Advantage Conditioning » Blog

Treadmill vs Road

marty — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:37:33 +0000

Have you ever wondered which is better for you? There is no difference if you run or walk, there are some important things to consider before choosing to buy a treadmill or joining a running group.

Benefits of running on the road

During a road or trail run, you will burn more calories than on a treadmill (running/walking at an equal pace with 0 -1% grade on a treadmill). The reason is simply because your muscles work harder while constantly making adjustments to maintain balance on uneven surfaces, the softness or hardness of the ground, and wind resistance.
Another benefit is psychological. The freedom to run freely with scenery that is constantly changing. The choice is obvious, especially if you feel trapped and bored while doing any sort of cardiovascular training indoors on a machine.

Benefits of running on a treadmill

The main benefit is a controlled environment. You will not have to worry about wind, rain, extreme temperatures, bugs, cars, or road hogs getting in your way. The ground is always flat under your feet and you have exact control of your pace at all times. Another benefit is shock absorption.
All treadmills today will offer some cushioning for your feet. This will significantly help to reduce the impact on your joints.
The treadmill is also a great tool for specific hill interval training and fitness tests (due to the controlled environment).

Conclusion:

If you plan to run (or walk) a 5 km, full marathon, cross country, or wilderness challenge; then you should be concentrating most of your training outdoors. The principle of specificity applies here. Your body will learn to adjust for uneven surfaces, and weather conditions (wind, rain, etc); therefore, preparing you for terrain and weather conditions you may encounter during race day. Running technique on the treadmill is likely to change due to belt moving as you are running on it. Research is showing that even some of the most experienced runners adjust their stride, arm swing or posture while training on a treadmill. Any alterations to your natural walking or running gait will eventually cause injuries. Try to train on a treadmill for no more than 2.5 hours a week to help prevent overuse injuries. Consider cross training on a bike, stair climber, elliptical, or even swimming to reduce your time spent on the treadmill.

Conversely, choose the treadmill if you are concerned about sensitive joints or if you enjoy using the treadmill while watching your favourite cooking show. Remember to be constantly mindful of your technique and volume of training.

I prefer to run outdoors; however, when the conditions are icy, very hot or very cold…you will find me on a treadmill for a short 20 – 40 minute training session no more than twice per week.

Marty Shumka

January 19, 2012

Advantage Staff Meeting

marty — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 03:37:26 +0000

This year is going to be an exciting year for Advantage Conditioning. We combined the great minds of our whole crew for a staff meeting tonight. This is what we have discovered:
2012 is going to be a banner year! We recognized some key areas that we can improve the experience for our awesome clients. Get ready for more nutritional support, more communication with your trainer, some exciting new evening classes like CHISELED starting January, and some exciting news with

Advantage Personal Trainers

Nutrition is 100% important to achieve great results for any fitness goal! We know this is the area most of our clients struggle with; therefore, we have come up with more strategies to help. Each person has different needs to help break through the barriers associated with this (seemingly) overwhelming lifestyle change. We have some new strategies to help make this transition easier for everyone regardless of their personal road blocks.

Get ready for more accountability! We are going to contact all our clients more often when they are not training at the gym. This may be as simple as “have you done your homework today?” or it may include a whole new homework exercise program. We are committed to giving you the information you need to help keep you on track to your ultimate fitness goal. We know you can do it, and we are in your corner to help you fight for it.
There is more coming….but you are going to have to wait to see what it is (and it is good)

Marty Shumka
January 09, 2012

The Best Cardio to Lose Weight

marty — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 23:26:13 +0000

The question, “what is the best cardio to help me lose weight”, is one of my favourite questions because the answer is so simple. The best cardio for you is your favourite cardio activity. If you prefer to walk or jog outside rather than be stuck indoors on a stationary bike or treadmill, then that is the best choice for you (and vice versa).
Here’s why:
1. Exercise you enjoy doing means you are more likely to do it longer and more often.
2. You inadvertently burn more calories because the exercise you enjoy feels less like “work”; therefore, you will tend to “play” at a higher intensity.

Best Cardio

Be cautious when getting excited about your new found passion. Too much of one thing is not healthy for your body (not enough of anything is also not great for your body). Enjoy your favourite activities in moderation (just like good food…um…. and good wine). Too much volume of the same activity can cause very annoying repetitive overuse injuries. Start at a moderate volume and intensity and add 10% per week. This will give your body the time it needs to adapt to the activity. When you start doing more than 2 hours of the same activity, it is time to consider adding variety to your workouts which I will talk about in another blog.

Marty Shumka
January 05, 2012

Thinking about hiring a Personal Trainer?

marty — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:05:40 +0000

Here are a few things you should consider when hiring a personal trainer.

