12Jan

Lower Body Mobility

January 12, 2018 paulbecomeborda 16

I often hear a lot from clients or other folks in the community that there never seems to be enough time in the day to get a workout in or get any kind of stretching or mobility work in for the body.

We are each given the same 24 hours each day to be as productive and efficient as possible. I know how difficult it can be to find time to work on flexibility in today’s world. Given that, I wanted to share a great 10 minute lower body stretching program that can be done to limber up the lower body in just a short amount of time.

Each of these exercises should be completed for 1 set holding for around 1 minute each (you can certainly do 2 sets of each for 1 minute holds if you have the extra time).

#1 – The Couch stretch

This is one of my all time favorite stretches period. It is incredibly effective for opening up some of the anterior chain muscles like the quads and hip flexors. It’s key to make sure that you don’t arch your back during the stretch so try and maintain that neutral spine. The further the knee is to the wall the more intense the stretch will be so you will need to gauge that for yourself. To intensify the stretch a little bit more you can squeeze the glute of the leg that you are stretching and you should notice that you feel the stretch a bit higher up in the hip flexors.

#2 – Supine hamstring stretch w/ strap

This is a great stretch for the hamstrings that can be done anytime and anywhere. All you really need is a stretching strap or even a belt would work. With all of these stretches we are looking for moderate intensity for the stretch. It shouldn’t be so painful that you can’t hold it for at least 1 minute.

#3 – Elevated pigeon stretch

I love this stretch for my hip rotators and glutes. Many people are not flexible enough to get into the pigeon stretch on the floor in a safe and effective manner so this is a great alternative. This can be done on any surface like a bed, couch, or massage table. Make sure to stay tall through the spine and maintain good posture throughout the stretch. If performed correctly you should feel a good stretch on the outside of the glute (no pinching on the inside of the hip!).

#4 – The Goalie stretch

The adductors are one muscle group that I feel are largely neglected by most people in terms of including them into any type of flexibility or mobility programming. Try to keep the outstretched foot flat on the floor as well as maintaining good posture through the spine (please don’t slouch!).

#5 – Calf stretch on slantboard

Most people don’t know how tight their calves are especially if you are a runner. You can do this stretch pretty much anywhere like on a step at home or any slightly inclined surface similar to the slantboard that is pictured. There are two variations of this that you can do. The first is with the leg straight which targets the gastrocnemius muscle of the calf and the other would be bending the leg you a stretching a bit and that targets the soleus muscle. This can be done one leg at a time or both legs at once.

Be consistent and set aside 10 minutes in your day and you’ll notice that these stretches really start to improve the flexibility in your lower body!

22Dec

Beat Low Back Pain

December 22, 2017 Chris Lathrop 19

Do you have low back pain? Would you like to enjoy not having back pain? Chronic low back pain has many causes that often have the same solution. This means getting your pelvis and spine back to their neutral position. The stretch below helps kill many birds with one stretchy stone. This exercise stretches both the muscles in the front of the lower body (bottom leg) and those on the backside (top leg) of the lower body. These muscles often become tight from the seated positions we take for hours every day and in turn pulls our bodies out of alignment. Try it for a few months and see.

Hold the stretch for two minutes on each side, at least 3 days per week

22Nov

Healing from Exercise Boredom: 3 Workouts You Can Use at the Gym

November 22, 2017 Amanda Fontaine 24

So many people go to the gym and just don’t know what to do. Here are a couple methods you can use to vary your workout routine.

1-The Countdown:

Pick 5 exercises, do 10 reps of each exercise then start over with 9 reps of each. Keep going all the way down to 1.

Ex- dumbbell curl to overhead press, squats, V ups, ball slams, Kettlebell swings

2-Inverse ladder:

Pick 2 exercises, start with 10 reps of exercise A (usually the harder one), and 1 rep of exercise B. Then do 9 reps of A, 2 reps of B. Keep going until you’ve gotten to 1 rep of A and 10 reps of B.

*Hint* they should always add to eleven.

