NIFS Healthy Living Blog

My mission today is to save Alice from the Wonderland of what some refer to as functional training. I will attempt to rescue dear Alice (aka you all) with the use of chains—kinetic chains, that is. First, I would like to define a few buzzwords to clear the fog that settles in this functional wonderland.

Functional What?

I am sure that most of you have heard the term “functional training.” If you have not, you may still have a poster of Lee Haney hanging in your locker and you are counting the seconds until your next “chest day.” I will be the first to admit that I was that guy. At the time, that is what we knew, but we now know a better way of doing things—a safer, more “functional” way.

But we do not want to throw the baby out with the bath water here. We still see a lot of theory and practice from that time in the evolution of fitness. Unfortunately, if you asked five different people (fitness pros and gym goers alike) you would get five different answers of what functional training really is. If we were to dissect the term, and I think we should, the simplest and most accurate definition of functional training is to train or restore function in movement. There are many ways to go about training or restoring function. We are going to
focus on the concept of using kinetic chains to do so.

Kinetic Chains

Kinetic chain is another term that needs defining. Let’s dissect this term, shall we?

(Kinetic = Movement) + (Chain = Linkage) = Linking movements to perform a pattern.

Human movement can be broken down into some basic patterns (a concept that will require a lot of time devoted to in a future piece), and these patterns are linked together in some way. This is a good thing because if you restore function to one pattern, you could be improving an aspect of another pattern.

We look at the body as having two main kinetic chains: anterior (front side of the body) and posterior (back side of the body). These chains will cross, giving birth to another buzz term: the “X Factor.” So when we focus on training these chains of movement, we will arrive at a more functional operating system. Simply put, train the chains and the body moves better and longer.

What Functional Training Is Not

If we keep the main idea of what functional training is at the forefront, to restore function, here are a few things I would not consider to be a part of a functional training program, just to name a few:

• Single joint, isolated movements such as a bicep curl
• Targeting a single plane of motion; standing, lying, moving in one direction
• Focusing on one area of the body a time per training session, as referenced earlier (“Chest Day”)
• Balancing on three different objects and performing a kettlebell swing
• Doing barbell squat presses until you hit the ground; some believe this is “functional”

Scratching the Surface

Using the concept of kinetic chains, I have been able to give Alice (you) a sense of direction to navigate through the Functional Wonderland. But I have only scratched the surface. Keep your eyes open for Chapter 2 of our story in a future post, where we will tackle movement patterns and how to train them.

Don’t know how you are moving? Schedule a Functional Movement Screen with us today and start getting the most out of your training.

This blog was written by Tony Maloney, ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist and Health Fitness Instructor. To find out more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

While crunches do strengthen core muscles (including abdominals and hip flexors), they do not give you a 100 percent guarantee of having six-pack abs. You need to treat abdominal muscles like other muscles, they will naturally get stronger (along with the rest of your body).

You may say, “Thomas, I was born without abdominals, HELP!” Rest assured, you have abdominal muscles; they are most likely there or else you would not be able to get out of bed, walk down the hallway, or anything else, for that matter. To get the abs to show, you need to burn more calories than you consume through exercise and nutrition. This can be done in various combinations, but the best results come when you are doing sensible workouts and eating sensible meals day in and day out consistently. In doing this, you will see overall body fat loss, resulting in your muscle definition being more transparent.

Challenge your core in new ways. Increase intensity rather than reps (20 reps per set is normal), and try new exercises and tools to keep your workout fresh. Remember, to see the results you want to see, focus on nutrition every day and have a well-rounded game plan in the gym. Contact a registered dietitian at NIFS to get more information on proper nutrition and a fitness specialist to prescribe new, challenging core exercises.

Need help getting started? Schedule a free fitness assessment today and we'll help get you started on a fitness routine that works for you.

Evolve and rejoice,

This blog was written by Thomas Livengood, Health Fitness Specialist at NIFS. To find out more about the NIFS bloggers click here.

If you are a physically active individual, and I hope you are, at some point you will probably have to deal with an injury. Sprains, strains, pulls and “itis” of any kind at some point is a cost of doing business in fitness and performance. But does it mean that you have to put all progress on hold during the healing process? I believe that injury is not synonymous with inability. Let me explain.

