Fitness Articles by Cary Raffle | MS Exercise Science and Health Promotion | Certified Orthopedic Exercise Specialist | Certified Personal Trainer
12/13/2012
My Advertising Life
Before becoming a personal trainer in 2004, I had a 25+ year career as an advertising agency executive. Here are some of the advertising campaigns that I was involved in and a little story about each. Some have links to TV commercials some have examples of magazine or newspaper ads. The ad agencies I worked were known as Jordan Case & McGrath, GeersGross, Lowe Marschalk, Wells Rich Greene, and Favara & Raffle.
11/25/2012
Your Holiday Survival Workouts
Welcome to the most gluttonous of seasons. Just when you need it most, here are a couple of quick workout programs to help you get the most out of your time in the gym.
Whether you're a veteran of the gym or a beginner, when it comes to working out during the holiday season, less is more. It's all about spending less time and burning more calories in the time that you have . . . so that you can have fun and enjoy the season. As always, start with some stretching and 5 minute of cardio, and use any additional time at the end of your workout for a cardio cooldown and stretch.
Here are two workouts that burn more calories by emphasizing the big muscles (legs, back and chest), and working in a continuous circuit to keep your heart rate up:
If you're currently working on NYSC's XpressLine, or looking for a quick and effective workout that's appropriate for any fitness level, try this XpressLine Holiday Edition workout. It's a superset circuit that combines most of the XpressLine machines with other exercises. This workout can be done with no rest in between if you're sufficiently fit. Supersets are two exercises done in succession.
The Holiday Survival Workout is a more advanced circuit that includes total body exercises and several supersets. Total body exercises simultaneously use upper and lower body muscles to maximize your calorie burn. Pre planned exercise circuits are a good way to keep your heart rate up during your workout, another great way to get more results in less time.
Try both, and feel free to let me know if you have any questions.
Whether you're a veteran of the gym or a beginner, when it comes to working out during the holiday season, less is more. It's all about spending less time and burning more calories in the time that you have . . . so that you can have fun and enjoy the season. As always, start with some stretching and 5 minute of cardio, and use any additional time at the end of your workout for a cardio cooldown and stretch.
Here are two workouts that burn more calories by emphasizing the big muscles (legs, back and chest), and working in a continuous circuit to keep your heart rate up:
If you're currently working on NYSC's XpressLine, or looking for a quick and effective workout that's appropriate for any fitness level, try this XpressLine Holiday Edition workout. It's a superset circuit that combines most of the XpressLine machines with other exercises. This workout can be done with no rest in between if you're sufficiently fit. Supersets are two exercises done in succession.
The Holiday Survival Workout is a more advanced circuit that includes total body exercises and several supersets. Total body exercises simultaneously use upper and lower body muscles to maximize your calorie burn. Pre planned exercise circuits are a good way to keep your heart rate up during your workout, another great way to get more results in less time.
Try both, and feel free to let me know if you have any questions.
Top 10 Holiday Diet Tips of All Time
Experts offer their top tips on handling holiday diet temptations.
exerpted from a WebMD weight loss clinic feature by Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
To help you survive the seasonal parties without packing on the pounds, WebMD consulted diet gurus across the country for their best holiday diet tips. Here are their top 10 recommendations:
1. Trim back the trimmings.To shave calories, go easy when adding nuts, cheese, cream sauces, gravy, butter, and whipped cream.
2. Wear snug clothes and keep one hand busy. Hold a drink in your dominant hand so it won't be so easy to grab food.
3. Chew gum. When you don't want to eat, pop a piece of sugarless gum into your mouth. This works well when you're cooking or when you're trying not to dive into the buffet.
4. Be a food snob. If you don't love it, don't eat it, And don't think it's your responsibility to sample everything on the buffet.
5. No skipping meals. "People who skip meals to save up calories tend to overeat everything in sight once they get there," says Katherine Tallmadge, MA, RD, author of Diet Simple.
6. Check it out. When you arrive at the party, grab a sparkling water with a twist, and wait at least 30 minutes before eating.
7. Add fun and games. Take the focus off food and getting family and friends more active during holiday parties.
8. Alternate alcohol with nonalcoholic beverages. Cuts calories in half.
9. Skip the appetizers. If you need a little nibble before the meal, go for the veggies, fruit, salsa, or a small handful of nuts.
10. Limit the variety. "Variety stimulates appetite...limit your choices to just a few items and stick with these, it will be easier to control than eating a little bit of 20 different dishes" according to David Katz, MD, MPH, author of The Flavor Point Diet.
Click here to read the full story at WebMD.com
exerpted from a WebMD weight loss clinic feature by Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
To help you survive the seasonal parties without packing on the pounds, WebMD consulted diet gurus across the country for their best holiday diet tips. Here are their top 10 recommendations:
1. Trim back the trimmings.To shave calories, go easy when adding nuts, cheese, cream sauces, gravy, butter, and whipped cream.
2. Wear snug clothes and keep one hand busy. Hold a drink in your dominant hand so it won't be so easy to grab food.
3. Chew gum. When you don't want to eat, pop a piece of sugarless gum into your mouth. This works well when you're cooking or when you're trying not to dive into the buffet.
