Core Workout

Studies, and experience, show that sit-ups are harsh. They force your lower spine into an unnatural curve, cause rubbing and undue pressure on the tailbone where nerves are the least protected.

There are several benefits to having a powerful core. First, when all the muscles around the core are strong they hold your body upright in good posture, which means less pain. Second, these muscle groups act somewhat like a girdle. The muscles will lift and pull in the tissue that is supported by them giving a more immediate appearance of weight loss as your waist becomes smaller in diameter. There are more, but these two are the primary focus of this article.

A strong core is supports all of your body movements. If it's weak then your entire body is weak. When the core is strong and supple, your body is stronger and you feel better. Your posture and balance both improve.

Abdominal routines are not mega calorie burners. It is recommended that you also add a smart diet and aerobic activity to see the fullest results, and those sculpted abs.

Muscles of the Core

The muscles that are referred to include the abdominals (the six pack section, rectus abdominus), abdominal obliques (hidden under the “love handles”), those long muscles that hold your spine upright that are called the erector spinae, and your glutes. There are several more layers of muscles underneath these, but detailing those is not necessary; they all get worked.

Before starting any routine, clear it with your doctor first. You want to be certain that you are healthy enough to train. If something hurts that is more than the delayed onset muscle soreness, which should last one or two days and lessen as you train, stop the routine and see your doctor.

One other point needs to be made before going to the routine. As a powerlifter, I was constantly told form first and the strength will follow. That applies here, as well. Once you lose solid form in any of these exercises that set is finished. Two more repetitions are not worth the risk of injury.

Bridge – Laying on your back, bend your knees and lift your hips while your shoulders and arms stay on the floor

Hold for 2 to 4 counts, then lower your hips or hold the position for a set period of time

If holding it static, start at 20 seconds and work up to longer periods

Keep your knees, hips, and shoulders in a straight line

Do this for 3 sets

Planks – Can be done with your elbows on the floor or from your hands in a static push-up position

Tighten your abs and lift your hips

Keep your knees, hips, and shoulders in a straight line

Do not let your hips sag down or your buttock stick up in the air

Hold this up position for 2 to 4 counts, then lower your hips or hold the position for a set period of time. If holding it static, start at 20 seconds and work up to longer periods slowly

Side Planks – Lying on your side with your right elbow and foot on the floor, reach up with your left hand, tighten your obliques to slowly lift your hips into alignment with both your knees and shoulders

Hold this up position for 2 to 4 counts, then lower your hips or hold the position for a set period of time

If holding it static, start at 20 seconds and work up to longer periods slowly

Superman – Laying /on your stomach, stretch your arms straight in front of you and point your toes so that you look like Superman flying

At the same time, lift your hips and shoulders up away from the floor

Hold this up position for 2 to 4 counts, then lower your hips or hold the position for a set period of time. If holding it static, start at 20 seconds and work up to longer periods slowly.

Squats with Knee Lift – Stand with your feet shoulders width apart

Keep your abs tight and your shoulders and head up, when performing the squat it may help to look upwards at the ceiling as this will keep your back upright and aligned (powerlifting safety tip that really works)

Bend your knees and lower your hips

Stand up

As you are standing upright lift one knee up to hip height

Repeat, this time raising your other knee to complete one repetition

Do 3 sets of 10

Back Lunges – Stand up straight and tall

Step backwards with one foot

Lower your back knee gently to the floor

Return to the starting position

Repeat with the other leg for one repetition

Your forward knee should not extend further than your toes

Do 3 sets of 10

Gym Fail Army

Ladies and gentlemen, we are not about to take ourselves too seriously. To that end, I offer up Fail Army Gym Fails.

Exercise versus Depression

Does exercise make you feel better? We know that it does. It is also proving to be at least as effective as some antidepressants.

There really is very little that feels as good as when you finish an exercise session. You are sweaty, hopefully, which means that you had exerted yourself for a given period of time. You might have been pulling deadlifts, running laps, swimming, body weight exercises, or whatever your thing is. The one common factor is that feeling of having accomplished something. Physically, maybe you are feeling worked, drained, or have that sensation that says tomorrow walking will be painful. 

Something else is going on inside your head that more and more studies are showing, is fighting depression and anxiety. Exercise causes the brain to release specific neurotransmitters into your system.

How

Neurotransmitters are how your brain cells talk to each other. Monamine Neurotransmitters are vital for the healthy function of our brain, but also for the healthy function of our psyche. Monoamine neurotransmitters include norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5H-T). These are essential for proper brain function and are being studied extensively due to their impact on mood. 

