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!!!!

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!!

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

YES!!!

One thing I have noticed repeatedly is the lack of balance people seem to have in their training program. Why does this matter you ask? Well, an imbalanced training program makes for an imbalanced physique,which inevitably will result in muscle strains,tears,and joint instability!

Men tend to train mainly upper body,and usually only the parts they can see [ie: chest,biceps,traps,shoulders] and neglect the parts they don’t see[ie:back,rear delts,legs,and glutes].

Women on the other hand tend to focus more on their lower half .Hoping that lots of cardio and leg training[usually glutes] will bring their size down.

Now.. those that know me  know I would NEVER scoff at someone taking the time to improve their fitness level.BUT… fitness needs to be more about health than than just the physical aesthetics of it! Creating a balanced physique takes time and patience. The end result is a more efficient body. Your metabolism is increased, your risk of injury is lowered,and …. yes… your physical form will be more appealing.So Ladies! HELLO… all you cardio queens out there, try balancing out your firm  butt  by creating a wider back and thicker shoulders. This will give the illusion of a smaller waistline and narrower hips. Widen your back with LAT PULL DOWNS

Your lats are the largest back muscles you have ,and are are the reason you can bring your arms into your torso. They begin at your hips and attach to your arms. Building them a little will give  you a wider upper body to balance out the width of your hips. Adding a little more size to your shoulders will give you just the shape you need to complete your form for good symmetry.LATERAL SHOULDER FLYES.

Now ,symmetry for the female counterpart….MEN THIS IS YOU!

Think how silly puny tires look on a sports car?…See where I’m going with this??

If you have been neglectful with you wheels, then I suggest you start your building process with the legs press machine. This machine is a great intro to leg training. It supports your lower back and will assist in you overall leg and glute development. From calves to upper glutes,this is where I would suggest you start.[This machine is just a start. There are many more advanced exercises that will build and tone,I will get into these at a later post.]

To ensure proper form, make sure knees never bend beyond toes,and bring legs to 90 degrees to engage glutes .Try to press directly through heels to maximize hamstring and glutes. LEG PRESS MACHINE

Let’s keep it functional!

Very rarely do you pull a heavy object off the top shelf of your closet and put it behind your head,right?

That said,when you are performing a lat pull down ALWAYS bring the bar to your chest! This way the weight is better supported and you  will avoid injury.Also make sure that your wrists are always over elbows when at 90 degrees[as shown in picture]

Since glutes are responsible for external rotation,keep toes pointed out slightly when using the leg press machine.This will make sure your butt is always engaged. Keep knees slightly bent,even at full extension. Not only will this save your knees,it will help keep tension on your legs and glutes,helping to build a stronger lower body!!

When it comes to ab development your form is more important than the number of repetitions you do. There is no point in doing 1,000 reps when, if done correctly, 20 will do. Smarter training is the key to strong defined abs! Abs are like every other muscle and need adequate rest in order to grow.So training them 2X per week is plenty.

Basically there is 3 main areas you should focus on,upper ,middle,and lower abs. Let’s get started!

Upper abs-TOE-TOUCH

lay on your back with your feet in the air,reach up with your fingertips to touch your toes. Hold at the top for a count of 2 then lower your torso…nice and controlled to the starting position.
Middle abs-V SITS

Sit at the end of a bench. Support your torso by holding the bench just behind your hips. Keep knees slightly bent and lower your legs to just touch the bench ,then bring your legs up to meet your torso[at the same time bring your torso in to meet your legs].
Lower abs-REVERSE CRUNCH

Lay on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Bring your knees to your chest and hold for a count of 2, then lower your feet back to the starting position.
Turn this into an AB WORKOUT!!!

Do each ab exercise 12 times with no rest in between. Then take a 45 second rest and repeat 2-3 times. Just in case that wasn’t enough for you to feel the burn…. finish off with a total ab exercise.This one works from top to bottom and really makes them burn!!
Total ab-FLAT CRUNCH [i do this one to failure]

Lay on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Keeping your hands at your side, slide your fingers along the floor until you reach your heels,hold this position for a 4 count and return to starting position.Do as many of these as you can…rest…repeat!!
FIT TIP
When it comes to obliques[you know...the abs at your sides]I always make sure if I train them that I use a crossover motion. This will ensure that they get the work they need to stay toned,without building them…’Cause BUILDING your side obliques also means you will be losing your waistline and potentially building yourself a nice strong MUFFIN TOP!! Rotation is the key here!! so make sure you are using a twisting motion when training obliques!So instead of straight side raises try bicycle crunches or [with feet in the air] touching opposite hands to ankles!

F.Y.I
For back safety..always keep your belly button pulled in.And to avoid neck strain,imagine you have an apple tucked under your chin. These two simple reminders will keep your lower back supported and your neck in neutral and help to create a strong tight abdomen!