4. Be a food snob. If you don't love it, don't eat it, And don't think it's your responsibility to sample everything on the buffet.
5. No skipping meals. "People who skip meals to save up calories tend to overeat everything in sight once they get there," says Katherine Tallmadge, MA, RD, author of Diet Simple.
6. Check it out. When you arrive at the party, grab a sparkling water with a twist, and wait at least 30 minutes before eating.
7. Add fun and games. Take the focus off food and getting family and friends more active during holiday parties.
8. Alternate alcohol with nonalcoholic beverages. Cuts calories in half.
9. Skip the appetizers. If you need a little nibble before the meal, go for the veggies, fruit, salsa, or a small handful of nuts.
10. Limit the variety. "Variety stimulates appetite...limit your choices to just a few items and stick with these, it will be easier to control than eating a little bit of 20 different dishes" according to David Katz, MD, MPH, author of The Flavor Point Diet.
Click here to read the full story at WebMD.com
8/09/2012
Eccentric Exercise. Bigger. Stronger. More Powerfuller. Resistant to Injury.
No, it's not a blog posting about weird exercises. It's about the ECCENTRIC or negative phase of resistance exercises. This often under appreciated and ignored part of an exercise is important for:
1. Increasing strength
2. Increasing muscle size
3. Giving you delayed onset muscle soreness
4. Producing maximal power, ie, in plyometric movements
5. Rehabilitating injuries like tendonitis and protecting muscles, connective tissues and joints from future injuries
Read on for some simple ideas and changes you can make to help improve your exercise program ... whether you want to get bigger, stronger, more powerful, reduce the risk of injury , or speed recovery.
Often left unloved In plyometric training, the often overlooked ECCENTRIC movement is important as a loading phase: like a rubber band, the muscle stores elastic energy that is released in the CONCENTRIC movement. For best results, perform the ECCENTRIC movement first with an immediate transition into the CONCENTRIC movement. ECCENTRIC and CONCENTRIC movements for some common exercises are shown below.
|
Wisely and slow Your muscles work hard to resist against the weight - or gravity - in the ECCENTRIC phase. They slow the decent of the weight in a chest press or biceps curl, or of the body in a squat, or the return of the weight stack in a cable exercise. Muscles forcibly lengthen during an ECCENTRIC contraction, and this is believed to cause more damage to muscle fibers and sensory organs than other contractions. In fact, delayed onset muscle soreness is mainly attributed to the ECCENTRIC phase. Why is it good to damage your muscle fibers? Your body responds to this damage by repairing the damage and creating new fibers. Your muscle's sensory organs adapt and respond better to future bouts of similar exercises. So we get bigger and stronger. Just don't forget to rest, because this happens on the days off. The adaptation is pretty quick, do the same exercise after 48-72 hours, and you're not likely to have the same amount of soreness. Muscles actually absorb energy during the ECCENTRIC phase; a variety of sources estimate that they are 40% stronger than in the CONCENTRIC phase. To get the benefits, perform the ECCENTRIC phase completely and slowly. Most training protocols specify 2 or 3 or 4 seconds for the ECCENTRIC contraction, however, some may call for a last repetition with a 10 second ECCENTRIC contraction. Be careful trying this, use less weight, and work with a spotter - your muscles will tire more quickly and can fail unexpectedly. Body builders often use this to continue working longer and/or harder in the ECCENTRIC phase. For example, you might have a spotter lift the weights to perform the CONCENTRIC contraction in chest press or biceps curl, and complete the ECCENTRIC contraction on your own. |
Breathe life into a stone, quicken a rock, and make you dance More and more research is showing that emphasizing ECCENTRIC exercises and movements can be helpful in rehabilitation and prevention of tendon and muscle injuries, especially chronic tendinosis that may not respond to other therapies. One advantage is that it can both lengthen and strengthen a muscle. If you're experiencing chronic tendon or muscle problems, talk to your doctor or physical therapist about an incorporating ECCENTRIC exercises into your rehab program, and I can help you transition into the gym. Use can almost change the stamp of nature You may be able to prevent injuries in the first place and avoid re-injury by using ECCENTRIC exercises to "prehab" vulnerable spots. For example, I have several clients who are runners and athletes incorporating ECCENTRIC calf exercises into their programs to protect the achilles tendon and plantar fascia. Early intervention may help keep you from developing chronic injuries and landing in rehab in the first place. This applies across the board, from competitive athletes to those just beginning a fitness program. |
7/26/2012
Myths About Perspiration, Fluid Replacement Guidelines, Your Personal Hydration Program
We're on track for ta hot summer, and with everybody sweating more, many of you have asked about hydration and fluid replacement strategies.
