Hey everyone! It's been a little while since I've posted while I get the swing of my full time school schedule. I am a full time student at University of Houston Clear Lake's Fitness & Human Performance program--- and I LOVE IT!! The fitness world is constantly improving, learning more, adapting- I want to be like that for the readers of my blog- I'll keep learning & sharing along my student journey!
In the meantime if you have a facebook account, you should "like" my page on facebook- I share shorter tidbits and some great motivational pictures! Here's the link to that page:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/FitnessHealthHappiness
Please feel free to message me anytime at that page- I answer ALL fitness related messages. I feel strongly that the more we learn about our health, the more likely we are to make the right decisions- because we know WHY :) Everyone should have access to fitness information and support- if I don't know the answer to your question, I will find someone who knows or a resource that can explain it and I will get back to you! In the meantime, get out there and enjoy life :) !!!
Thursday, September 27, 2012
New Advancements in the Treatment of Mesothelioma
“The latest developments in the treatment of Mesothelioma”
By: Erin Brush
Imagine the hardest-working person that you know; for most of us, this probably conjures images of people of strength and of untouchable work ethic, such as our military, maritime workers, railway workers, miners, drill men and more. If you have experience with or familial connections to someone who fits this image, a person who has put in hard and honest work for their entire lives, then it may be devastating to learn that they are the very population at highest risk for developing deadly Mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lung lining and, in the United States, it is primarily caused by exposure to Asbestos. Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that was used in many industrial and insulation materials as a way of making them more fire retardant before its use was banned in the 1980’s. Before it was banned as a result of the research determining its health dangers, many hard working people were exposed to it and the risks that asbestos exposure poses (Mesothelioma&lungcancer.org).
Mesothelioma is aggressive and it is a serious diagnosis; because of the gravity of getting such news weighing so heavily on the receiver and their family, many people will avoid discussing treatment right away. It is a devastating message to accept and feelings of shock and fear are both acceptable and reasonable. Despite this reality, it does not minimize the gravity of the situation to take a proactive approach and move mental processes towards considering treatment options. Due to the nature of Mesothelioma, it is not only proactive, it is necessary. Absolutely all Mesothelioma diagnosed individuals have treatment options. These options may be curative or palliative in nature; whichever the patient chooses, they should be aware and given an understanding of everything that they could choose.
The encouraging news is that there are a growing number of treatment options in the field of Mesothelioma. Current treatment is usually one or a combination of the options of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy and will depend on a number of individualized characteristics of that particular patient’s condition (www.maacenter.org). That is, what works best for one patient is not necessarily going to be what is best for another patient of the same diagnosis with different characteristics. Finding the best treatment is a collaborative effort between the patient and the specialist physicians who will be handling their treatment who could include an oncologist, a pulmonologist, radiologist and more. The collaboration of specialists will help the patient to benefit from the expertise of each of their perspectives so that they can provide the best information for that particular patient to decide what they want based on their patient rights.
Though the current widely-used treatments available for Mesothelioma have generated an exponentially higher degree of hope in recent years, the latest developments in the treatment of Mesothelioma are found in clinical trial participation. Patients with a diagnosis of Mesothelioma can choose to participate in clinical trials which test new treatments and medications before they are released to the general public for use in treatment. In these clinical trials, the medications being used have not yet passed the test to determine correct dosage required to achieve the effectiveness of the drug being used. The clinical trials themselves are that test. Patients that choose to participate are receiving the latest treatments available and also serving what is potentially a higher purpose in providing research information to help medical professionals get closer to discovering ways to treat and even someday cure Mesothelioma (www.asbestos.com).
Extraplural pneumonectomy (EPP) is one of the latest developments in Mesothelioma treatment. It involves the removal of the lung along with the covering tissue of the lung, the heart and the diaphragm. This treatment has resulted in long term survival and a significant reduction in the number of cancerous cells present in the patient (www.asbestos.com). This treatment has been associated with high mortality rates during surgery or following the surgery as a result of serious complications, though these rates have been decreasing as surgical technique improves and procedure experience among surgeons is established. Mortality rates have dropped to less than 5% (www.mesotheliomahelp.net). Despite having a relatively high complication risk, most surgeons who find that a patient is a good candidate for the surgery would encourage the patient to go through with the procedure because of the value of the potential benefits.
