Strength Training

Most women, I find, tend to be afraid (or sceptical) of strength training. I hear it time and time again, " I don't want to get bulky." I admit the women on the left is frightful (even a bit disgusting), but what women don't realize is that they're uncapable of getting bulging muscles like these without the use of steroids or some other exogenous hormones. Look at the women in the middle, she is a power lifter and she is not overly defined (she's actually quite petite looking), but she is clearly strong.Women have lower testosterone levels and lower muscle mass levels that don't allow them to get overly muscular. This means that women's strength training regimens should be the same as men because they have no excuse for not doing it. Reasons for strength training: less fat and more muscle makes for a lower body fat percentage, increased bone density (less chance osteoporosis), more functional strength (for things like holding a baby, pregnancy, etc.), it's challenging and fun. My favorite kind of strength training is functional style, that works the whole body. My choice tool-the kettlebell (as most should know, check past articles for the benefits of kettlebells. Sunday's our my heavy lift days, and my daughters comes in and works out with the guys and follows the same routine as we do. Once a month I have clients do a max Turkish get-up, which is great because it really pushes them, plus it can add a little bit of a competitive edge to lifting.So women, don't fear the heavy weight embrace it.

Soft Martial Arts

Today is exercise day, and really I'd just like to post a video of some Chinese bike riders, and just reiterate slow movements, but I figured I'd do some research and bring you some mental exercising as well. Asians, as I've mentioned before, tend to be healthier than Americans (except when Western influence wins out and they succumb to our lifestyle of fast food and chronic illnesses). Exercise is no different, there's no chronic cardio there. To get around, just general transportation, they usually walk or bike (think of all those videos or photos you've seen of Chinese streets congested with bike riders). Even the practices we're going to look at are slow movement. First we'll glance at Tai Chi and Qigong, before exploring the wildly popular practice of yoga. Millions of Chinese have practiced tai chi, for centuries past. It incorporates detailed physical movements, breathing techniques, and cognitive tools that strengthen the body and mind, while balancing qi (life force). There are 5 popular styles, each named from they family they originated (Chen, Yang, Wu Hao, Wu Chu'uan yu, and Sun styles). Another martial arts type training is qigong. It originated some 5,000 years ago and there are over 10,000 styles/systems! It has developed over time for different Chinese society systems: Chinese medical community (preventative and curative), martial artists, religious (Taoist and Buddhist as part of their meditative practice) and Confucian scholars (improve moral character).

 There are 4 types of training: dynamic (special movement and exercise), static (postures), meditative (visualization or focus on specific ideas, sounds, concepts, or breathing patterns), and external aids (ingestion of herbs, messages, or physical manipulation). Let's now look at the ever-so popular yoga. Yoga has been around for at least 5,000 years; stone carvings dating back this far have been found in the Indus Valley. A big misconception is that it developed from Hinduism, but it actually pre-dates the religion. The techniques used today are the collective experiences of many individuals over many thousands of years (which has led to over 100 different schools of yoga. The 3 main structures are: exercise, breathing, and meditation, that are designed to place pressure on the body's glandular system. Breathing is based on breath being the source of life in the body. Breathing and exercise prepare the individual for meditation (quiet mind for silence and healing everyday stress). There are 8 steps in classical yoga (although not all are practiced in 'US' yoga). 1. Yama 'restraint' from violence, lying, stealing, and hoarding 2. niyama 'observance' purity, contentment, tolerance, study, and remembrance 3. asana- physical exercise 4. pranyama- breathing 5. pratyhara- preparation for mediation (withdraw mind from senses) 6. dharana- concentration 7. dhyana- meditation (focus on 1 thing or nothing) 8. samadhi- absorption or realization of the essential nature of the self. In addition to steps there are several schools of yoga: hatha (what we consider yoga- physical movements and postures, plus breathing), Raja ('Royal Road' all, plus meditation and study for the well-rounded individual), Jnana (most difficult, path to wisdom), Bhakti (extreme devotion- centered on personal concept of God), Kashirs Shaivism (ultimate union of opposites; emotion rather than intellect), and lastly tantra (show unseen consciousness through specific words, diagrams, and movements). What can you do? Of course there's the traditional DVD or picture book, try joining a class and get instruction and feedback, plus comrades. It's a great way to practice mediation (check past blogs).

I'll end with a list of just some of the many benefits of yoga: decreased blood pressure, decreased respiratory rates, flexibility, increased range of motion (joints), improved hand-eye coordination, improved posture, increased energy levels, improved sleep, improved balance, increased mood, decreased depression, improved memory and concentration, lower cholesterol and triglycerides, increased self-awareness, and personal growth. So go on and get your warrior poses on!