Monoamine Neurotransmitters 

What are these? Simply put, these are the exercise neurotransmitters which include serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Exercise has an effect on the other types of neurotransmitters as well but the monoamines are studied extensively because of their affect on mood. 

What do they do? What parts of your system do these compounds effect?

Dopamine has a direct impact on our cognitive processes such as attention and working memory and motivational behavior. This is the primary neurotransmitter involved in reward pathways. It is considered important in minimizing the effects of drugs of abuse.

Norepinepherine/Noradrenaline is involved in mediating cardiovascular effects, arousal, concentration, attention, learning and memory. More of this makes learning that much easier. 

Serotonin is present in the CNS, but is also found in platelets and the gastrointestinal lining This neurotransmitter impacts several behaviors to include mood, appetite, sleep, cognition, perception, motor activity, temperature regulation, pain control, sexual behavior and hormone secretion. 

The immediate effect that we experience when working out is that these neurotransmitters function as analgesics and block the pain of what we are doing at that time. This is the reason for the “runner's high”, that sensation of bliss while going through a long session. They also alleviate psychological pain.

Versus drugs

Exercise does so much more than just get us up and moving. It really does have the potential to break you out of your funk. Studies snow that exercise can be as effective as some medications in beating depression and maintaining a healthier, more positive state.

In 1999 Archives of Internal Medicine published the results of a study showing this. In that study 156 men and women with depression were divided into 3 groups. One group was given Zoloft, one group exercised, and the third group was given both the medication and an aerobic program to follow.

Results show that 60% to 70% of the participants were reported to have no longer been classified as having major depression. The third group, the exercise and medication group, having the most positive results.

Following up with the study participants 6 months later it was found that positive results were still being experienced. Of the original group, 133 were contacted and found to be less likely to fall back into depression after 6 months of regular exercise.

Exercise duration 

As little as 10 to 15 minutes 3 to 5 times a week shows some benefits. Ideally, 30 minutes up to 6 times a week or 60 minutes 3 times a week is what you should be doing. Regular exercise is the most beneficial according to studies.

All types of physical activities reduce stress. Some examples include:

• Biking
• Dancing
• Gardening
• Housework especially sweeping, mopping, or vacuuming
• Jogging
• Low-impact aerobics
• Tennis
• Swimming
• Walking
• Yard work, especially mowing or raking
• Tai Chi
• Yoga
  

To sum it up, there is a growing pile of evidence that exercise combats depression and does so at least as well as some drugs and without the side effects. We also know that it has several benefits. Regular exercise has been proven to:

• Reduce stress
• Ward off anxiety and feelings of depression
• Boost self-esteem
• Improve sleep
  
• It strengthens your heart.
• It increases energy levels.
• It lowers blood pressure.
• It improves muscle tone and strength.
• It strengthens and builds bones.
• It helps reduce body fat.

Epic Workout Fails

 We have all had them, or will sooner or later. I know that I have made some bug mistakes that left people laughing, thankfully none of them are shown on the link below.

http://mrbonehead.lolspotsarticles.com/1456498-14-epic-work-out-blunders

Finally Cleared For Exercise

Last week, after months of being sidelined from some hand reconstruction surgery, I was given the go ahead to begin working out again. As I have had too much time to think about it and I know my personal history of diving into over-done right away, I chose a simple routine to start with. This routine works with both pyramiding sets and straight sets of 10 repetitions.

This design allows those whose upper body is not as strong as they want or need it to be to build that strength while also hammering the legs hard. What it looks like is:

Monday/Wednesday/Friday
Push Ups 5  10  15  10   5
Pull Ups   1   2    3    2    1

Side Lunges  1x10-15
Back Lunges 1x10-15
Front Lunges 1x10-15

Bicycle Crunches or Russian Twists or Crunches
(I am going straight for the Russian Twists)
       3x10-15
Jogging/Fast Walk 30 minute

Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday
30 Minutes Jogging/walking

How this plays out is you will be moving from one set of exercises directly to the other. Clear as mud, alright. Push ups and pull ups will be done together. Do a set of pull ups and immediately do a set of pull ups. Rest 30 seconds and repeat. If you follow this routine to the letter you will have completed 45 push ups and 9 pull ups in total. That's pretty cool.

Th leg work and the ab work I also like to do in similar rapid alternating succession. It keeps the body moving, the heart rate elevated, and gets you through the routine quick.

Too easy! Have fun, be safe, get fit!!

*****NOTE: Here is an article and a youtube link showing how to do  side lunges. *****
http://healthyliving.azcentral.com/low-side-side-lunges-10731.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUX6Pz8vV0s

Eating for Fitness Results

Eating, it's something that we all do. The vast majority of us really like it, we look forward to the next time we can get something tasty. But, what about eating while being healthy and fit? How does eating fit into a workout routine? Happily, these are simple to answer.

