Looks like I ran out of things to write about here, so I am at least going to track my weekly exercise progress (or decline). I lost all record of my workouts last year when my PDA erased everything, for no apparent reason around mid-December.
If these numbers seem a little weak, remember, I am just coming off a three week flu thing, where I didn't do anything but eat warm soup and shuffle around in my bathrobe between naps and barf sessions.
Here was today's routine at Gold's:
(1:30 second pause between sets)
Incline Bench Press: 135x14, 185x6, 175x6, 165x7, 155x9
Dumbbell Rows: 45sx12, 55sx11,11,11,10
Chest Flys (Body Masters machine): 110x14, 120x12, 130x8, 110x10
Power Squats (Body Masters-Facing Inward) 180x12, 270x14, 360x13,13,13
Side Bend Dumbbell Shrugs: 75x14,14
Friday, January 14, 2011
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Hip Flexor Stretch
Functionally Fit: Tubing-Assisted Hip Flexor Stretch
By Brian Schiff
In the latest edition of Functionally Fit, Brian adds tubing to add support and increase continuity of the Hip Flexor Stretch. This exercise is good for relieving hip and abdominal tightness, both contributors to spine problems.
See 'Related Resources' below for past Functionally Fits and other exercises and training tips.
Execution:
The tubing anchor point should be well above the head of the client. Next, kneel down on one knee and position the other leg forward in a traditional hip flexor stretch position.
Now, grasp the handles of the tubing and slowly shift the body weight forward over the upright knee while simultaneously allowing the arms to move away from and diagonally opposite the hip of the kneeling leg.
Once a comfortable stretch is attained, hold for 20-30 seconds. Repeat twice and then switch sides. If kneeling is uncomfortable, the stretch can also be done in standing, but you would need a much taller anchor point for the tubing. You may also opt not to rotate the upper body as much if it proves uncomfortable.
Application:
While this stretch is not new, I do like using the tubing to assist the pull and achieve a smoother continuous stretch as the upper body is more supported. You can also move further away from the anchor point to accentuate the stretch as desired.
In general, most clients have hip flexor tightness given the amount of sitting and computer work done today. In addition, this stretch will also help elongate the abdominals, which are often tight and weak. Excessive hip flexor and/or abdominal tightness can pull the pelvis anteriorly and contribute to lumbar spine problems.
Some general precautions include clients with active lumbar disc pathology, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, facet joint pain, stress fractures of the lumbar spine, gross shoulder instability, or active shoulder impingement. While these conditions may not preclude you from using the exercise, their presence may require special attention or modification based on each client.
Be sure to closely monitor form and ask for client feedback with respect to where the stretch is felt and if any discomfort in the spine or shoulders is occurring. Clients with knee arthritis or patello-femoral pain will do better in the standing position.
Brian Schiff, PT, CSCS (www.brianschiff.com) is a licensed physical therapist, respected author and fitness professional. He became a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) in 1998. 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.
Beyond 50 Fitness - Total Strength Workout - Functionally Fit For Life
By Brian Schiff
In the latest edition of Functionally Fit, Brian adds tubing to add support and increase continuity of the Hip Flexor Stretch. This exercise is good for relieving hip and abdominal tightness, both contributors to spine problems.
See 'Related Resources' below for past Functionally Fits and other exercises and training tips.
 |
 |
Execution:
The tubing anchor point should be well above the head of the client. Next, kneel down on one knee and position the other leg forward in a traditional hip flexor stretch position.
Now, grasp the handles of the tubing and slowly shift the body weight forward over the upright knee while simultaneously allowing the arms to move away from and diagonally opposite the hip of the kneeling leg.
Once a comfortable stretch is attained, hold for 20-30 seconds. Repeat twice and then switch sides. If kneeling is uncomfortable, the stretch can also be done in standing, but you would need a much taller anchor point for the tubing. You may also opt not to rotate the upper body as much if it proves uncomfortable.
Application:
While this stretch is not new, I do like using the tubing to assist the pull and achieve a smoother continuous stretch as the upper body is more supported. You can also move further away from the anchor point to accentuate the stretch as desired.
In general, most clients have hip flexor tightness given the amount of sitting and computer work done today. In addition, this stretch will also help elongate the abdominals, which are often tight and weak. Excessive hip flexor and/or abdominal tightness can pull the pelvis anteriorly and contribute to lumbar spine problems.
Some general precautions include clients with active lumbar disc pathology, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, facet joint pain, stress fractures of the lumbar spine, gross shoulder instability, or active shoulder impingement. While these conditions may not preclude you from using the exercise, their presence may require special attention or modification based on each client.
Be sure to closely monitor form and ask for client feedback with respect to where the stretch is felt and if any discomfort in the spine or shoulders is occurring. Clients with knee arthritis or patello-femoral pain will do better in the standing position.
Brian Schiff, PT, CSCS (www.brianschiff.com) is a licensed physical therapist, respected author and fitness professional. He became a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) in 1998. 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.