Ex- Exercise A= Squat to upright row, Exercise B= Weighted burpee

3-Evens and odds:

Set a timer for 2 mins (or longer if you wish). Start with 2 reps of exercise A, and 2 reps of exercise B. Keep increasing by 2 until timer runs out. Rest, and then go back down odd numbers. Challenge yourself by starting a number higher than the one you finished on.

Ex- Exercise A= Supermans, Exercise B = seated twists (each way)

Vary any of these by plugging in any of your exercise favorites (cardio moves, core, or strength) depending on what your focus is that day.

Your gym routines will never be boring again!

08Nov

Chasing The Man Bod: Secret #2

November 8, 2017 johnbecomehinkle 19

My second secret for getting that svelte man bod of yesteryear is weight training. There are several things to know about weight training so I’m gong to simplify them for you. Let’s get back to the basics.

Workout Order: Warm up 5-10 minutes, weight training workout, finish with the cardio. This order allows your body to focus its fuel stores on the weight training. If you do cardio before weights, there won’t be much left in the tank for pumping iron.

Frequency: At least 3 days each week. One of the ways you make gains is to work hard enough to break the muscle down a little bit. This forces the body to repair, grow, and get stronger. You can contribute to this process by lifting at least 3 days per week.

Lifts to Perform: Focus on the basic, multi-joint moves like bench presses, deadlifts, squats, and rows. These movements use A LOT of muscles. And, therefore, require a lot of calories.

Intensity: Start with a light weight that allows you to do 10-12 repetitions for 4 sets. If you are just getting back into lifting, this will be enough. Remember, these movements use a lot of muscles so you’re probably going to get sore your first couple of workouts.

Next time we talk about FOOD. Who doesn’t like food? Now, go lift something!

25Oct

Foam Rolling 101

October 25, 2017 paulbecomeborda 17

At this point I’m sure you’ve heard about the importance of foam rolling or at the bare minimum a good friend or your trainer has introduced you to it. Many of us know that we should be foam rolling but struggle to understand the “why?” in regards to using it in a safe and effective manner.

Why should I foam roll?

Foam rolling is simply a self-myofascial release or a self-massage technique that one can use to break down trigger points or knotted up tissues in the body. When done properly and consistently foam rolling will also aid in the recovery process by improving the tissue quality of the muscles from increased blood flow and circulation to that part of the body. Foam rolling can ultimately lead to muscles that are more supple and joints that have greater ranges of motion, which is important for any athlete looking to increase their performance or reduce the risk of future injuries.

FAQ’s

How often and how long should I foam roll?

There is not a one size fits all answer or approach to this question. In a perfect world, I would like one to foam roll for roughly 10 minutes a day. It can be done before or after a workout, before bed at night, or anytime in between. Honestly, the timing of it is less important than just making sure you fit it into your daily routine.

Is foam rolling painful?

Yes, often times foam rolling can be painful depending on how tight your muscles are in addition to which part of the body you are rolling. Those who tend to spend more time foam rolling and have made it apart of their daily routine will find that it’s not as painful as when they first started using a foam roller. It’s common for some people to not know how much pain is too much or if it’s not painful at all they will wonder if they are doing it correctly. I like to use the term therapeutic pain to describe what you should be feeling when you’re foam rolling. It might not exactly be the most comfortable feeling but it should not be so painful that it’s tough to bear for a few minutes (with most things in life, moderation is the key).

Typically, if it’s not painful at all then you may either need to switch up the foam rolling tool you are using (i.e.: switch from a foam roller to something smaller and more dense like a lacrosse ball) or that particular area that you are rolling might not need as much attention as another part of your body.

I’ve never foam rolled before, how do I know which type of foam roller to buy?

In my experience I have found that this is an often overlooked key to uncovering some of the benefits from foam rolling. Foam rollers come in all different shapes and sizes, and in different densities. For beginners, you should start with a foam roller that is a little softer and less dense than some of the more advanced ones.

The issue with someone who doesn’t have much experience with foam rolling starting on a very dense foam roller or something like a lacrosse ball is that this person is probably fairly tight and won’t be able to relax their muscles at all during the time that they foam roll. If it is incredibly painful your nervous system and muscles will tighten up which won’t allow you to work the tissues in the muscles properly. If you are new to foam rolling, start by being conservative with which foam roller you use, and you can progress to new, more dense ones once your tissue and fascia have been opened up.

