Showing posts with label nysc. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nysc. Show all posts

1/16/2014

What NOT To Do: The Six DO NOTS of Weight Loss



In this issue, six simple tips about the things that don't work and alternative that do to help you get the most out
of your efforts.  


1.  Don't Starve - Watching your calories is good, starving yourself and skipping meals actually works against
you. When you skip meals or reduce your calorie intake too low, your body thinks you're starving and goes into
"survival mode." It actually lowers your metabolism so that you burn less calories. Instead, plan on increasing
exercise and reducing caloric intake so that you have a daily "calorie deficit" of 500-1000 calories. At this rate,
you should lose 1-2 pounds of fat per week. The American Dietetic Association and American College of
Sports Medicine consider this level optimal for long term weight loss.

2.  Don't Do Just Cardio - Aerobic exercise is great for burning calories while you're doing them and for a
short time later. Strength training has the added advantage of building lean muscle - which means your
metabolism increases and you burn more calories ALL DAY LONG! Ideally, do a combination of both for
best results.

3.  Skip the Small Muscle Exercises - The larger the muscle, the more calories it will burn when you exercise.
Legs, Back and Chest exercises give you the most bang for the buck, while small muscles like shoulders,
arms and calves burn very few calories. Multi-joint exercises like those shown on the chart below give you
the biggest bang for the buck, and can hit smaller muscles in the process.

Skip These Small Muscle Exercises
Emphasize Big Muscles/Multi-Joint Exercises
Biceps, Triceps, Shoulder Press, Shoulder Lateral
and Front Raises, Calf Raises
Squats, Lunges, Pushups, Pullups, Chest Press, Rows,  
Lat Pulldowns, Hamstring Curls

4.  Cut the Down Time- Organize your strength workout into circuits so that you get more training volume
and keep your heart rate up by reducing idle time between sets. Examples of circuits include
lunge/pushup/pullup with no rest in between and chest press/row/squat. I've got some circuit training programs
on my website at programs.caryraffle.com.  

5.  Don't Go in Without a Plan - It is proven that having a plan and schedule lead to better results. Where,
when, how often will you exercise and what will you do in every exercise session? Base your plan on goals
that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely.

6.  Don't Get Hurt - Overtraining, inappropriate exercise selection, and poor setup technique can lead to an
injury that derails your program - or worse. Give each muscle group a day off between strength training
sessions. Identify problem exercises for you with the mini-self assessment on my website
trainercary.com/fitness-assessment. Be careful with technique in getting in setting up weights or getting in and
out of machines. It is easy to get hurt grabbing for a weight in the wrong way or squirming in and out of a
machine without adjusting it properly.  If you've had a long break or are new to exercise, check with your
doctor first.

If you need help getting a safe, appropriate, efficient and effective program off the ground, I can usually get
someone on routine in as few as five sessions.  

2/10/2012

Can Kettlebells Relieve Back Pain?

Beware the sound byte, like this recent New York Times headline Turning to Kettlebells to Ease Back Pain.

The actual study compares Danish workers who did 2-3 [PROFESSIONALLY SUPERVISED, PROGRESSIVE INTERVAL TRAINING] sessions with kettlebells a week to those who were "encouraged to exercise" and concludes that kettlebells reduced neck, shoulder and low back pain.

The same effect from strength training is well known, and the Times article links to a large scale study that shows resistance training helps reduce musculoskeletal pain.

Mentioned in the article, but missing from the headline: "kettlebells can be difficult to control, it's important to learn proper form from a certified instructor."  Kettlebells may be an effective part of a fitness program for some people, but done incorrectly there is a high risk of injury, especially to lower back and other gym members. That's why many gyms don't allow members to use kettlebells without supervision.

Like any fitness program, the first step with kettlebells should be an assessment.  To avoid risk of injury - especially to the lower back - you need to have sufficient flexibility through the hips and back. in many cases, flexibility training or preconditioning without kettlebells may be advisable.

Similar or better results may be obtained without use of kettlebells, using traditional strength training programs that entail less risk and have more scientific research behind them.

