Technique Tip Archives

The KDR RPE Scale – How hard are you working?

by Ben Dearman
| Jan 19, 2018 | About KDR, Fitness, General news, infographic, personal training, strength, Technique Tip, Weight Loss, Work Outs

How hard are you really working during your workouts?

At the end of the day, you have to have burned more calories then you consumed to lose weight. You can accomplish this in only one of two ways:

You eat less food.
You burn more calories through activity.

There is a saying in the fitness field that goes – “You can’t outwork a bad diet.” That’s 100% true. However, you can absolutely work hard enough to stabilize a bad diet, and in some cases, actually, move the needle in the way you want it to go.

Meaning, let’s say you have to eat 2000 calories to lose weight. You eat 2500 calories. But through exercise, you burn off 700 calories. You will certainly lose a very miniscule amount of weight over the long term (year). You just won’t be fitting into those skinny jeans anytime soon.

So…how hard do you actually have to work to “outwork” a bad diet? Well…let’s dive into that!

In fitness there is something called an RPE scale, it stands for “Rating of Perceived Exertion”. It’s an objective scale used to quantify subjective feelings and is often used in research studies looking at different aspects of fitness. It’s also something personal trainers and fitness coaches can use to help figure out how much weight to put on the bar.

Researcher – “How hard did you feel you were working.”

Subject – “Hard.”

Researcher – “Ok. But how hard.”

Subject – “Really hard. Stop talking to me I’m out of breath ***hole.”

It usually goes like that. But with the RPE scale it can go more like:

Personal Trainer – “On a scale of 1-10 how hard did you feel you were working.”

Client – “I think I was at a 6.”

Personal Trainer – “Ok great!”

This is an 8! Good job Winny! Winny for Mayor!

It’s a great scale to use, but generally, it has some limitations:

When it comes to fitness, most people don’t know what a true 10 feels like.
Most people don’t understand the difference between an 8 and 9, or 6 and 7, or even 3 and 4.
People don’t rank their exertion in terms of numbers, they rank it terms of “I could have done 4 more reps or gone for another 30 seconds.
Great, your a 6, but how do we get you to an 8?

As you can see…pretty basic and plain. BORING!

This is more like a 4. Or what you should look like resting.

So….that’s why we came up with the KDR RPE scale! It fixes the above problems by:

Emoji. Man…emojis. You might not know what a 10 feels like, but if I showed you an emoji with X’s over its eyes, you can understand that’s working almost to the point where you want to pass out. That’s a 10.
Quantifying exertion during a personal training session or fitness work out. Think you can do 5 more reps, add 10 pounds.
Asking the simple question – “How much more could you have done?” And, “How did that feel?”

Why use the RPE Scale?

As a personal trainer working in the fitness field for over 15 years, I can attest that the hardest thing to do is to pick the proper weight for someone to use. This doesn’t matter if their goal is weight loss, rehab or just improving their health/fitness. There is no certification you can take, no books you can read…it’s more of an art that gets honed over years and years of seeing people lift weights. And, truth be told, it’s by far the hardest thing to nail down in regards to fitness.

Most people don’t work out hard enough, even sometimes with a personal trainer. A lot of personal trainers don’t feel comfortable pushing people that hard, again, there isn’t a course you can take in the fitness field to address this. And ultimately, I don’t think it’s the trainers job to say “hey let’s add more weight.” because if the client doesn’t feel comfortable adding more weight, a lot of times it’s a recipe for disaster.

That’s where an open dialogue has to occur between the personal trainer or fitness coach and their client as far as “how did it feel, do you think you could have done more reps or lifted more weight for the same amount of reps.”

The average person usually thinks their 6 is an 8, but in reality, it’s actually a 4. It’s not really their fault…the average person doesn’t have to do ANYTHING that is as hard as doing a back squat for 10 reps with a load they can maybe handle for 12 reps. That’s an 8 by the way…exactly where we want you.

Most of the time we want you at an RPE of a 7-8. That means you could have done an extra 1 rep, maybe 2. An 8 RPE is the perfect spot for most resistance training sessions because it means your working hard, but not hard enough that your form would substantially suffer.

Another way to look at it would be looking at it in terms of weeks or workouts on a fitness plan.

Week 1/start a new program = RPE 5-6. You’re just learning the moves, take it easy.

Week 2/2^nd time on the program = RPE 5-6. However, work to really master the form, try and be at a solid 6 on your last set.

Week 3-4/3^rd and 4^th time on the program = You know what you’re doing, now push it! You should be at a 7 during these weeks, with your last set at an 8.

Week 5-6/5^th and 6^th time on program = CRUSH IT!!! PUSH THOSE WEIGHTS! Your whole work out should be at a 7-8 with maybe even touching a 9 or 10 if you feel VERY confident in the movement.

We rarely want you working below a 5 unless you’re really working on mastering a lift, but even then, you have to increase the load of the exercise eventually to challenge your ability to perform that exercise.

So, without further ado…I give you the KDR RPE Guide! Use it…love it…share it with all of your friends. Live a lifted life.

