Zone Intensity Training

Part 2/2

ZONE INTENSITY TRAINING

Now that you have ready Part 1 and have an understanding of how the body creates energy it is time to look at how you can tailor your training sessions to make these energy systems stronger...so that you can do all of your favourite things faster, longer and without as much fatigue!  Enter...Zone Training.

Learn to Run...or Start Again!

Are you ready to run?  

*Watch for my FREE 10-week, Learn to Run Training Plan coming soon!*

This post is for all of the runners who are starting out...or starting again. I’ve shared this advice a lot lately...spring has inspired many of my friends and clients to begin running...or to begin again! I love the energy that radiates from an inspired human! Let’s go!

Amazing Energy Systems!

Part 1:2
See Zone Training next!

The human body is an amazing machine! We have multiple energy systems within our bodies that provide fuel for our activities so that we can run, spin, jump and play at a range of speeds and durations. Although we are always using a combination of energy systems to move our bodies, there are two main methods that your body uses to produce ATP (energy currency of the body!) Aerobic and Anaerobic. The actual processes involved to create energy so that we can move our bodies, are highly complex, but this overview will give you an idea of what your body is up to on those runs and rides;)

Video: How to Create a Vision Board

Happy New Year! 

I hope you are as excited about this year as I am:)  What does the coming year have in store for you? Well, that, my friends, is up to you:)

It is time to look ahead and create a clear vision for your future!  It is easy to get so caught up in the day to day that we fail to even take the time to ask ourselves what our vision actually is.  When was the last time you asked yourself any of these important questions:

What do you want to get out of this life?  Next year?  What are your priorities?  What are your dreams?  How do you want to spend your days?  What do you want to do with that amazing body of yours?  Where do you want it to take you?  What fears do you want to get cozy with so that you can say goodbye to?  What limits and edges do you want to expand?  What is your vision?

When we fail to get clear on our vision, we have no direction, no signs and no light to illuminate our path.  Taking the time to create a clear vision, puts our goals and dreams at the top of our list and demonstrates that we are ready to make them a priority.  That is only step one, of course;)  Step two, is creating an action plan that moves you in the right direction.  Step three is taking small (or huge!) steps every single week and even every single day, that lead you there.  

There are different ways to create visions such as brainstorming theme words, writing vision statements from the perspective of your future self (after realizing them) and creating a vision board.  These activities are more about the process, than the product, and taking the time to get clear with your future, will launch you miles closer to your dreams and goals.

I have created a short video explaining how I create my vision boards, to give you some inspiration to get started on your own. There is no 'right' way, other than to simply get started!  Here is what you will need:

• Pile of your favourite magazines.
• Poster board
• Scissors/glue/tape etc.
• Beverage of your choice:)
• Fun with friends or solo, up to you!

Have fun!  Let me know how your own vision board turns out- send me a photo at info@elmhealth.com .  Have a vision but not sure how to create a plan to get there?  I would love to help!  Check out my Online Training Plans or shoot me a message and we can brainstorm:)
Cheers,
Sarah.

How to create a vision board from Sarah Seads on Vimeo.

Sarah Seads
Practicing Kinesiologist :: Global Strength & Endurance Coach
Owner Equilibrium Lifestyle Management

Adventure Athlete @wildseads

Did you know I coach adventurers and

athletes all over the world in Team ELM Online? 

Join me in Team ELM Online for 2018!

Web:: www.elmhealth.com

Email:: info@elmhealth.com
Insta: elm_health 
Call:: 250-338-8998

Winter Fitness Adventures kick off January 2nd!  Come out and play!  Your first class is on us:)

How to Get In and Out of the Gym in 30-60minutes

When it comes to the gym do you: 

• Avoid going to the gym because you don't think you have enough time?
• Spend more than 60 minutes in the gym?
• Wonder why the heck it takes you so long to get a full body workout in?
• Want to know how to make the best use of your time to get results with your strength program?

If so...this post is for you!

