SmallWONDERS

Do it for the kids
It’s a gauge, a litmus test. Your physical ability to keep up with your kids and grandchildren is the ultimate measure of your overall health, aging and vitality.
Measuring functional fitness rather than just gym metrics is an interesting way to look at aging. You get to test multiple areas of fitness at once, including raw strength, mobility, stamina, and quick reflexes.
You get instant feedback such as whether your knees ache after sitting on the floor, or you get winded by chasing a ball or running around the playground.
“Don’t let the old person in”. A great quote I remember a couple on the verge of retiring dictating to one another. They reminded each other daily that if they stopped moving adequately old age would come in and claim their mobility, independence and quality of life.
This message is not just for the 70-year-olds. I’m also talking to 40++ people (potentially even the 30+ person who woke up one day and started groaning and limping unexpectedly)
The question is “what would you love to be able to do”?
Chase, carry and lift, get up and down with ease, balance react??
If you are playing like a child and consistently, and daily dosing in sport, general fitness, jumping, running, wrestling, and climbing you may just have enough movement in the bank to stay healthy.
The truth is, most of us sit way too much, do not achieve adequate steps, and lack all the functional movement patterns necessary to maintain an optimal body. This is called the modern world and our bodies are suffering.
This is where we come in to help!
It is not about how much you bench press or how impressive your biceps are. It’s about cultivating skills in the form of gym exercises that truly matter.
A warrant of fitness is required.
Can you jump with confidence?
Can you drop and roll?
Can you get into a deep squat position?
Can you explode up off the floor?
Can you tie your shoe standing on one leg?
Can you run 100m with haste?
Can you hang from a bar for 60s?

These are the sort of things that show us whether you are fit for play.
The skills that are lacking can quickly be remedied with some regular training. There is a huge range of skill levels that can be described. The rating I use is the 1-20 range. 20 being an elite level, and 1-5 being a beginner’s level. For each and every movement skill/ exercise you can start at the safe zone close to your level and progress up the numbers relating to more complex exercises as you gain strength and tolerance.
As an example, if your squat pattern (relating to what looks like getting out of a chair or crouching in the garden) is at a 1-5, then we may start you on a floor exercise parallel to the ground and perform a basic bridge exercise. Perform 2-3 sets of 8-10 repetitions with a 2 second hold at the top. This can be trained 2-3 times per week. 3-4 weeks later you are ready for a 5-10 level exercises with bodyweight squats holding onto a pole, leg press, and swiss ball wall squats. We now start to see a huge carryover to real-life scenarios where gardening, lifting and tramping all seem easier.
What would a 15-20 level look like?
Let’s say 6-12 months down the track you have progressed to this level of squat skill. The options are now endless in the gym. Barbell back squats, D/B clean and press, heavy hack squats. The ability to squat more than your bodyweight added to your lift. This is what I would call gold standard. The ability to now fear no movement with the kids and grandkids.
Imagine having a squat, lunge, push, pull, bend, twist and run pattern all at this level.
We try to inspire people and let you know it’s about playing the long game. You are going to require really good routines and habits if you are going to achieve a 40,50 60+ body that keeps up with a life of hard knocks.

Don’t just guess your number, assess your number!
Figure out where you are lacking. It may be why you have pain, low energy or walk a little wonky.
If you are not in our fitness centre on a regular basis, why not??

Let’s help you.

Jump on board and do it for the kids

Book a FREE initial consultation

📱027 2916149
💻www.smallwonders.co.nz

Go weird
Look at how kids move. (Not the ones who sit and game all day)
Perhaps think back to when you were a kid. Yes, I’m generally talking to the Gen X and maybe the slightly surrounding gens.
Your parents had no idea of your whereabouts a lot of the time, they just knew you would be back for dinner. The times when the local parks were full and the BMX bikes and Rally 20’s were the mode of transport. We ran, we biked, we wrestled, we always had a racket or a ball in hand. At home we jumped over elastics, skipped rope, swam in a para pool, played on homemade obstacle courses, and mastered the art of roller skates and pogo sticks.
What all these things have in common and is the topic of discussion is the variety of movement.
To jump, twist, run, dodge, fall, climb, skip, throw and react. It is what our bodies are made for. And it is also with each decade starting to decline. To dimmish variety of dexterity takes you from a 3-dimensional parkour pupil to a 2 dimensional more robotic like mover.
This could be why you hurt?
This could be why chronic physical dysfunction is one of the largest money industries in the world? Physical therapy, pain medication, natural remedies, healing devices, faith healing??

