Bragging Rights

We do a lot of testing at the Wolf Studio. We do tests to measure your posture, your core stability, your tight muscles, your weak muscles, your injuries and how you respond to exercise both strength and endurance. We have found that there are 3 types of people that come in for testing:

1. Those that really don’t care and are only there because someone told them to
2. Those that are fascinated by the results and really excited about how they can improve
3. And those that are looking for bragging rights.

This third group is an interesting one. You would expect they are looking to get perfect results, to “pass the test” so they can impress their friends. That is often true of endurance athletes getting lactate tests, they get really disheartened if we show them that they have deficits and that maybe their curve is not as good as that of their friends. These people usually don’t want to know that they can improve, they want to be told that they have been doing everything perfectly already. 

The more curious phenomenon we have found is those that want to brag about how messed up they are. They take delight in seeing how many of the postural tests they are outside the norms on and they want to be told that they are the worse we have ever seen. Since we have seen a LOT of bodies it is unlikely you will be the worst we have seen, or even be close to the bottom of the pile, but many people seem to seek this out. It is as if they want some validation of why they are getting the symptoms they are (such as neck or back pain) or why they are not making the performance improvements you would expect. Unfortunately those looking to brag about how messed up they are tend not to want to do anything about it because that would take away their uniqueness. Not the best client for us to have ...

The best clients for us are those that look at the results and get excited about how much they can improve. They can see the potential, they can see what is possible if they work towards it. They look at a bad set of results, compare that to what they have been able to do already and reach for the stars.

We have been lucky enough to have several of these optimist athletes (and their coach) in recently. They have been an absolute pleasure to work with and because of their positive attitude, fairly good (OK, great) results already, willingness to work hard and a coach with the knowledge and experience to guide and push them in the right way we know they will achieve greatness!

Corina

If you pay peanuts what do you get?

Starting a business is tough. There is an overwhelming amount of advice available and this can easily lead to ‘paralysis by analysis’. We have spoken to people in our business and we have explored the local market,  but pricing is always a thorny subject.

At The Wolf Studio we cannot compete on price with the big box franchise gyms, in the same way that they cannot compete with us on qualification, experience or level of service.

We do not offer your usual personal training service and our client base tends not to be the type of person who attends a sweaty ‘gym rat’ facility. Throughout our 10 years in business we have attracted an overwhelming amount of professional people, we have worked with doctors, business leaders, lawyers, finance directors and CEOs of multi-national organizations. Our client base in Scotland was small but what it lacked in quantity it more than made up for in quality. We have been able to work with many clients who are millionaires, the odd billionaire, and clients who want to invest in their health so that they can enjoy the money that they make rather than not being able to play golf two days in a row!

At The Wolf Studio we offer a unique blend of exercise and soft-tissue work, we are truly experts in both fields, we offer a premium service and we charge a premium price. Our education is truly amazing, we have trained all over the world learning from the best in our field, we don’t profess to be the best, but we have learned from them!

Our clients get amazing results, they recover from injuries they had given up on, their bodies change and they actually enjoy training. Because we combine exercise with soft-tissue we can deal with all manner of injuries and get the client back to full fitness fast and effectively. We have worked with all sorts of conditions ranging from multiple-sclerosis clients, clients with bulging discs, clients with pelvic floor issues, paraplegics and lots of ‘normal’ people who want to ensure that they are doing the right exercise for their bodies.

Why would you buy a Mercedes or a Bentley when you can get a chevy for a fraction of the price? You are buying quality, reliability, service and performance. As we are from the UK I will say that The Wolf Studio “we are the Aston Martin of personal training & sports injury studios.” If you want your body to match the quality of your car come and see us, the investment in yourself will be worth paying a little more for a whole lot more in terms of expertise and service.

Let us fulfill your potential so that you can enjoy your life.

Alan

Bad day at the Office

Yesterday was the Carlsbad half and full marathon. It was the first big half-marathon I have done, and the first half of any size in several years. The races I ran in Scotland had entry limits of 1500, were not always chip timed, the roads were not closed so we would jump on and off sidewalks and have to wait for gaps in traffic, and you never felt like you were running in a crowd. I didn’t really know what to expect at a bigger race like Carlsbad, 1500 in the Marathon, 8500 in the Half. I was very pleasantly surprised by the race, if not by my performance in it. 