Common Pitfalls and Mistakes

– You roll too fast. Slow down! When you just blindly roll over a muscle quickly you will most likely miss the trigger points and knots that really need your attention.

– You don’t spend enough time on it. 30 seconds of quick rolling over a certain muscle is most likely not going to create any lasting changes. Try to spend at least a couple minutes on each area of the body you are working on. When you find a particularly tight spot spend 30 seconds to a minute on it before moving on.

– The foam roller or tool you use to roll is too dense. Thus it’s too painful when you roll (see above).

– You have bad posture when you foam roll. Yes, even when you are foam rolling you need to think about keeping good postural integrity. Some positions while foam rolling require strength and the ability to hold yourself in a certain position for a period of time. Make sure to be aware of this while rolling.

– You foam roll your low back. Foam rolling your lower back is one of the cardinal sins of foam rolling. Doing so puts an inordinate amount of pressure in this region on the spine and should be avoided. FYI, the low back or lumbar spine is not always the reason for low back pain. It is often times coming from somewhere else in the body.

– You only foam roll when something hurts. Yes, foam rolling can be a helpful tool when something is flaring up, but it should also be used as a preventative or maintenance tool to avoid muscle tightness and future injuries.

09Oct

Chasing the Man Bod: Secret # 1

October 9, 2017 johnbecomehinkle 18

Hey fellas! Here is more detail on my first secret to help you get back to that svelte man bod you had in your younger days. Check out how water intake can play a significant role in changing your shape. The human body is comprised of 70% water and it plays a very important role in most bodily functions. I won’t bore you with ALL the different ways water affects the body, just the ones that influence how you can change your body to lose weight, increase muscle, and boost your energy. Proper hydration helps:

Maintain normal brain function.

The brain is the control center of the nervous system. It allows you to stay focused during workouts and recruits muscle to do the necessary work.

Prevent Injury.

If your joints and muscles are well hydrated, they can perform to their optimum level. Have you ever eaten beef jerky, which is dehydrated meat? It’s very dry and tough. Dried muscle doesn’t stretch and contract very well, it just tears apart.

Aide digestion and nutrient breakdown.

Water is the universal solvent. It can breakdown almost anything. Proper hydration levels help the body break down foods into usable nutrient forms for cell recovery and muscle building.

Flush waste products from the body.

These waste products can create a toxic environment in your body and prolong the recovery process. Getting rid of them helps you avoid heavy soreness and feel ready to take on another great workout.

Increase your metabolism.

Proper hydration boosts your calorie burn rate at rest allowing you to melt more fat throughout the day. That means cinching up the belt another notch. Water intake provides the ultimate fat burning environment and can take you from soft and fluffy to hard and defined.

So, how much water should you be drinking? It’s pretty simple math really. Take your body weight in pounds and divide by 2. The result tells you how many ounces of water you should drink each day. If you don’t drink much water on a daily basis, then take two to three weeks to increase your intake to the recommended dosage. Now, grab a glass and get to drinkin’.

Next time, I’ll be talking about the one type of exercise that can totally reshape your body…weight training.

22Sep

Hey Fellas, Check Out These 5 Secrets to Getting Back That Svelte Man Bod You Had in Your Younger Days

September 22, 2017 johnbecomehinkle 19

If you feel like life is sneaking up on you robbing you of strength, endurance, and energy and your body has become a little softer than you want it to be, check out my 5 secrets to getting back the body you had in your younger days.

Increase your daily water intake. Work your way up to drinking 1 ounce of water for each pound of body weight. Being properly hydrated provides the ultimate fat burning environment. If you’re not currently drinking much water throughout the day, gradually increase your intake over 2 weeks.

Weight train at least 3 days each week to help boost testosterone levels. Do your warm up, weight training, and then cardiovascular exercise. For weight training, perform compound or multi-joint movements to work as many muscle groups as possible in one lift. Examples include squats, deadlifts, rowing movements and chest presses.

Eat clean & lean 5 days/week. For all meals and snacks, eat lean meats such as turkey, chicken, eggs, and fish. Eat lots of leafy greens and colorful vegetables. Stay away from soda, alcohol, deserts and junk foods.