Beyond 50 Fitness - Total Strength Workout - Functionally Fit For Life
Heart Health
| Weight Training Has Unique Heart Benefits, Study Suggests |
 |
| (11/11/2010) |
|
| Resistance exercise (such as lifting weights) produces a different pattern of blood vessel responses than aerobic exercise, suggesting that it may have specific and important benefits for cardiovascular health, according to a study in the November issue of The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, official research journal of the National Strength and Conditioning Association. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins a part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading provider of information and business intelligence for students, professionals, and institutions in medicine, nursing, allied health, and pharmacy. "Resistance exercise may offer greater benefits from the increases in blood flow to active muscles and could be implemented as companion to an aerobic training regimen," according to the new study, led by Scott R. Collier, Ph.D., of Appalachian State University, Boone, N.C. continued at MedicalNewsToday.com>> |
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Beet Juice for Hypertension
Recent research published online in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association suggests that drinking beet juice can lower high blood pressure. Researchers from Queen Mary University of London found that blood pressure was lower within a 24 hour period in people who took nitrate tablets, and those who drank beet juice. The nitrate content found within the beetroot juice had been found to be the main underlying cause of its blood pressure lowering ability.
The study’s author Amrita Ahluwalia stated that they were able to demonstrate that the nitrate found in beetroot juice was the cause of its beneficial effects upon cardiovascular health by increasing the levels of the gas nitric oxide in the circulation. Ahluwalia said, “We showed that beetroot and nitrate capsules are equally effective in lowering blood pressure indicating that it is the nitrate content of beetroot juice that underlies its potential to reduce blood pressure. We also found that only a small amount of juice is needed – just 250 ml - to have this effect, and that the higher the blood pressure at the start of the study the greater the decrease caused by the nitrate.”
This study has shown that there are ways to lower your blood pressure that are safe, natural, and effective, without the need to depend strictly upon prescription drugs.
The study’s author Amrita Ahluwalia stated that they were able to demonstrate that the nitrate found in beetroot juice was the cause of its beneficial effects upon cardiovascular health by increasing the levels of the gas nitric oxide in the circulation. Ahluwalia said, “We showed that beetroot and nitrate capsules are equally effective in lowering blood pressure indicating that it is the nitrate content of beetroot juice that underlies its potential to reduce blood pressure. We also found that only a small amount of juice is needed – just 250 ml - to have this effect, and that the higher the blood pressure at the start of the study the greater the decrease caused by the nitrate.”
This study has shown that there are ways to lower your blood pressure that are safe, natural, and effective, without the need to depend strictly upon prescription drugs.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Shoulder Problems
One very common problem with old farts like myself who insist on pumpin' iron like they're still 25 year-old stallions is shoulder joint pain, often hard to diagnose as to the exact cause.
One common injury caused by a variety of traumas, often incurred during our younger days, but only becoming a real nagging problem as we age like shriveling fruit on the shelf of the kitchen in the one-room, low-rent sweatbox apartment we call home, is a tear of the glenoid labrum. This piece of cartilage serves to guide the head of the humerus bone (upper arm) as it rotates and moves in the glenoid fossa (a dish-like depression of the scapula (shoulder blade)) that holds the upper arm in place. Here's the anatomy of the shoulder, labrum included, to give you an idea of where this little bitch is located:
There it is. The problem is, when this mother tears, the shoulder becomes much less stable, and you start to have ongoing shoulder pain and discomfort, not to mention instability in sports and other activities, which sucks. The problem itself makes itself worse over time, as the labrum tears more and degenerates from increasing instability.
Although notoriously hard to diagnose, those three people left in the country with good medical insurance can go see their specialist for tests like arthroscopic exploratory surgery and MRI's to name a few options, us other poor bastards are going to have to depend on self-diagnosis and physical clues like:
All exercises should be repeated 30 times. Two sessions per day are recommended.
When the pain is completely gone, it is now time to increase the stability of the shoulder by paying special attention to doing rotator-cuff exercises. Start with light weight (3-5 lbs for women): (do these at the end of your regular workout)
After 4 to 6 weeks of working these muscles, you should be ready to resume normal activities. (This advice does not take the place of your doctor's advice, blah, blah, blah, don't sue me.)
Rotator cuff exercise #1 Empty Your Beer
Stand normally, arms at your sides, with a dumbbell in each hand. As you begin to raise your arms out to the sides, and slightly forward of the center of your body (in line with how your shoulder blade moves along your rib cage), turn your thumbs downward, like you're emptying a glass. Move your arms up to horizontal, keeping them straight or slightly bent at the elbows. Arms back to sides. Do 12 to 15 reps x 3 or 4 sets.
Rotator cuff exercise #2 Propped External Rotation
Prop your elbow out to your side at horizontal, resting on a chair-back, or other immovable object. Place a dumbbell in that hand with the other. Holding your forearm vertically, lower the weight slowly forward as your arm rotates counterclockwise in the joint (right arm, clockwise left arm) and the weight lowers toward the point where your arm is past horizontal. Feel the stretch at the bottom limit of motion, and raise the weight back up to vertical. 10 to 12 reps x 3 or 4 sets.