Consult a Doctor for Exercise Injuries with Pain

First and foremost, I am not advocating disregarding any recommendations from your physician. If you feel pain in any movement, which can be discovered in a quick and easy Functional Movement Screen; or maybe you have suffered some kind of acute trauma; you should absolutely consult a doctor about that pain and follow the directions of that health professional. After you have taken those important steps, it’s time to evaluate what you are still capable of performing and put a plan in action that can keep you on track to health and physical fitness. In my personal experience and working with individuals for over a decade, there are ways to continue to progress while you are injured.

Depending on the type of injury (the body part, classification, and severity), you can focus on other aspects of your fitness that will not affect the rehabilitation of the injury.

Injury Scenarios and How to Keep Working Out

Here is a list of common injury scenarios and some tips to continue to get work done. Again, these are all dependent on the type and severity of the injury, and physician recommendations should be followed at all times.

The bottom line is simply that progress does not need to stop due to an injury and that you can focus your attention on parts of the body that are not affected by the injury. Keep it simple: if your arm is injured, focus on the lower body, and perform mainly primal exercises such as squats, lunges, and hinges. I remind you to follow the recommendations of your physician, and at the same time, seek out the advice of your fitness professional here at NIFS to help guide you through an injury.

Tony Maloney is the Fitness Center Manager and leads Group Training Sunday through Thursday. Follow Tony on Facebook. Learn more about the NIFS bloggers.

Stop me if this sounds familiar: “I am terrible at this new workout program. I don’t feel that I am doing it right, and I think I am just going to quit and go back to the familiar.” If you have thought this to yourself, you are not alone. Many people who have started a program have felt this way and have wanted to give up, but I won’t let them give up. I recently found myself on the other side of this process. As a fitness professional it is not easy to accept that you need help moving, and that you can’t do a certain movement or exercise.

Getting Help from a Movement Specialist

I visited a movement specialist to remedy an ongoing shoulder ailment and a newly acquired knee issue. I had to seek an expert because what I was doing just was not getting it done. I was tired of being in pain and not being able to move the way I have grown accustomed to. So I needed some help. I was assessed, and given a program that I was confident would get me back to getting after it in the gym.

I worked with a fitness coach to go over my newfound program and learn how to reset, realign, and fix my body back into shape. But it was not as simple as I thought it would be going in. I felt very confident about my physical abilities, but boy was I mistaken. I KNOW what it feels like to struggle with movement issues and following a program I am not familiar with and feel terrible at. I did not fare very well this day, the first day of a new workout program, and was very frustrated.

Wanting to Go Back to the Old Way

The next week I flew solo with the program to practice and work on the movements, only to build on my frustration and feelings of wanting to go back to the old way of doing things. But it was the old way of doing things that got me in the jam I am in today. Needless to say, I was quite humbled by my inability to pull off what was being asked of me. Now, I am a pretty big believer that a slice of humble pie from time to time is a good thing; it keeps you on your toes and makes you better than you were the day before. But my humility quickly turned to feelings of

• Denial: There is no way I can’t do this; they must be telling me wrong.
• Inadequacy: If I can’t do these movements, what else am I failing?
• Embarrassment: I don't want to be seen by others as struggling.
• Frustration (who am I kidding; I was ticked off): Am I ever going to get better?

Have you ever felt this way when starting a new workout program, job, or lifestyle change? Well, you are not alone! Those are hard emotions to overcome, and they are REAL! I think often during this process that if this is how I (someone who loves to move) feel, these types of feelings can be very high in someone who is just starting out or is at a low fitness level. I truly feel for this individual, and would love to pass on a message to them:

Don’t give up, because the goal is at your reach. But you have to do just that: REACH.

Step Out of Your Comfort Zone, and Get Support

Step out of your comfort zone to propel your progress and get closer to where you ultimately want to be. Seek out others who are experiencing some of the same things and join them in the gym or in a group training session and work together through the hard times. Failing is a staple of life. It’s how you react to it that will determine your path. Will you lie down and accept defeat, or get up and spit in its face? It’s your choice.

I am happy to report that I have continued with the program and have had great gains and am nearly pain free. I am just getting started, though; there's a long road ahead. But it is a road I no longer dread traveling, and humble pie can be a tasty reminder that struggle equals success!

Schedule a Free Fitness Assessment and step out of your exercising comfort zone.

Tony Maloney Personal Trainer. Find out more about the NIFS Bloggers.

Over the last several weeks a lot of you may have gotten
a small taste of our new movement screen. The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) will be our new way to assess movement-pattern quality. Movement training is somewhat new and looks at fundamental movements and motor control rather than isolated joint movements. Its purpose is to find dysfunctions so that they can be rectified and your chance for injury decreases.

