Cabel’s Fitness F/X

Welcome to the Fitness F/X blog. Look for regular additions once I get a handle on how everything works.

I have received so much positive feedback on last weekend’s Red Deer Life column. Thank-you to all my readers for insuring the future of my column. Look for it to be posted in the articles archive soon.

This post is a follow up to my column appearing in the life. Last weekends trip was a real world experience of improvement from core and functional training. I had a great deal more confidence on my snowboard, this was the first time I was messing around trying to ride those slippery steel rails. Up til now I was not nearly confident enough to try in fear of coming home with less teeth or a broken tail bone. Though I am not very good at it at all, it was neat to experience the confidence in improved balance.

In my column I described 3 exercises: The Draw-In, The Plank, and a Hip Bridge. The draw-in comprises the foundation of most core or functional movements to engage the core and support the body but here are some ideas on how to make the plank and bridge even more challenging.

The Plank - When you have mastered the plank in the basic position (meaning you can hold it for at least 2 min) begin to advance by first lifting one foot of the floor.

If that is still easy make it even more interesting by adding a Bossu ball (the ball that is flat on one side and round on the other). Position the Bossu so the round side is on the floor. Place your hands, arms extended on the flat side of the ball and resume your plank in this position. The round surface provides greater instability and as a result greater core activation. This could then be progressed to one foot as well.

Bridge - Ok again the first change will be to progress to one foot just as above. So instead of lying flat on your back pushing both heels into the floor to raise the butt begin by extending and elevating one leg straight. Push the other heel into the floor to raise the body. You could also use the Bossu as above for this exercise, placing both feet on the flat side of the ball performing the bridge in this position. Even more advanced would be to instead use a medicine ball under one foot to elevate the body that way with the other leg extended.

 Happy training!

Well after some time and much planning I am excited to announce that I will have a private training centre for my clients. It will be a total exclusive client/instructor environment. With 3-4 trainers on staff and a variety of other services to be offerred and certain to change the way people think about fitness in the Red Deer area. You will want to check it out in the very near future at oneto1fitness.com (site currently under development)

I am so excited to announce that preparations are in full swing, equipment is due to arrive next week. We are determined to be up an running by the end of next week with some kind of open to the public operation for the Friday. Everyday is long with plenty of work to do. Today started at 8 AM with a distraction this afternoon with rain pouring in our new home (another contractor deficiency) but still we managed to make a big stride forward in the preparation of the facility. It’s now 11 PM and I’ve just finished responding to client emails. I really should get some sleep but I’m so excited about these coming weeks I am not sure I can settle down to sleep.

For many years I new I wanted to be at the head of my own fitness business, I never thought it would take this turn but I am so excited it has. The planning for this project began last August. It seemed like a small thing that grew to a big thing that was far out of reach and the settled on this perfect little idea of One-to1 Fitness. After about 9 months it’s a few days away from reality. Develop a plan, revise the plan, take small steps to complete the requirements of your plan and pour your heart into what you want and reach your goal. Whether it’s fitness, business, your career or anything else you can reach new heights in the same way.

Thank you to everyone for your support and I can’t wait to show you all what we’re up to.

Ok it’s 1:30 am, the day started in the gym w/ my first client at 7 AM. By 9:30 I was at One-to-1 working away. Finally home beat, contemplating my email follow up. We made good progress today, with each little step you can feel it further come together. Once it’s complete it’s going to be a great environment. Picked up our banner today, hopefully tomorrow we’ll have a sign, temporarily anyways until the official one is complete….that is if it ever stops rain.

 I better sleep back to One-to-1 just after 8.

Another long day concluded, I feel like a professional drywaller. The last 2 days have been really productive. We have accomplished a great deal making slight revisions to the floor plan to make the facility more functional. We’ve sorted out a disaster that was the electrical in the building. Removing ballist covers from lights I discovered a number of burnt and melted wires that we’ve replaced. We’ve been patching up walls and preparing for paint. The first pain hit the ceiling tonight, even that brought a marked improvement.

 We’ve been scraping the floor hoping we could get it smooth enough to paint, that has proven to be a real disaster so we’ve decided to go one better and upgrade our floors to something nicer. Hopefully we’ll see some paint on a few walls tomorrow and our new change room floors should be installed on Wed.

 It looks like Thursday open will be pushed to Monday, mainly due to our delayed equipment but we will need the extra time too to handle some of the unexpected changes. In all I am pretty happy with the way things are going. I will try to post some neat pictures tomorrow.

I am so thankful for great friends and family that have committed their time to help us through this endeavour. I reccomend after you read this to take a moment to think abou thow valuable those people are in your life and how we take them for granted. Go out of your way today to let them know they are appreciated by phone, email, or a nice gesture.

Good night everyone.

Everyone is getting tired, it’s been a long week, I miss my lovely wife haven’t seen her much with all the hours I’ve spent down at the studio. She’s been helping too but I’d only get to send her a smile on my frequent trips to the drywall mud pail. Today was productive yet disappointing. I realized today that we won’t nearly be done by Thursday. Too many unexpected problems, we’ll work away but we’ll have to aim for Monday. On the bright side each little problem brings a new upgrade making the end result even better. It’s late, been trying to get caught up email I’ll keep it short I need a little down time. Here are a couple pictures of the work in progress, it will make for a neat set of before and afters.

Here is a picture of the cardio room, doesn’t it look cozy?? See more pictures of our work in progress here , and yes dangit we will be open Monday, one way or another.

Ok another late night, a quick post, still much to do before sleep hits and my 8 AM date with a car service arrives. I couldn’t post last night, I was wore out, tired, toast, totally spent. I had to come home early as hunger and frustration got the best of me. I knew it was time for some good sleep I was irritable, and the night before I was even dreaming about the work going on there in the day. In the news they’ve been talking a lot about stress and managing your workload and these last few days I sure have felt it. Business owners talk about how many more hours they work and as my business transitions to a physical location we’re all sure feeling that at the moment.

The first splash of colour on the walls last night has lifted everyone’s spirits, a light at the end of the tunnel as bright as the colour itself. Even if it is only primer. The worst is nearly over and things are really beginning to take shape. The little details will probably take a week or two more to totally conclude but the essentials and what we need to open are nearly there.

 Tomorrow was our projected open date, sad it will come and go but our equipment is delayed in Vancouver and there’s not much we can do. A few of you have been lurking, driving by, checking us out. Please….keep doing so, it’s inspiring for us all to know you are there and know you are curious of what we are trying to do. On that note don’t be afraid to stop and say hello either, you will find within our walls that the very trainers you may work with are there now, covered in dust, paint and lord knows what else but one things rings true we are committed to making this little place the right place for everyone to feel comfortable and overcome any obstacles to improve their relationship with fitness in their life. So not only will we be qualified to make over your body but perhaps your home too.

 I wanted to post a new picture, sadly I forgot my camera, you’ll just have to wait or come have a look for yourself. Good night.

It’s coming, pictures speak louder than words below is over the last 4 days just one area of transformation. Some of our goodies came today, each day brings big changes now.