Envision Fitness
103 19070 Lougheed Hwy V3Y 2M6 Pitt Meadows, BC, Canada

We are teaming up with SOLE Experience running company to bring you the strength portion of the Mindful Miles program that starts this Friday. Check out my interview with Eric for more details. If you have questions please ask down below!

Let’s face it, it’s been a tough year for all of us. I can’t imagine how much harder it must be for families with children going through cancer treatment. Those are the families that Athletes In Kind support and the type of event that our local run shop host. Please join tomorrow (Friday, January 1st) for SOLE Experience running company’s 9th annual Generation Run starting at 10am. Check out the Sole page for more details. Donations can be done online on the AIK Facebook page or go to http://ccfsupport.com

Now this is a Christmas story that I think we can all get behind. Stay safe everyone!

UPDATE 2.0: WE’RE OPEN!! Well this is awkward! Let me start by saying that we stand by our commitment to keep you safe. In order to do that - we are ready to make hard choices (such as closing our facility) as it becomes necessary. Last night we made a call to close the gym based on information that was misinterpreted. After review of the official updated PHO documentation and consultation with Work Safe personnel we are rescinding our previous closure announcement.... We WANT to be open to serve you in person and we are taking ALL the precautions we have been advised and know to do to ensure you’re safety as well as our own. As clarity, new information, restrictions, and guidelines are announced- we won’t hesitate to take action. Even if it means awkwardly re-announcing a closure minutes after we’ve rescinded one . For now, we will re-open tonight at 4pm and resume services in accordance with our current COVID-19 Safety Plan. (Swipe for details)

UPDATE: TEMPORARY CLOSURE Dr. Henry announced yesterday (Dec 2nd) that she is putting a temporary pause on indoor fitness activities including individual fitness and low intensity exercise; as such we have cancelled in person services for the time being. While high intensity group fitness is suspended indefinitely, Dr. Henry stated new guidelines for low intensity individual indoor fitness would be announced next week; we are eager to learn how we can meet health and safety... expectations to resume in person services. Your health and safety is and always has been our top priority. Whether in person or remotely; we will continue to serve you! Our remote programming and coaching technology has never been stronger or more accessible. We are taking this temporary pause one day at a time. In the event that we will be closed for longer than a couple of days we will roll out a new plan of action! Stay tuned for updates! In the mean time, what you can do to stay active and keep moving: Go for a walk Perform bodyweight versions of your Bridge Program practice your push-ups: aim for 5 sets of 5 reps/day spread out throughout the day!

BACK PAIN: ARE YOUR CORE EXERCISES MAKING IT WORSE? Has anyone told you that your back pain is because you have a weak core? Are you doing core or ‘AB’ exercises but still have back pain? Back pain is more complex than core strength alone- no one exercise is a cure-all. However, many people out there are performing core exercises that are making their pain worse, or, are performing the right exercise, with the wrong form- which also tends to make back pain worse. The foll...owing 3 exercises demonstrate a beginner to advanced core strength progression. These are all Pre-requisites to doing a bodyweight dead bug exercise safely. 1 KB activated ISO hollow body hold: focus on almost trying to lift the tailbone off the ground without pulling the knees toward your chest. Hold for up to 30s. 2 KB activated 1 leg kick out: focus on maintaining core tension; kick the leg out slowly and only as low as you can maintain tension without sacrifice. Perform for reps of 6-8/side. 3 KB activated 2 leg kick out: go slowly, keep your legs high and don’t let up on core tension as the legs return to the starting position! Perform for 6-8 reps. The most common mistake I see while coaching core moves is a disconnect between the ribcage and the pelvis. The key to success in mastering this core-strength pre-requisite is to make sure the exercise is the appropriate challenge. People tend to rush into ‘more advanced and flashy’ exercises with the mentality that harder is more beneficial. When it comes to core exercise- the more moving parts there are- the harder it is to maintain the rib-pelvis connection (Ie core tension). Moving parts = complexity (think patting your head and rubbing your belly); only add complexity when you have the ability to not compromise your core tension. KEEP IT SIMPLE: prevent movement before adding movement.

Wishing this very special superhuman an ultra speedy recovery. We can’t wait to see the new spring in your step PJ!!

**MEET MIGHTY MELISSA** At age 64 Melissa Pratas says she can’t stop training now, her health and quality of life have never been more important. When Melissa started personal training with us she was initially motivated by the pursuit of changing her body composition. She had tried Curves, diets and other fad fitness trends but nothing really felt like the right fit or was ever really able to meet here where she was at. Melissa knew that with knee pain and other vulnerable... joints she didn’t want to risk further injury and she wanted the expertise of a knowledgeable coach to keep her safe. Over the past two years we have watched Melissa discover her strength. She is fierce, courageous and never backs down from a challenge. No matter how big the task- Melissa ALWAYS gives her best, offers herself compassion for her *FFT*, and keeps on trying. As a result of Melissa’s trust in us, and her commitment to self improvement- she has become SO strong, stable and capable. Melissa says she feels safe in our care. She works hard and has seen her effort pay off in reducing her knee pain and other joint ailments, empowering her independence and giving herself a lifelong purpose of longevity and health to train for. Melissa has made personal training a part of her lifestyle because it gives her freedom to enjoy her life in the present and insurance for the quality of her life in the future. Melissa is also a huge fan of Brené Brown; and we are Brene super fans. When you share the same values, it makes it easy to to show up for one another. #risingstrong #daretolead #FFT #brenebrown #feelbetter #itsnevertoolatetostart #longevity

