I have been involved in a journey of many ups and downs over the past year, as I have become acquainted with my body. I started High Intensity Interval Training a year ago, and my live has been completely changed since then. I have learned what I need to properly fuel my body, as well as recovery methods to manage any injuries and soreness since then.

If you want to follow my journey, check out my Instagram page:

https://www.instagram.com/lindseycapstone2019/

Abe follows a rigorous training program with days where he runs up to 2 hours at a time. This puts a lot of strain on the body. In addition, he eats a selective / restrictive diet (Vegetarian). To supplement his running, I would recommend very frequent stretching in addition to Cryotherapy once a week.

Day 1-6 –

Run 3 – 6 miles

Day 7 –

Active Recovery and Cryotherapy.

Jillian Rokuskie – Full Body Focus

Jillian’s program focuses on a full body approach. This is a low maintenance workout.

Day 1 –

3×5 Kettlebell Swings

3×10 Jump Squats

Day 2 –

3×20 Jumping Jacks

3×5 Backloaded Squats

Day 3 –

Rest

10 minutes of Yoga

Day 4 –

3×20 A-steps

3x30s Row Machine

Day 5 –

3x60s Bike

3×10 Calf Raises

Day 6 –

Rest

10 minutes of Yoga

Day 7 –

3x30s Plank

3×3 Burpees

7-day exercise program for Kaitlyn Watkins – Arms focused

This is a high maintenance program focused on arm, shoulder and chest strength.

Day 1 –

3×5 push-ups

3×5 DB Bench Press

3x30s Row Machine

3×5 Goblet Squat to Press

Day 2 –

3x30s Plyometric Lunges

3x30s Russian Twist

3×5 Overhead Press

3x30s Plank

Day 3 –

Rest

20 min of active mobility / walking / yoga

Day 4 –

3×5 Chest Fly

3×5 DB Bench Press

3×5 Burpee

3×5 BB Row

Day 5 –

3x30s Butt Burners

3x30s shuttle sprints

3×5 Banded Pushups

3×1 Pull-Ups

Day 6 –

Rest

20 min of active mobility / yoga / walking

Plank until failure

Day 7 –

3×5 BB Bench Press

3×5 DB Row

3×5 Angels of Death

3×15 Seal Jacks

7-Day Program for Madi Prentice – Ab-focused

This is a medium-maintenance program focused on core and stability work. This will promote balance and a central source of strength.

Day 1 –

3×5 – V-Ups

3×3 – Cross body V Ups

3x60s Bike

Day 2 –

3x30s Right Side Single Arm / Single Leg Plank

3x30s Left Side Single Arm / Single Leg Plank

3x60s Sprints

Day 3 –

3x30s Ab-Cycling

3×10 Windshield Wipers

3x60s Row Machine

Day 4 –

Rest

20 min active recovery

Day 5 –

3×10 Deadbugs

3x30s Russian Twist Toss

3x60s alternating High Knees / Butt Kicks

Day 6 –

3x30s Plank

3×5 Bird Dogs

3x60s sprints

Day 7 –

3×10 Windshield Wipers

3x60s Row Machine

3x60s Plank

Sleep

Sleep is perhaps the single best recovery method known to man. But how much is really known? Scientists aren’t even entirely sure why we sleep, but they do know the plethora of benefits it offers! There are several stages of sleep that align with the depth and quality.

Stage 1 – The process of falling asleep, in which brainwaves, heartbeat and breathing begin to slow.

Stage 2 – Light sleep. Muscles relax further and bodily functions occur even slower.

Stage 3 – Deep sleep. Muscles are completely relaxed and your breathing and heartbeat are at their slowest.

Stage 4 – REM sleep. This is a period of rapid eye movement, in which your body mimics being awake even though you are completely asleep. You are temporarily paralyzed during this time, as to avoid injury to self should the body react to any dreams.

Sleep has a major impact on brain plasticity, which is the brains ability to comprehend and react to incoming data. It also allows for the waste-products created by the brain to be properly disposed, rather than the inefficient disposal method used during periods of alertness. Symptoms of illnesses and diseases rapidly increase when insufficient levels of sleep are achieved, and mental symptoms of mood disorders severely worsen.

However, lack of sleep can impact more than just your mind. Without proper sleep, your inter-neural reactors are unable to fire properly, leading to worsened coordination, lack of agility and slowed recovery rate. Poor sleep quality and short sleep duration have been proven to be linked to obesity.

