The (F)Empower Project Presents: Sarah X!

I first met this little bundle of love a number of years ago when I was working on the island during summer vacation. As we worked together over the summer, I remember admiring Sarah for her strong work ethic, responsibility, and true sincerity. Plus she was always so sweet. While we ran into each other from time to time at Queen's University, the first time I really got to re-connect with her was through NTC. She came to classes consistently, and always gave her all! She spent her first class in a corner, and as she progressed over the years she gradually worked her way to the middle of the front row of the class, and allowed her amazing strength and personality to shine through. Sarah has been an inspiration to myself, and so many other women, balancing her rigorous academic program, volunteering and family life with a challenging fitness regimen. I have been, and am so very proud of all that she has accomplished over the last couple years and was touched when Sarah agreed to participate in this series! So here she is, my little shining star, Sarah! 

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Hello! My name is Sarah, but am often referred to many by my last name, “Xiao.” I am currently a 20-something, Registered Nurse and second-year doctoral student at the University of Toronto (UofT). While my clinical and research background is in pediatrics and mental health, I also enjoy volunteering and working with seniors in the community. When I’m not reading, writing, or studying (read: learning via osmosis while sleeping), I’m satisfying my caffeine craving and/or sweet tooth somewhere or “attempting” to cook a meal that will keep me alive for a few days.

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Currently, my fitness routine consists of running, cycling, and strength training about five times a week.

Staying active and healthy is more than a routine for me, it’s a lifestyle and philosophy. But it wasn’t always this way.

I had childhood asthma growing up and recurring bronchitis every 2-3 months. Antibiotics were my best friend. In high school, I had very low self-esteem and was extremely self-conscious about my weight, often wearing baggy hoodies and sweat pants to hide whatever insecurities I had. During my Master’s, I ate 1 to 2 small meals a day, attributing it to stress and my lack of cooking skills. I often defined my weight on a scale as an indication of how healthy I was. At 5”0’, I was a mere 90 pounds and constantly lethargic. How ironic was it that I was a healthcare professional, healing sick people back to health…but did not know how to take care of myself? (The future of healthcare is in great hands, guys.)

It wasn’t until four years ago after getting my heart broken and a looming health crisis that I knew I needed to regain control of my life. I remember going to my first bootcamp class at Cardio-Go with my work BFF and not being able to differentiate between a squat, lunge, or a burpee. Exercise was like a foreign language to me and I vowed never to eat a donut again if I didn’t have to go back to bootcamp. But I did, and began working with a personal trainer 2-3 times a week. To compliment my core exercises and strength-training, I also integrated running as a form of cardio.

I didn’t know it then, but running became my saving grace and therapy. In fact, I have had the most insightful conversations with myself while running and have since found that my perspective on life has changed immensely.

Around this time, one of my friends (hello Jazzy!) forwarded me a Facebook link to participate in Nike Training Club (NTC). There, I re-met Jenny – who was one of the NTC trainers. (Side note: Jenny and I previously worked together at Centreville in 2009, both (wo)manning the kiddie rides. In 2010, I bumped into her again in our pathophysiology class at Queen’s.) It was meant to be! Shortly after joining NTC, I began running with Nike Run Club (NRC). This became my schedule: Mondays and Wednesdays with NRC; Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays with NTC; personal training on Fridays, and yoga on Sundays. Yes, I was doing something every day of the week. #howtobesingle. Running and gym-ing became my life outside of work and school, and was also where I met some of the most wonderful people, several of whom have now become my closest friends.

During the summer of last year, however, I ran a short “routine” 5K, and succumbed to the most debilitating injury in my short-lived running career. What began as a strain led to an excruciating knee pain, to the point where I couldn’t walk without limping. Several ER visits, X-rays, ultrasounds, doctor diagnoses, and many uncertain weeks later… I had a decadent combination of patellofemoral pain syndrome (PPS or “runners knee”), Bursa’s cyst, meniscus tear, and a possible hamstring injury. I had to say goodbye to running, jumping, and anything fitness-related - which might as well have been my entire life. 