KNEE PAIN? NO PROBLEM Meet Danny Vero, owner and operator of Vancity Plumbing. First and foremost, Danny is a father and a husband. He’s also a business owner, a plumber and a high level ball hockey athlete. Danny trains to stay healthy and to be his best at his sport. He’s no stranger to knee injuries and recently he suffered another setback with a PCL tear. Danny will tell you that he used to think it was normal for his body to be in pain, and as an athlete that it ...was just part of the gig. He would also tell you that when he did get ‘injured’ that he wouldn’t know what to do and would just take ‘time off’ until it was safe to play again. At 41 years old Danny says his he can’t treat his body like he used to, and it doesn’t bounce back the way it once did. He says that since coming to Envision Fitness he’s learned a whole new way of training that has helped him get out of pain and play stronger. He’s also realized that when his body is in pain from injury- that he can still come to the gym and count on us to build him a routine that will keep him working toward his goals, regardless of his injuries. In the videos below, Danny is working on some high level strength skills to keep him strong during his knee recovery. The Tiger Push-Up pictured on the sliders is an absolute core shredder- props to Danny for making this look easy- I assure you, it is not! In the other video, Danny builds strength and stability in his hip and posterior chain muscles while taxing his core and upper body with a See Saw Row with kettlebells. We picked the latter exercise for Danny because it’s a knee friendly lower body exercise that promotes joint stability while challenging his upper body in a way that helps him to feel strong and athletic. Also...Huge thanks to Danny for proving his plumbing skills at the juice bar sink! A broken faucet no more . If you have commercial plumbing needs, be sure to hit up Vancity Plumbing!

FLOW FRIDAY DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Fitness is amazing for literally like a bajillion reasons. Primarily- it’s an education SYSTEM for how the body works and how to scale exercise and movement to accommodate a clients abilities and progress them to their goals. The Ultimate Sandbag (not just any sandbag) is for the injured, for the recovering, for the beginner, for the aging gen pop, for the intermediate weekend warrior, for the seasoned athlete, for the fitness profes...sional, and for the hard core. If you don’t have access to an Ultimate Sandbag, I promise you, you’re missing out. If I could only have one tool to have at home or the gym- I would choose this. I put this little number in my program this month to play around with the Front Loaded Half Kneeling Windmill in the second part of the flow. Fellow DVRT Master Instructor Cory M. Cripe of Fitness Lying Down inspired me to give it a try. I have to admit- this totally roasted my core and with just 4 reps crushed my heart rate too! Exercises don’t just have to be muscle isolation exercises. They can be skilled movement choreography that makes you better at being human- and are totally fun to learn and execute. #feelbetter #performbetter #havefuntraining

We are committed to providing our members with a safe experience when training at our facility. COVID-19 and forced gym closures in March has challenged us to think differently about how to responsibly deliver fitness. We’ve gone back to the drawing board to make adjustments and mitigate risk of virus transmission. Our gym layout has been completely revamped to maintain safe distance when participating in training sessions. Coinciding with our new layout, we have reduced clas...s size as well as the number of patrons permitted to attend during personal training times. Hand sanitizer and disinfectant spray are located at key locations around the gym. Cleaning protocols have our team regularly wiping down all high traffic areas while members wipe down their respective training stations and equipment after use. Equipment is not shared during training sessions. Every training station at our gym is self sufficient, stocked with all of the tools that you need for a complete training session. We know the stereotypical perception of a gym is grungy or dirty, but we are neither. We are here to keep you safe while we collectively work toward your health and fitness goals. We encourage you to check us out!

Cynara (Envision Member): Do you think it’s called a trap bar because once you’re inside it, it’s like you’re trapped in it? The Tools we use at our gym have a specific purpose and have all originated as solutions to client injuries and goals. We like the trap bar because it centrates the load of the bar through the hip joint rather than the lumbar spine (unlike the straight bar) making deadlifts safer for gen pop clients. Further, we prefer trap bars that have the adj...ustable handle height- shown below; not only does the neutral grip position allow clients like Cynara (recovering from frozen shoulder) to lift with the shoulder in a pain-free range of motion- the handle height (low or high handles) makes it easier for clients to pull the bar from the floor without the more extreme hip hinge range of motion required by a straight bar. Yet another feature that helps to protect your back! Our members come from all walks of life; what most of them have in common is that many of them started with us in pain - either with some sort of chronic joint issues or previous injury from sports, car accidents and life incidents. Whether you have a pre-existing injury or you’re just looking to keep your joints healthy and minimize risk while exercising, we’ve got your back. We are committed to meeting members where they are at- assessing their abilities and using the right tools and exercises to help them train to restore their abilities, feel better and do the things they enjoy doing. #feelbetter #performbetter