Hi everybody!! While we are all in the voting mood, Definition Fitness small group participants will be able to participate in an election day of of our own….Have strong feelings about burpees? Are lunges taking over your life? Sick and tired of the robo calls about the benefits of kettlebell swings?? Well now’s your chance to let your voices be heard! Vote on the exercises you DO want to see added to your workout this Friday by clicking the title of the blog above, and writing your selections in the comments section. It’s your civic duty, after all, as a small group participant;)
PUSHING EXERCISES:
- PUSH UPS
- BENCH PRESS
- SHOULDER PRESS
PULLING EXERCISES:
- PULLUPS
- SEATED CABLE ROWS
- 1 ARM DUMBBELL ROW
LOWER BODY EXERCISES:
- WALKING LUNGES
- BOX SQUATS (WITH BARBELL ON BACK)
- KETTLEBELL SWINGS
FULL BODY COMPLEX MOVEMENTS:
- BURPEES
- SLAM BALL
- CABLE CHOPS
Cupping has been around for centuries, but only
recently has it become a big deal in the United States. People are only just
beginning to learn of all the benefits that this ancient treatment has to
offer.
The traditional
Chinese practice of cupping uses suction cups directly on skin to promote
circulation and relieve muscle tension. When it comes to the face and jawline,
the practice even claims to help with sinus congestion and headaches. It has
been shown to help alleviate pain associated with TMJ Syndrome.
Its beauty claims
are even bigger: reducing puffiness, softening fine lines and wrinkles,
stimulating collagen and helping products absorb more easily. Facial cupping works to increase blood flow and circulation to leave
you with glowing, radiant, decongested skin.
Facial cupping uses small, specially designed suction cups to lift and
massage facial tissue.
The result is innovative skincare that truly transforms the skin no matter the
age or type.
One major ailment that can potentially be
treated with cupping is acne. In fact, cupping has been found to be
especially effective against difficult cases of skin inflammation, such as
cellulite, cystic acne and
herpes infection.
Facial cupping uses small, specially designed suction cups to lift and
massage facial tissue.
The result is innovative skincare that truly transforms the skin no matter the
age or type.
Hot stone massage has been used in therapeutics for thousands of years. History shows the Chinese using hot stones for treatment over 2,000 years ago. It wasn’t just the Chinese who used hot stone massage, many ancient societies all over the world used and still use hot stones to heal and treat ailments. So, what exactly is hot stone massage?
Hot stone massage is just what it sounds like, heated stones used in the massage process. These are smooth, flat stones made from basalt, which is a type of volcanic rock that retains heat. Imagine the wonderful feeling of massage and then add in the relaxing feeling of heat concentrated on the areas that are being massaged. Seems like it would feel pretty good right? People from the last 2,000 years would agree with you.
Hot stone massage allows for increased blood circulation. Don’t worry about the stones being too hot, your therapist can ensure that they are at a comfortable temperature for you. There are many benefits to hot stone massage which include but are not limited to: alleviation of muscle tension and pain, reduction of stress and anxiety, relieving symptoms of autoimmune diseases, promoting relaxation and sleep for insomniacs, decreasing pains associated with fibromyalgia, arthritis, back pain, and many more health conditions. All of these benefits are great for today’s fast-paced type of society.
Still not convinced? Then, try it out for yourself and schedule an appointment today to feel your tensions melt away!
-Thomas Pearce, Pinky Uttayaya-Andrews
Mobility and flexibility are common words tossed around these days. So, what exactly do these words mean? Here’s a simple definition of both: mobility refers to how freely a joint can move through its full range of motion versus flexibility refers to the length of a muscle, thus flexibility is a component of mobility. Other factors that can inhibit mobility are muscle tension, lack of strength, soft tissue damage, and compensations in the body from other ailments.
So, which is more important…mobility or flexibility? Well, the answer to this question will differ from person to person but generally, mobility will most likely be of greater importance. But keep in mind that mobility and flexibility have a direct relationship to each other. Let’s take the knee for example. The group of muscles called the quadriceps function to extend your knee. When these muscles are tight, then the length of the muscle is decreased. So, if this muscle group continues to get tighter and not able to stretch then it directly leads to the inability to extend that knee, which overall decreases your range of motion in the joint (decreased mobility). See how it all ties together and why warming up before and stretching after your workout should always be a part of your routine?!
