No Bull Personal Training
My goal is to help you strengthen your body and maximize your movement potential while limiting your possibility of injury.
Private and semi-private personal training.
There is a lot on my plate at this point in time and I just don’t have the space in my head for social media right now.
So I’m taking a break!
Couple days? Weeks? Months? Not sure. I’m playing it by ear.
That said, you won’t be able to reach me on here. If you are interested in Kinstretch or Personal Training please use the information in the “about” section on my profile. Or you can submit the contact form on my website!
I’ve got a feeling that I’ll have some exciting things to share when I return.
Wishing you health and happiness ❤️
Prone Swimmers 🏊
Swimmers are an advanced exercise for building shoulder, scapular (shoulder blade) and spinal control.
I use Swimmers often in classes as well as in clients’ personal training programs.
They can be done from many positions including but not limited to prone (shown here), standing, seated or squatting. They can also be done with one arm or two arms at a time.
Limit motion from the spine and pelvis as much as possible. Fight to max out those end ranges!
If done prone, you have the option to put a pad/pillow under the belly to help limit potential compensations through the spine and pelvis.
I recommend mastering your Shoulder CARs before implementing Swimmers.
Try 2-6 Reps at a time 💪🏼
Never work through pain. Use mirrors and/or videos for your assistance.
Strap on a wrist weight to up the intensity 📈
I want to talk about this. And I hope you’ll take the time to read and share your thoughts.
In the first slide, the video on the left was early 2019. Right was late 2021.
Through most of my teens and into my early 20’s, my training consisted of mostly “traditional” exercises. Different squatting, deadlifting, pressing and pulling variations. Power cleans and hang cleans. Lots of kettlebell swings. Often times all very heavy.
My highest 1 RM deadlift with a trap bar was 385 lbs. The most pull ups I ever did in a row was 35. Catching my drift? Lots of (heavy)volume.
I bombarded my nervous system with this training through a really important period of physical development in the lifespan of a human.
So what did my body do? It adapted, duh. Really “well”, I might add. Packed on a ton of muscle but was a lil mass of compression.
On the left, I was many years into changing how I approached training. I was trying really hard to look and feel how I did on the right.
But like it took my body many years to adapt to the way I used to train, it was also going to take many years to adapt to a different style of training.
Years later, my ability to simply move my body through space is night and day. I feel so much more fluid and powerful.
This is what I hope you will consider:
From an evolutionary perspective, movement WAS life. If you didn’t move, you didn’t eat. Didn’t eat, you died. You were either running from prey or trying to catch prey in one context or another. These were literally the forces that shaped the human body.
We no longer have to do that stuff anymore. Which is great. But our body is still the same.
So we made up this thing called exercise to make up for the fact that we no longer live how our species evolved to live.
If this is the case, shouldn’t exercise make us BETTER at the things that shaped our species? Things like walking, running and throwing?
My experience taught me that heavy traditional lifting did not translate to me being a better walker, sprinter or thrower. I’d say it made me worse. And I’d argue that’s the case for most… This is just my personal anecdote.
Swipe to see more videos from 4-5 years ago vs videos of from today🎥
13/01/2022
The purpose for warming up is to prepare the body for a workout by elevating tissue temperature and heart rate.
By the end of the warm-up you should ideally break out a sweat.
That said, there are multiple ways to make this happen. To maximize training time, I believe it should be done purposefully and with intent.
Warm-ups can be used as a time to address “low hanging fruits” in breathing, flexibility and coordination. This will help you to not only perform better in the exercises that are to come; but help you to perform better in life or in sport!
For me and most of my clients, warm-ups have a combination of any of the following:
✅ 1-3 positional breathing/posture drills
✅ 1-3 joint specific stretching/muscle activation drills
✅ 1-2 balance/coordination drills
✅ A combination of sprinting, jumping/plyometrics and/or agility
There may not always be time to hit all of these which is why it’s always a great idea to get assessed so you can better prioritize the exercises in your warm-ups.
Internal Shoulder Rotation PAILs & RAILs
PAILs and RAILs are a technique utilized in Kinstretch and Functional Range Conditioning to expand and control end ranges of motion using isometrics.
