Marathon Training Season has Barely Begun and I’m already Hearing about Easily Avoided Running Related Injuries!

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SHAMEFUL!

Some of the most overlooked and almost never mentioned reasons why injuries occur in runners is the fact that the majority of runners ignore the necessity to build a proper foundation for fitness before they decide to run, and to add insult to injury, many do not give their body a proper warm up and inventory before they begin a run.

I see many runners, once they have been injured, whose injuries could have been avoided 99% of the time.

There is no reason why anyone who runs slower than an 8 minute mile should get injured as long as they have a functionally trained, balanced body.

I encourage runners of all levels to invest 1/3 of their training time to conditioning a balanced and functional body, which means a body that is as strong as it is flexible, whose core has been trained sports specifically (that means standing core work. You don’t run on your back so why would you do your core work while on your back?), and feet that have been conditioned to endure what you will be dishing out to them; another 1/3 to recovery, which includes rest, massage, and inventory, and of course, the other 1/3 to your runs.

Read Care and Conditioning of Your Feet which gives great examples on why it is important to invest in your feet before you invest in your next pair of running shoes".

Go for the Intesnity. Avoid the Injury!

READ about The Care and Prevention of Injuries

PART 1: Warm-Ups Prior to Activity

PART 2: Care and Conditioning of the Feet

PART 3: Cross Training

PART 4: Rest and Recovery

Book a Runners Conditioning Workshop

Take a Controlled Burn Fitness Conditioning Class

Take a Flexibility and Core Conditioning Workshop

Contact info@ControlledBurnFitness.com

to book your Class/Workshop

Check the links above for Class and Workshop descriptions and Schedule information

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy Day!

Melissa Adylia Gutierrez

Melissa Adylia Calasanz

Controlled Burn Fitness

Pedal Spin Instructor Shares a Little about Herself and then shares a Refreshing and Healthy Lunch

Cindy Bell asked me to share a little something about myself and my teaching style for the "Pedal Precision" Indoor Cycling class that I teach at Pedal Spin Studio on their blog.
Check it out:

Hello Everyone,

This is Melissa Adylia Gutierrez, the Monday “Pedal Precision” Instructor at Pedal Spin in Montrose. Some of you know me very well, and some of you only know of me as the unforgiving Monday night “Pedal Precision” instructor.

I don’t mind it at all that I have a reputation for being demanding. I love the clients who are drawn to my class because they are the type of athletes and fitness enthusiasts that demand as much from an instructor. Yes, my class is demanding, yes, I expect those who attend to be there to work, but I will always be considerate of limitations.

Ask any of my clients. There have been many days that I have demanded that a client “take it easy” or tell them they “better go get a massage or go to a restorative yoga class before they even consider coming back to class.”

As it says in my bio when you register for the class, my class is NOT a typical “Spinning” class. My class is an intense and sometimes humbling workout, however it is excellent for all fitness levels as long as they keep an open mind. I will only teach a class that I would also enjoy taking-a demanding class that gives me what I paid for!

Yes, I am intense. Yes, I will keep on top of ideal skeletal alignment. Yes, I will keep on top of everyone, unless they’ve spoken to me before class and brought to my attention any issues. Yes, I am guilty of bringing out the best in those who choose to attend the classes that I teach.

My class is definitely not for everyone, and that is one of the main reasons I love guest teaching at Pedal Spin Studio!

The greatest thing about Pedal Spin is that they have the most amazingly diverse selection of instructors! When I first began teaching at Pedal Spin, I made it a point to try each instructor and I can happily say that every one of them has something fantastic to offer the Pedal Spin clientel. There really IS something for everyone. I suggest you try them all too!

So, as you’ve noticed, I am passionate about helping athletes, dancers, and fitness enthusiasts attain and maintain healthy, balanced, and functional bodies.

I am also passionate about sharing my love of food and adventure with others.

Feel free to check out my latest entry for a Refreshing and Healthy Lunch. I would also invite you to take a look at my Blog Disciplined Indulgence for ideas for healthy, inexpensive meals, and some indulgent food adventures. Check out my Controlled Burn Fitness Blog and Controlled Burn Fitness website for more information on how to keep your body looking and feeling great. And if you’re really curious, hunt me down on facebook.

