According to a study in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care, breathlessness can be due to inflammation in the body, and, in some cases, estrogen can play a role in inflammation.  As you are likely aware, estrogen levels fluctuate during a woman’s cycle and can be more dramatic as she moves through perimenopause and into menopause.

Also, on a concurrent note, a study by the journal Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, was done on regularly menstruating females to determine their CO2 sensitivity during the phases of their cycles.  It found that a woman’s sensitivity to CO2 increased during the luteal phase, or the phase leading up to her menses.  Progesterone levels rise during the luteal phase, and progesterone is a respiratory stimulant.  In other words, breath rate can change during the phases of a woman’s cycle as hormones fluctuate.  If progesterone can stimulate a faster breath cycle, this can drop the CO2 levels, and in a woman who is sensitive to the CO2 level drop, s...

In this video Dr. Osar shares the connection between stair climbing and longevity.

As you’re helping a client move toward her goal, do you ever feel like you’re throwing spaghetti at a wall and hoping something sticks? 

Years ago, I remember having that feeling.  I’d do my due diligence to keep a client’s health history in mind, aim to mitigate risk vs. reward, only to hit a wall, when the strategies I implemented didn’t bear advantageous results for the client.  

Now, I have a system, the Integrative Movement System™ to be exact.

This is a framework for discovering a client’s suboptimal posture and movement strategies, followed by a framework for addressing these strategies and training them to be more optimal ones; then, tertiarily integrating them into functional movement exercise patterns to move clients toward their goals.  Now, I no longer feel as though I’m throwing spaghetti at a wall in hopes that something will stick.  There is a solid plan with space for maneuvering as needed, and it works. 

I ask you, how do you know whether an exercise is helping or...

Dr. Osar discusses:

common causes for neck tension 

some basic muscular anatomy of the neck

what you can start to do to address neck discomfort

If you missed us at DCAC or other events..check out our 2024 fall webinar series.

Recently, you’ve started to notice that Samantha, a client you’ve been working with since she was in her mid-thirties, is exhibiting some concerning behavior, and after knowing her for 15 years, this is uncharacteristic of her.  She comes into the session seemingly content.  Then, when you throw in a new exercise that’s an appropriate increase in challenge, she blows up and barks, “What is the purpose of this exercise?!  This is too confusing!”  

What.  Just.  Happened?  

There are a few clues that something more could be going on here.  

1. Samantha is now in her mid-forties.
2. This mood swing is unusual for Samantha.
3. She normally enjoys an [appropriate level] increase in challenge to her exercises.
4. You know these things because you’ve worked with her for many years.

What might you need to be thinking about as the Fit Pro?  

You might need to have a conversation with Samantha about seeing her medical provider to determine if she has entered perimenopause, and/or you might want ...

Dr. Osar shares that training balance is more than standing on one leg.

In this longer video, Dr. Osar and Jenice look at the correlation between low back discomfort and the shoulders.  During this video, you will start to identify shoulder posture that may be contributing to your client's lower back issues and how you can start the process of moving them toward more optimal posture through cues and exercises.

Check out our upcoming 2024 Webinar series for more in-depth information like this.

According to a study reported in Obstetrics & Gynecology, women who had a partial hysterectomy were 2 times more likely to experience early menopause than their counterparts who did not have hysterectomies.

 Why would you, the Fit Pro, need to know whether your client had a partial hysterectomy, let alone a full hysterectomy vs. none at all? 

How does this make a difference in her exercise program? 

These bits of information are the puzzle pieces that, once put together, illustrate the full picture of a woman’s health history.  Knowing that she had a partial hysterectomy means she might experience the symptoms of menopause sooner than anticipated.  Not only will a post-surgical core influence her posture and movement, it means these hormonal changes will also influence what exercises she can tolerate, what exercises might be contraindicated, and what ones need to be modified, so she can safely, effectively, and sustainably achieve her functional fitness goals. 

Check out our two-...

 Because hormone fluctuations can impact how well a woman executes an exercise pattern, there might be days/weeks when she struggles with her program. 

This might mean:

• You need to manage her expectations 
• Meet her wants with what she actually needs

It’ll be especially important at this time to monitor her form as well as decrease the number of reps and the amount of load. 

We have all experienced at least a client or two who does NOT like putting on the breaks. 

However, we can pave a smoother path.  It simply means doing a “Recovery Day/Week.”  Assure her that you’re still working toward her goal and that this week appears to be a week that her body is needing a bit of recovery.  Perhaps it can be phrased, “In an effort to help you maintain a successful workout, we’re going to modify your program in a manner that allows you to perform exercises that still move you toward your goal but won’t break you down in the process.”  This way, you’re managing her expectations, let...

As the Fit Pro, do you experience any of these challenges when working with a client who is going through perimenopause/menopause?

• My client has engrained exercise beliefs & abides by them, yet they are no longer appropriate for her physical health.
• She’s exhausted but still wants to do her high-intensity workout.
• You’re following appropriate strategies to help with her weight loss goal, but she’s still not losing weight.
• She’s used to exercising 2 hours a day, every day, but she can no longer successfully maintain this volume.

These could be signs that your client is experiencing perimenopause or menopause.  Stay tuned for the next issue to discover a tip you can use to help with these scenarios.