Another developing treatment in Mesothelioma research is intracavitary chemotherapy. This treatment is currently being evaluated and has shown some promising results thus far. In this treatment, the patient undergoes surgery to remove the tumor during which chemotherapy is administered directly into the chest and abdominal cavity. Healthy cells are protected during this procedure through the use of a cytoprotective agent to isolate against the chemotherapy effects (www.asbestos.com). Different chemotherapy drugs and drug combinations are being researched to determine what is most effective and these developing advancements may be very encouraging for the future of Mesothelioma treatment.
Mesothelioma is a heavily weighted diagnosis that comes with a lot of fear and panic for those who receive it and for their family members. They may feel hopeless or overwhelmed by the information and frustrated that such a diagnosis can be tied to what is debatably the hardest working class of individuals. Though these emotions are reasonable and founded, all patients receiving this diagnosis and their family members must rally to arm themselves with information about the latest options for treatment. Having this information gives the patient the ability to decide what they do value and what they do want out of their care. Knowing that a treatment option is available is not a commitment to undergo it and learning new options should not be avoided as a means of control. Ultimately the power of choice is in the patient’s hands alone and that power is only strengthened by the information available to them.
References:
Mesothelioma&lungcancer.org. (n.d.). Mesothelioma- cancer of the lung lining. Retrieved from http://www.mesothelioma-lung-cancer.org/asbestos-causes-mesothelioma.html
www.asbestos.com. (n.d.). Mesothelioma cure. Retrieved from http://www.asbestos.com/treatment/mesothelioma-cure.php
www.maacenter.org. (n.d.). Mesothelioma treatment. Retrieved from http://www.maacenter.org/mesothelioma/treatment/
www.mesotheliomahelp.net. (n.d.). Mesothelioma treatments: Curative surgery – extrapleural pneumonectomy. Retrieved from http://www.mesotheliomahelp.net/mesothelioma-treatments-extrapleural-pneumonectomy
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Ab workout 2 of 3
ALWAYS stretch & warm up. Abs are just like leg muscles or any other muscle in your body- you can hurt yourself if you don't warm up- I recommend a 5 minute warmup with dynamic stretching (see previous blogs for stretching info).
*This is the second of 3 ab workout routines that I'm going to share- check out the first one for more information about form- it's really important to train abs correctly or you can actually strengthen your midsection to stick out!
- Hold a forward plank (on elbows, back straight like you're doing a pushup) for 30 seconds. If you can't do a full 30 seconds, keep resetting until you've done a total of 30 seconds (as in, 5 seconds, back up add five more seconds, back up add eight seconds, whatever you need to do- however long it takes, get to 30.)
-50-100 crunches (alternate your leg style as explained in first blog)
-Left side plank 30 seconds
-2 x 25 bicycle crunches
-Right side plank 30 seconds
-2x20 side crunches
- 10 burpees
- 50 reverse crunches
- 2 x20 mason twists
-50-100 crunches
-30 scissor kicks
- 30 squats (put your hands out in front of you and focus on balancing, using a tight core to go straight down and straight back up without letting your knee come over your toes).
-- cool down and stretch.
--- It does NOT matter how fast you go through this. What does matter is form. Focus one getting the most out of each movement, holding your abdominals in tight and breathing (if you're engaging correctly you will be able to breath normally- see previous blog if this is confusing).
--- Don't give up. Doing some of this is better than not doing any of it- and you'll see if you keep it up that this will become easier until suddenly you're looking for the next challenge!
*This is the second of 3 ab workout routines that I'm going to share- check out the first one for more information about form- it's really important to train abs correctly or you can actually strengthen your midsection to stick out!
- Hold a forward plank (on elbows, back straight like you're doing a pushup) for 30 seconds. If you can't do a full 30 seconds, keep resetting until you've done a total of 30 seconds (as in, 5 seconds, back up add five more seconds, back up add eight seconds, whatever you need to do- however long it takes, get to 30.)
-50-100 crunches (alternate your leg style as explained in first blog)
-Left side plank 30 seconds
-2 x 25 bicycle crunches
-Right side plank 30 seconds
-2x20 side crunches
- 10 burpees
- 50 reverse crunches
- 2 x20 mason twists
-50-100 crunches
-30 scissor kicks
- 30 squats (put your hands out in front of you and focus on balancing, using a tight core to go straight down and straight back up without letting your knee come over your toes).
-- cool down and stretch.
--- It does NOT matter how fast you go through this. What does matter is form. Focus one getting the most out of each movement, holding your abdominals in tight and breathing (if you're engaging correctly you will be able to breath normally- see previous blog if this is confusing).