2/07/2012

Dirty Secrets of Personalized Training

When you walk into a gym like NYSC's Wall Street location, you've got over 5,000 pieces of exercise equipment (really!) and more than 50 classes a week. How do you know which are right for you? And which may be wrong.
Whether you train on your own, with a friend or group or with a professional trainer, personalized training is about getting the right program for you. This article will share the "secret process" a personal trainer uses to personalize your training.  Try it on your own, or let me know if you need some help.

IT IS NOT WHAT YOU SEE ON TELEVISION
What's with the frightening picture of personal training presented on television?  Trainers behave like screaming drill sergeants who push and whip their clients through extreme workout programs that produce amazing results. It's like some secret dark art practiced by a cult of Adonises.

It usually doesn't work that way. Most of us in the real world of personal training follow a different approach. We design programs with careful consideration to avoiding injury, ensuring consistency and helping our clients meet their goals. And many of the best trainers aren't nearly pretty enough for TV.

ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL
Some people are on a mission to do every single exercise in the gym. Others do a very small list of the same exercises over and over again, sometimes for years and years. Then, there are those who follow a "one-size-fits-all program," a program that they've bought or pulled from the latest issue of a magazine or gotten from a friend.

When someone says to me "I've just joined and need someone to show me how to work the machines," my response is always the same: "Let's talk about the most important  machine in the gym. Your body. Let's find the right exercises for YOU."

"80% OF LIFE IS JUST SHOWING UP"
You can't succeed until you figure out what it takes to get yourself to exercise on a regular basis. Will you make an appointment with yourself and keep it? Do you need an appointment with a friend so you don't cancel? Maybe a class? Or a written program to follow and log? Can you keep the commitment to exercise on your own? Do you get bored easily? Will you push yourself hard enough? If two weeks or more pass by and you've skipped your exercise appointment, your plan isn't working.

One surprising thing I've learned since becoming a trainer: most clients train because they just will not show up on their own without the threat of being charged for cancellation. Recently a few clients even told me how good they felt after buying a personal training package: "Now I know I will workout 2-3x a week for the next few months."

The same is true of those advertised programs. The logs and variation keep you coming back and keep it interesting. No wonder people get results.

THEN WHY DO I NEED A PERSONALIZED PROGRAM?
In some cases the answer is obvious. Maybe you have a medical condition, are coming back to the gym after physical therapy, or participate in a competitive sport and need to improve performance and/or reduce risk of injuries.  For the rest of the world, a truly personalized exercise program can improve your physical condition, strength, posture, movement and athletic abilities. Incorrec exercise selection can exacerbate problems with posture and movement and will not produce the desired results, while sticking with the same program for too long will lead to you to plateau and stop improving. In some cases, this can lead to the same kind of repetitive stress injuries that you might associate with factory workers.

WHO ARE YOU?
Your personalized program starts with an inventory of YOU, including goals, medical background, and issues that affect exercise.

1. What is your age and weight?
2. What are your goals?
3. What is your current program and exercise experience? If you've taken classes or worked with trainers before, what were the results, what did you like and dislike?
4. Do you have any current or past injuries, medical conditions, pain or sensitive areas?
5. What is your lifestyle: what do you do at work and for recreation?
6. How often can you work out and how much time can you spend?
7. Which exercises do you like and which do you dislike?
8. Do you have any problems with posture and movement?



THE MISSING LINK
The single most important part of any personalized fitness program - and the oneso often missing - is a Fitness Assessment. This is the one thing that allows the program to be personalized to YOU.

- your fitness goals
- your answers to the above questions
- your posture and movement
- your current performance level and abilities

Sometimes the assessment is based on testing; often it is based on your history and a simple "visual inspection." Many times, I've already taken note of a client's issues and have them perform tests to demonstrate and explain the issue and program rationale to them.

Among people I meet in NYC, the assessment usually reveals one or more of the following issues: Rounded Shoulders; Externally Rotated Feet; Knock Knees; Arched Lower Back.  If you've got these issues, there are certain exercises that are recommended to correct them, and other exercises that should absolutely be avoided.  Learn more about assessment and try assessing yourself with the mini-self assessment at trainercary.com.