Now, some people love the gym so much that they would hang out there all day, every day, and likely even sleep over if they were allowed. You see these people there every time you go, they are there when you arrive and still there when you leave (hey, that sounds like me hahaha).  Kidding!  Let's be serious...most of us want to get in and out of the gym as quickly as possible while still making the gains we seek.  We want to maximize our results and minimize the amount of time we spend getting them.  Am I right?  

I love to strength train and I do play in the gym for longer than an hour when I have the time.  But it is my passion, hobby and career, so I enjoy playing and experimenting!  Most of the time, however, I have a big list of other things I also want to do (multi-sport athletes always have another workout to do!) so I aim to get in and out of the gym in 45-75minutes.  I have learned many techniques for maximizing my gym time in the shortest amount of time and can easily get a solid, full body strength workout done in 30 minutes no problem.  There are many tricks and I want to share them with you...so that you are more likely to GO and get those gains!  Here you go:

1. Gym 'like a boss'.  If you don't want to be there all day, make it your job to get in and out.  Put that focus at the top of your mind before heading to the gym and have your plan in place.  Know exactly which exercises, reps, sets and weights you are going for before you start your workout.  Having a progressive plan is the number one way to maximize your gym time!  Don't be that guy wandering around, wondering what to do and making it up as you go, if you want to be efficient.  Need help with this? I'm here for ya!

2. Make the most of your warm up.  You have to warm up correctly if you want to push hard enough to make gains without risking injury.  Period.  I use the rowing machine for 3-5 minutes because it activates the most muscle groups and prepares the entire body.  Then I do a warm up set of the main moves I am planning on doing that day, using a weight that is about 50% of my planned weight.  10 or so reps.  This ensures you are prepared fully and also adds a light set to your workout -bonus!

3. Always choose active rest between sets.  You will never ever ever see me standing still and watching the clock between sets at the gym!  Alternate between two exercises whenever you can to cut your gym time in half-literally.  This is the easiest way to shorten your workout time!  Choose opposing exercises to allow for greater recovery or similar ones if you want to make it harder with super sets.

4. Work HARD.  You don't have to do more than 2 or 3 sets of each exercise but you do have to work HARD and push your limits on each one.  Instead of doing 4 sets of exercises, do 2, but work to failure (just before form starts to crumble, not beyond that!).  One of the main reasons to keep a training log is to have numbers to beat each time you head to the gym.  Always make it your goal to increase something at your next workout- reps first, then weight or adding sets etc.  Your mission should be to try and beat your numbers!  When you are starting out, you will easily do this- bumping up your reps each week, then earning the right to increase the weight.  As you gain more experience and strength, it gets harder to beat those numbers every time, but the simple action of TRYING will boost your fitness and maximize your gym time.

5.  Forget isolation exercises.  If you want to shorten your gym workout, then switch your routine up to include exercises that use multiple muscle groups. Pick 6-8 big moves that either use a large amount of muscle mass (squats/the big lifts) and/or that combine upper and lower body patterns (ie squat to overhead press with dumbbells) to decrease the time and increase your results. Using cables and free weights is the way to go.  Avoid machines that lock you in, sit you on your but, don't activate your core or challenge your balance and isolate movements.  Functional, movement based training is where it's at!  Of course, if you want to break through on strength gains for specific muscles/movements, then you can add additional sets or high rep off day accessory exercises to increase the volume (time) that you are spending on these areas.  But we are talking about efficiency today:)  When I am in the gym I aim for 6-8 exercises and complete 3 sets (to failure - make it burn!) of the 2 most important exercises on my plan for that day and then 2 sets (to failure again!) of the rest.  Lower reps, and heavier weights, means less time in the gym so don't be afraid to progress to lifting heavy once you get your technique down.  

6.  Go in a disguise.  Put your ear buds in and pull your hat down low if you want to get in and out quickly!  If you want to socialize, then that is great too, but spending time chatting will add to the time you are in the gym.  If efficiency is your goal, then keep moving, smile and catch up with your peeps another time.  I am the queen of this...and maybe I don't come across as the most friendly gym goer because of it...but I can knock off a killer workout in 45 minutes so I don't mind!

