By: Nick Lape

Forward Fitness

How many of you perform an exercise every time you go to the gym that you LOVE to do yet it never feels quite right? Or do you constantly finish your workouts with a nagging irritation in a muscle or joint only to plod on, ignore and push through pain, chalking it up to over use, age or simply adopting the “no pain, no gain” adage? If you are honest, we have all experienced these levels of pain/
discomfort and we have all used these same excuses. The problem is, if we continue to push through and ignore pain, we will eventually cause problems that could lead to a medical intervention. In order to give you a better understanding of what I am trying to describe, let me sum up my thoughts with an analogy called the paperclip effect.

Paperclips come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. You have big ones, small ones, skinny ones, oddly shaped ones, colored ones, plastics ones and metal ones. All of those adjectives for the various types of paperclips living in your desk drawer can also be applied to people. In the gym you have big people, small people, skinny people and people of all shapes and size - just like the types of paperclips in your 
desk drawer. 

Most workouts should include multiple exercises that work your muscles to provide both function and balance. When you perform an exercise, each joint, muscle(s) and the movement pattern itself must be executed correctly. If we don't perform the exercise right, it may start to irritate the muscle/joint and cause pain. Over time, other muscles will start to compensate for the pain/weakness and the next 
thing you know, you have bent yourself out of shape, created weak areas and will be on the verge of breaking.

This is very similar to bending a paperclip out of shape to make it fit your specific need. The problem with bending it is that it is no longer in its original form and is now weaker because it’s structural integrity has been compromised. But you bend it again and again until it eventually snaps in two pieces. When strength training, if you continue to do a specific exercise with poor form or exercises that irritate a joint you are bending the paper clip. If you force your body to do something it wasn’t supposed to do long enough then you, too, will break.

Each person, like each paperclip, is different. An injury may not occur right away but most likely, it is just a matter of time before you will be calling your doctor for an appointment. The human body is quite remarkable because when posture fails or a lift becomes too hard, our body automatically compensates to move the weight (just check out the guys bending their backs like rainbows while doing bicep curls). Unfortunately, this only makes us weaker in some areas and more prone to injury in others. If you experience small irritations, pain from exercise, or simply are not seeing the kind of results you are expecting, you could be moving incorrectly. When this happens, quit bending your paperclip and get feedback to ensure the types of exercises you perform are correct for your fitness level, body type, size and shape. Just like the various types of paper clips in your drawer, you are not a one size fits all and your workout shouldn’t be either!

By Jeremy Koerber

Funny how something as simple as getting a cup of coffee can bring back a flood of memories.  In fact, it was one of the first real situations in my life where I could truthfully say I felt deja vu.  Six years ago I was standing in Missouri Baptist Medical Center staring out a window at traffic coming off I-270 and merging east onto highway 40/60.  Getting restless, I got up to get a cup of coffee from the nurse’s station and as I poured a cup, a nurse popped her head out the door and yelled, “Get back in here!  You’re about to have a baby!”

That was indeed a happy moment.  This, however, was something different.  A few days earlier Beth had received a call that there was something “Asymmetrical” in her mammogram and she needed to come back for a re-screen.  So here I was in the same hospital, overlooking the same highway, getting a cup of coffee and pondering what the news would be when the nurse popped her head out the door; would we get the all clear sign or would we be in for a fight.  

Let’s start with what we know:
1. Beth exercises and eats healthy
2. There is no history of breast cancer in her family
3. She is adamant at getting her yearly mammogram/age- appropriate screenings
4. She has or has access to some of the best physicians in the country
5. She has a deep faith and belief that everything is going to be alright, no matter what the circumstances.

All of that, while wonderful, is very un-assuring when faced with the possible reality your wife may have cancer.  Truthfully, sitting in the waiting room wasn’t as tough as the days that led up to the appointment.  We wouldn’t wish that anxiety on anyone.  Oddly enough, there was something empowering when we arrived at the hospital that morning.  It’s hard to explain so I’ll use the same list from above:

1. Beth exercises and eats healthy
2. There is not history of breast cancer in her family
3. She is adamant at getting her yearly mammogram/age- appropriate screenings
4. She has or has access to some of the best physicians in the country
5. She has a deep faith and belief that everything is going to be alright, no matter what the circumstances.

Cancer is scary.  We just lost a family friend (younger than Beth) to breast cancer and this only led to greater fear and anxiety.  But as we drove to the appointment, our mindset began to change from fear to calm.  Worst case scenario, we got on this “thing” early and had access to the top doctor in St. Louis; probably on that same day.  Best case scenario, we go home, say a thank you prayer and get back to life.

A million things raced through my mind.  How would our life change?  Did we catch it early?  Would it be the type of cancer that we could eradicate and get on with life?  What would we tell our boys?  Would I lose her?

She was back there a long time.  In fact, there were patients who went in after Beth went back for her screen that finished and were gone while she was in the imaging area.  This allowed the fear to start creeping back in; a feeling that magnified when she walked through the door with tears in her eyes.  Cancer is scary, but not this time.  She was all clear and all I could think about were those questions and how, thank God, I didn’t need to worry about them today.

Yes, cancer is scary but do you know what is even scarier?  Learning you have cancer but failing to have gotten your mammogram or age/gender appropriate screenings and hearing there is nothing that can be done is much, much scarier.  No one likes to get these tests.  They take time out of your schedule and they do create anxiety.

