The lunge is a very common exercise used to increase strength in the quads, hamstrings, and gluts.  There are many different variations of this exercise, but this is the most basic form of a lunge.

The Lunge should be performed as follows:

1.) Begin in a staggered stance with one foot in front of the other.  Ensure the back is straight throughout the whole exercise and put your hands on your hips.

2.) Lower the body down until the front knee is at a 90 degree angle.  Watch that the front knee does not go over your toe, as you should have a 90 degree angle at the ankle, the knee, and the hip.  This will avoid excess strain on the knees and avoid injury.

3.) Return back up till the legs are straight again and repeat 10 to 12 times per leg.  Perform 2 to 3 sets approximatley 2 to 3 times per week to begin to see and feel results.

The tricep kickback should be performed as follows:

1.) Begin with one hand and one knee on the bench and the opposite foot flat on the floor

2.) Hold a dumbbell in the hand that is not on the bench, row your elbow up till your elbow is at a 90 degree angle.  Kick your forearm backwards to straighten your arm and return to the 90 degree angle.

3.) Repeat this action using the muscle in the back of your arm.  Perform 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps on each arm for the best results.

Poor upper body posture, also known as thoracic kyphosis, is normally caused by tight chest muscles and weak muscles in the upper and mid back.  This condition is very common in people who have sedentary desk jobs and are slumped over a computer or paper work for the majority of the day.  Not being aware of proper posture will commonly result in the shoulders rounding forward, the head poking further forward, and the curve in the thoracic spine will be enhanced causing that “hunchback” look.  Overtime this poor posture will begin to strain the spine and it’s surrounding mucles and ligaments, making the back vulnerable to injury as well as back and neck pain.

HOW DO WE FIX THIS?

-Becoming more aware of you posture is the first step.  To practice proper posture, sit up straight in a chair and roll your shoulders back and down as if you are squeezing a pencil between your shoulder blades.  Next, tuck your chin in and back to relax your neck muscles.  When looking at a side profile the ear should be in line with the shoulder. You should feel your neck relaxed, a small stretch across your chest, and the muscles between your shoulder blades engaged (squeezing the pencil). 

-Stretch you chest muscles at least once per day, but the more the better.  Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and repeat 2-3 times.  See picture below:

-Even when using proper posture, sitting for prolonged periods of time will tire the back muscles.  Try taking frequent breaks from sitting every hour to get up and walk around or stretch out.

1.) how hard are your cardiovascular workouts? how do you monitor your intensity throughout the workout??

2.) have you encorporated any strength training into your workouts?

When doing cardiovascular workouts, it is important to monitor your heart rate and train your body in the right heart rate zone to meet your individual goals. (see Monitor your heart rate to get the most out your workout in Quick Tips Section.)

Especially with women, strength training seems to be very intimidating and has a stigma that if you lift weights you will get “big and bulky”.  This is not true if done correctly.  The more muscle mass a person has, the higher their resting metabolic rate is, meaning they will burn more calories per day even at an active and a resting state.   Encorporating weight training 2 to 3 times per week into your workout routine will allow you to build muscle, in turn, increasing your total body strength and resting metabolic rate.  This will allow you to reach goals faster and help with getting that ’tightened and toned’ body everybody strives for.  It is a good idea to consult a fitness professional when beginning a strength training routine to avoid injury and ensure you are performing the right exercises for your body specifically. 

So for better results check your cardio workouts and try adding strength training into your fitness routine.

A great plan is to schedule your eating for the same times everyday, which should be about 6 times per day(smaller meals and snacks).  Not only will you be training your metabolism to be burning calories constantly throughout the day, but you will also avoid losing energy near the end of the day because you are starving for dinner.  When people do not add small snacks into their daily routine, normally by the time dinner comes around the stomach is screaming for food and you end up snacking while you are cooking dinner to avoid from passing out.  This brings two problems, if you are that hungery you are more likely to overeat because you will probably eat faster and will not feel full until it’s to late; secondly if you are snacking while waiting for dinner that is just added calories you do not need to be ingesting right before a meal. 

TIPS FOR SUCCESS:

-Try sitting down and planning out your meals for the week on a Sunday night and prepare your snacks for the next day, so even if you are rushed in the morning you will be prepared for the day.

