I recently attended a series of seminars and completed a certificate in Corrective Exercise Strategy for the Low Back, and will be sharing some of that information below along with an illustrated program for core and corrective training.

Beware ...the Arched Lower Back

Poor posture, especially while weight lifting, is a set-up for a back injury. Injury can be immediate, or cumulate over time. There are for different postural distortions that are most common in people with lower back pain, all of which we look for when we conduct a squat assesment:
- Excessive forward lean at the shoulders/head
- Low Back Arches
- Low Back Rounds
- Assymetrical weight shift at the hips.
...the desk job In my experience with typical gym members, the arched lower back is the most commonly seen problem. If you think about your jobs - sitting at desks hunched over computers all day long - it is not surprising that the hip flexors and lats get tight and the glutes, hamstrings and deep abdominal core gets weak. The lower back muscles can tighten as a result. Pain results, sometimes caused by muscle and ligament strain, sometimes nerve impingement, and sometimes by damage to a disk.
...poor weight lifting technique Lifting weights with an arched back is a recipe for disaster, especially overhead lifting. Ditto for pulling exercises. When the spine is in an arched position there is pressure on the disks which can easily lead to herniation or ruptures. Your powerful pectoral muscles or shoulder muscles may be able to handle the weight, but your disks can't.

Want to lift more weight safely without arching your back? Strenghten your core.

Core and Corrective Training Program for Arched Lower Back

The following are some general guidelines and a training program that applies to most people, a more specific program might be developed following a fitness assessment.

Stretch With an arched lower back, the typical tight or overactive muscles are the hip flexors/quadriceps, latissimus dorsi and erector spinae (lower back).

Strenghten The gluteus maximus, hamstring and core stablizers muscles are underactive and need to be strenghtened and activated. Traditional abdominal crunches can actually work against you here - they can train the external abdominals to active before the inner core muscles.

Click here for an illustrated guide to core and corrective exercises that you can incorporate into your training program.

Improving Your Flexibility: "Reciprocal Inhibition"

If a muscle is tight the opposite muscle is probably weak and extended.
by Cary Raffle

If you're looking to improve your "flexibility" stretching alone may not be enough. When a muscle is tight chances are that the opposite muscle is, in a sense, all stretched out and weak. Your quadriceps and hip flexors may be tight from sitting all day long, which puts them in a constantly flexed position. The compensation is that your hamstrings and glutes are weak and extended. Your pecs and front delts tighten as they turn in to work on the computer or drive, and your rhomboids and lower traps get all stretched out. They might even feel sore. As your inner abdominal core muscles become weak, your lower back tightens and arches putting pressure on your spinal cord and disks. We think of muscles as agonists and antagonists, working in pairs. When a muscle becomes tight, we think of it as being "overactive." If you're only dong stretching of the tight and overactive antagonist muscles, you're missing half of the equation - the weak antagonists.

Many of my clients are familiar with training techniques that we use to work on these problems, especially targeting exercises that strengthen weak antagonists. In fact, many typical office workers should minimize or avoid many exercises altogether because they target overactive muscles. If you've got big, tight calves like me, you probably don't need to work them but you might want to work the tibialis in front of the leg. If your knees turn in, you don't need to work those tight inner thighs but you will want to work on your abductors, gluteus medius and maximus.

There's also a whole area of hands-on stretching that uses the principle of reciprocal inhibition, called neuromuscular stretching or PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) or contract-relax. In this technique, the 'stretchee' activates the antagonist muscle to resist against the stretch, then relaxes as the 'stretcher' gently extends the tight muscle. This isn't something to try on your own or with your workout partner, as there is potential for overstretching and injuring a muscle without proper training.

Two final points on stretching: You should always warm up before stretching. Your muscles respond better when warm, there are actually enzymes released that make the stretching (as well as your workout) more effective. Second, stretch your tight muscles don't waste time on the muscles that aren't tight. It may feel nice but if your quads are tight as could be, chances are that your hamstrings aren't and you don't need to waste your time.

What are you Training For?

Different weight levels, repetitions and sets cause your muscles to develop or "adapt" in different ways. Here's a rundown of what these are all about, we'll review the way to train for these specific goals in the article below.