You’re probably thinking, yes stretching is important but you just want to get your workout in and be done. Well, think of the many benefits you gain from improving your flexibility and mobility. It increases the blood flow to your muscles so that there’s improved circulation. It also lubricates the joints, improves posture, increases the elasticity of the muscles, prevents injuries, decreases recovery time, and just allows your body to perform more efficiently!
The benefits are undeniable and can take your workout to the next level! If you’re still not convinced, then come by the gym and ask for our Dynamic Mobility Improvement program and see how we can help you…
MOVE BETTER, FEEL BETTER, AND LOOK BETTER!!!
Pinky Uttayaya-Andrews & Thomas Pearce
We keep hearing and reading that we should obtain 10,000 steps per day. Even most fitness trackers are automatically set to 10,000 steps daily. So where did this number come from? Well, it all started back in 1964 when Japan was preparing to host the Summer Olympics in Toyko. Fitness, health and wellness were gaining more awareness in the Japanese population especially the benefits that came from regular exercise, such as fighting obesity, diabetes, hypertension, etc. During this time, the development of the modern pedometer was introduced and sales took off! The number 10,000 was derived from the Japanese term, Manpo-kei, which translates to 10,000 steps meter. From that point 10,000 steps became the minimum number of steps to walk on a daily basis.
So, now you’re probably thinking, how far is 10,000 steps? Well, that number will have some variance to it based on each individual but roughly it’ll equate to 4-5 miles (1 mile roughly yields 2,000-2,500 steps).
Now, let’s take into account our daily lifestyle. It tends to be more on the sedentary side. Let’s think about this for a minute…driving, meetings, desk jobs for 8 hours a day, watching TV, etc. All these different daily activities add to our poor posture, aches, and pains.
Getting 10,000 steps can seem intimidating and almost impossible to achieve to some but in reality it’s not. First off, start tracking your steps as soon as you wake up. Keep your pedometer or fitness tracker on in order to track your steps throughout the day. Here are some simple tips to reach that goal:
- Break up your time at the desk by getting up to get a drink a water or even get a simple stretch in
- Take the stairs vs. the elevator
- Park a little further in the parking lot
- Go for a walk after dinner with a friend/dog/spouse/kids
- Go window shopping
- Go for a walk on the beach
- Talk on the phone while going for a walk
If you’re not close to 10,000 steps yet, then find your starting point and try to increase your step count by at least 500 steps each week! A little improvement each day is better than none.
Now, here’s the fun part…jump into our 10,000 Steps Challenge for the next four weeks. The goal is to get:
10,000 steps per day = 70,000 steps per week = 280,000 steps for four weeks
Those who reach the minimum of 280,000 steps by the end of the challenge will get FREE access into our Mobility Class! The person that gets the most steps overall will be able to enjoy a FREE 30 minute foot massage!!
So get those walking/running shoes on and your pedometer or fitness tracker ready and get moving!!!
Pinky Uttayaya-Andrews
We all want to build a strong core when we work out. What do we imagine when we think of core? Chiseled obliques? Six pack abs? Toned butt and thighs? Although these are all important, none of the muscle groups I mentioned above are truly part of your core.
Well then which muscles do make up your core?
There are 4 true core muscles/muscle groups. They are:
1) the Diaphragm
2) the Transversus Abdominis (TA)
3) the Multifidi
4) the pelvic floor muscles
Arguably the most important skeletal muscle of your body, the diaphragm, only has one job… to breathe! When the diaphragm contracts, the rib cage expands allowing air to rush into our lungs. When it relaxes, the opposite occurs and you exhale. Although the diaphragm should be the only active muscle of inspiration during times of rest, often times it is not. Secondary muscles of inspiration such as the Scalenes, Sternocleidomastoid (SCM), Upper Trapezius, as well as others, will assist the diaphragm with inspiration. Unless you’re out of breath from another great Definition Fitness workout, those muscles should be at rest during inspiration. A weak, tight diaphragm can easily be the culprit of neck pain from tense neck musculature. It can also be the culprit of low back pain. The diaphragm attaches to the anterior aspect of the first 2-3 lumbar vertebrates. It’s important to train your diaphragm!!
