The 10-Minute Planker

March 23, 2018 Peter

Struggling through the 3-minute plank at Abs Class? My long-standing client JP does a 10-minute plank twice a week during his workout.

You’d never expect such an understated person to achieve this remarkable feat. I told him he could make a few bucks hustling muscle-heads at any gym by challenging them to a planking contest.

My humble IT friend would keep going long after the competition collapses in futility. How does he do it? I can’t take aaalllll the credit. It’s an advantage not be too tall, but John isn’t short either. How then? He expresses wonder at it himself.

Muscle memory is one reason. JP was doing a 5-minute plank with his workout for a period of time. He took a hiatus from working out because life got in the way. His comeback has been swift. Another reason is his unique ability to persevere under duress. He has what I call True Grit.

JP and I discussed the progression of a plank. First, you think ouch, it hurts already. Then it’s merely uncomfortable. The 3 or 4-minute mark is the most miserable. Then, at around the 5-minute mark, you experience a reprieve.

You go numb to the pain. Some kind of adrenaline kicks in like what happens with injuries. A broken arm, for example, goes through a period of numbness. The same is true with Ab work. You get to the place beyond the pain. It’s a great opportunity to reck your abs in a good way.

The plank also develops your deltoids, expanding your shoulders. And strengthens your back. It is a full-body workout. But the nexus of stress is in the abs.

Classes are going strong this week. And Easter weekend. But not the weekend of April 7. So get them in while you can.

Ciao, Pietro

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Fitness, injury, Longevity, Personal Training, weight loss, Workout

Outside The Box

March 9, 2018 Peter

The Panacea model is simple. Fill the gaps other gyms and studios aren’t providing. And for a fair price. We have the competitive advantage of low overhead because the studio is in our home.

No one was providing a serious Abs Class. That need is most people’s highest priority, and yet the most neglected area of the body. Something more transformative than the average pilates class was in demand.

I’ve never seen Weight-lifting Classes like we have at Panacea, specializing in lower-body (squats) and upper-body (bench press). Don’t think this is for meat-heads. It’s more important for the middle-aged and beyond to improve and maintain optimum mobility. And to look good!

And yoga too, we innovate. We bring out the inversion table on occasion, which I’ve never seen at any yoga class. Long lingering restorative postures to guided meditations, instilling pliability of body and mental calm.

For Personal Training, we provide greater depth in a wider range of disciplines. Whether to raise your game to the level of safely participating in the classes, or for targeting your specific requirements and issues as directly as possible. And accelerating your progress.

Oh yeah, our smoothies at the end of class are included. This the most delicious and healthy thing you can put in your body. Try find that anywhere else.

Ciao, Pietro

petergaut.ca

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Fitness

Great Squat Workout

March 2, 2018 Peter

Work on your strengths. And your weakness more. Until your weaknesses become strengths.

At Weight-lifting Tuesdays we had a powerful squat workout this week. You might like to try it. First, as always, we did our “due diligence” to protect knees and lower back.

Starting with a 3-minute Superman to prepare the back for the challenge of deep squats. Do a non-wight -bearing squat, hanging out on your haunches with feet flat for 1 minutes before coming up and down 5 times.

The first weight-bearing set is a warm-up, go light. Most importantly, deep squats are deep. Don’t cheat. Your butt comes just a few inches from hitting the floor for sets of 10. The second set you go up in weight. The third set is your max.

Then you drag the bench over for shallow squats. You “tap your butt’ to the bench without actually sitting down. The time under tension is sustained for 15 reps. If you can do 20 or more reps then do it, and go up in weight for the next set. For at least 2 more sets. As many sets as possible. Until your legs feel like rubber.