After setting the alarm at a time that brought tears to my eyes the night before and dragging myself out of bed I dropped Alan off on the course at 5.30am (I have to iterate that this was his idea, I didn’t force him to stand on a street corner in the cold and dark). I got to the race start early, saw the Marathon start at 6am and marveled at the multitude of porta-potties available. Then I found a warm spot in the expo tent, chilled out and got my head into the right place.

Once my friends arrived there were the usual hugs, good luck wishes, group photos etc before we all headed to the start. When the gun went I started running slowly, in previous races recently I had gone out way too fast and burned out, so slow was good. Slow I managed, after the first mile I was way off pace, after the 2nd I had regained some ground but was starting to feel not good. At mile 3 I had a diaphragm spasm (very weird as I never get these in training), at mile 4 I was feeling unwell and nauseous. I took until mile 6 before I found a porta-potty on course and managed to feel a little better. By now I had given up all hope of getting a good time and was purely in survival mode. It felt good to be at the turn-around, half way there!

I managed to plod on getting ever slower. I saw Alan with his camera at mile 9, glad he hadn’t thought he missed me and wandered off. He smiled at me sympathetically and asked “Bad day at the office?”. I gave him a big hug and and off I went in search of the finish line, 4 miles ahead. We only interacted for a few seconds but it felt so good to be able to share my struggles with him, it spurned me on to finish strong. I continued on at my same waddle until my next boost somewhere between miles 11 and 12, Pam was cheering me on, telling me to chase down some cute boys. Maybe not, but it was great to see another friend cheering me on.

The finish did eventually come. My time is definitely nothing to brag about and 15mins slower than what I had aimed for. But I finished. And I still had a smile on my face. I’m not sure it showed to the outside because I was so tired, but inside it was still there.

The race organization was amazing. I’ve already told you about the porta-potties, but the feed stations were very frequent and very well stocked, there were bands all along the course and all the marshals and spectators were very supportive. I also managed to get out of the parking lot quickly and picked Alan up after 5 hours on the course. His photographs of the race are amazing, I hope he thinks it was worth it, because I certainly do. And I am so grateful for having that hug when I was feeling down!

Corina

Group Mentality : a shotgun approach to training

One of my favorite sayings is that “we are all as different on the inside as we are on the outside and we treat our clients as such”. This means that the way that our body responds to a particular diet will be unique and the way that we respond to an exercise stimulus will be unique. The principle of  bio-individuality explains why two people can go on the same diet and get dramatically different results. It is the same principle that explains why two people can do the same training and get dramatically different results.

Because we all have different histories and different bodies the way that we respond to exercise will vary dramatically. Clients who are involved in sports that require a lot of coordination and agility will pick up exercises faster than others, dancers, gymnasts and surfers have trained their nervous systems to adapt quickly. Other clients will put on lots of muscle but do not have a proportionate increase in strength, some clients will get incredibly strong without gaining more than a couple of pounds of muscle.

It is because we are all different and our bodies all adapt to training differently that we need to be doing the right training for us not for someone else. At The Wolf Studio we are experts in determining what is the right exercise for you, your body and your lifestyle. By measuring your body and by learning about your history and your lifestyle we can ensure that you will not be waisting your time doing exercises that are not right for you.

I am a personal trainer and I only work on a one 2 one basis, so I will accept some degree of bias but... The fact is that when you do group training you are making a compromise, if you understand that it is ok, but you should be aware of that from the outset. With any form of group training you are taking a shotgun approach, some exercises may benefit you, some exercises will have no effect and some exercises may actually damage you. Just because it is the right exercise for the guy next to you does not mean that it is the best exercise for you, your injury history is different, your stress levels are different, your diet is different, your genetic make up is different and your goals are different so why do you think that doing the same exercise as him would be a good idea?

We take the time to find out what is right for you, why would you do an exercise that does not benefit you or that could possibly be detrimental? Give us a call or come into our studio to find out how we can help you.

