September Member Referral Promotion

Know someone in the

building who would love

our fitness center? Bring

them in for a free workout,

and if they signup you get

one month of your

membership free!

(maximum 3 referrals)

Rental Lockers Still Available!

We still have a few rental

lockers available in the

Men’s and Women’s

change rooms. Rentals are

$15 per month. Stop by the

front desk for more info, or

to sign up.

September is Arthritis Month

Check out our bulletin

board for more details!

Did you know that the average North American sits for 13 hours every day? Whether it be at a desk at work, driving a car, or watching TV, even when we aren’t sitting, we are looking down at our smart phones. For many people, all of these instances involve a rounded back and hunched shoulders. If unaddressed, this poor alignment can result in neck/upper back pain, jaw pain and headaches, and in extreme cases joint dysfunction. Known by many names like hunchback or text neck, the underlying cause is referred to by therapists as Upper Crossed Syndrome. The cause of Upper Crossed Syndrome is a process called reciprocal inhibition, when a muscle group become shortened and tight (red), activity is reduced in the opposing muscle group (black). This leads to a vicious cycle of tightness followed by weakness followed by more of the same. Once the opposing muscles become too out of balance, dysfunction occurs which can lead to pain and injury! As the head hunches forward, it effectively becomes heavier due to the longer. Just a few extra degrees can make a huge difference! To start working on a solution, both weakness and tightness must be addressed, but the tight muscles must be released first, or the reciprocal inhibition will make it difficult to properly activate the muscles that need strengthening! Use a lacrosse or tennis ball to dig into the tight muscles. If it feels terrible, you are in the right spot and need it! It is not enough simply to stretch and strengthen the muscles, you also need to re-learn the motor patterns involved in proper moving and lifting. Too often when I am working with someone and cue them to squeeze their shoulder blades together, their shoulders shrug up towards their ears as they squeeze. This activates the short tight muscles of the traps, causing more inhibition in the muscles we are trying to strengthen. Instead of simply squeezing your shoulder blades together, think about “putting the shoulder blades in your back pockets”, down and back. Practice this movement as much as you can throughout the day. Whenever you exercise at the gym, start by assuming this position and trying to maintain it throughout your workout. If you struggle to keep this position at the end of a set, reduce the weight you are lifting until you can maintain proper form through your whole workout! If you want to know some of the exercises you should be doing, talk to one of our staff!

Summer has flown by and it is September already!

Although fall is a busy time for us, it also benefits from new schedules

and new routines. Take advantage of this to establish an exercise

routine and get fit this fall! Here are some tips on how to fall into fitness.

Try something new. Whether it be a new group exercise class, or

getting back onto your old dusty bicycle, switching up your exercise

routine can be that mental boost you need to stick with it.

Don’t forget about the 30 day rule. It takes about a month to adapt

to lifestyle changes. This is the reason most people quit an exercise

program within the first couple of weeks. If you can stick to it for a

month, you are much more likely to be able to maintain your exercise

habit.

Strive for the three C’s. Commitment, consistency and

convenience. Make your exercise program a priority, and schedule it

into your day. This commitment helps you to build consistency and

make it exercising a routine. Finally, find ways to make exercise

convenient. If you always have your workout gear with you at your

desk, a workout is only an elevator ride away.

Dress in layers. If you are exercising outside, fall temperatures

can change quickly. Layers allow you to easily adjust your clothing to

suit your temperature needs!

Have fun. This one is pretty self explanatory! Find something you

enjoy and stick with it

A heads up on proper posture —by Travis Schiller-Brown MKin, CEP

Join our Community!

Your membership

includes access to the

gym, free drop-in

classes, our member

challenges, and towel

service in the change

rooms. Membership

rates are $40 per

month including GST.

Membership forms can

be found on our

website or picked up at

the fitness centre.

Come visit us today!

#300, 112 - 4th Ave SW

Phone: 403-457-6210

Email: info@slpfitness.ca

Website: www.sunlifeplazafitness.ca

@SLPfitness_ca

Professionally Managed by

Fall Into Fitness

Upcoming Events

Refer a friend promotion

—September

Terry Fox Run

—Sept 17

World Alzheimer’s day

—Sept 29

World Heart Day

— Sept 29

Group training is a great way to get in a personalized workout without spending a

fortune! Get together some friends with similar goals, and work with one of our

highly qualified trainers for as little as $30 per session!

Before starting, you will work as a group with your trainer to design your own

workout plan, and achieve your goals in a small group setting!

Examples of previous group sessions we have done are:

TRX & Cycle

Functional Training

Kettlebells

Pre-season Ski Conditioning

Meet our new Staff!

Did you know we offer group training?

2 2

Sun Life Plaza Fitness Centre supports the health and well-being of its members through being a welcoming host, creating an environment that promotes personal success, and providing innovative health and wellness programs.

Anita Quach

Anita has recently started with the HSG team. She has a background

working with a diverse group of individuals in both rehabilitation and

chronic disease management. She graduated from the University of

Calgary with a Bachelor of Kinesiology and is also a CSEP – Certified

Personal Trainer.

Anita is our new Program Coordinator at SLP and is responsible for your

Group Exercise programs.

If she isn’t at work, you can usually find Anita in her natural habitat,

hiking in the mountains.

Be sure to stop by and say hi!

Participants 5 one hour Sessions 10 one hour Sessions

One-on-one $290.00 $530.00

Pair (cost per person) $214.00 $392.00

3 (cost per person) $184.66 $348.00

4 (cost per person) $159.75 $296.33

*Rates listed are for Personal Trainers. Master Trainers incurs extra costs