--- Don't give up. Doing some of this is better than not doing any of it- and you'll see if you keep it up that this will become easier until suddenly you're looking for the next challenge!
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Abs workout 1 (in a series of 3)
**Be sure to read my earlier blog "Getting the most out of your Core workouts"--- That's important information not repeated here!
One of the top fitness 'wishes' that I hear (from men and women) is to have a flat stomach or to get that visible 6-pack. And for some reason, a lot of women who have had kids think that is something that just doesn't happen after pregnancy- good news is that's not true! I never had a visible six-pack until after having my two children (with back to back pregnancies, mind you!). Check it out:
Pregnancy #2 (just 8 months after pregnancy #1):
(Post pregnancy, youngest is 2 years old)
So it's definately do-able, but there's a reality check side to this too. Whether you know it or not, you have a 6-pack right now (for real!). You always have one, but whether it shows or not depends on the amount of adipose tissue (fat) on top of it. What does that mean? Well, you could do 1,000 crunches a day (which would be impressive) and still not be able to see your abs if you have excess fat- so part of the ab challenge is that you have to mix in cardio and weight bearing activity for an all-body workout and lose weight so you can see the work you're doing with your abs!
I have an Abs workout below. It is important to understand that this, as written, might be too hard- I'm not there with you as an individual writing your plan based on what's going on with you- I'm writing down what I just did. You may need to modify the numbers a bit- but as long as you are going to failure (can't do anymore because you actually physically can't), you'll get something out of this. Every time you do it, you'll be able to do more- write down what exercises you you do and how many (or how long) you made it through. You'll be really encouraged by progress on paper before you see the abs that are right there under the surface, just waiting to be revealed!
I'm going to write a series of 3 ab workouts that you can alternate between- change it up so that neither you nor your body gets bored with it. You can change it up as often as you want, as long as you're consistent with the fact that you're doing something. This doesn't take very long and this workout would be something that you would tack on to your other workouts or put between cardio days if you'd rather do it like that. To get results, something is better than nothing, but I would do this at least 3 times a week when you're in change-mode. You know your body best and what you are capable of, remember, hurting yourself doesn't get results- do not work out your abs while they are still sore from the last workout. On days like that, do other activity, and focus on getting good ab stretches done.
***Make sure you check the form notes at the bottom of this before getting started, and as with everything, you must have had a doctor's permission stating that you are healthy enough for working out before starting any fitness plan.
As with any workout, do your warmup and stretching. It does you no good if you get hurt, you'll be set back in your goals more than the five minutes it would have taken to warm up!
___________________________________________________________________________
Abs Workout 1:
100 Crunches- (Every 20, change your style by moving your legs alternating between: classic, butterfly, knees to the left, knees to the right, back to classic) *if you can't do 100, go 2 minutes to failure
Side plank, hold for 30 seconds on each side- step it up and finish this move with 15 elbow touches to the ground in front of you before switching sides
Superman - 2 30seconds (10-15 second pause between) or 1 minute for the vets.
100 more crunches (same alternations) - or - 50 situps (or 2 min)
V-Ups - 2 minutes to failure
Donkey kicks- 25 each leg- focus on holding in your core (hands & knees, kick one leg up behind you at a time)
100 crunches- (same alternations)- or- 50 situps (or 2 min)
High kicks (pretend there's a chair in front of you. Stand behind the 'chair'. Swing your right leg up and over the 'chair' as if you were passing over it without knocking it over. Do the same with your left leg to the same side. Then repeat the same motion in the other direction, left leg, right leg.) 2 minutes to failure.
Reverse crunches- 2 minutes to failure
STRETCH for 5 MINUTES minimum. This workout didn't take very long and stretching is necessary for you to repair which means to build the results you want to see. This can be added to your other workouts or tacked on to the end of the day (you don't have to workout abs at the same time that you go do your cardio or whatever- as long as you warmup, you'll get the same results, maybe even better because your energy has been restored after your other workout).