The TA is a thick band of muscle deep below your six pack abs and obliques. It attaches from the crest of your pelvis, ribs 7-12, the thoracolumbar fascia (low back area where your Lats attach), and goes to the bottom of your sternum (xiphoid process) all the way down the linea alba. This important muscle’s action is to help stabilize the pelvis and rib cage during movement. It’s actions on the front side of the body are closely coupled with the actions of the Multifidi on the posterior side.
The Multifidus muscle is more like a group of small muscles that run from your Sacrum all the way up your spine. It’s area of most significance, where they are usually the largest and most prominent, is around the lumbar spine. These tiny muscles go from the Transverse processes of each vertebrae to the spinous processes of the vertebrae 1-2 segments above its origin. Their primary function is to eccentrically control forward bending, acting as stabilizing muscles of the spine. They also help with rotation and extension of the trunk, but because they are such small muscles, bigger muscles such as the erector spinae create the majority of those forces.
The pelvic floor muscles form the base of your core. Often neglected, the pelvic floor is just as vital as any other core muscle. There are two good cues to activate this musculature. The first is to act as if you are trying not to pass gas in public by clenching. The second is to act as if you are trying to stop the flow of urine. The pelvic floor has to relax in order to urinate, therefore stopping the flow activates these muscles (I do not recommend stopping your flow of urine due to other health reasons). Standard endurance should allow you to contract the pelvic floor muscles for a 10 second hold, 10 times. Try it for yourself and you’ll see it’s more difficult than it seems!
I hope this blog post helps everyone build a strong, true core foundation. When the core is functioning properly, the rest of the muscles can perform at their maximum potential! Don’t sell yourself short by neglecting your core!
Let’s paint a picture, shall we?
You are 17 minutes into an hour-long session with your rockstar Trainer and it happens….
You feel so weak that every rep feels like it could be 3 tons….
Dizziness and a light-headed feeling begin to overcome your brain….
The hands get clammy and a cold sweat starts to bead up on your forehead….
“I need a minute….”
but even with recovery and some water, you know the training session has essentially been lost. You had no energy to give and your body shut down as a result.
What happened and how can this be avoided?
I’m willing to bet that we can start with what you ate (or didn’t eat) leading up to your workout.
What you eat prior to and in the hours after a workout can significantly impact performance and recovery. In this article, I will cover basic guidelines for pre and post workout nutrition for normal, everyday people. If you are an endurance athlete, looking to put on significant muscle or have a specific event you are training for (hello, Gate River Run) other considerations will likely be needed.
On to everyone’s favorite…..eating!!!
2-3hrs prior to a workout:
This is an ideal amount of time to take in proper nutrition and allow for digestion with a normal sized, well-rounded meal. In this timeframe, meals should consist of a quality carbohydrate (such as potatoes, rice or berries), a lean protein source (chicken, fish or lean meats) and a small amount of wonderfully delicious fats, such as nuts, nut butter or oils.
The carbohydrates prior to working out will help fuel your workout and jump-start the recovery process, while the protein will reduce muscle damage and improve body composition. Fats eaten prior to training will not directly affect the performance of the workout itself, but help provide much-needed nutrients and also slows digestion, keeping blood glucose levels nice and even (remember our lightheaded/dizzy spell at the beginning of this article? That was most likely because blood sugar levels dropped very quickly)
But Pat…..
I workout at the butt-crack of dawn!
I don’t have time to eat that far in advance of my workout.
What will I do???
Glad you asked, my curious friends.
1-2hrs or less prior to training:
If you don’t have the time to eat a full meal in advance of training, the focus shifts slightly. Change your mindset to more of a light snack that you are familiar with and digests easily.
…..read that second part again.
I don’t think I need to explain the importance of digestion in this case, do I?
A quick banana/piece of fruit or a scoop of protein in water (not dairy) is fine to keep the hunger at bay, but make sure in this scenario that you take in a nutritious meal soon after your workout. Training extensively in a fasted state can lead to muscle tissue breakdown, impaired recovery and a significant drop in performance.
But Pat….I’m just not hungry in the morning, before my training sessions.
