Fitness Question and Answers with Casey

What is functional training? I keep hearing people advertise it.
Jannis from Palm Desert

   Functional training is what I call “Real World Movement.” This sort of training mimics movements that you would use in a sport you are playing or everyday activities you are involved in. For a tennis player, functional exercises would mimic movements such as serving the ball or running across the court.
      Functional exercises do not have to be designed for just athletes. They can be designed for anyone for any everyday activity. Lifting your kids, gardening, even getting up out of a chair easier are all examples of how this method can be applied. I once had a client who was worried about taking her grandchildren to Europe and keeping up with them. Primarily, she was worried about her ability to handle the luggage of both her and her grandchildren. We devised a program where she walked around our gym with a weighted suitcase. Little by little we added more weight until she was able to walk long distances with heavier weight than the FAA regulations would allow.
     Many fitness professionals confuse this idea, and instead have their clients do exercises on unstable surfaces, such as a BOSU ball. These exercises have their purposes but are not functional. When involved in a functional program I want you to ask yourself and/or your trainer “How does this translate into my every day life?” Otherwise, you may be wasting your time and money standing on one leg doing bicep curls.

I am trying to lose weight and I seem to be hitting a wall. The funny thing is I only eat twice a day, so why am I not losing weight?
Patrick from Palm Springs

      Patrick, I must hear this at least once a day. Individuals like yourself are stumped by their lack of progress when they are on a calorie restricted diet. I am going to blow your mind with this saying “You need to eat to lose!” Right now what you are doing is forcing your body to go into what we call “starvation mode.” You are not taking in enough calories often enough, so your body will lower your metabolism and store the nutrients you take in, as energy. Excess energy that is stored is called fat.
     I use this analogy with my clients: Think of your body as a fireplace, food as wood, and the fire as your metabolism. Your metabolism is the conversion of food to energy. If you throw all your wood (food) on the fire at once, the fire will rage for an hour or two then die down. On the other hand, if you add a small amount of wood to the fire every 2-3 hours the fire will burn strong all day long.
     The old thought of eating 3 square meals a day is long gone. You need to eat every 2 to 3 hours. This comes to 4 to 6 small meals a day. Each meal should have a balance of complex carbohydrates, proteins, and good fats. If you follow these guidelines and combine this with a smart workout program, you should see the fat melt away.

How old should my children be before they start working out?
Dana from Palm Desert

      The moment your child is able to crawl or walk your child is in an exercise program. Depending on your child’s age depends on the type of exercises they can safely do. Children generally should not exercise with heavy weights before the age of ten. There have been recent studies that say children exercising with a professional trainer can safely use free weights and machines to build strength and will not compromise their growth development. The old train of thought that children should not do this sort of exercising stemmed from the amount of injuries these kids sustained when they worked out on their own and were not supervised by a professional trainer.
         Children at a very young age (4-8 years old) typically should not use free weights and machines while exercising. Instead, they should be focusing more on hand eye coordination, agility, and body weight exercises. In my professional opinion, children at any age should be supervised by a physical trainer who is used to working with kids.

Casey Washack is co-owner of Next Level Fitness located in Palm Desert. Casey has over ten years of experience in personal training and nutritional counseling. Casey currently trains a large repertoire of clients with various abilities that include U.S. Marines, budding athletes, celebrities, and individuals with physical limitations or disorders. You do not have to look far to find someone who has had great success working with Casey. If you have any questions or concerns you would like answered, please email Casey at Casey@nextlevelfitness.org.


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Fitness Question and Answers with Casey What is functional training? I keep hearing people advertise it. Jannis from Palm Desert Functional training is what I call “Real World Movement.” This sort of training mimics movements that you would use in a sport you are playing or everyday activities you are involved in. For a tennis player, functional exercises would mimic movements such as serving the ball or running across the court. Functional exercises do not have to be designed for just athletes. They can be designed for anyone for any everyday activity. Lifting your kids, gardening, even getting up out of a chair easier are all examples of how this method can be applied. I once had a client who was worried about taking her grandchildren to Europe and keeping up with them. Primarily, she was worried about her ability to handle the luggage of both her and her grandchildren. We devised a program where she walked around our gym with a weighted suitcase. Little by little we added more weight until she was able to walk long distances with heavier weight than the FAA regulations would allow. Many fitness professionals confuse this idea, and instead have their clients do exercises on unstable surfaces, such as a BOSU ball. These exercises have their purposes but are not functional. When involved in a functional program I want you to ask yourself and/or your trainer “How does this translate into my every day life?” Otherwise, you may be wasting your time and money standing on one leg doing bicep curls. I am trying to lose weight and I seem to be hitting a wall. The funny thing is I only eat twice a day, so why am I not losing weight? Patrick from Palm Springs Patrick, I must hear this at least once a day. Individuals like yourself are stumped by their lack of progress when they are on a calorie restricted diet. I am going to blow your mind with this saying “You need to eat to lose!” Right now what you are doing is forcing your body to go into what we call “starvation mode.” You are not taking in enough calories often enough, so your body will lower your metabolism and store the nutrients you take in, as energy. Excess energy that is stored is called fat. I use this analogy with my clients: Think of your body as a fireplace, food as wood, and the fire as your metabolism. Your metabolism is the conversion of food to energy. If you throw all your wood (food) on the fire at once, the fire will rage for an hour or two then die down. On the other hand, if you add a small amount of wood to the fire every 2-3 hours the fire will burn strong all day long. The old thought of eating 3 square meals a day is long gone. You need to eat every 2 to 3 hours. This comes to 4 to 6 small meals a day. Each meal should have a balance of complex carbohydrates, proteins, and good fats. If you follow these guidelines and combine this with a smart workout program, you should see the fat melt away. How old should my children be before they start working out? Dana from Palm Desert The moment your child is able to crawl or walk your child is in an exercise program. Depending on your child’s age depends on the type of exercises they can safely do. Children generally should not exercise with heavy weights before the age of ten. There have been recent studies that say children exercising with a professional trainer can safely use free weights and machines to build strength and will not compromise their growth development. The old train of thought that children should not do this sort of exercising stemmed from the amount of injuries these kids sustained when they worked out on their own and were not supervised by a professional trainer. Children at a very young age (4-8 years old) typically should not use free weights and machines while exercising. Instead, they should be focusing more on hand eye coordination, agility, and body weight exercises. In my professional opinion, children at any age should be supervised by a physical trainer who is used to working with kids. Casey Washack is co-owner of Next Level Fitness located in Palm Desert. Casey has over ten years of experience in personal training and nutritional counseling. Casey currently trains a large repertoire of clients with various abilities that include U.S. Marines, budding athletes, celebrities, and individuals with physical limitations or disorders. You do not have to look far to find someone who has had great success working with Casey. If you have any questions or concerns you would like answered, please email Casey at Casey@nextlevelfitness.org.