Alan

A lonely photographer : the story of a race widower

Corina races, a statement of fact, she races triathlon and running races, I don’t... I don’t enjoy racing, I have done my fair share of running races and triathlons, I just don’t enjoy the competitive aspect.

I am amongst a group of individuals left standing at the start line once the last competitor has exited the start chute. We stand there clutching at discarded clothing and often shoes as our significant others dash away, we look at each other exchange pleasantries, figure out where the finish line is and trudge our way to get warm or pick our spot for the end of the race. We judge the race organization on the availability of coffee and bathrooms once the race has started.

To overcome my boredom during races, out and back races are worst because you only see the competitors at the start and end of the race, I have taken to bringing my camera to races. Races usually have some sort of race-photography on the course and lots of people take photos of family and friends, so seeing a guy with a camera is not an unusual sight. Taking photographs, whether of competitors or of the scenery is a great way of passing the time while Corina races. 

What I did not expect was that I take good pictures. I don’t have an expensive camera, and I suffer from camera envy, but I have produced some amazing images while waiting for my lovely wife to finish her race. I see others with some really expensive kit and I see the pro race photographers and I know I can more than hold my own. 

Racing in San Diego is very different to racing in the UK. One of the biggest differences is the attendance, there are so many more people participating over here. The races start much earlier which is great because you can actually use the rest of the day. San Diegans complain about the weather but they have not had to suffer through an Edinburgh winter so we find the racing conditions in January fantastic. But the biggest change I have seen with Corina’s racing has been the addition of the Running Skirt! I know that there are lots of reasons Corina loves her skirts, the fit, the comfort... but from my perspective as a photographer it is like a giant homing beacon and I can see the running skirts coming a mile off.

At the moment I am just a keen amateur, the feedback on my work on Facebook is really positive. I have tried video and I will continue to do so for business purposes, but I see my strength being still photography. Unleashing my artistic side is a little scary as this is not a side of myself I have explored before but it is exciting.

I know that if I continue to take good photographs I will end up making a side-line out of photography. As we continue to grow The Wolf Studio it seems odd to think about developing a side business, but it seems to be developing organically and I know that it can only enhance the images on our various marketing portals.

Alan

I laughed so hard I peed a little... not funny when you poop a little

Place one hand on your abdomen and your other on your chest and take a deep breath. If your chest rose and your abdomen pulled in you have an inverted breathing pattern. As children we are taught that having a flat stomach is good and we inhibit our natural tendency to breathe with our abdomen. So what? Well I have successfully rehabilitated the pelvic floor of many clients by teaching them to breathe properly, if you don’t want to end up smelling like an old lady read on.

When we forcefully breathe out like sneezing or coughing our pelvic floors should contract to counteract the increased abdominal pressure and stop any leakage, from either the front or back. If you have an inverted breathing pattern then the muscles of the abdomen and the pelvic floor have been taught to work in reverse... That means that when you cough or sneeze the pelvic floor muscles actually relax, this is a problem and it is more common than you think. If you have an inverted breathing pattern it also means that your core stability is compromised.

Over many years I have worked with many clients mostly female, but some guys too, to help them increase the strength of their pelvic floor muscles to help reduce the incidence of accidental urination or defecation. The first stage of their rehabilitation is to ensure that there is nothing insidious causing the pelvic floor dysfunction, like cancer or serious neurological conditions. Once the client has been cleared we always start with breathing exercises, 90% of clients that we see have an inverted breathing pattern, the other 10% are either martial artists, elite endurance athletes or yoga devotees.

Stage 1: Lay on your back and place a book on your abdomen, as you breathe in allow your abdomen to expand and and push the book towards the ceiling. When you breathe out allow the book to fall. Try this for 40 breaths, it can be quite hard for some people. Next try and add some pelvic floor contractions into the breathing cycle. 

Stage 2: Lay on your back and place a book on your abdomen, as you breathe in allow your abdomen to expand and and push the book towards the ceiling. When you breathe out allow the book to fall and contract your pelvic floor. You must get your body to associate the action of breathing out with contracting the pelvic floor, this is the first stage in ensuring a strong pelvic floor.

