On Saturday October 13th, Totum welcomed the North Toronto Huskies Basketball program for a two-hour session of exercise and training workshops. We had over 50 participants aged 10-12 and the programming was partnered with Fast and Female, a non-profit organization that brings female Olympians together with young female athletes. These athletes are inspired to pursue sports throughout their lives, build confidence, and combat adversity while pursuing athletic goals. As an organization, Totum is dedicated to being a leader in health and wellness for youth. We believe that youth fitness and education is crucial for developing strong associations with exercise and overall wellness. Building a strong foundation for health and teamwork at a young age can empower young athletes to become role models and leaders for tomorrow. The workshops held involved strength training with Trent Peterson (personal trainer) and spin classes with our very own instructor and motivator, Amy Goldberg. The energy and enthusiasm was high while the kids learned new skills through challenging exercises.
Determined to get back into the swing of things after a busy summer? Ready to hit the trails on a beautiful crisp morning? Inspired to start a running routine before the winter months? Here are my top “return-to-running” tips that will help keep you injury-free: 1. Start slowly! If it has been weeks or months since you have thrown on your running shoes, be sure to increase your mileage gradually to prevent overuse injuries. A walk / jog approach is a smart way to start, increasing your time / distance by no more than 10% each week. 2. Do not run on consecutive days. Give your body the time it needs to recover from the increased loading on its tissues. Cross-training (ie. cycling, swimming) on non-running days will help flush out your legs so you will be ready to rock your next run! 3. CORE! CORE! CORE! Adding several core exercises to your routine will help prevent running-related injuries. The stronger your core, the less stress is placed on your peripheral joints and tissues. Here are two examples: Resisted knees to chest: engage your abdominals, hold for 5 seconds, and repeat 12 times Glute bridges: squeeze your abdominals, hold for 5 seconds, and repeat 12 times 4. Foam rolling. If you have access to a foam roller, take the time to roll out your quads, IT bands, glutes, and hamstrings pre- and/or post-run. This will help keep your muscles loose and aid in recovery. 5. Run on different surfaces. Hit the streets of Toronto, get lost in the trails around the city or in cottage country, and jaunt around a grassy park. Changing up the running surface will help decrease the stress on your body and keeps things interesting! 6. Find a running partner. Although running solo is often enjoyable and therapeutic, you can also use this time to catch up with an old friend, let your dog blow off steam, or have the kids tag along beside you on their bikes. Everyone will benefit from the fresh air and exercise. 7. Take the time to embrace your surroundings. Say hello to a fellow runner. Notice the beauty of the fall colours. Find stillness in your breathing and the crispness of the air. Enjoy this immersive experience. 8. Most importantly, treat yourself post-run! There’s nothing better than an ice-cold beer or smoothie! You earned it.
Did you know that you have an internal GPS? It allows you to orient yourself in space, respond to changes in the environment, and move through life. Running, picking up your kids, lifting weights, balancing, and even resiliency to stress are affected by this mapping function of the brain. Better maps result in better movement precision, which means better quality of life, improved fitness, and decreased risk of injury. This process occurs in real time, and begins with the intake of information through three “satellites”: the visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive systems. It then goes through the following stages: sensory input ➔ integration ➔ motor output ➔ error correction / prediction. Of these satellites, the visual system accounts for 60–70% of all sensory input, while the other two systems make up 30–40%. This means 60–70% of your awareness of your body in space, which is key for exercise, comes from your eyes. Research supports this, and is showing incredible connections between:
Vestibular training and increased bone density
Vision, the cerebellum, and low back pain
Poor gait and increased risk of dementia
As you can see, a brain-based approach benefits us both short-term and long-term, in fitness and in cognitive health. If we want better quality of life, we have to account for our physiology, include visual / vestibular exercises, and sensory and coordination work in our regimens. Here are a few examples of exercises that you can try for yourself. To test if these are right for you, start by doing a balance or range of motion baseline, try one, and re-assess. If there is an improvement, include it in your current program. If not, it just means there are better drills out there for you! 1. Eye Circles: start seated with a pen at nose height. Slowly draw a small circle with the pen while following it with the eyes, not moving the head or body. 2. Pencil Pushups: start seated with the pen at nose height and the arm extended in front. Focus on the top of the pen and slowly bring it towards your nose; stop before it goes blurry. Follow it back as you slowly straighten your arm to the starting position. 3. VOR: start seated with a pen at nose height. Keep your focus on the pen throughout—and without moving the body, slowly turn the head to the right or left, up or down, and diagonally. Try one direction at a time. To me, neuroscience is the science of hope. Its application gives us the tools to change, to heal, and to learn almost any skill—at any age. Gone are the days of a static brain; we are inherently plastic. If you’re intrigued and want to learn more about neuroplasticity and your body’s potential, pick up The Brain that Changes Itself by Norman Doidge, or come see me for a session with a neuro flair!
Varya Kapran is a personal trainer located at: Totum Medisys: 333 Bay Street, 15th floor. For bookings, please contact us at 416-728-5676.
What, Why, and How You Can Benefit from FST When Starting or Continuing Your Fitness and Health Regimen
You may have heard about Fascial Stretch Therapy, or FST, and no, it is not stretching of the face. Or, perhaps you have been looking to add another tool to your toolbox when it comes to getting your body to its optimal functionality. If you feel like your body is not moving efficiently or you hold onto tension and stress, then you should consider FST. What is FST? Primarily made of collagen, your fascia is a web of connective tissue that surrounds, stabilizes, attaches, and separates muscles. Fascias can get tight and hard, causing your muscles to move less freely. As you can imagine, this will limit your range of motion, which in turn causes decreased performance, and higher risk of injury. Nobody likes to feel restricted! The fascial network is an interwoven mesh-like substance that attaches the muscles of the entire body. Having one large web connecting the whole body can explain why you may have pain in a part of your body when the tightness or hardening is coming from another area. There are many fascial lines that run in all different directions, and a tight and painful shoulder could be a result of fascial issues at the opposite hip. Your muscles should glide smoothly like two sheets of paper with soap in between—not glue. As you age, recover from injuries, undergo stress, and so on, your fascia will tighten and harden if you do not keep it lubricated. This is where FST can come into play, and make a big difference in your fascial capabilities. 10 Benefits of FST Include: 1. Opening up of tight joint capsules 2. Lubrication of the fascia 3. Mental clarity 4. Stress relief 5. Increased range of motion 6. Improved breathing patterns 7. Better sleep 8. Activation of muscles 9. Injury prevention / rehabilitation 10. Preparation for exercise As an FST client, you will leave the table feeling lighter. A majority of the session will have you lying on a massage table. The therapist moves your body into different positions to create a deep stretching sensation as you focus on deep breathing while contracting or relaxing muscles when instructed. If you’re interested in Fascial Stretch Therapy, please contact us to find out more or to book an appointment.
In conjunction with Trainer +, a Toronto based fitness tech firm, Totum has developed an excellent resource for exercise selection. The Totum ExerGuide is an app with an incredible selection of exercises from the basics to important post rehabilitation work. It includes: • a library of over 1,000 exercises • hi-def video demonstrations • techniques and common errors for each exercise • a search function for specific exercises, with filters for muscle groups, equipment type, and movement • storage for your favourite exercises for easy reference in the future • is available for Apple and Android Phones We are happy to provide the Totum ExerGuide for free! Click here to get it from the iTunes store. Click here to get it for Android.