___________________________________________________________________________
FORM NOTES:
I can NOT stress to you how important it is that you do crunches or situps correctly. If you do them incorrectly, you can hurt yourself or train your abdominal muscles incorrectly in a way that actually pushes your tummy area furthur out! Not good. Check out these form videos (which I had nothing to do with the filming of):
Crunch form:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK1eTLViYXI
Superman:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cc6UVRS7PW4
V-Ups
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aviRfr_y4N4
Reverse crunches:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlTvnfOr6_Q
Situp form- don't use momentum. If you can't get up slow then you're done, if you jerk and swing to get up then you're going to hurt yourself. I always use something to brace my legs. Although many reputable programs show 'hardcore' versions of situps where the legs are not restrained, I find that this significantly increases the strain on my neck and back, and unless you're really good at isolating the right muscles, you dont' get that much out of making it hard for the sake of making it hard. Rather, just have your feet restrained and focus on the right moves in your core area- if it's too easy, increase the reps and don't hurt yourself.
One of the top fitness 'wishes' that I hear (from men and women) is to have a flat stomach or to get that visible 6-pack. And for some reason, a lot of women who have had kids think that is something that just doesn't happen after pregnancy- good news is that's not true! I never had a visible six-pack until after having my two children (with back to back pregnancies, mind you!). Check it out:
Pregnancy #2 (just 8 months after pregnancy #1):
So it's definately do-able, but there's a reality check side to this too. Whether you know it or not, you have a 6-pack right now (for real!). You always have one, but whether it shows or not depends on the amount of adipose tissue (fat) on top of it. What does that mean? Well, you could do 1,000 crunches a day (which would be impressive) and still not be able to see your abs if you have excess fat- so part of the ab challenge is that you have to mix in cardio and weight bearing activity for an all-body workout and lose weight so you can see the work you're doing with your abs!
I have an Abs workout below. It is important to understand that this, as written, might be too hard- I'm not there with you as an individual writing your plan based on what's going on with you- I'm writing down what I just did. You may need to modify the numbers a bit- but as long as you are going to failure (can't do anymore because you actually physically can't), you'll get something out of this. Every time you do it, you'll be able to do more- write down what exercises you you do and how many (or how long) you made it through. You'll be really encouraged by progress on paper before you see the abs that are right there under the surface, just waiting to be revealed!
I'm going to write a series of 3 ab workouts that you can alternate between- change it up so that neither you nor your body gets bored with it. You can change it up as often as you want, as long as you're consistent with the fact that you're doing something. This doesn't take very long and this workout would be something that you would tack on to your other workouts or put between cardio days if you'd rather do it like that. To get results, something is better than nothing, but I would do this at least 3 times a week when you're in change-mode. You know your body best and what you are capable of, remember, hurting yourself doesn't get results- do not work out your abs while they are still sore from the last workout. On days like that, do other activity, and focus on getting good ab stretches done.
***Make sure you check the form notes at the bottom of this before getting started, and as with everything, you must have had a doctor's permission stating that you are healthy enough for working out before starting any fitness plan.
As with any workout, do your warmup and stretching. It does you no good if you get hurt, you'll be set back in your goals more than the five minutes it would have taken to warm up!
___________________________________________________________________________
Abs Workout 1:
100 Crunches- (Every 20, change your style by moving your legs alternating between: classic, butterfly, knees to the left, knees to the right, back to classic) *if you can't do 100, go 2 minutes to failure
Side plank, hold for 30 seconds on each side- step it up and finish this move with 15 elbow touches to the ground in front of you before switching sides
Superman - 2 30seconds (10-15 second pause between) or 1 minute for the vets.
100 more crunches (same alternations) - or - 50 situps (or 2 min)
V-Ups - 2 minutes to failure
Donkey kicks- 25 each leg- focus on holding in your core (hands & knees, kick one leg up behind you at a time)
100 crunches- (same alternations)- or- 50 situps (or 2 min)
High kicks (pretend there's a chair in front of you. Stand behind the 'chair'. Swing your right leg up and over the 'chair' as if you were passing over it without knocking it over. Do the same with your left leg to the same side. Then repeat the same motion in the other direction, left leg, right leg.) 2 minutes to failure.
Reverse crunches- 2 minutes to failure
STRETCH for 5 MINUTES minimum. This workout didn't take very long and stretching is necessary for you to repair which means to build the results you want to see. This can be added to your other workouts or tacked on to the end of the day (you don't have to workout abs at the same time that you go do your cardio or whatever- as long as you warmup, you'll get the same results, maybe even better because your energy has been restored after your other workout).