Strength is the ability of your neuromuscular system - your brain, nervous system and muscles working together - to generate force. A big part of strength is neurological. (We've all seen someone who doesn't look very big but is very strong).

It is helpful to think of two kinds of strength. Maximal Strength is the type of one repetition strength that powerlifters train for. Endurance Strength is the ability to produce force over prolonged time, important for marathoners and most of the rest of us.

Hypertrophy means getting bigger muscles. Fast twitch muscles fibers typically hypertrophy more than slow twitch or endurance muscle fibers. Weight training programs for those seeking hypertrophy need to target the fast twitch fibers. There is also a neurological component, as the nervous system needs to establish a connection to the maximum number of muscle fibers in order to get them working and growing.

Power applies to generating the maximum amount of force in the shortest period of time. The brain, nervous system and muscles work together to hit a baseball out of the park. Training for power generally involves quickly moving both heavy and light loads.

How Many Sets and Repetitions Should I Be Doing?

An exclusive to Your Fitness Newsletter by Cary Raffle.
Gym Science - Ask the guys in the gym how many sets and reps to do and you'll get almost any answer. You'll hear about people who "got big" doing this and didn't get big doing that, or their own personal experience. Or that "it doesn't really matter because everyone is different," and you need to do "change it up" periodically. They may have stories of a body builder they know, but most of us aren't body builders and don't spend the time, follow the diet or take the supplements and risks that a body builder might to achieve results.
Exercise Science - As an alternative, you could turn to a large body of scholarly research on exercise programs published in peer reviewed journals in which all kinds of people - from young athletes to normal healthy adults to the elderly - were tested and results were compared. The studies considered the different goals, summarized to the right, and are fairly consistent in their findings and lead to the following recommendations. The following recommendations for sets and repetitions are from the National Academy of Sports Medicine:

Endurance Strength	1-3 sets of 12-20 repetitions @ 60-70% of 1RM* w/0-:90 rest
Maximal Strength	3-6 sets of 1-12 repetitions @70-100% of 1RM w/:45-5:00 rest
Hypertrophy (size)	3-5 sets of 8-12 repetitions @70-85% of 1RM w/0-:60 rest
Power	3-6 sets of 1-10 repetitions @30-45% of 1RM &/or up to 10% of body weight w/3:00-5:00 rest

*1RM=1 Repetition Maximum

We all have a different mix of the 3 muscle fiber types, different diets, and our bodies respond differently to training, however, these have been proven to produce the desired results among thousands of people studied in research. Within 4-6 weeks, your neuromuscular system adapts to a particular workout or training regimen, and you experience a diminishing return on your efforts.

For best results, most people should Periodize their training and cycle between 2-3 different phases of training - or different progressions of weights/sets/repetitions within the same phase - on a 4-6 week basis. An added benefit to Periodization is reduced risk of injury; doing the same workout on a long-term basis is similar to working on an assembly line and increases the risk of repetitive motion injuries. For an article about periodization, scroll down through my weblog.

For those of you who would like to read a very detailed and scientific review of this subject, click here to download a copy of the American College of Sports Medicine's Position Stand: Progression Models in Resistance Training for Healthy Adults.

Keep Your Motor Running: Fuel Before and After Competition

adapted from an article by Jacqueline Berning, Ph.D., R.D
Skipping meals or not eating before a workout can impair performance, and not eating after a workout or competition leaves you running on empty. Make nutrition a priority before, during and after exercise.
The Pre-Exercise Meal First it keeps you from feeling hungry and sluggish before and during exercise, and secondly it helps to maintain optimal levels of energy for the exercising muscles. A good recommendation is to eat a meal 2-4 hours before exercise. The ideal pre-exercise meal should be primarily carbohydrates, moderate in protein and low in fat. Carbohydrates are digested rapidly. Protein and fat take longer to digest. Pre-exercise meals high in fat can cause stomach upset, gas and bloating.
The Post-Exercise Meal Muscles are most receptive to recovery during the first 30 minutes after exercise. To completely restore muscle energy, eat within 30 minutes after exercise and then eat small meals at 2 hours and again at 4 hours. If you can't take solid foods 30 minutes after exercise, or they are not available, try drinking 2-4 cups of a sports drink or eating an energy bar, then eat more solid foods 2 and 4 hours later.
Be sure to hydrate after a workout or game. Weigh yourself and drink 3 cups of fluid for each pound lost during the competition.
The same kind of high-carbohydrate, power-packed foods are recommended for BOTH before and after exercise:
4 or more hours before AND 4 hours after
Grilled chicken/rice/fruit
Turkey sandwich/raw carrots
Spaghetti with meat sauce
String cheese/grapes/crackers
Energy bar/Sports drinks
2-3 hours before AND 2 hours after
Cereal/lowfat milk
Fresh fruit
Bagel with peanut butter
Sports drink
Energy bar
1 hour or less before AND 30 minutes after
Yogurt
Energy bar
Sports drink
Pretzels
To read the full article at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute, click here.

