FIT 1 BLOG

We have all heard how important  it is to have a strong ‘core’. …and how we ’should’ train  our “core” for optimum fitness. So….WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?..

Does it mean that all your workouts have to be geared solely for  core conditionong? NO….unless of course you are a lineman in the NFL!!! Core is your body’s natural balance and support system,basically all the little muscles that constantly fire to  to keep your  body upright. But truthfully, we could all stand to be a little stronger around the middle. One  simple[ but physically challenging] way to do this is by creating an unstable surface to train on. The easiest way to do this is to train all your body parts using only 1 leg for support. Use opposite arm to leg that is supporting ,then switch half way through the set.

Adding just  1 of these  for every 2 exercises per body part  will put that little extra tax on those stabilizing muscles. So more muscle used= more calories burned! And we all know what that means!!!!

So here are a few exercises to include in your next work out.

Back

1 legged bent over rows–stand on 1 leg knee slightly bent,  bend over at the hips. Keeping a flat back  and square shoulders lift weight[as a row] using opposite arm to working leg.

Chest

1 legged cable flyes–stand upright on 1 leg in a cable machine[do not lean forward] bring hand to center then back. Be sure to not twist at the hips.

Shoulders

1 legged shoulder presses– stand on 1 leg. Start with dumbells at ear height  wrists always above elbows and press up[but do not lock out]

Legs

1 legged stand ups–start in a seated position. With one leg firmly planted on the floor and the other floating, stand up then lower yourself back down into a seated position. Make sure when seated that your knees never go beyond toes.

Biceps

1 legged bicep curls—stand on 1 leg,keeping shoulders square and hips straight perform single bicep curls.

Triceps

1 legged tricep kickbacks–stand on 1 leg and bend over at the hips. Keeping back flat and shoulders square perform single tricep kickbacks.

When using only 1 leg for support make sure to switch legs halfway through each set. This will make sure you fatigue both sides evenly. Also try to keep an erect posture,chest up shoulders back,slight pelvic tilt ,and knees slightly bent. You want to make those supporting muscles work instead of compensating posture for weak muscles!

I hear this statement ALL THE TIME…”I drink enough water”…but do you really? The daily requirement of water consumption is 2 litres per day! That’s 8-8 ounce glasses a day! For every 1 hour of training means 1 more litre of water you need to drink. If you have caffeinated beverages that is another  glass per  caffeine drink you consume. Water is important in many ways. Helps  regulate body temperature, removes lactic acid from muscles as well as any waste your body produces. In fact there are way to many benefits to list in a little blog. So do your body a giant favor….start by drinking just 1 more glass of water per day. I can guarantee you will feel more alert, probably less hungry, and have more energy. Sound like a miracle supplement??… IT IS!!!!

Find it hard to drink water??

Make water tasty by adding fruit cubes!! Here is a super easy trick to make you WANT to drink more water!

Just put your favourite fruit in a blender and freeze in ice cube trays. Just pop a frozen fruit cube into your water bottle on your way out the door. Who knew drinking water could be so tasty.

MAYBE!!!

Physical imbalances lead to poor posture. Poor posture leads to injury, soreness, and pain. When poor posture makes its way into the workplace, it’s time to put away the aspirin and take control of your pain. These kinds of conditions don’t just ‘happen’ overnight. In fact it could take years before you even realize that what you have is a work related injury. Sure, sitting at your computer, participating in meetings, or even talking on the phone doesn’t seem  that physical but over time, it can really take a toll. These activities, although not strenuous… ,can be the cause of tight chest muscles. When your chest is tight your shoulders have a tendency to round forward and your  rear deltoids[back of your shoulders] to weaken causing you to slouch. This combination puts a ton of stress on your neck and shoulders causing chronic aches and pains. Add a protruding neck to the  mix and you end up looking like Quasimoto at the water cooler!!

Since Notre Dame already has a hunchback let’s look at a simple way to take the pressure off your neck and improve your posture. Basically, stretch your chest and strengthen your shoulders[rear  deltoids].

AT THE GYM

Chest Flyes

To maximize the ’stretch’ opt for  a Bosu ball when performing chest flyes. Use lighter weight than you usually would and allow the backs of your arms to touch the ball during the stretch portion of the lift. Then, keeping your elbows slightly bent[like you are hugging a beach ball], bring the weights together. Take  the stress off your shoulders by keeping the dumbells in line with your chest, keep the movement constant and smooth, remember you are stretching out those tight muscles more than you normally would so keep the weight light and the movement very controlled.

Super set this exercise with reverse flyes to tighten and strengthen rear deltoids.

