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Range of Motion Essentials by Carol Johnson

November 20, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Exercise can be broken down into many categories. For example, muscle strength, cardiovascular endurance, and flexibility.  A category that is not discussed very often is that of range of motion. The muscles around our bones are able to move from each joint in many directions. This is termed “range of motion.” Range of motion exercises help maintain normal movement making our daily activities easier to complete. While we all may have a difference in range of motion, the ultimate goal for all of us is to keep what we have. Each joint should be moved through it’s range of motion daily to prevent stiffness, deformity and loss of function. While these exercises are useful for everyone, those with arthritis will especially benefit. Those with arthritis should pay attention to the “two hour pain rule.” Defined by the Arthritis Foundation as, if exercise-induced joint pain lasts longer than two hours then too much was done.  One should adjust the intensity and duration of exercise in the next session.
 

Move each joint through it’s range of motion 5-8 times. Move slowly in a controlled manner and never force the movement.  Remember to stand/sit up tall, keep your abdominals held in tight and breathe normally. Never move into pain unless under a professionals guidance. Please consult your physician before beginning an exercise program and perform exercises at your own risk.

 

Seated-
1.  Make a loose fist and then straighten your fingers.
2.  Move your thumb to the base of your pinky and then straighten your thumb.
3.  Circle your wrist one direction then the other.
4.  Bend and straighten your elbow.
5.  Pull your shoulders up towards your ears then lower your shoulders.
6.  Lift and lower your toes, then lift and lower your heels.
7.  Bend and straighten your leg. (move one leg at a time)
 

Standing-
1.  Keep your leg straight and touch your toes to the front, side and back.
2.  Lift and lower your knee.

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Core Moves: Easy as 1-2-3 by Chanda Fetter

August 25, 2013 By Leave a Comment

We’re all busy, busy, busy, so here are three great go-to exercises to strengthen your core. 

No more excuses, strengthening your core is a necessity!  It allows us to stand taller, have a stronger spine with less low back and neck discomfort.

Plank  – This is one of the all time best core exercises.  The idea is to contract your core muscles while holding a prone neutral position.  Planks can be done on your elbows, hands.  A general modification to keep your knees on the floor, just make sure your weight shifts into the abdominals as opposed to hips or shoulders.  You will want to tighten your abdominals and make sure to keep your legs sipped together as one.  Other variations include side planks, dynamic rotation or even adding a pike.

Sitting V with Trunk Rotation – Grab yourself a 5-10 pound medicine ball, bag of potatoes or even fruit.  Sit up tall with your feet on the floor, knees bent and hinge back from the hips to engage your abdominals.  If possible wedge your feet under something for added stability.  Be sure you don’t hinge back too far as you don’t want to over recruit your hip flexor muscles, nor do you want to load your lower back.  Stay at a safe angle that allows maximum recruitment of your abdominal wall.  Take your weight and rotate side to side making sure to stay evenly planted on your tail.  While you are performing this exercise be sure to tighten your abs and breathe deep.  Know that this exercise can be performed with just your body weight as well for less intensity by simply crossing your arms on your chest.   Perform until you find fatigue in your abdominals then rest for a few breathes and repeat 3x.

Superman/woman – Lie on your stomach with your arms extended overhead and legs reaching long out of your waist.  Lift opposite arm and leg while lifting chest slightly off the ground.  As your limbs lift, your chest lifts, and they go down, your chest lowers back down.  Once you get the hang of that try lifting all four limbs off the floor and hold for 15-30 seconds.  General reminders are to lengthen out of your spine and inhale, then exhale and lift your chest off the ground to find a position just beyond neutral.  You’ll want to be sure you pull the shoulder blades down your back so you’re not taking weight into your neck and shoulders.  Keep your gluts relaxed and feel the muscles along the sides of your spine tighten and you extend your back.

