BIG NEWS: A New Addition to the Small But Mighty Squad!

Meet Jocelynne, Our First Small but Mighty Ambassador!

It takes two to make a thing go right!

Small but Mighty grew out of the inspiration I found in the many strong, kind, boss ladies I met through my work as a personal trainer, Nike Trainer, CrossFit coach, and college instructor. I wanted to bring up-to-date, accurate and interesting information and awesome training opportunities to the public to empower women in all aspects of their lives. 

I've had the privilege of working with a number of different women over the last few years, and recently I re-connected with an amazing, kind, and strong woman who embodies all things Small but Mighty: Jocelynne! She is dedicated to living authentically and empowering others to lead a healthy and active lifestyle through her social media presence and speaking engagements, and happens to be strong AF!

Jocelynne is going to be participating in a number of our upcoming projects and initiatives and helping to bring our amazing Small but Mighty experiences to life. We're unbelievably honoured that she has agreed to rep and collaborate with Small but Mighty, and are so excited to be building the #smallbutmightysquad! We thought you might like a chance to get to know what makes her tick, how she trains, and where she sees herself in the next several years! We got a chance to fire some questions her way; take a read below and check out Jocelynne's website to get to know the newest member of the fam!

1) What drew you to 'Small but Mighty' and why do you think this is a good match? 

I started attending Jenny’s NTC classes at The Academy of Lions two years ago. Standing at 5- foot-nothing myself, I was totally inspired by Jenny’s small stature. Small but Mighty encompasses female empowerment and Jenny’s approach to training is very much focused on the “why” as opposed to just throwing together some fancy looking exercises, which is what I love. Working with such a knowledgeable trainer who has a real method behind their madness is truly a privilege.

2) Why do you train? 

Being able to walk up the stairs and run for the bus without getting winded is nice! In all seriousness though, I’m fascinated by the human body and how it moves. I see training as an opportunity to optimize the way I move in the gym and in everyday life. 

3) What is your favourite way to sweat? Do you have a favourite exercise/drill? 

There’s something about hot yoga that makes me feel like I’m working extra hard, and I also have a constant love/hate relationship with running. Back squats are my favourite exercise because they make me feel strong.

4) Have you faced any adversity or had any amazing experiences as a female training in co-ed gym or playing a male dominated sport, and if so, what did you take away from them? 

Luckily I’ve never faced any adversity training in a co-ed environment aside from being way to intimidated to step foot in a gym when I first began my journey, and even then, gender differences were never an issue.

At the end of the day we’re all human and what we can accomplish physically shouldn’t be defined by our gender. 

5) Do you see training as means of empowerment  in any other areas of your life? If so, tell us your thoughts and/or about your experience using physical training to succeed in other areas of your life?

Absolutely! I began training as a means to cope with being unhappy with myself, but it has become so much more than that. Being more physically active helped immensely with my mental health and has ultimately helped me feel more comfortable in my own skin.

What really changed the game for me was when I attended my first ever NTC class...alone. I’m an extremely shy and introverted person so going to a new place and not knowing anybody or having a friend to lean on was terrifying. Before I knew it, I was attending different workouts weekly and meeting tons of new people. So although training itself hasn’t helped me leave my social comfort zone, the desire to reach new heights and try new things in my training has helped me overcome that barrier. 

6) What is/are your favourite food(s) 

I’m a food blogger, so everything is my favourite! My top three definitely have to be yellow mangoes, homemade pizza bagels, and sweet potato maki rolls. Last summer I discovered watermelon with lime juice, passion fruit and a pinch of pink salt. If you haven’t had that combo, you NEED to try it! 

7) If you could be any kitchen appliance, what would it be and why? 

I would definitely be a Vitamix blender. Have you ever made a green smoothie at home that still had chunks of kale in it? It’s gross! The Vitamix does such a thorough job and I like to think that I’m the same way when it comes to my work & everyday life. I pay attention to the small details that tend to get overlooked and I like to make sure every sentence and photo seamlessly blends with whatever message I’m trying to convey. Does that even make sense? 

