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Why are you doing that exercise?

Posted by ruff-fitness at 02:19 PM on February 21, 2010 Comments comments (0)

Exercise information is everywhere - we get bombarded by informercials, T.V. (The Biggest Loser), books, magazines and of course the intranet. We see on a pretty regular basis exercisers and even trainers selecting a given exercise or routine from a magazine or book. While this information can be helpful, a word of caution... First, any exercise or routine should have a purpose. Why are you doing the exercise? Does it match with what you are trying to accomplish? What are the risks versus the rewards? Secondly, is your body ready for the exercise? Has anyone assessed you needs? Was their any progressions leading up to the selected exercise or routine?


Exercise fads and trends come and go. Some will work; some will not. Many exercisers and athletes try things because their friends, training partners or trainer say they work. They read magazine articles that recycle and repackage exercises for every ailment, problem and body part. Many exercise and conditioning programs are a mix of fact, fiction, advertising and media hype.


Throw away any ideas about a quick fix or a fast track. Trends and fads are usually designed to sell something. We also want things now - unfortunately something always suffers when we rush natural processes. Training properly requires a conscious balance of body systems and being in touch with your body's needs.


Our training is based on a system - every client, every session will work on fundamentals that are needed for optimal health, fitness and performance - dynamic movement, energy system development, strength, stability and balance. The principles of our system allow us to test new techniques and exercises to make sure they fit in to the system before they are incorporated into your training. The system prevents us from incorporating trendy exercises or techniques that may be counterproductive or dangerous. The principles of the system don't change even as new techniques or exercise are introduced.


Our goal is to be as complete and holistic as possible - we train the body in the manner that it was meant to move. We also work daily to help you understand the keys to success - consistency, hard work and fun!





Prevent Muscle Imbalances!

Posted by ruff-fitness at 03:48 PM on February 07, 2010 Comments comments (0)
We work hard at developing a strong exercise ethic – cardiovascular, core, and strength training exercises done frequently. This should be a great thing but unfortunately most of us are creatures of habit – doing the same thing each day. The result is overused muscles resulting in muscle imbalances and injuries.

Here are 5 ways guaranteed to alleviate and prevent muscle imbalances!
These are simple to understand, easy to apply and can be used safely and effectively with individuals of all levels. So, if you want to create a workout that reduces current muscle imbalances, prevents injury and creates more symmetry and improves functional strength – apply these concepts below to every workout you do!

Use Uni-Lateral Exercises
Unilateral training is working each side of your body independently. Why is this important? We all have one side that is stronger and more developed than the other! If you spend most of your time performing bilateral movements – you just reinforcing those existing imbalances. Examples are: 1-arm dumbbell or kettlebell exercises, single-leg squats and single arm, single leg cable exercises.

Your Exercise Program should be Unbalanced!
Put simply, when it comes to a workout program – Unbalanced bodies need Unbalanced workout Programs! So, if you are strong with push exercises but are weak pulling – Do more pulls than pushes! Or, If you naturally have a strong upper body but weak legs – spend more time on leg training. 

Practice Balanced Training Methods
Yes, I know this is opposite of what I just said above! The fact is, once you train properly to alleviate your imbalances, you need to maintain muscle balance. Designing a well-balanced program does this. A well-balanced program consists of doing a 1:1 ratio of everything – For every pull there is a push. For every flexion there is an extension. Everything done with your right is also done with the left. 

Start with the Weak Side
If you have an obvious weak side or Non-dominate side – start with that side.
Why? – By starting with your weak side, you set a rep # standard for what you can do. In other words, if the weak side can only do 15 reps, you would only do 15 reps on your strong side as well. This will save the strong side from possible overuse injury and prevent it from getting too strong relative to the other side, it will also force the weak side to get stronger and catch up to the strong side.
Lastly, it always takes more energy and Central Nervous System demand to do things on your non-dominant side. So, it’s always a good idea to start each set using your weaker side because you are fresher and able to devote more energy and effort. This will lead to faster and larger gains in strength and performance on that weak side.