Chanda Fetter
IMX Pilates Studio & Fitness Center, Owner
IMX Pilates Master Trainer
Chanda@imxsb.net

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Creative Exercising by Gen Levrant

July 24, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Training your body safely, effectively and functionally at home with no need for equipment is a great way of giving it a fat-burning blast and making you feel fantastic. Here are five ways of utilising your best training tool in no time at all, whatever your fitness level. As always, consult your physician before beginning exercise.

 

 

1) Clock lunge pattern
Imagine a clock face and lunge one leg forward to each number. It doesn’t have to be in numerical order, clockwise or anticlockwise ‐ this will warm up the joints and muscles of your lower body in every direction.
Make it harder: turn it into a hop to each number!

2) 3D press ups
Stagger your hands one in front of the other, then swap them over. Change your hands to as wide as you can for a wide press up and then put them together in front of you for a narrow press up. This will tone your pectoral muscles hitting them in every direction.
Make it harder: clap in‐between each rep!

3) Curtsey jumps
Step one foot behind the other in a curtsey and then switch legs to turn it into a continuous hop. This strengthens the hip and glute muscles and provides a cardio workout if you go fast enough!
Make it harder: do a tuck jump between reps!

4) Narrow to wide squats
Starting with your feet together, perform a squat lowering your bottom so it is level with your knees. Return to the start position and step your left foot out to the side as wide as you can. Perform another squat in this position before stepping the left foot back to the start. Squat narrow again and repeat with the right foot.
This engages and tones all the muscles of the thighs and glutes.
Make it harder: jump the feet narrow and wide instead of stepping!

5) Prone knee to chest
Starting in a press up position, pull one knee at a time towards your opposite shoulder. Alternate these with pulling each knee in to the side of the body as far as you can.
Make it harder: do a burpee after pulling in each knee!

Watch a demonstration of each move on Gen’s YouTube Channel HERE!

 

Gen Levrant is an Advanced Personal Trainer and fat-loss specialist operating out of a private functional training studio in Southampton UK. For fitness tips, updates and further info: http://www.fasterpt.com/personal-trainer-southampton/or email Gen via gen@fasterpt.com. Follow her on Twitter @PTGen, and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FasterPersonalTrainingSouthampton

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Pushups and Pull-ups: Worthwhile Exercises? By Derek Peruo, CSCS.

June 25, 2013 By Leave a Comment

There are so many options when it comes to fitness. You can attend classes, lift weights, use resistance machines or go running, just to name a few. With all these choices, how do you pick the best, most beneficial exercise?

At times like this, it’s a good idea to return to the basics. And nothing is more basic than body weight exercises!

Body weight exercises are some of the most beneficial exercises you can do. Ask a gymnast if you don’t believe me. Gymnasts spend their entire workout pulling, pushing, and lifting their body weight against gravity, and they are some of the most fit athletes around.

Incorporating body weight exercises like pushups and pull-ups into your routine will help you get stronger, faster and leaner in a very short amount of time, regardless of your current fitness level.

Here are my top 3 reasons why pushups and pull-ups are so beneficial:

They’re Portable
Very little equipment is need to do pushups and pull-ups. All you need is the ground and a secure bar. This makes them amazingly portable. You can do them in the park, at your hotel, or anywhere else. Such portability means you never worry about missing a workout because you lack the proper equipment.

They’re Adjustable
With hundreds of variations, pushups and pull-ups can be made super easy or extremely hard depending on your needs. As you become stronger and more fit, you can adjust these exercises accordingly so you never plateau.

They’re Efficient
No one likes spending hours in the gym training each muscle individually. Pushups and pull-ups allow you to condense your workouts by hitting all the muscle groups simultaneously, reducing the time it takes for you to complete your workout.

Proper technique for pushups and pull-ups are very important to prevent injury, and I recommend consulting a certified fitness professional for guidance. But once you learn the techniques, you’ll know it for a lifetime and will feel empowered to exercise no matter where you are.

Derek Peruo, CSCS, is considered “one of the rising stars in the fitness industry,” and specializes in training high-stress clients. Derek writes and consults for magazines like Men’s Health and Men’s Fitness. For more information, check out  www.RenaissanceFitnessInc.com.

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