8) Tell us about your work-life balance

It’s weird - I have a part-time job and then I come home and most of my free time is dedicated to working on my own thing: blog posts, freelance work, recipe testing, and admin. When it comes to working from home, I have a designated ‘office’ space in my apartment and will sometimes go out to a cafe to separate work from home as much as possible. Sometimes that line is blurred, especially because a big part of what I do online is sharing my personal life. Luckily I have friends who are willing to go to run club or train with me. It’s the best of both worlds - getting to spend time with friends while also getting a good sweat sesh!

I recently became obsessed with bullet journalling, which helps me stay organized and stops me from biting off more than I can chew. I schedule my workouts as if they’re appointments I can’t miss, freelance work and blog posts get scheduled in there too, and of course I have full days blocked off for down time. You can do anything, but you can’t do everything. I used to say yes to every opportunity and event that came my way, but now I’m learning how to define what I’m willing to devote my time to. 

9) Do you have any inspirational quotes or songs that get you through your toughest workouts?

Any song by Calvin Harris or really any upbeat music gets me through a tough run. I also just try to focus on my breath and get in the zone. It’s a simple technique but it totally works for me.

10) You have the most beautiful website out there! Tell us about your mission, your short and long-term business goals, why you got into the world of social media/blogging, and any issues/topics that are close to your heart!

Thank you! I grew up watching YouTube and reading blogs when they first became a thing and always wished I could be that person creating content that people enjoyed. I just didn’t know where I belonged in the blogging world. All I knew was that I wanted to add value to people with my content. And at the end of the day, my main mission is still to provide my readers and my clients with value.

2017 is going to be the year of putting myself out there more. I’ve only been doing social media as a job since September 2016, so I’m still in that period of establishing who I am and what I do. At the moment I’m writing an eBook that will feature recipes and a guide to healthy plant-based eating, to be launched Summer 2017. I feel like the word vegan makes people want to run away, so I’m trying to make it more friendly and and educate people about it in a way that isn’t totally graphic or in your face. Most of the opportunities I’ve had are food related, but this year I’m looking to throw more fitness and lifestyle topics into the mix - which was actually the original plan when I stared my blog back in 2015.

I don’t know where I’ll be 5 to 10 years from now, and I’m totally okay with that. All I know is that this (whatever “this” is) is eventually going to be my full-time job. I’ve only been doing this for 6 months, so right now I’m just grabbing every single opportunity I can to advance my business in the right direction and put myself out there. I’m just going with the flow and listening to my gut. Although my main message surrounds plant-based nutrition and wellness, I do my best to add an element of realness into my posts. Social media can be a superficial slippery slope, which is an issue in itself. I recently opened up about my struggles with mental health, being an introvert, and regularly document the not-so-glamorous parts of my day.

It’s a vulnerable place to be in, but ultimately I’m trying to create a space that is safe for everyone to open up and have a conversation. The best part of social media being my job is being able to relate to so many people globally, and receiving a resounding “me too!” when I share the deeper parts of my life. 

Quick Tip: Accessorize Your Training!

I'm really excited to write for you today about my favourite training accessories! While you might be partial to multi-coloured headbands and snapchat filters, my absolute favourites are single-leg work, evidence-based abdominal training and mobility work! Yes, I might have tricked you...but at least you're here...so you may as well keep reading!

Today, I'm writing about accessory movements and training! What is accessory work? Well, accessory exercises and movements are training drills that are designed to help strengthen your ___________ (insert your main form of training here)! Some people might refer to their accessory work as 'Cross-training'... the two certainly intersect, but in my opinion, accessory work is often a little more intentional and individualized and is based on a particular weak-link in a prime movement. Specifically, accessory work helps improve your overall performance, whether that is running, squatting, or olympic lifting by addressing a very specific part of the main compound movement you do in your training routine or sport. A very common example exists in powerlifting; coming out of the bottom of a heavy squat, there is a really unfriendly place called the sticking point. It's basically that point where you feel like you're not going to be able to stand all the way up out of the lift and your speed of movement drops significantly. Believe me... it feels like it takes FOR-EV-ER to get through that small range of movement...and then presto, you get past it and the rest of the lift is a piece of cake. Easy, peasy, lemon squeeze-Y! How do you train yourself to shorten/eliminate/or at least get through this zone? I'm glad you asked and I bet you already know the answer...accessory movements! Whether it is a single leg squat pattern, a pause-squat pattern, a one-and-one-half squat pattern, glute bridges or abdominal work, the key here is that the accessory movement addresses the CAUSE of weak-link such as insufficient muscle recruitment, a poor motor pattern coming out of the bottom of the squat, weak abdominals or weak glutes. 