Jami is a good friend of mine, and one of the most committed people I know. She practically lives in the gym, and is devoted to self improvement on a daily basis. Her journey is inspiring, and I am very grateful she was able to offer some insight for my capstone.

• What are your personal fitness goals? 

My current fitness goals are to deadlift 220 pounds, squat 185 pounds, and to do 12 unassisted pull-ups. I also want to continue to lose body fat to get around 17-18%, and to continue to lose weight to get around 120-125 pounds and remain consistent with those numbers while still maintaining a happy and healthy lifestyle.

• What methods of training do you use to achieve these goals? Have you tried any other methods? Were they more / less effective? 

Currently I am doing HITT training 4 times a week and strength training 3 times a week. In the past I have done a lot more cardio, as well as higher reps/less weight which didn’t give me as good results when it came to increasing strength and burning fat. 

• What nutrition plan (if any) do you use to achieve these goals? If you don’t use a nutrition plan, are you mindful of your diet? What do you typically eat in a day?

I am in the process of obtaining a nutrition plan with a fitness coach, but am unable to speak to what that will look like yet. However, for the past 2 months I have been doing a high protein/high fat diet of about 1350-1450 calories a day. 

• A typical day of eating looks like this (using 4/8/19 as an example):
  • Breakfast: 1 egg, 3 egg whites scrambled with a splash of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 1 oz of halloumi cheese, 1 piece of GF toast.
  • Snack: Protein bar. (usually a One Bar)
  • Lunch: 3.5 ounces of angus beef, 2 ounces of rotini (chickpea pasta), 12 asparagus spears grilled, 3 ounces of roasted carrots.
  • Snack: Protein shake with Organix Protein powder and 8 ounces of unsweetened vanilla almond milk.
  • Dinner: Turkey lettuce tacos 

• What is your experience in the fitness industry? What (if any) certifications do you hold?

 I do not hold any certifications but swam competitively for 14 years, and have been a gym goer since high school. I also have 5 years of experience coaching competitive swimmers.

• What recovery methods do you use to deload? 

I make sure to drink BCAAs during my workouts and take magnesium as part of my supplement routine to help with DOMS. I also try and foam roll about 3 times a week.

• Have you tried fasting? What is your experience with that?

I have done intermittent fasting in the past when I have had gut issues. It did help short term to get things back on track, however I have found going to the chiropractor on a regular basis and staying away from gluten and alcohol has been key in keeping my gut health in check.

• What would you recommend to someone interested in going into the field (what do you like to see in a coach)? 

I like a coach to be knowledgeable. You can be enthusiastic and a cheerleader all day long, but I want to know the why’s, what’s, and how’s of movements I am doing and how it is benefiting me and my goals. 

• What do you feel is most frequently misconstrued or poorly communicated from a health and wellness standpoint?

I am not a professional in the field, but I feel like I see more inaccurate than accurate information out there. The biggest pet peeve of mine is all of these “quick fixes” that are advertised to lose weight. (i.e.: tummy teas, crash diets, spot reducing workouts, etc) None of this is easy and it takes months and months to see results from consistency and hard work. 

Croslow, Jami. Interview about Fitness. 04/11/2019

Brian is my current coach, and his dedication to the field is incredibly inspiring. He does a phenomenal job at practicing what he preaches, and truly believes in the power of nutrition and exercise. His responses to my questions demonstrate just some of his expansive knowledge, and I am very grateful he was able to give some time to answer these questions, as he works as a full time coach and runs a small local supplement company during his off hours.

 What are your personal fitness goals?

My personal fitness goals are to maintain a healthy lifestyle through diet, exercise, and overall vitality. I’m always looking to get stronger and perform better. I carry the mentality of never being satisfied. 

What methods of training do you use to achieve these goals? Have you tried any other methods? Were they more / less effective?

I create my own programs so I have the luxury of playing around with a lot of different variations of load, volume, frequency, rest periods and exercises. Power lifting and heavy strength training is by far my favorite and has also been the most effective for my physique and overall health. 

What nutrition plan (if any) do you use to achieve these goals? If you don’t use a nutrition plan, are you mindful of your diet? What do you typically eat in a day?

Generally speaking I try to just eat really clean 90 percent of the time because I know the other 10 percent will be spent at functions or with friends. The name for my “diet” is called the Mediterranean diet but that’s just a guide for the sake of the response. I eat lots of fruits, veggies, meats, and healthy oils/fats.