Ok, fine. Be sure to stay hydrated (whenever you are training or working, or shopping….just stay hydrated, it’s pretty important) and a small amount of caffeine is ok. Again, the main point prior to training is knowing what you are comfortable with. If you normally have a cup of magic black gold before working out, then cool, drink up…..but if you aren’t a coffee drinker (I don’t even know who you are!) don’t load up on caffeine. The only exercise you will be doing is the bathroom squat.
Post Workout Meal:
The timing of your post-workout meal really depends on what you ate prior to training. If you go to the gym in the afternoon or evening and have had a full meal or two well in advance, you don’t need to run immediately to the kitchen or, despite what the muscle guys will tell you, reach for that protein shake within seconds of finishing your last rep.
On the other hand, if you do train very early in the morning or in a fasted state, then a post workout meal within the first hour after the session really becomes important to replenish the body, restore much needed muscle glycogen for recovery and other sciencey stuff that will just make you feel and train better. Isn’t that what we want?
Your post workout meal should be a well-rounded meal of lean proteins, whole food carbohydrates, and full fats. Simple carbohydrates (simple sugars like pop tarts or candies) have been thought to spike insulin and refill glycogen stores quickly, and while this practice can be effective for endurance athletes or training sessions that last well over an hour, the normal person will benefit the most from taking in a quality, longer digesting carbohydrate source.
The makeup of your plate will depend slightly on your goals and training. If fat loss is a priority for you, then maybe a smaller portion of carbohydrates would be good (note: I didn’t say eliminate them….you need them, they are important, they are delicious), while on the other hand, if putting on some quality muscle mass is a goal for you, that large sweet potato will serve our needs perfectly.
All plates, no matter what the fitness goal is, should have a high-quality protein source and all the veggies you can stuff in that beautiful face of yours. If every meal you eat has a protein and tons of veggies, the other variables can be adjusted to suit your particular needs.
Nutrition is a highly individualized practice. No one diet or method will work for everyone and even a diet that works for someone might not work forever, as the body adjusts amazingly fast. The important concept is to build your nutrition around a few essential principles and then experiment to find what works best for you and your body.
Use these guidelines to come to your workouts ready to perform at your absolute best and get the most out of your training sessions.
If you have any food and fitness questions or feel like sharing great recipes that have helped you make nutrition easier, feel free to email me at Patrick@Definitionfitness.com
America is a hard-working, income-driven society. Most of us work about 8 hours, 5 days a week, with a total of 1-2 hours of commuting each day. From an anatomical perspective, most of this time is spent in one position: seated.
Why is this a bad thing?
Too much sitting often leads to something called “Upper and Lower Cross Syndrome”
Upper Cross Syndrome is a result of poor posture of the upper body. The cervical extensor muscles become tight, as well as the chest muscles, while the cervical flexor muscles become weak along with the scapular retractors. What does that mean and why does that happen?
It’s a result of prolonged poor posture. Nobody’s eyesight is perfect, so we tend to lean forward to focus on what we’re doing, whether it’s driving or working on the computer. The farther forward your head sits, the harder your neck extensor muscles must work to control your head’s posture, while the neck flexors are virtually doing no work to balance the position of your head. One’s shoulders tend to draw forward, especially while seated, which keeps the chest in a shortened position and elongates a group of muscles such as the rhomboids.
Lower Cross Syndrome is the same problem, but on the lower half of the trunk. The lumbar extensors and hip flexors become tight, while the abdominals and glutes become weak. This happens for the same reason as upper cross syndrome: prolonged poor posture. Sitting keeps the pelvis in a flexed position, which is going to tighten the hip flexors and reciprocally weaken the glutes.
So what can you do to prevent this from occurring? I know work is inevitable, as is the traffic that comes along with the commute, but there are many ways to reduce the upper and lower cross syndrome.
Step 1- EXERCISE! This is the easiest and most obvious solution. Exercise keeps the body moving, keeps the blood flowing, and prevents you from being stuck in one position for too long. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends at least 5 days per week of moderate intensity exercise.
Step 2- Take breaks from sitting! The main issue is that we stay stuck in the same position for too long and our bodies are forced to adapt. In anatomy, Wolff’s law states that bone will adapt to the loads placed upon it. In other words, the longer you stay in a certain position, the more accustomed your skeleton becomes to that position. Set a timer every 15 minutes and stand up, do 5 squats, walk to the bathroom and back, do ANYTHING that will regularly move you away from the seated position!