Food is fuel, our bodies need the calories in order to produce the energy our muscles need to propel ourselves through not just our day, but also our workout. I;m not talking about a full meal on the way into the gym. If you are anything like me that would be an awful idea. But, we all need to eat something before we workout AND we need to refuel, eat something, immediately after our workout.

Choosing the right food to eat before working out also means that you need to understand that different nutrients are broken down at different rates. Fat takes between 4 and 6 hours to be digested, protein takes 3 hours, and carbohydrates 2 hours. What we're seeing here is that you would do very well to have something like peanut butter and bananas at noon if you are hitting the workout at 3. This will allow the protein and carbs from your meal to be digested and ready for your body to use for you to power through your training.

After your workout your body is going to go into overdrive to repair all that muscular damage. Let's face it, exercising causes muscle fibers to break, this is trauma to the body, it's damage. Your body is going to work hard to repair that damage and to replenish the glycogen stores that you have just burnt through. So, take a shower and go get some quality protein and carbs within the first hour after your session.

The window of optimal effect is 15 minutes to one hour. Take that shower and then go fuel your recovery with something like your regular protein shake, some chicken and rice, yogurt and fruit, turkey with cheese and apples. Aim for foods that are high in protein and healthy carbohydrates. These foods will go into restoring your energy. Your body is still in a fat burning mode in order to repair that damage you just did. Oh, it would also be advisable to get some solid antioxidants into you, too, as these will help make your recovery more comfortable.

Protein and carbs a few hours before your workout and within the first hour afterwards will, according to research, serve you best.

Stronger Knees

Years ago, I was a competitive power lifter. After 10 years my shoulders had both come apart and I could not deny the pain I had in my knees. I knew people who had decades of experience training and competing without the injuries I had. Some people are just built for it and I was not one of them. As much as I loved lifting, it was not for me. I knew that I needed to have all of my joints working properly. So, how do we train and protect our knees?

There are essentially two ways to protect your knees, nutrition and exercise. This article is going to look at exercises and stretches that stabilize our knees.

Strengthen 

When all the muscles that support your knees are strong and flexible your knee joint is stabilized. The three muscle groups here are quadriceps (you thighs), hamstrings (the back of your legs), and your calves.

Flexibility

Strength building is important, but flexibility through stretching is equally important. Tight muscles are ready for injury whereas limber, more flexible muscles are better prepared to handle the rigors of life.

Stretching the muscles that you strengthen is an important part of preventing injury. Strengthening exercises build muscle to help support your knee, but can also tighten the muscles. Tight muscles are more prone to injury. Gentle stretching after strengthening exercise reduces muscle soreness and will keep your muscles long and flexible.

Strength and flexibility are both equally important. Don't think so? Try these exercises and stretches to see how your knee comfort can improve. First, and always, talk to your doctor before starting or changing your activities.

Start slowly and take your time. My lifting coach and martial arts instructors all said the same thing. Form first. Take it easy, perfect your form, and the strength will follow.

If you have pain, which is different from soreness, means you need to stop. Do not hurt yourself trying to get to your goal.

Be patient, remember, strength will come. Just be sure that you are doing the stretches and exercises with proper form.

Again, talk to your doctor. Unless your knees already sound like rice cereal, they should be happy to hear that you are taking better care of your knees. 

I prefer to stretch daily and not just before or after a workout. Strive to perform each stretch for 30 seconds for each of three sets.

Hamstrings
Stand with feet together, legs straight, bend down and relax. Let gravity pull you further down, relax with each exhalation. You will find that reaching your toes or the floor is easier when your body and mind relax.

Calves
Feet flat on the floor, step forward with your right foot two feet to start. Press your left heel down and bend your right knee. Do not allow your right knee to go forward past your knees, keep your upper body straight up, and allow your weight to lower down through your hips. Gold for 30 seconds, three sets each leg

Quads
Stand near a wall or a piece of sturdy exercise equipment for support. Grasp your ankle and gently pull your heel up and back until you feel a stretch in the front of your thigh. Tighten your stomach muscles to prevent your stomach from sagging outward, and keep your knees close together, hold for about 30 seconds, three sets each leg.

Low Impact Exercises
Bicycle riding, gentle rowing, walking, swimming are excellent activities to strengthen the muscles around your knees AND, as they are low impact, allow your knees to get stronger with a minimum of discomfort

Your knees are vitally important and keeping them pain free will make all the difference. Stay healthy and stay strong with your family.