Anyone Can Run….Better!

I began running in college and then sporadically until my late 40’s, where I took to it ritually. I never examined my running style.  Anyone can run, right?

Over time I began to develop some injuries and problems (plantar fasciitis, arthritis in my knees and feet and neuromas). I did the foot blot test (pronation, supination, etc.) and treadmill running gait analysis, which focused more on the type of running shoe rather than running style.

I was a heel striker and over strider. I thought this was ok since I saw this in many photos of runners.  Even with the “right” shoes, I was still experiencing problems.

Then Amy announced in her AVC Elite Training Class, a running style that aids performance and reduces the risk of injury.  Amy hosted a Newton Running Clinic. Along with the owners, they took us through drills and present a specific running posture and style. Amy followed up with a training program of her own.

I was skeptical at first. Could this really help me?  Also, these new funky shoes, looked more like a hindrance than an asset.

After Saturdays of drills and runs, and practicing during the week on my own, I began to see change. I must say it was a challenge changing bad habits, but the benefits were my incentive to change.

Amy would run along side or ahead and take photos of us so we could view our deficits and improvements. She provided information and insight that assisted in improving my running form. My knee was pain free and my feet showed a marked improvement.

By running more efficiently I was experiencing less fatigue and feeling more efficient. At times, I still revert back to old behavior s(like shuffling my feet), but I’m more conscious  and quicker correcting my self.

Thanks Amy for all your help and giving me more years of happy running!

~ Cynthia, age 58

Do you want to run happy by learning how to run better? You can enjoy the same benefits as Cynthia by working with Amy, your Mesa, Arizona Newton Natural Running certified coach. Contact Amy and lace up your shoes to run without pain – at any age.

Top 10 Reasons to Love AVC Elite Training Programs

These are the top 10 reasons why I love AVC Elite Training and Amy Van Cleve:

  1. Amy is a stickler for good form. She will ensure that you understand the moves you are performing and make sure that perfect form is consistently followed.
  2. The small group classes promote accountability and camaraderie.
  3. The workout programs are very challenging. You will welcome the end of the class.
  4. The warm-ups are as difficult as the workout programs. She implements Tabata moves (advanced form of cardiovascular exercise) for the warm-up which are designed to dove-tail with the workout program.
  5. Amy invests in the most up-to-date equipment utilizing TRX bands, gymnastic rings, kettlebells, dumbbells, Dyna-Max balls, Perfect Push up equip,  etc. to work every muscle in your body.
  6. Squats and lunges!!
  7. Amy is concerned about each individual trainee and is keenly aware of their health issues to ensure that the trainee won’t be injured.
  8. Heart rate training, nutrition and hydration are all emphasized to give the trainee the most benefits possible from a workout session.
  9. She is constantly looking to bring on new programs to supplement the workout with more fun, like trekking, running, Tough Mudder training, etc.
  10. Most of all, the work-outs are fun and each one is different from the next. An hour and a half passes by so quickly and before you know it, you are exercised and happy.

~ Margie

Check out upcoming AVC Elite Training Sessions and contact Amy today to reserve your spot in these challenging workout programs right here in Mesa, Arizona.

10 Years + Best Shape Ever = Awesome

Amy’s training program is awesome! I’ve been training with Amy over the last 10 years and have had amazing results!

I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in and I owe that in a large part to Amy and her programs.

Amy is an amazing trainer. She knows what she is doing, is very aware of each of our fitness levels and helps us adapt our exercise program to meet our needs. Amy is very cognizant of form, technique, hydration, nutrition and how that all fits together into her work out routines and fitness programs. And yet she also pushes us to do better and to get stronger.

Amy’s goal is to help us become fit, healthy, and to help us reach our fitness goals. I encourage you to come give her programs a try. They do work and you will get results!

~ Kathy S.

Check out upcoming AVC Elite Training Sessions and contact Amy today to reserve your spot in group training and natural running programs so you too can be in your best shape ever!

Q&A with Danny Abshire, Cofounder of Newton Running

Q: What is the most common [running] form mistake?

A: Over-striding with a slow cadence. If your foot pounds into the earth in front of your body, you incur an impact that’s three to five times that of your weight. This shocks your muscles and joints, putting you at risk for injury.

Additionally, a stride that’s too long will throw your entire body out of whack. If you over-stride, you will almost land with a stiff, extended leg. Your body will be slung backward, your hips rotated and your shoulders twisted to compensate. As the heel strikes, it breaks your forward momentum. You then have to slap the ground with your foot and use a great amount of force to push off again to get yourself moving. This break/push action is both inefficient and potentially harmful.

natural running formAs Mesa Arizona’s Newton Natural Running Certified Coach, Amy can help you achieve the ideal efficient running form with a personal running assessment and/or group training sessions.

Read the complete article and interview with Danny Abshire at Competitor’s Women’s Running Stride Right.

The 7 Ways AVC Elite Training Workout Routines Beat Crossfit

In a market that is saturated with so many fitness and training options – Cross Fit, HIT or High Intensity Training, Body Pump and more – it can be difficult to know which training program and workout routines are best suited to meeting your needs.