More than simply improving your performance, accessory training will also help you avoid injury. I've mentioned before that our bodies are good at developing compensations to get us to our overall movement goal, and that often these patterns are suboptimal and can predispose us to injury. BUMMER! Particularly if your sport involves one repetitive motion, such as running, one small little movement 'flaw' can easily 'add-up' over the thousands of steps you take and lead to a repetitive strain injury effectively sabotaging a competitive season. For example, it is often recommended that long-distance runners, in addition to their race-training program add in lower limb mobility work, glute strengthening exercises as well as run technique training in order to minimize the impact going up their biomechanical chain from their feet to their hips and above. Ever get a sore/achy low back or hips after a long run? This might be a sign that something needs to changed/strengthened/mobilized to help optimize your movement pattern. 

Can I give you an exact accessory training prescription based on your sport? I think you can tell from what I've written so far that the answer is 'no' (even though I would like to). The accessory movements have to be based on your own performance, injuries, weaknesses, mobility limitations and areas of 'greatest potential'. There are some general recommendations as I alluded to earlier: for example, to improve squat performance you often want to include single leg work, abdominal work, and address the mobility of your ankles and hips. When it comes to running, technique training and glute strengthening, as well as anti-rotational and anti-flexion abdominal exercises are also generally recommended. However, there needs to be individualization of these key themes based the athlete in question. The point of this article was simply to open your eyes to the fact that (1) Accessory training is a thing, and (2) It can help you break through performance ruts and prevent injury! 

I always say that I want to help people create training routines that are SAFE, EFFICIENT, and EVIDENCE-BASED! When it comes to accessory training, we're certainly addressing the 'efficiency' portion of this intention. If you keep squatting the same weight, with the same patterning, and hitting the same plateaus... chances are you're not going to make much progress without adding in some accessory work to strengthen your weak links. If you run the same distance, along the same route and get the same nagging knee or back pain after each one, the same sort of logic applies. Take time to check out some of the thought-leaders (NOT GURUS!!!) in your area of training or sport, and chances are they'll have at least one Youtube video or T-nation article emphasizing an accessory drill that will improve your performance. If that doesn't appeal to you, snag a few sessions with a trainer, coach, or health professional such as a Chiropractor or Physiotherapist to have your patterns analyzed. Trust me, its worth it! 

Get to it friends. Accessorize to your little heart's content and watch your performance skyrocket!

Happy training friends

J

P.S Having said all of that, I will say that my Volt Nike Romaleos are my absolute favourite training accessory! #teamnike 

Iron is a Girl's Best Friend! Again!

Today I'm reposting one of favourite pieces! I really enjoyed writing this one, as I was able to incorporate my own knowledge, experience and love for lifting into an article that I think is pretty interesting and enlightening to read! I'm also reposting this one because I have BIG NEWS: Small But Mighty will now be offering Semi-Private Women's Basic Barbell and Powerlifting in the Queen West area beginning Saturday November 5th! Check out all the details on the 'MIGHT IS RIGHT' program and grab your spot here! 

Photo From: www.fanpop.com

Batman is one of my favourite superheroes, not only because of his dark and stormy mystique but also because he is just a 'regular guy,' with no innate superpowers like x-Ray vision or superhuman strength. He relies on both his mental strength and physical will to defeat his enemies, and often undergoes quite a beating doing so. Every time I lift heavy, I'm reminded of a quote from the Dark Knight, when Batman and the Joker come face to face in the 'final showdown' for Gotham City: "...This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object..." It took me a few years of lifting to realize (and gain the confidence to be sure) that I am that unstoppable force, and though lifting is always a physical and mental challenge, the barbell is certainly not immovable. 