I look forward to seeing you in class!

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy Day!
-Melissa Adylia Gutierrez
Owner/Personal Trainer Controlled Burn Fitness
http://www.controlledburnfitness.com/

The original post can be found on the Pedal Spin Studio Blog

Disciplined Indulgence

It is interesting that when I started posting on a blog called

"Disciplined Indulgence"

My friends, clients, and even strangers began to take notice.

I love the fact that more people want to embrace the fact that
many healthy and happy people actually

DO eat. 

So, from here on, feel free to find info at:

Disciplined Indulgence

Every Day Should be a Journey. This is Mine. Destination: Disciplined Indulgence. Taking Terrible Pictures of Beautiful Food While Living a Happy, Healthy, and Balanced Life.

Eat Healthy while Saving Money

There is no excuse to not eat healthy, even when money is tight.
Read the latest blog post from Disciplined Indulgence for an example of a healthy, inexpensive meal.

Fitness Professionals! Supporting Eachother Improves Our Industry.

I'm noticing a new trend in the Fitness Industry and it has nothing to do with crunches, lunges, or cardio.

It has to do with fitness professionals bad mouthing other businesses in order to gain visibility. I've also noticed "friends" of different fitness studios and trainers doing the dirty work for others. Sadly, what these individuals don't realise is that by doing so they put the reputation of their business in jeopardy.

Yesterday, I was on Yelp checking out what other studios in my area had to offer in the way of specials and promotions.  I came across 3 reputable boutique fitness studios that had recently gotten low reviews (yes, I check in often enough to notice when a studio that I am familiar with and respect, goes down a star-or 3).

It quickly became apparent that it was mere sabotage vs constructive criticism.

I've chosen to give [name of boutique fitness studio] the benefit of the doubt and hope this brings a new consideration to how we, as Respectable Fitness Professionals, conduct ourselves in the future. 

Here is how I handled it
"Hello [name of boutique fitness studio],

I thought you may want to know that a friend of yours may not know, that by trying to do your studio a favor, they may actually be doing your studio a bit of harm.

http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=JNP00_KjdpgxQnJ5baHWZg

I happen to be a local business owner and I love to keep up with the specials that local studios are running. When I see something inspiring, I discuss it with my fellow fitness professionals so we can keep up to speed on what is going on in our industry.

That is how I came upon the random reviews by the above mentioned HB.

Hmmm, a little fishy.

I am sure your friend means well, but to post strangely vague, negative reviews about 2 studios, along with the link to your business, it comes across as a business owner trying to do a "poor-sport-one-up-man-ship."

You may want to ask your friend to either remove your business link so it doesn't make your studio look bad, or at least elaborate on the reviews with legitimate information regarding what each studio has to offer and where they dropped the ball...most boutique health/wellness studios (myself included) welcome feedback from their clients (good and bad) to inspire us to improve.

FYI: Yelp has been doing some pretty intense policing lately. I even had one of my reviews removed last week (the review was from 2 years ago) about a CPR company. Upon further inquiry, they thought I was trying to promote the American Red Cross by making up a false review, since I had mentioned the ARC in the review and had posted a link to the positive review for I had written for the ARC...uh oh!

The fitness community that I "run in" is a wonderfully supportive group of fitness professionals who believe that by supporting one another, we raise the "barre" of what our industry has to offer.

By sticking together, we help not only ourselves and our industry as a whole, but the clientele of the health and wellness community which in turn helps us stay afloat against the larger chains that do not provide the personalized attention that our clients deserve.

Yelp is a great source of knowledge, not only for potential clients, but for all small business owners.

It was a pleasure to find out about what you offer at your studio when I checked out your link and I wish you continued success.

I hope you found this information useful.

Your Fellow Fitness Professional wishing you a happy and healthy day!
M

: )"

I am happy to report that the owner of
[name of boutique fitness studio]
responded promptly with

"thank you very much.

I'll figure this out!

