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Suppose you were told that you only had to add an extra five to 10 minutes to each of your workouts to prevent injury and lessen fatigue. Would you do it?
Most people would say yes. Then they might be surprised to learn that they already know about those few minutes, which are called a warm-up. If done correctly, a pre-exercise warm-up can have a multitude of beneficial effects on a person’s workout and, consequently, his or her overall health. What happens in your body? When you begin to exercise, your cardiorespiratory and neuromuscular systems and metabolic energy pathways are stimulated. Muscles contract and, to meet their increasing demands for oxygen, your heart rate, blood flow, cardiac output and breathing rate increase. Blood moves faster through your arteries and veins and is gradually routed to working muscles. Your blood temperature rises and oxygen is released more quickly, raising the temperature of the muscles. This allows the muscles to use glucose and fatty acids to burn calories and create energy for the exercise. All of these processes prepare the body for higher-intensity action. Specifically, a gradual warm-up:
After the aerobic warm-up activity, you should incorporate flexibility/stretching exercises. Stretching muscles after warming them up with low-intensity aerobic activity will produce a better stretch, since the rise in muscle temperature and circulation increases muscle elasticity, making muscles more pliable. Be sure to choose flexibility exercises that stretch the primary muscles you will be using during your workout. Make the Time To fully reap the benefits of the time you are spending exercising, you must warm up. Taking those extra few minutes to adjust to increased activity will ensure a better performance from your body and, in turn, will make your workout more efficient, productive and, best of all, enjoyable. Additional Resources About.com: www.exercise.about.com/od/exerciseforbeginners/a/anatomyworkout_3.htm About.com: www.sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/injuryprevention/a/aa071001a.htm
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The food pyramid has been updated!
Visit MyPyramid.gov for helpful tips to be sure you are getting the proper nutrition you need. It's super user friendly, and great for kids to see too! What are some proven exercises to target my “trouble spots”?
(Click on this link to view this original article be able to view the exercises described below!) http://www.acefitness.org/blog/1682/what-are-some-proven-exercises-to-target-my Turn on late night TV and you’ll see an array of products, programs and devices that promise to help you tone a certain area of your body in just minutes a day. This concept, often referred to as spot reducing, is based on the flawed notion that it is possible to burn off fat from a specific part of the body by selectively exercising that area and that area of the body only. Research has shown that regular exercise (both cardio and strength training) in conjunction with a sensible diet is the only way to truly eliminate excess body fat, which is what is going to help those sculpted, toned muscles to become visible to the world. Research has been done however to look at some of the most effective exercises to help you strengthen the muscles in the three most commonly cited “trouble areas” of the body, specifically the butt (glutes), the core (abdominals), and the upper arms (triceps). The Butt Sir Mix-A-Lot was on to something when he released his smash hit “Baby Got Back” in 1992. Almost two decades later many of us still aspire to sport a well-defined backside, and research has helped us to pinpoint a few tried and true exercises that effectively strengthen and develop the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius, the two main muscles of that make up what we often refer to as our butt (or fanny depending on where you’re from). Quadruped Bent-Knee Hip Extension - The name of this exercise may sound complex, but the truth is this easy to perform exercise can be done just about anywhere, using no equipment. Research conducted by exercise scientists as the University of Wisconsin La Crosse found that the quadruped bent-knee hip extension elicited a higher degree of muscle activation (both in the gluteus maximus and minimus) than many other commonly performed exercises, and it can be an effective exercise option for those with knee issues who may have difficulty performing other standing glute exercises. Forward Lunge - Another great exercise that can be done at the gym, at home, or in your hotel room while traveling, the forward lunge is a movement pattern that is performed not only during workouts, but also during activities of daily living, so proper mechanics are extremely important in order to perform this exercise effectively and safely. Once you become familiar with the forward lunge you can try different variations of the lunge to really challenge your gluteal muscles. Step Ups - What do you get when you combine a 12-15” step or box with a pair of dumbbells? A highly effective exercise for strengthen the glutes called dumbbell step-ups, yet another exercise which mimics actions in our daily lives. When performing this exercise, pay close attention to your knee, ankle and foot position, and avoid rolling the foot in or out when stepping up onto the platform. The Core Let’s talk abs. There has been research done that has looked at “traditional” abdominal exercises which has proven that many of the exercises commonly performed at the gym, such as bicycle crunches and stability ball crunches, are in fact effective at activating both the rectus abdominis