7.  Good tunes.  My secret weapon!  I listen to my favourite, high energy tunes that keep my feet moving and my focus on HIGH.  Tunes definitely help me rock my workouts in record time.

8.  Put down your phone!  Scrolling, taking selfies and posting to instagram will double the amount of time you spend in the gym...I might be speaking from experience:).  Put your phone on airplane mode and lift like a boss!

There is more to rocking your strength gains then efficiency tips tho...check out my article on Transforming your Body to get into it further!

What are your best tips for maximizing your gains and minimizing your gym time?  Thanks for sharing!

Go get dem gains!

Sarah.

Sarah Seads
Practicing Kinesiologist :: Global Strength & Endurance Coach
Owner Equilibrium Lifestyle Management

Adventure Athlete @wildseads

Did you know I coach adventurers and

athletes all over the world in Team ELM Online? 

Join me in Team ELM Online for 2018!
 
Web:: www.elmhealth.com

Email:: info@elmhealth.com
Insta: elm_health 
Call:: 250-338-8998

What's Your Plan?

BIG goals, deserve GOOD plans!

Goals, dreams, passion, energy, excitement...all key ingredients in creation of performance and success!  But...what is the best recipe?  What are the steps to take, the moves to make and the cues of when to make them?  A training plan is like a recipe for your goals.  Without one, you are left flying by the seat of your pants, with a loaf of bread that didn't rise and wondering where it all went wrong;)

• Have you started training for a goal with enthusiasm, only to quickly feel the wheels come off and lose your focus and motivation?
• Are you unsure if you are doing the right training type, amount, intensity and frequency to reach your goal?
• Do you bounce around between ideas and plans, making things up as you go?
• Do you get injured, burnt out or frustrated with lack of results?

Should I Exercise In This Wildfire Smoke??

Are you wondering if it is safe to exercise with so much smoke in the air from forest fires around British Columbia?  You are not alone!

Solo Camping Safety Tips

Hi friends!  Please read entire post and share with your friends who solo adventure!

✨S O L O✨

There is magic in solo adventure.   Peace, presence and free flowing introspection.  I have solved nearly all of my life problems on a long solo walk or jog about in the wild.  Peace lives on these solo journeys, for me.  Sometimes we want to be in solitude and other times we just cant find a buddy to join us, but either way, solo adventure is a big part of life for many of us.  As you read in my recent post, last week I had a close call with violence while camping in the Hampton campground in Manning Park and although it was a terrifying experience, I also see it as a gift.  This close call is a chance to prevent something worse from happening to us and others in the future and an opportunity to learn and share.  I am a very safety conscious adventurer and as a rule I go above and beyond managing risk and putting 'safety first!'.  But I was caught off guard by the sense of security I felt camping in a well established Provincial Park.  I got a serious reminder to keep personal safety at the top of the list in all scenarios.  I want to share the solo camping safety tips that I usually take and a few more that I have since added to my toolbox.  Please feel free to add any that I have missed or that you use as we can all learn from each other.  These apply for all solo adventurers but also small groups in certain situations as we were targeted even in a pair.  There are risks in all walks of life and we can only do our best to manage them.  Put your safety first and then you can relax and have fun!  

🌲🌲🌲

•Carry personal protective equipment with you: Bear spray, knife, whistle and communication in an easy to reach spot.  Carry an inReach or other satellite communication device where there is no cell coverage. Keep your car key/panic alarm on your person when near your car and others are in the area.  Carry a personal alarm (screamer) on your person when away from your car.

•Camp in areas with other campers wherever possible.  Get to know your neighbours. Sleep in your car if you are even remotely uncomfortable.  Do not ever wear earplugs while sleeping when camping.

•Contact the campground in advance to find out if there is an onsite attendant, security or others camping in the facility.  Do not assume.

•Never assist a stranger in the night or in a secluded area (a call for help, broken down vehicle, hitchhiker etc).  Protect yourself first, go for help and send it back.