I threw pity parties for myself (involving vanilla lattes and donuts, no less), became immensely reclusive and anti-social, and drowned myself in schoolwork. What I also did, and probably shouldn’t have, was run the Nike San Fran Half Marathon in the midst of all of this turmoil. Needless to say, I didn’t run the entire leg of the course. I jogged, walked, took pictures, nursed my knee, ate Cliff bars and “enjoyed” my Nuun while people-watching. When I came home from this trip, I made the decision to take more of an active role to get better - mentally and physically. I realized that I was often reckless in my previous fitness practices - not taking a “rest day”, or warming up and stretching appropriately. I was willing to give up anything, as long as I could walk pain-free again. 

In November, I began working with a physiotherapist at UofT every week. Still, looking at myself in the mirror and the thought of going back to the gym gave me immense anxiety. The thought and image of being active and happy seemed like a very distant memory and something I would never experience again. But the girlfriends who I had met from NTC never forgot or gave up on me. On a bad day (which were most days), I’d get a random text or message from someone asking for an update or just telling me they missed me and wished for a speedy recovery. Although seemingly a small gesture, it had a profound impact on my healing...

This marked a huge turning point in my recovery, and I believe is what truly captures the essence of “(f)empower”: females empowering one another to strive for self-love and to recognize yourself as your first and foremost priority. 

A notable memory was when my physiotherapist suggested that I began stressing the scar tissue in my knee. I was instructed to use the stationary bike for as long as my knee could tolerate without pain. But I couldn’t bring myself to doing it. I feared the feeling of the pain - which for me, was another setback. It wasn’t until a random heartfelt phone call from one of my fellow NTC girlfriends, Ljiljana, that I finally took the first step. She suggested that I set a goal of 5 minutes; if I felt any pain or didn’t want to continue after 5 minutes, I could go home. Fortunately, those 5 minutes turned into 10, and within a month, I was shamelessly sweating on the bike, pain-free, for 45 minutes everyday. Part of my treatment plan also included strengthening my glutes and core, foam rolling, properly warming up and stretching after exercising, and finding the most suitable running shoes for my gait.

Fitness was no longer just about the act of “doing”, but all of the other components involved in injury prevention and recovery.

Slowly but surely, I mustered up whatever bit of courage I had and began jogging on the treadmill. However, the inevitable feeling of defeat would settle in as soon as I felt a sharp pain in my knee. Yet, the key lesson here was about listening to my body, appreciating any progress made, and overcoming self-doubt. Eventually, I was able to run ~4K on the treadmill with mild to no discomfort, and recently rejoined NTC and NRC last month. Currently, I run 2-3K every other day, and have resumed most of my normal activities.

Being healthy is no longer a matter of what the scale says, or how physically capable I am, but how in-tune my mind is with my body. 

From this experience, I’ve learnt the value of self-discipline and mental resilience, and have to attribute most, if not all, of my successes and achievements to my support system. Being surrounded by a community of such strong, positive women from different walks of life has truly inspired me to better myself in every facet of my own life. My current fitness and life goals include:

1.  re-learning how to swim
2. taking more dance classes (I’ve been taking hip hop classes for the past several months, LOL)
3. building more muscle (I’ve named my soon-to-be ab muscles as “Tu-pac”) and, 
4. adding more plant-based recipes to my limited arsenal of cooking skills.

So if you’re reading this (and thinking of being more active)… It’s not too late. You are much more capable than you think you are. Take that first leap of faith, listen to your body, and everything else will follow.

Get More Bang for Your Barbell Buck!

There is no doubt about it.... if you want to  get bigger and stronger, if you want to move heavy weight and make gains, it absolutely requires hard work, consistency, and perseverance. But, this doesn't mean that there is not a place for SMART training strategies, and one really great one is drop sets.

Drop sets, down sets, bro sets, whatever you want to call them they do more than just boost your ego. To prove my point however, requires a little explanation of exercise and neuromusculoskeletal physiology. 

