Mud-Run Training - Where to Start

Final entry from our trainer, James "Max" Clark.

It's the season for Mudruns and all different kinds of events. Being able to run the minimum 5k can be the least of your challenges when participating in one of these races. They include jumping, crawling, climbing and even balance obstacles that can make preparing for them more difficult than you might imagine. If you have never done one before here is an example of workout regiment to get you started.

Start out with 4 workout days a week, preferably Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Make sure to warm-up with stretching both before AND AFTER each workout.

Monday, Wednesday, Friday

Intermittent running and exercises-Start with a set time to run or walk at an incline if you have never been a runner.  Start by doing 3 minutes and working your way up to 5 minutes. In between the running, pick an upper body, lower body and core exercise to do submaximal exhaustion with for a time period of 30 to 60 seconds each.  Examples could be: burpees, pushup, pullups, high jump, plank to a pushup, mountain climbers, lunges, inverted rows, squats, overhead press, Turkish get-ups, etc… Repeat this process for a set number of rounds or until you reach a desired total distance on the runs.

Saturday

This is going to be your long run day. You can either choose a distance, but personally I prefer time. Again for those who are just beginning running, start at 1 mile and work your way up to the total distance of your race. This is the part that is going to take planning because you can’t increase the distance too quickly without risk of injury or breakdown.  Make sure to give yourself enough time and plan out the increments to give your body time to compensate and recover before the date of your race. I suggest not doing this on a treadmill, but instead go to a park or some outside venue that is not paved, after all most mudruns are cross-country!

Happy Training and have fun!

10 Moves to Improve Your Basketball Game

Basketball season is almost here...GO CATS!!  Here are some tips so you can improve your own game.

Once you've mastered basketball's fundamentals—how to properly dribble, shoot, pass, and trash talk—you can improve your game by fine-tuning the way you train off the court. They will increase your stability, stamina, and strength while aiming to keep you off your team's injured reserve list.

FRONT SQUAT

A solid base is important if you don't want to lose your balance every time some lummox hand-checks you.  Along with making your legs, trunk, and lower back strong, front squats will teach your body proper biomechanical alignment. Tall people tend to naturally squat wrong by bending forward instead of sitting deep—and that's not a strong position. When doing these, only squat down until your knees are at 90 degrees, since that's the range of a defensive stance.
 
How to Do It

1. Grab a pair of dumbbells and stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
2. Raise the dumbbells upward and rotate your hands so they're in the same position they'd be for a barbell squat (might require a lower body "kip" [dynamic move to hoist the weight] if you're using heavy weight).
3. Descend into a squat position while keeping your back straight, your chest upright, your elbows parallel to the floor, and your butt over your heels.
4. Once your knees reach 90 degrees, return to the starting position.
5. Perform 8–15 reps.

LATERAL ICE SKATER 
Breaking news: NBA scouts are not attending your pickup games. So exiting the game without spraining or tearing anything should trump all other concerns. Lateral skaters work the quads, hamstrings, and calves, but they also play a key role in strengthening the entire pelvic girdle, especially the gluteus medius. The gluteus medius—a small muscle in the butt—helps with hip stabilization and puts your body into a biomechanical alignment that greatly reduces knee and lower-extremity injuries.
 
How to Do It

1. Stand in an athletic position with your feet close together; bend at the waist with your knees and arms slightly bent.
2. Jump off of your left foot and land on your right foot while keeping your left foot off the ground. The opposite leg from the one you're launching off of will naturally pendulum across your body.
3. Reverse it (jump off of the right foot and land on the left foot).
4. Perform 6–10 reps total (3–5 each leg) at 100%.

HEEL SLIDE 
You're far more susceptible to non-contact lower-body injuries when hip alignment is askew. Enter the heel slide. The form can be tricky, but perfecting the movement enables you to maintain proper hip alignment. If the middle of your butt isn't hurting by the time you're done, you're doing it wrong. The downside: You'll need adequate wall space.  

How to do it

1. Lie on the floor close enough to a wall so that you can place both legs up on the wall.  Your hips should be as close to the wall as is comfortable for you.
2. Start with both feet resting on the wall.  Slowly pull one foot down the wall, keeping the heel against the wall during entire movement.
3. Then slowly slide your foot up to where you started.
4. Perform 15-20 reps (or 30 seconds) per leg.