Education: Does the trainer you are considering have a certification and a university degree in Kinesiology? Many trainers will have certifications, but most certifications can be taken over a weekend course in another city or even online. How do you know if a certification is legitimate? You don’t, unless you also want to spend the time to research this ( personal training certifications). Look for someone who has committed to learning as much as possible. There are only a handful of personal trainers in Winnipeg that hold a Kinesiology degree, and then have gone forward to taking other certifications. The more your trainer knows, the more your experience will be enriched with understanding and variety.

Works with injuries: If you have a specific medical problem, injury or condition (such as being pregnant, difficulty getting pregnant, heart problems, diabetes, etc.) make sure your trainer has education in these areas and will work with your doctor.

Attention: Your trainer should be only focused on you during your sessions. It is no longer personal training if your trainer is helping 5 other clients at the same time, or talking on the phone during your sessions.

Comfortable: You should feel comfortable with your trainer immediately. When you are meeting a trainer with plenty of experience and knowledge, you will feel at ease almost immediately. They will listen to your concerns and understand your fitness and nutrition needs.

Facility: The facility should be clean and all the equipment should be in perfect working condition. A broken, dirty training facility says a lot about the people that work there.

Trial: Some personal trainers offer a free trial. This is a great way to know if you will feel 100% comfortable with no obligation. Remember…you are interviewing a personal trainer for the most important job. They will be coaching you through good and difficult times. You will need to absolutely trust that the personal trainer you choose is reliable, professional and can help you achieve your fitness and nutritional goals.

January 03, 2012

Marty Shumka, BPE, CSCS.

Winnipeg Personal Trainers (part 2)

marty — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 02:05:04 +0000

Winnipeg personal trainer Marty Shumka demonstrates some exercises for beginners. If you are just about to start exercising this year, and you have never exercised before….follow some of these helpful tips:

http://bit.ly/sK9eA8

Winnipeg Personal Trainers

marty — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 14:55:21 +0000

New Year goals? Check out what I had to say on Breakfast TV.

link:

http://bit.ly/syikkc

If you are ready to start a transformation of lifestyle, our personal trainers are ready to help you.

Marty Shumka.

Athletic Therapy

marty — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 04:24:17 +0000

Limited offer Teambuy.ca: Buy 1 Athletic therapy assessment and treatment for only $29 (reg. $61).
One day only. Tuesday September 13, 2011.

Sore Legs?

marty — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 02:22:29 +0000

Congratulations Marathon and Half marathon finishers!! Sunday morning was an almost perfect morning for the run. Now that it’s Monday, you may notice your muscles starting to gradually stiffen throughout the day. This is known as delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS). Chances are, you have experienced this phenomenon a couple times during your training. There is great news for all your athletes…you don’t have to suffer any more (at least not as much as you probably are right now. Ha!) Here are a couple of tips that really work well to reduce the soreness:
1. Cycle for 20 minutes. Keep your RPM high (approx 90 RPM) and the resistance low. The concept is to elevate your heart rate, not the burn from Lactic acid and H+ ions in the muscles. The elevated heart rate will help to “flush” residue from damaged muscle tissue and by-products from sustained muscle contractions. It will also stimulate a quicker muscle recovery.
2. Elevate your legs against a wall. Too late for this one!!! It should be done immediately after your training. Lie down on the ground and rest your legs straight up against a wall or tree for up to 4 minutes. Let the blood drain from your legs. It will feel like your lower leg is falling asleep. Get up slowly and the blood returns to the muscles. This is a very effective recovery practice.
3. Ice Bath. Probably the least comfortable choice, but it works great.
Give it a try…you have nothing to lose but some muscle soreness and fatigue.
Marty

Boot Camp (Epic workout!)

marty — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 01:58:15 +0000

Well it’s finally going to happen. After months of watching and hearing about all you boot campers getting great workouts from our great personal trainers. I feel the inspiration! I am going to step up to the plate and take control of the 5:30 am class this Friday (June 17th). Some of you will remember me from a couple years ago…but I’m older and meaner now. HA! All I am going to say is…”I have an epic workout planned for all of you!” I am very excited to jump into the trenches!

Kim Kaschor (Citytv reporter) trains for triathlon

marty — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 23:44:23 +0000

Here is my new summer project. Kim is in great shape already, but we are working on a healthier diet and making time to train for a triathlon. She is very busy with her professional career and a single mother of 2. Her children are involved in many activities weekday evenings. Click the link below to see how we started. We are documenting her journey to her ultimate goal…and beyond!

http://video.citytv.com/video/detail/990317480001.000000/bts-kim-kaschors-journey-to-triathlon-competition/