Breaking Down Muscle

The Contractile Unit

Watching someone squat heavy weight, and seeing the muscles in their legs firing like gangbusters, it's hard to imagine what is happening at the level of each individual fibre, but believe it or not, this is really important to overall function. After all, the summation of work of each of these muscle cells (fibres) is what creates that large, powerful muscular contraction. Each muscle fibre is made up of several contractile units called sarcomeres, and basically serves at the pleasure of our nervous system. To put it bluntly, each muscle fibre is connected to command central (our brain) by a motor nerve. Sometimes a single motor nerve innervates one or very few muscle fibres, and sometimes a a motor neuron innervates many many muscle fibres. In either case, the motor neuron and all of the muscle fibres it innervates are collectively referred to as a Motor Unit. Smaller motor units are easier to recruit, and tend to be found in higher concentration in muscles that control fine or discrete movements, such as those of the fingers. Larger motor units are found in higher concentration in our bigger, workhorse muscles such as our quadriceps or gluteals and while they require a greater stimulus to be recruited, they are able to generate quite a lot of power!

Fibre Type and Order of Recruitment 

In addition to our muscle fibres varying in their innervation, they also differ in fibre type. There are three different types of muscle fibres, Slow Twitch (oxidative), Fast Twitch (Glycolytic) and Fast Twitch (Oxidative). On top of recruiting smaller motor units first, our nervous systems also tend to recruit slow twitch fibres first; as intensity and demand increase, we progressively recruit bigger and faster twitch muscles. As mentioned above, these bigger motor units, especially those with fast twitch fibres are very powerful; these are the guys that allow us hit 1-RMs and generate huge power outputs. And the great news is once these big guys get going, they tend to keep working. And that brings us back to...

Drop Sets 

I'm hoping you haven't tried this...but theoretically, if you walked into a gym, threw your 1-RM weight on the bar and tried to squat it, you would fail (unless you're superman). In addition to the order of muscle recruitment, our body has other built in safety mechanisms like tendon and stretch reflexes which stop us from ripping our muscles in half, or off our bones by generating too much force or too much of a stretch too quickly. This is why we cannot access those large, powerful motor units right from the get go or squat our max weight without warming up: we risk injury when we use them, especially if we don't prepare our bodies properly. However, if you take advantage of the order of muscle fibre recruitment and gradually work up to your 1-RM weight  you'll find you can move quite a lot of weight. 

One other thing you'll likely notice is that some of the later warm-up sets that were challenging on the way up to your working weight feel much easier when done as drop sets. Some of this may be psychological (knowing that you moved heavier weight in your work sets) however, a great deal is due to the fact that the big guns are still firing! Those high capacity, powerful fibres are working on the way down, allowing you to generate more force and enabling your body to more strongly groove that motor pattern and engage in a greater deal of neuromuscular learning. In fact, this whole phenomenon has a name: Post-Activation Potentiation(PAP). Explained simply, PAP refers to a muscle's performance  being influenced by its previous contractions. Brett Contreras, a blogger and researcher with a Ph.D in Sport Science unpacked this ideas really well in a recent article(1):

PAP is a phenomena by which muscular performance characteristics are acutely enhanced as a result of their contractile history. The underlying principle surrounding PAP is that heavy loading prior to explosive activity induces a high degree of CNS stimulation which results in greater motor unit recruitment lasting anywhere from five to thirty minutes.

You'll notice from Dr. Contreras' explanation that this phenomenon applies not only to (explosive) drop sets, but also to explosive movements that are biomechanically similar to the prime movement: for example, doing squat jumps after barbell squats.

So What Do I Do Now?

If you're looking to change things up, there are many different ways to integrate drop sets or the PAP principle into your program. In fact, despite widespread agreement that PAP is a thing, theres no real consensus on exactly how to use it. I personally try to take advantage of this phenomenon in two different ways in my own training, and in the programs I write for my clients:

Explosive Movements Before the Main Lift  

When I really want to get those big motor units prepared and firing for a heavy lifting session, I place an explosive movement similar to the primary lift immediately before the strength/power portion of the training session. For example, I might use medium to high box jumps (step down, no eccentric) before a heavy squat session, or heavy kettle bell swings before a heavy deadlift session. 

