Review: "Toe Shoes" Adipure by Adidas

I have been testing out the Adipure "barefoot" trainers for the past few months and thought I would write up a bit of a review.

I am a big fan of barefoot training, in fact, as a young runner we were always encouraged to train barefoot on grass to strengthen our feet/ toes and legs in general.  Although I dont run barefoot anymore, I still always tried to train in the gym barefoot. Unfortunately this is often frowned up by gym operators!

The Adipure is basically designed to mimic being barefoot, with a little extra protection for the soles of the feet.  I was originally a Vibram Five Finger wearer, the originators of this type of shoe, but wanted to see how Adipures measured up. To be blatantly honest, one of the main reasons I wanted a change was the Adipure looks a lot cooler! Of course any shoe that looks a "foot glove" looks a little weird, and I am not ready to wear them out on the street just yet, but for the gym they work!

But the real question is, does it improve movement/ training in the gym? Structurally the Adipures are very flexible and do allow for very natural movement. The soles are a little more stiff than the Vibrams that I have worn, but I prefer this when I am doing heavy weight training as I get a quicker response via the nerve sensors in my feet and it also allows for a very good base of support.

The highlight for me in the design are the toes. With the Vibrams my toes felt slightly displaced, but the "wetsuit" like material in the Adipures are very comfortable (dont notice any seams) and I really feel good control of my toes.

All in all, I think Adidas have done a great job with these shoes and its great to see a major shoemaker get into this market. Their ability to promote "barefoot" training shoes will benefit many people who are currently training in heavy, cushioned  gym shoes and in turn suffering from a variety of orthopedic injuries.

So why dont I run in them long distances? I have progressed to "Free" trainers (little support and super flexible soles)  for running but after years of running thousands of kilometres in running shoes I am not ready to change. I have tried short runs but had some pain in my platar fascia (bottom of my feet) and Achilies tendons. Short bursts on soft surfaces are fine, but for longer running, for now, I will stick to the "free" trainers.

So all in all- I say five toes shoes are a great step in shoe develop! They definitely do improve training conditions and your body"s bio-mechanics.

 I encourage anyone wanting to make the transition to do so with caution- start slow! Gym training, walking, short jogs are a great way to allow your feet to adjust- after all, they more than likely havent worked right for decades!

Check out the Adipures here.

Yours in health,

Nathan
Tokyo Fitness Personal Training

Ha Ha Ha ... Just a little fun!

Nath mucking up at the gym in between sets on a Friday afternoon. He must be genki because the weekend was upon us!

Lani

www.elanajade.com

www.tokyo-fitness.com

Push and Pull Training Session

Push and Pull Training Session

Nathan and I did our push and pull training session tonight at Golds Gym. We were mixing a combination of Power and Strength.

Pull: One of the exercises we did tonight were Chin Ups using close grip. Nathan is demonstrating a power chin up: he pulls himself high enough to be able to let go of the bar as he drives up and catch it again on the way down. I am demonstrating the chin up as a strength exercise. I am using my own body weight as it is heavy enough for me, however it is often performed with a weight tied around the waist by a weight belt.

Push: Performing a push up exercise, Nathan is using the power range to explode off the ground lifting all arms and legs off the ground and landing again with good form. I am performing the push up in the strength phase. I have added a weight on my back to be able to achieve the amount of weight needed for me to be in this particular phase.

I hope you have enjoyed these demonstrations. Please remember that when you are performing any exercise, ensure you are doing so with correct posture and alignment.

Lani
Tokyo Fitness Personal Training
Elana Jade Organic Beauty Salon

Boxing video

Hi All!

This is my first blog with Tokyo Fitness! I will try to keep you all up dated in the fitness world and my own training session.

This video is on my training with Shirakawa-san! When it comes to boxing or kickboxing I usually train with him once a week, with Nathan in the park once a week and also participating in Nathans Boxing class on Saturday morning in Arisugawa park, Hiro-o.

If there is anything that you would like to ask me or a topic you would like me to blog about, email me and I will get it to you as soon as possible!

Lani

UN Farmers Market Tokyo

I took a trip to the UN Famers Market in Omotesando today. We had been wanting to go for sometime but this was one of the few free Sundays Miki and I have had together to go out- it was worth it!

There was plenty of small stands with good wholesome food and some funny characters! We bought a lot of items; including organic fruits & vegies- there were also stores selling breads, jams and hot food. 