Park workout

Here is a video from my workout at Deming Park on Sunday. This is Spencer Harlan doing our new move- squat throws with a kettlebell.

Exercising for Kids

Vibram Five-Fingers

We've covered the benefits of barefoot before (June 23), but I thought today we would further examine a shoe-alternative for being barefoot: the Vibram Five-Finger. Running around barefoot isn't very practical. Roads or walking paths could be laden with glass or sharp objects, plus shoes are pretty much mandatory in any public building. The foot is usually overlooked and we don't really think about what we are doing to them by cramming them in shoes (especially heels- which are the worst). The foot is actually comprised of 26 bones, 33 joints, and over 100 muscles and tendons! You can't strengthen the muscles and tendons of your feet wearing shoes. Shoes (and lifting gloves actually) bypass the muscles of your feet and put more strain on the larger muscles and joints of the legs and the back. Posture suffers as well from shoe usage because have to posturally compensate for the elevated heel. Chronic heel usage can lead to kyphosis or lordosis (conditions were the spine curves more convexly or concavely; think hump back) and can cause pain). Running shoes replace the arches in your feet, but not in a durable or effective way. While wearing Vibrams you absorb shock by landing softly on your forefeet instead of on your heels (which is often where you strike while wearing conventional shoes) so that your leg lands beneath your torso, with the leg slightly bent to absorb the impact. This is proper running technique. You may think that they look a little running as well. Not only do they leave your natural arch but they support your toes. Why do you have individual toes slots? If you look at a natural foot that has not worn shoes (below) you can see that the little spreads out naturally. This provides the foot with a wide base that is more stable for walking or standing. Compare the sodden foot. The little toe is crowded to a point, providing a narrow and unstable base for walking and standing.

Here are the benefits of Vibrams as they have listed:

1. 
   
   Strengthen muscles of the feet and lower legs.
2. 
   
   Improve range motion in ankles, feet, and toes
3. 
   
   Stimulates neural function important to balance and agility.
4. 
   
   Improves proprioception and body awareness.
5. 
   
   Eliminates heel lift to align the spine and improve posture.
6. 
   
   Allows foot and body to move naturally.

A warning though with these shoes: take it slowly. We're used to years of cramming our feet in shoes, it's going to take some time to build up the muscles in your feet and ankles. People ask me if they're comfortable. No they're not comfortable (like running on concrete barefoot feels good, plus the toe separation is a little off-putting at first (warning they do take longer to put on as well). Ease into it, start just by walking in them. Then gradually start running, but start on softer surfaces like the beach or grass like a golf course. Then you can begin to ease onto harder surfaces like track. I am very serious about taking it slowly, because I tried to do to much in the beginning and ended up paying for it, so don't make my mistake. I love the shoes though, I fully support barefoot training and theses shoes are a great way to train and get the simulation of being barefoot. They make them in all different kinds of styles for whatever your lifestyle. They make just sprint ones, but I have the KSO, which can be used for running and light trekking (I'm going to start hiking with them once I get back from Colorado). They come in all different colors as well, plus they're a vacation starter because people will want to know what's up with the funky shoes. It's funny, when my family went to Florida this summer, the first restaurant we went to our host had on a pair of Vibrams. It was cool because we were able to talk to him about them (he said that his wife just rolled her eyes at them). People might raze you about them (my family does, especially my son-in-law Todd), but they are a much better alternative to the traditional running shoe.

Get Outside! Green Exercise

Now and coming up in the fall is the perfect time to start incorporating some green exercise. What is green exercise? Well it's quite simple: exercise outside. Anything goes from walking, gardening, cycling, fishing, boating, horse-riding, hiking, or farming. We've already discussed the benefits of low aerobic activity, plus you can incorporate play and soak up some vitamin D. All of this just by going outside and doing as little as walking. Studies in England have shown that as little as five minutes of green exercise can improve mood and personal well-being. A study of 1,252 people in the UK showed that activity in natural areas decreases risk of mental illness and improves sense of well-being. What's even better is that a blue (water) and green environment seems to be even better help, so go to a lake and walk around, jump on a kayak, or jump in the water and swim. Think about it, don't you usually feel a little better after a little time outside? I find it calming and relaxing. Sure it's hot right now, but try going out earlier in the day or later in the evening. I hike Monday and Thursday mornings starting at seven in the morning, so that I am done before it's scorching outside. The options are limitless, it's easy- just step outside, and it takes as little as five minutes to get benefits. Check out some of the ways me and my family get green exercise. the first is my wife practicing her kettlebells on the beach. Next are my employees on our staff hiking trip in July. Lastly there is my wife Susan and I on a hike behind our home in New Goshen.