There are 3 really important things I consider when using this strategy. The first and most important is a proper warm-up to ensure the athlete does not get injured. As I mentioned, use of bigger, faster-twitch motor units can more easily result in injury (likely because we do not access them as frequently, and tend to be fatigued by the time we get there, meaning form may not be 100% on point). Thus, these explosive movements such as box jumps should be placed AFTER a dynamic warm-up that takes the athlete through progressively higher threshold iterations of the movement. All of this is to say, don't just walk into the gym and do a 36' box jump without doing some tissue prep, joint mobility and dynamic movement. 

The next two important things revolve around fatigue. Because I'm using these explosive movements to prep for a heavy lift, I want to make sure the athlete has enough fuel in the tank when they get to the main strength portion of their training session. As such, I keep the reps of these explosive movements low (3 sets of 2-5 reps max), and program plenty of rest between them (45s-120s) such that the athlete has time to 'refill' their PCr system. 

So here is an example of how to take advantage of PAP via explosive movements before a main lift:

1. Box jumps: 3x3@ 24' (step down) 1,0,1,0/60-90 sec rest 
2. Barbell Back Squat 5x5@85% 1,0,1,0

Drop Sets

The second way I take advantage of PAP in my programs is, (you guessed it) drop sets. Again, there is no tried and true way to utilize drop sets, and some people suggest different methods based on your genetic muscular make up. Here is what I do: Take 10-15%  of the weight off the bar, and do a few more reps per set than the prime lift, in an explosive (but controlled!!!) manner. 

For example:

1. Back Squat Work Sets: 5x3@185 1,0,1,0/2 min rest
2. Back Squat Drop Sets: 3x5@165 1,0,1,0/60-90s rest 

This is a great way to keep things simple and easy, and also allows the athlete some wiggle room based on the numbers they hit in that session. Having said this, you can really nerd out with this principle and fine tune it to your body type and strength levels. Charles Poliquin offered a number of pretty in-depth strategies in an article he released in 2014, based on muscle fibre type etc. You can access it 

So if you're looking to gain size and strength, try these two simple ways of incorporating PAP into your program. Make sure you have a sufficient warm-up, and continue to focus on form and positioning!

Happy lifting friends

J

(1) https://bretcontreras.com/post-activation-potentiation-theory-and-application/

The (F)Empower Project Presents: Ljiljana!

#ThompsonxThomson

I still remember her first NTC class...it was a cold and wet night during the very first NTC Winterfit series in Toronto. Ljiljana came to the class with her daughter Nika, and (as I have now learned is her usual pattern) certainly made her presence known! I remember running back to the gym with her after the workout -- she was tired, but she never gave up! And she never has since. Ljiljana has been coming to my classes for years - she is a dedicated, fun, positive, energetic and uber-supportive lady who serves as an amazing example for her community. I'm thrilled to present her (F)Empower Training Story to you today! 

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My name is Ljiljana. I am 64 years old and a mother of two.

Since an early age I was very physically active which was a real nightmare for my parents because they never knew where I was, if I was getting injured, stuck in a tree or lost track of time playing sports and forgot to come home. During my school years I took part in all sorts of sports (handball, volleyball, basketball, soccer, swimming, skating). I was also very good at track and field disciplines and gymnastics. Later on in life, in my free time I would ride a bike, hike, ski or just do exercises at home or the gym. I also danced (ballroom and Latin) for years.

Two years ago, my daughter invited me to try an NTC class – a high intensity interval training workout. I just loved it and I kept coming 3 times a week from North York to Queen and Ossington. The classes are amazing, very versatile and the coaches are extremely knowledgeableand they really make you sweat.

It was very hard in the beginning, it still is, but through time and regular exercise I built my muscles, got stronger and improved my flexibility.