The food was all reasonably priced and most of the produce is grown in "safe places" (the farm locations are written on all the stands and a lot of the vendors speak a little english).  Lets face it, most groceries in Tokyo are expensive, but if I am going to pay top-dollar i want to receive good quality (non-chemical) food and also like to support small farmers- especially in these times.

If you have some spare time on the weekend, i highly recommend a trip to UN Farmers Market. While you are there, you can also walk down the road to Natural House, which has been refurbished and also is a good source for small farm and organic food.

p.s. this photo was supposed to be me carrying lots of groceries...... I think Miki needs to improve on her photography skills before the babys born:-)!!

Yours in good health,

Nathan

Tokyo Fitness

Elana Jade Organic Beauty

C.H.E.K. Personal Training Course NYC

In July Sam and I attended the CHEK Exercise Coach course in NYC

I have always been a big fan of Paul Cheks training methods, and after doing numerous correspondance courses it was great to actually study with the institute hands-on. Of course, its also great to meet like-minded people who enjoy furthering their knowledge of human movement. They say the human body is more complex than a rocket ship so it would be naive to believe we understand all there is about the body in regards to fitness in a 5day personal training course or even 4 years at university for that matter.

The best thing about studying about the body is not only to improve my teaching abilities but to increase awareness of my own body and how it works; after all, I am stuck in this thing for 24HRS a day for the rest of my life so I might as well learn how to look after it! Of course it also allows me to apply my new found knowledge at any time.

Paul CHEK has written what I believe is one of the best books on overall health and movement called: How to eat, move and be healthy
This is a must read for anyone who lives in a body and wants to know how it works and how to properly care for it!! Its easy to follow (dont need an anatomy degree) and has some very practical questionnaires with corresponding exercise, nutrition and lifestyle tips.

Back to the NY CHEK course: the 5 day (10+hrs a day) was definitely worth the 12hr trip! A lot of it was revision but it did answer a few questions I had in regards to postural assessments etc: Like how can someones pelvis be tilting forward when they seemingly have a flat back posture?? and also armed me with some news assessment tools that I have been trying out on my clients (my favorite being the "ice-picks").

It was also my first trip to the big apple which was awesome! Miki came over with me and we got to spend time in the city shopping (so cheap!!) and going to shows, followed by a visit to our friends home Flavia & Enrico in the Hampton`s for some R&R.

I am definitely looking forward to the next CHEK course,  just have to once again pick a great location and sneak in another little holiday:-)
 
Nathan

Tokyo Fitness

Getting back into the habit of exercise

I just finished my 3rd 6day a week training cycle without actually planning it or even realizing until now. It just always amazes me how quickly my mindset changes when it comes to exercise. I say this because after studying and holidaying in NY for 2 weeks followed by 3 hectic weeks of moving house i really neglected my training. I often do this during and briefly after a holiday. I dont like to feel like i need to train when im away and make sure I instead train and eat well leading up to a holiday so i can have some guilt free pleasure! The odd run and stretch is fun but i dont want to feel like i "have to train".

The danger is after these periods (usually 2 x year) i always go through a mental slump where i feel like i may never get the motivation to train regularly again. This period always makes me empathize with clients and friends who often feel like this (because normally i cant fathom why you wouldnt want to train!). The fact is, when you dont exercise you just dont feel great, which will lead to you making a poor decision. As humans we really need to get the "blood pumping" through our bodies on a daily basis, which stimulates and rejuvenates all our cells- even the ones in our head!

I always say its easy to stay motivated to train when you make it a habit- I personally cant train 2-3x week.  Doing nothing for 3 days and then going and belting out a session is not only hard to mentally prepare for, but, can often lead to injuries.

As I mentioned, I go through a slump 1-2x a year......... I find I can now change my attitude from "not sure if I can get back to regular exercise" TO "I cant imagine not exercising nearly everyday- i need this!" after about 7days of forcing myself to get to the gym..

I do this by making sure I train everyday for 6 days in a row. I dont even care what I do. As long as its at least 30minutes. I take a "train dont drain" approach to my training regime in nearly all phases of my training. I train hard but I leave the gym feeling energized not drained. I dont mind muscle pain but wont allow any joint pain or pain around my spine. I stop an exercise immediately upon losing form. The only time I dont do this is if i am training for endurance in my boxing or intensive running session (this is because there may be a need in my life to fight or run to the death....... i cant ever imagine squatting or bench pressing to the death!!).