SIDE PLANK LEG RAISE

In every facet of the game—shooting, defending, sprinting off the court in shame after launching an air ball—you're using core strength. For side plank leg raises, raising both the upper leg and arm to provide more stability and to force the hip into place. He also stresses the importance of pointing the toes down on your elevated foot. Turning the toes downward will strengthen the gluteus medius along with your core, he reveals.  Pushing the belly button forward will help maintain verticality. When the upper leg hangs out from the body, it most likely means you're using the back and gluteus maximus muscles (in other words, cheating) instead of the gluteus medius.
 
How to Do It

1. Lie on your side, keep your legs straight, and prop yourself up on your arm or elbow.
2. Raise both the upper leg and arm (remember to point that upper toe downward).
3. Hold the position for 30 seconds, then switch sides.

BULGARIAN SQUAT

Bulgarian squats build lower-body muscles. They also provide a reason to thank Bulgaria for contributing something to the world. When paired with split squat jumps (we'll get to those next), the two exercises team up to both strengthen the legs and enhance explosiveness. This is a basketball-specific movement that you use in the game. You want your back leg to be about 12 to 18 inches off the ground with your back knee almost touching the ground [like a lunge when you descend]; finding the proper weight and distance to use here will be trial and error.
 
How to Do It

1. Grab a pair of dumbbells and put them at your sides with your arms straight, or move them into the same position you would when doing a barbell squat.
2. While you're in a staggered stance (your left or right foot forward), place the top of your back foot on top of a bench (or a chair, couch arm, or stability ball—whatever's available or at your comfort level).
3. Perform 8–15 per leg.

SPLIT SQUAT JUMPS

Strength and conditioning coaches rely on split squat jumps regularly with their basketball clientele. Why? They enhance explosive power off of one leg, and that's something players need to snag rebounds, hit jump shots, and execute 360-backflip dunks . . . or layups. Doing a heavy contraction exercise like the Bulgarian or front squat before a dynamic movement makes the latter move safer.  Your muscles are thoroughly warmed up, so it's much harder to injure yourself. The cool thing is that you also free up something called high-threshold muscle cell motor units that will help you jump higher.
 
How to Do It

1. Get into a split stance.
2. Drop into split squat position so your front upper leg is parallel to the floor and your rear knee is almost touching the ground.
3. Jump upward and quickly switch the position of your legs so you land in the opposite stance.
4. Perform a squat and repeat.
5. Perform 6–10 reps total (3–5 each leg) at 100%.

SQUAT HOPS TO WALL SQUAT
The first thing you do when you're tired in basketball is start to stand up and lose the position where you are strong and laterally quick. And if you can't sink down into a stance and D up, you might as well wear the other team's jersey. This squat hop to wall squat duo will supply your lower body with strength and stamina. Go for speed, not distance.  Move as fast as you can, tapping the feet as quickly as possible. And when you're done, do a wall squat until failure.
(Something to consider: If you sweat worse than a broken spigot and you're doing wall squats at home, Superman a towel over your back to preserve the paint.)
 
How to Do It

1. Get into a defensive stance (legs bent at 90 degrees, back straight, head up), arms out like you're guarding someone.
2. Perform 16 jumps rapidly (4 forward, 4 sideways, 4 to the other side, and 4 backward) and repeat it 4 times.
3. Find a wall and get back into your defensive stance with your arms and fingers extended.
4. Stay in that position as long as possible.

FINGERTIP PUSH-UPS

Whether you're shooting, passing, or giving someone a Dikembe Mutombo finger wag after blocking a shot, your fingers play a crucial role. And they take a serious beating during basketball games. Fingertip push-ups will toughen your digits and boost strength in your upper body and core.  Work up to 25 reps, but aim for 15 or as many as you can do to start.  Do some of them from your knees to build up strength if you need to.
 