and the obliques, two of the muscles which comprise what we often think of as our “core.” The problem is however that these exercises, while effective at engaging our abdominal muscles, also may result in a great deal of load being placed on our spines according to research. To spare the spine and also develop strong core function (and a more defined midsection if that’s what you’re into) try these exercises which not only strengthen the muscles of the core, but also focus on enhancing low-back stability. Front Plank - The front plank (and also the side plank discussed below) is a great exercise to effectively target your abdominal muscles while building muscular endurance, which researchers such as Dr. Stuart McGill have found help to lower the risk of developing back issues later down the road. If you’re new to the front plank begin with holding this exercise for 5-10 seconds. As you build your endurance, you can begin to progress towards holding this position for 30 seconds to upwards of 1 minute. Side Plank - Research has shown that the side plank not only effectively activates several key muscles of the core (the obliques, transverse abdominis and quadratus lumborum), but that this combination of muscle recruitment actually helps to ensure stability in the spine. As you become comfortable with this exercise you can progress to other variations, ranging from intermediate to advanced depending on your goals and ability level. Bird-Dog - Although the name of this exercise might have you thinking of two different (yet equally adorable) animals, the reality is this exercise is highly effective in training the body how to stabilize the low back during movement while also providing a great challenge to abdominal muscles (specifically the rectus abdominis and transverse abdominis). When performing the bird-dog avoid holding the exercise for long periods of time (7-8 seconds should be all that you need); instead, focus on increasing the number of repetitions to build endurance as opposed to increasing the amount of time you hold the fully extended position. The Upper Arms One area of the body that tends to get a lot of exposure, especially during the summer, is the upper arms and many individuals (especially many of us women) express interest in wanting to reduce the amount of “jiggle” that we see when we sport our favorite tank tops which we can do by strengthening the triceps, the muscles located in the back of the upper arms with some research supported exercises. Triangle Push-Up - A variation of the traditional push-up, the triangle push-up involves placing the thumbs and forefingers together with the hands directly underneath the chest. Just like the traditional push-up proper form is key, so if you’re new to performing triangle push-ups you may opt to perform this exercise with bent knees keeping the hands in the same triangle position before progressing to the full plank position with the body. Dips - Dips are a highly effective triceps exercise which can be done in the gym using dip bars or a weight bench, or it can be done at home using a sturdy chair. This exercise represents a relatively functional movement (think about the motions you go through when lifting yourself out of your favorite chair), but when done incorrectly it can place a great deal of stress on the shoulder joint, so be sure to focus on proper form throughout the movement. Triceps Kickback - Using dumbbells (or a jug of water or large canned good), triceps kickback is another exercise where proper form is imperative, not only for effectively targeting the triceps, but also for safety reasons in order to prevent any additional loading on your spine. If you’re looking for guidance on proper form for this exercise (or any of the other exercises discussed here) in order to maximize your workout and ensure your safety, consider enlisting the help of an ACE-certified personal trainer. By Jessica Matthews, MS, E-RYT Find this and many other wonderful articles @ www.acefitness.org ! 8. Exercise Lets You Eat More
Pound for pound, muscle burns more calories at rest than body fat. So the more muscle you have, the higher your resting metabolic rate. And, of course, you also burn calories while you're actually exercising. All this means that "cheating" with a cookie once in a while isn't going to take you back 10 steps. "Can you eat anything? No," says Atkinson. "But you can afford to enjoy some of the things you really like when you exercise regularly. You can better get away with those things in moderation than you can when you're not working out." 9. Exercise Boosts Performance After a few weeks of consistent exercise, you may feel your clothes fitting differently and see that your muscle tone has improved, Atkinson says. You may also notice your newly pumped-up muscles in other ways, especially if you're a recreational golfer or tennis player, or like a friendly game of pick-up basketball, says Atkinson. Exercising consistently will strengthen your muscles, increase flexibility, and improve your overall performance. "Your muscles will work much more efficiently and you'll gain a greater sense of endurance," says Bryant. In addition, he says, your reaction time and balance will improve. 10. Weight Loss Is Not the Most Important Goal Weight loss is the reason many people exercise in the first place. But it's certainly not the sole benefit of an exercise program. Bryant says the long-term goal of weight loss is sold too heavily to people starting fitness programs, and that can be discouraging. People have trouble sticking with something if they don't see results quickly. "Really, they should think about the level of functioning in the activities of daily living," says Bryant. "That can serve as the motivation to keep them coming back for more." So whatever weight loss goal you have when starting a fitness program, don't make it your only goal. Strive to feel better, to have more energy, to be less stressed. Notice the small things that exercise does for you quickly, rather than getting hung up on the narrow goal of the number on a scale. "With a goal of losing weight and enhancing health, exercise has to become a part of a person's life, not an afterthought," Astorino says. By Barbara Russi Sarnataro WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature Reviewed by Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD Courtesy of WebMD - a great resource to many health related questions! 5. Fitness Can Help Build Relationships