My body has become toned, changed for the better and made me feel good. I have no joint pains and don’t run out of breath when climbing the stairs.

I also started running. In February 2015 I couldn’t run for 1 minute. Through the training and fitness classes I was slowly improving. In April I ran my first 5km, then 10, then 15 and in October I finished a half marathon in San Francisco! I am so very proud of this achievement. 

My best reward is when much younger women tell me that they can see how much I improved and that I am an inspiration to them. 

The conclusion:

I feel physically fit, which makes me physically and mentally strong.

One might say I am an exercise addict. I enjoy doing it, even when it’s hard, but pushing myself to be stronger is a good thing.

Beauty: A Hairy Situation

So this is a first! Believe me, I’m just as surprised to see a ‘Beauty Post’ appearing on Small But Mighty as you are! I pride myself on being fairly low-maintenance and natural (other than my eyelash extensions — in the interest of full disclosure); when I do occasionally use make-up or hair products they are very ‘clean’: free of dyes, perfumes and parabens… For this reason, for the last several years, I have trusted my hair and skincare to a company that provides products and services that are clean, organic, and designed to be good for you. And for the most part, my experience has been positive; they did a great job when I decided to dye my hair ombre blue back in November (#YOLO), but my last experience was very unpleasant. I try to be a positive person, and when life throws me lemons, I try to take a step back and learn all that I can from my mistakes. For this reason, I’ll keep the rant portion of this post short, because I think the happy ending is much more important!

Back in early January, I was offered an audition for my very first TV commercial. It was very short notice (2 days) and because all of my headshots were from my pre-blue era, I made an urgent appointment at my go-to salon to try and get my blonde back. This was NOT a good experience! I had to see a new colourist due to the last minute nature of my appointment, which is understandable, but instead of greeting me with a handshake and a “Hi my name is….”, I got “What’s in your hair?” while she continued to work on another client’s head. In addition to this, the colourist suggested that it was going to take many (3+) hours and cost about $300 to return my hair to its pre-blue state. And, because there was a 20 minute gap before my colour service, she suggested I leave the salon and come back. She made the whole process seem super arduous, and acted pretty disinterested in helping me out in my time of need. So I did in fact leave, but I did not go back. As a small business owner, I feel that one of the most important things you can do for your clients is show them just how important they are to you! On top of that, you should be doing all that you can to ensure their experience is a positive one, and that you help them as much as you can (call me an optimist). I went to my audition with my blue pony tail, feeling self-conscious, and due to an unforeseen chopstick incident (among other things), I did not get the part

My big brother is getting married in April, and I am so unbelievably excited to be a part of his special day. However, faded blue ombre hair does not lend itself well to family portraits and wedding photos. So today, with a heavy heart I made an appointment at a new salon, expecting to spend several hundred dollars and many hours of my time in an uncomfortable environment. This did NOT happen. MY EXPERIENCE WAS AMAZING!

#fangirlmoment

Today I saw a new colourist, Hanifah at the Gibson Square Fiorio Salon. On top of being unbelievably friendly and welcoming, she took time to explain exactly what she was going to do and options should the colour correction not work completely at this visit. She checked in on me every 15-20 minutes and was super efficient with her work. In fact, for $100 she restored my blonde ombre style, AND provided a masque treatment for my hair to minimize damage from the correction process. By the way, she did all of this in just over an hour! Hanifah also suggested I leave the highlights I had booked just in case for later date in order to avoid damaging my hair. She forewent income in order to put her client first! As if this wasn’t enough, when I went to pay for my colour correction, the salon gave me a coupon for $40 worth of free product because it was my first time there! UNBELIEVABLE! I left feeling so happy not only with my colour but also with the service I received, and that is the type of feeling I want my clients to have EVERY TIME I SEE THEM! My heart is full! I could not help but share this story of amazing customer service with you. I wish this was the status quo, and not something we have to highlight when we happen to encounter such a fantastic situation, but such is life! 