CAN YOU GIVE A RATIONALE FOR YOUR OVERALL PROGRAM AND EVERY EXERCISE IN IT?
Once you've answered the above questions and completed your assessment, you should be able to explain why your personalized program and each exercise is right or wrong for you - right down to the number of sets, repetitions and tempo. This knowledge will transform your program and exercise selection into a carefully considered and highly personalized process.

Here are some brief examples of rationales that I might use:

The client is deconditioned and his goal is weight loss, so the program will focus on a) maximizing calories burned through cardiovascular training and working the large muscle groups (legs, back, and chest). It will also include stretches and exercises to minimize the risk that an injury will interrupt the program.

The client is a competitive runner who has been experiencing plantar fasciitis and pain in the iliotibial bands. The program will target the lower extremity postural distortion syndrome and include stretches for the calves and hip muscles (including the IT band and tensor fascia latae) along with strengthening of the gluteus medius, gluteus maximus and anterior tibialis.

2 sets of 15 single leg biceps curl with dumbbells was selected because the goals include core strengthening and building lean muscle, and the client has a shoulder imbalance that makes barbell curls or preacher curls somewhat risky and less effective.

Incline chest press and overhead shoulder exercises are not included in this program due to the client's rounded shoulders and/or history of rotator cuff injury, common upper extremity postural distortions.
2 sets of 15 repetitions with :03 isometric contraction of rear flies and shoulder external rotation will strengthen the muscles that pull the shoulder back along with shoulder internal rotation with a :04 negative to help improve range of motion.

Side-Lying leg lifts (hip abduction) is included in this program because the clients knees tend  to move inward, i.e., they excessively adduct; the hip Adductor machine is avoided because the clients adductors are extremely tight and short; the hip abduction machine is avoided because it also works the piriformis (muscles that externally rotate the hip).

YOU CAN'T PROGRESS WITHOUT PROGRESSION
As you develop your own personalized training program, think about how you will progress the exercises over the next month, and over the longer term. Our bodies adapt to a program after about 4-6 weeks at which time the program produces diminishing results. Most people think of progression as simply increasing the weight or changing the specific machines or exercises, and overlook the opportunity of varying the training modality.

If you've been focused on stable training such as machines, lying on benches and/or sitting through your workout, try standing to increase core activation and target a greater cross section of muscle fibers. Once you've mastered that, progress to exercises on a single leg, with balance boards and balls. Then come back to a more intensive stable strength training routine. Or try plyometrics to increase power.
I've got some examples of progressions at trainercary.com/exercise-programs.

I know that not everyone shares my passion for exercise, but try to make the workouts as interesting as possible.  Develop a few good personalized programs and progressions that you can change at 4-6 weeks intervals or use "undulating periodization," where you vary the workout more frequently. This is the "muscle memory" secret of that popular "one-size-fits-all program" that you see advertised on television. Only better, because the program and progression is personalized for YOU.

So there you have it, the dirty secrets of personalized training. I guess they aren't so dirty after all though.  

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.

10/27/2009

Pre-Hab/PostRehab

Are you or someone you know in treatment for an injury? Have you completed treatment and entered the post-rehab phase? Are you headed towards your next injury?

Nagging pains, problems, and injuries involving muscles and joints are an inevitable fact of life. Joint replacement surgeries are increasingly common. The good news is that a carefully designed fitness program can actually reduce the risk of injury, speed recovery, and prevent re-injury. Choose the wrong exercises, however, and you could be setting your self up for future problems.

These postings discuss pre-hab and post-rehab - specialized areas of training that require close work between client, trainer, and often physical therapists and doctors. However, once the issues are identified, your problems can be fairly easy to address.

Feel free to let me know if you have any questions, and to suggest future topics.