Think of what exercising with a partner can do for a relationship, whether it's with a spouse, a sibling, or a friend you used to go to lunch with once a week. Not only that, says Astorino, but exercise is always more fun when there's someone to do it with. So plan to walk with your spouse after dinner every night. Meet your sister or that friend for tennis or an aerobics class instead of lunch. Besides, Astorino says, people who have exercise partners stay with their programs and reach their goals more often than those who try to go it alone. "For long-term weight loss, you need to have social support," Astorino says. 6. Exercise Helps Ward Off Disease Research has shown that exercise can slow or help prevent heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis (bone loss), and loss of muscle mass, says Astorino. It also helps ease some aspects of the aging process. "Because exercise strengthens the muscles and joints, it is going to reduce your odds of having some of those aches and pains and problems most adults have, mostly because of the inactive lives they lead," Bryant says. Provided you don't overdo it, he says, exercise can even boost immune function -- so you spend less time down with a cold or flu. "There isn't a major health problem where exercise cannot have a positive effect," says Byrant. 7. Fitness Pumps Up Your Heart Not only does exercise help fight disease, says Bryant, it creates a stronger heart -- the most important muscle in the body. That helps makes exercise -- and the activities of daily life -- feel easier. "Your heart and cardiovascular system will function more effectively," says Bryant. "The heart will build up less plaque. It will become a more efficient pump." And "when the heart becomes stronger, it pumps more blood per beat, so at rest, the heart rate is lower," says Astorino. "It's not going to have to beat as fast" to expend the same amount of effort. Within only a couple days after you start exercising, Astorino says, "the body readily adapts to the stimulus it's getting and it becomes easier. You will feel less fatigue. It will not take as much effort when it comes to breathing. You shouldn't have as much pain or soreness." By Barbara Russi Sarnataro WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature Reviewed by Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD Top 10 Fitness Facts - Courtesy of Web MD 3. Exercise Gives You Energy
You might be surprised at how, say, popping in a workout tape for 30 minutes in the morning can change your whole day. When endorphins are released into your bloodstream during exercise, says Astorino, "you feel much more energized the rest of the day." And when you improve your strength and stamina, it's easier to accomplish everyday tasks like carrying groceries and climbing stairs. This also helps you feel more energetic over the course of the day. A common excuse among Atkinson's clients is that they're too tired to exercise, he says. While exercise may make you feel more tired at first, he says, that won't last long. The physical tiredness you feel after working out isn't the same as everyday fatigue, he says. Besides, once your body adjusts to exercise, you'll have more energy than ever. 4. It's Not That Hard to Find Time for Fitness The key, says Atkinson, is to use your time more wisely. Think about killing two birds with one stone. Take your kids to the park or ride bikes together, and you're getting physical activity while enjoying family time, he says. Beyond that, go for a hike, take the kids swimming, or play hide-and-seek, tag, softball, or horseshoes in the backyard. At work, he says, schedule a meeting on the jogging track or on the golf course. Also, forget the idea that you have to trudge to the gym and spend an hour or more doing a formal workout. Instead, you can work short spurts of physical activity into your day. "Everyone has 20 minutes," Atkinson says. "Everyone has 10 minutes to jump rope, and sometimes that's better than 20 minutes of walking or running." Indeed, squeezing in two or three bouts of 15 or 20 minutes of activity is just as effective as doing it all at once, says Astorino. Vacuuming the house in the morning, riding bikes in the park with the kids in the afternoon, then taking a brisk walk in the evening can add up to an active day. Recent U.S. government guidelines say that to lose weight and keep it weight off, you should accumulate at least 60 minutes of exercise a day, says Astorino. But half an hour a day is all you need to reap the health and disease-fighting benefits of exercise. By Barbara Russi Sarnataro WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature Reviewed by Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD Top 10 Fitness Facts - Courtesy of Web MD Top 10 Fitness Facts