-Try eating the same thing for breakfast every morning, it makes life easy and one less thing you have to think about.  You can switch it up every week and try out new recipes to avoid boredeom.

-You should be eating every three to four hours in order to keep your metabolism burning calories and keep you body alert and energized. 

REMEMBER….FAILING TO PLAN IS PLANNING TO FAIL

Plan out your eating just as you would prepare for anything else important in your life.  It takes some exra time, but the benefits of being organized are endless!!

The average person should aim to eat approximatley 2,000 calories per day for women and around 2,500 calories per day for men; however, this will vary greatly depending on activity level and lifestyle.  People looking to lose weight should aim to take in less calories than they burn per day, because one pound of body fat equals 3,500 calories.

Try starting a food journal and write down everything you eat in a day and calculate how many calories you are intaking per day.  It’ll be interesting to see how your calorie intake compares to the recommended norms. 

Food for Thought

Eating a slice of cake containing 500 calories will take approximatley one hour of cardiovascular exercise to burn off.  Perhaps if you know your are going out for a big dinner, try and reduce the amount of calories you consume earlier in the day to allow for more calories at dinner.  This does not mean to starve yourself because you will be so hungery at dinner you will most likely overeat, but opt for healthier lower calorie foods for breakfast, lunch, and snacks.

Low back pain can be caused by a number of different reasons, but postural imperfections normally play a large roll in producing pain in the low back.  For example, weak core muscles/pelvic stabilizaion, inability to proper engage the core muscles, or muscular imbalances in the leg and hip muscles can all put increased strain on the muscles and structures in the low back, resulting in pain. 

Although it is hard to prescribe specific exercises without a proper diagnosis, here are some stretches and exercises you can perform to begin to relieve strain in the low back:

1.) Supine hamstring stretch-lay on your back and pull one leg up in the air, trying to keep it straight, until you feel a pull in the back of your leg.  Hold each leg for 25 to 30 seconds and perform 2 to 3 times on each side.

2.) Single knee to chest/double knee to chest stretch-similar to the stretch above, only bend the knee of the leg you are stretching and pull the knee to your chest.  You will feel a stretch in your gluteal muscles and low back.  After performing this stretch twice on each leg, pull both knees to your chest to feel a stretch in your low back.  Hold each for 25 to 30 seconds.

3.) Pelvic Tilt-Learning how to properly engage your core muscles is important in reducing the strain on your low back.  For this exercise lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.  Tighten your abdominal muscles and push your low back into the floor, hold this contraction for 5 seconds and repeat 10 times.  (see exercises-pelvic tilt)

4.) Bridge-This exercise will help strengthen your core and pelvic stabilizers.  Begin by lying on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor (similar to the pelvic tilt position).  Perform the pelvic tilt by contracting your abominals and pressing your back flat against the floor.  Next, raise you body up, maintaining your pelvic tilt to properly use your core muscles, hold for approximatley 5 seconds at the top and then lower back down to the floor and release.  You should feel this exercise in your core and in the back of your legs and gluts.  Perform 2 sets of 10 repetitions.

Try performing these exercises 2 to 3 times per week to begin to relieve strain in your low back!!

Copyright CORE Conditioning 2010

There are many health benefits associated with drinking water daily and most people don’t actually come close to drinking the required amount of water each day.  The average person should be drinking at least 8 glasses of water each day; but people who live in warmer environments or work out will need more than this in order to replenish the water lost through perspiration and avoid dehydration.  Also, drinking caffinated beverages will have a diuretic effect and increase your water requirement each day.  Looking at your urine colour is a good indicator of your hydration level, if it is a light yellow colour you are most likely meeting your water demands. 

THE TRICK:

An easy way to make sure you drink the adequate amount of water each day is to carry a water bottle with you at all times.  Put elastic bands around the water bottle corresponding to the amount of bottles you need to drink each day.  Each time you re-fill your water bottle throughout the day take an elastic band off.  This will help keep you on track and make you more accountable for drinking the required amount each day!!

WATER IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR WEIGHT LOSS AND NORMAL BODY FUNCTION SO GET DRINKING!!!

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