Jump-start Your Metabolism

The very best way to increase your metabolism is to become physically active. There is a wide berth in calories people burn during their daily activities, ranging from sedentary people, who may burn as few as 100 calories a day in activities, to very active people, like competition athletes, who can burn 1,000 extra calories a day. It was said that Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps was burning over 10,000 calories per day!

Physically active people burn more calories, even when at rest, because they have more muscle tissue. Muscle is "active" tissue, meaning it burns calories; fat is "inactive" tissue, because it burns almost no calories. So, the more muscle you carry on your body, and build through exercise, the more calories you will burn, even at rest.

Becoming more active will certainly begin the process of burning that furnace of yours at a higher temperature, but strength training specifically builds muscle tissue. Performing a variety of weight bearing exercise, and changing up your program regularly will begin to build that tissue, and help to rev up your metabolism. Be sure to work with precision, slow and controlled movement, and pain free range of motion. You will begin to see results in just a few weeks!

To build muscle, you need to tire them out, which will mean different weights and repetitions for different people. You can try starting with a 5 pound dumbbell, and start with a basic 3 sets of 12 reps of your exercise of choice, but fine tuning may be needed to actually find that tiring or fatiguing point.

Once a strength training routine becomes comfortable, you need to introduce different movements and/or add more weight. Weights should not be so light that they don't challenge your body to build muscle. If you can do 20 reps with your weights, then they are too light and you need to switch to heavier ones.

While arguments have been made on both sides for the best time of day to exercise, the differences are slight, and the best time of day is whatever works into YOUR schedule! So, whether you like to work out in the morning or the evening, be sure to include some activity in every day! The time to start moving is now.

TV spot:)

http://fox6now.com/2013/01/02/laura-hangs-at-elite-sports-clubs-gets-tips-to

New Year's Resolutions!

Happy  New Year!  Have you made your resolutions yet?  What about your fitness related goals?  The time has come to truly consider what your are doing, and how you might improve your overall health through exercise, as exercise is truly medicine.  We all know now (or we should) all the research proving that exercise reduces hypertension, can eradicate diabetes in some, and reduce the need for meds in others, lowers your risk of heart attack and stroke, and gives you not only a better outlook, but a better quality of life.

Now is your chance to tap into all of those positive effects, by examining your current exercise program, and adjusting the time, frequency, and intensity to better your body.  If you need help, I have a slew of classes and small group trainings to offer you, as well as my services one-on-one.  Think about making a list that delineates the negatives you see in your life, and what positive things you can do to achieve a more positive outcome.  Whether you've been considering a dietary change, or an exercise adjustment, remember that consistency and commitment are your friends when making such a change.  Just do it.  

To start logging your food:  www.myfitnesspal.com

This week for exercise:

Wednesday, 9am, small group training (drop in $24) Elite River Glen

Friday, 6:10 am, muscle mix (free) Elite River Glen

Saturday, 11:30 am, small group training (drop in $24) Elite River Glen

Embrace the day, and the season!  Try something new, or do something you love, today.

Cheers!

Ab workout...

Happy Holidays!  Well here I am at the club on Christmas Eve, thinking about what I might help with this week.  It's a notoriously difficult week for both exercise and food, as I'm sure you are aware.  But also difficult because many of you may be out of town, visiting family, and wondering what to do for exercise.  So, I thought I would give you a little abdominal strengthening program to do at your home, or during some free time if you are out of town.

Also, November's T-shirt winner is SUE DEAN!  She came back fighting hard after a shoulder surgery, and worked diligently and consistently to ensure her shoulder didn't freeze up.  Fantastic effort and results!  December has been tough, but I do have one more T-shirt to give away...

This one is a double crunch...feel free to support the head with light fingertips

Flutter kicks!  Add some hands under buttocks for extra support if you like:)

-- Plank with a hip raise adds a bit of interest.  Just be sure you are coming back to a neutral back position.

Extended leg double crunch gets top and bottom...getting tired now...

I like to lift both legs, but this is the first step.  If you master the oblique crunch with abduction, then you can try the side V lift with both legs.

Partner Exercises!

Tubing Partner Exercises

Try these fun, effective partner exercises to build strength.


Mid-Row. Stand facing your partner. Intertwine the tubes, holding one handle each in your right and left hands. Back away from each other, arms fully extended, until there is some resistance on the tube. Begin in a squat stance with feet between hip and shoulder width apart. Slowly pull the tube, leading with your elbows, driving them backward. As you’re rowing backward, pinch your shoulder blades together and toward the ground. As you release your arms forward, squat toward the ground. Complete 1 set of 8–20 reps. This partner exercise helps improve posture.