Still, our message will continue to be to take care of yourself by exercising, eating healthy, managing stress and getting enough sleep.  This will create an optimal environment for health and keep your immune system strong.  Then, schedule and keep your annual physical and medical screenings.  Yes, sometimes cancer happens even if you eat healthy and exercise but if you are healthy to begin with and through screenings, get early detection, you increase your chances of beating cancer.  Be empowered to make the choices and take the actions that will allow you to beat anything that gets thrown your way.  Even stupid cancer.

Be well friends,

Jeremy

By Suzanne Doerries, RD  --  Head Dietitian at Forward Fitness

1. Make half your plate veggies (and I don't mean fries). Vegetables are high in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and anti-oxidants. 
They fill you up and give your body the nutrients it needs to function optimally. Suggestions include Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Balsamic Roasted Baby Carrots (did you know you can roast ANY veggie??), and Kale Chips.

2. Have protein with every meal. Not only does protein help to keep you full, it is essential for immune and liver health, and it helps build/maintain muscle mass. Poultry, beef, pork, eggs, nuts, and nut butters are good sources of protein. Poultry, beef, and pork are the highest in protein per gram.

3. Drink half your weight in ounces of water. This is a just a guideline. If you are more active you will need more water. Water helps to transport nutrients and oxygen that help grow and repair cells, messages from hormones, and cell waste. It helps to remove toxins from the body and plays a role in reactions in the body. In addition to lubricating the joints, digestive tract, and lungs, it helps pad 
your joints and spine. Adequate water also helps your skin to look good! If your body is dehydrated you automatically have a decrease in performance, you can confuse thirst or hunger, and you may experience "brain fog." Carry a water bottle with you wherever you go to stay hydrated.

4. Slow down when you eat. It takes about 15-20 minutes for your body to catch up to what you just put in it. If you shovel your food in, the chances of overeating are greater. Eating slower allows you to pay more attention to the way your food tastes creating greater satisfaction.

5. Plan ahead. You have probably heard the phrase, "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail." This is especially true with food. If you do not know what you are going to eat, how can you make sure it will be there for you? Know at least a day in advance what you will eat and prep accordingly. Making your protein (chicken, beef, pork...) ahead of time can make week night meals a lot more convenient.

If it seems overwhelming to do all five of these things at once, choose one to start with. Once you  feel confident with that, add another habit. Which habit will you start with first?

By Jeremy Koerber

So I asked her mid-rep on the cable rotation, “Do you strut a little?”  She replied with a laugh “No…what do you mean?”  I replied to her, “After a workout, do you strut out of here.  Do you feel good about yourself, proud of your accomplishments and already thinking about the next session? “ My reply prompted another giggle and at that point, I realized I had failed to come up with the proper descriptor 
for what I meant and left it with “You’ll know when you get there because when you do, the way you look and feel about working out will be changed forever.”

The best parable I can tell to help you understand swagger is the story of the 1999 St. Louis Rams.  The laughing stock of the National Football League for years, no one saw them coming as they appeared out of nowhere to dominate the league and defeat the Tennessee Titans in the Super Bowl.  How did they complete such a dramatic turnaround?  They changed philosophies, hired new coaches and brought in some new personnel.  They were consistent with their approach and they began to win.  Not just win, but win in impressive fashion.  Their offense was unstoppable.  They were given the name “The Greatest Show on Turf” and with every win, they became more and more confident.  Not arrogant but confident and without anyone telling them it was time, it happened.  

They developed their swagger.

When you strength train on a consistent basis, you change.  Not just physically but mentally.  As your body becomes stronger, more powerful, leaner and more toned, so does your mental strength, self-esteem and confidence.  For example, when many people join a gym they are self-conscious or feel inferior to others who they feel are fitter than they are.  This ends, no matter your true fitness level or 
physique, when you develop your swagger.

Now, there are some rules to follow:

1. There is no time table for when your swagger will arrive.  Mostly, it is up to you because it is a direct effect of how hard and consistent you train.

2. Do not forget your gym etiquette.  Just because you now BELIEVE you belong at the gym doesn’t mean you own physical property.  Please share equipment just like you always have and wipe off your sweat.  It’s just nice.

3. Selfies are acceptable and encouraged to help build swagger but please refrain from posting pics to Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram each and every time you workout.  Checking in, however, is totally acceptable and will help build virtual support from your friends and followers.

4. Don’t use chalk.  Ever.  Unless you enter powerlifting contests there is no reason for it other than making a mess.  Also, please avoid excessive noises and speaking so everyone in the gym can hear your conversations.

5. Finally, with great power comes great responsibility.  As your swagger builds remember there are others that have not yet developed their super powers of confidence.  Be kind, encouraging and supportive so they too may build self-esteem and confidence.  Don’t be the lunk-head jerk at the gym because even the swagger-ized finds their behavior inappropriate.

The dictionary gives a rather unflattering definition of swagger such as arrogant self-confidence; bragging or boasting.  That, my friends, will make you the villain. But having a quiet self-confidence is important to your success.  Not just in the gym but in life.  Proper swagger will allow you to walk taller, look people in the eye, handle adversity, increase odds of getting that promotion or getting the pretty girl in marketing to say “yes” when you ask her out! 

Get strong, build self-confidence and watch the way you carry yourself change overnight!