•Make a scene/noise if you are even remotely concerned about your safety- to alert others that may be in the area.  Panic alarm on your car key, screaming, whistle, loud crazy voice, bright light etc. Resist the urge to freeze!  

I also believe learning self defence is an important and very empowering tool to add to your toolbox if you don't already know how to fight.  

Always let someone know your plans and update them if you change them, and set up a regular check in (once a day if possible) if you can.

🦄🦄🦄

Remember...

Believe in the goodness of humans, live free, run wild, do not live in fear...but always put your safety first.  Hugs and happy trails, friends!  

Top 3 Reasons Endurance Racers Fail to Cross the Finish Line and How to Avoid Them!

The more mistakes we make in a race, the more we learn...but that is a hard way to learn!  It is much more enjoyable to learn from the mistakes of others;).  After two decades of endurance racing, I have seen (and made) nearly every mistake in the book.  And through all of them, the same 3 issues float to the top year after year in all disciplines of endurance racing.  

The human body is an amazing machine.  With a strong driver at the wheel (mental strength-another topic!), it will literally keep moving forward for an infinite length of time so long as we support it optimally.  So, what do we need to do to achieve relentless forward progress?  Read on to learn the top 3 reasons racers fail to cross the finish line in endurance events and my tips to help you avoid them!  *Note: These tips apply to any endurance event- not just races- such as big day hikes, paddling adventures or any other event lasting more than 2 hours.

*Excerpt from my Online Webinar: Endurance Racing 101  Download it today!

How to attach poles to Salomon Vest

What's in my pack?

What's in my running pack? from Sarah Seads on Vimeo.
 

How To Become An Efficient (and fast) Runner

Whether it is your first 10k, faster 21k or an ultra adventure, the key to your success in endurance training and racing is not simply adding more miles.  Nope.  The key, to moving faster and further without as much fatigue is training your body to become:

ef·fi·cient

əˈfiSHənt/

adjective

adjective: efficient

(especially of a system or machine) achieving maximum productivity with minimum wasted effort or expense.

How To Transform Your Body

Are you ready to roll?

You have body composition goals.  I am here to help.  Step 1: Education.  Step 2: Action.  Step 3: Patience.  Let's get to work on Step 1...
 

Gaining Muscle

Gaining muscle takes work. In order to build muscle, the body needs an overload stimulus, sufficient calories, optimal protein and carbohydrate macro ratios, nutrient timing and adequate recovery. Gaining muscle not only increases muscle tone and strength, but also improves metabolism so that we are burning a higher amount of calories every minute of the day. Strength training itself also burns a great amount of calories and results in a significant ‘after burn’ of increased metabolism for the hours following a training session. This combined increase in metabolic rate results in an improved body composition (as more fat is lost). If you want to lose fat- don’t underestimate the power of pushing hard in the gym- cardio alone is NOT the best way to do it. 

Weight Management: How to Create Your Nutrition Budget

Imagine for a moment, the feeling of running with a 20 pound backpack.  Then imagine, you slip the pack off and run free from the extra load.  Can you feel the lightness?  The ease and freedom of movement?  I'll bet you can.

This is the same sensation of running with or without an extra 10, 20, 30 or more pounds of body weight to carry with you.  Increased body mass, specifically fat, as it is 'non-functional weight',  increases the workload of locomotion.  It is harder for the muscles to propel you forward, harder for the blood to circulate to greater areas and harder for the body to thermoregulate during exercise when you are carrying a significant amount of extra weight.  All of this increased effort, results in a higher energy and oxygen requirement and the result is a feeling of greater fatigue at any given pace (movement is harder).  This is most evident during running, as there are no toys to assist in forward motion (skii's, boat, bike etc) but is still noticible in all activities.  Those extra 20 pounds above a healthy body weight increase your effort while decreasing your pace...but...I'm sure you already knew that;) 

So how to lose those 20 pounds?  More on that in a moment.

Training Principles: Maintenance

"You can do anything, but not everything." 

