Stability Ball Workouts

                Ready for a more advanced workout? For workouts that not only build strength and increase heart rate, but also require mental concentration and balance? If your answer is yes, and you already have a base of adequate strength then maybe it is time for you to incorporate stability balls into your workout. Stability balls are a relatively new edition to the health and fitness industry, first being utilized by the physical rehab industry; they have now crossed over because of their versatility, low cost, and ease of use.

Stability balls are a great (and I emphasize great) way to help you reach your fitness goals. Most of the exercise that are done on stability balls not only put increased stress on your muscles, but they add the extra dimension of balance and concentration. Let’s take use the dumbbell bench press for an example: normally, this exercise is done on a bench lying on your back, but if we swap out the bench for a ball it requires two extra things from you. (1) With your feet now act as stabilizers, in order to keep you from falling off the ball, this means you will trigger some small muscles in your legs to keep you stable that you otherwise would just not use. (2) In an attempt to keep your torso stable you now have to contract your abs throughout the exercise; this added stress will increase your core strength.

But they are not just good for variations of existing exercises, they have an endless potential for original workouts that range from beginner to advance. Any work out done on a stability ball can be done in a relatively small space, and you don’t need a multiple balls, to do multiple exercises, just one is all you need. This askmen.com article is a good example of the diversity that stabilities balls give; notice that if you did all ten exercises in this article you would have gotten a total body workout.

So next time you’re in the gym give them a try, if it’s your first experience expect to feel awkward and a little shaky, chances are your stabilizing muscle have not had to work as hard as they do now.

Here are some links for more great workouts and ideas:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IbDhaWDLu0

Quick Fix - Stability Ball Workout

Fat to Firm Fitness Ball Workout for DummiesThe 

               

Health and Fitness: a Survival Technique.

                “Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.” – C.S. Lewis

                I start with this quote today, not only because I admire C.S. Lewis and his works, but because I think it can be applied to fitness in a unique way. On the surface this quote looks like it belongs in a philosophy blog or something to that effect, but not a health and fitness blog. But take a look at the last phrase “it [friendship] is one of those things that give value to survival.” The key word here is survival, and I believe as the time and culture has changed, our method for surviving has dramatically altered as well.

                When the word survival pops into your head what do you think of? If you are like me then you conjure up a “castaway” image; complete with long beards, spear fishing, and the volleyball companion.  Obviously this type of survival is no longer necessary in our culture, so would we conclude survival is dead? Certainly not, for in this sedentary society we have a much more subtle problem: excess. It is excess that is cutting our lives short, it is excess that limits our potential, and it is excess that requires us to expend our energy in such an artificial way.

We are in this fight against excess and its companions, (heat disease, diabetes, obesity, premature death, and many others) some are fighting vigorously; others seem to have given up. But is survival not worth fighting for?  As C.S. Lewis states, friendship gives value to all this, and not only that but family, art, philosophy, education, love, and freedom.

It’s an abstract idea, but health and fitness is a survival technique, probably one of the most overlooked in today’s age. So if you are having trouble motivating yourself, just know that health and fitness is more than just the pursuit of six pack abs and overall sex appeal. It is a survival technique that not only gives us a better quality of life, but gives us more days to enjoy what is really worth living for.

Labor Day Workout

Arms

Selected exercise	Reps per set	Weight
Chin Ups	6-6-5	bodyweight
Cable Press Down	10-10-10	110Lbs
Wrist Curl	15-15-15	20Lbs
Preacher Curl	10-10-10	65Lbs

Back

Selected Exercise	Reps per set	Weight
Pull Down	10-10-10	120Lbs
Straight Arm Pull Down	10-10-10	100Lbs
Bent Over Row	10-10-10	80Lbs

Abs

Selected Exercise	Reps per set	Weight/Duration
Plank	1-1-1	1:40
Crunch w/Plate	10-10-10	35Lbs
Hanging Leg Raise	10-10-10	N/A
Russian Twist	10-10-10	35Lbs

Cardio

20 mins. stationary bike

I love getting a great workout in on these semi-holidays, the gym is usually pretty quiet and on a day when most Americans are overeating its, good to know your one of the few doing some good for your body. Also, I'm splitting my workouts up a little differently these next few weeks. Instead of upper body, lower body, core I am doing arms/back/abs, shoulders/legs/traps, chest/abs/core. Its a little more specific, and allows me to put more emphasis on my core (a must in any athletic performance!)