Strength You Can Use!
This is really a call for the use of mostly standing, free weight based, functionally integrated exercises. You’ll develop and improve the strength and stability required to control and move your body. The muscles we work hard to build are not for “show” instead we want that are able to perform! 

February is Heart Month!

Posted by ruff-fitness at 03:06 PM on February 07, 2010 Comments comments (0)
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, claiming hundreds of thousands of lives each year. During American Heart Month, we renew our commitment to fighting cardiovascular disease by increasing public awareness of this deadly disease and understanding of how it can be prevented.
 
Heart disease may be the leading cause of death for both men and women, but that doesn't mean you have to accept it as your fate. Although you lack the power to change some risk factors — such as family history, age and race — there are some key heart disease prevention steps you can take.

Take steps to avoid heart disease — don't smoke, get regular exercise and eat healthy foods. Avoid heart problems in the future by adopting a healthy lifestyle today. Here are five heart disease prevention tips to get you started.

1. Don't smoke or use tobacco products

"If you smoke, quit," advises Sharonne Hayes, M.D., a cardiologist and director of the Women's Heart Clinic at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. "That's the most powerful, preventable risk factor for heart disease."
The good news, though, is that when you quit smoking, your risk of heart disease drops dramatically within just one year. And no matter how long or how much you smoked, you'll start reaping rewards as soon as you quit.

2. Get active

Physical inactivity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and most Americans are not physically active enough to gain any health benefits. Swimming, cycling, jogging, skiing, aerobic dancing, walking or many other activities can help your heart. Whether it's included in a structured exercise program or part of your daily routine, all physical activity adds up to a healthier heart.

According to the latest joint American Heart Association/American College of Sports Medicine guidelines on physical activity, all healthy adults ages 18-65 should be getting at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity five days of the week. However, there are additional guidelines for those 65 and older, or for those 50-64 with chronic conditions or physical functional limitations (e.g., arthritis) that affect movement ability or physical fitness.

3. Eat a heart-healthy diet

Consistently eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products can help protect your heart. Legumes, low-fat sources of protein and certain types of fish also can reduce your risk of heart disease.

Limiting your intake of certain fats also is important. Of the types of fat — saturated, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and trans fat — saturated fat and trans fat increase the risk of coronary artery disease by raising blood cholesterol levels. Major sources of saturated fat include beef, butter, cheese, milk, and coconut and palm oils. There's growing evidence that trans fat may be worse than saturated fat because unlike saturated fat, it both raises your LDL (bad) cholesterol and lowers your HDL (good) cholesterol. Sources of trans fat include deep-fried fast foods, bakery products, packaged snack foods, margarines and crackers.

Heart-healthy eating isn't all about cutting back, though. Most people, for instance, need to add more fruits and vegetables to their diet — with a goal of five to 10 servings a day.

4. Maintain a healthy weight

As you put on weight in adulthood, you gain mostly fatty tissue. This excess weight can lead to conditions that increase your chances of heart disease — high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.

Even small reductions in weight can be beneficial. Reducing your weight by just 10 percent can decrease your blood pressure, lower your blood cholesterol level and reduce your risk of diabetes.

5. Get regular health screenings

High blood pressure and high cholesterol can damage your cardiovascular system, including your heart. But without testing for them, you probably won't know whether you have these conditions. Regular screening can tell you what your numbers are and whether you need to take action.

Blood pressure. Regular blood pressure screenings start in childhood. Adults should have their blood pressure checked at least every two years. You may need more frequent checks if your numbers aren't optimal or if you have other risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Optimal blood pressure is less than 120/80 millimeters of mercury. 

Cholesterol levels. Adults should have their cholesterol measured at least once every five years. You may need more frequent testing if your numbers aren't optimal or if you have other risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Some children may need their blood cholesterol tested if they have a strong family history of heart disease.