How are your New Year’s Resolutions going?

If you’re like most Americans, not that good. Stop trying to change something about yourself, just work on improving it…be better then you were yesterday. We have the perfect challenge for you, it doesn’t start until February 5th, but you can START RIGHT NOW for only $10. Click the link below to check it out. Fitness is hard, but it shouldn’t be boring.

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Book Report – 1% Fitness by Mike Sheridan

by Ben Dearman
| Nov 15, 2017 | aging, book report, Fitness, health, just move, Technique Tip

Let’s Get Moving!

Guest post from Lara our kick ass office manager and fitness coach on 1% Fitness by Mike Sheridan.

In keeping with great KDR tradition, we are constantly educating ourselves so we can offer our members Knowledge Driven Results. In October, I read 1% Fitness by Mike Sheridan and loved it! I loved it so much I wanted to share some take home points that YOU should absolutely put into your life.

What really interested me as I was reading this book, was not necessarily the workouts, but the daily actions, which all of us could incorporate into our existing daily routines without rearranging our entire lives.

Most of our members, spend much of their daily lives in a seated position. From car to desk to car to chair/couch to car to bleachers to car to chair. They come into the gym tight, achy, creaky & cracking, and often giggle it off as “one of those things” or “getting older.” But by adding in the following movements you will help to work on those foundations to be less creaky, less achy, more aware of your own body and how it moves.

Get Up & Get Moving (Walk More)

According to 1% Fitness, walking has been shown to “reduce inflammation, support brain health/ memory, mood & cognitive function, as well as lower the risk of dementia and depression; support heart health, glucose management and immunity.” It has been proven that it is not the duration, but the frequency which provide added benefit. In the book he even gives a number of studies to support this.

What is your ACTION?

Take breaks from the desk & walk to the bathroom, walk up the stairs, walk around the building (inside or out), park farther away, take longer to walk while shopping, take the dog for a quick 10 minute walk… it doesn’t have to be a hike up a mountain for movement to add up and make a significant difference on your mood and to your life. Just get moving!

Hold the Deep Squat Daily

In 1% fitness, Mike Sheridan poses this question: “why does a baby sit comfortably in this (deep squat position) for hours, while the majority of adults fall on their backs, get stuck in the bottom position or cannot get into it to begin with” ? The answer- because although we may do it a few times per week in the RAMP at KDR Fitness, we do not practice it often enough, so we are losing our ability. Baies squat multiple times a day and so should you!

Why should you care? Because the deep squat is one of the best ways to maintain knee & hip mobility as well as help to improve everyday movements.

What is your ACTION?

Practice the Deep Squat every day. If you are in your office/house, start by lowering your butt all the way to the floor. If you need assistance to hold that position at depth, then use the leg of your desk, the door frame of your office door or coffee table/kitchen table leg at your house.

If you cannot bring your butt below your hips, then elevate your heels, by standing with your heels on a ream of paper or a 2 x 4. Attempt to hold that position once per day, for 30 seconds and build onto your time every single day. Try holding this position while you are watching TV, reading, or even eating, no matter when, just make time once, every day and do it! Mike Sheridan suggests “after you get to a solid 2-3 minute hold without support (no table leg) then you can start with multiple sets or more than one session per day.”

Build a Solid Foundation—Focus on Your Feet!!!

Mike Sheridan points out that “Shoes are coffins for our feet,” they change the form & function of our feet over time by providing too much support &/or permitting unnatural movement—shoes can create weak arches as well as prevent the foot from (natural movement patterns) “flexing and flattening that maintains muscle and mobility.” I have heard Ben say this a number of times, but after sitting down and reading this book the point really hit home.

Why does this matter? Just like the foundation of your home, your feet support the weight of your body and all your movements… so embrace your feet 🙂

What are your ACTIONS?

Embrace being barefoot—when you are walking … kick off those shoes, feel the grass on your feet, spread your toes on the ground—wiggle your toes. Don’t immediately try to go hiking for 30 minutes barefoot in the woods and then give up on being barefoot. Start slow and build up, get use to the feeling & paying attention to each step. Or, join a gym like OURS that encourages you to work out barefoot.

Improve your foot mobility by pointing & flexing your feet by spreading your toes & flexing your ankles with ankle mobility movements.

Increase your Foot Strength by trying these three exercises (find more in 1% Fitness):

Invisible high-heels—start in barefeet, raise up on to your tippy toes and walk
Bounce Walks… bounce walk with your heel elevated slightly as you bounce on the balls of your feet
Side Rolls- rolls from the outside edge of your foot to the ball of foot with full toe point

These exercises will help strengthen your feet each day you do them, which will improve your overall foundation and may even improve your other ailments. So… let’s get Moving!

Are you ready to get moving? Let’s move into the New Year with no holiday weight gain and an extra $300 in your pocket. Click on the link for more information.