How to Do It

1. Get into a push-up position (wide- or narrow-grip).
2. Support your body weight with your fingertips instead of your palms.
3. Keep your head, neck, hips, and torso straight, and your back and shoulders stable as you descend.
4. Push up and repeat.
5. Perform up to 25 reps (unless you can do more).

LINE HOPS

Proprioception is an internal mechanism that allows us to do cool things like control our limbs without having to look at them while they work. (That's how we can drive without the need to stare at our hands and feet.) Trouble is, that can be a detriment with basketball. We remember how to run, jump, and shoot from balling when we were kids, but if we haven't played in a while our bodies may not be conditioned to carry out those in-game movements without suffering an injury.  Line hops help with neuromuscular patterns.  Just jumping on the balls of the feet will help get your body used to [those movements] again, as well as help with speed and quickness.
 
How to Do It

1. Tape an "X" onto the floor.
2. Hop quickly over a line, changing direction after every 5 jumps.
3. After 30 jumps, rest 30 seconds and complete another set.

CURL TO OVERHEAD PRESS

Don't neglect strengthening your upper body.  With this movement, you're building strength through a squat position, which you spend a lot of time in on the court.
 
How to Do It

1. Grab a pair of dumbbells and let them hang at your sides.
2. Perform a squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
3. Return to the standing position and do a biceps curl.
4. When the dumbbells reach your shoulders, flip your hands over and press them over your head by thrusting from your hips (called a push-press).
5. Reverse the move, slowly, to the starting position, and repeat.
6. Do 8–15 reps, or until failure.

Good luck and we will see you on the court!!

We Love to Watch You Walk Away

No that wasn't a creepy title to today's blog.  One of our trainers, Caitlin Massey, just wants you to have the best training for your glutes!!

Everyone wants to have a nice looking backside, but we also need to have a well-functioning one to prevent knee and lower back injuries. Fortunately, with the right type of training, you can do both. 

Typical glute training consists of concentric motions in a linear pattern (meaning straight forwards and back), but this method is an incomplete method of training for how the muscle acts on the hip joint as it adapts to a variety of forces.  One key component of advanced glute training is multi-directional movement. There is an abundance of muscle tissue that run multi-directionally around your pelvis and hips to help stabilize the joint. By using multi-directional exercises, such as a staggered stance squat with a lateral reach or lateral squat on the BOSU, you can activate more muscle fibers and connective tissues, thus creating more shape and functional capacity.   

Another key to glute training is using eccentric training (lengthening the muscle). This type of training maximizes the energy potential of the muscle as it attempts to decelerate a load and stabilize the hip. An example of this would be a single-leg deadlift or single-leg squat using the TRX or other suspension apparatus. 

The last key to glute training is exercise and weight progression. Your body adapts to sustain greater stress, so the only way to get better shape in the glutes is to continually challenge the muscle tissue. You do this by enhancing the load you place on the muscle (using heavier weight). 

So, are you ready to "look good walking away"?  Try some of these exercises mentioned and start your glute training correctly.  Still need help?  Be sure to enlist the help of one our personal trainers to ensure you are performing the exercise correctly and safely.  

The 3D Booty: Training the Glutes for Form and Function. IDEA Fitness Journal. January 2014 pp 24-32

The Perils of Not Eating Enough

Hi there, it's PROMATx Health Club trainer, April Crosby.  Here's a little personal story I'd like to share with you.  So it was Tuesday and I came into the gym with my two workout buddies and we started our workout.  Interval stations of an upper body exercise, lower body exercise, and a cardio exercise all for one minute a piece.  Not too bad, huh?  I was a little sore and tired from my workout yesterday but I pushed through the first round.  Then it set in...I was light-headed and my heart rate was very high.  Mind you, this was NOT a H.I.I.T. style workout (high intensity, interval training).  In other words, I never should have been that wiped out.  So what was the problem?  I slept well that night (a little longer than usual) and I had a small meal/snack before my workout.  I was well hydrated and I wasn't fighting any sickness at the moment.  Looking back over the past 24 hours, it finally dawned on me what caused me to feel this way.  On Monday when I left the house in the morning, I packed a protein-filled lunch, added fresh fruit to my bag, as well as a few snacks for in between my group exercise class and lunch.  I got to work and taught a tough strength training class.  After class I went to reach for a snack and BAM!  It hit me...I left my lunch bag sitting on the kitchen counter.  Darn it!