How do we safely put weird movements back into our week?
The problem is, if you suddenly jump back into indoor netball or try to keep up with your kids on a 5 km run, then you are going to get a very quick lesson in tissue tolerance.
The great thing about daily doses of a huge variety of movement with high impact, varied speed, multiple joint coordination and conditioning is the amount of tolerance your muscles, tendons, bones and joints adapt to and create robustness.
Of course we are the fitness centre people, so I will give you the safe journey back to being a functional weirdo.
I will list some of the cool things that our 40 and 50+ members do at our centre.
We have a movement room with judo mats and loads of challenging pieces of equipment:
- Rock climbing wall
- A throwing rebounder catch zone
- Balance boards
- A forgiving boxing bag. Great for kick training
- Soft floor mats for rolling, jumps, handstands, crawling core work
- Swiss ball exercises for balance, coordination and strengthening
- Bar hanging and gymnastic ring bodyweight maneuvering
In the main gym areas, we also encourage some weird type movements outside the normal strength routines. Pushing and pulling sleds, Kettle bell getups, where you must get from the ground to stand with a single arm loaded vertical position.
How about hand grippers and rolling fat handles for the cable attachments.
Some things that 40,50 and 60+ people avoid are speed and explosive work. There are very safe machines that can develop these skills slowly and safely. A ski Erg for upper body speed and power, a Bean treadmill that is great for developing a good run or sprinting speed again, even the simple device of a skipping rope to play with.
If you really want a paired exercise to develop some serious, weird strength skills then come in and ask for a stick wrestling lesson or even an arm-wrestling lesson. Surprisingly these both have the most stringent safety protocols.

If you wish to be a strong, fit, mobile, dexterous, resilient, and versatile human being all the way into your 70’s, 80’s and onwards then you have to do what I call front load. Every day you will have to care for your entire body holistically, meaning with a multitude of techniques, bespoke, functional and fun movement training.

This is not about anti-aging; it is about realistically empowering yourself to enjoy your days physically as we age and learning to put in the effort to earn a well-lived life.

GRIT
We all have a varied tolerance for exercise stress. We react differently due to our unique genes, age, experience and daily habits. We could break training into aerobic and anaerobic styles. Aerobics require the heart, lungs and muscles to handle stress over a longer lower intensity. Anaerobic requires your body to handle stress over a shorter period of time with harder bursts. Your tolerance or performance enjoyment may be affected by the fast or slower twitch muscle fibres you have from birth.
It likely shows you migrate towards what you have more enjoyment for and are better suited genetically.
The fitness centre grit??
Generally, I recommend utilizing the gym for activities you may not be able to find as easily outside a facility. Strength training is number one choice in our opinion for getting the best bang for your buck.
How then do we all find more GRIT when it comes to improving our strength and conditioning?
What if I’m not that strong?
What if my body dislikes the feeling of high intensity conditioning?
What if I am prone to joints or muscle strains?
What if I am a poor responder to progress?
We hear this on a regular basis. First of all, you must create a foundation for energy and enthusiasm. Good sleep, healthy food and stress management all play a major part in getting to the gym and being able to perform at a high enough level to improve.
Your routine guidelines matter! Pick a time of the day and put a regular time in your diary. Set a standard for habit behaviour.
For those that feel really uncomfortable with the burning sensations in the muscles when partaking in higher intensity weight training, a few strategies need to be looked at.
The psychology of lifting:
Some people perceive certain physical sensations as a threat. A sign of danger or warning of injury. Linking the discomfort directly to achieving a highly valued personal goal is essential. This will require sitting down with a coach and mapping out ideas.
Discomfort is tolerated more when it is linked to a more positive experience. Think of childbirth, running a marathon, training to get in shape for a wedding.
If you can create an endorphin release which masks pain, a dopamine release that attaches to milestones you can push towards reaching higher performances.
There are similar pain thresholds in humans, but there are considerable pain tolerance levels which may need more attention. Genetically we may have variations in opioid receptors in the brain. This alters how we feel pain relief. We have nervous systems that in some are naturally more sensitive, amplifying physical sensations.
This may mean careful titration of training and monitoring needs to take place. Slowly adding more intensity in small doses, keeping a journal recording feeling, data and discussing with a coach or friend.
Linking strength to a longer more enjoyable life should be written into the goal portion of the journey. There has to be a pay off for such discomfort added on purpose to a regular routine. Some do benefit from adding a fear-based adage where they list what negative outcomes may occur with more limited strength and conditioning. This is obviously personal to each person.
Gym anxiety and self-consciousness:
Fear of failure, making straining noises, or dropping a weight can be issues for some people. This is why working out with a training partner, learning new skills regularly, and having more conversations about benefits and etiquette is important.