10/26/2009

COMMON PROBLEMS: What To Do, What to Avoid

The following are some brief summary case histories of common problems that you can address in your fitness program, including key things to add and avoid:

CASE HISTORY #1: ROUNDED SHOULDERS
Likely Injury: Rotator Cuff, Impingement, Biceps Tendonitis
Add to program: Chest stretch, reverse fly, scaption, close grip row, external rotation/rotator cuff strengthening
Avoid: Overhead shoulder exercise, incline chest press, front row, behind neck exercises

CASE HISTORY #2: KNOCK KNEES
Likely Injury: ACL/MCL Tear, possibly knee or hip pain, frequent ankle sprains
Add to program: Side Lying Leg Lift, Single Leg Press/Squat, Hip stretch, IT Band Stretch
Avoid: Adductor

CASE HISTORY #3: EXTERNALLY ROTATED FEET
Likely Injury: Plantar Fascitis, Achilles Tendinitis, calf cramps, frequent ankle sprains
Add to program: Foam Roll and stretch calves, toe raises, side lying leg lift, single leg press/squat
Avoid: Calf raises

CASE HISTORY #4: ARCHED BACK
Likely Injury:
Low Back Pain, Disk injuries
Add to program: Planks, lower body and back stretching, unstable exercises
Avoid: Excessive hip flexion and abdominal flexion (sitting, leg raises, crunches)

CASE HISTORY #5: POOR BALANCE
Likely Injury: Slips and Falls, Hip Fracture
Add to program: Single leg exercises, core strengthening
Avoid: Extended periods of sitting

10/25/2009

CORRECTIVE FITNESS PROGRAMS

Over the past few years, I've shared several corrective programs with blog readers, you can access some of these programs by clicking below. The programs are general and appropriate for most people, however, if you have been treated for an injury you should talk to your physical therapist or doctor and get clearance before proceeding. You can also feel free to contact me for an appointment to develop a more customized program or program for other issues, and for personal instruction.

Low Back Pain Program

Plantar Fascitis/Shin Splints

Rounded Shoulders/Forward Head

9/09/2009

Deep Core Training

PUBLIC ENEMY #1 - THE CHAIR

The problem with most People's Cores? Sit all day and the inner abdominal muscles and glutes get stretched out and weak, hip flexors and low back get short and tight...leading to low back pain, poor balance and other potential problems. Then you try to get active and things can really fall apart.

The problem with most people's core training programs?
1) too much emphasis on external abdominal exercises (crunches) and hip flexion (knee and leg raises);
2) not enough work on inner abdominals and glutes and stabilization while performing movement;
3) too many seated or lying exercise and machines, especially after sitting all day at work;
4 )inadequate or poorly targeted stretching;
5) lack of progression beyond a few basic exercises and failure to integrate movements with core stabilization.

Poor exercise selection can actually cause or exacerbate low back pain. However, an effectively designed fitness program can help protect you from injury and may speed your recovery. Some of the principles of these programs come from yoga and pilates, but you can actually incorporate them into a more traditional strength and conditioning program and progress them to provide continued improvement.

Here is a four step program that you can start to take to improve and train your innermost core:

Step 1- Flexibility: You can't properly work a muscle when the opposing muscles or synergists are tight and overactive, because your joints are in poor alignment. You're also more susceptible to injury. Most readers will benefit from a program like the one presented in the Ultimate Flexibility post, click here for a downloadable copy.

Step 2-Static Core Activation & Strengthening: Wake up the muscles that have been asleep all day long! These exercises focus on activating and strengthening the core in a stationary position, good examples include the 'plank' and quadruped with raised arm and leg. Static strengthening is a good start, but you'll also want to include exercises that train your core to stabilize your body as you perform movements.

Step 3-Integrated Core Training: Activate your core as you perform strength exercises for chest, back, arms, legs, shoulders - any muscle at all. Examples include single leg versions of standing chest press, rows, biceps curls, triceps extensions, as well as lunges and exercises performed on balance boards and stability balls. It is more challenging to stabilize as your perform the exercises, and these exercises train your core to stabilize in different ways that static core training. Once you've mastered this phase with good form throughout, you are ready to add more complex, dynamic movements that require core stabilization throughout.

Step 4-Dynamic Core Training: Here, we stabilize as we move multiple muscle groups together or move in multiple planes of motion, requiring constant effort to stabilize. A few examples include walking lunges with rotation and a step to balance, or a single arm row with a reverse lunge and step to balance, or multi-planar step ups onto a bench with balance and a biceps curl. These may sound over complicated, but they can be graceful to watch and help you stay balanced and on your feet when - for example - you have a near miss on the football field, track or crossing the street.



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