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Its not a secret that we love Kettlebells at KDR. But why?

by Jamie Crowe
| Apr 26, 2017 | About KDR, General news, Kettlebells, muscle, running, Technique Tip, Work Outs

When people first come to KDR they are usually (this is based off on our experience and the clientele that comes in) de-conditioned and not as strong as they could be. Plus, they are generally intimidated! Coming into a weight room full of equipment you don’t know how to use or have never seen before can be very overwhelming. So, we need a tool that isn’t intimidating, can help bring up someone’s conditioning level fast and that also helps to build strength quickly.

Kettlebells are a great way we can accomplish these goals, i.e. improve your aerobic fitness and get you stronger at the same time. PLUS! Thanks to social media and TV, KB’s are a piece of gym equipment most people have seen before so for beginners, KB’s aren’t that intimidating. After all…it’s just a ball with a handle.

According to a recent study by American Council of Exercise demonstrated that Kettlebell training significantly boosts aerobic capacity, while also improving strength and dynamic balance.

“Kettlebell training increases strength, which you’d expect, but you also get these other benefits,” says Porcari. “You don’t really do resistance training expecting to get an aerobic capacity benefit, and you don’t do resistance training and expect to improve your core strength unless of course, you’re specifically doing core-strengthening exercises. But with kettlebells, you’re able to get a wide variety of benefits with one pretty intense workout.”

My training is heavily influenced by kettlebells as well as most of our members. Here are just a few things I have witnessed due to training with KBs:

Increased ability to go longer during runs – without running.
Increased ability to go faster during runs – without running.
Increased strength in core, glutes, hamstrings AND back.
Decreased back pain.
Decreased knee pain.
Better posture.
More power and explosiveness.

Link below for your research pleasure.

https://www.acefitness.org/certifiednewsarticle/3172/

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Why Do We Deadift In Fitness Training?

by Ben Dearman
| Mar 20, 2017 | Fitness, General news, health, just move, Kettlebells, muscle, strength, Technique Tip, Work Outs

If are a member at KDR, you deadlift, sometimes more than once a week in Fitness Training. Most knowledgeable Fitness Trainers are going to have their clients deadlift. Why? What’s the benefit of doing this exercise and why do we have ALL of our members do them?

What is the deadlift?

The human body is an incredible piece of machinery capable of moving in all sorts of ways, from throwing to sprinting and flipping – the ability for your body to express movement is only limited by your ability to safely control that movement. When we sit down to design a program, we break down all of the different ways your body can move into 7 “Primal Movement Patterns.”

– Push (push ups)

– Pull (pull ups)

– Squat (back squat)

– Lunge/step (post lunge or step ups)

– Lift/hinge (deadlift or good morning)

– Locomote (sprinting)

– Twist (throwing)

By doing this, it allows us to design effective and simple programs in a relatively short period of time that yield fantastic results and are easy for the client to perform.

The deadlift is a hinge or lift movement, meaning, you are picking something up off the floor and bringing it to hip level or you are holding something at hip level or someplace and only moving your hips.

What are the benefits of the Deadlift?

There are very few exercises that work every muscle in your body quite like the DL. From your hands to your feet, a properly performed DL will work everything. See below – that’s a shit load of muscles used!

From a real world standpoint, the benefits of a DL are simple – it allows you to pick something up from the ground with confidence and without fear of injuring yourself. This could be something light, or this could be something heavy.

The DL also teaches you how to BRACE. Bracing is a term we use that essentially means two things:

– Tightening your core (*see below for a brief note on core) to allow good force transfer between ground and hands.

– Teaching you how to breathe under load before you exert yourself. Believe it or not, people injure themselves not because the weight is too heavy, but because they don’t know how to breathe and exert themselves at the same time.

* a note on the core – old school core definition was your midsection, i.e. your stomach muscles. The new 21st-century core definition has the core starting at your pelvis and continuing up to your shoulders encompassing MUCH more muscles.

Who shouldn’t deadlift?

First, everyone should deadlift, but not everyone could deadlift the same way. We will cover the different types of deadlifts in a future blog post. Remember – if you pick something up – you deadlift!

However, before you deadlift, you need to get with a competent coach that knows how to deadlift and can teach you effectively. Like a KDR coach!

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KDR Healthy Eats: KALE & SWEET POTATO BREAKFAST HASH

by Ben Dearman
| Sep 29, 2016 | About KDR, balance, cooking, food, General news, healthy eating, just move, Nutrition, recipes, snap shot, Technique Tip, Weight Loss

KALE & SWEET POTATO BREAKFAST HASH:

INGREDIENTS:

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and dice into small cubes
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 cups kale, finely chopped
3 tbsp butter (or cooking fat of choice)
1 tbsp garlic, minced
¼ tsp ground sage
¼ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp rosemary
1 tsp coarse sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS:
In frying pan on medium heat, melt butter.
Add sweet potatoes, onions, garlic and sage.
Stir and mix well.
Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
Add kale, smoked paprika, rosemary and sea salt.
Cook for another 15-20 minutes or until the edges of the sweet potatoes start to brown and are fully cooked through and tender.
Serve with a sunny side up egg (or two) and eat up!