___________________________________________________________________________
FORM NOTES:
I can NOT stress to you how important it is that you do crunches or situps correctly. If you do them incorrectly, you can hurt yourself or train your abdominal muscles incorrectly in a way that actually pushes your tummy area furthur out! Not good. Check out these form videos (which I had nothing to do with the filming of):
Crunch form:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK1eTLViYXI
Superman:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cc6UVRS7PW4
V-Ups
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aviRfr_y4N4
Reverse crunches:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlTvnfOr6_Q
Situp form- don't use momentum. If you can't get up slow then you're done, if you jerk and swing to get up then you're going to hurt yourself. I always use something to brace my legs. Although many reputable programs show 'hardcore' versions of situps where the legs are not restrained, I find that this significantly increases the strain on my neck and back, and unless you're really good at isolating the right muscles, you dont' get that much out of making it hard for the sake of making it hard. Rather, just have your feet restrained and focus on the right moves in your core area- if it's too easy, increase the reps and don't hurt yourself.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Basic Burpee workout
This is a baseline workout that anyone (who is healthy/has doctor's permission to work out) can do! You do not have to have a gym or any fancy equipment. I would recommend starting with at least two five pound free weights (you gotta lift something heavier than your purse!!). At the bottom I listed a few 'what's that' answers & some demonstration videos that might be helpful if you've never seen a burpee or some of the other moves.
Again, this is basic--- if it's hard, it's working. But if you get into this and find that it's not hard, be honest with yourself and increase your reps to get results!
The sets of exercises should be moved through at a pace that focuses on form and getting the most out of each movement. If you get hectic or rush, you're not getting the most out of each movement--- this is different than frantic cardio, it's weight bearing activity. Move with purpose, think about each rep and really get everything out of it. Make sure you're breathing and drinking water as you need to- and do rest if you need to- listen to your body and know the difference between pushing and pushing too far.
Basic/Beginner's Burpee Workout:
5 minute warmup with dynamic stretches (time this and make sure you do five minutes. This is absolutely essential to warm up your muscles, get circulation/oxygen supply going and avoid injury--- remember, if you hurt yourself, you're not going to be able to work out and progress will be lost! Always warmup!)
Set 1:
10 star jumpers
10 pushups
25 situps (or 40 crunches)
5 Burpees
50 stork biceps (switch feet every 25)
-- 2 minutes of cardio (if you have stairs in your house, you can walk the stairs--- or jog in place, do jumping jacks, jump rope, doesn't matter what you choose but don't cheat out of this, time it!)
Set 2:
5 Burpees
25 Chest fly w/weights
25 situps (or 40 crunches)
10 mountain climbers
30 bent over row w/weights
---2 minutes cardio
Set 3:
5 Burpees
25 chest fly w/weights
25 situps (or 40 crunches)
10 mountain climbers
30 Plie row w/weights
--- 2 minutes cardio
Set 4:
5 Burpees
10 mountain climbers
25 situps
20 squats with overhead press (weights)
5 Burpees
---5 minutes cardio
---5 minutes cool down--- Do NOT skip cool down. This is what safely returns you to baseline, keeps you from getting nausea, and helps your body start the repair that gets you visible results!!
What's a star jumper?
Squat on the ground like a little monkey then jump as high as you can, stretching your arms and legs out in a jumping jack position. It seems ridiculous but it is very tiring, and the more effort you put into it, the more you will get out of it. Of course make sure that you're not jumping into your ceiling fan (been there, done that).
What's a burpee?
You'll find a lot of variations, but the basic burpee is this set of postions/movements: Start standing in a neutral even postured position. Drop to a squat and put your hands out in front of you on the floor, shift your weight to your hands and jump your legs to a pushup position. Variations at this point might include a pushup in this position, but for this basic burpee workout, don't do the pushup, jump back to squat, then stand- that's 1 burpee. Okay, now don't get discouraged--- if the hopping is still too difficult, you can step down for the most basic burpee. This is demonstrated REALLY well in this youtube video (which I had nothing to do with the filming of) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiTPFTMlags
What's a stork bicep?
A regular bicep with weight but add standing on one leg. Bring your lifted leg to a 90 degree angle. Focus on holding your core in, and get tension in both legs, really getting every bit out of the single exercise that you can.
What's a mountain climber?
Get in a pushup position. Now bring one leg forward as if you were a runner about to take off. Keeping your hands forward, switch which foot is forward. This is a four count (each foot will be forward twice to count for 1 towards the 10). This is demonstrated well in this youtube video (which I had nothing to do with the filming of) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyeZM-_VnRc
Again, this is basic--- if it's hard, it's working. But if you get into this and find that it's not hard, be honest with yourself and increase your reps to get results!
