Exercise of the week 5/9/11

Seated Dumbbell(DB) Curl

This exercise primarily works the biceps muscle which is on the front of the upper arm.  Most people are familiar with this muscle, and many spend a significant portion of their upper body training time devoted to sculpting this muscle.  I wouldn't recommend sacrificing a lot of your limited time to training this muscle group, but I do think that it is important to give it some attention.   One of the biggest reasons I advocate spending time on training these muscles is because of the reciprocal benefits. For example, the forearm muscles have to contract and grip the DB's firmly when you perform this exercise.  By doing this they become stronger.  When they are stronger they are more able to help you out in your life's activities- such as opening a can, gripping a bag, carrying a baby or any other similar activity.

How to perform:

❑ Hold the 2 DB's at your side
❑ Let your arms relax and fully extend
❑ Relax your neck
❑ Lock your elbows in position at your side

❑ While maintaining your neck and elbow positions-
❑ Lift the DB's up to about shoulder height
❑ Hold/squeeze the muscles at the end of the movement
❑ Relax the muscles and slowly lower your arms to the starting position
❑ Repeat for the prescribed number of reps

This is a fantastic exercise to learn and add to your routine.  There are a great number of varieties and complexities that you can add to this movement to change it up and make it tougher.  I would recommend starting with this version and then challenging yourself with other versions as you gain strength.  Good luck!  Please feel free to contact me with any questions about this, or any other exercise, and I am always open to suggestions on which exercise to cover next week.

-Jason

Sunny Workout

I happen to know a number of people who do not seem to be too effected by the weather.  Overcast, rain, snow, slush or whatever, the weather just doesn't seem to bother them.  However, I know way more people, myself included, who need sunshine and/or warmth to put them at their best.  This morning was one of the rare sunny and almost warm mornings that we have had this year.  And these conditions helped someone who needed a sunny push in the right direction.

When I got to this client's house this morning I could tell right out of the gate that she was not in the best of workout moods.  Actually, that's putting it kindly.  One of the first things she said to me was, "It took everything I had not to call you this morning and cancel."  I told her that it was great that she didn't and let's see what we could get through.  We both agreed that a short walk outside, in the sun, might help kick start her mind and body.  So we walked.  And it was really nice out.  The sun and the ever increasing temperature seemed to help pick up our pace, and with that I could tell her spirit was picking up too.  When the walk was over I was ready to head in and get to work with some weights and exercise bands, but she had a different plan.  She laid down right in the sun covered grass and said, "I want to train here.  Can I?"  I replied, "I think it is a great idea."  And train on the lawn, in the bright sun, is what we did.  It was great and it was just what she needed.

Are you weather effected?  Let me know about it.  I love to hear how people deal with tough environmental situations.

-Jason

Exercise of the week 5/2/11

Standing Calf Raise

This exercise primarily works the large calf muscle, the Gastrocnemius, in your lower leg.  This muscle is very important in helping your foot plant and extend stably when you walk, skip, jog, run and jump.  Athletes definitely need this muscle to be in top condition so they can safely perform their sports, but non-athletes also benefit greatly from the training of this muscle.  The benefits to the non-athletes comes from all of the surrounding tissue that gets strengthened when performing this exercise.  Theses areas include the Achilles tendon- which is actually part of the Gastrocnemius, the ankle connective tissue, the foot musculature and the foot connective tissue.  When all of these surrounding tissues are trained the ankle/foot apparatus is a much stronger and a more stable platform.

How to perform:

♢ Beginners- stand with your feet flat on the floor and shoulder width apart
♢ Advanced- stand on the lowest stair, or stable platform, with your feet shoulder width apart
♢ Without locking your knees, keep your legs in a fixed position for the entire range of motion

Beginners

Advanced

♢ While pivoting from ~ the balls of your feet, lift yourself up onto your toes
♢ Hold and squeeze the muscles at the end of the movement
♢ Beginners- Relax your calves and let your heals return to the floor
♢ Advanced- Relax your calves and let your heals sink to a comfortable level below the starting point
♢ Repeat for the prescribed number of reps

Beginners

Advanced

This is an overall fantastic exercise.  There are many ways to increase the difficulty of this movement and I encourage you to seek them out.  One thing I do not recommend though is to undertake this exercise ballistically.  Make sure the entire range of motion is done in a slow and controlled fashion.  This will ensure you get the most out of the exercise and also help prevent an injury.  Good luck!  Please feel free to contact with any questions about this, or any other exercise, and I am always open to suggestions on which exercise to cover next week.

-Jason

Riding With A Friend

A good friend of mine came into town this weekend and wanted to get a ride in while he was here.  I told him that I thought that it was a great idea.  We set up a ride time that worked for both of us, and then all we needed was the weather to cooperate. The weather turned out to be decent- 60ish and overcast, but not as good as originally predicted- 65-70 and sunny.  As for the ride itself, we rode the bike path to Island Lake State Park.  Apparently many others had similar plans to ride because when we got to the mountain bike parking lot it was packed.  We were on the wrong bikes to ride the trails so we flipped it and headed back.