So friends, if you live in the North end of Toronto (or even if you don't) and are looking for a new salon or colourist, check out @hanifahm_hair @fioriogibsonsquare; I'm sure your experience will be incredible! By the way, Hanifah used the Fiks Argan Oil shown in this picture on my ends and it is phenomenal!

**Neither Hanifah nor Fiorio Salons were aware I would be writing this post at the time of my appointment. I have no vested interest in this company, nor have I receive payment, product, or favours for writing this post.

Happy Long Valentine/Family Day Weekend Friends!

xo

The (F)Empower Project Presents: Krysha

My name is Krysha Pereverzoff and I'm 26 years old. I'm currently in my second year of Chiropractic College. While attending school full time I also train and compete in Crossfit. My passion for the sport and for inspiring others to be a better version of themselves is what has inspired me to become a coach. I'm currently completing an apprentice coaching program at my gym, Crossfit Solid Ground.

Growing up I was a very active child, often being involved in almost all sports, with both males and females. When people ask me what my sport was growing up, I would respond with a soccer player and a gymnast. I also played competitive field hockey and basketball. Now as an adult, my sport is Crossfit.

Being fit means that I maintain a healthy lifestyle both with exercise and nutrition but it also means that I could do/play any sport asked of me. I enjoy being an all around athlete, not a specialist. Through sports, I have had the opportunity to be a team player and an individual athlete. There are very different aspects to both styles of sport. Pressure, commitment and purpose are displayed differently depending on the style of sport you are involved in.

During undergraduate studies I made the choice to pursue my education and career over my own health. For 4 years I watched myself lose motivation to exercise, disregard my eating habits and spiral into a depression. As a hockey team trainer during school, I put the players and team before my own health. I look back on that time and realized that the best way to motivate and inspire others is to "practice what you preach."  By being happy and confident, others will gravitate towards you and look up to you.

After completing my degree I had a coworker drag me into a Crossfit gym. I immediately fell in love with the movements and the community. It was my coaches that believed in me and pushed me everyday.  They saw something in me and it made me push myself to not only be better but to prove to them what I was capable of.

Three years later I have made leaps and bounds in the sport of Crossfit. I was a member of a Canada West 2014 Regional team and placed top 100 in Canada East for the 2015 Open.

This year has changed a lot for me with regards to my training and my goals. I've decided to take the route of becoming a coach and health advocate. My training went from 6 days a week, with occasional double days to training 3-4 days a week, coaching and playing soccer with girls from my school. I did a lot of soul searching and I made the choice to focus on my future as a Chiropractor and a coach.

When I have tough days at school I look forward to exercising as a stress reliever. I've been noticing that being at my gym and being in that atmosphere is what keeps me motivated and keeps me wanting more. All the workouts are designed and delivered by the head coach at my gym. This is one thing at keeps me exercising each day. That fact that I don't have to come up with the workout and all I have to do is show up prepared to work hard is what makes exercising much easier.

As a female in the Crossfit community I find that I get treated as an equal in the fitness world. In fact I often have males competing with me and trying to lift more then me. I feel honoured to be able to push both the males and females in the class.  As the only female coach at my gym, I have found myself to be someone that members look up to. I absolutely love helping people learn new skills and I love watching them gain confidence.

Outside of the Crossfit community I often feel as though I stand out.  My family likes to make jokes regarding my body. Society has this image of how a women should look like, and I am far from that image. I have muscles and they are obvious. I struggled my whole life with body image issues and I can honestly say that my new body is everything I have ever wanted and I walk around with my head held high. I still battle with the comments about looking too muscular but I'm working on my mental toughness and learning to respond in a way that displays confidence and not always becoming defensive.

One thing that I hope as young girls grow up in this fitness craze time is that they learn to walk with confidence and carry out every day life feeling confident and strong. With social media relationships and bullying on the rise, I hope for the future generations of young girls will not get trapped in the negativity that can come with such electronic advances. I've have seen the respect young girls are achieving with becoming strong and fit and I hope they continue to stick together and inspire other girls.

"Strong is the New Sexy"