Plyometrics: Controlled Impact/Maximum Power

The Eastern Europeans first used plyometrics in the 1970s to develop greater strength and power in their Olympic athletes. They based their programs on scientific evidence that stretching muscles prior to contracting them recruits the ''myotactic'' or stretch reflex of muscle to enhance the power of contraction. This prestretching of muscles occurs when you perform jumps one after the other.

One study found that participants in a well-designed program of stretching, plyometric training and weight training reduced their landing forces from a jump by 20 percent, and increased their hamstrings strength by 44 percent. Both of these factors contribute to reducing an individual's potential risk of injury.

A safe and effective plyometric program stresses quality, not quantity of jumps. Safe landing techniques, such as landing from toe to heel from a vertical jump, and using the entire foot as a rocker to dissipate landing forces over a greater surface area, also are important to reduce impact forces. In addition, visualization cues, such as picturing yourself landing ''light as a feather'' and ''recoiling like a spring'' after impact promotes low-impact landings.

If you are considering plyometrics, proceed with caution. Carefully considering the type of jumps selected for the program, enlisting a coach or trainer for supervision, and gradually increasing to more difficult exercises can make a plyometric program both safe and effective.

You can contact me for more information, and read the full story from the American Council on Exercise by clicking here.

Learning from Losers

For the past dozen years, researchers Rena Wing, Ph.D., and James Hill, Ph.D., tracked about 6,000 people in their National Weight Control Registry: Participants lost at least 30 pounds and maintained that for at least a year. (The average is 70 pounds off and for six years.) The successful losers didn't turn to wacky eating plans, fad diets, or extreme measures like gastric-bypass surgery. Instead, what worked was common sense-they modified their diet and increased their physical activity to change their caloric balance.

Most people who have lost weight (and kept it off) adopted these five habits. It'll be your loss if you adopt them, too:

Keep Up the Carbs Most successful losers get about 49 percent or more of the calories from carbs, about 29 percent from fat, and the remainder from protein. The key is selecting the foods rich in fiber which proviies a sense of fullness. Research shows that a diet that includes 34 or more grams of fiber daily actually drops the number of calories your body takes up from your food. Over a year, this could equal a 10-pound weight loss.

Take Good Notes Most dieters typically stop bothering to write down what they eat after a few months of weight loss. But many kept a food diary for years, taking measurements and noting precise portions and calorie counts. This allows them to respond quickly to changes in their eating patterns.

Become a Morning Person In one study, 78 percent of NWCR participants reported eating breakfast every day-a habit that may help curb appetite later in the day. Research shows that breakfast eaters, especially those who start the day with cereals (a natural for fiber), have a lower body mass index than those who skip the morning meal. Plus, protein often appears in breakfast foods in its proper proportion for sating appetite.

Weigh In Routinely stepping on the scale and checking body weight is another key way to stay on the losing side. To keep that routine from becoming obsessive, don't weigh yourself more than once a week. (You might want to forgo the scale at home to resist temptation.) There are normal weight fluctuations throughout the day. To keep an accurate gauge, weigh yourself on the same day of the week, at the same time.

Keep Moving The average person in the registry is burning about 2,800 calories a week in activity." Last year, the USDA established 60 to 90 minutes as the recommended daily physical activity for those trying to maintain weight loss. Research shows that people who exercise daily on average weigh less than sedentary folks but eat more.

Click here to read the full article from Runner's World.

Behind the Neck Lat Pulldowns: DON'T DO THEM!! Here's Why.

