Being #Barefoot – #CoachJeff’s Way to #BetterHealth:

As you know from previous blogs, I spent every summer from birth to age 14 on the shores of Lake Huron – specifically at our family cottage in Inverhuron Beach. Beyond that, I spent virtually every holiday there and, to this day, continue to visit whenever possible.

My cousins and I went barefoot 95% of he time, running over any surface until the soles of our feet were as tough as leather. We never hurt ourselves and virtually never cut our feet. It was simply how we did everything all summer long. Fast forward to current times and I am still running barefoot over virtually every surface – with no injuries and no problems. It took a few decades from age 17 to age 45 of wearing various ‘coffins’ (aka shoes) and suffering numerous what I call avoidable ‘itis’ (inflammation) injuries to get back to going barefoot.

As I turn 70 on May 1, 2023, there is NO way I will go back to full on ‘coffin-wearing’ – the end result of doing so is simply not worth the pain and aggravation for me.

In the first photo above, I am running along the shore of Inverhuron Baech, something I love to do whenever possible. I combine this with doing various running drills up and down the sand dunes that climb away from the lake (photo #2 above). The combination of the water and sand provide immediate sensory feedback from my feet to my balance centre and back through the rest of my body. This in turn strengthens the muscles, ligaments and tendons in my feet, around my ankles, knees, hips and back. What is not to like about that???

Further, I look for areas to run that are strewn with natural rock, stones, dirt and/or clay (photo below). The best time to do this is spring through fall in my area of Canada – for obvious reasons!! I have learned to ‘cup’ my feet when striking particularly ragged rocks and debris. This prevents bone bruising while providing me with instant neuromuscular activation through the arches of my feet. The positive energy I derive from doing this is palpable!

All natural surfaces provide an energy that courses through my body when going barefoot over them. In the series of photos above, you can observe me barefoot on grass (photo 1), cold stream water (photo 2), deep snow (photo 3) and rock-hard snow (photo 4). Each surface provides the same benefits to me body. These include a stronger immune system to ward off viruses and illness, a stronger heart and lung system to keep coronary artery disease at bay, improved balance and posture to ward off the debilitating effects of skeletal decline and improved mental acuity to HOPEFULLY avoid the ravages of dementia.

Even during holidays to other parts of the world, I go barefoot on any surface whenever possible. In the photo below, I am walking on the rocky shores of the Atlantic Ocean Near Peggy’s Cove in Nova Scotia, Canada. Doing so calms my brain, soothes my soul and frees my spirit – no drug can claim to do that!!!

No Such Word as CAN’T for my #SpecialNeeds #Client:

One thing I have learned during the past 5 years training Terrell (aka ‘T’) is NEVER SAY NEVER NO MATTER WHAT. The young man (who was born with cerebral palsy) refuses to believe in the word ‘can’t’. In his mind, it is all about ‘can’ as in “I can do this, I can do that, I can do anything I can put my mind to”.

Thus, when I train him at Hutton House in London, Ontario, Canada on the last Friday of every month, we get after it. I take no prisoners with him – it is a 1 hour session full of new challenges that T must meet with no letup.

In the series of 4 photos above, I have 5 pound soft weights wrapped around his hands and ankles. In the top 2, T is doing a chest fly combined with a shoulder press. Due to his CP, range of motion is restricted to about 60% of average. When we started, T could only go to 30%. His progress has been amazing.

In the bottom 2, T does alternate single and double knee tucks as part of a series of leg exercises that also include legs in and out wide, knee extensions and hamstring curls. Again due to his CP, the coordinated movements of his right and left sides are challenging to say the least. I have him do repetition after repetition until he gets close to perfection. Over the years, I have learned that T WANTS to be stronger, WANTS to be challenged, WANTS to do what others think is impossible. I absolutely LOVE this about him!

Above, T grips a 10 pound kettle bell (I have been working on his hand grip strength – it is weakened on both sides due to his CP – by having him squeeze a hand grip device repeatedly as powerfully as possible. I tested his grip yesterday during our session and he collapsed my fingers on BOTH hands. He will never have complete use of his hands BUT he will get continually better at what he CAN do!

I have T using a ‘heavy’ resistance tension band in the 4 photos below. The goal in each of the exercises is to take T out of his comfort zone – in other words, the CP-restricted range of movement and muscle firing zones – to new levels of strength, power and, most importantly, self-confidence. It is a challenge for T to hold his arms up and push out – a move most of us take for granted. T now does 10 reps with the band around his wrists, forearms and upper arms (photos 1 and 2 below).

The third photo is T doing a behind-the-neck upper body strengthening move – 10 reps x 3 circuits. When we started doing this months ago, T’s grip was not strong enough to hold the band in both hands and he was unable to get his arms behind his shoulders. Now look at what he CAN DO – there is that CAN word again!! This strengthens his hands, arms, shoulders and upper back – all important for helping T’s posture, alignment in his wheelchair and ability to maintain core development.

In the last photo, T grips the tension band in each hand (no easy feat due to the limitations imposed by CP) and performs arm extensions. These help strengthen his wrists, forearms, upper arms, shoulders and chest muscles. Doing so contributes to better upper body stability and easier lifting of objects. Yet again, T proves that he CAN do what others believe he CAN’T…

We also do series of exercises using a COREFX heavy duty resistance band, a 5 pound soft medicine ball and a 30 pound resistance duo-handled tension band (no photos of T using these were taken). These are used to help T strengthen larger muscle groups and improve overall body stability.

When T and I are training at Hutton House, the workers will stop by and ask if they can watch us in action. They comment that “we have never seen anything like this with our clients. We had no idea that they can do things like this”.

The takeaway from this is whenever you think something CAN’T be done, remember Terrell (T) and believe it CAN be done!!

coach Jeff