8 Autumn Activities and Sports to keep you fit!

It is October and it is officially Autumn now (because lets face it, the first 20 days of September are technically Summer). Many exercise enthusiasts see the change of seasons as the end to their favourite outdoor activities and an end to their fitness regimen. However before you pack it in and start hibernating during the winter try out these outdoor activities for the cooler Autumn weather.

8 Fun Fall Activities

#1. Cycling

Great cardio and it is good for building endurance. Burns calories like crazy! And it is pretty frugal as you pick up a cheap bicycle easily on kijiji or craigslist.

#2. Sports

Pick one! Football, basketball, baseball and soccer are fantastic fall sports. If those aren't you for you then try archery, tennis, golf, frisbee sports like frolf / frisbee football, etc. And lest we forget we live in Canada and that we all need to play ROAD HOCKEY!

#3. Outdoor Training and Bootcamp

Fall is the perfect season for moving your personal training outdoors. Hire a personal trainer in Toronto (cough cough me) and get lots more exercise while getting fresh air. Or join a morning bootcamp and get your workout finished before you start the day. As a personal trainer / sports trainer I offer a variety of outdoor activities / coaching options / personal training in Toronto. Check out my rates and services.

#4. Running and Jogging

Great for cardio and building endurance!

Okay so maybe running is not your idea of a fun activity. Maybe you haven't heard of "runner's high"? If you run far enough your body starts getting pumped full of hormones to drown out the pain. This is why marathon runners have a tendency to look like heroin addicts - they are literally addicted to runner's high. Now I am not suggesting that you should become an addict like Toronto Mayor Rob Ford (although frankly if he was high on marathons instead of crack the citizens of Toronto would feel safer). But I do believe in the benefits of running and that it is a more fun activity than many people give credit to.

#5. Walking and Hiking

Visiting a ravine, conservation park or even walking in your neighbourhood is great for fitness. Take the dog with you! Take your camera!

#6. Rollerblading

I know most people think of this being a summer activity, but it is still fun to do in the Spring and Autumn too. It is great for cardio and balance as it really works your core muscles.

#7. Parkour and Freerunning

This is a good idea if you are already young and fit. If you are not, maybe this is not a good idea.

#8. Mountain Climbing!

Seriously. It is like adrenaline high weightlifting for the outdoor adventurer! Burns a lot of calories too!

Although I definitely recommend using safety equipment. Freehand climbing is not for the faint of heart.

Calories Burned based on Weight	130 lb	155 lb	180 lb	205 lb
Mountain Climbing	472	563	654	745

What to Look for in a Personal Trainer in Toronto

Anyone who is looking to hire their own personal trainer needs to understand what needs to be found in a personal trainer so you can get the biggest "bang for your buck", but also needs to understand that not every trainer is suitable for them on a personality level. Some people need a personal trainer who is more bossy (like a drill sergeant), while many others need a personal trainer who is more like a mentor who can teach them and motivate them in a friendly manner.

Knowing what you are looking for - and what to look for in a personal trainer will make your experience working with a trainer safe, effective, and more fun. If you are looking for a personal trainer it is important that they have all qualities listed below so you have the best resource in helping you reach your health and fitness goals.

Below are some of the qualities you should be looking for in a personal trainer:

Education - Make sure that your trainer has at minimum a certification from reputable organizations such as Elite Trainers, CanFitPro or similar organization. (Note: There is no legal requirement that personal trainers have a certification, but it is nice to know they have been trained and passed the appropriate tests.)

Experience - You need to know how much practical experience your trainer has and how successful they have been with their past clients. Ask the trainer about their past trainees, how much they workout themselves, have they worked for any gyms, have they worked with any other trainers to better understand this profession to provide you with the best experience.

Compassionate / Goal Oriented - A good trainer should be like a mentor / sidekick during your health and fitness journey, but a great and caring trainer will be with you beyond that and should always be your resource for health and fitness exercises even after you stop going to them regularly.

Excellent Communication Skills - The trainer must be able to communicate his/her knowledge about health and fitness with their clients for them to understand and implement into their daily life. If the trainer has a website read what things they have written and see how easy it is to understand them. Even better if they have demonstration videos. Also the trainer must allow the client to feel comfortable and confident to speak about his/her goals or what the client is feeling before, during and after the sessions.

Understanding the Clients Limitations - A great trainer knows and understands their clients limitations while exercising and the trainer should be able to respect his/her clients limitations. eg. To prevent possible exercise injuries a good trainer should also know when NOT to push the trainee so hard.

Appearances and Practicing What They Preach - Your personal trainer needs to be putting his/her self through the fitness and nutrition that they put their clients through. The trainer must be passionate about the way they look and feel. It is okay if they break their own rules once in awhile (nobody is perfect), but they should not be a complete couch potato when it comes to their own exercise routine.

Motivation, Encouragement and Enjoyment - A good trainer can make fun, safe and effective exercises - and should encourage the client to try new things. The client should look forward to each workout instead of it being something they dread. A great trainer will find and use motivation to propel their client towards their goal.

Over time you will develop a long term relationship with your trainer, becoming confident that you are getting excellent and insightful fitness advice from your trainer. There are many personal trainers in Toronto and the GTA. Find the one which is right for you!