Get 6 ½ to 8 hours of sleep each night. Your body grows and repairs during the rest phase after and between workouts. Good quality sleep is very healing and restorative.

Plan to do something FUN for your workout 2-3 times per week to keep your exercise interesting. Go for a hike, ride your bike, go for a swim, try rock climbing, play basketball, racquetball, or tennis. These are all great ways to get some cardiovascular exercise and they will prevent boredom.

19Sep

The Importance of Weight Lifting for Bone Health

September 19, 2017 Chris Lathrop 24

What we do in our younger years has a huge impact on our risk for bone disease. Many of us will build bone especially well into our early twenties. After our young adult life, we’re primarily holding on to the stores we have already built. That’s not to say we can’t build bone in later years it’s just much more difficult. Those that choose to do strength training in their youth or as young adults can dramatically impact the level of bone mass that they preserve over the course of their life.

Even if you’re in your fifties or sixties, starting a strength-training program can be tremendous for maintaining and improving your bone health!

Although there are factors influencing our bone density that’s out of our control, most factors are up to us. Weight bearing exercise and diet (Stay tuned for next blog on nutrition for bones) are the two most powerful tools we have in our arsenal.

It may take years to improve your bone density but that’s not necessarily the case for improving bone strength! With proper weight training, you can improve the strength of your bones in a much shorter amount of time. The way in which bone tissue is laid can become stronger even before bone density is affected. After seeing numerous clients with some level of bone disease (Osteopenia or Osteoporosis) those that have maintained or improved their bone density have done so by using weights many people would consider too heavy.

Of course, we must progress in a safe manner but heavy weight training is not just for athletes or bodybuilders. Those five pound weights you see so many people using in gyms and exercise classes might be a good starting point but won’t do the trick long term. You need to work your way up to weights heavy enough to be challenging with few repetitions.

The adage, “the way you train, is the way you gain” rings true here. Your bones will get stronger in the ways that you stress them so building up to heavier weights and using multiple planes of motion will have the most significant impact.

Here are some take home points for improving your bone strength:

Heavy weights will not hurt you, poor form and poor preparation will.

Take time to build up the level of resistance you use eventually getting to weights that are challenging in the lower repetition range.

Work your body in multiple planes of motion.

It can take years to improve bone density but that doesn’t mean bones can’t get stronger in the meantime

31Mar

An Inside Look at Girl’s On The Run

March 31, 2015 fitnesssfa 21

-from Caroline, GOTR Participant at Morehead Elementary

“I didn’t even really know what Girls On The Run was when my mom signed me up. I knew I was pretty fast running the bases in softball but that was pretty much all the running I ever did. I wasn’t sure that running a 5K sounded like much fun, but my best friend was doing it so I knew it couldn’t be too bad.

I remember on the first day, we played this name game, where we had to come up with an adjective that matched the first letter of our names. Immediately, we were all laughing and joking around, deciding what to choose. The coaches were really laid-back, and fun to talk to, always ready to tell a joke or laugh at one of ours. They established right from the beginning that we could talk to them if something was ever wrong. It felt nice to know that they were in my corner! Through all the different games and exercises we did together, the coaches really made GOTR a place where we felt that we could open up to each other and feel supported.

One of the lessons that I remember most is the one where we talked about “plugging in our positive cord.” Our coaches brought these giant pieces of paper, and we traced each other’s bodies, then filled in our shape with positive words and traits about ourselves. I tend to be really hard on myself so after the first couple of ideas I stalled out, but the group started tossing out ideas which made me feel great and I was able to fill up the sheet.

Of course, between all these fun exercises, we were running laps too! Lots and lots of laps… By the time the final race date came around, I was confident that I could run the 5K but still a little nervous since I was going to be running with my Dad for the first time and wasn’t sure I would be able to keep up with him. Dad and I arrived at the race early that morning. We got sprayed with glitter hair gel, huddled with the Morehead GOTR team, and made our way to our starting spot. As we were waiting, the crowds pushed in and my anxiety increased. But finally we got to start running. It started out easy but I was definitely feeling it by the mid-point of the race. Our pace was faster than what I had practiced. I kept going but when I saw the big hill towards the end of the race, I just had to stop and walk for a bit. I was mad at myself that I wasn’t able to keep running but then I remembered what the coaches had taught me about being my own best friend. I took a deep breath, listened to all the cheering crowds and embraced the moment. We started running again and finished strong! I felt like a champ!