· What is your experience in the fitness industry? What (if any) certifications do you hold?

I have my B.S. in Sports Studies and my M.S. in Kinesiology. I hold my ACSM-CPT and am currently working towards my CSCS which I hope to have very soon! I have been in this field for over 8 years but have been in the industry about 3 years now. I have learned so much but am learning so much more each day! 

· What recovery methods do you use to deload?

Deloading typically comes after an 8 week program of heavy strength training. OR if I can tell my recovery from constant exercise isn’t where it should be and my performance is lagging. I will typically do active recovery for 5-7 days. This may include a lot of stretching and mobility work, extremely light loads and low volumes, body weight work, or just getting outside and walking. 

· Have you tried fasting? What is your experience with that?

I play around with intermittent fasting a lot as well. I’ve tried almost every kind there is and currently fast 16 hours a day and eat within an 8 hour window. I have also completed a 5 day water fast, which was quite grueling but much needed. I have studied fasting from every level so I’m happy to go way in depth with this.

· What would you recommend to someone interested in going into the field (what do you like to see in a coach)?

My number one recommendation would be to figure out what your ultimate goal is going to be. Is it going to be to train clients forever or manage trainers or open your own facility? The path to get to the goal may be the same regardless but having an end goal in mind is crucial to achieving it. Either way, be open to criticism and carry yourself with a student mentality. Never be above someone teaching you or humbling you on a subject. This field is ever growing and ever changing. The minute you close yourself off to learning is the minute you lose credibility and a potential moment to gain valuable wisdom. Lastly, work on your communication skills every day. I’m an extreme introvert but have had to really push myself to talk in front of people with confidence to articulate what I know. All of these traits are crucial for Trainers to be successful. 

As a professional in the field, what do you feel is most frequently misconstrued or poorly communicated from a health and wellness standpoint?

A big problem in our field is that a person will hear something or learn something and that is their “end all, be all” message to trainers and clients alike. Information I learned in graduate school just two years ago is no longer relevant in the field. As I’ve already discussed it’s just about being open to learning and being okay with being wrong and changing your stance. I think nutrition is a major subject that is just not communicated well. Part of the reason is because nutrition is so specific but mainly because people just lack the knowledge. I could write a novel on topics I’ve heard announced to clients from Trainers that are just straight up wrong. Knowing something in our field is one thing, having all the certs and BS and MS is another thing. Ultimately, experience in this field is going to yield the best results no matter the goal. Knowledge + Experience = Wisdom.

Barnes, Brian. Interview about Fitness. 04/11/2019

Conner was the first personal trainer / coach I ever worked with. His positive attitude and extensive knowledge had an amazing impact on my own journey, and I was beyond excited when he agreed to answer a few questions for my capstone. Below are his answers, and his insight to the fitness industry.

 What are your personal fitness goals?

• My top priority for my fitness is to feel great. This means I am energized, clear minded, happy, and confident. Subsequent goals include aesthetics and situational performance.

· What methods of training do you use to achieve these goals? Have you tried any other methods? Were they more / less effective?

• My current training routine is: full body strength training 4 days/week full body HIIT 2 days/week, sauna for 20 minutes, 3-4 days a week, and mobility for 15 minutes 3 days a week.

· What nutrition plan (if any) do you use to achieve these goals? If you don’t use a nutrition plan, are you mindful of your diet? What do you typically eat in a day?

• I don’t follow a strict nutritional plan. Normally I cycle low carb, high fat and protein for 3 weeks on then switch to high carb and protein, low fat for 1 week. 
• I believe it is important to be mindful of what you consume (calories in vs calories out.) I coach that you should track your caloric consumption vs caloric output for about a month and then once you feel confident in portion size and meal frequency, use your best judgement and really listen to how your body feels and watch how it responds! From there, adjust your diet and/or daily movement. 
• Regarding listening to your body, I believe it can be vital to discover what foods you may be allergic or sensitive to. Eliminating inflammatory foods that your body doesn’t digest well will help substantially with things like sleep, acne, hormonal balance, fat loss, muscle gain, mood and much more! I recommend EverlyWell’s at-home food sensitivity test.

· What is your experience in the fitness industry? What (if any) certifications do you hold?

• I have my BA in Kinesiology from UNCC.
• Certified ACSM Exercise Physiologist, and Red Cross CPR, First Aid, and AED. 
• 2 years of personal training in big box corporate gyms (Fitness Connection) 
• 1.5 years as Head Trainer and Studio Manager at a group fitness HIIT gym (F45).
• .5 year as part-time group fitness HIIT coach (FlyWheel). 