The Kettlebell, The Sun, And My Day At The Pool!

Ok so today's blog is simple and fun. It's scorching outside right? And you can't exercise out there because you'll dehydrate, right? Well this is a fun little video showing you how to be outside, cool off, and still exercise. Have a pool? Take your kettlebells to the pool and do some swinging for variety and to spice things up. It'll be refreshing. This video is fun (but ignore the stretching in the video), so take your workout outside and head to the pool!

Lift Heavy, Build Muscle!

No exercise program can be complete without some kind of resistance lifting program. People get so focused on looking "skinny" or trying not to get "bulky," that they miss the boat with lifting heavy. Lifting weights actually helps weight loss and creates a slimmer figure. Lifting can help increase muscle mass. Muscle burns 30-50calories a day compared to fat, which burns 5-10 calories. Basically if you can create more muscle then you can burn more calories, making weight loss easier and more efficient. Since the muscle takes up less space it actually makes you leaner and slimmer. This is great for physical appearance and body fat percentage but there are other benefits to lifting as well. Benefits include: greater muscular strength, increased endurance, enhanced bone density, improved muscle tone, improved cardiovascular fitness, helps maintain flexibility, and helps prevent osteoporosis. The increased muscle strength can improve posture, reduce risk of injury, and better support joints. An added bonus is the improved mood it brings, with increased levels of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. It's important to train with heavy weights though. You have to push muscles so they adapt by increasing in size and power, so that the next time you do the same workout it is less stressful than the time before. Important to note that you need to continue to lift heavy because strength will decline if you do not continue a strength stimulus (which is why lifting heavy is essential because it stimulates more muscle fibers). You don't want to do it everyday though because you'll need more time to recover (muscle is built and restored after workouts, not during, which is why rest (including sleep) is important). I liked one quote I found that said "you can't train heavy all the time. . but you can train heavy every time." Lifting light weights doesn't trigger new muscle growth, so if you're going to the gym and not feeling it and think you're going to just take it easy; go home. Lifting light isn't going to accomplish anything and clearly your body needs more time to recover (you're doing more harm than good). Skipping a workout or delaying it a day or two is not the end of the world, it's better (I know most of us feel we need to workout all the time to produce results, but really that can be counterproductive, as we've looked at before with chronic cardio). Determine your one rep max on a lift and aim to lift between 70 and 80% of that when you lift. Make a goal to lift two or three times a week (if you only do one and need more time to recover that's fine too, you've stimulated a lot of muscle obviously). Women aren't going to get bulky either from lifting heavy weights (we'll discuss women's weight lifting in detail at a later date). So go out there and get your Hercules on, feel strong, gain muscle and lose some fat!

I wanna go fast! Benefits to sprinting

Last week we discussed the first part of my exercise routine-slow aerobic activity. Today we're going to look at the other part, which is sprinting. Once again I'm going to reiterate the downfalls of high intensity aerobics. Honestly who wants to run for at least a half hour at time! I don't find that enjoyable, I'd rather spend less time doing sprint work (it's far more enjoyable); getting more results and better health benefits. We'll do a recap though of the pitfalls of long duration high intensity aerobics. It requires large amounts of carbohydrates (which I don't promote the consumption of starchy, grainy and sugary foods), promotes hyperinsulinemia (over production of insulin), increases production of free radicals, and for some it can increase cortisol levels (check last Thursday article). Humans were made for low aerobic activity or for "fight or flight" (sprinting). Look at our ancestors. They spent all day performing their daily routine (low aerobic) and when they needed to survive (whether they were hunting or being hunted) they would call on their ATP-PC system to provide a short burst of energy to escape the lion. What's even better is that the initial ATP burst generates a growth spurt that creates leaner, stronger muscles. Sprinting has other benefits as well: increases aerobic capacity, increases insulin sensitivity, increase muscle fiber strength, increases number and size of muscle mitochondria, increases growth hormone production, increase VO2 peak, and lowers blood pressure. A Scottish study showed that high intensity interval training (HIIT) is productive in raising metabolism, and for bettering insulin action and glucose clearance. A seperate study at McMaster University in Canada showed that sprint training provided improvement structure and function of heart vessels. What kind of sprint training should you do then? I do sprint training 2 days a week (Tuesday and Saturday mornings). I do six 100's on the track and then I take my shoes off and do four barefoot sprints in the grass. I like to do progressive sprints so that I only sprint all out the last 20 meters or so. The barefoot running I do only at half speed because I want to avoid injuries and the grass has holes and can be uneven, so that turning an ankle is easy. I have worked up to this load; someone just starting should ease into. Start out with two or three and ease your way up. Besides the fact that we were made for these short bursts, look at runners. Compare a sprinter to a long distance marathoner. Hopefully you recognize Usain Bolt up above (the fastest man in the world). He has lean and strong looking muscles compare to that of a long distance runner. Long distance runners tend to be less muscular and can even appear somewhat sickly. Pesonally I think I would rather spend less time training at higher intensity and look leaner and stronger!