Has that ever happened to you?  I didn't have the opportunity to run out and get something to eat because I had a packed schedule in the gym.  Then I had a couple appointments after leaving the gym so again, no time.  Essentially from 8a-3:30p I had no food.  After burning a lot of calories in class, my food reserves had been drained (as well as my energy level).  I pushed through thinking it would be OK because I could eat after my last appointment.  Well 3:30p came around and, of course, I was way past hungry.  Since I still didn't have any food with me, I swung by a local Mexican restaurant to get some black beans and rice.  Add a few "unmentionables" to that dish and that was my breakfast/snack/lunch.  Probably added up to around 500-600 calories, unfortunately.  I split that meal between my lunch and dinner. 

So that's not the end of the story.  As I stated early, I did my regularly scheduled personal workout with a couple of friends on Tuesday (the next day).  It was probably one of the worst workouts I had in a long time.  Why was that?  Because I probably had about 700-800 calories of food the day prior.  Based on my activity levels and metabolism, I should be eating close to 1900 calories/day.  My body was in a temporary state of starvation and therefore I had no energy reserves to get me through my workout.  I was lethargic, my heart rate was abnormally high, and my muscles were unusually fatigued and sore.  That should have been an indication to me right then and there since I know the signs of overtraining and under eating.

The moral of the story...no matter what type of training regime you are on (i.e., fat/weight loss, muscle building, lean out, etc.), it is VITAL that you consume enough calories to meet your activity levels.  Even one day matters.  Essentially, my workout on Tuesday was a waste of time and a waste of energy (what little there was left).  Even today I am still slightly feeling the effects of under eating on Monday.  Most people think..."I eat less, I lose weight".  In theory that seems correct but there is a fine line.  It is important to talk with nutrition professionals when you are attempting to change your body composition.  They will know how to safely and accurately get you to your goal.

It just goes to show that sometimes "life happens" and things get out of whack.  Use these times as a learning experience and move on.  While forgetting my lunch doesn't happen very often, I know now to take adequate steps (like asking friends co-workers if they have food to share or if they can cover me while I go get some healthy food) to resolve the issue.  Just a little insight in the crazy life of mine!!

Todd Wants to Know....Do You Give 100%?

My name is Todd Walbert and I have been here at PROMATx Health Club for almost 7 years.  I previously trained at a couple other facilities while getting my kinesiology degree from the University of Kentucky but have worked at a gym doing a little of everything for almost 10 years.  I am 34 years old now and have been a physically active person since my youth where I played sports up through high school.  For the first couple of years after high school I was lazy but it didn't last long.  I had to get a degree in something!  My earlier aspirations in the fields of biology and forestry didn't seem to be as joyous as I had hoped.  The kinesiology program at UK was everywhere at that time so I chose to specialize in "exercise science".

After training for a few years, I chose to start my own LLC (limited liability company) and named it "All Encompassed Personal Training".  Why that name?  I felt that rather than specialize in one aspect of training, I wanted to be familiar with all forms of exercise...from bodybuilding to power lifting to power building to running.  In general I enjoy all types of physical exertion as I have competed in many sports and events as well as through my training career.

A common problem I see for exercisers is stepping out too early.  Too many people try to achieve a "number" or "time" rather than a "feeling" in the trained area. Understanding what utter failure feels like is necessary in changing the shape of your physique or your performance level.  Most of the time, if you aren't burning it, you aren't working it.  This premature quitting is evident in all forms of exercises.  Weight lifters quit a set of repetitions anywhere from 1-2 or 7-8 reps shy of what is needed to achieve results.  Too often, aspiring runners start to walk 1, 2 or 3 minutes shy of a point where they MAY realize they might have to stop and walk.  Even a "cross-fitter" or triathlete may not always push the envelope, if you will, hard enough to positively affect their mind, body, and training regimen.