Some things you should know about exercise Want to be sharper at work? Feel less tired at home? Spend some quality time with your spouse? How about enjoying a cookie without guilt? If you answered "yes" to all of these questions (and who wouldn't?), exercise is the answer. Being physically active offers benefits far beyond the obvious. (Of course, an improved physique and a clean bill of health aren't too shabby, either.) If you've been looking for the motivation to begin an exercise program or get back into working out regularly, here are 10 fitness facts that may help inspire you to get off the couch. 1. Exercise Boosts Brainpower Not only does exercise improve your body, it helps your mental function, says certified trainer David Atkinson. "Exercise increases energy levels and increases serotonin in the brain, which leads to improved mental clarity," says Atkinson, director of program development for Cooper Ventures, a division of the Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas. All that makes for a more productive day. "It is clear that those who are active and who exercise are much more productive at work," says Todd A. Astorino, assistant professor of kinesiology at California State University-San Marcos. Improved productivity not only makes you a better worker, it makes things better for everyone in the workplace. Companies with less wasted work hours and less sick time end up with lower health care costs -- and an improved bottom line, Astorino says. 2. Movement Melts Away Stress As much as it may stress you out just to think about exercising, once you actually start working out, you'll experience less stress in every part of your life. "Exercise produces a relaxation response that serves as a positive distraction," says Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise. He says it also helps elevate your mood and keep depression at bay. You're not the only person who will benefit from more happiness and less stress in your life. When you're less stressed, you're less irritable, Atkinson says -- and that could improve relationships with your partner, kids, and co-workers. -to be continued!- Courtesy of WebMD - a great resource to many health related questions! By Barbara Russi Sarnataro WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature Reviewed by Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD 5 Common Strength-Training Mistakes
by Beth Shepard, M.S., ACE-CPT, ACSM-RCEP, Wellcoaches Certified Wellness Coach Strength-training is an important element of a well-rounded fitness program, but unless you’ve been properly trained in form and technique, it’s easy to get it wrong. Performing strength exercises correctly makes each workout more efficient, effective and safe. Avoiding these frequently-seen exercise errors will help you achieve your goals and reduce your risk of injury. 1. Speeding through your workout. Strength exercises are a lot easier when you go fast because momentum is doing a big chunk of the work. To get the most out of each lift, aim for an even level of force throughout the movement. Think slow and controlled — the standard 2-3 second lift (concentric, or muscle-shortening, movement) and 3-4-second release (eccentric, or muscle-lengthening movement) works well for most people. The recommended rest interval in between sets varies with the training goal and workload: from 30-90 seconds for general fitness, to 2-5 minutes for muscular strength and power. With adequate recovery time between sets, you’ll replenish the muscle energy stores needed to put forth your best effort. 2. Doing traditional sit-ups or other spinal-flexion movements. You’ve seen them — fitness enthusiasts who proudly crank out hundreds of crunches during a single workout in pursuit of a six-pack. Unfortunately, they’re setting themselves up for serious pain and injury. According to Stuart McGill, Ph.D., a spine health expert and researcher, these exercises place a tremendous amount of stress on the intervertebral discs, boosting risk of pain and herniation. He recommends a modified curl-up:
3. Not moving through a complete range of motion. Attempting a lift that’s too heavy reduces range of motion. For optimal strength gains, decrease the weight until you can move it through a complete range of motion for a minimum of 1 set of 8-12 repetitions. When you can perform your goal number of sets and repetitions in proper form, increase your workload by approximately 5%. 4. Overemphasis on deltoid exercises while ignoring rotator cuff muscles. Fitness enthusiasts often aim for the visual appeal of buffed-up deltoids at the expense of the rotator cuff muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis), but this can lead to shoulder instability and injury. Exercises such as internal and external rotation with resistance tubing, supine rotator cuff and stability ball push-up, help strengthen and stabilize the rotator cuff. 5. Picking a workout and sticking with it. If you haven’t mixed up your fitness routine for months — or even years — chances are good that you’ve reached a fitness plateau, and may have some strength imbalances. Challenging your muscles with progressively heavier loads is essential for building strength. But even if your goal is to maintain your muscle fitness instead of improving it, adding variety can help. Keep your muscles guessing by trying new exercises that target the major muscle groups. If you always use weight machines, for example, integrating dumbbells and barbells into your regimen will add a new level of challenge. Enlist the help of a certified fitness professional as needed to ensure proper form, technique and workload. Courtesy of the ACE Newsletter. Sign up today at www.acefitness.org ! The Exercise Library on the ACE website is awesome! Check it out for fresh, new, and tried and true classic exercise ideas.