Reverse Flyes

Sit up on the ball and bend forward until your chest rests on your thighs. Tighten your abs and keeping your elbows slightly bent[hugging that beach ball],raise your arms to just shoulder height.

Do 15 reps of each exercise then rest……or….challenge yourself  and while your arms are resting, take the opportunity to bust out a set of  ab crunches on the ball!!

BRING IT TO WORK!!

Although you may not be so fortunate to have a gym at work, that doesn’t mean you can’t supplement your training at the office.

Here is a simple wall stretch to open up your chest during your work day.

Stand in a door frame and with elbow at 90 degrees take a step forward with inside leg. Keep your hips and chest in line. You will feel a gentle stretch through the chest,hold for  20 seconds then repeat on the other side.

Next, simulate the rear delts work out with no weight. In fact , a static contraction can be as effective as resistance training. So in your chair ,bend over, lay your chest on your thighs, engage abs and raise your arms to shoulder height. At the top hold for a count of 8 then release. Repeat 10 times.

BE PROACTIVE!!!

This only takes 5 minutes…..5 minutes to help yourself! That’s HALF the time most of  us spend whining about our headaches!!

Replace your desk chair with a Bosu Ball. The ball forces you to sit up tall and because you are on an unstable surface all of those core muscles have to work hard to keep your balance. That’s why slouching is not an option when sitting on a ball….unless of course you want to LAUNCH yourself out the office window!!

Ahhhhhh Fall…golden leaves, fresh mornings, Halloween, pumpkins…PUMPKIN SEEDS?!

YES pumpkin seeds!!! Truly one of fall’s gifts!!

Rich in nutrients, the list of health benefits for this ’super food’ is looooong. Components[ including zinc] in pumpkin seed oil appear to stave off the onset of prostate cancer. In addition, pumpkin seeds also help to reduce inflammation due to arthritis, and are known to be a great source of minerals such as magnesium, manganese, and phosphorous.

Yes it’s true…they are high in fat, GOOD FATS!! And ,as we all know, essential fats don’t make you fat. In fact they help to REDUCE bad cholesterol in the blood! So……….

DON’T TOSS ‘EM…..TOAST ‘EM!!!

Tamari Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

You will need

fresh pumpkin seeds

Tamari soy sauce

cooking spray

Rinse pumpkin seeds well removing all pumpkin pulp. Spread out on a cookie sheet and let dry over night.

Pre-heat oven to 250 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil. Spray pumpkin seeds with cooking spray and toss with a little tamari sauce.

Bake in oven tossing every 15 mins until golden .[about 1 hr]

Sooooo tasty, and soooo good for you!!! WHO KNEW?!!

Achieving shapely arms is as much about brain as it is braun. Strategic arm training will prove to be a more effective approach than grunting your way through another maximum load training session!

Let’s start with biceps.Bi means two. That means there are two muscles that make up the biceps. Working both of them will mean a nice strong rounded muscle belly. Biceps brachii and brachialis run from the shoulder to the elbow in the front of the upper arm and are responsible for elbow flexion. Brachii is  the muscle that rotates your arm and gives you the ball-like head while the brachialis is the larger of the two.

Shapely biceps are sexy,but it’s actually your triceps that make up about 2/3 the size of your arm! That said, I don’t need to tell you how important it is for balance,function,and appearance to have them in good condition!

They are called triceps because there is three muscles[together simply called  triceps brachii]each from a different origin joining together at the elbow and are responsible for extension. Because there is three it makes sense that they would be the larger of the arm muscles.

Men AND women train triceps for the same reason….SLEEVELESS SHIRTS!! Everyone wants to feel confident in a tee-shirt or tank top! You needn’t have the genetics of an Adonis. All you need is to be a little more specific with your training.

TRAINING ARMS

I would LOVE to take credit for this…but..alas, I cannot. In fact I read it so long ago I can’t remember from where! What I do know is ,IT WORKS!!

Basically start with a weight you can lift 6-8 times. Then right away[no rest] do the same exercise with half the weight and lift it 15-20 times. Rest for 45 seconds and repeat 4 times. For example:

Biceps curls with dumbells

lift 30lbs 6-8 reps [no rest] lift 15lbs 15-20 reps. Rest 45secs and repeat 4times

Apply this same technique for triceps.

Cable Triceps pull downs

pull 60lbs 6-8 reps[no rest] pull 30lbs 15-20 reps. Rest 45 secs repeat 4 times.

During your 45 secs rest it is a good idea to stretch.

 Biceps stretch

Triceps stretch

Biceps brachii is the ‘peak’ on your biceps muscle.It is also responsible for rotating your arm. Give the brachii a little more love and attention by turning your pinkies inward at the top of  the bicep curl!

SPECIFIC TARGET=BETTER RESULTS