A physiological response is needed to get better at anything.  Obviously you will not always be able to top what you did the day before or the week before but 100% is 100% and that is all we can do.  I like the 100% rule.  Always work at your potential and you know you are getting better at that task.  Training always contains so many outliers, from sleep to nutrition to mental state.  The probability at the body being able to do the same thing over and over is highly unlikely but you can ensure your adaptation to that stimulus is getting better if you always give 100%.  Finding that line and knowing where to stop safely is the constant challenge in any physical endeavor.

So....do you give 100%??

Stay tuned for more great insight from trainer, Todd Walbert as he continues as our guest blogger the next few weeks.

Competition: The Great Motivator

This month our guest blogger is our very own, new papa, Shawn Massey.  He will be supplying us with his great wisdom over the next few weeks so stay tuned and read what he has to say!!

Stuck in a training rut or just tired of the same boring workout?  Why not break out of it by competing against someone else or yourself?  Training with a friend won't just make the time go faster but it can also drive you both to push that extra 10 percent.  For those of you who are personal training clients, it's not too hard to goat your trainer into a little competition if you are up to a challenge.  You might also try entering into a race, mud run, or join a recreational sports team.  The drive to outdo your competition (or just do well for your own satisfaction) will give you a reason to dig down each workout and give you a new training focus.  If one-on-one competition isn't your game compete against yourself.  Each time you do an exercise try to get more reps or a faster time than last time.  

Let the games begin!

Non-Traditional Cardio Activity

Continuing with our monthly guest blogger...here is another installment from one of our trainers, Joseph Mattingly.

If you are like me, you don’t particularly enjoy cardio.  You may loathe the cardio area in the gym as do I.  You may not mind running outside from time to time, but cannot stand the thought of pounding away on the treadmill. The cardio area may turn your stomach.  So here is a solution.  For now, avoid the treadmill, stair-master, elliptical, bike etc. Instead of the old steady state machine-type cardio, here are some tips and ideas to break up the monotony and increase the intensity and effectiveness of your cardio sessions.  For all eight of these exercises/routines, minimal rest time is encouraged.

Ball Slams:

Find a heavy medicine ball, bend over, pick it up overhead, and slam it.  Now REPEAT.  If you want, throw in some side to side action, either with the slam, by slamming to one side then the next.  Or by slamming the ball then sliding laterally and then slamming it again, going from point A back to Point B and slamming the ball at each point.  There are lots of variations so be creative.

Battle Ropes: 

Slam the ropes up and down, side to side, alternating, slam and then lateral slide and slam again, or all of the above done back to back etc.  However you do it, do it quickly and powerfully and for at least 30 seconds.

Hills:

Tall hill, short hill...it doesn’t matter.  Run the long hills and sprint the short hills.  Here at PROMATx there is a short hill/incline in front of the parking lot that doesn’t look like much.  However, sprint up that hill and back down, 5-10 times in a row and it starts to look more imposing.

Plyometrics:

Jump around a lot.  Squat jumps, jumping knee tucks, box jumps, broad jumps, high knee skips, lateral bench hops etc.  All of these movements target the legs, core, and heart and burn tons of calories, all while making you more athletic. 

Jump-Rope:

Up and down, side to side, jumping jack, knees up, jog and jump, reverse jumps, etc.  There are many variations to keep the jump rope interesting, and for many people just your regular up and down jump rope motion will be plenty challenging, especially in the beginning.

Weighted Sled: 

The weighted sled, whether pushing it, or pulling it, is one of the best, if not THE BEST way to burn fat, ramp up intensity, and puke quickly (just joking).  This is currently my favorite fat burn/intensity-booster exercise.

Circuit Training/Low- or No-rest Periods:

For this type of training, you can use free weights, machines, body weight, or a combination of all three.  Whatever implements you use, the most important way to get cardio out of your lifting is to minimize rest periods to a minute or less between sets and exercises.  Try to have a plan, and that way you can bounce from station to station quickly with no wasted time and effort, which will make your workout that much more productive and fun.  Another tip, use antagonist muscle groups, i.e., chest and then back, as a way to keep moving without repeating the same muscle group over again.  My favorite way of doing this is to do a “push”, then “pull”, and then a lower body move.

