On a previous episode of the podcast, Steve Parkhill and I briefly touched upon nutrition in relation to different styles of training. Unfortunately, Steve and I didn't have a chance to delve deep into this topic, and since then I've wanted to interview someone about nutrition and training, but I wanted that person to have a holistic approach to nutrition. I strongly believe that what we consume, how we feel and what we think play a role in health and wellbeing.

Enter Sylvie Tetrault - a Toronto based holistic nutritionist, certified strength and conditioning coach, entrepreneur and co-host of the Championship Lifestyle Podcast. She’s worked alongside ex-NHL Gary Roberts in a high performance setting, training both everyday clients and professional athletes about health and wellness.

Today, Sylvie is on the podcast to talk about nutrition in relation to stress, recovery and training stimulus, some of the things she’s learned from working with professional athletes, motivation and mindset and other aspects of health and wellness.

Connect with Sylvie 

• http://sylvietetrault.com/ 
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter

Resources Mentioned on the Show

• That Clean Life
• Found My Fitness Podcast - Dr. Rhonda Patrick
• Relentless: From Good to Great to Unstoppable - Tim Grover
• The Upside of Stress: Why Stress is Good for For You, and How to Get Good at It - Kelly McGonigal
• The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We do in Life and Business - Charles Duhigg

We're taking mind-muscle connection to a whole new level with Steve Parkhill. Steve is a Toronto-based trainer and fitness entrepreneur with a unique approach to training. Influenced by elite trainers like Ben Pakulski, Tom Purvis and Charles Poloquin, Steve incorporates bodybuilding principles into strength training. His approach is to create an internal intent and focus, rather than only working the external movement patterns. Engaging and activating the muscle before weight is moved is crucial to this system. Using tempo control and specific muscle contractions and applying them to strength training creates a whole different type of strength and muscle. All these things create longevity in strength instead of giving clients a shelf life before they plateau and before injuries occur.    

Spectrum of Exercise Programming

Maximum Effort (1-3 reps) | Relative Strength (3-5 reps) | Functional Hypertrophy (6-8 reps) | Metabolic Hypertrophy (10-15 reps) | Strength Endurance (15+ reps)

The idea is to move left or right on the spectrum without overstepping one to do the next. Each of them have specific sets, reps, tempo and intensity amounts allocated.

Useful Links

• Steve Parkhill Fitness
• Mi40 Training 
• Muscle Expert Podcast
• Brad Schoenfeld - Resistance Training Variables 

I'm on the hunt for a new cross trainer, but with some many options out there, picking the right shoe can be challenging. I found out through social media that Lululemon was partnering with a unique sportswear company called Athletic Propulsion Labs (APL) to offer their athletic shoes in-store. APL's claim to fame was in 2010 when their shoes were banned from the NBA for giving players an unfair advantage. Since then, their footwear has become synonymous with technology, performance and fashion. Intrigued, I decided to check them out. On this episode of the podcast, amateur sneaker expert Ross Newton and I review all three shoes from APL's women's line: the Ascend, the TechLoom Phantom and the TechLoom Pro.

Useful Links/Resources

Athletic Propulsion Labs

FootWear Ling 101: Running Shoe Technologies Explained by Brand (Digital Trends)

Are You Wearing the Right Shoes for Squatting? (Squat University)

On the last episode of the podcast, I briefly touched upon the difference between Powerlifting and Olympic Weightlifting, and how lifting weights, when done correctly, can positively affect your metabolic rate, muscle coordination, stability and balance, bone density, stress levels, confidence and a lot more.

With the help Maria "MiaMazin" Nikolajev - RAW Powerlifter, WBFF diva fitness and figure competitor, trainer, certified strength and conditioning specialists and women's empowerment coach - this episode is an opportunity to dig deeper and learn more about Powerlifting and why you may want incorporate weights into your training routine.

The Quote That Inspired This Episode

“What we fear doing most is usually what we most need to do. As I have heard said, a person's success in life can usually be measured by the number of uncomfortable conversations he or she is willing to have.”

- Tim Ferris, The 4 Hour Workweek

Links to Cool Stuff from This Episode

• Powerlifting vs. Olympic Weightlifting
• Ignite the fire : the secrets to building a successful personal training career by Jonathan Goodman
• Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Super Athletes and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall 
• Fit For Thought Workout Mix Vol. 5
• Haliburton Hill Sprints 

In this episode of the podcast, I sit down with co-founder of TCHAD Quarterly and host of The City Podcast, Chad Cranston. As podcasters with a shared passion for fitness and business, Chad and I cover a lot of ground. From what it's like to host a podcast, to what drives us in and outside the gym (you'll never guess what songs we currently listen to while lifting), to how we define a successful fitness business, Chad and I put it all on the table. 