This posting reviews common myths about perspiration and provides hydration and fluid replacement guidelines to enhance performance and avoid heat related illnesses. Information comes from authoritative sources including position stands of The American College of Sports Medicine and peer reviewed publications of the National Strength and Conditioning Association. |
MYTHS ABOUT PERSPIRATION
#1 - The More I Sweat the More Calories I Burn. FALSE. Perspiration is part of our body's cooling system, it does not necessarily require burning calories or correlate with caloric expenditures. Example: stand outside on a very humid 90 degree day, and you will sweat profusely. Run indoors in a very dry 65 degree environment, and you may hardly break a sweat. #2 - I Can Sweat The Weight Off. FALSE. -Weight loss due to sweating indicates dehydration. This weight is water that needs to be replaced, it is not the stored body fat that you really want to lose. In sports like boxing, MMA and wrestling, participants may temporarily sweat off a few pounds to make weight - but will immediately begin rehydration before the exercise event. |
YOUR BODY'S HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEM
Whether from exercise, movement or shivering, muscle activity generates heat, which your blood circulates. Your body cools itself by increasing blood flow close to the skin and through evaporation of sweat. Research has shown sweat rates range from .5 to 2 liters per hour with marked differences between individuals. The amount of sweat varies based on individual characteristics such as body weight, genetics, heat acclimatization, and conditioning, and environmental conditions such as heat, humidity, clothing and equipment.
|
EUHYDRATION, DEHYDRATION, HYPERHYDRATION
Euhydration means we're at our normal hydration level and weight, and this is the most desirable state. For most people water is about 60% of body weight when we are euhydrated. Dehydration is easily measured by calculating lost body weight before and after exercise. Ten to 14 days of training in heat will help you acclimatize and reduce risk of dehydration.
Whether you're working out, running, walking, or even sitting outside in hot humid weather, every pound you lose is a sign that you've lost about a pint of water. Hyperhydration, drinking an excessive amount of water before an athletic event or exercise (more than euhydration), has not been found to improve athletic performance and is not recommended.
|
GENERAL FLUID AND ELECTROLYTE GUIDELINES
NSCA provides the following general guidelines for fluid and electrolyte replacement:
Before exercise event: Drink 16 ounces of water two hours before; drink 8 ounces sports drink 10-20 minutes before. During exercise event: Drink a sports drink that contains 30-60 grams of electrolytes and 120-240 grams of carbohydrates per hour to prevent fuel depletion. Drink 8 ounces of fluids every 15-20 minutes. After exercise event: Drink 2-3 cups of fluid for every pound of body weight lost. Competitive athletes, marathoners and triathletes will benefit from a more personalized hydration program tailored. |
YOUR PERSONAL HYDRATION PROGRAM
Developing your own individualized program is actually easy. ACSM'smost recent position stand on fluid replacement recommends individualized programs because our sweat rates vary.
Weigh yourself before and after exercise to determine your rate of fluid loss due to sweating, and rehydrate accordingly. If you lose a pound in a half hour, replace it with 16 ounces of fluid per half hour of exercise. This may vary depending on weather, intensity and clothing, but over time you should be able to make adjustments. Begin to prehydrate a few hours before your exercise event, so that your stomach contents are emptied, fluids are absorbed by your body, and urine flow returns to normal. Rehydrate during the exercise event to replenish the fluids being lost. |
ELECTROLYTES, SODIUM AND HYPONATREMIA
Electrolyte and sodium depletion and replacement is more difficult to individually quantify and program because it requires blood testing.
Interestingly, ACSM has found that sodium replacement does not reduce cramping in triathletes, implying that muscle fatigue and energy replacement may be more important factors. Contact me if you have any questions or want to set up some sessions to develop your personalized program, or visit TrainerCary.com for more information. |
7/12/2012
Updated Exercise Programs and Progressions Page
Find links to15 different exercise and flexibility programs, including illustrated programs and a mini self assessment, visit trainercary.com/exercise-programs. Feel free to contact me to schedule sessions for a more detailed and customized assessment and to personalize your program to your needs, goals and fitness level.
6/21/2012
Summer Dehydration Alert
Weight loss from exercise during the summer can be a sign of dehydration. It may seem like a good thing to lose weight after a workout, but it is actually one of the early warning signs of dehydration. Every pound you lose working out is a sign that you've lost about a pint of water. Replace lost fluids to return to your pre workout weight, to avoid fatigue, cramping and potentially health threatening side effects.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Fitness Articles for You
-
Until now, most training programs have been based mainly on the experiences and goals of body builders, coaches and athletes. There's ap...
-
We're on track for ta hot summer, and with everybody sweating more, many of you have asked about hydration and fluid replacement strat...
-
Whether your goal is to improve performance, slim down, cut-up, bulk-up, reduce risk of injury or work around a problem area, a carefully c...
-
SUPERSET CIRCUIT TRAINING: THE NEW YORK STYLE WORKOUT by Cary Raffle Pro Trainer, New York Sports Clubs, NASM Certified Personal Trainer Cop...
-
If you think that paying the price for super-premium products is a way to avoid ingredients WE don't want - like corn syrup - think agai...
-
If you feel like you've been stretching a tight muscle forever and not making progress, you're not alone. Most people do static str...
-
Whether you're new to the gym, returning after a break, or resolved to bust through a plateau and take your fitness to a new le...