Cardio Intensive Sports:

Go sign up for a cardio based sport, such as basketball, soccer, flag football, Ultimate Frisbee, tennis, swimming.  If you sign up with a friends you will be more inclined to actually come to games and practices, so consider this especially if you are not a very self-motivated person.

These are just a few ideas of how to break that monotony of walking on a treadmill or swinging on the Arc Trainer.  Try your hand at a few of these ideas, but be sure to have a towel and water bottle close by...you'll definitely need it!!

Success at Obtaining Fitness Goals (Part 5)

Here is "Part 5" in Brad Covington's blog on becoming successful at obtaining your fitness goals.  Be sure to go back and check out his introduction, part 1, part 2, and part 3, and part 4.

KNOWLEDGE

The last piece in this series is about knowledge, specifically when it pertains to fitness and your body.  A lot of people think because they begin a workout program, they will immediately
begin to lose weight.  This is a myth due to a basic lack of knowledge about the fitness industry.  Remember, it took you a while to get to where you are today if you are just starting a fitness program, it will take a while to get to where you want to be.

The first stages of beginning a workout program are developing habits, goal setting, and changing mental thought processes.   Don’t worry about losing weight...worry about doing things the right way.  If you do things the right way and develop the proper habits, everything else will simply fall into place.

How do I get there?  Here is where the knowledge part comes into play.   First of all, you have to come into your venture with a well organized plan.   Unless you are in the fitness field and do this on a daily basis, you may have no idea where you should start.  This is why I always encourage people to hire a fitness professional when they first start.  If you start off on the right foot and get pointed in the right direction, you are much more likely to continue your workout program and make the lifelong changes you so desire.

You should develop your program based on your goals.  This will help you to determine how much cardio activity to do, what type of cardiovascular program to be on, what type of strength program you should be on, where to keep your heart rate during your cardiovascular program, how long to maintain your heart rate when you are exercising, how many calories to consume, etc.

Before starting, make sure you understand what you are trying to accomplish.  Be sure to have the right workout designed for you, taking into consideration your abilities and any medical issues.  If you have any questions, make sure to ask a trained professional. 

In my final part of this series, I will talk about the F.I.T.T. principle and how it can answer a lot of these questions for you.  In the meantime, talk with a trained professional and learn how you can get started in the right direction.  Remember, the fitness professionals here at PROMATx Health Club are here to help you achieve your goals a give you that body transformation you are looking for!!  Stop by or call us today.

Are You Ready to Get a Little Dirty?

What's the latest craze for competitive adults?  Mud runs and obstacle courses.  What a great way to unleash your inner child!!  Events such as Tough Mudder, Spartan Race, and Warrior Dash are popping up all over and are adding an "extreme" element to your typical 5K/10K/half-marathon races.  Climb over walls, wade through chest/waist deep muddy water, crawl under barbed wire, and jump over fire.  These competitions aren't for the faint of heart but they do add a different component to the race.  Instead of just focusing on cardiorespiratory fitness for straight running events, these mud run/obstacle course events add muscular strength and endurance into the mix.

Think you are ready to try an obstacle course race?  First, be sure to note, you will have to sign a "death" waiver to be eligible to compete in any of these types of competitions.  If you are not willing (or crazy enough) to have the potential of dying on an obstacle course, then by all means, don't sign up!!  If you do have that wild hair and are looking to reclaim some playground bragging rights, then this type of competition might be what you need.  Click on the links above to check out information on some of the bigger mud runs/obstacle courses.  Get a feel for how long the event is and what types of obstacle you will face.  Once you are committed, it's time to start training.  While you will definitely need to run/jog as part of your training, you will also need to add other exercises to prepare your body for the obstacles.  Head out to the local park and shoo the kids off of the monkey bars.  When the coast is clear, grab on and see how far you can travel without falling off.

Remember, these events aren't for the faint of heart but the mud runs/obstacle courses do help build camaraderie and team spirit.  So find some friends who are just as crazy as you are and sign up for one of these events.  You'll have a new accomplishment to brag about to friends and family members.  How many people can say they jumped over fire and crawled through the mud...on purpose?!?

If you are ready to sign up for one of these events (or you've already committed yourself) and need help with a training program, stop in at PROMATx Health Club and talk with one of trainers.  Learn how we can help you get in shape and prepare your body for an obstacle course.