Prevention Pays!
Heart disease is often avoidable. Following a heart-healthy lifestyle doesn't have to be complicated, and it doesn't mean you need to live a life of self-deprivation. Instead, find ways to incorporate heart-healthy habits into your lifestyle — and you may well enjoy a healthier life for years to come.






Motivation to Train...

Posted by ruff-fitness at 12:17 PM on January 31, 2010 Comments comments (0)
We’re all motivated to train for different reasons. Some of you want to perform your favorite sports better. Others may want to improve the quality of simple day-to-day activities. And of course we all want to look our best!

What motivates each of us to train is often very similar. We all strive for self-improvement and to feel better about ourselves.  How we train is an excellent representation of how we chose to live our lives. Like life, training should be attacked with the following four traits - Purpose, Persistence, Passion and Pride. 

Purpose: Having a goal. This puts meaning behind your training efforts. You're more likely to follow through to the end of your journey with a purpose driving you down the path. Maintaining your focus on your purpose keeps you on the road to success.
Persistence: Anything worth having is worth working for. We might be able to get by just by going through the motions, but it is with persistence and hard work that we arrive at our destination with a sense of accomplishment. Training can be tough physically and mentally, yet it is with persistence that we work our way through the obstacles.

Passion: Enthusiasm and positive energy lead the way to success! Love what you are doing and remember why it is important to you. Play life with passion and you will separate yourself from mediocrity. 

Pride: Having a sense of pride in your training is important. It’s your daily commitment to training that creates the journey that will help you achieve your goals. Your training is a part of you, some will wonder why, but the really great people will make you feel that you, too, can become great. Even set backs and losses present an opportunity to learn and improve.

You deserve the very best! If something is worth doing, it is worth doing well!

Why You Should Step Up Your Workout

Posted by ruff-fitness at 10:17 AM on January 17, 2010 Comments comments (0)


This is from a great article in the January 12 Wall Street Journal...


Why You Should Step Up Your Workout

By KEVIN HELLIKER


To Paul Williams, spurring more exercise out of the half of Americans who are already active is just as important as coaxing the sedentary off the sofa.


In Dr. Williams' study of more than 100,000 runners over nearly 20 years, stepped up exercise was found to have some powerful benefits. But his research is controversial. While Dr. Williams is well respected by other exercise scientists, he is shunned by those in the public-health field. Dr. Williams is routinely excluded from committees charged with formulating exercise guidelines, and his grant proposals are often rejected as irrelevant because few exercisers want to hear the word "more." Public-health officials also worry that touting Dr. Williams's research could discourage the sedentary from doing any exercise at all, or lure them off the couch with goals too lofty to engender success.


"Paul wants to raise the bar, but the fact is that we still have 50% of the population sitting on the couch," says Cedric Bryant, chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise.


Dr. Williams' studies have shown that exceeding the federally recommended exercise guidelines can reduce the risk of stroke, heart attack, glaucoma, diabetes and other diseases by as much as 70% above the benefits of merely meeting the guidelines. "There is no gene or drug discovery that comes close" to the effects of more and more-vigorous exercise, says Dr. Williams, a staff scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley Calif.


Official exercise guidelines—emanating from groups like the American Heart Association as well as the federal government—typically call for half an hour a day of exercise, including a portion at moderate to high levels of intensity. At 3.5 hours per week, most walkers and even runners would cover fewer than 20 miles.


By contrast, Dr. Williams's research has found progressively greater health benefits for runners topping 30, 40, even 49 miles a week. Dr. Williams assumes—as do his critics—that similar effects would be gained from increased workloads among swimmers, cyclists and other aerobic athletes. "Almost everybody can benefit significantly by increasing their exercise level," says Dr. Williams, who is publicly calling for a two-tiered approach to exercise guidelines, one that would give substantial attention to the benefits of going far beyond the current minimum recommendations.