http://www.acefitness.org/exerciselibrary Here's a fun little brief history of hooping, courtesy of hulahooping.com. :D
History of Hula Hooping From 500 BCE to the 21st Century No one knows for sure when or where a circle of willow, rattan, grapevines or stiff grasses became a form of exercise. We do know that Egyptian children played with hoops made out of dried grapevines, rolling them with sticks or whirling them around their waist. The ancient Greeks used hoops to exercise. A vase in the Louvre [dated 500-490 BCE] shows Ganymede rolling a hoop. However, there is no evidence that hooping was part of the early Olympics. Hoops were popular in Great Britain in the 14th century as a form of recreation and religious ceremonies. Medical records from the era record doctors treating dislocated backs and heart attacks that were attributed to hooping. The term “hula hoop” came from British sailors who had seen hula dancing in the Hawaiian Islands and thought it looked similar to the movements of hooping back home. Hooping was again popular in England in the 1800 where children would roll hoops with a stick or spin the hoop around their waist. Storytelling Hoop dancing is a form of storytelling for Native American Indians dating back to the 1400s. With no beginning or end, it symbolizes the never-ending circle of life. Dancers used dozens of small hoops, typically made of reeds, as symbolic representations of animals such as eagles, snakes, butterflies or coyotes. Their hoop dance uses very rapid movements and the off-body use of hoops to construct symbolic forms around their bodies. Tony White Cloud ushered in modern Native American hoop dancing in the 1930s when he began using multiple hoops to perform stylized dances to weave stories of how life is connected with changes and transitions. There is an annual Native American Hoop Dance competition at the Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona. The hula hoop craze of the late 50’s can be traced to Australia, where children twirled hoops made out of bamboo. When the production of bamboo hoops could not meet the demand, Toltoys was engaged to make hoops out of plastic and sold 400,000 hoops in 1957. Hula Hoops from the 50's were small colorful plastic tubes made primarily for children to play and exercise. Today, hula hooping has come full circle. Children still love them and adults have begun using stronger, larger, heavier hoops for fitness and fun. Popularized in the U.S. Childhood friends Richard Knerr and Arthur “Spud” Melin began the Wham-O Company in a Los Angeles garage in 1948, originally selling slingshots. Legend has it that Wham-O founders first heard about twirling hoops from a visiting Aussie. They began manufacturing polyethylene hoops in 1958. Wham-O passed out free hoops and gave demonstrations across southern California playgrounds and the hula hooping frenzy was born. This craze lasted from January to October, then died out suddenly. It is estimated that over 100 million hoops were sold in its first year. The original price per hoop was $1.98. By the mid 60’s, hula hoop sales were lagging so Wham-O added several ball bearings inside the tube to make noise. This helped launch a second hooping craze, including a National Hula Hoop Contest that ran from 1968 – 1981. The 1980 World Hula Hoop Championship was held in more than 2,000 cities with an estimated two million participants. Judging was done on compulsory moves, including the Knee Knocker, Stork, Hula Hop, Wrap the Mummy, Alley Oop, as well as freestyle dance routines. Interesting to note, Wham-O was not able to patent the hula hoop as it had been in use for thousands of years. Merely using a new material did not meet the requirement of originality to secure a patent. They were, however, able to trademark the name “Hula Hoop” in the United States. Courtesy of www.hulahooping.com. |
AuthorCharity Bidegain, ACE Certified Personal Trainer. Supporting all who live the mission of helping us all to live healthier, more fulfilled lives. Archives
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