Isometric means that the length of the muscle is remaining largely the same throughout the contraction.
We are teaching the nervous system how to produce force in ranges of motion it is otherwise unfamiliar with in order to gain access to more tissue and range of motion.
High effort, minimal movement. Two rounds should take about 4 minutes each side. Here is the sequence I generally use:
2:00 Stretch / :30 PAILs / :15 RAILs / :30 S / :30 P / :15 R / :15 S
Never work through pain or anything you would describe as “sharp” or “pinchy” (even if it’s not painful). Stretch, muscle squeezing/fatigue and cramping all get the green light.
Interested in taking a Kinstretch class? First time participants get their first class FREE in the month of January - Message me to take advantage!
Follow these up with 3-10 Shoulder CARs to maximize your gains ✊🏼
out here demonstrating some extremely well executed Yoga Push-Ups.
Yoga Push-Ups are a great exercise for building upper body strength and scapular (shoulder blade) control.
Notice how Lauren fully protracts (wraps forward) her shoulder blades at the top of the Push-Up and continues that effort as she moves in and out of the Downward Dog.
This gives her shoulder blades the space and positioning they need to glide along the ribcage to appropriately accommodate for the position of the humerus (upper arm).
Think “scapula delivers the humerus”.
These can also be done with straighter knees to facilitate a hamstring stretch in the Downward Dog which is a great option.
Great getting a few sessions in over the break! Have a great semester 📚⚽️ ✊🏼
Throwback 🤞🏼
10/12/2021
2 truths in regards to human movement:
1. The structure of our joint articulations confirm that certain positions are more conducive to expressing optimal strength, power and force absorption than others. Like how the structure of a hammer dictates the best way to use it - sure you can hammer a nail with the handle side but it’s definitely not optimal.
2. Life and sport are unpredictable and often put us in positions that are less conducive to expressing optimal strength, power and force absorption.
Questions that arise:
- Should we occasionally train in less advantageous positions to mitigate the chance of injury in the very likely circumstance that life or sport put us there?
- Should we not train those positions at all because we’d potentially be perpetuating our tendency to default to those less advantageous positions?
- On the flip side, should we only train in advantageous positions with hopes that we perpetuate our tendency to default to those positions?
The reality is that, as much as everyone on social likes to yell and scream, no one actually knows. A big reason why is that it’s extremely difficult to measure how musculoskeletal tissues respond to force aka movement inside of a living human. With that, I believe it’s unrealistic to ask for peer reviewed research publications to back every decision/claim one makes regarding human movement optimization.
If the intent of exercise is to take the place of the evolutionary tasks that we rarely, if ever, have to perform anymore, then I believe it should replicate those tasks. And when it comes to how we teach technique, we should observe the movement of humans who have not been affected by industrialized living and use that, along with our understanding of anatomy, kinesiology and biomechanics, as a framework.
So then should we train in those less advantageous positions? I think yes, there are many circumstances where it is necessary and useful; but strong, powerful positions should be the heavy majority of training because, ultimately, structure dictates function.
What do you think?
Side Lying Hip Quarter CARs (Extension bias)
Quarter CARs are a great way to gain awareness and control within areas of your joints’ ranges of motion that you might otherwise have a tough time accessing. We’ll be incorporating quarter CARs for multiple joints in tomorrow’s 10:00am & 11:30am in person Kinstretch classes.
Gains are in the details ⬇️
Make sure to start with a solid set up and fight to maintain that position the whole time. You might find that you break the set up just to make it feel like you’re getting more range of motion than you actually have. Fight for millimeters!
Add an ankle weight, increase reps or move S L O W to change the stimulus. Never work through pain.
Reach out to join tomorrow’s classes!
29/11/2021
3 Misconceptions About Kinstretch
1. It’s just a “stretching” class
Stretching is a method used to improve your body’s ability to attain a desired position. So, yes, stretching is a huge component of Kinstretch; BUT, once your body is able to achieve a desired position, it’s important that we teach our body how to exert force (display strength) in that position. That is what we do in Kinstretch. Kinstretch is the application of the scientific principles of stretching AND strength. Kinstretch IS a strength training class.