Others worry about unintended consequences. As an elite marathoner, Paul Thompson knows first-hand the sense of well-being and health benefits that distance running induces. "I do think that the more you do, the more you benefit," says Dr. Thompson, a sports cardiology specialist. Yet as chief of cardiology at Hartford Hospital in Connecticut, Dr. Thompson notes that vigorous exercise regimens can lead to injury. And he also observes in many patients a fragile motivation to exercise. Among those currently meeting or slightly exceeding the guidelines, a daunting new challenge might prove discouraging, he says. "And if you make them run more and they get injured, then they wind up running less."


Dr. Williams's most noted research dates back to 1991, when he used a subscription list from Runner's World magazine to identify a cohort of about 55,000 runners. In the years that followed, he doubled that number by recruiting participants at running and walking events. Calling his project the National Runners' Health Study, Dr. Williams began dispatching surveys asking runners to describe in great detail their running regimens, their demographics and their medical histories. From the outset, a one-word theme emerged from his findings: more. An early study, for instance, found that male distance runners gained weight with age unless they added mileage.


Two others, one published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1996, found that risk factors for coronary heart disease steadily improved with greater doses of exercise, up to 50 miles per week. Too few runners surpassed that number to determine whether such improvements would have continued, says Dr. Williams. In all, Dr. Williams estimates that the National Runners' Health Study has produced more than 40 published articles, some finding benefits beyond the well-established cardiovascular rewards.


A 2008 Runners' Health study in the journal of Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science found that exercise lowered the risks of cataracts and macular degeneration; the greater the dose, the lower the risk. Other studies found that exercise—again, the more the better—reduced the risk of gout, gall stones, diverticulitis (a potentially fatal digestive disease) and prostate enlargement.


A 2008 article published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that men and women who ran long distances over a period of eight years substantially reduced their odds of developing diabetes. Conversely, however, a 2007 Runners' Health study published in the journal Diabetes Care found that runners who cut back on their mileage had a greater risk of diabetes than those who maintained their exercise levels. A number of his studies have taken direct aim at current exercise guidelines, by comparing the benefits of mere compliance with the benefits of running far beyond them.


A Runners' Health study published in the journal Stroke last spring found that men and women who ran more than eight kilometers a day had a 60% lower risk of stroke than those who ran at the guideline levels. An article published in September in the journal Atherosclerosis found that those Runners' Health participants who exceeded guideline levels had a 26% lower risk of coronary heart disease than those who ran at guideline levels.


A strength of Dr. Williams's study is that it involves an enormous number of participants–110,000 runners. A limitation, however, is that it relies on information provided by participants rather than gathered by examining physicians. The study also illustrates correlation rather than causation, although other large surveys of this sort—such as Harvard University's Nurses' Health Study—have been groundbreaking in providing health and lifestyle information.



Train Smart - Exercise Selection

Posted by ruff-fitness at 10:59 AM on January 10, 2010 Comments comments (0)
Train Smart!

Are you doing leg curls for your hamstrings? Leg extensions and quad sets for your knees?  Side lying external rotations for the rotator cuff? Have you ever thought about why you use these exercises?

These are traditional exercises that athletes have used for years, but do they really work? The answer is yes, but with mixed results. The better question is, are they functional?

The term “functional training” means training the respective muscle groups and involved areas to work in the same manner as they are used in activity. To train function, it is necessary to understand the goal is to get better at the activity or things you want or need to do. Function involves the muscular system that provides control, and the proprioceptive system that coordinates and directs movement. Where functional is concerned, isolated strength gains are minimized and the neuromuscular system is emphasized.

The best way to figure out the function of a muscle is to role play and become the involved muscle. Ask the muscle what it does in movement – not what it does in the anatomy book.

