Monthly Archives: July 2010

In the News: Resistance Training Improves Flexibility, Too

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yinyangkokoI recently came across these fascinating preliminary findings from a study at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. They fly in the face of many things we thought we knew about stretching, strength training and flexibility. Most of us grew up believing that stretching is THE way to improve flexibility. Something we need to do prior to exercise or other active pursuits to prevent injury and improve performance. In fact, a lot of the old “truths” about stretching have been disproven in recent years. For example, we now know that static, “old school”, style stretching will actually diminish athletic performance. 
 
These new findings, though, are truly revelatory. They suggest that resistance training, with attention paid to using a full range of motion- as you know a critical element of a Smartraining workout- is as good, if not better at improving and maintaining flexibility than static stretching! Your Smartraining workouts are not only making you stronger, they are also improving your flexibility. Just another reason to Koko. Enjoy the read! 
 
 
Michael Wood, CSCS
Chief Fitness Officer

Earning Koko Points: Please Don’t Miss the Point

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KokoManPerfectScoreFriends, I love earning Koko Points! They give me instant feedback on how well I followed my Smartraining workout. A pat on the back for a job well done. I know I’m not alone in this, but most of you probably don’t know what is actually at work behind the point system. (It’s really pretty amazing when you get down to it.) So, my job today is to broaden your understanding of how Koko Points are totaled and to encourage their use as a positive motivator, remembering that in the end it’s not about the points, its about getting the best workout possible. 
 
Koko Points are calculated based on how well you keep to your prescribed Smartraining workout during a session. You must:
  • Stay on pace for each exercise (indicated by earning a 100% pace score)
  • Complete all sets and reps prescribed by the Smartrainer
  • Use the prescribed weights for each rep/set
  • Avoid extended pauses between exercises
You see, contrary to a common misconception in Koko Nation,  a 1000 point workout is based on more than earning a 100% pace score on every exercise. 
 
The most important role of Koko Points is to motivate and encourage the good strength training habits that make for the most effective workouts possible. How it motivates and encourages is different for each person, just like Koko workouts are different for each person.  We know that for some, Koko Points light the fire of an already competitive nature and possibly an obsession with colored lanyards. (Just fine if you remember- Its not about the points!) For others, my husband and Koko Co-founder Mike Lannon is a perfect example, the number is simply good feedback that lets him know how he’s doing each session and he doesn’t ever worry about a few points here and there. Different strokes for different folks.
 
I leave you with this final thought: Koko points are for good not evil. They are feedback meant to educate and encourage good form. Never let them become a de-motivator and never, ever feel discouraged by a workout that doesn’t earn quadruple digits. That would be missing the point!
 

Mary Obana
President & Co-Founder
Koko FitClub

Koko Smartraining System: Mapping Your Best Route to Fitness

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GPSKOKOThe fitness industry offers a million tools to help you get fit, but after you spend your money, you are left to your own devices. One thing we realized early on in our research, was that people can have the best tools in the world, but without a goal and a good plan, they don’t get results. So in designing the Koko Smartraining System, we knew that we couldn’t just provide a fitness tool. Providing a long term, goal-oriented plan was key.  You can think of the Koko Smartraining System like a “fitness GPS.” A tool, yes, but one that actually guides you through your custom plan to your fitness goal. Simply, follow the step by step directions to reach your desired destination. Is your goal Sports Performance or Weight Loss? From among Koko’s five Smartraining Plans and six HealthTracks, you choose your destination and receive a year-long, custom plan to get you there.
 
Now there are infinite ways of getting from “A” to “B” and not all of them desirable. The Koko Smartraining System, like your GPS, must map out the best route to be effective. And it certainly must take your starting point into account. A GPS not only gets you from point “A” to point “B”, it also takes you on the most direct route and keeps you out of traffic jams. And so, like a GPS, the Koko Smartraining System makes the journey to your fitness goals as direct and efficient as possible. Thanks to technology, the fitness science that most people don’t have time to keep up with is automatically built into your Smartraining plan to make it efficient and effective. 
 
How exactly does the Koko Smartraining System map out your best route to fitness? Let me explain with a quick lesson in exercise physiology: Your body is incredibly adaptable. If that adaptability isn’t accounted for by making changes in your fitness regimen on a regular basis- through something called periodization- that exercise regimen will become less and less effective. Your body no longer has to work to meet the challenge, so you see a plateau or slowing down of results. Just like getting stuck in a traffic jam when there is someplace you want to be, it’s incredibly frustrating. Periodization prevents the slow-down by keeping your body guessing. It is the manipulation of variables within your exercise plan to keep your body from adapting, and Koko does it automatically. By changing the combination of exercises, varying the intensity of your workouts day to day and adjusting workout volume (sets x reps x weight,) Koko not only improves your results, but the speed at which you see them.
 
So, with the Koko Smartraining System, all you need to do is come in, plug in and follow along, just like you would with a GPS. If your plan is followed as it is designed, 2 or 3 days a week, you will reach your fitness destination. What a novel concept in the fitness industry! 
 
Michael Wood, CSCS
Chief Fitness Officer

In the News: Building Muscles Means Staying Strong

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KokoManNewsThis article from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is well worth your time. It is about exercising now to keep you “young” into your golden years- a topic that never gets old. I’ve spent much of my career researching this topic, and for Koko, encouraging lifelong fitness is a major operating philosophy. Our goal is for the Koko Smartraining System to be accessible, engaging and effective for everyone from a 25 year old who’s trained since high school, to the 70 year old grandmother who has never been on a weight machine in her life. Koko provides custom training and guidance so members of all ages are empowered to get the exercise they know they need to live better, longer.  
 
By the way, my favorite quote? “When we’re young, our muscles look like flank steak, but when we’re older, it’s more like rump roast.” Good stuff. Read on Koko Nation!

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10181/1069112-114.stm 

 
Michael Wood, CSCS
Chief Fitness Officer