AVC Elite Training is superior and different than a Crossfit or pre-packaged HIT workout. This post will help clear up the confusion by discussing the top 7 ways AVC Elite Training workout routines beat Crossfit.

#1: Form Beats Speed

Each Crossfit session features a Workout Of the Day (WOD) to be completed in a short amount of time – typically 20 minutes. Each WOD encourages use of very heavy weights on advanced exercises. The Crossfit emphasis is on speed and weight hoisted.

medicine ball plank formAVC Elite Training workout routines include on-going instruction focused on proper form. How quickly you can complete an entire workout is not a goal. Achieving desired results in terms of strength gains, stabilization or weight loss through safe, proficient execution of each exercise is the objective.

The amount of weight used for each exercise is dependent on the particular movement and each trainee’s ability. Having a variety of weight options available and it getting the personalized feedback to perfect form is critical to your success.

AVC Elite Training prides itself in providing top quality training and instruction ensuring the safety of its clients while challenging them to their full potential. Always remember that more weight or more reps doesn’t mean greater results without good form.

#2: Systematic Muscle Confusion Beats Random Sequencing

Crossfit WOD sessions are constructed randomly, meaning without physiological reason as to why a specific exercise is placed in a particular workout and without consideration of how many times a specific muscle is being targeted within a session or period.

Crossfit’s random workout routines are not productive muscle confusion and do not make a well constructed program. Random exercises – especially when lifting very heavy weight – can set you up for injury.

AVC Elite Training sessions implement systematic muscle confusion within each workout to maximize results and protect you from injury. AVC Elite Training includes intentionally varied components within each 60 minute training session.

Keys in every AVC Elite Training session including strength training and aerobic bursts working together to fire up the cardio metabolic effect. Your core engaged throughout each AVC Elite session and is emphasized with a challenging core segment.

#3: Recovery Beats Overuse

Crossfit workout routines are intended to be done daily. The name Workout of the Day reinforces that premise as core to the Crossfit program. What happens when you do the same workout 3 days in a row, without appropriate recovery. Hello injury; goodbye results!

AVC Elite Training workouts are scheduled 2-3 times a week and never in consecutive days. Each AVC Elite trainee is allowed proper recovery and therefore achieves successive results.

#4: Exercise Science Beats Complexity

Crossfit exercises rely heavily on powerlifting and gymnastics, both of which are risky and unnecessary to achieve elite fitness. The complexity of Crossfit workout routines frequently takes skilled and well trained athletes months to execute effectively and without injury.

heart rate training exercise scienceHypertrophy (muscle growth) can be achieved without putting you at risk for injury. In addition systematic muscle confusion, AVC Elite Training sessions are predicated on exercise science. For example, Amy’s years of experience in heart rate training help her use heart rate as a tool in instruction and coaching of all trainees.

#5: Personalization Beats One Size Fits All

In the typical Crossfit session, everybody does the same routine (WOD). There appears to be no customization of the routine. This then poses a challenge for the Cross Fit client with postural imbalances, poor flexibility, muscle imbalances, joint problems.

By contrast, AVC Elite Training takes into consideration your individual ability, physical and/or health limitations and customizes the training to meet your specific needs and goals. Furthermore, exercises that correct postural imbalances are always included within the training with the goal of balancing out weaknesses within the body.

All AVC Elite Training groups are heterogeneous consisting of ages 26-66, male and female, with no segregation from the beginner to the advanced athlete. Individualized instruction and customization are a constant within the training.

avc elite training workout routines#6: Progression Beats Guessing

I do not believe that Crossfit has any methodical way of tracking a client’s progress over time. There appears to be no real progression to their system of training. So how do you know if you should sign-up again or renew your membership? Beats me.

AVC Elite Training provides a systematic progression each training program of 8-10 weeks. Your individual progress is tracked within the program leading you to success, getting great results and being ready for the next challenging program.

#7: Education and Experience Beats Popularity

Today there are hundreds of Crossfit gyms popping up all over the world. Each Crossfit session is led by a coach(es) certified with training over a single weekend and willing to pay $1,000 a pop. Many of these coaches lack a depth of knowledge and experience – a scary proposition with the type of training they are presenting to the public.

fitness experience and certificationsAmy is certified by the American Institute of Fitness Educators, the National Federation of Professional Trainers. Amy is also a Newton Natural Running™ Certified Coach in Arizona and Amy holds her Masters of Arts Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Northern Arizona University.

Amy is also a competitive runner, cycling enthusiast and soon-to-be Tough Mudder to complement her training program.

Education and experience matter. Amy’s expertise means top quality training for each and every client, keeping you motivated, challenged and injury free. Each client is interviewed and screened and then integrated within the program in a safe and effective manner. No two AVC Elite Training sessions are alike within the training, keeping things fresh and ever changing.

So now you will know how to respond to friends who ask “What is Crossfit?”

What would you add to this list as an AVC Elite Training student? Not yet a trainee, but interested in finding out firsthand how AVC Elite Training beats Crossfit workout routines? Visit an AVC Elite Training Session in East Mesa this week. Email Amy to sign up!