Special thanks to our mutual friend Taylor Viveiors for connecting us. 

Located in the heart of Toronto’s St. Lawrence Market neighbourhood, Scullhouse Rowing is Canada's only authentic indoor rowing workout facility where students are trained and taught by a former National team member. Founder and CEO, Kristin Jeffery is a seasoned rower and former Canadian National Team member. Her classes are an authentic reflection of her own years of training. I'm lucky enough to have had Kristin on the podcast to talk about rowing fundamentals, what's like to be a fitness entrepreneur and much more! 

What You'll Learn on this Episode

• The story behind Scullhouse
• The difference between sweep rowing vs. sculling
• Rowing fundamentals like proper rowing form and technique
• Why rowing is more than just a fitness trend
• What muscles should be engage while you're rowing
• The best advice Kristin received from her mentor and coach

Connect with Scullhouse Rowing

• Website
• Facebook
• Instragram

At Fit For Thought, we're all about making connections and creating a space where information sharing can grow and thrive. I've had the pleasure of connecting with many of you via social and in-person. Thanks for reaching out and connecting with me. I love reading your questions and comments, so keep them coming!

More recently, I've received a lot of questions about pre and post natal fitness, as many of you are either expecting or have recently given birth. Congratulations! On this episode of the podcast, I connect with Trisha Enriquez via Face Time. She's an extraordinary mom, certified Nutrition and Weight Loss Coach, as well as a certified Pre and Post Natal Fitness Specialist. On top of all that, she's the brains behind No Tummy Mommy - a thriving business that provides fitness and nutrition coaching, from one mom to another. 

What You'll Learn on this Episode

• What expecting moms can do to stay health and fit during their pregnancy
• Common misconceptions about post-natal fitness
• Diastasis Recti Abdominis - what it is, how new mom's can identify whether it's happening to them and how they can regain their core strength
• What a pelvic floor physiotherapist is and why it's a good idea to visit one
• Workouts you can do at home in 10 minutes or less
• How you can feel comfortable and confident with your postpartum body 

Connect with No Tummy Mommy 

• Website 
• Facebook
• Instagram
• YouTube

A couple of weeks ago, Dr. Aaron Horschig of Squat University was on the podcast to talk about some of the factors that affect squat performance (among other things). In order to perform a full depth squat, our bodies require a certain amount of ankle mobility. A great way to screen for ankle mobility is the half-kneeling dorsiflexion test. 

After doing the test, it turns out that I have soft tissue restriction and joint restriction (always knew I was an overachiever). Dr. Horschig recommended a variety of ankle mobilization drills and soft tissue stretching, but I thought I'd also pay a visit to Sarah Mariano - one of the best fascial stretch therapists in the bizz and my very first guest on Fit For Thought! Needless to say, my session was nothing short of amazing. Sarah and I were so happy with the results that we decided to keep the good vibes going and headed over to the studio to record an episode of the podcast.

What You'll Learn on the Episode

• How to screen for ankle mobility 
• How fascial stretch therapy can improve ankle mobility
• The results of my fascial stretch therapy session 
• What NeuroKenetic Therapy is and how it works
• All about Sarah's 2017 Stretch Tour!!!

Learn More About Sarah's 2017 Stretch Tour

• Website
• Facebook

If you've been following me on social media, you may have noticed my posts about GoGo Muscle Training, a Toronto-based business that has harnessed the power of electrical muscle stimulation technology to offer a cutting edge, effective and scientifically driven method of training.

Electrical Muscle Stimulation (or EMS for short) is the elicitation of muscle contraction using electric impulses, which mimics the electrical message naturally transmitted by the brain to the muscle via the central nervous system.

After doing some research, I decided to put GoGo Muscle Training and EMS to the test. You can only learn so much about technology by reading about it. You have to experience it first-hand, or in my case, wear a full body suit with built-in electrodes that send electrical impulses directly to muscle groups while working out. Anything, within reason, for the podcast! Now, two sessions in, one of the founders is on the podcast to talk about GoGo Muscle Training and my first-hand experience training with EMS.

What You'll Learn on this Episode

• How the body recruits muscle fibers and conserves energy 
• How electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) works
• The difference between and conventional forms of training
• My personal experience with and thoughts on EMS
• And more! 

Learn More About GoGo Muscle Training

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram