Body & Soul Health and Fitness
3785 W 10th Ave V6R 3T3 Vancouver, BC, Canada

Body & Soul is excited to be a part of the BC Coalition of the Fitness Industry Council of Canada! We are open! We are safe! You might recognize some of our wonderful team in the video! https://youtu.be/Af32r83Qx9U... #personaltraining #personaltrainer #bodyandsoulvancouver #fitness #strength #weightloss #bekindbecalmbesafe #FIC #yvrfitness #yyjfitness #yvrfit #PracticeSafeFitness

Where are we seeing transmission of the virus? "All of the above except gyms." - Dr. Bonnie Henry

Did you know? The concept of instability is not one most people enjoy; however, when it comes to your workout program, introducing instability (in the way of Swiss and Bosu balls) is a great way to increase intensity! Before you incorporate instability as a means of increasing intensity though, you should make sure you are first able to complete the exercise on a stable surface with proper form and technique. You should only consider incorporating instability when you can demonstrate the ability to stabilize the parts of the body the exercise will most challenge. Photo credit: Alex Mainwaring

Fitness Tip: work those glutes! Love them or hate them, glute bridge exercises are a great lower body exercise! Glute bridges can help improve posture, strengthen your core, help reduce lower back pain and of course help tone your gluteus maximus! If you find the standard bridge too easy, consider: 1) glute bridge holds, 2) single-leg holds, 3) single-leg lifts, 4) weighted bridges and 5) bridges using suspension cables! ... Talk to your trainer about which variations are appropriate for your workout program.

Muscle Strength vs. Muscle Endurance Muscle strength considers the ability to exert force against resistance (e.g. powerlifting), whereas muscle endurance is the ability to exert sustained effort over a long period of time (e.g. a triathlon). Muscle endurance relies on muscle fibers called type 1 or slow twitch. Muscle strength relies on type 2 fast twitch muscle fibers. Fast twitch fibers come in 2 varieties type A and B. Type A help you pick up a couch and carry it a...cross the room. Type B help you bench press your 1 rep maximum. It is important to train all types of muscle fibers and systems, as you use them all in your everyday life (e.g. lifting and carrying the groceries into the house). Genetics do play a large part in which types of fibers you will have a larger proportion of, but that shouldn't hold you back from attempting to improve your weaker areas (e.g. getting stronger if you are better at endurance).

Did you know? When it comes to the push vs. pull training approach, "pull" refers to muscle groups that contract as the weight is pulled toward the body and lengthens as the weight is extended away from the body (i.e. chin-ups); "push" refers to muscle groups in which muscle tissue contracts when the weight is pushed away from the body and lengthens as the weight is returned back towards the body (i.e. chest presses). One of the main benefits of a push-pull training regime is that it significantly reduces your risk of overtraining related injuries as you focus on one set of muscle groups, say "push" muscles, whilst the "pull" muscles are at rest or recovering.

Fitness Tip: roll it out Myofascial release commonly done by rolling parts of the body on a foam roller - is often used to help relieve tension and improve flexibility. One of the greatest benefits to using a roller is that it gives you complete control over the intensity and duration. Generally, when using a roller, your trainer will advise you to roll back-and-forth continuously over the tender area for 30-60 seconds. The roller can be a great tool; however, it can also be used improperly, which is why we ask that you speak with your trainer for more information.

Am I too old to start lifting weights? Believe it or not, the physical gains of lifting weights are not exclusive to young people! In fact, in many cases studies have shown that the muscles of seniors respond quite favorably to a progressive resistance program. While the volume and number of repetitions will vary in all likelihood, there is no reason why someone who is 75 years of age (or older) cannot begin a resistance program under the guidance of a health and fitness pro...fessional. Remember to consult with your doctor before beginning a new training program.

Meet this month’s featured team member, physiotherapist Michael Hales of Halestorm Physiotherapy! Michael graduated with a Masters of Physiotherapy from the University of British Columbia and earned a degree in Kinesiology from the University of Victoria. He is certified in Acupuncture, Gunn IMS, and the Selective Functional Movement Screen. In addition to physiotherapy, Michael is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and has been working with athletes of all lev...els for over 15 years. Michael applies the principles of functional movement, with a focus on preventative health and determining the underlying source of dysfunction, in his approach to treatment. Michael is a proud father of two, a three-time Ironman Triathlon finisher, and enjoys running, skiing, tennis, golf, hockey and everything else that gets him outdoors. He is a former Body & Soul Personal Trainer and has returned to the studio with his physiotherapy practice, Halestorm Physiotherapy & Sport Conditioning. For more information, or to book a session, check out www.halestorm.ca/

