/omega-6 ratio. Some examples include; hemp seeds, walnuts, chia seeds, dark leafy greens, spinach, arugula, and romaine. Eating healthy fats will provide the body with the energy and essential fatty acids to optimize immune function. 

Get in Moderate Exercise

It’s true that exercise increases your immunity to certain illnesses. Research shows that frequent exercise reduces systemic inflammatory activity and improves aspects of immune function, leading to alterations in an aging immune system’s classical biomarkers. Examples of exercise include 30-minutes a day of brisk walking, hiking, a dance class, and cycling. So, wherever you are, get moving now.

Reduce Stress

According to the Mayo Clinic, the stress hormone cortisol can subdue your immune system. While it might be impractical to let go of stress completely, managing stress in a healthy way is possible. Creating some white space in your day and meditating can help with stress. Meditation lowers your heart rate and blood pressure and reduces anxiety. Watching a funny show or just laughing with friends and family is a great way to relieve stress. 

Our bodies are regularly exposed to invaders and toxins like mutated cells, bacteria, and viruses. We can make changes in our lifestyle to toughen our immune system. Including exercise, consuming a healthy diet, meditating, and practicing good sleep hygiene can go a long way to protect us from illnesses and strengthen our immune system. It might seem a lot to do right off the bat but making small changes can go a long way. Keep adding these lifestyle changes to your routine until they become a habit. Soon you will have a robust immune system to guard you against diseases.

Aesha is the founder and head coach at Tone and Strengthen. She holds a Master’s in Exercise Science from Concordia University and has earned multiple credentials from the National Academy of Sports Medicine, Athletics and Fitness Association of America, and other NCCA accredited fitness associations. Aesha is a Master Instructor for MadDogg Athletics, Spinning® program and offers FREE workouts and healthy lifestyle tips on the Tone and Strengthen’s IG page. 

senior fit

The Case for Fitness & Healthy Aging

/11 November 2021/ All MFN blog/

An important principle that has emerged throughout my writing on “healthy aging” has been the issue of fitness and the role being fit plays in preventing illness and injury, yielding a fulfilling and vibrant life – a “life well lived”. The point of healthy aging is to be in a position as we grow older “to do what we want when we want without getting hurt”. I have always believed that my level of fitness would yield positive results as I got older emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually – and so far I have been proven right in my own life. The “fitness lifestyle” is a consciousness issue just as healthy aging is as well. I make choices everyday that are designed to enhance my ability to live the way I choose. This always includes high intensity, focused training which will (hopefully) prepare me for the challenging years ahead.

Speaking, traveling, teaching, program design, consulting, writing and other activities that I wish to do in my future will require focus, high energy, inspiration, imagination, and physical stamina and endurance. The ability to train the way I am now will translate into the future actions that will yield the result I envision for audiences in the years ahead. Planning for a future that requires me to be prepared to do my work at a high level will also demand that I be as fit as I can be in order to give me the strength to help as many people as I possibly can – while I can. This is my mission – and my purpose.

This article is about something I think about EVERY day. Each of my actions, decisions, and thoughts are applied to the outcome that I seek with every step I take in becoming stronger, faster, quicker, more powerful, balanced, imaginative, flexible and skilled. My purpose is to be able to PERFORM at a high level even as I approach my 70’s and this is the point of my plan – and these articles in this series. How fit are you today for the future you envision for yourself? Does your vision inspire you to reach beyond your grasp? Does it “pull you forward” so that you will take the actions necessary to enable and empower you for the journey ahead? Only you can answer this question! Do it now!

Power, speed, quickness, strength, endurance, balance & flexibility:  the “core” of healthy aging and growing old – not old.

I think of training in terms of performance and so much of fitness today is “gimmicks” – programs designed for the “few” in America who are NOT the obese, overweight, poorly trained, seniors, and youth. The “fatting” of America does NOT include practical programming on TV, the internet – or anywhere for that matter – that appeals to the average, untrained individual struggling just to live a ‘moderately’ happy life. I see this huge “hole” in our society everyday when I go out into the world where the “connection” between being fit and “regular” people is NEVER being made. To most of the world, fitness – or becoming fit – means acquiring a gym membership with all the “hassles” that implies and THAT isn’t healthy or inspiring at ALL!

I worked in the Nautilus and Bally’s systems as a trainer for over ten years and I never once saw the effort being truly made to help people “realistically” ACHIEVE anything. The world outside the gym is a giant “blank” for over two thirds of the population. The only thing I see that is visible today is elementary lifestyle “advice” on Dr. Oz and other related sophomoric network shows that really change nothing. The other major factor in the sales “pitch” to America on fitness comes in the form of “infomercials” that literally “sucker” people into buying USELESS stuff that will never really help them – EVER! The latest gimmick is the “abdominal belt” that will ‘melt” fat away with just 10 minutes a day! This is just the latest in the same old scam – “sell them anything and make a buck in the process!” What a disgrace and a shame that we have resorted to “hucksterism” in this country in order to sell the virtues of being fit! Jack Lalanne’s legacy has almost been completely forgotten today and I want to make sure I play my role in carrying the work he started so long ago forward with me. At least he TAUGHT simple exercises to people of all ages in the 50’s and 60’s with passion AND led them every step of the way during his shows. Those days are long gone!

When we think of helping people to become fit and healthy, we must always remember to train ourselves FIRST so that we can inspire others to do the same. I will not TELL anyone anything because for each of us our understanding and perspectives are different – just as each of us is different. I will always side with “being the example of the change I wish to see in the world” – the theme of my first article in this series. How do I retain my skill level with the “seven keys” of fitness highlighted above? I maintain them – and will elevate myself to higher levels of performance in the future – through my weekly weight training program, running 40 to 50 miles a week, stretching, and meditation. This dedication to fitness will hopefully allow me to do what I want, when I want, without injury and live with joy the active future of service I am envisioning for myself. I believe that with each passing day we are ALL falling ‘behind the fitness curve’ in life – whether we are training or not – and it is imperative that we translate our passion for being fit to others through our example. If we CAN’T DO IT, WE SHOULDN’T BE TEACHING IT!

Conclusion

My primary commitment to myself each day is to NEVER GIVE UP. If I am not sick or injured, I am training – training for my life to come and the role I have chosen for myself as “an agent of change in the world”. Each of us MUST decide what it is WE STAND FOR so that others can be inspired by our example. Jack LaLanne taught me through his example – as John Wooden did – that it is WHO WE ARE on the inside that will be the ‘key’ to inspiring and encouraging others to reach beyond their current grasp and strive for more than they ever dreamed possible. I am convinced every day by what I see in the world that what we have to offer the ‘many’ is desperately needed now more than ever. If we do not take up this challenge, who will? When will the REAL change come? It will only come when we change ourselves (on the inside – healthy aging is an inside job, remember?) and that is the greatest challenge that we will ALL face in life. It is worth fighting for this principle every day of our lives. Will you take it upon yourself TODAY and join me in this “journey of change” – and touch millions of lives in the process? I hope your answer is a resounding YES!

Article reprinted with permission from Nicholas Prukop. 

Nicholas Prukop is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer & a Health Coach, a fitness professional with over 25 years of experience whose passion for health and fitness comes from his boyhood in Hawaii where he grew up a swimmer on Maui. He found his calling in writing his first book “Healthy Aging & You: Your Journey to Becoming Happy, Healthy & Fit” and since then he has dedicated himself to empowering, inspiring and enabling people of all ages to reach for the best that is within them and become who they are meant to be – happy, healthy and fit – and be a part of a world where each person can contribute their own unique gifts to life.