2. It’s easy
Is strength training easy? Of course not. The physical and mental demand is high - just “going through the motions” doesn’t cut it. Want results? You have to be consistent, willing to learn, and have to build a connection between your mind and your movement.
3. It’s like Yoga
IMO Kinstretch is much more specific and intentional than Yoga. In Kinstretch, you’ll specifically address the joint restrictions that are stopping you from attaining and moving in and out of the positions you practice in Yoga. The goal of Kinstretch is not to attain a certain “form” but to to attain better functioning joints. Better functioning joints = a body that is better at the things you do with it.
I would love to hear from you! How does your experience with Kinstretch compare to your initial expectation?
Standing Landmine Press with Row.
This is a great exercise for building upper body power and fluidity in a way that replicates, even exaggerates, the upper body mechanics of running and throwing.
I see this exercise all over the place with the same claim I just made yet the way I see it executed does nothing of the sort.
Pushing one side and pulling the other does not automatically replicate a sequence as dynamic as running or throwing. The gains are in the details.
I made a post a while back on “counter rotation” which I mention in this video. If you want to check that post out, leave a comment below and I’ll send it right over!🌀
L-Sit Straight Leg Hip Flexion End Range Lift Offs aka Quad Cramp City 🏙
Check out yesterday’s post about muscle cramping and then try this exercise.
These can be done from any angle of hip flexion (knee to chest) or abduction (knee away from body). Play around with it, see the difference between legs, and try to breathe through the quad cramps 🙋🏻♂️
Try 6 reps each side with 3 second holds on each rep. Fight to lift the leg AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE with the spine long and the knee completely straight.
Add a small ankle weight or hold for longer to increase the challenge. You might be surprised to wake up with some sore quads tomorrow👀
Let me know how it goes!
16/11/2021
If you’ve ever taken a class, there is a good chance you’ve experienced muscle cramping.
In the context of movement, muscle cramping can be thought of as a means for the nervous system to communicate that it does not have familiarity with creating or controlling force in a given range of motion.
The nervous system does not want you to move where it does not feel safe which is why our initial reaction to a cramp is to immediately move away from that position. It’s essentially perceived over exertion.
BUT… the longer you can stay in it, the faster you’ll progress in that position. The more you move there, relax there, create force there and move in and out of that range of motion, the less you will cramp over time.
This is one way that we can gain access to more range of motion and control more of our body’s tissue. Controlling more of our tissue means our body will become more efficient at performing the tasks we do with it: exercise, sport, daily living, etc.
Interested in taking a Kinstretch class? Shoot me a message!
11/11/2021
I’m very uninterested in doing something “new” for the sake of doing something new. What I am interested in is refining my approach for the sake of the human standing in front of me, you. You invest your time, money and energy and you put your trust into me. I believe it’s my responsibility to reciprocate that investment.
Some things about this past weekend’s course felt different than previous courses I’ve taken - while other things felt exactly the same.
It felt the same in the way that I’m leaving with hope in the droves of movement specialist that are willing to evolve their frame work with the pure intent of providing better outcomes for the people they work with.
Also the same in the way that I’m left overwhelmed with the challenge of applying new thought processes, training techniques and assessment protocols into my current framework. “Patience”, I tell myself, as I know it will come with time and practice.
It’s different in that this course specifically felt way out of my league as a personal trainer. Which is something I really enjoyed about it. They applied the evolutionary framework that I stand so firmly in and applied it to a more clinical type setting which was awesome.
If you’re a human, walking/running and breathing are a couple of the most impactful movements responsible for shaping your structure over millions of years of evolution... Train accordingly.
Thank you for a great weekend of learning!
Had an A Team today!
PAILs and RAILs are a technique utilized in Kinstretch to expand and control ranges of motion using end range isometrics.
Isometric means that the length of the muscle is remaining largely the same throughout the contraction.
We are teaching the nervous system how to produce force in ranges of motion it is otherwise unfamiliar with in order to gain access to more tissue and range of motion.
High effort, minimal movement.