Step 3- Consider buying a standing desk. Standing is a more natural position for the human body. After all, millions of years of evolution brought humans to be bipedal.
Step 4- Stretching. Logically, this would seem like the easiest solution. However, it’s not that simple. If you stretch your chest for 2 minutes, does that really provide balance from the 10+ hours of sitting with your shoulders rounded forward? Not really. But, it provides a good starting point. Developing a habit of stretching every day, multiple times, can definitely provide relief from the constant seated position, and allows your body to be more mobile for when you begin that exercise routine I mentioned in Step 1 😉
Step 5- Postural Awareness. Arguably the most important, is to create an awareness of what your posture looks like. The ears should be in line with the shoulders, which should be in line with the hips, which should be in line with the knees, which should be in line over the ankles. Yes, it’s one big kinetic chain! Each link is just as important as the next.
-Sebastien Goodman
Ever wonder how professional athletes can keep training and improving their PR? How it almost seems as though they’re invincible? Did you know that you can be just like them by changing one particular aspect of your workout routine? Well, guess what! You CAN and all it takes is incorporating cross-training.
So, what is cross-training?
Cross-training is a type of training that involves combining exercises from other disciplines. It’s a way to supplement a person’s training by improving strength, endurance, and flexibility. In addition, it prevents injuries, muscular imbalances, and burnouts. In other words, it’s whole body fitness. It can involve incorporating weight lifting, yoga, spinning, swimming, and the list goes on and on. You don’t have to incorporate everything all at once but the important thing is to break up your routine by adding cross-training to your exercise program.
Still not convinced?
Here are the benefits of cross-training. One of the best benefits from cross-training is injury prevention! Yes, preventing those same nagging injuries from overuse and repetitive movements. Take for example, running. Who doesn’t love running, especially since the Gate River Run is just a couple of months away! The constant impact from the pavement, improper shoes, biomechanical irregularities, muscular imbalances, over-training are just some of the reasons that injuries (is. joint pain, low back tightness) occur or reoccur. By incorporating cross-training, such as swimming, biking, or weight lifting, you can minimize the impact and instead work on building the endurance and strength a different way, which in turn will maximize your running in the end.
Another great reason to cross-train is for rehabilitation purposes. Let’s take running again. Say your low back is tightening up while running. Well, instead of continuing to beat your body down, incorporate biking, elliptical machine and some core training. The key is to not exacerbate your injury nor prolong the recovery process. Letting the body heal and recover will prevent you from sitting on the sidelines.
Other great benefits of cross-training are increased motivation and active recovery. By breaking up the routine and allowing you to explore more areas of the fitness world and other sports, might just give you an added kick to your motivation. Active recovery during your workouts is great in being able to enhance your endurance and strength, which will be positively reflected in your running performance.
So, before you create injuries or make current injuries worse, consider adding some cross-training to your training protocol. You’ll be surprise how much more your overall performance will be!
Pinky Uttayaya-Andrews
Why your resolutions fail…..and how to fix them.
So here we are, approaching the second week of January 2018 and quickly the question turns to the inevitable…..
“How are your resolutions going???”
Silence…
Ummmmmmm…
Yeah, about that…
And that is if you even took the energy to “make resolutions” in the first place.
At this point the word “Resolutions”, when used around the holiday season, almost instantly conjures up a negative connotation, as if we are just expecting to fail at whatever it is we deem important enough to change. How did this happen and more importantly, what can we do to change the tide and make significant changes in our habits?
Let’s start by discussing the typical resolution. You know, the one you are chatting about with friends at 12:34am on New Year’s Night after the ball has dropped, in between your 3rd and 4th cocktail, when the excitement has worn off and you’d really rather be in bed. Yeah, those.
Typically these resolutions are vague ideas or concepts, like “I want to lose weight” or “I want to eat healthier” or my personal favorite, “I want to get fit this year!” (what does that even mean?). Clearly these ideas, from being so vague, have no endpoint or solid deadline. This means there is no sense of urgency, no pressure. If you fail, which you will, there really is no repercussion.
“I haven’t started yet, but I will once everything is back to normal”…….ok, sure.