Overtraining..Is Too Much Exercise a Good or Bad Thing?

You hear it on the news, you see it in magazines...exercise is important.  Everyone should exercise a certain number of days per week for a certain number of minutes.  Do this exercise but not that exercise.  Do this exercise first then that exercises.  What was good yesterday is no longer good today.  There is a lot of conflicting information in the news and on the internet.  One thing still holds true...it is possible to do too much exercise.  We, in the fitness and health industry, call it "overtraining".

Typically, overtraining occurs when training volume (how much) or intensity (how hard) is too high for too long. Generally speaking, volume and intensity are inversely related when it comes to exercise.  That means when the volume of exercise is high, the intensity should be lower and vice versa.  If both are elevated for a prolonged period, the body will suffer the consequences.  Hormone imbalances between testosterone and cortisol can occur with high volume training for prolonged periods.  Disruption in the body's ability to effectively utilize fat stores can occur with high volume training.  In terms of prolonged, high intensity training, exercise-induced levels of catecholamines are markedly increased.  This causes the body to elicit a "fight or flight" response to exercise by increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and blood glucose.  This repeated response to exercise can result in decreased muscle strength over time.

How do you know if you are overtraining?  It can be difficult to determine on your own.  Your best bet would be talking with a fitness professional.  Many signs and symptoms of overtraining have been suggested but it should be noted that not all of these symptoms will be present, and that the presence of some of these symptoms does not automatically mean an individual is overtrained. The ultimate determination of overtraining is whether performance is impaired or plateaued.  Here are some common signs of overtraining:

• Decreased performance (strength, power, endurance)
• Decreased motor coordination (clumsy, tripping)
• Decreased training tolerance
• Increased recovery requirements
• Chronic fatigue
• Eating and sleeping disorders
• Altered heart rate and blood pressure
• Headaches
• Gastrointestinal stress
• Joint aches and pain
• Muscle soreness and damage
• Depression
• Impaired immune system
• Increased frequency of illness

Remember, you may not experience all of these symptoms and just because you do experience some of them doesn't necessarily mean you have been overtrained.  A degreed, experienced fitness professional can talk with you about your training, look at your volume and intensity and help you determine if you are the "result" of overtraining.

Your body needs adequate rest from activity so be sure you schedule the appropriate "rest days" within you workout routine.  Also, make sure your volume and intensity of training are inversely related.  Don't try to go "all out" during every workout and try to vary your routine from time to time.  These are just a few tips to keep your workout regimen fresh and, most importantly, safe.  Still need help?  Make an appointment with one of our trainers to discuss the appropriate plan for you and your goals.  Stop by or call PROMATx Health Club today. 

Do You Really Know How to Breathe?

Once again, I haven't lost my mind.  I know everyone knows how to breathe but are you doing it correctly?  Many of us have become lazy with our breathing techniques and we are not utilizing the full capacity of our lungs.  This becomes extremely important during exercise.

During exercise the body's demand for oxygen increases and therefore we must increase our breathing to fulfill the body's need.  This is accomplished by coordinating surrounding muscles.  You can train these muscles just as you train your biceps and glutes.  Also, as you increase your fitness level, your heart adapts by pumping the same amount of blood with less force and less often (fewer heartbeats).  In the same manner, by training your respiratory (breathing) muscles, you have the ability to slow down your breathing and be more efficient with getting oxygen in your lungs and out to the working muscles.

Studies have shown how athletes who train their respiratory muscles have improved overall performance.  Would you like to improve your performance in the gym?  While you may (or may not) be a professional (or recreational) athlete, practicing proper breathing techniques is extremely important.  Just like any other muscle, if the respiratory muscles (diaphragm and intercostals) aren't exercised they will atrophy or get smaller.  As we grow older, we tend to have shallower breathing and thus using less of our lungs to breathe.  Unfortunately as this shallow breathing continues into later stages of life, it becomes more difficult to "re-train" our respiratory muscles for deep breathing.
If you have ever taken a yoga or pilates class you probably have heard how important the breath is during activity.  How many times have you tried to lift a heavy weight in the gym and have focused on your breathing to get you through the lift?  Proper breathing techniques not only allow you to take in oxygen and disperse it to working muscles, but also it helps to center your focus on the activity at hand.  Focused breathing also helps to maximize your energy intake while keeping your mind clear.