Interested in taking a Kinstretch class? Reach out, it’d be great to hear from you!
22/10/2021
Experiencing a sensation that doesn’t feel so good? Say so and we can adjust!
Did a certain cue I said help you during an exercise? Let me know and I’ll be sure to use those types of cues more!
Having trouble understanding what’s being asked of you? Let me know and I’ll do my best to help you understand!
Did a change in set up help you feel what we’re looking for you to feel? That’s great feedback, we’ll stick with that set up moving forward!
I’ve learned throughout the years how important this type of dialogue is for facilitating client progress and improving their overall experience.
Trainers should seek feedback from their clients and should encourage clients to communicate what they are thinking and experiencing.
Core stability comes from airflow(breath) and pressure management in the thorax (mainly diaphragm & ribcage), not from the thickness of the tissues in the thorax.
Our positions can influence the strategy we use to manage pressure and airflow(laying, squatting, walking, running); but the principle doesn’t change. Ultimately, our movement in its entirety is influenced by how we manage pressure.
By simply bringing your attention and focus to your breath the intensity of your core training will dramatically increase and your core will become significantly stronger.
Did you find this post helpful? Save it or share it! Got a question or comment? Drop it below or shoot me a message!
P.s. credit for the basketball analogy goes to
I see how the techniques I use can be chalked up as “trivial” or “arbitrary”. Made for show to look new and exiting.
Truth of the matter is... all exercise is trivial. It’s all human made. We exercise because our structure(body) no longer needs to perform most of the tasks that have had the the biggest impact on our development over millions of years.
Standing, Walking, Running, Throwing IMO. Hunting and gathering kind of stuff.
With this in mind, we should consider the relationship between our structure and those tasks and how we apply that relationship to exercise.
27/09/2021
Up your stretching game with these simple tips:
1. Increase volume and frequency. In other words; hold your stretches for longer and do them more often. Aim for at least two minutes per stretch at least twice per week.
2. Scan. Make micro-adjustments with your body’s positioning/set-up to find your best line of tension.
3. Add isometrics. Once you’ve relaxed into a stretch, try contracting the stretched muscles like you’re trying to drive yourself out of the stretch but without actually moving. Hold for 10-30 seconds then see if you can relax deeper into the stretch. (In FRC/Kinstretch, this is known as a PAILs contraction)
Did you find this post helpful? Save it or share it! Got a question or comment? Drop it below or shoot me a message!
27/07/2021
We’ve all heard it “Sitting is the new smoking.” I’m 100% guilty of saying it; but, is it true? Is sitting really THAT bad for you?
In short, I definitely don’t think so (anymore). But I do have an interesting take on sitting that might change your perspective on why it can potentially become problematic and some simple things you can do to combat it.
Join me as I go live tomorrow (7/28) at Noon ET on Facebook and Instagram to learn more!
Hint: “rounded” shoulders are not the issue 😯
Training locomotion with respect to evolutionary biology.
Find tensions within the body and time those tensions in a sequence to propel you FLUIDLY through space.
The physical and mental demand is high; but when executed, the end result should be 🤫
brought the gas today - this is athleticism right here 🌀⚡️🥊
Clip from today’s Kinstretch class 🎥
Have you ever considered your foot health?
Imagine wearing mittens every day, for hours a day, year after year. I bet you’d begin to develop poor hand, finger and wrist function. And even develop “bunion” like adaptations on your hands.
Our feet and toes are no different. Bunions, 99.9% of the time are not hereditary. Sorry not sorry 🤷🏻 I can’t tell you how many people have told me that their bunions are hereditary because that’s what their health care practitioner told them. It’s a nonsense statement that has somehow been accepted as true because it’s just what’s been said for years.
Find me a bunion on a “primal” person’s foot - meaning a person whose never been introduced to modern shoes… You won’t. Because bunions are an adaptation that is facilitated by the environmental stimulus of modern footwear.
The forefoot should be wide with plenty of space between the toes. One of the simplest things you can do today to improve your foot and ankle health is to purchase toe spreaders. Wear them daily, barefoot for as long as is tolerable. There are plenty out there, I have ones. Be sure to watch the video for more info.