Variations:

• Hold a static squat.
• Do single-arm rows. (Double up the tube in each arm.)
• Add rotation as you row.

External Rotation. Stand side-by-side with your partner, facing the same direction. Each of you holds one handle of one tube in your outside arm. Your outside elbow, bent at 90 degrees, is anchored at your waist. Keeping your upper arm at your side, slowly rotate your forearm away from your body. Complete 1 set of 8–20 reps for each arm. This partner exercise strengthens weak rotator cuff muscles.

Variations: Try this exercise standing on one leg


Trunk Rotation. Stand facing your partner. Wrap the tubes around each other and each hold one handle in your right and left hands. Back away from each other until there is some light resistance on the tube. Contract your abdominals inward and maintain good posture throughout the entire exercise. Begin by rotating your torso one way while your partner rotates in the other direction. Slowly return to the starting position. Perform 8–20 reps on each side.

Variations:

• Keep the lower body static.
• Rotate/pivot through the lower body.
• Add one-arm rotation, to engage more of your upper body.

Lunge and Full-Body Rotation. Start facing sideways to your partner, holding one end of one tube in your hands. Lunge your outside leg (leg farthest away from your partner) forward while simultaneously rotating to the outside of your body. Press up and backward and do 8–20 reps one side; then repeat on the other side. Be sure that, while lunging, your front knee stays over your front foot and you always push from the leg in front. Both people lunge simultaneously.

Variations:

• Step forward (entry-level variation).
• Perform a deep lunge (more advanced variation).

Sit and squeeze exercise

For this week, here is a fun exercise to try:

 

Sit and Squeeze

Place your back against a wall with hips & shoulders squared. Slide down until knees are at 90 degrees, knees over ankles and weight in heels. Squeeze a medicine ball or towel just above your knees and hold for 15 or more seconds. Repeat 2-3 times.

 

Latissimus Stretches

This week, I decided to share a stretch series written by a physical therapist for back and shoulder tightness.  He talks about athletes, but I had a client just this morning that has tightness in her shoulders, and limited mobility, and I think it's partially from her lats.  In my classes I will use both of these stretches, but on the floor.  Here, Brian uses a stability ball for range and extension.

 

 

It is common to assess clients with latissimus tightness. This is often manifested as limited shoulder flexion mobility. This diminished range of motion can be particularly detrimental for overhead athletes and when training the Olympic lifts. The following stretches are simple ones and effective for reducing tightness.

Execution:
Begin in kneeling and position the hands/forearms in a prayer position on top of the BOSU Ballast Ball. Next slowly allow the head and trunk to lower down (meanwhile the BOSU Ballast Ball will also slowly roll forward) easing into a sustained stretch. Hold for 20-30 seconds and repeat twice. You may also opt for a more active isolated approach by moving toward end range and actively contracting the anterior deltoids 2-3 seconds to flex the shoulders at end range. Release and return to the start position and repeat 10 times.

Single arm progression: Place the palm of the hand on top of the BOSU Ballast Ball allowing it to flex as the head and trunk flex. Additionally, move the arm and trunk in a diagonal motion (rotation) to introduce a more isolate stretch on that side. Again, you may opt for a sustained stretch or perform 10 repetitions holding for 2-3 seconds at the end range of motion and cycling through the entire motion each time.

Application:
This stretch is useful for maximizing shoulder flexion and mobility. It may be necessary to use soft tissue mobilization prior to the stretch if trigger points are present. I use it in rehab and in shoulder mobility programs for my athletes. Maximizing shoulder mobility (flexion) will help reduce excessive extension and/or rotation in the spine that appears as compensatory motion in order to complete overhead activities such as snatches, overhead squats, throwing and serving motions.

I prefer the BOSU Ballast Ball because it offers adequate stability with its design yet natural movement that the client can use to carefully control motion and attain an ideal stretch. Small graded progressions can be made easily based with the ability to roll and adjust the position of the BOSU Ballast Ball during the movement.

Precautions:
Use caution with clients experiencing rotator cuff pathology, tendonitis, arhtritis, labral pathology, or shoulder instability. Forcing the shoulder into end range elevation can cause shoulder impingement. Any pain felt in the shoulder as opposed to a stretch along the latissimus would be an indication to stop the exercise and refer the client for further evaluation by a medical professional.


Brian Schiff, PT, OCS, CSCS, is a licensed physical therapist, respected author and fitness professional. Currently, he serves as the supervisor at the Athletic Performance Center in Raleigh, NC. Brian presents nationally at several professional conferences and seminars on injury prevention, rehab and sport-specific training. For more cutting edge training information, subscribe to his monthly Training & Sports Medicine Update at www.BrianSchiff.com.