Check out the trick kit.  He, Paul, lives in Boulder and is riding for a new club this year.  I would give the kit a solid A in appearance.

Another angle on the gear.  Notice in this shot, as well as the first, his arm warmer has fallen down his arm.  Ever since I have known him that is what always happens to him and his warmers.  That would drive me crazy.

The best thing about this photo is the old school technology in Paul's hand.  And no, I am not talking about myself!  The bike in his right hand is a Schwinn made with Reynolds 853 tubing.  That my friends is an old school ride.

We ended up with 2 solid hours, 35 miles, lots of wind and a great ride!

Exercise of the week 4/25/11

Dumbbell(DB) Lateral Raise

This exercise primarily works the deltoids, more commonly known as the shoulder, musculature.  There are three different deltoid muscles and each type of shoulder exercise works the three parts in a different ratio to the other parts.  Functionally, the shoulders are very important to us because they are involved in some way with any movement we make with our arms.  Aesthetically, they are important because they define the shape of the upper body.  If you have strong and defined deltoids you will be able to look good as you muscle your way throughout the day!


How to perform:


❍ While seated or standing hold two DB's at your sides
❍ Put a slight bend in your elbows
❍ Keep your neck relaxed

❍ Lift the DB's up to ~shoulder height
❍ Hold/Squeeze the muscles at the end of the movement
❍ Relax your shoulders and let your arms return to your sides
❍ Repeat for the prescribed number of reps

 Many people find that their neck gets tight while they are undertaking this exercise.  To help prevent this make sure that you keep your neck as relaxed as possible while you work through this movement.  Good luck!  Please feel free to contact me with any questions about this, or any other exercise, and I am always open to suggestions on which exercise to cover next week.

-Jason

2011 Kinetic Fitness Spring Pentathlon

Most of my clients know of, or participated in, the Kinetic Fitness 2010 Winter Decathlon.  The idea for the contest arose one morning when 2 clients were discussing what they could do to help pass the time of the long winter.  They decided that they should challenge each other on an exercise and use that training and drive to help pass the time.  They bantered back and forth between each other about which exercise the two of them should do, and ultimately they asked me what would be a fair exercise that wouldn't favor one person over the other.  I thought about it for a second and said,"Why choose just one?  Let's raise the bar on this idea and take it to 10 events."  From that point on the contest started taking shape and it ultimately grew into a contest many of my clients took part in.  Some wanted to do all of the events, and others only wanted to do a few.  What happened for everyone though was increased focus and fitness, and the winter did seem to pass much more quickly!  For this Spring I have brought back the contest, but I decided to keep the number of events smaller and the duration of the training shorter.

The Disciplines

1) Wii Yoga Tree Pose for score
2) Cardiovascular total time for the week
3) Stationary Lunges @ 15% of BW for maximum number of repetitions with both legs
4) Hammer Strength Machine Row @ 25% of BW for maximum number of repetitions
5) Modified Sit and Reach Test

Training Period-

Monday April 25th - Sunday May 22nd

Testing Period-

Monday May 23rd - Sunday May 29th

If you look at the five disciplines you will see that it will take a well rounded athlete to excel in this competition.  Everything from core strength, the Wii Yoga Tree Pose, to flexibility, the modified sit and reach test, is taxed.  I welcome everyone to join in and if you would like to try these events, but don't have the knowledge or access to complete them, then please contact me and I can offer explanations and alternatives.  Good luck!

-Jason

Exercise of the week 4/18/11

Inner Thigh Raise

This exercise works the muscle groups that are on the inside of your thigh.  Theses muscles are important for your balance while standing, and they are called upon heavily when making sharp cuts when running.  Athletes need these muscles to be strong to help prevent pulled groins and non-athletes need these muscles to be strong to help keep themselves stable and upright.

There are two basic versions that I will show to help get everyone started.  Generally speaking, I find that most women are more comfortable with their planted foot in front of their moving leg- Version #1/ pictures 1 & 3- and most men are more comfortable with their planted foot behind their moving leg- Version#2/ pictures 2 & 4.  Give them both a try.  If one works better for you than the other version then stick with that one, but if they both seem fine then alternate the two types.

How to perform:
- Lay on your side and straighten your lower leg out
- Bend the knee of your other leg and place your foot to match either Version #1 or Version #2
- Place your trunk and head in a comfortable relaxed position

Version #1

Version #2

- With your foot relaxed, lift your leg as high as you comfortably can
- Hold/squeeze the muscles at the end of the movement
- Relax the leg and let it return to the starting position
- Repeat for the prescribed number of reps
- Flip over to your other side and repeat

Version #1

Version #2

Good luck! Please feel free to contact me with any questions about this, or any other exercise, and I am always open to suggestions on which exercise to cover next week.

-Jason