"It seems so normal to eat eggs on toast for breakfast or a sandwich for lunch. A muffin or some pretzels dipped in salsa for a snack and pasta for dinner to refuel after a heavy workout. Of course, the muffin is low fat and the toast is whole grain. It only makes sense to eat healthy when you are working out and trying to maintain a good lifestyle, right?
What most people don’t realize is that this diet, which is typical for most Westerners, is slowly killing them, and that is no exaggeration. These foods I mentioned all have one thing in common — they are derived from wheat."
Read on in my latest article that was recently published in Whole Life Challenge about wheat and why it is so bad for you. There are so many better alternatives of carbohydrates that are far less processed contain many more essential nutrients such as fiber, vitamins, minerals and essential fats.
I love my job. I get to fly all over the world to connect with other fabulous women who get to connect with each other. Everywhere I go I meet new people and make new friends. I was honoured to be a part of Breakdown Academy's first women's openmat event. The gym is working hard at promoting women in the sport so I support this wholeheartedly. THey are hosting a women's open mat every month so stay tuned for details.
Performing weight training while pregnant? Most professionals will tell you to stop training.
I recently submitted an article to On Target Publications about all the changes that occur in a mother's body while she is pregnant so that trainers and coaches can be informed about everything going on with their clients and can continue to train them safely.
There are many changes that occur in a woman's body during pregnancy and birth, however women are apt at adjusting. My pet peeve is that all too often pregnancy is treated as if the expectant mother has a sickness and should be put to bed rest for the next nine months. It is outright ridiculous to me that society largely still view it in this way. Life for the expectant mother and exercise or training in your sport doesn't need to be stopped since pregnancy and birth is actually an intrinsic part of a women's life. Activities may need to be modified. Training programs may need to be altered according to the mother's new conditions but not stopped altogether. Assuming it is a normal pregnancy with no complications, all expectant mothers can exercise right up until birth.
The hormonal system which affect so many different aspects, heart rate, breathing rate and metabolism all change during pregnancy. Blood volume almost doubles, body temperature rises and most women will gain weight. Structurally the pelvis widens and opens primarily due to the hormone relaxin. There is a shift in the center of gravity which can cause the pelvis to tilt forward causing lower back pain and the abdominals stretch and weaken as the baby grows.
My article will be published in about a month or so which discusses the changes on a very detailed level. It is important that all coaches and athletes themselves should be aware of these changes and the systems of the body that are affected so that they can modify their programs and continue to train in a safe and effective way are.
There is so much going on this month and I am so excited to be a part of it all. For my first weekend of June I will be making a guest appearance at BJJ BReakdown academy who is hosting their first eve women's open mat rolling session. This will be a change for ladies to get their groove on and roll and learn in a non competitive environment. I will have a roll with everyone and I will will be demonstrating some techniques. Email me at Sophiadrysdalefitness@gmail.com.
3rd at the worlds, but the only mother on the podium out of all the black belts
This past weekend was the biggest weekend of Jiu Jitsu because it was the weekend of the World Championships. So many athletes prepare for this big to make their mark in the World of BJJ.
So many amazing women have crossed my path in the past few years and a lot of them competed. I know that for a lot of these ladies they are juggling full time jobs and families and yet they are still making their mark on the tournament scene. This is just a testament to how incredible so many women are who have a life full of responsibilities and commitments, but they make the time for themselves and their passions also.
I was the only mother on the podium in the women's black belt division at the Worlds in 2014. Ladies, with support and lots of dedication our dreams as mothers, career women and world class athletes can be achieved. This just shows how strong and capable we really are.
Push ups on your knees is a good place to start without straining your back.
Lately I have been working on a series of articles for various health and fitness magazines about training after having a baby or trying to get back into peak performance shape after having a serious injury.
The first article I wrote about the importance of strengthening the core and the chest for framing. Ladies, it is very important that your core is strong before you progress to doing push ups on your feet. If you can perform 20 push ups on your knees with a straight back (no banana back) then you are ready to progress to push ups on your feet. But if your back is sagging, stick to push ups on your knees, aim to get your chest almost to the floor to get your core strong, otherwise you might straight your lower back. Baby steps.
Check out my article in Gracie Mag that came out yesterday about correcting the posture and aligning the shoulders. If you are a martial artist you may be susceptible to having rounded shoulders because of the posture you constantly have to maintain to protect yourself. For those who have a desk job and sit on a computer all day, this problem is further compounded since most people sit with poor posture with their spine rounded their shoulders slouched forward. Over time this posture tightens and shortens the chest muscles and the front deltoids and stretches and weakens the upper back muscles such as the lats, rhomboids and the rotator cuff muscles that stabilize the shoulder. Due to incorrect alignment this posture can make you more susceptible to injuries such as impingement syndrome, tendonitis and rotator cuff injuries which can result in chronic pain and limited mobility. Having any of these conditions puts more stress on the bicep tendons and front deltoids, making you more susceptible to bicep tendon tears and labrum tears because the front deltoids and the chest are engaged during 'pulling' work instead of just the back muscles.
Here are a few photos that demonstrate opening up the chest and pulling back the shoulder to minimize injury.
The stick behind your shoulders will open up your chest and pull back your shoulders.
Raising the knees will loosen up the lower back also.
My in depth article lists all the main reasons why performing resistance training is A MUST for all women.
On Target Publications is a resource for fitness and health professionals to keep up to date with the latest knowledge and to stay informed. The books, audios and articles that the authors publish are all written by professionals in the industry and backed up with science and years of experience. I am honoured to be writing for these guys and my focus is on women's health and fitness.
This article discussed the myriad of benefits of resistance training for women - from increased bone density to reduced stress. This article is about all the other health benefits that aren't related to apperances. Unfortunately in this day and age people work out so they can look better, but there are so many other reasons why we should all be performing resistance training that keep us healthy and happy. So for all the trainers out there who have a client who is on the fence about lifting those bigger dumbbells for fear of getting too bulky, have her read this and I guarantee it will change her mind.
Having muscle on your frame doesn mean you are masculine. It means you are fit, healthy and strong which is all about feminine strength.
