THE PRIDE: August 2021 | ISSUE 33

AUGUST 2021 | ISSUE 33

#QUOTEOFTHEMONTH

A message from Founder and Owner, Coach Tristan Mitchell:

One of the things that I love the most about our gym is that shoes are NOT required. In fact, they are discouraged unless you’ve got minimalist footwear on. If you haven’t been to LD and listened to us talk about this subject (certainly one of my favorite things to ramble on about!) then you might be wondering why we recommend minimalist shoes or no shoes while you’re working out... and beyond! The answer is simple – we want your feet as strong and as connected to the ground as possible.

Our feet are a huge part of how our body moves and operates. They are not only the foundation for the rest of our body, but they are sensors that are constantly taking in feedback from the ground that our brain then uses to create a reactive response from our muscles to keep us standing and upright. We don’t have to put a lot of conscious thought into standing and walking and our feet play a huge role in the simplicity of that process. Functional and strong feet can both adapt to the ground underneath them and create rigidity that is used to leverage the force of muscle contraction to generate stability and/or locomotion. The fires of evolution produced 26 bones, 30 joints, and over 100 muscles and tendons in our feet that are designed to be robust, adaptable, and strong. What evolution did not intend for was an inch of cushion, narrow toe boxes, inflexible shoe soles, and unnecessary heel to toe differentials. Almost all modern footwear has some or all of these aspects in their design and function which works directly against what our feet are meant to be and do.

Excessive cushion robs our feet the ability to sense the ground underneath them effectively. Narrow toe boxes and inflexible soles erode our toes mobility and strength (often contributing to bunion formation!). Heel to toe differentials systematically shorten our calf and Achilles and displace our center of mass forward, which can contribute to knee, low back pain, and more. This all adds up to dysfunctional and weak feet that can impact the health and function of the joints and tissues above them. When we get out of traditional shoes and into minimalist shoes, we begin the process of restoring what evolution gave us – our strong bipedal foundation.

Working your way into wearing minimalist footwear as your daily shoe acts as everyday training for reestablishing your foundational baseline. Most kids instinctively know something that adults forget - what it feels like to have a strong foundation. I think this is why so many of them want to be out of shoes as often as possible. Training at Lions Den in your minimalist footwear (our favorites are Vivobarefoot!) or out of your shoes all together allows you to get back in touch with your feet and build a strong foundation for a strong body. If you’re interested in learning more about how your foot function might be impacting your movement contact us today for a complementary assessment!

Get a discount on your Vivobarefoot shoes by clicking here and using the code: LIONSDEN for 10% off!

#YOGA is BACK!

Yoga is back, starting this week with Coach Tammy! Below is the new yoga schedule. As for all of our group classes, always make sure to check MINDBODY for the most up-to-date class schedule and sign up for your spot. Class spots are limited and if nobody is signed up one hour before class, then the class will be canceled.

Power Vinyasa, Mondays at 6PM:

A dynamic yoga class with fluid movement through asanas (postures or poses) in thoughtful sequences, with a connection of breath to movement. Accessible for beginner to advanced participants, but prior yoga practice is recommended.

Alignment Vinyasa, Wednesdays at 6PM:

Yoga asanas (postures or poses) incorporated into a gradual progressing flow, utilizing mindful breathing patterns. Classes are accessible for beginner to advanced participants as regressions and progressions are provided. This will be slower flowing with focus on hitting each posture.

LINDSEY’S #NutritionTip

Signs You Might Be Under-eating

Okay.. so I was inspired to write about this after noticing (during a stressful time) that I was under eating. And let me tell you, it's not something I ever want to go several days or even weeks doing again.

I honestly didn't even know I was under eating until one day I felt absolutely terrible on my way home from the gym, ate some food/drank some water and suddenly felt a ton better. I started to audit my diet over the last week and it dawned on me that I was not fueling my body with enough protein and definitely not enough calories in general. On top of that, I was working out a lot so my body didn't have much energy to pull from after too long.

So, in case you might be in the same boat.. here are some signs that you might also be shorting your body with much needed energy.

Low energy
Constant hunger (if you're stressed, you might not notice hunger like I failed to recognize so if that's the case for you.. try to find ways to cope with the stress you're experiencing)
Trouble sleeping at night
Irritability
Feeling cold all of the time
Constipation
Anxiety

Whatever reason it may be for your under-eating.. you have to understand that doing so can be problematic for your body -- even if you're trying to lose weight; please connect with one of our trainers if you're struggling with weight loss and nutrition.

I'm not a huge fan of calorie counting, but even just keeping a food journal is a good way to see if you're eating enough throughout the day. Also, if you increase your food intake for a few days and you start to notice that some of these "signs" go away.. that could be another indicator that you're just not fueling your body with what it needs.

#MOBILITY

Contract and Relax by: Coach Joel

At LD we frequently use the term contract and relax (C&R) during mobilization and maintenance work. This method was first introduced by a scientifically established practice called proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching. Its original purpose was designed to restore or increase range of motion to shortened tissue by reestablishing and strengthening communication pathways from the brain to restricted tissue. The practice has since evolved to include improving muscular inhibitions by using deep tissue compression simultaneously with focused muscle contraction.

Examples of C&R in practice:

Glute Smash: Gluteal C&R to strengthen muscular contraction after years of prolonged sitting periods
Quad Smash: Desensitizing tight quadriceps
Couch Stretch: Quadricep PNF aka Couch Stretch to restore tissue length
Brief intra-workout C&R to battle muscle cramps and spasms

Pairing this method with multiple techniques like stretching after smashing an area of restriction is an extremely effective way to loosen, lengthen, normalize tissue function and gain better access to end ranges. Another important component to effective mobilization sessions regardless of what method used includes proper breathwork. I like to teach a 4-4-8 count to help guide the breath work:

inhale for a 4 count,
contract the muscle being smashed or stretched while holding the breath for 4,
relax the contraction and exhale for an 8 count.

We teach this method and other mobilization methods frequently at Lions Den during class and private sessions. Come join us and help your body feel better afterwards! If you have questions, other issues or would like to dive deeper into creating a more supple body, please feel free to reach out and schedule a personalized private 30 minute session with your friendly neighborhood mobility nerd. Stay Mobile My Friends!

#PODCAST OF THE MONTH

TFC Audio Project | Shoptalk EP 9: Switching to Human Footwear

In this episode of #shoptalk, Mike and Nick have a conversation about a topic they get tons of questions about: switching to human footwear and making a transition away from conventional shoes to footwear that let's our feet function optimally. They explain the features that define conventional and human shoes, the harmful aspects of conventional footwear, and how to work on your feet to bring them from normal to natural feet. Lastly, they talk about running and switching to human running shoes.