Typical training programs that utilize exercises like the leg extension and leg curl fail to take into account these functional criteria. These exercises may even contribute to the problems they are designed to solve. For example, the knee extension is commonly used to strengthen the quads to help with patella femoral problems when in actuality, it increases shear force at the knee, causing even more problems. The hamstring curl is used to prevent hamstring pulls. In fact, it may contribute to pulled hamstrings because of the imbalanced muscle development that result from doing the exercise.

Programs that use these exercises are training muscles not movements. The functional goal is to prepare the legs to effectively use ground reaction forces and gravity. Let role play and be the muscles…

Quadriceps
Conventional wisdom tells us that the quad extends the knee. The primary exercise used to train this muscle group is the leg extension. Functional wisdom is quite different. According to Gary Gray PT, for the quads “primary closed chain function is anterior stabilization of the knee via deceleration of knee flexion.” In the mid-stance phase of the gait cycle, extension of the knee is a result of forward momentum of the body moving over the foot and the quads deceleration of knee flexion. Assisting with knee extension include the muscles that decelerate the forward momentum of the tibia including the soleus, posterior tibias, flexor hallucis longus, flexor digitorum longus, and the peroneus longus (Gray, 1994)

Functional exercise to work the quads should be closed chain exercises that cause the muscles of the lower extremity to work together synergistically. Remember, the quads are powerful, two-joint muscles that work at both the knee and the hip. Therefore, they should be trained as two-joint muscles.

Hamstrings
Conventional wisdom says the leg curl is and important exercise because the hamstring flexes the knee. Therefore it is necessary to train the hamstring as a knee flexor. Functional wisdom tells us that in movement the hamstring groups of muscles are two joint muscles that work at both the hip and knee. They extend the hip and decelerate the lower leg at the knee. On foot contact, the force of gravity and ground reaction cause the knee and hip to flex while the foot is impacting the ground. The hamstrings eccentrically decelerate hip flexion. In addition, this lengthening action stabilizes the knee in the transverse plane. The hamstrings actually help decelerate knee flexion by slowing down forward momentum of the lower leg. (At the heel off and into the swing phase of the gait, it is the eccentric force generated at the hip by the hip flexors that is transferred into hip flexion and knee flexion.)

The clear choice is between joint isolation exercises and kinetic chain exercises. Joint isolation exercises create an incorrect motor program causing confusion to the muscles. If in training the muscles are asked to do one thing, then in performance, they can not be asked to do the opposite. Kinetic chain exercises, on the other hand, work the muscles in integrated movements as part of the whole kinetic chain.

24 Tips to Get Results in 2010

Posted by ruff-fitness at 12:37 PM on January 03, 2010 Comments comments (1)

Welcome to 2010 – are you ready to get in the best shape of your life? There is no single strategy that can work perfectly for every person, every time. To keep your program fresh, you need to make it your own. Below, you'll find two dozen of the most important training fundamentals based on research and trends from leading coaches and trainers. Adopt them as general guidelines, and then apply them to create your own smart, results orientated workouts.


The Basics

1. Variety. Your body adapts to the stress placed on it. Your exercise program should be always evolving and changing.

2. Periodization. Work in preset phases of intensity - go easier before going hardest, slow before fast, simple before complex, and light before heavy.

3. Schedule recovery time or be prepared for burnout. Strength and fitness develops during the recovery phase.

4. Break workouts up when you need to. Studies show that ten minutes, three times a day, equals 30 minutes at once.

5. Practice complete workouts. Active warm up first, and then cool down and stretch when you're finished.


Cardio

6. Build the foundation by going easy (little more than half of your ability or 60 – 70 percent of your maximum heart rate). Building endurance requires the patience to go slow.

7. Boost your fitness by going fast - to raise your lactate threshold, use intervals (short bursts over 85 percent of your maximum heart rate).

8. Manage your interval training wisely. First increase the number of intervals per workout (up to six), then their length (up to ten minutes). Then shorten the rest period in between.