The FMS Movement Tests

The FMS is made up of seven movement tests that can be divided into three sections. There are two tests that measure mobility, two tests that measure stability, and three tests that measure function. All of these tests coincide with each other so that we don’t miss anything. If you can move pretty well at one test, it will eventually find a restriction or asymmetry/imbalance at some point if you have any. Our job is to identify any weaknesses, limitations, imbalances, or asymmetries so that we can immediately prescribe you a corrective strategy to reduce your chance for injury and increase fitness results.

Increasing Fitness Results and Reducing Injuries

As a staff, we are always looking for ways to improve our members’ safety and training, and our effectiveness to get results. Having a reliable way to assess movement allows us to program specifically for your needs and really zero in on what you need to achieve the best results. One of the reasons people hit plateaus is because their movement restricts how much they are able to do. So the FMS helps build a functional platform so that you can first move well and then move often. Essentially, if you try and move often first before you move well, your chance for injury goes up and your chances of seeing major results go down.

Scoring the Functional Movement Screen

Each test is graded from 0 to 3. A 0 indicates that there is pain during that specific movement. A score of 1 indicates that there is a dysfunction and the chance of injury greatly increases. A score of 2 is acceptable, and a 3 is considered optimal movement. A scoring system helps know whether the program we are prescribing is working and shows you specific results. The bottom line is if you are moving better, the chances of you getting injured are going down and your ability to get results is going up.

Modifying Training Based on FMS Scores

Lastly, if there is a dysfunction present, it is our job to put you in the best possible position to succeed and to stay injury free. This means that we will modify your training to correct your dysfunction as quickly as possible so that you can get back to the things that you are used to doing, but doing them more efficiently. If you are tired of not seeing results, the path that you continually take isn’t working.

Let us help you by taking you through the FMS, taking a step back from your misguided approach, and working on the small things that will help you achieve big results. Learn more about the FMS at NIFS, and sign up today!

This blog was written by Josh Jones, MS, CSCS, USAW, FMS. Meet our NIFS bloggers.

So I have a question for you: How is your “balance”? I’m not referring to your single-leg stand on the BOSU. I’m referring to the balance in your life. The juggling act of all the responsibilities and the people we are responsible for and to can be as if we upgraded from simple juggling balls to flaming knives.

Sometimes I think of that line in the movie Fight Club, when Brad Pitt’s character says to Ed Norton, “Things you own, end up owning you.” For me, it is my career that at times owns me, and tends to monopolize my focus and energy. The balance among work, rest, play, and spiritual wellness is a crucial one, and it does take some juggling at times to ensure that proper balance.

Legendary coach Dan John puts it best that if you have to work more (say, your busy time of the year), you must plan to rest more, play more, and spend more time developing spiritually (this could be religion, alone time, meditation, etc.). As you expand each facet of your life to ensure the proper balance, you too should expand. It just makes sense, doesn’t it? If you work more to complete an important project at work and increase your rest time revolving around solid sleep patterns, you will increase the benefits of great sleep. Expanding work and rest will then lead to more play time, resulting in better moods and perception.

Lastly, expanding the preceding three facets of your life will result in you spending more time expanding your spirituality. Now this is different for everybody. For me, it is alone time where I develop both personally and professionally. Or it is a long walk with my wife, Teri, and our Snorkie dog named Traveler. What is it for you? I feel to be the best “YOU” that you can be, all other facets of your life must lead you to a strong and centered spiritual sense that must involve a close relationship with the ones you love the most.

I came across a survey years ago, and if it has stuck with me for this long it is probably worth repeating. The survey polled 100 senior citizens about what they would do differently if they could do it all over again. Here were their top 3 answers:

1. Laugh more
2. Spend more time with loved ones
3. Take more risks

As you look at your current balancing act, would those three be on your list later in life? Sometimes you need reminding of what is truly important in your lives. THIS IS YOUR REMINDER! Spend time with the people you love and who love you, find a way to laugh out loud every day, and have the courage to take that risk you have been fearful to take. Create the true balance in your life. You won’t regret it.

Tony Maloney is the Fitness Center Manager and leads Group Training Sunday through Thursday. Follow Tony on Facebook at ELITE. Meet our NIFS bloggers.

In the past decade, the half-marathon distance has grown at an extraordinary rate, almost tripling in the number of participants across the country. Although in the past few years the growth has began to slow some from the preceding rapid rate, it is the most popular road race distance for runners and walkers to complete, with 43 half-marathon distance races consuming the top 100 largest races in the country in 2012. Included in that list as the highest attended half-marathon for 2012, the Indianapolis OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon continues to be a go-to event for runners and walkers of all abilities.

A few reasons that I believe so many people set a goal of training and completing a half-marathon is that the idea of running a half-marathon is a manageable health and fitness goal from a time commitment and physical capability standpoint. Along with this, it is an excellent challenge for those looking to improve fitness, manage weight, or just accomplish something out of their ordinary routine.

Tips for Running Your First Half-Marathon

Here are a few tips that I suggest for first-time half-marathon participants:

• Find a beginner's training plan! Starting with no base can still result in success when you follow a plan. First-time half-marathon runners should be sure to start out with lower mileage and gradually work into longer runs. This will help with confidence level initially and help prevent injuries that can occur if you start running too much too soon.
• Visit a store that can fit you for the proper pair of shoes to run in before you begin the training program. Figuring out the right pair of shoes is very important and should be done before you start a training program.
• Eat and hydrate appropriately prior to and following each training session. This will have a great impact on how you feel during all of your runs throughout the week.
• Finally, have fun with training for the race! If you are motivated and feed off of others, find a group of people you enjoy being around to train with.

Join the NIFS Mini-Marathon Training Program

Now is the time to check the half-marathon off of your bucket list and join the hundreds of thousands of people who complete half-marathons every year! The NIFS Mini-Marathon Training Program was created to offer NIFS members and local residents a training program geared toward completing the spring half-marathons. Program participants are given a training plan to follow, which prepares them to complete the Mini, the Geist Half Marathon, the Carmel Half Marathon, or a combination of the races for those looking to complete multiple races in the spring.

Each Wednesday night for the duration of the 14-week program, runners and walkers of all abilities meet with their designated pace group to complete their long run for the week. Volunteer group leaders ensure that the participants are staying on pace and are completing the designated distance for the night. The distance of the long run progresses as the weeks go on, capping out at a 12-mile long run two training sessions prior to the Mini, which leaves participants prepared to conquer the 13.1. Following each training session, recovery snacks are provided to the participants.

Click here to register for the 2014 NIFS Mini-Marathon Training Program. Starting from scratch and not sure if you are ready to complete a half-marathon? Try our 4-week training program to build your base!

This blog was written by Stephanie Kaiser, NIFS Health Fitness Specialist and co-coordinator of the NIFS Mini-Marathon Training Program. Meet our bloggers.

It is hard to believe that we are wrapping up another year at NIFS! As instructors looking back over the last year, we like to think that the variety of fitness opportunities that we have offered has provided individuals with the tools needed to move forward toward reaching and surpassing their health and fitness goals. Along with the variety of group fitness classes, personal training, group training opportunities, and fitness assessments and personalized exercise programs, we offer additional special programming throughout the year to keep our members on track and motivated!

Mini-Marathon Training Program

Every year, One America 500 Festival Mini-Marathon and other spring half-marathon participants look to NIFS for their training program. NIFS offers a unique program providing pace group leaders for each training group, ranging from a 7-minute run pace, to a run-walk group, to the 16-minute walk group. You will find a group of individuals ready to train for the same goal as you within your group each Wednesday night of the program when you meet for the long run. Participants also receive a snack after they finish their run. With nearly 325 participants and leaders last year, the program proved to be a success and resulted in many happy participants crossing the finish line reaching their goals in the 2013 spring half-marathons.

Slim-It-To-Win-It

Kicking off at the right time, just after the New Year’s resolution rush has worn off and the thick of winter has settled in, NIFS rolls out the Slim-It-To-Win-It 10-week fat-loss team training program, which has proved to be a great motivator for the members to stay on track with their weight-loss goals. This year proved to be a tight competition, with 11 different teams competing for the team title. The aBENger’s claimed the title, losing an average of 2.35% body fat!

Triathlon Training Program

As the only program in the city that has been training for the Go Girl Triathlon since the very first race, NIFS spent much of the summer training women of varying abilities to complete the sprint triathlon in August at Eagle Creek Park. Twenty-five very happy women completed the race that day! The program met at NIFS, the IU Natatorium, and Eagle Creek Park on Tuesday nights to complete a weekly group workout with coaches and concluded with a post-workout snack thanks to program sponsor First Watch Daytime Cafe.

Summer Showdown

Always promising to be an excellent fitness challenge, Summer Showdown never disappoints as a challenging test for those looking for an extra push to beat the heat in the height of summer. This past year, participants completed a partner 100 workout at the beginning of the program. After 6 weeks of training two days a week with a team and coach with workouts geared toward improving performance of the challenge, the partners completed the same workout to conclude the program.