Boosting a workout for more grit?
Sports science has come a long way and now even for the everyday gym-goer there is fantastic research.
Caffeine: This lowers the perception of effort and pain in the brain. Any way you can get it is worth a try. 3-6 mg per Kg of bodyweight 30 minutes before working out.
Simple carbs. Getting a quick-fire dose of fast absorbing carb before the gym lets your body know it’s got instant fuel on board to utilize. This means pushing harder without triggering early exhaustion.
Creatine monohydrate: This maximises cell energy, speeding up regeneration of ATP (cellular currency used for strong movements) 5g daily works great.
Beta- Alanine: Boosts carnosine levels in skeletal tissue. It buffers the acid environment which delays the intense, painful burning sensations that cause people to stop short of the most productive repetitions of a set in training.
Not everyone is going to get super strong. Not many, after the age of 50 will keep up with people half their age.
SO WHAT!
Do it for you. Do it according to your own personal goals. If you have problems to solve, ask for help. If you are apprehensive and seem to always give up, it’s normal. You just require support and few good damn stories and a plan to push that grit.

📱027 2916149
💻www.smallwonders.co.nz

Small Talk is here! 🎙️
episode 1 - https://youtu.be/ixh3g8PpNNE

We are pleased to say that we have finally released our first SmallWONDERS Podcast
"SmallTALK" Episode 1
If you want to follow our podcasts, Please subscribe to our youtube channel
[https://youtu.be/ixh3g8PpNNE]

Really, really cool gym advice!

It’s deep into winter and home is cosey, safe and comforting.
But your aging tendons, joints, muscles and spine are aching for a re-build.
How on earth are we going to get the productivity of Freddie Mercury when the show must go on or the enthusiasm of Laura Ingalls dancing on the prairie??

It’s the wow factor, the dopamine chase, the curiosity of anatomy and physiology, the hunt for meaning, the desire to be admired, the joy of movement, the example of a leader. It’s the reason for life. It was once survival, now it’s option extras.
You have a handful of close friends in your life. They govern your language, your desires, your status on the scale of society, the life enthusiasm and productivity. But also, the weekly activities that you participate in.

My advice for you, if you really wish to create that movement/ gym/ fitness habit, is to connect with someone that aligns with your desired goal.
First of all, you should create a list of your actual goals. The big one is the desire for your health, fitness, strength for the rest of your life. The medium goals are for outcomes that may work on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. The smaller goals can be the weekly or daily tasks or desires.

I’ll give you an example:
Life goal: To spend each decade able to tramp, travel, move with grace and freedom. To enjoy a mobile strong body that can play with the kids and grandkids, run a mile, labour around my section, and have the strength to be useful when required.
Medium goals: Build up a jogging style and fitness that allows me to move up to 1km without stopping.
Work on my squat strength and depth till the end of winter. Learn how to stretch, mobilise and utilize machines and free weights to get a full bar squat with 1/3 of bodyweight for 10 reps.
Small goals: Tick off 3 gym workouts every week. Do 10 minutes home stretching every night. Track my protein goal set by my coach.

The ideal scenario now is to connect with someone that has similar (not always the same) goals.
You may have a partner at home that can jump on the train. You may have a friend that you can be accountable with. I have seen the brave people that have put it out on social media looking for a like minded gym buddy.
You can also put in a coach as a teacher and routine builder.
This does not mean you will rely on your friends as all or nothing. When all your stars align, you will be happy going solo for certain periods.
I highly recommend you create a weekly diary. Schedule in the gym workouts so that nothing will get in the way. An organized person is a productive person.
Now create a music or podcast playlist. This must be ready to go at all times, especially if you are planning a workout on your own.