So how can you train your respiratory muscles?  The simple answer...breathe.  The extended answer...breathe to the full extent of your lungs, diaphragm, and intercostals.  Try this the next time you have a moment to think about your breathing. 

• Inhale - 2 counts
• Hold your breath - 2 counts
• Exhale - 4 counts

This may feel awkward at first but keep working at it.  When you inhale, don't just take a breath from the shallow part of your lungs...breathe deeply from the belly.  Place one hand on your chest and one hand on your belly.  Take a normal breath.  Did the hand on your chest rise or did the hand on your belly rise?  Deep breathing should come from your belly.  Expand your ribcage to the side while you take a deep breath and allow your belly to rise.  Again, practice this because it will feel strange if you are used to shallow breathing.

Once you have become comfortable with this pattern of breathing, try adding it to your activity.  Replace the "counts" with steps, or pedal strokes, or swimming strokes.  After mastering that, try to increase your counts with the same ratio as above.  For example...inhale 4 counts, hold your breath 4 counts, and exhale 8 counts.

This type of breathing will soon become second nature and you will no longer have to think about how to breathe.  You will become more focused on the activity at hand, whether it's a sporting event, working out in the gym, or concentrating on a task at home.  Performance will improve as your mind lets go of the stress of what happened earlier in the day or problems you are having at work and your body focuses on the next breath.

"For breath is life, and if you breathe well you will live long on earth."

~ Sanskrit Proverb

What to Look for in a Personal Trainer

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Personal training has been a growing industry for many years.  From celebrities down to your average John/Jane Doe to kids training for sports, personal trainers work with a variety of individuals.  If you are considering working with a personal trainer, where do you start?  How do you know if a trainer is right for you?  This blog will give you some guidelines to follow and questions to ask when looking for a personal trainer.

So either you have been out of the exercise world for a little while and need help getting back in or you are working out but not seeing the results...is it time to hire a trainer?  It just may be.  The trick is figuring out where to go and who to talk to about training.  If you already belong to a gym or health club, talk with the owner or club director and get some general information about their training (i.e., price, packages, trainers).  If you don't already have a membership somewhere, ask your friends and coworkers where they go or who their trainer is.  Visit several facilities before you make your final decision so you can look at location, gym atmosphere, and type of members. 

Once you narrow down facilities and are comfortable with the gym hours, location and atmosphere, you will need to determine if they have the trainers who will help you reach your goals.  Make an appointment with the training director to obtain more details about their trainers.  Find out background information about the trainers such as degrees and certifications.  Ladies, if you prefer to work with women, ask how many trainers are female.  The training director should also be asking you questions about your goals, health history, motivation and confidence levels, and, most importantly, what brought you into their club/facility.

 

If the training director determines the appropriate trainer for you, ask to meet with that person before signing any contracts.  Just because the director deems a trainer is "fit" for you doesn't mean you will feel the same way.  Ask the trainer about their training style.  If their personality is "boot-camp"-mentality and you shut down when someone is over top of you yelling and screaming for you to do more reps, that won't be a good fit.  Also, find out what their schedule is like...if they only have 5a and 6a appointments available and you are not a morning person, you probably will not be successful.  

Finally, if you have narrowed down the facility and the trainer(s), find out a little more about the specifics of the training commitment.  What is the cancellation policy for appointments?  What happens if you are not satisfied with your trainer?  Is there a money-back guarantee on their "promises"?  How long do you have to use the purchased sessions (i.e., expiration date).  Once you have all the bases covered, sign on the dotted line!!!!

A trainer can help motivate and push you to reach your goals.  Can't afford a package with many sessions?  Ask about purchasing just one or two sessions to give you the guidance you need to spice up your workouts.  PROMATx Health Club has the trainers to help you.  Come in and talk to Brad Covington, owner and training director, and find out how we can help you get on track and reach your goals.