Staff Rowing Challenge

A little friendly competition never hurts anyone; it also proves to be very motivating when looking at fitness! That is how we view the annual staff rowing challenge. From November 25 to December 24, members row as many meters as they can for their team. The team that rows the most meters and the team that rows the most meters per person gets bragging rights as team champions. We are currently wrapping up this program, but it has proven to be successful as a motivating fitness competition again this year.

Maintain Not Gain

Also currently occurring as a holiday incentive program, Maintain Not Gain proves to be a popular program year in and year out as it encourages fitness and weight maintenance throughout the holiday season. The program includes weekly motivational emails, group workouts, and incentive prizes for those who maintain or lose weight upon completion of the program. With 208 participants completing the 2012–2013 programs, the group lost a total of 208 pounds over the holidays!

Les Mills Launches

Over the past year, the Les Mills classes have become increasingly popular in the fitness center. In January, April, July, and October, Les Mills launches took place in the fitness center to introduce new releases with the goal of injecting energy in the facility and to pump up the members!

NIFS Barbell Club

New this year, Josh Jones headed up the NIFS barbell club in October. The program is great for anyone who is serious about wanting to improve their power-lifting abilities. This session focused on the clean and the snatch. Participants learned the correct way to complete the exercises and saw drastic improvements in their ability to lift like the pros!

Start 2014 off right by getting involved in one of NIFS specialized programs! Mini Marathon training starts Jan 22nd! Get Registered today!

This blog was written by Stephanie Kaiser, Health Fitness Specialist at NIFS. Meet our other NIFS bloggers.

The Force-Velocity Curve

Before going into what the chains and bands do, I first have to set the groundwork and explain what the force-velocity curve is. As you see below, when force (weight lifted) increases, velocity (bar speed) decreases. So at the top where force is high and velocity is low, it is considered maximal strength. As you work down the graph, strength-speed is next. In the middle of the graph, you see power (the rate of force development, or RFD). As you continue down the graph, it becomes speed-strength and finishes with speed, where force is at its lowest and velocity is at its highest.

The reason this is important is that chains and bands give you the ability to develop explosive strength. So instead of benching with high weight and slow velocity (maximal strength), or low weight with fast velocity (speed), you can work in the middle of the graph and accelerate the bar in both the lowering and raising phases of the movement. Without the bands and chains, you have to decelerate the bar about halfway through the raising phase of a bench press, or the bar will fly out of your hands. Bands and chains ensure that you drive the bar as hard as you can, generating a high rate of force through the full range of motion (more on this below). The bottom line: Using bands and chains increases your rate of force development (RFD) and forces you to not let up after you get past your sticking point.

How Bands and Chains Work

Bands and chains do an excellent job of matching your leverage. The bar is lightest when your leverage is at its weakest, and the bar gradually increases in weight as leverage improves. Let’s break this down even further. You are getting ready to bench with 200 pounds on the bar. You add chains that each weigh 30 pounds. So now the bar total is 260 pounds. However, at the start position, half of the chains are lying on the ground, bringing you to a total of 230 pounds. As you bring the weight down to your chest, the bar gets lighter because more of the chains are lying on the ground. So when the bar is at your chest, you bring the weight down to the 200 pounds that you started with. As you press the weight up, more of the chains come off the floor, gradually increasing the bar total back to the 230 pounds at the top. This idea forces you to drive the bar out into full extension without letting up.

The Benefits of Accommodating Resistance

Bands and chains train acceleration and rate of force development, which is great for the development of power. If you are an athlete, the key to improved sport performance is producing more force in less time. This results when an athlete can absorb more force eccentrically (lowering phase), allowing you to apply higher levels of force concentrically (rising phase) in less time. Sport performance is about which athlete can absorb more force, enabling the athlete to produce more power. The biggest improvements that you will see by using this method are increased power, speed, and explosive strength.

Whether or not you are an athlete, using this method is definitely a game changer if your goal is to move a lot of weight and be explosive. I hope this post answers your questions on whether this type of training is right for you. If you are interested in trying this, be sure to ask a coach to make sure the setup is right, and always have a spotter to ensure safety.

This blog was written by Josh Jones, MS, CSCS, USAW, NIFS Athletic Department Trainer and creator of the NIFS Barbell Club. For more information contact Josh by email. Learn more about the NIFS bloggers.

Charter member Candy Lander talks about her favorite things about NIFS. Watch Video.