Are you ready??

And if you want to check out SmallWONDERS Fitness Centre in the heart of Palmerston North C*D, book a FREE initial consultation.
📲 027 2916149
💻 www.smallwonders.co.nz

Best of:
This is a little reminder of some of the simple and effective tips for living a healthier life we have thrown at you this year:
- “The dose makes the poison”.
So, potentially there is no bad food and there is no bad exercise?
Talk to verified experts on each topic you are questioning.
- Health is wealth
You can have 1000 problems in life until you have a health problem, then you only have one.
What are the well-researched and proven basic standards for a healthier life?
They are what we call the foundation principles:
Exercise: Get your 5-10,000 daily steps, do 90 minutes of higher cardiovascular exercise weekly, and resistance train 3+ times weekly.
Sleep: Get 7-9 hours’ sleep each night more often than not
Nutrition: Eat a more Mediterranean style diet, fine-tuned to your likes, lifestyle and enjoyment. Balance calories to maintain a healthy body weight. Minimize ultra-processed foods.
Thinking: Education is food for thought. Keep learning new skills. Read, share knowledge, debate and communicate well with others. Balance quiet time and busy periods.
- Make gym fun again
The gym can be fun if you habit-connect it with another idea. Catching up with a friend or partner. Maybe it’s your time out from normal life. Can you call it a regular de-stress. What about your podcast time. Or my favourite is having a period where there is a specific focus i.e. Learning to do a pull-up, training for a tramping holiday, building a body you and your partner are proud of.
- Obesity
Willpower and overeating??
More calories going in than required? YES
Less movement happening than required? YES
BUT!
It’s actually a lot more than that. It’s a chronic relapsing multi-factorial condition. Food absolutely plays the major role, but it is only a part of the puzzle.
It becomes a complicated interaction of hormones like insulin, leptin, ghrelin and brain pathways that control hunger and satiety.
Your gut microbiome is involved as well as your genetics.
The amount of stress you have and the amount of sleep you get. Even the amount of energy you burn at rest is extremely varied from person to person.
Some people store and burn fat efficiently and others feel hungry all the time because of those hormones mentioned.
If you have been struggling with obesity for a long time, a simple diet and random exercise fix is not going to help you long term.
Talk to your coach about the best holistic plan.
- How to be NEAT
What is NEAT and why is it important?
NEAT: NON-EXERCISE ACTIVITY THERMOGENESIS
AKA: ALL MOVEMENT THAT ISN’T STRUCTURED EXERCISE
In terms of the weight control formula NEAT accounts for approximately 10-15% of all of the calories being burnt each day. In contrast to the 5-8% during an actual exercise workout. (which for most is not every day, or super vigorous)
What are examples of N.E.A.T?
Playing with the dog, mowing the lawn, gardening, cooking, cleaning, taking the stairs, walking to your car, chewing gum, fidgeting, jiggling,
This could be the number one lever you can pull for easy and sustainable habitual weight loss or weight control.
- The power of 6
The six movement patterns give you a complete range of strength for life.

PUSH
PULL
SQUAT
LUNGE
BEND
TWIST
Every exercise in the gym is pretty much a version of these six patterns.
- Health span vs life span?
Is it worth living a long life if there is low quality life in that long span?
Let’s see if the “M” story can shine some light on understanding what actually gives us a better-quality life.
Mind muscle:
Mind muscle connection is a fancy way of telling us to pay attention to how you move
Metabolism:
Your metabolism doesn’t really crash or slowdown that much at all.
Make an effort to get 5000+ steps in any way you can. Pick a strength/sport/higher intensity exercise routine.
Mediterranean diet:
This is an easy way to get a general start to reducing the risk of many cancers, heart disease and obesity.
Mindful rest:
People who get 7+ hours of quality sleep tend to function better.
- Push the Pause button
Sometimes you just need to slow down.
Pause before you speak, pause between bites, pause when you lift weights.
Mastery begins with awareness.

Thanks for taking the time to listen to our ramblings, and thanks for supporting SmallWONDERS fitness Centre.

💻📲www.smallwonders.co.nz
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