On a different note: this summer I got into the habit of getting my workouts in the late afternoon/early evening instead of the morning like I used to. And let me just say I had forgotten how great it felt to have that extra boost of energy for the rest of the day. When I got off of work I actually had the energy to get stuff done! If your not getting at least a quick workout in in the morning I strongly recommend it! 

The Guide to Sit-down Restaurants

If I was to write a post on the nutritional bankruptcy of fast-food chains would anyone really be surprised? I would say not. We all know that fast food is bad for us, and most people only eat it when they are hard pressed for time or short on cash. 

But thankfully today is Friday, you got some extra coin in your pocket and a few hours before that movie starts, feeling good about your decision to avoid the fast-food today you head to your favorite sit-down restaurant. The dark atmosphere, and badly places televisions distract you from the similarities between their menu and McDonald's menu (Burgers, wraps, salads, desserts, ect.) so without so much a though you order up. It takes a while for your meal to come, but that is okay, because you are having a good time talking with friends, snacking on chips, and sipping your mountain dew. The main course finally comes, and by this time your so involved in the conversation that you fail to recognize that french fries are the "vegetable" of your meal. You quickly clean plate, close check, and leave a tip, and head out the door excited for Toy Story 3 for the third weekend in a row.

Now let me first say that I am not anti-restaurants, they are a great place to meet up with friends, (socializing is a crucial aspect of a healthy lifestyle that I will explore in a later post.) convenient, and really do provide some nutritious choices on their menu. It is not my goal to deter you from going to a restaurant this weekend or the next, my goal is simply to show you what that food really is.

When i say sit-down restaurant I mean those chain places like Applebees, Perkins, TGIFridays, IHOP, Chilies, Ruby Tuesdays, Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Denny's, and other chain places like them. Your mom-and-pop restaurants may or may not be just as bad, and unless they release their nutrition info you really can not tell.

Here is the nutritional info for Denny's http://www.dennys.com/LiveImages/enProductImage_790.pdf I hope you noticed right off the bat the same thing I did TRANS FAT! It seems that Denny's is still one of the few places remaining that cook with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils resulting. Besides the dangerous amounts of fat, you will notice that some of the burgers weigh in at 1,500+ calories, while the rest hover around 900. And this is just the burger we are talking about, not including the sides it comes with

This is where I would love to analyse the menu of Applbees (a favorite among college students), but they have yet to release the nutritional information on anything but their weight watchers menu.

So before you go out this weekend take some time to reaserch your favorite resturantes menue, chances are they will be several tasty options that don't set you back five pounds. A great web site for this is http://caloriecount.about.com/ it has listing from most every restuarnt you can imagine. Or check out Eat This Not That! A great book on making better-for-you choices when dinning out. Eat This Not That! 2010: The No-Diet Weight Loss Solution
So enjoy the weekend, enjoy the company, and enjoy the food!

Supplements in Their Proper Context

                The topic of dietary supplements is a confusing one in the health and fitness industry, the opinions are as diverse as the people who hold them. Many people hold to one extreme or another (love them or hate them) rarely do you find somebody right in the middle who can use supplements to reach goals but not be dependent on them. But that is right where I am, smack dab in the middle. And while in the past I have held both extreme views (loved them, then I hated them) I feel that I have an argument adequate at defending my current position.

To me supplements are all about convenience, either for time purposes or ease in the kitchen. If you stopped by the gym before you way to work do you really have time to fix a meal containing 3-2-1 parts of carb, protein, and fat? Or do you trust that drive through on your right to supply you with the nutrition you need? The answer to both is an obvious no, and in this case, a meal replacement bar washed down with a sport drink (carb based) may be just what you need to recover and br energize for whatever activity is next. But maybe you do have some time to go home and get a nice meal on the table, the only problem is you realized that you haven’t been grocery shopping in the past two weeks, and nutritious choices are in short supply. Now would be a great time to use the last of that low-fat milk with a scoop of protein powder, or maybe throw both of those in a blender with some ice and fruit of your choice for a great fruit smoothie (On a side note: do not be fooled by this smoothie craze going around fast food places. Sugar and a little fruit will be the only ingredients found in those.)

Whether you are looking to prime or recover, supplements can aid you in both, but only if you are willing to pay the price. Go to your local GNC and you will not be har pressed to find tubs (yes, I said tubs) of some mystery powder going for $75-$95. If you can afford this, and are willing to pay, then supplements are a great way to go.