That race was almost two years ago and I have faced a lot more “big hills” since then. For example, starting middle school was a major change and seemed a little overwhelming at first but the GOTR lessons have come in handy more than once. This past fall, I ran my first cross-country season, and I was surprised by how much the practices reminded me of GOTR. We formed a lot of new friendships, and continued to push ourselves. The Lakewood Montessori Girls XC team ended up taking first in the county race (we had five finishes in the top 8, including another Morehead GOTR participant!) I continued on after that with state races and surprised myself when I qualified for nationals. It’s amazing what you can do with a positive attitude and a lot of preparation! I’ve learned that this works for me outside of running as well. For example, I never thought I would be willing to stand in front of 50 people on a debate team. But I did it last month, and I’m proud of myself!

Looking back, GOTR really boosted my confidence levels both in school and sports. If I hadn’t had the GOTR experience, I might not have discovered my love of running, and my ability to push myself out of my comfort zone in all sorts of situations. It really is a great program!”

And here is what Caroline’s mom Katherine had to say:

“I have been very pleased with the experiences that both of my daughters have had with Girls on the Run at Morehead Montessori (Caroline Spring 2013 and Amanda Spring 2015). Getting them running and thinking about how to keep their bodies strong and healthy at an early age is great. The topics that are covered are important and the coaches manage to do it in a way that is both fun and personally relevant to each girl. I love that the parents’ book lets me know what they are talking about in each session and suggests ways to continue the conversations at home. For me personally, I’ve found that while my daughters had already heard most of these messages from me over the years, it somehow becomes more true and impactful for them to hear it from an outside source and to have the messages affirmed by their peers in a group setting. The hands-on exercises that they do are great in translating the messages into actual actions that they are able to practice and incorporate into a mental arsenal of tools to help with any future girl drama, self-doubts, and all the other life challenges that come fast and furious during the tweenage years.

For Caroline, GOTR was her first foray into running which has since become a big part of her life. She surprised both herself and me with her running success and I have been very impressed with not only her physical achievements but also how mature she has been with building new relationships with coaches and teammates, setting goals for herself and really pushing herself to meet them, and all the time management required to do this on top of all her other commitments. Amanda of course is much younger as a third grader, but she is thrilled to be running like her big sister and I can’t wait for her to have the opportunity to cross her own finish line next month! I am so glad that they have both had this wonderful growth opportunity!”

MORE INFO ABOUT GOTR

28Aug

Stay Active! – Outdoor Workout

August 28, 2014 fitnesssfa 18

The end of summer is one of the best times of the year to get enjoy the outdoors with a quick workout! If you’re looking for a change-up to your daily routine of working out in doors or just want to enjoy the weather, then here’s a great way to spend 30 minutes in the sun! Just follow these 4 easy steps:

1) Make sure you get a good warm up! – There’s nothing like a pulled hamstring to ruin a good workout.

– Your warm up should include some dynamic stretching, or stretching your muscles with movement through its natural range of motion, and a faster paced exercise to get your heart rate going.

2) Workout – This workout is going to focus on strengthening the entire body as well as boosting your cardiorespiratory fitness!

– 20 body weight squats
– 20 push ups – These can be done against a wall, inclined, declined, from your knees, etc. Just make sure you’re challenging yourself!

image (27)
– 20 Steps ups – Find a staircase or low ledge for these – 10 steps on each side

– 20 Bicycle Crunches
image (28)

– 20 Burpees
– 1 minute plank
– repeat 2-3x through

3) Cool Down – Get a light jog eventually progressing into a walk with elongated steps. From there, go into some traditional static stretching: holding each stretch for about 20-30 seconds.

4) Have fun!

I hope you all enjoy your workouts and have a fantastic Labor Day weekend!

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