Fun Fact Friday: Clamshells are a great way to build your glutes! Elevated clamshells (feet in the air) put you in greater hip internal rotation, which allows more range of motion from internal to external rotation. The clamshell exercise has been shown to have the best gluteal to tensor fascia latae (TFL) muscle activation. #bodyandsoulvancouver #vancity #fitness #gym #workout #fit #fitnessmotivation #motivation #training #health #lifestyle #healthy #healthylifestyle #gymlife #personaltrainer #exercise #follow #instagram #muscle #weightloss #gymmotivation #life #instafit #gains #workit #glutes

Did you know? We will continue to limit our Small Group Personal Training sessions to a maximum of two participants until June 2021. With consideration to public health orders as well as client feedback, we will reassess the group capacity again in May. For more information about Small Group Personal Training at Body & Soul including our schedule check out http://ow.ly/AZKE50D0zdC.

Did you know? Supersets and compound sets are great for those short on time as they each require you to move from one exercise to the next with little rest between sets. Individuals with the goal of hypertrophy (gaining muscle) will often look to these two approaches when planning their workout program. Using supersets, individuals will alternate exercises for opposing muscle groups (i.e. moving from leg extensions to leg curls); conversely, using compound sets, the individual will alternate between exercises that work the same muscles (i.e. moving from bench presses to cable chest flys).

Fitness Tip: mountain climbers Mountain climbers are a great full-body compound exercise that works the core, hip flexors, legs, arms, and shoulders. If you’re tired of performing basic mountain climbers, consider performing them at a faster pace, introducing ‘holds’ at timed intervals (i.e. holding the knee up every five seconds) or performing them from your elbows instead of your hands. You can also incorporate other exercises into the mix i.e. after 10 seconds, perform five donkey kicks on either side and repeat for one minute.

On Thursday November 19th, BC’s Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced new restrictions on social gatherings, travel within the province, and a new mask mandate. The mask mandate will require everyone to wear a mask in all public indoor places. Until now, we had allowed our clients to remove their masks while warming up on cardio machines and during training sessions when distance could be maintained, and only if their trainer was comfortable with them removing ...it. Beginning Monday November 23rd, we ask that clients wear their mask while warming up on cardio machines and throughout their training session; however, clients may remove their mask to catch their breath and during water breaks. We understand that this new policy will be difficult for some clients; however, we are hoping that this (combined with our other policies and safety measures) will allow for us to remain open and continue to serve you, our clients. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. On behalf of Body & Soul, We want to thank you for your continued support and loyalty. #bodyandsoulvancouver #fitness #covid19 #vancity #personaltrainer #maskup #practicesafefitness #becalmbekindbesafe #weareinthistogether

Fitness Tip: push-ups Push-ups are an incredible exercise that can be incorporated into pretty much anyone’s workout program (except those with shoulder or wrist problems). Push-ups measure an individual’s upper body strength and endurance, specifically working the pectoralis muscles, triceps and the anterior deltoids. If you are tired of performing push-ups from your toes, you can increase intensity by performing them on a stability ball, a bosu ball (ball-side facing down... as you hold the edges of the base), or with your feet on a bench. Just watch out for that chicken head notoriously seen with push-ups!

A bittersweet farewell... As many of you know, we are saying goodbye (for now) to our Front Desk Supervisor and Sales Manager Laura Twomey. While we are sad to see you go, we are confident that you will excel at anything you put your mind to and we cannot wait until you come back! ... #bodyandsoulvancouver #fitness #personaltrainer #vancity #bittersweet

We could all use a little bit of holiday spirit right now! #personaltraining #bodysoulvancouver #bekind #becalm #besafe #vancity #holidayseason #wegotthis

Learn more about what we are doing in the studio to ensure the safety of our staff and clients during the pandemic! Our COVID-19 Walkthrough Video is up now! https://www.bodysoul.ca/covid-safety-video/ Video Credit: @Alex Mainwaring... #bodyandsoulvancouver #vancity #personaltrainer #PracticeSafeFitness #maskup #wegotthis

Did you know? High intensity interval training, or HIIT, has been proven to be one of the most effective ways to lose weight and improve cardiovascular conditioning. Not only does it help stimulate your metabolism but you also burn many more calories than in a lower intensity but longer cardio workout. It involves short bursts of intense exercise followed by a recovery phase like a short run followed by a walk. You can modify intervals for any activity level and on any cardio machine. Don't be afraid to push yourself to get the results you want!

Dear Clients, We are committed to ensuring the health and safety of everyone in our studio, which is why we would like to remind you that if: - you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms... - you are awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test (even if you do not have symptoms) - you have been asked to self-isolate You must call or email the studio to cancel your session(s). If you are unsure, please err on the side of caution and cancel your session(s). If you require additional guidance for your specific situation, please contact your doctor or call 8-1-1. Unfortunately, not adhering to the above protocols has led to outbreaks in several businesses in the lower mainland. This is the reason we are reinforcing this guidance at this time. We appreciate your support in ensuring the health and safety of our staff and clients. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. Best regards, Angela

Did you know? Researchers continue to find that optimism can actually positively impact one’s health and help with recovery. Simply put, someone with an optimistic outlook will generally try to find the good in everything, even in their own personal struggles. In one study that observed angioplasty patients over six months, people who were considered pessimistic (identified in a psychological evaluation) were 3x more likely to have a heart attack than those who were considere...d optimistic. Another study in which nearly 7,000 University of North Carolina students were monitored for 40 years (starting in the mid-sixties) showed that people identified as highly pessimistic individuals had a 42% higher rate of death than those who were considered highly optimistic. Finally, a study out of Illinois looked at how optimism affects heart health and found that those who were considered highly optimistic have twice the odds of being in ideal cardiovascular health compared to their more pessimistic counterparts. Research continues to look at how optimism affects our overall health but the general consensus is that those who have a positive outlook are much more likely to stay healthy and enjoy their lives! So, are you an optimist? Sources: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/optimism https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/optimism

Fitness Tip: neutral neck Poor posture can lead to unnecessary strains on your body, particularly when it comes to your neck. For many people, neck injuries and pain are the result of attempting to achieve faster repetitions with a shorter range of motion, often compromising their neutral neck position. For example, when completing a chin-up some people will extend their chin towards the bar as they lift themselves up, putting their neck out of alignment and causing increased... tension to the neck muscles. Three exercises to help release neck pain are as follows: 1) Flexion: tuck your chin back and place your fist underneath your chin press down into your fist to work the neck flexors. 2) Extension: place your hands behind your head and push your head backwards into the hands to work the neck extensors. 3) Rotation: place your hand on the side of your head and push into your hand, trying to rotate it over in order to work the neck rotators.

Fitness Tip: Improve your step-ups! Step-ups are a great single-leg strength training exercise that work your legs and balance! When it comes to step-ups, we have often found that people tend to focus more on their back leg than their front. What we really want to see though is an isolation of the front leg more emphasis on stepping up with the front leg, as opposed to pushing off with the back leg. To help you do this, you should focus on lifting the toes and ball of the ...foot up off the ground as you push into the step-up. Some people find that using a plate (or thin board) to help elevate the heel helps! Tip: to decrease difficulty, lower the step height, OR to increase difficulty, try increasing bench height and/or holding weights.

We wanted to share an absolutely lovely testimonial we recently received from one of our clients! #bekindbecalmbesafe

If you haven’t already, you should check out our Instagram page for weekly fitness tips, fun facts and more! www.instagram.com/bodysoulvancouver/

Did you know? One common postural issue that we see in the studio is hunched or rounded shoulders due to tight pectoralis - ‘pec’ - muscles. While we do work our pecs during exercise, we may not always treat them to a nice stretch after our workout. To help stretch these muscles, consider trying the following easy stretch: with your arm bent to 90 degrees, place your forearm against an open doorway, stand in a staggered stance - one foot in front and one behind - and slowly push your chest forward. When you feel the stretch, hold for approximately 30 seconds before alternating arms and stop if you feel any pain.

Fitness Tip: increasing your plank time 1) Avoid holding your breath be sure to breath slowly and steadily. 2) Holding a plank position properly for an extended period is achieved through good form:... - Maintain a neutral spine and neck - Widen (don’t round) your shoulder blades - Maintain balance equally between arms and feet - activate your legs and ground the balls of your feet 3) Progressively continue adding time to your plank aim for a few more seconds (i.e. increments of 5-10 seconds) each time 4) Practice and be consistent!

What should I do first, cardio or strength training? What you choose to do first may depend on a variety of factors, but it’s important to note that your preference is ultimately the deciding factor. You will build muscle and burn calories regardless of the order in which you do them. That being said, if you find one type of exercise especially tiring - for a lot of people, that’s cardio (endurance) training - and it leaves you too fatigued to continue with the rest of your r...outine, try the less-taxing part of your workout first so you still have something left in the tank for the next. Conversely, if you’re less motivated to do strength training but don’t mind getting on the stationary bike, consider getting your free weight session out of the way first so you have something to look forward to! No matter what you choose to do first, it’s important to make sure your body has had an opportunity to warm-up first. Warming up for approximately 5-6 minutes on the treadmill, bike or elliptical, followed by some dynamic stretching, is a great way to start your workout!

Fun Fact Friday: This month’s featured staff member - Personal Trainer Laura Claridad - competed nationally and internationally as a hip-hop dancer, so if you don’t see her on the gym floor, you’ll likely find her on the dance floor! #bodyandsoulvancouver #vancity #fitness #gym #workout #fit #fitnessmotivation #motivation #training #health #lifestyle #fitfam #healthy #healthylifestyle #gymlife #personaltrainer #exercise #follow #instagram #muscle #weightloss #gymmotivation #life #instafit #gains #workit #dance #maskup #hiphop #happyfeet

Did you know? A generic warm-up is a great way to increase muscle and core temperature as well as blood flow throughout the body; however, it is important to consider specific warm-up exercises for better performance in your workout. Consider, for instance, when preparing to perform a heavy compound lift, you should do a warm-up set with about 20% of the weight you will be lifting. Done properly, a warm-up set will help you execute the heavy compound lift with more ease!

Body & Soul is closed today for Thanksgiving. The studio will re-open tomorrow at 6am. Thanksgiving can be a hard time of the year for those who are not able to spend time with loved ones and with all going on, this year may be more difficult for some people than others. If you are struggling emotionally and need someone to talk to, remember that there are many mental health services and sources of support available to you: www.crisislines.bc.ca/services #bekindbecalmbesafe

Looking for an exercise to work your shoulder stability and core? Consider performing side planks with rotation! - Lying on your side, lift your hips to go into a side bridge position (can be performed from knees instead of toes) - Rotate your torso downwards and reach under your body - Slowly return to the starting position don’t let your hips dip down... - Complete three sets of 6-10 reps on each side - To increase difficulty, try holding a light dumbbell as you perform the movement See more

Fun Fact Friday: We are still offering Outdoor Training options for those not yet ready to return to in-studio training in our covered parkade! With training in our parkade, you still get the fresh air from outside, but without getting drenched in the predictably unpredictable Vancouver rain! Don’t forget, we also offer Virtual Training via Zoom contact us for more information! #bodyandsoulvancouver #vancity #fitness #gym #workout #fit #fitnessmotivation #motivation #training #health #lifestyle #fitfam #healthy #healthylifestyle #gymlife #personaltrainer #exercise #follow #instagram #muscle #weightloss #gymmotivation #life #instafit #gains #workit #raincouver #PracticeSafeFitness #wegotthis

Did you know? In 1997, during deployment, Navy SEAL Squadron Commander Randy Hetrick used a Jiu-Jitsu belt and parachute webbing to come up with a style of exercise and piece of equipment that led to the infamous TRX Suspension Training. As a Body & Soul client, you are likely quite familiar with the TRX in the studio and perhaps begrudgingly so recognize how versatile this piece of equipment is. The TRX can be used for a great full body workout and may not even require... other pieces of equipment to have a great workout! Incorporate the TRX for the following exercises to increase the difficulty and challenge your body: - push-ups - bicep curls - single-arm row - plank - mountain climbers - knee tucks - reverse lunges Happy Training!

Fitness Tip: landmines are a great exercise to help improve overhead performance Landmine exercises refer to securing an Olympic bar into a corner or in some way securing one end to something to keep it from slipping back or otherwise moving. There are multiple ways in which you can perform landmine exercises, including landmine squats, rotations, and thrusters. For this tip, we will focus on the single-arm press. -- In a stride stance (maintaining a tall posture), push the O...lympic bar up and away from your body by extending your elbow - Slowly lower the bar back towards your body by bending your elbow so that the end of the bar hovers above your shoulder - Continue with the same arm for desired reps before alternating arms This is a great exercise to work on shoulder strength! To increase difficulty, consider adding load or talk to your trainer about other landmine exercises you can do!