The Migas Project, Diagnostic Session #1 Holly
As I sat down with Dan and Holly for our first session I was very excited to see their level of motivation. This is always a major factor in the success or failure of many training programs. Trainers understand this with each new client they get. Those that come in motivated are much easier to work with than those who are not. This does not mean someone who may not be overly motivated to begin exercising will no be successful, it will just take more effort. So my relief when they arrived was all I needed to know that this was going to be a great session.
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"I Need Better Flexibility in My Hamstrings, Where do I Start?"
Another great example that we get asked all the time. How do I increase flexibility in my hamstrings? It comes from many different sources when people ask us. "My Doctor tells me I need better flexibility in my hamstrings to help with my low back pain." "My Golf Instructor tells me that increasingly my hamstring flexibility will improve my swing plane." There are thousands of reasons you want to maintain flexibility in your hamstrings but rather than list what you already know, let us take a few minutes and show you some simple steps to get started.
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Flexibility in the Spine, don't Lose it!
The ability to maintain mobility in your back or more specifically for this post, your spine, is something that when you are in your 20's you do not think about all that much. Well ok I actually did think about it quite a bit in my 20's but I am fairly passionate about health and human performance. Most people in their 20's do not give it a lot of thought. But I am wondering how many people in their 50's. 60's 70's and even older wish they would have spent more time on it when they were in their 20's? I will go ahead and answer for them and say most.
What is the Best Position to do Overhead Presses?
Great exercises can go terribly wrong if you do them from an anatomical position that is not safe for your body. Overhead press moves like Military Presses are a great tool for adding strength to the muscles of the deltoid and thoracic back. However many people choose to do these moves from either a seated or standing position, both of which can cause more harm then good.
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Fitness Tip of the Week #14 Are You Taking the Time to Stretch?
This week I have been doing quite a bit of stretching. I mostly wanted to combat the tightness that I was beginning to feel as a result of sitting in classes and studying at my desk, along with the lifting I have been doing as a part of training. It feels good to be able to bend and twist now without significant tightness in my lower back, hamstrings, hip flexors, etc. As I was thinking of a good tip for the week, I remembered how we always used to stretch in PE classes and for team warm-ups several years back. Typically, you hold a stretch and count to 10 or so. This week though, and from now on, you should try holding each stretch you do for at least thirty seconds or even up to a minute. Ten seconds is really not long enough to significantly and adequately lengthen out the muscle fibers and tendons.
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Another Opinion on Running Shoes
I recently received e-mails from a few of you regarding an article from the New York Times about running injuries. The article is great so thanks to all of you who sent it. The article is regarding how many runners are suffering from injuries when training for long distance running. We have discussed this topic several times before in some of our running efficiency posts.
Does Training with Ankle Weights on Really Help?
Inside the training center at the school I work at we have several sets of ankle weights. We utilize them for doing various hip strengthening exercises. Commonly however the athletes ask about why we do not train in them more frequently for things like running or agility drills. The basketball team even tells me that their coach for one of their club teams has them wear them when they play, yikes.
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This is Scary Stuff! Bench Press Injury to Stafon Johnson
If you have not seen the article on the football player from the University of Southern California being injured while doing bench press, here is a link to one. While doing a team weight training workout he lost the bar out of his right hand and the bar fell straight onto his neck.
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Heat vs Ice, what is the Best Choice when you Suffer and Injury?
This question seems to come up all the time when I am dealing with the many bumps and bruises the athletes I work with suffer in their fall sports. The main issues are typically contact related injuries especially football for the obvious amount of contact that comes with the sport. Usually it seems following the more difficult practices and games there are several bruises bumps and bruises.
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According to the 4 Laws of Training We Become What We are.
We have had some discussions lately about the 4 Laws of Training. In these laws we discuss how your body responds to stimulus and that ultimately it is the types of stimulus we give it that can make anatomical changes. Typically when you think of this it is in regards to doing exercise to create a better body in some way. Weight training can increase the size and strength of your muscles. Going for a run will increase the capabilities will increase your cardiovascular systems ability to circulate oxygenated blood.
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