- David Allen

 

You know I believe you can do anything. I really do. Dream big! Shoot for the stars! Rock your goals and claim your vision!

You just can't do everything, at once. My friend, athlete and Journey Coach, Sarah Erikkson says this ALL the time. And I love it!


Enter the Maintenance Principle.

There are many different areas that we want to improve through conditioning: endurance, strength, speed, power and everything in between. But, we cannot improve them all at once. If we try and fill our weeks with everything, then we will not allow for adequate time/volume, to create optimal improvement in any of the areas. A professional, periodized training plan follows the principle of Periodization, which includes different phases of training that allow the athlete to focus on specific components of fitness, while maintaining others and not losing gains in the process.
How? Read on!

Training Principles: Overtraining

You have been rocking your workouts and adding extra training sessions to your week, just because you are feeling so damn great!  You almost feel invincible!  Now is the time to find out what you are capable of and push even further, harder and faster, right?

You have been doing all of your training sessions but you felt slower on your last couple of runs/rides.  Easy pace didn't feel easy and your heart rate is too high.  You couldn't get your speed up to target pace during your last couple of interval sessions.  You are training so hard but your performance is stale or getting worse.  Now is the time to push further, harder and faster, right?

You are beyond stressed out at work and home life is just as crazy right now.  You can't get to bed before midnight but you still have to get up early and do it all again tomorrow. You feel like you are burning the candle at both ends and man, now your throat is a bit sore. You missed your key workouts last week because of 'life' and exhaustion.  Now is the time to make up those workouts and push yourself to squeeze even more in, right?

WRONG!

Training Principles: Overload

 Are you following the same program in the gym and lifting the same weights that you were last year, or the year before last (or not doing any strength training at all??) and wondering why you don't seem to get any stronger?  Or, have you been running the same pace, the same route and following the same running schedule all year, or for many years and wonder why you aren't getting any faster?  Well, folks, I'm here to give you a friendly reminder that the same old just ain't gonna work;).  Results take focus, effort and overload balanced with optimal recovery (and nutrition) and you need a progressive training plan for that.

If you aren't progressing, you are maintaining or regressing.  It's as simple as that. 

Beat the Heat

 

BEAT THE HEAT

The temperatures have climbed sky high and we are getting a real blast of summer heat – and a quick lesson in acclimating!   Some people thrive in the heat (me) and others wilt.  There are many factors that determine our ability to tolerate heat and cold including the temperature that we grew up in, how much time we spend in the heat/cold on a daily basis, body composition, stress, health conditions, genetics and more.   The great news is, our bodies do adapt through exposure and there are also many ways to prevent overheating.  Here are some tips to help you beat the heat!

Team ELM Canada rocks the 55km Iceland Laugavegur Ultra Marathon!

TEAM ELM COMPLETES 55KM ULTRA MARATHON IN ICELAND

Eight local trail runners have just returned to the Comox Valley after completing the 55km Laugavegur Ultra Marathon in the wild Highlands of Iceland. ‘Team ELM Iceland’ trained for 5 months to prepare for the event and traveled to Iceland along with their Coach, Sarah Seads (owner of Equilibrium Lifestyle Management) for a week long adventure leading up to and including the race. Their results were impressive, considering all but two were attempting their first ultra marathon. Many of the runners, began their training at 8kms and with just 3-4 days of running per week, their race specific training plan helped them prepare effectively for the challenging 55km ultra.

My TEDx Presentation: Human Potential and the Power of the Mind

Back in the fall of 2011 I was invited to speak at the inaugural  Comox Valley TEDx event.

"TED what?" I asked?

And so, my love affair with all things Technology Education and Design began to blossom, alongside millions of other humans around the world.  For those of you who have yet to dive into the TED universe, you don't know what you are missing!  TED talks are very short presentations on every single topic that you could possibly dream up.  Experts, personalities and generally interesting people share their thoughts on anything they believe is meaningful, in under 18 minutes.  From motivation to space exploration and everything in between, there is something captivating for everyone over at TED.