Walking Better than Running?

Most people consummate weight loss with spending extended periods at the gym heedlessly running on a treadmill or elliptical or sweating through a spin class. Is this really the key to weight loss and weight management? Better yet is this enjoyable? Personally I don't want to think that getting up early and running on a treadmill for 30 minutes plus is what I need to do for the rest of my life to "be fit". Yet that's what most people think is good. This article is about low-aerobic cardio training, but research shows that interval training (which we'll talk about next week) is better than running forever on a treadmill. Besides being rough on your joints persistent cardio requires lots of carbohydrates to sustain, promotes hyperinsulinemia (overproduction of insulin), increases oxidative damage, and generates high levels cortisol (which makes you more susceptible to infection, injury, bone loss, and depletion muscle, while encouraging fat deposit). So now that we see that persistent, intense cardio is not the way to go, let's see what works. A balance between short bursts (sprinting) and low-aerobic cardio is key to weight loss.
From an evolutionary standpoint low aerobic cardio makes sense! Our ancestors didn't just run around chasing prey all day, that would be counter-productive. They would spend their days moving around doing what was necessary (like gathering berries), but they weren't exerting greats amount of energy. When the time came for them to hunt then they would be able to expend a short burst of energy to take down their target. Running all day would make them tired, so conserving would save energy and was key to survival. So what can we do today? Engage in some form of low-aerobic cardio at 55-75% of your max heart rate. This is a comfortable level, you can still engage in talking (which makes it more enjoyable if you're exercising with others, rather than panting and gasping to talk). This kind of cardio is foundational for other exercise. It tones muscles, joints and connective tissues so that you have a better base for strength training and sprinting.
Now let's look at all the benefits that studies have demonstrated. They've shown: reduce risk for metabolic syndrome, breast cancer, vascular dementia, and overall systemic inflammation. It also increases capillary network, muscle mitochondria, and production of fat-burning and fat-transporting enzymes. In addition it helps counter stress, which results in improved mood and well-being. This stress relief is especially great because it can lead to so many health problems (and tomorrow we're going to address cortisol and stress even more).
So in today's blog we've learned that we don't need to spend countless hours on a treadmill each week (exhausting ourselves), but we can get better results in a more enjoyable fashion. I've been doing this for the last few months and I really like it. On Sundays and Thursday I go for an hour hike behind my house, and the remaining days I do some barefoot walking (we've discussed the benefits of barefoot before). The options are endless though, and you can incorporate this into your play as well (check last Sunday's article)! Here are some great options to try though: dancing, hiking, bike rides, gardening, brisk walks, playing, mowing the lawn, a light swim (great since it's summer), rollerblading, or yoga (which incorporates yesterday's yoga as well). Find something you like and enjoy!

Running on the Beach

Kettle is King!