· What recovery methods do you use to deload?

• sauna use for 20 min, 3-4x week
• Mobility work for 15 min, 3 days a week
• Focus on quality sleep (7-8 hours) 
• Proper hydration and nutrition 

· Have you tried fasting? What is your experience with that?

• I actively practice intermittent fasting for about 4 days out of the week. This usually involves a 16-18 hour window of fasting and a 6-8 hour window of feeding. 
• My experience has been positive. I feel it keeps my energy levels higher and gives me more mental clarity than when I eat breakfast. 
• I think it also helps me consume a better balance of calories. 

· What would you recommend to someone interested in going into the field (what do you like to see in a coach)?

• Coach as many different demographics as possible
• Find an experienced and proven mentor
• Never stop learning, listening, reading, etc.
• Apply what you learn and see what works and how your body responds 
• Learn how to communicate effectively to different demographics 
• Drop in to all kinds of gyms / fitness classes and observe then record what you liked vs disliked 
• Practice what you preach
• Be authentic and true to yourself. Mirroring is often very transparent. 

· As a professional in the field, what do you feel is most frequently misconstrued or poorly communicated from a health and wellness standpoint?

• There are too many to count. 
• The benefits of Cardio vs Strength training is highly misunderstood. Most people think cardio is the key to fat loss when in actuality increasing metabolic efficiency through gaining muscle mass from strength training is. Additionally, most women tend to believe strength training will give them big bulky muscles. Untrue. It takes YEARS to big enough huge muscles that you look “bulky”. 
• The supplement industry is constantly creating myths to better market their products. Supplements should be low on your fitness priority list. They barely move the needle in comparison to proper nutrition, training, and sleep. 
• Stop listening to instagram influencers and start listening to people with educations. 

Traywick, Conner. Interview about Fitness. 04/11/2019

Recovery is a crucial step in the health journey. Unfortunately, it isn’t utilized enough, especially by the everyday individual who doesn’t have access to a coach or personal trainer who understands the importance of recovery. Athletes will typically train periodically and – every few weeks or after a competition – take 5-7 days off in order to rest and recover. This is typically called a deload week, a week in which the athlete participates in active recovery. This includes a combination of several different muscle and joint recovery techniques.

Foam rolling is a method of myofascial release. While this may sound like a very scientific and confusing term, its actually quite simple to understand. Fascia is a type of connective tissue that acts as a sleeve over the muscle to promote mobility and flexibility. Fascia can become sticky with inflammation, and begin to grate and rub against the muscles, causing pain and soreness. By applying pressure, you are able to elongate and unstick the fascia from the muscles, restoring mobility.

Cryotherapy is another method of recovery, which uses very low temperatures to jumpstart the body’s self-repair mechanism. Cold temperatures are hugely anti-inflammatory and are also a trigger for endorphin release. By lowering inflammation, your body increases the blood flow in order to remain warm enough to function. The increased circulation is able to heal the injury, as well as flush toxins from the system. This is typically used by aerobic athletes, rather than people who lift because cold temperatures slow the rate of muscle growth.

Cupping therapy is a method of recovery that is known to help with circulation, pain, inflammation and relaxation. It is a deep tissue massage in which suction and heat are used to expand the blood vessels within the muscle. This commonly leads to large circular bruises, as a warm cup is suctioned onto the area of discomfort. Cupping therapy can either be done wet or dry, and with wet cupping therapy, there is often a small slit that is cut into the skin to allow for blood to flow and the circulation to improve. Several voices of criticism have risen against this, as it is similar to bloodletting. Either way, cupping therapy is an ancient technique used for pain relief for thousands of years.

Acupuncture is also an ancient recovery technique. It is traditionally used to prevent and treat diseases. It is believed to balance the body’s natural energy and promote a healing aura, however there is no scientific evidence to prove this. While there is no scientific evidence to support that acupuncture balances energy, there is scientific evidence to prove that it can assist with pain, migraines and emotional pain syndromes.

Even though they both involve needles, Dry Needling is very different than acupuncture. Primarily, there is a lot more research surrounding the effects and benefits of dry needling. Dry needling is the act of puncturing a trigger point (smaller muscle bands within a large muscle) with a very thin needle to create a muscular twitch. This releases the tension within the trigger point and relieves pain.