If you are unsure if you are contracting your pelvic floor correctly Corina and I have some female pelvic floor educators that will ensure that you have the correct activation. We have used these educators extensively and to great effect.

Pelvic floor dysfunction is a bit embarrassing but it is a problem that we have had a lot of experience and success in dealing with. If you or someone you know could benefit from our advice give us a call or come into the studio we always love to help.

Alan

I want to be fit... why goal setting is important and why you shouldn’t do the same exercises as your trainer

I never cease to be amazed at the amount of people who train for no specific reason and then are upset because their bodies do not change. The classic line that we hear when we first interview clients is that they “want to be fitter”. Unfortunately this means something different to everyone, so if you go into a gym and work with a ‘normal’ personal trainer you will get a generic program of fitness. What is needed is a more thorough examination of what it means to be fit, for some this means that they want to be able to run a half marathon in 1.45 (lovely and specific), and for others fitness means looking more attractive to the opposite sex (horribly vague). Once we have the real reason for training we can break it down onto specific achievable goals.

Most people deep down have specific fitness goals when they go into the gym but often they do not want to admit it because they don’t want to come across as being shallow and narcissistic. Trust me we have heard it all before and if we don’t hear that you want some sort of aesthetic improvement we know you are lying! If the trainer does not know what you want from your training, then you start off knowing that you will never achieve your true goals. From a trainers perspective it is also important to be realistic about what you can achieve, unless the client is a true freak or is supplementing with illegal products, then that bodybuilder physique is unlikely to develop within 6 weeks. We need to be realistic about what is achievable and in what timescales, this comes from knowledge about how the body adapts to training stimulus and from experience.

If you go into the gym and you find yourself doing the same exercises as your trainer does or the same exercises that their other clients do ask yourself: Do these people have the same goals as me, do they have the same exercise history, do they have the same stresses in their lives, do they have the same injury history? If not then why are they doing the same exercise program???? You need to be doing what is optimal for you rather than what is convenient for the trainer or what is the current flavor of the day.

I understand that many clients want the body that their trainer has, many trainers set themselves up as role-models and objects of aspiration. But could they do your job, do they have your qualifications or experience to succeed in your profession? Of course not, this is what they do for a living, they can’t do your job, why would you be able to do theirs. Just because your trainer does a particular exercise program it does not mean that it is the right exercise for you, in fact it probably means that that particular exercise program is not suitable for you. Clients will be attracted to trainers who specialize in particular areas, Corina attracts endurance athletes, I attract more strength athletes but they are all individuals and as such their programs will all be different. But even within this specialization the clients need to be doing exercises that are right for them rather than what I am doing, if I am training to do some martial arts I don’t expect my clients to be replicating my training. Unfortunately when we see exercise programs given by other trainers we can often guess what the trainer is training for rather than what the client is training for, they do the same exercises and the same workouts, this is just lazy and unprofessional.

You are unique and your exercise and recovery regime must reflect this. Do the exercises that are right for you, the exercises that will get you the results that you want rather than the exercises that everyone else does or the exercises that are just convenient for the trainer to prescribe.

Alan

Another Year, Another Gym

a message from a Personal Tailor Trainer

It is the silly season in gyms, January is when most large commercial gyms expect to make most of their money. Guilt is an amazing motivator, it is the reason why gyms are busiest at the beginning of the week and why gyms are busiest in the New Year.

I have ran personal training and functional exercise studios for many years and I have never been busy with new clients in January, the reason is simple, people are joining gyms...

Most gyms make their money from locking you into a contract and then assuming that you will never use the gym. When I started in the industry in Edinburgh, at the first super-gym, the membership people only expected 30% of those joining to actually use the facility more than twice a week and even then one of those visits was to watch sports on the big screen TVs. 

Gyms pay their staff very little, and the knowledge and experience of the staff is very low. I am not deriding the staff, I speak from experience because that was me a little over 10 years ago. Staff turn over can be 100% every 6months, it is amazing that the industry has not evolved. It is the same in the USA, Australia and the UK.