The sets of exercises should be moved through at a pace that focuses on form and getting the most out of each movement. If you get hectic or rush, you're not getting the most out of each movement--- this is different than frantic cardio, it's weight bearing activity. Move with purpose, think about each rep and really get everything out of it. Make sure you're breathing and drinking water as you need to- and do rest if you need to- listen to your body and know the difference between pushing and pushing too far.
Basic/Beginner's Burpee Workout:
5 minute warmup with dynamic stretches (time this and make sure you do five minutes. This is absolutely essential to warm up your muscles, get circulation/oxygen supply going and avoid injury--- remember, if you hurt yourself, you're not going to be able to work out and progress will be lost! Always warmup!)
Set 1:
10 star jumpers
10 pushups
25 situps (or 40 crunches)
5 Burpees
50 stork biceps (switch feet every 25)
-- 2 minutes of cardio (if you have stairs in your house, you can walk the stairs--- or jog in place, do jumping jacks, jump rope, doesn't matter what you choose but don't cheat out of this, time it!)
Set 2:
5 Burpees
25 Chest fly w/weights
25 situps (or 40 crunches)
10 mountain climbers
30 bent over row w/weights
---2 minutes cardio
Set 3:
5 Burpees
25 chest fly w/weights
25 situps (or 40 crunches)
10 mountain climbers
30 Plie row w/weights
--- 2 minutes cardio
Set 4:
5 Burpees
10 mountain climbers
25 situps
20 squats with overhead press (weights)
5 Burpees
---5 minutes cardio
---5 minutes cool down--- Do NOT skip cool down. This is what safely returns you to baseline, keeps you from getting nausea, and helps your body start the repair that gets you visible results!!
What's a star jumper?
Squat on the ground like a little monkey then jump as high as you can, stretching your arms and legs out in a jumping jack position. It seems ridiculous but it is very tiring, and the more effort you put into it, the more you will get out of it. Of course make sure that you're not jumping into your ceiling fan (been there, done that).
What's a burpee?
You'll find a lot of variations, but the basic burpee is this set of postions/movements: Start standing in a neutral even postured position. Drop to a squat and put your hands out in front of you on the floor, shift your weight to your hands and jump your legs to a pushup position. Variations at this point might include a pushup in this position, but for this basic burpee workout, don't do the pushup, jump back to squat, then stand- that's 1 burpee. Okay, now don't get discouraged--- if the hopping is still too difficult, you can step down for the most basic burpee. This is demonstrated REALLY well in this youtube video (which I had nothing to do with the filming of) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiTPFTMlags
What's a stork bicep?
A regular bicep with weight but add standing on one leg. Bring your lifted leg to a 90 degree angle. Focus on holding your core in, and get tension in both legs, really getting every bit out of the single exercise that you can.
What's a mountain climber?
Get in a pushup position. Now bring one leg forward as if you were a runner about to take off. Keeping your hands forward, switch which foot is forward. This is a four count (each foot will be forward twice to count for 1 towards the 10). This is demonstrated well in this youtube video (which I had nothing to do with the filming of) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyeZM-_VnRc
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Consistency = Flexibility (plus my dirty secret about stretching)
"How can I get more flexible?"
The only way to get more flexible is to stretch consistently. There is no magic pill and 'pushing it' is going to get you hurt, not results. And the truth is, I am completely preaching here without practice. The only part of my fitness routine that I abhore is... stretching. It's true. I don't know why I am so bad about doing it; I know that it is important and in a minute I'm going to explain why--- but I hate doing it. And if there is anything that I am going to skip in my routine, it won't be the sweating part, it will be the stretching part. Not that I'm recommending that you do that, I'm definately not recommending that anyone skip stretching (that's a great way to get hurt)--- I'm just identifying my truely greatest weakness in my motivation. I think stretching is boring, it doesn't feel good to me, blah blah blah. Not the words of a perfect fitness professional, but it's true. Feels good to confess. Anyway...
Stretching is good for you. Stretching increases flexibility (duh), range of motion, circulation and alleviates stress. Because it does these things, it also helps to prevent injury when you're working out (or just carrying a basket of laundry up the stairs).
How does it prevent injury? Muscles work by contracting and relaxing--- stretching is an antagonist (opposite) movement to most of the exercises that we do for fitness which are primarily centered around the contractions. Making sure that you get the stretches in helps to avoid ripping or tearing the muscle which can occur when you're working it with contraction activities.