I think that the first paragraph of this post highlights one of the main reasons why I love lifting myself and programming it for my clients: confidence and empowerment! There have been too many times to count when faced with a mental or physical challenge I've thought to myself, "if I can squat 200 lbs, I can certainly do this"... And I'm not the only one! I've had clients report similar experiences in their daily lives, in situations ranging from moving furniture to surviving pregnancy, labour and delivery! With every kilo lifted, there comes a sense of accomplishment, of having done some 'work', of having put in time and effort towards a bigger goal or purpose! While you may leave a lifting session both mentally and physically exhausted, it is there, that little spark that keeps you coming back to the bar for more. 

In addition to building strength, a periodized resistance training program will also positively impact your body composition; it will help preserve your lean muscle mass, and may also lead to an increase in your basal metabolic rate (i.e. the rate at which you burn calories while resting). For women specifically, regular weight-training will also positively impact your bone health, and help prevent osteoporosis; this is very important in times of peak bone growth, as well as in the elderly.

Also, a well-organized lifting program will decrease your risk of injury by improving your balance and coordination, and may also benefit your sport-specific performance (Healthline 2013). In fact, studies have shown that in as little as 8 weeks, a heavy squatting routine can improve running economy and time to exhaustion at maximal aerobic capacity in highly-trained male and female long-distance runners (Storen et al, 2008).

With regards to sports participation, a prospective study of over 1200 high school athletes demonstrated that untrained female soccer, volleyball and basketball players had a 3.6 greater incidence of knee injuries versus female athletes that underwent a neuromuscular training program including weight-lifting, plyometric movements and flexibility training (Hewett, 1999). In the elderly, periodized resistance training has been shown to increase quality of life, improve power, body composition, and energy expenditure, and reduce the difficulty of completing acts of daily living (Hunter et al, 2004). 

Finally, on a personal note I have to say that through lifting I have met some of the most awesome and life-strong ladies I know! Girls that can lift heavy, run fast, eat burgers and rock a summer dress like the best of them! I mention this because there is an expectation that lifting will automatically make girls bulky! This is NOT true! While aesthetics is certainly the last reason I would promote as motivation to lift, resistance training is certainly figure-friendly. My female lifting pals and I get compliments on our figures all the time...funnily enough, the women providing the compliments often don't ask how I train, they only ask how-often. Its one of my favourite things to fill them in on my little iron secret! Seriously though, if you're all about that bass, squats are for you!

I also love lifting because its cathartic, quiet and focused. In the weight-room, there is no pressure to look pretty, to move in a 'lady-like' way, or even to play the most up-to-date music! There is just you, the bar, and if you're lucky, some other awesome ladies to cheer you on and spot you when you need it! In short, lifting is an awesome way to make new friends, build mental and physical strength, increase the resiliency of your muscles and joints, and improve your sport-specific performance. So head on over to your local gym, grab a rack and get lifting. If you're looking to get strong, your barbell will be your new best friend. 

Healthline, 2013: The importance of strength training for women. 

Storen 0, Helgerud J, Stoa E M, & Hoff J. Maximal strength training improves running economy in distance runners. American college of sports medicine, 2008.

Hewett T, Lindenfeld T, Riccobene J, & Noyes, F. The effect of neuromuscular training on the incidence of knee injury in female athletes. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 1999. 

Hunter G, McCarthy J, & Bamman M. Effects of resistance training on older adults. Sports medicine, 2004. 

All That Glitters Is Not Gold

My social medial feeds over the last several weeks have been a little tumultuous. I was super happy a few weeks ago when a colleague of mine Kia Khadem (Personal trainer and former intern at Cressy Sports Performance) posted a short commentary on the 'under-valuation' of personal trainers. The commentary was insightful and true to the experience of many great trainers I know; it made my heart sing!

Later that day, I was scrolling through my Facebook feed and came across yet another 'Health and Fitness' article highlighting 'follow-worthy' trainers/bloggers/fitsperations in Toronto. I know and or have met a number of the trainers mentioned in the article, so I decided to give it  a read.... My heart stopped singing. Nowhere in the article did the author mention any of the trainers' or influencers' degrees, certifications, levels of experience, credentials (or lack thereof) nor did she comment on the quality of information these Social Media All-Stars were putting out for the world to see. Total Bummer. The whole article was based on how 'pretty' each person's feed was.