October Motivational Quotes

"Grab life by the horns before it grabs you by the balls and twists hard."
- Charles Moffat


"Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming."
- John Wooden

"When you find peace within yourself, you become the kind of person who can live at peace with others."
- Peace Pilgrim

"Success, happiness, peace of mind and fulfillment - the most priceless of human treasures - are available to all among us, without exception, who make things happen - who make "good" things happen - in the world around them."
- Joe Klock

"When we are unable to find tranquility within ourselves, it is useless to seek it elsewhere."
- François de la Rochefoucauld

"Peace is not something you wish for; It's something you make, Something you do, Something you are, And something you give away."
- Robert Fulghum

"Crystallize your goals. Make a plan for achieving them and set yourself a deadline. Then, with supreme confidence, determination and disregard for obstacles and other people's criticisms, carry out your plan."
- Paul J. Meyer

"Desire is the key to motivation, but it's determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal - a commitment to excellence - that will enable you to attain the success you seek."
- Mario Andretti

"Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try."
- Unknown

"You've got to get up every morning with determination if you're going to go to bed with satisfaction."
- George Lorimer

Power Training - Speed and Weight

Power Training is nothing new.

Soldiers have been doing it for decades.

I will give you an example. Carry a 50 lb backpack uphill at a run. Soldiers do that regularly - see the speed marching training the British marines did during WWII in the documentary "The Greatest Raid of All".

But you probably are not a soldier.

But that doesn't mean you can't use similar training exercises to give yourself more speed and strength.

That is the whole purpose of Power Training - to quickly get from one place to another, often while carrying, pushing, pulling a lot of weight with you. Or sometimes not even weight, but using something to make it harder resistance wise.

Ever bicycled into the wind on a windy day? Very hard, isn't it?

But it is a really good workout because you are pushing your muscles harder than you normally would while cycling - unless you are fan of cycling uphill, in which case keep doing that!

The kind of people who take part in Strongman Competitions also love Power Training. You know who I mean, the type of people who can pull a truck down the street, do an obstacle course while carrying 300 lbs on their back, that sort of thing.

Like in the video below of a Syrian man pulling a train.



But feats of superhuman strength aren't for everyone.

But that doesn't mean you can't use Power Training techniques to give yourself more strength and speed.

THE BENEFITS OF POWER TRAINING

 

Power training exercises often use either the full body, or one limb at a time (unilateral training) to accomplish amazing results. This technique reduces muscular imbalance and is more functional for everyday life. Isolation exercises (like the bicep curl) take a lot of time, and will only focus on one muscle - and achieves very little results that can be measured on real world impact in your daily routine. An exercise like the bench press, using two arms at a time (bilateral training) will always tend to be lifted more with the stronger side and thus a person who trains that way will never balance out the strength in both limbs.

Power training improves athletic performance. Everything from running, dancing, sports and competitive weightlifting.

Increases strength and builds muscle rapidly.

 

Many power exercises have a cardiovascular benefit and double as cardio exercises.

Improves reaction time, speed, co-ordination and agility.

 

Strengthens bones, joints and connective tissue.

THREE EXAMPLES OF POWER TRAINING

Do each exercise explosively. In theory any exercise can be turned into power training by doing as much weight as you can as fast as you can. Even exercises void of weights can benefit from this, such as "explosively fast jumping jacks".

 

1. Olympic Style Lifts

Olympic lifts may seem intimidating at first but they're some of the most effective weight lifting exercises because they tend to work everything, including the core. Deadlifts, clean and press, Good mornings, and snatch pulls are exercises you may want to check out to have an effective power training program. Work on your form first and then learn how to do them explosively.

2. Plyometrics

Push ups, squats and lunges are common plyometric exercises where the exerciser "springs" up out of the form, so just do them super fast instead. You may have witnessed someone doing push ups and clapping in between each one. The hands leaving the ground makes the push up a plyometric exercise.

3. Compound One-Arm Exercises

Squat down, pick one dumbbell up from off the floor, and come back out of the squat while performing a front raise of the dumbbell to your shoulder. This exercise trains the lower body, shoulders, core, and by doing it all quickly, training for power. It's also challenging enough that you know you are getting a great workout.

Crunchless Abs Training

In the photo on the right you seed a "woodchop" exercise designed to work your abs, and the best part is you don't have to be on the ground to do them.

You see many ab workouts involve you sitting on the ground doing situps, crunches and similar exercise. Hence why most ab workouts tress crunches.

Now don't get me wrong, crunches are very effective for abdominal strengthening and toning, but there are also some good reasons to train your core while not sitting on your behind.

FIVE BENEFITS OF CRUNCHLESS ABS TRAINING

1. Crunches are not very functional in everyday life. Whereas balancing exercises which target the core to stabilize the body, will help you out in everyday activities that use your balance.

2. Doing crunches all of the time will put a cap on results. After you have exhausted body weight crunches, weighted, and oblique, your body will no longer have a challenge to adapt to - which is where balance exercises come in. It's a good idea to train your core in other ways, to keep the body challenged and changing.

3. Crunches are isolated exercises that target ONLY the abs. Why just work your abs when you could be working other muscle groups at the same time? An exercise such as the mountain climber for example, works the arms, shoulders, and chest. It also eases stress in the hips and improves range of motion.

4. Crunches are neglected anyway. Not only do many people dislike crunches in the first place, but often place them at the tail end of the workout and then forget about them. Even if they do remember they are not exactly performed enthusiastically or using proper form (which is why some people end up with crooked six packs). Adding exercises that train the abs into the workout such as woodchops (see photo at the top) will allow you to train your abs while doing a more enjoyable exercise.

Crooked Six Pack

5. They are not sport/activity specific - there is no sports that call for only your abs, although there are plenty of sports that call for balance. If you practice a discipline or martial art, it's a great idea to cater exercises to your activity. If you train in martial arts, kneeing a sparring pad while focusing on having the kick come from the core will train your abs for the sport. In yoga, planks are crucial for sun salutations. Train your abs according to your activities.

Crunches have their place so I don't recommend scrapping them all together - especially if you are one of the few who enjoy them. But there are other training options out there for people who want to train their abs differently.