9. Build slowly. When increasing the duration or distance of your workouts, don't jump up more than 10 percent from one week to the next week.

10. Exercise restraint – hard days such as intervals and tempo training should be done no more than twice a week.


Strength

11. Train movements—front-to-back (lunges), vertical (squats), pushing, pulling and rotational (medicine ball chops)—not body parts.

12. Practice form first. Three exercises done with good form are more productive than 30 done sloppily.

13. If you're new to an exercise—or to lifting altogether—one set of 10 to 12 reps is fine to start.

14. Use your body weight for resistance. Push-ups, pull-ups, and dips are all multi joint movements and excellent strength builders.

15. Use dumbbells. They're safe, versatile, and more challenging than barbells. 16. Integrate – train muscles to work together – example: dumbbell curl to press. 17. Move from stable to unstable - whenever possible, perform lifts on your feet or sitting or lying on a Stability ball.

18. Remember these numbers: 10 and 20. For muscle strength, lift enough weight to reach muscle failure after 10 reps. For muscular endurance and metabolic conditioning, perform up to 20 repetitions.


Fine Tuning

19. Treat stretching—and specifically yoga—as a workout itself, not a wrap-up. 20. Work slow, be slow: Do power lifts, Plyometric’s, and agility drills to supplement your slower-speed core strength and endurance work.

21. Perform Olympic lifts, Plyometric’s, and agility drills when you're fresh—not when you're dog-tired after an endurance workout.

22. Work out in the morning. Excuses to skip a workout will be less likely to pop up, and you'll invariably end up feeling great all day.

23. Find a buddy. Having someone to work out with will keep you on track.

24. Consult with a personal trainer on a regular basis to keep your program fresh, motivating, and results orientated.

Don't Waste Your Workout!

Posted by ruff-fitness at 05:21 PM on December 19, 2009 Comments comments (0)
What do you think is the number one reason that we hear, that keeps individuals from getting in shape or from exercising more? The overwhelming answer - not enough time. Life is hectic and it seems like we’re all over-scheduled, but take a look around the gym… There you’ll see the same people who complain about being too busy, wasting time, and wasting their workouts.

An efficient and effective workout can be done in 30 – 45 minutes. Look around the gym and you’ll see all sorts of time being wasted. Let’s take a look at some of the big ones…

Just winging it - Most people go to the gym because they “feel like it”, they get there and totally lack a plan. This is inefficient and definitely not the way to achieve your goals. When you go to workout you should know exactly which exercises you’re going to do - that means what exercises, how many sets, reps and rest periods.

Talking with everyone - Most gyms offer a social environment and chances are you’ll run into friends and associates. There is nothing wrong about being friendly as long as it doesn’t interrupt the workout. Say your hellos right away, then concentrate on the task at hand, if you have time leftover then socialize!

Wasting time stretching - Most gym goers start off with a bunch of static stretches to begin their workout. The problem is that it’s not specific to anything, which means that again there is no plan. Instead do an Active Warm-up. This fast series of dynamic movements prepares your nervous system for activity and actually builds strength, stability and flexibility - and it only takes about 4 minutes. 

Doing the same thing on “cardio” every day - Most people do steady state, low-intensity aerobic workouts, the basic 20 – 30 minutes of cardio. Throw out that thinking, while there are certainly days when you should do that kind of workout, most of the time you should be doing interval training to move in and out of several energy zones. This will provide you with more complete cardiovascular conditioning. Change up your intensity every minute or two, and then recover. Just by raising your intensity by 15 to 20 percent, you’ll double the calories burned and cut a 40-minute workout down to 20 or less. Plus, you’ll be getting true cardio benefits.

Resting after every set - I can’t tell you how many times I’ve worked with clients who perform 3 or 4 exercises while the person exercising nearby is “resting”. A time efficient training technique that also raises the intensity of your workout is, “supersetting.” That is, performing one movement after another without rest. You can work opposing muscles or movements (pushing versus pulling), You’ll work more muscles, raise the intensity and not waste time resting between sets.