                If you’re like me however, and you don’t want to see your hard earned cash go to synthetically engineered nutrients you won’t necessarily lose out on gains in the weight room. There are many ways to get the nutrients you need in a quick and easy way, all you have to do is pick foods that are dense in nutrients and calories (hold off on the leafy greens for now.) If you need carbs to fuel long workouts bananas, raisins, jelly beans, and pretzels are not only portable enough, but can be eaten quickly and without weighing you down. If its proteins and healthy fats you need to recover from a grueling workout try foods like almonds, walnuts, lean deli meats like turkey and ham, and beef jerky (Make sure it’s real jerky and not those meat stick with god know what in them.) Also, eating at the right times will help ensure that your workouts won’t go to waste. Eat a high carb snack before your workout, and a high protein/healthy fat snack about a half an hour after your workout.

                But if you are still convinced that supplements are the way to go just remember this: supplements will never make up for a good diet, only enhance it. If you’re eating like crap now, adding supplements to your diet will make no difference. A sound diet is the foundation of every healthy lifestyle, supplements are the addition.

                There is a lot more to discuss as far as supplements go like, which ones should I take? Should I use creatine or not? And how much should I take? These are all great topics of discussion, but what I really wanted to do with this article was to put supplements in their proper context: helpful but not necessary. 

Sport Science: Randy Couture

Did any of you seriously think that James Tony would win yesterday? The problem is that boxing is a very one dimensional sport, and while that one dimension is grueling, it can't compare to all the different dimensions of MMA. Don't believe me? Check this video out.
http://youtu.be/EgQ4y7Fn7QI

Trainer's Lingo

If you talk to a professional in any field about their job chances are, unless you work in the same field, you wont understand most or any of what they are saying. Its because when they are learning and talking with peers about their certain field of study they tend to develop a language filled with terms and words not used in everyday English. Trainers are no exception to this we have our own set of terms that we have learned over time, and after talking with other trainers and fitness minded people we tend to forget that everyday people do not know, or even want to know what the heck these terms mean. As a trainer it is our responsibility to make sure that our clients clearly understand what we are trying communicate. So this post is my attempt to bridge the gap between the language of trainers and everyday language.

Anaerobic - Occurring without the use of oxygen, this means any workouts that rely on muscular strength and only last a few minuets. 

Aerobic - Occurring with the use of oxygen, this means any workouts that require a oxygen to give your muscles power. These exercises last anywhere from 1 min - 30 mins

Anabolic - A state of the body in which simple substances are put together to form more complex ones (i.e. amino acids into body proteins.) If your goal is to build muscle you want your body to be in a Anabolic state.

Catabolic - A state of the body in which complex substances are broken in to simple ones (i.e. stored fat into energy.) For any one looking to shed a few pounds, your body being in a catabolic state is desirable.

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) - The minimum energy required to maintain the body's life function at rest, usually expressed in calories per hour. This means if you lay in bed all day and burn 2,000 calories your BMR would be 83.3

BMI (Body Mass Index) - A formula (body weight in kilos/hight in meters) designed to show you if your overweight, average, or obese. This formula does not work with people high in muscle mass.

Calisthenics - a system of exercise movements, without equipment, for the building of strength, flexibility, and physical grace. Comes from the Greek meaning "beautiful strength"

Macronutrients - Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

Max VO2 Uptake - The maximum usable portion of oxygen uptake. This will differ from person to person depending on the condition of their lungs.

Maximal Heart Rate - The highest heart rate of which and individual is capable.

Mesomorph - A body type that is naturally muscular.

Ectomorph - A body type that is naturally Lean. 

Endomorph - A body type that is naturally heavy set.

Watt - A measure of power equal to 6.12 kilogram-meters per minute. This unit of measurement is usually found programmed into cardio machines 

Supinated Grip - A grip where your palms are up.

Pronated Grtip - A grip where your palms are down.

Neutral Grip - A grip where your palms in between the pronated at supinated grip (looks like a handshake.)

Alternated Grip - one hand is Pronated the other is Supinated.

Hook Grip - Similar to a pronated grip, but the thumb is located on the same side as the middle and index finger.

Planes of motion - There are three different planes of motion the sagittal (anteroposterior), frontal (coronal), and transverse (horizontal) Rather than trying to explain these three planes of motion refer to the illustration.

I know there is a lot of information to process in this one post, and believe me I am still trying to remember it all (the planes of motion still confuse me), but the next time you hear some of these terms being thrown around the gym like its everyday language just refer back to this post! Additionally if there is any other terms I have forgotten about, or anything you have heard recently that isn't included hear just let me know and I will be happy to explain!