Anyway, after this 6days on I take a day off, by Monday I am ready to go again and usually cant keep myself out of the gym. The reason is because I love the way exercise makes me feel- I have never regretted doing a training session- the problem is, I forget about this when im not doing it!!!

Not everyone will change their mindset in 7 days, depends on experience and other factors; they say it takes 20days to make or break a habit. Everyone is different, I have learnt this after training hundreds of people. What i have found is that there are a few common points that determine whether people will form a healthy exercise habit:

• They have a goal and know how to use it to motivate themselves
• They are confident in their exercise program
• They train more frequently (hard to form a 2day a week habit)
• They have support from family friends (better still, exercise with someone else)

A bit of a long-winded blog but I find it really interesting...... I have seen people completely change their lives in 2 weeks! The lesson i have learnt is just to take it one day at a time, thinking i have to train 6days a week for the rest of my life sounds overwhelming- the fact is though, doing it is easy.

If anyone is suffering from the no-training blues (this is a physiological and mental issue!) just plan the next week and get out and exercise on everyday you plan to- worry about next week next week! When you walk out of the gym, boxing ring or park remember that feeling and use it do help get you out of the door tomorrow

Yours in good health,

Nathan

www.tokyo-fitness.com 

Summer Holiday Eating Tips!

We are in the midst of summer holiday season, which often means days spent lounging next to the BBQ for one of our favorite past times- indulging in yummy food and alcohol. Hot dogs, chips, burgers, beer...there's no better time to indulge in these holiday favorites. Well, except for the downside of the extra weight we may be carrying when all is said and done. But, there are some simple things you can do to minimize the damage while still enjoying your summer. In this months fit bits segment read how to combat holiday weight gain and come back from holidays relaxed and healthy.

Having a Healthier Holiday

Enjoying summertime parties is great, but it pays to be discriminating when hitting the buffet table. It's tempting to eat everything in sight, but you can avoid going overboard by:

·       Watch the alcohol. When it's hot outside, there's nothing like a cold beverage to cool you down. But extra alcohol can add more calories to your waistline than you might imagine. It can also dehydrate you, which can be dangerous if it's hot outside. Try to moderate your intake by drinking a glass of water between each drink. I also recommend eating health fats or proteins (no carbs) when enjoying alcohol. 

·       Eating before the party. Many of us go all day without eating in anticipation of a party, but if you show up starving, you're much more likely to overeat. Eat small, healthy meals before you go so you can make better choices and avoid temptation.

·       Filling up on the good stuff first. Before filling up on fattier foods, munch on fruits, vegetables or other healthy choices. You'll eat less of the fatty foods, but you can still enjoy them.

·       Staying active. If you're having a picnic or a party, try to plan some activities to get you moving. A pick-up football or basketball game, tossing a frisbee, playing volleyball or swimming are great ways to have fun while moving around.

·       Staying away from the buffet table. Once you fill your plate, settle somewhere away from the food. Many of us nibble mindlessly if there's food nearby, so get what you need and give yourself plenty of time to feel full so you don't go back for seconds.

·       Having fun. Being choosy doesn't mean you can't have any fun. Holidays are a time to enjoy yourself and by doing so in a reasonable way, you can make your holiday guilt-free.

Staying Active throughout the summer

Keeping up with your exercise routine is also essential for managing your weight over the summer but, even if you get off track, there's no need to panic. We all gain weight at times and, if you're careful, you can shave those pounds off in no time. Keeping to your training routine will counter-balance the summertime partying but if you are exercising and still find you've gained a bit of weight, there are some simple things you can do to boost your calorie burn and help get those extra pounds off.

·       Add more walking. It may not seem like much, but even an extra 10 minutes a day of walking can help you burn a few more calories and stay more active.

·       Eat a little less. Again, it may not seem like much but eating a little less for each meal can also help you shave off some extra pounds without going hungry. Try measuring your food for a few days and loading up on high-fiber fruits and veggies, which helps you stay full while eating fewer calories.

·       Add an extra day of exercise. If you're not exercising every day, try adding another workout day to your routine. It doesn't have to be intense, but a little yoga, gardening, walking or cycling is another way to burn som extra calories.

Making small changes each day, whether it's a few more minutes of exercise or fewer bites of lunch or dinner can add up over time, helping you get rid of those extra pounds without having to drastically change what you're doing. So enjoy the summer and stay in shape!

Yours in health,

Nathan