The thing you need to realize (if you don't already) is that social media is hard. It requires time, often an instagram spouse or photographer friend to follow you around, and the most unfortunate part is that it is often not realistic. If I had a nickel for every time I saw a 'trainer' or participant set up a shot of them doing something cool, complete 2 or 3 reps until they got a good photo, and then leave the gym to write their post, I'd be a wealthy woman. On top of all of this, I have yet to meet a Toronto Social Media Fitness Star that employs a fact checker or editor and I can tell you that not all of the information and tips I have seen on Instagram and Facebook are accurate, healthy or generalizable. 

I've read these types of article a number of times before. Usually I just frown, cringe a little on the inside, and try to focus my attention elsewhere. But, these types of articles weigh on me, because as trainers we have a tonne of influence over our followers and we should be holding ourselves to a higher standard in order to get the best results for our clients. There are many trainers I know that hold themselves to ridiculously high standards and they are unbelievably awesome at what they do. Their clients love them, other trainers respect them, and often they exist under the Toronto Social Media Radar because they are so busy being great at their job, they don't have time to focus on Facebook and Instagram. That, and their brains and bodies are better spent helping others rather than picking filters on Instagram.

I'm not writing all of this simply as a rant; rather, I intend to do something to invoke change. Over the next several weeks, I'll be featuring some of the brainiest, brawniest, most caring and all-around awesome (trainer) people I know! People that put their hearts, souls, brains and biceps not only into their own training, but also into empowering their clients to reach their full potential. Get ready to see these little gems shine like the diamonds that they truly are! I hope you're as excited as I am!

Have a fantastic weekend

xo

J

Quick Tip: Set Yourself Up for Success

It's hard to believe that we're already nearing the end of August #wheredidsummergo? Often at this time of year, as vacations and memories of hot summer days melt away and we start to re-focus on work or school our fitness and wellness routines start to FALL (see what I did there) by the wayside. Here are a few tips to help keep you on track with your training:

Set Some Short- and Long-Term Goals

These goals should be realistic and specific and your short-term goals should be conducive to your long-term goals. Make sure you have identified some sort of measurable outcome that will allow you to identify when you've reached each goal for example: hitting a specific squat PR, running a specific 5 km time, or even fitting into a smaller dress size.
 

Create a REALISTIC Plan to Reach Your Goals

Without a plan to reach them, goals are just wishes. Create a training plan that is directly conducive to your goals; make sure it is realistic in terms of training volume, time commitment and scheduling. Need help with this? There are plenty of trainers that offer online or distance programming to help you reach your fitness and wellness goals!
 

Prepare!

Whether this means laying out your training clothes and gear the night before, meal prepping your pre- and post-workout fuel, or even pre-entering your gym's address into iMaps, try to set yourself up for success today, by doing something you'll thank yourself for tomorrow. 
 

Hold Yourself Accountable...Or Find Someone Else To!

There are a variety of ways to hold yourself accountable to your training program such as setting alarms on your phone, downloading a training app, or wearing a fitness tracking device. You should also be keeping track of your performance in each workout, either during or immediately following your session to be sure you're on track and your programming is working for you! You can do this in a notebook, on a spreadsheet, or through a specific app. Again, if you need a little bit more 'support' find yourself a trainer or a training buddy! Your plan will only be effective if you actually stick to it!

Give Yourself a Break!

This may sound a little counter to what I've been suggesting so far, but nothing derails a training plan more than an overuse injury or training burnout! Even though it is great for us, physical activity is in fact a physiological stress. And, when we try to 'force' a session into an already packed or sleep-deprived day, it can become a mental/emotional stress as well. The last thing you want is to start resenting your training program and goals. So...give yourself a rest day when you need it, throw in a cheat meal every once in a while, and don't beat yourself up if you really legitimately have to skip a session. 

If you are interested in committing to a regular training routine, check out the Small But Might Build and Burn program; the next cycle begins Sept 2nd! Also, be sure to sign up for our newsletter - all the details of our fall #sweatacrossthe6ix tour are being released tonight!