Kettlebells, what exactly are they? Anybody that has been to our facility knows that I love kettlebells, but why? What's so great about them? Kettlebells resemble a bowling ball with a handle. They have a long history with old-time strongmen and were popularized by Russian athletes. Nowadays, though, they are used by celebrities, professional athletes, martial artists, and trainers alike. Why are they so great though? For starters they're easy to transport. Amp up any activity by bringing your bell with you (last year I did hill climbs up Deming Park hill, and lunge walks for a true test!). Going on vacation? Take your bell, so you don't lose what you've worked for. I'm going on vacation next week and I am packing my 60 lbs. kettlebell with me to workout on the beach. Why would you want to lug around a large bell though, what does it do? Kettlebells are great for a total body workout! One exercise can engage the muscles in your legs, back, core and arms! One little bell can work your whole body and you don't need all those expensive fancy machines, performing a bunch of exercises to make sure you work all your muscle groups. Wouldn't it be more practical to use one piece of equipment, do fewer exercises and get the same workout for less time and money? Also since it's a free weight it doesn't restrict your range of motion (like straight bars do), and it has momentum unlike dumbells. Let's look at just one movement with the kettlebell; the swing. Included is a video of my wife performing a swing, it's the most general movement with a kettlebell and we use it in most of our cardio plays. I found an artile called the "7 Kettlebell Swing Benefits" which pretty much solidifies my beliefs in kettlebell training. So here is a summary of reasons to swing! 1. They're highly efficient and allow for weight and fitness training at the same time. 2. They work the posterior muscles of the core and back, your glutes and hamstrings. For athletes these are important for activities like: sprinting and jumping. 3. They work a lot of muscles in a sort amount of time, but also get your heart rate up. 4. It's a functional ab workout (you're wasting time with sit-ups, all you're doing is working your hip flexors more than your abs, sorry!) 5. Trains all parts of your back; from the lower back all the way up into your trapezius muscles. 6. Build-up back endurance (thus limiting injury) by performing high-rep swings. 7. Great conditioner and fat burner (I've adopted the phrase "Nothing burns fat like swinging a kettlebell"); high intensity training has been shown to burn more fat than slow endurance training (like jogging, yawn!) So why not at least try them? There are a variety of exercises that you can do (including Olympic lifts). Test your strength and do a Turkish get up (a staple for Eastern European strongmen). Other personal favorites of mine are the squat press, windmill, juggling, and upside down floor press. Check back in next week when we'll have video of juggling and lunging with kettlebells from the beach. If you're a beginner, though, the swing is a great exercise! Things to remember though; always keep your head up, squat down to pick up and release the kettlebell, thrust the hips and let your arm just go along for the ride, and don't let the kettlebell carry you (keep erect). So go out, get your bell and enjoy (your whole body will love you for it).

Benefits of Barefeet!

Can shoes really be the root of all evil, wrecking havoc on our posture and joints? Studies have shown that modern-day, high-tech shoes can cause bad backs and knees, hamstring problems, torn cartilage, tendonitis, pulled muscles, and many more lower and mid-body complications. So why wear shoes (especially high-heels, honestly are they comfortable)? Wearing shoes takes away from the foots natural state. We get so caught up that the feet are sensitive muscles that need protected, when really we’re only doing more harm than good, by not strengthening them.
The small muscles of the feet actually provide sensory feedback and help develop balanced movement, which correlates to functional lower body strength and power. The small muscles of the feet are also key in telling the body to quit. When you where shoes, you bypass the small muscles and forego this feedback so the larger leg muscles and joints bare more stress, which can lead to bigger, longer-lasting problems in the future. What else do shoes do? Well any time that you change the heel orientation then the arch mechanics change, thus so does the lower back (increase in the curve). Also arch supports don’t allow the arches to function properly and as a result the heels compromise energy storage and causes mayhem to your posture. Shoes limit blood flow. When you are barefoot blood is able to freely flow to increase blood circulation. Barefoot running allows for increased range of motion and flexibility.
Not enough? Let’s look at heel strike. Research by Daniel Lieberman, at Harvard University, has shown that shod runners tend to strike on the back of their heels (over 75% of runners), whereas barefoot runners tended to strike mid-foot. Not only did this improve form, but it conserved 5% more energy. Barefoot running strengthened the tendons and muscles of the foot and lower leg, which allows them to act as shock absorbers. As a result the mid-foot striking brought down impact force 60% on body weight. According to Lieberman, “The ankle is a very compliant, springy joint, and barefoot runners use it a lot. It isn’t available to you when you rear-foot strike, Then you’re relying solely on the spring on the heel of the shoe.”
Now, I know that it’s not practical to just go outside and start running barefoot. Barefoot training has to be eased into. Start out slow, running on softer surfaces, like grass and easing your way onto harder surfaces (also start out slower, no going to fast or too many). You have to build up the tendons and muscles in your feet, so take it slowly. Also I realize that running on harder surfaces or streets is unsafe, alternative options to running completely barefoot are shoes like the Vibram Five Finger. I have a pair, but I’ll tell you from experience that you need to ease into them, because they are like running barefoot! So strengthen your feet, give your posture a break, and spread out your toes and do some barefoot training!

Up and Coming Kettlebell Master

Gavin Woelfle, he's no stranger to the bell!

150 lb Turkish Get-Up

Body Changer Jeff Barnaby doing a 150 lbs. Turkish Get-up

Cardio play #7

We are now holding resistance cardio classes or "plays." Here is a clip of Play #10.
Starting June 7th we will have classes Monday, Wednesday, and Friday:
5:30am, 9am, 4pm, 5pm, 6pm, and 7pm
or Saturdays: 9am, 10am, and 11am