Best wishes,
[Name]

Owner, [name of boutique fitness studio]"

This terrible economy is no excuse to lower our standards on how we conduct ourselves professionally and personally.
I would love to hear how you would have handled it.
Wishing you a Happy and Healthy Day!

-Melissa Adylia Gutierrez

Owner/Personal Trainer

www.ControlledBurnFitness.com

“You get what you pay for.”

Sadly, when it comes to Personal Training, that saying is not always the case…but when you think about it, it is.

When some clients first come to me for Personal Training, they usually ask more questions about the price than questions about how to reach their fitness goals.

I don’t blame them.

It turns out; the clients who had originally started their fitness journey at “big, chain gyms”* had every reason to be concerned.

I became a Fitness Professional for many reasons; the most basic one is to help people live happy and healthy lives. I am almost certain that 99% of the trainers that you’ll find at “big, chain gyms” had the same idea when they became trainers.

Sadly, many trainers who apply to “big, chain gyms” are not aware that their biggest responsibility (other than training their clients) is to hone “used car salesman” skills in order to sell more Personal Training Packages, gadgets, and supplements in order to ensure an income that does not reflect what the consumer is paying.

I had heard the rumors of low pay and pressure to “sell on the floor” from friends who started their Personal Training careers at “big, chain gyms”. So when I kept hearing from my clients about their terrible experiences at “big, chain gyms”, I decided to look into it myself.

I recently applied to 4 “big, chain gyms” anonymously  to see what was going on.

Golly! First off, how can a Personal Trainer expect to deliver a “personalized” experience to a client in an atmosphere that does not encourage any “personalized” interactions, beginning with the application process?

The application process is done via their website where you are to plug in your information as if you are signing up for a company newsletter…guess what, you will get the company newsletter and a free pass for a 1 week membership in your inbox within 5 minutes.

I was unable to find anything out about the pay scale for Personal Trainers from any of the gym’s websites. It turns out, the pay scale pretty much works the way they sell packages…lots of bartering, haggling, “negotiating”…choose the word that you find least offensive.

Upon further investigation, and contacting the gyms personally, I found it is almost impossible to connect with the fitness director since they are usually juggling 3-6 gyms in one region.

I must say, many of the front desk people were wonderfully helpful, and had no problem “divulging” information, almost to the point of tattling. Once you got them started, they couldn’t stop.

The further I got into my inquires, I found that a trainer is better off teaching Group Fitness Classes for the time, money, and hoop jumping required-or just work at the front desk.

What the Personal Training Client Should Realize

If you are paying $65-$85 per Personal Training session at a “big, chain gym”, the trainer is lucky to see $17 of it. They may see up to $20 at most, per session, if they paid extra money (up to $200) to take the sometimes “required” certifications specific to the gym they are working at.

Imagine how little they are getting paid when you purchase a package as low at $20 per session. It is shameful that they are also encouraged to sell these low priced packages in order to secure their job and get bonuses.

Personal Trainers at “big, chain gyms” are also encouraged, with bonuses and incentives, to sell products while “on the floor”, which are the best way for the gyms to make money.

Would you prefer that your Personal Trainer is spending their down time working on Personalized Program Design for their clients; keeping up to date on the latest fitness trends; looking over your chart in preparation for your next session? Or would you prefer that the main focus of the Personal Trainer you hired to help you reach your fitness goals is more focused on selling Packages, Pedometers, and Supplements?

More “food for thought”

If you are receiving “nutritional counseling” from a trainer in a “big gym”, and they suggest purchasing products that with be “helpful for weight loss”, “build muscle mass”, “boost your metabolism”, most likely, the “nutritional certification” they have was sponsored by the company that manufactures the supplements and gadgets.

*Please note, not all “big, chain gyms” are the same.

There are some out there that offer excellent Personal Training and Employment Opportunities, but you will pay a bit more for it.

I encourage you to do  your own investigation and find what works best for you.

I would love to know about your experiences with Big Chain Gyms

Please feel free to post your comments here.

Have a Happy and Healthy Day!

-Melissa Adylia Gutierrez

Owner/Personal Trainer

www.ControlledBurnFitness.com