Waiting for equipment to open up - With the New Year blitz upon us this can be a big time-waster. Instead think of complimentary movements. For instance, if you just finished doing your chest presses and are waiting for the lat pull down machine do an alternative pulling movement – pull-ups, dumbbell rows, cable pulls and band pulls could all be a substitute. Alternative pulling movements like these work the intended muscles but add variety, which can help you bust through plateaus, prevent injuries and recover faster. 

Doing isolation exercises - Biceps curls, triceps extensions, leg extensions, and crunches – these types of exercises work only a single muscle or muscle group. Unfortunately they’re what most people have learned; it’s what they fall back on. Try replacing them with compound movements; these are more time efficient and physiologically beneficial because they work different parts of the body simultaneously. For example, instead of doing leg extensions do functional compound movements like lunges. The most basic compound movements—squats, deadlifts, pull-ups, push-ups and rows, for instance—are often the most effective.

Break the "Routine"

Posted by ruff-fitness at 02:21 PM on December 06, 2009 Comments comments (0)

Getting into a regular exercise routine is a very good thing -  if we are talking about making time each day to train. Unfortunately for many a "regular exercise routine" means performing the same exercises, at the same intensity day after day.


Fall into this trap and suddenly your body adapts to the workload - the result is a plateau in performance, boredom and perhaps even weight gain. Common pitfalls include doing the same cardio, at the same intensity, for the same amount of time each day. It also includes doing the same strength training exercises, in the same order, day after day. Let's take a look how some simple "tweaks" can breathe new life into your workouts...


Cardio

Using a heart rate monitor is the single most important tool for results! You'll have non-stop feedback as to how hard, or easy, you are working. The formula is simple - train all or most days. Alternate between short days at very high intensity (85%+) and long days at 70% of your maximum heart rate. You'll boost your lactate threshold and burn lots of calories on the hard days, the easy days will allow you to recover and build a strong aerobic base.


Strength

Vary your exercises on a regular basis. A simple way to do this is to make sure you incorporate exercises from each group: Pushing, Pulling, Rotation, Squatting and Lunging. Exercises that are functional and incorporate multiple muscle groups will give you more bang!

Simple "tweaks" include:

  • Increase the speed of the exercise - see this week's workout!
  • Increase or decrease the weight being used
  • Increase or decrease the reps are being performed
  • Vary the sets being performed
  • Vary the rest period
  • How difficult is the exercise - multiple muscle groups
  • Move from stable to unstable
  • Move from two legs to one

You spend a great deal of time and effort training! Making a few simple changes will give your workouts a whole new look, and help you get the results that you are looking for!



What You Believe, You Achieve

Posted by ruff-fitness at 05:37 AM on November 23, 2009 Comments comments (0)

Saturday was the 48th running of the 50-Mile JFK Ultra Marathon. Approximately 1000 runners toe the line to run through 3 distinct sections of the 50 - 16 miles of mountainous trails, 26 miles on the C&O Canal and a final 8 miles of hills to the finish in Williamsport.

Take a look at the participants and you'll see some that look like runners, but more actually look like regular folks from all walks of life. All however, share the dream of crossing that finishing line at 50 miles.

Most people say "50 miles is crazy," or "I could never do that" yet belief, desire, and will are powerful perhaps even unstoppable forces that enable ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Throughout the race each runner wages their own personal battle against the physical demands of "the 50" but even tougher is the psychological side...

JFK is a microcosm of life - over a long day (7-14 hours) participants are subject to a range of emotions - happy, social, feel good, unhappy, glad to be running, depressed, anti-social, back to happy - it's a whirlwind of emotions and like life, full of change.

The ultimate emotion comes at the finish - tears of happiness in virtually everyones eyes and then, an inner strength and confidence, that stays with you for the rest of your life! What you believe - you achieve!




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