We see people doing these all the time, often they have heard that the exercise is not recommended but continue to do them anyhow. Who recommends against these? NFL trainers, the Mayo Clinic. I'll give you a link to the sources and summarize below.

Over time, performing pull downs behind the neck weakens the rotator cuff - you probably won't feel this immediately but weeks, months or years later you'll pay a high price, According to NFL trainer Dan Riley, this exercise puts the shoulder and specifically the rotator cuff muscles in a weak and vulnerable position. The shoulders are forced to rotate externally and the shoulder blades move to the center of the body, causing the external rotator cuff muscles to pull against the tight internal rotator muscles. If you work at a desk all day long your shoulders are internally rotated and the internal rotators are TIGHT! They simply are not made to bear this weight and stress. Over time they become weaker or fibrous, injury follows, and you can kiss your rotator cuff muscles goodbye. There is also risk to the cervical spine from bringing the head forward. Plus, this exercise is not even as effective in targeting the lats as pulldowns in front of the body.

Behind the neck shoulder presses and upright rows are two other exercises that should be avoided for the same reasons. When performing pulldowns and presses, keep the weight in front of the body.

Click to view a video on proper technique from The Mayo Clinic.

So, You Want To Spot Reduce? Here's How...

Besides launching millions of sit-ups, leg lifts and torso twists, the desire for a toned and taut physique has sold a long line of exercise devices of dubious worth. Countless inventions, such as vibrating belts and ''gut-busting'' contraptions, have claimed to miraculously tighten and tone our trouble spots.

But the miracles we were expecting never materialized, and our ''spots'' remained ''unreduced.'' What's wrong with spot reduction?

Where did we go wrong? In our efforts to tone our bodies we neglected the most important factor: fat. Exercises such as crunches or leg lifts improve the tone and endurance of the muscles, but they don't burn fat. When we do exercises that elevate the heart rate, such as bicycling, walking or aerobic dance, the body will draw upon its fat stores for energy.

Alternative solutions Eating a low-fat diet and following an exercise program that combines aerobic activity and strength training is the key to changing the shape of your body.

In addition to burning calories through aerobic activity, strength training will increase the amount of muscle, which burns even more calories. But many people shun the idea of intensive exercise, scared off by the idea of five-mile runs, barbells or aerobic classes.

Thankfully, any aerobic activity that elevates your heart rate can help you burn fat and take off unwanted pounds. Many experts recommend doing at least three sessions of 20 minutes of aerobic activity per week. Ideally, for long-term weight control, you should engage in at least four sessions per week, for 45 minutes each time.

ACE Fit Facts are reprinted from ACE FitnessMatters magazine, Permission Granted.

Download the full article here, at the American Council on Exercise

Successful Weight Control: It's not just cutting calories

According to ACE, eating less, or cutting back on fat in your diet, won't keep the weight off. What you really need to do is strike a good balance between the number of calories you consume and the number you burn. And the only way to do that is to exercise. By exercising, you can lose weight while you eat more calories than if you simply went on a diet. Regular physical activity is much more effective at keeping the weight off in the long run than any diet.

One choice is aerobic exercise You'veprobably heard about exercise programs that turn your body into a ''fat-burning machine.'' An aerobic programcan help you lose weight more easily because it can stimulate your body and make it burn calories. Low-impact aerobics like walking, step aerobics and dance are your best bets. Some good no-impact aerobic activities you can benefit from include swimming, bicycling and rowing. Begin with as littleas 15 minutes of low-impact aerobics three times aweek. Gradually increase to 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity four times a week.

Strength training = weight management Your muscles burn calories during physical activity. What you may not know is your muscles also burncalories when your body is at rest. Increase your muscle mass, and you'll be increasing your body's capacity to burn calories both during activity and at rest.

Success means good eating and good exercise Follow a moderate low-fat diet and an exerciseprogram that combines aerobic activity and strengthtraining. That's the key to losing weight - and keeping it off. And remember, you can't lose weight overnight. Set a realistic weight-loss goal for yourself - like one to two pounds a week - eat healthy, get going on a program of regular physical activity, and you'll be delighted by what you accomplish.

ACE Fit Facts are reprinted from ACE FitnessMattersmagazine, Permission Granted