By joining another gym the client is motivated by a fresh start, new people, different equipment but the results are almost always the same, no results. Generally once the initial buzz of the new gym has worn off the same motivational problems resurface, results don’t come along, injuries occur and you lose interest. I have seen the sweat running down the walls of gyms, and I have seen all the hard work of the clients be for nothing as their hard work does not change their bodies or move them towards their goals.

More pain, less gain: this should be the slogan for the latest craze in ‘boot-camp’ workouts. Training once or twice a week with explosive exercise, at a high intensity is a recipe for injury, yes it can be fun but unfortunately just because it hurts doesn’t mean that it is good for you. The exercises that are done during these workouts are usually ok, the technique could be better, but the intensity and duration of the exercises is all wrong. The attendees of these workouts are not ready for this type of workout, or it does not benefit their chosen activity or sport. Because these workouts are so tough you can only train a couple of times per week, this is not enough to illicit a response from your body other than a stress response. Lets train so hard that you become injured and even if you don’t get injured your body will be pushed so hard it will preferentially hang onto fat... not the best tag line.

So what is the answer? We are not busy in January, but we are busy in February and in March when people figure out that just joining another gym isn’t the answer and they need something more tailored to their body.  The clothing analogy holds up quite well; for some people the ‘off the rack’ generic gyms are fine but if you want something a little more specialized, something that is designed around you, then you need to come and see us. Like a tailor we will measure you and figure out exactly what you need and want, then we will make your solution fit perfectly, making adjustments where necessary to give you exactly what you need. More expensive but better in  the long term, we are the custom designers of the exercise world, we take into account trends, but don’t blindly follow, we only provide the highest level of quality and don’t compromise.

If you want the real deal this year, something tailored around you, and real results in 2011, don’t wait until your next gym lets you down, give us a call and let us tell you how we can get you to where you deserve this year.

Alan

The First Cut is the Deepest : Learning my lessons

On Christmas Day I trained at my dojo. Corina and I don’t have kids and we aren’t religious so we treat this day like any other and on Saturdays I practice the art of Iaido or drawing the Japanese sword. At the dojo it was just Sensei and I, during practice I did a technique incorrectly and too fast, the result was bad but not as catastrophic as it could have been. I ended up with a 2inch long, deep cut on my left palm, blood and 7 stitches ensued.  

Looking back a little over a week later I know I need to learn some lessons. This is what I have learned from my painful experience:

1. Corina does not like the sight of blood... a good way to turn one casualty into two was to get Corina to come in to help with the first -aid.
2. My Sensei is excellent in an emergency, a good person to have around. 
3. I would consider preferentially recruiting an employee with a military background because of their training and situational awareness. Both Sensei and the nurse in the ER had served and their training showed, impressive and humbling.
4. We must all have a properly stocked first-aid kit available and know how to use it. I am embarrassed to admit that although I have the training I neglected to assemble a good first-aid kit once we arrived Stateside. Now remedied.
5. I am in love with Iaido the experience has set my training back a little but my enthusiasm has not been diminished.
6. I know I want to know a bit more about homeopathy, I have been using some homeopathy to help the wound heal and I know I need to contact a homeopath that I can refer clients to.
7. When drawing by sword I need to pull the saya (scabbard) off the sword rather than pulling the sword out. It doesn’t matter how many times I have been told, I obviously needed to learn the hard way!
8. Having the injury, and the Holiday period, that meant that I have spent more time with Corina and I have been able to spend more time doing things I enjoy, like photography. I am more chilled out than I have been in months. Some may say that this was the Universe’s way of getting me to take some time out, I am not sure about that but the result is the same.

In the studio we often see people who need to learn a hard lesson before they take the action that we recommend. Whether it is poor technique that eventually leads to injury, bad biomechanics on a bike that leads to an accident or poor diet that leads to a heart condition, sometimes we need a wake-up call before we make changes.

My cut could have been deeper, and I acknowledge that I may not have been so philosophical if it had been. At this time of ‘New Years Resolutions’ take the courage to make the changes you need before you learn a lesson the painful way!

Alan