Rotator cuff exercise #3 Side-Lying External Rotation
Lay on your side with your high elbow at your side, holding a dumbbell with your forearm across your stomach. Lift the weight up moving your forearm to above horizontal, return to the lower position. Do 12-15 reps x 3 to 4 sets.
Rotator cuff exercise #4 Arm Wrestler
This muscle (subscapularis) is not as crucial for shoulder health, as it usually has already outpaced the other 3 rotator cuff muscles (teres minor, supraspinatus, infraspinatus), but it's probably good to work it some for prevention. This is your "arm-wrestling muscle", and since it doesn't stick out and make you look good at the pub, most posers aren't even aware that it exists.
To work this muscle, lie on your back and roll slightly towards the same side arm, and stick your elbow against your ribcage. Placing a dumbbell in that hand, start from horizontal (forearm pos.) and raise it to vertical. Do 10 to 12 reps x 3 or 4 sets.
One common injury caused by a variety of traumas, often incurred during our younger days, but only becoming a real nagging problem as we age like shriveling fruit on the shelf of the kitchen in the one-room, low-rent sweatbox apartment we call home, is a tear of the glenoid labrum. This piece of cartilage serves to guide the head of the humerus bone (upper arm) as it rotates and moves in the glenoid fossa (a dish-like depression of the scapula (shoulder blade)) that holds the upper arm in place. Here's the anatomy of the shoulder, labrum included, to give you an idea of where this little bitch is located:
There it is. The problem is, when this mother tears, the shoulder becomes much less stable, and you start to have ongoing shoulder pain and discomfort, not to mention instability in sports and other activities, which sucks. The problem itself makes itself worse over time, as the labrum tears more and degenerates from increasing instability.
Although notoriously hard to diagnose, those three people left in the country with good medical insurance can go see their specialist for tests like arthroscopic exploratory surgery and MRI's to name a few options, us other poor bastards are going to have to depend on self-diagnosis and physical clues like:
- A sharp "pop" or catching sensation in the shoulder during certain extreme arm movements
- A vague aching sensation in the shoulder joint
- Your shoulder tends to slip out of joint slightly, usually forward, or crack back into joint often
- First, make sure you reduce pain and inflammation, if any, using DMSO, found at your local health food store, MSM supplements, and any medical anti-inflammatories you may have access to.
- Once the pain subsides, see a chiropractor to make sure the shoulder glenohumeral joint is properly lined up and articulating normally. He should be able to pop it back into alignment if necessary.
- To complete the rehab process, do codman's exercises, below:
I did this one regularly with a 45 lb plate in my hand, and had a miracle improvement in reduction of chronic shoulder pain after two years of fruitless other attempts to fix it.
This one looks a little stupid. Do it if the other two don't work.
This one I just substituted the lat pulldown machine at the gym, with about 200 lbs of weight, and it worked great!
All exercises should be repeated 30 times. Two sessions per day are recommended.
When the pain is completely gone, it is now time to increase the stability of the shoulder by paying special attention to doing rotator-cuff exercises. Start with light weight (3-5 lbs for women): (do these at the end of your regular workout)
Rotator Cuff Exercises (Wikipedia)
Rotator cuff exercise #1 Empty Your Beer
Stand normally, arms at your sides, with a dumbbell in each hand. As you begin to raise your arms out to the sides, and slightly forward of the center of your body (in line with how your shoulder blade moves along your rib cage), turn your thumbs downward, like you're emptying a glass. Move your arms up to horizontal, keeping them straight or slightly bent at the elbows. Arms back to sides. Do 12 to 15 reps x 3 or 4 sets.
Rotator cuff exercise #2 Propped External Rotation
Prop your elbow out to your side at horizontal, resting on a chair-back, or other immovable object. Place a dumbbell in that hand with the other. Holding your forearm vertically, lower the weight slowly forward as your arm rotates counterclockwise in the joint (right arm, clockwise left arm) and the weight lowers toward the point where your arm is past horizontal. Feel the stretch at the bottom limit of motion, and raise the weight back up to vertical. 10 to 12 reps x 3 or 4 sets.
Rotator cuff exercise #3 Side-Lying External Rotation
Lay on your side with your high elbow at your side, holding a dumbbell with your forearm across your stomach. Lift the weight up moving your forearm to above horizontal, return to the lower position. Do 12-15 reps x 3 to 4 sets.
Rotator cuff exercise #4 Arm Wrestler
This muscle (subscapularis) is not as crucial for shoulder health, as it usually has already outpaced the other 3 rotator cuff muscles (teres minor, supraspinatus, infraspinatus), but it's probably good to work it some for prevention. This is your "arm-wrestling muscle", and since it doesn't stick out and make you look good at the pub, most posers aren't even aware that it exists.
To work this muscle, lie on your back and roll slightly towards the same side arm, and stick your elbow against your ribcage. Placing a dumbbell in that hand, start from horizontal (forearm pos.) and raise it to vertical. Do 10 to 12 reps x 3 or 4 sets.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
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