What elements define and differentiate the movement of humans from the movement of our closest ancestors/other mammals? And how do we train our bodies in a way that respects these observations?
The sequencing and mechanics of our gait cycle (walking and running) are undoubtedly at the forefront of this conversation. Exercise should improve a humans ability to propel itself forward in a way that respects it’s structure and promotes sustainability.
I definitely do not have all the answers; but a fact of the matter is that training this way ain’t so simple. It’s a rabbit hole honestly. But a rabbit hole that can lead us to better health, function and performance.
Ready to dive in? 🕳 🏃♂️
18/05/2021
Gaining flexibility, building strength or enhancing performance requires much more than just physical engagement.
To elicit long term change, learning is non negotiable.
Put in the work. I promise, it’s worth it.
03/05/2021
Thank you to everyone who stopped by, messaged or called over the weekend. I am so grateful for everyone’s support of No Bull Personal Training. Here’s to health!
28/04/2021
Stop by our Grand Opening Open House this Saturday, May 1st anytime between 11:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. OR this Sunday, May 2nd anytime between 11:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. for FREE giveaways and chances to win FREE prizes!
Come by for a chance to win (1 entry per person):
- NBPT Duffle Bag + T-Shirt (3 chances to win)
- Consultation + Total Body Flexibility Assessment (3 chances to win - $150 value!)
- Kinstretch® Class (5 chances to win)
Don’t miss out! I can’t wait to see you!
26/04/2021
This week I was a guest on The Freddy Mak Show.
We discuss everything from strength and flexibility training, to Kinstretch, to my mission as a personal trainer.
We also discuss the details of No Bull Personal Training’s Grand Opening Open House Weekend this weekend!
Be sure to check it out 💪🏼
TFMS WITH NO BULL PERSONAL TRAINING E9 A WORD FROM TAREK FROM NO BULL PERSONAL TRAINING:Hello, my name is Tarek Makled and I am the owner of No Bull Personal Training located in Shelby Township, M...
23/04/2021
In 2015, when I formed what, at the time, was No Bull Personal Training & Performance Enhancement, Nick Buckler was the first client to ever train with me out of my mom’s home. The second photo was about a month into training. We trained out of the basement so it was before I even moved business into the garage. To this day, I still have the receipt.
Nick and I met when we worked together at the Macomb Township Recreation Center back in 2013-2014 and we’ve remained friends ever since. Since then, he hosted me on many Shelby TV segments, we’ve played adult league hockey together just about every year and I always manage to have some great laughs when I am with him.
Today, about 6 years later, Nick signed up for another stint of training in NBPT’s new studio. Another full circle moment and I am so grateful to have the opportunity to share these moments with awesome people like Nick.
Side note - when I used to deliver for Jimmy Johns, I delivered to his house before we ever knew each other. Years down then road, I visited him before a hockey game and, by the very recognizable garage, I realized that I had literally been to his house before. Crazy!
22/04/2021
Stop by our Grand Opening Open House anytime between 11:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on Saturday May 1st OR anytime between 11:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on Sunday May 2nd and sign up for an Adult Strength Camp within 7 Days to receive 50% Off your first month! *
Starting at just $179/ month, ASCs are available 2-3 times per week and are designed to help you move better and feel stronger than you ever have before. Quality training on a budget. Each ASC is capped at 3 members to ensure you receive plenty one on one attention. ASCs are for those with moderate to high exercise experience. Each workout is 60 minutes.
*Limited time offer. Restrictions apply. Contact for details.
17/04/2021
Stop by our Grand Opening Open House anytime between 11:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on Saturday May 1st OR anytime between 11:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on Sunday May 2nd and sign up for Personal Training within 7 Days to receive 20% Off your first 3 months! *
From competitive athletes to beginners to anyone in between, Personal Training is for complete program individualization and one on one attention. You will be guided through every step of an all-encompassing program tailored specifically to your needs.
Don’t miss out on this great special! I can’t wait to see you!
*Limitations apply. Contact for details.
Videos (show all)
Address
14154 Lakeside Boulevard N
Shelby Charter Township, MI
48315