If these ideas are unclear and have no deadline, they really can’t be measured in any way either. In my favorite example (done by super scientific-y studies), “I just want to get fit”, there is no endpoint and no way to measure actual progress. So how do you know if what you are doing to achieve this goal or resolution is actually working at all? If you are even doing something in the first place.
I think we’ve clearly defined what a resolution currently means to most people and the issues associated with it.
Now let’s focus on rethinking this idea and what we can do to fix it. Dare I say, resolve the issue……see what I did there?….
(and FYI we can start this any time, not just January 1st, the first of the month, a Monday…..Just start now, if it is that important to you.)
First, let’s start but simply changing words. Instead of Resolutions, why don’t we start using the word Target, instead.
If I say the word Target to you, what might be the first image that comes to mind? Hopefully, a big red bullseye is in your mind (at least that’s what the store’s marketing team hopes, as well). By using the word Target, you have a visual endpoint, something to work towards, something very specific you are trying to achieve and, not to be overlooked, it narrows your focus. This leads in perfectly to how we are going to set up your new life Targets.
Now we start the process of refining our Targets by writing them down and being as specific as possible.
“I want to lose weight” turns into “I want to lose 20lbs”
“I want to eat healthier” turns into “I want to eat 3-4 servings of fresh veggies per day”
“I want to be fit” turns into “I want to run a 5k race every 3 months, after never racing previously”….and yes, there is MUCH more to being “fit” and “healthy” than being able to run or lift weights or eating veggies, but that is another article all in itself.
Now that we have written down specific Targets, we have solved two of our three issues with resolutions. This exercise has:
1) Narrowed our focus.
2) Can be measured.
If you eat 1 serving of veggies per day, but your Target is 3-4 we know there is still work to do to reach our Target and we can adjust accordingly.
Now we add in the uncomfortable part. Deadlines.
This is where most people start to squirm, so feel free to wiggle in your chair a little bit.
Adding a deadline creates a sense of urgency. You MUST do said Target before said Target date, or else. It forces you to take action.
“I want to lose 20lbs” turns into “I want to lose 20lbs in 100 days”
“I want to eat 3-4 servings of veggies a day” turns into “I want to establish the eating habit of 3-4 servings of veggies a day within the next month”
“I want to run a 5k race every 3 months” turns into “I want to run my first 5k in 90 days”
This forces you to take action and set up a plan of action. If you want to lose 20lbs in 100 days, do you have a plan in place to lose 1-2lbs in 7 days? If not, that would probably be a great place to start.
So now our Targets are written down, pinpoint specific and have an honest,realistic deadline. Unfortunately, this still won’t work out for most people.
The major point that we have yet to discuss is your why. Why is this Target important to you? When we can find out the true why behind what you want to accomplish, you can take that why and keep it in your pocket, pulling it out when the plan gets rocky.
And it will.
This isn’t going to be all sunshine and roses. Life just isn’t that way and we all know it. So the Why is going to guide you through those dark times, when you need help, when you feel like quitting, when you question why you even started.
“I want to lose 20lbs in 100 days to be an inspiration to my children”
“I want to improve my nutrition habits so my entire family makes better eating choices”
“I want to run a 5k every 3 months in memory of my loved one who passed away from Cancer”
I don’t think I have to go into detail as to why the statements above are worlds more powerful than the statements we opened the reading with. Find your why. You may have to dig a bit deeper than is normally comfortable, but this is part of the change process. It will serve you almost as well as it will serve those whom you inspire.
To summarize our new outlook on Targets, the artist formerly known as Resolutions, they are:
- Written down- Look at them every single day. Make them the background of your phone, screen saver on your desktop, you get the idea.
- Specific- Number of pounds lost. Amount of weight you want to squat. Tons of broccoli per day. This allows for measurable progress and laser focus.
- Have a deadline- Make it realistic, but challenging. Take action NOW and build a short-term plan to reach the long-term Target.
- Tied into your Why- What will happen when you achieve this Target? How will you feel? How will it impact others around you? Think about that. It will guide you through the dark times.
This change in thinking is by no means the end all, be all of Targetting or goal setting or whatever term you choose to call it by, however, if these methods are put into place and monitored on a daily basis, I can promise a much better outcome. Much better than whatever happens after the 4th cocktail at 12:34am on New Year’s.
By Patrick Murphy