Stretching activities are broken down into two categories: static and dynamic. Static means still--- you're standing still, stretching a muscle and holding it. Dynamic stretching means you're moving while stretching. It is best to do dynamic stretches as you warm up and then static stretches after your fitness activity during the latter part of your cool down phase. You do not want to do static stretching before you're warmed up--- that would be like pulling a cold fruit rollup really tight--- probably going to snap. And a snapped muscle is not as delicious as a cold fruit rollup, trust me.
Some general rules about stretching: even if you are 'not flexible', stretching should not hurt. Stop before it hurts and don't go past that point. When you are stretching the right way, you feel only a little tension (not pain). Stretching is different than exercise because 'pushing it' isn't going to get you results- actually, it's just going to get you hurt and then set you back. If you're looking to increase your flexibility with stretching, you're going to have to be really consistent with stretching and let your body go at its own pace. It really does take time and overstretching is going to cause more problems than not stretching at all- so be patient!
When you stretch you should hold each position (on each side if that applies) for about ten to fifteen seconds (or five slow breaths). If you're working on increasing flexibility, bump that up to 30 seconds but again, if it hurts it is time to stop.
As far as how often- stretching should be a part of your workout routine, so at LEAST stretch every time you work out. I think that the optimal stretch-er (or someone who is actually focusing on increasing their flexibility) would be someone who has the tenacity to do a nice little dynamic stretching routine every morning when they wake up and a static one right before bed. Over time, this person would see an increase in flexibility, though how fast this happens depends on their own body.
The only way to get more flexible is to stretch consistently. There is no magic pill and 'pushing it' is going to get you hurt, not results. And the truth is, I am completely preaching here without practice. The only part of my fitness routine that I abhore is... stretching. It's true. I don't know why I am so bad about doing it; I know that it is important and in a minute I'm going to explain why--- but I hate doing it. And if there is anything that I am going to skip in my routine, it won't be the sweating part, it will be the stretching part. Not that I'm recommending that you do that, I'm definately not recommending that anyone skip stretching (that's a great way to get hurt)--- I'm just identifying my truely greatest weakness in my motivation. I think stretching is boring, it doesn't feel good to me, blah blah blah. Not the words of a perfect fitness professional, but it's true. Feels good to confess. Anyway...
Stretching is good for you. Stretching increases flexibility (duh), range of motion, circulation and alleviates stress. Because it does these things, it also helps to prevent injury when you're working out (or just carrying a basket of laundry up the stairs).
How does it prevent injury? Muscles work by contracting and relaxing--- stretching is an antagonist (opposite) movement to most of the exercises that we do for fitness which are primarily centered around the contractions. Making sure that you get the stretches in helps to avoid ripping or tearing the muscle which can occur when you're working it with contraction activities.
Stretching activities are broken down into two categories: static and dynamic. Static means still--- you're standing still, stretching a muscle and holding it. Dynamic stretching means you're moving while stretching. It is best to do dynamic stretches as you warm up and then static stretches after your fitness activity during the latter part of your cool down phase. You do not want to do static stretching before you're warmed up--- that would be like pulling a cold fruit rollup really tight--- probably going to snap. And a snapped muscle is not as delicious as a cold fruit rollup, trust me.
Some general rules about stretching: even if you are 'not flexible', stretching should not hurt. Stop before it hurts and don't go past that point. When you are stretching the right way, you feel only a little tension (not pain). Stretching is different than exercise because 'pushing it' isn't going to get you results- actually, it's just going to get you hurt and then set you back. If you're looking to increase your flexibility with stretching, you're going to have to be really consistent with stretching and let your body go at its own pace. It really does take time and overstretching is going to cause more problems than not stretching at all- so be patient!
When you stretch you should hold each position (on each side if that applies) for about ten to fifteen seconds (or five slow breaths). If you're working on increasing flexibility, bump that up to 30 seconds but again, if it hurts it is time to stop.
As far as how often- stretching should be a part of your workout routine, so at LEAST stretch every time you work out. I think that the optimal stretch-er (or someone who is actually focusing on increasing their flexibility) would be someone who has the tenacity to do a nice little dynamic stretching routine every morning when they wake up and a static one right before bed. Over time, this person would see an increase in flexibility, though how fast this happens depends on their own body.
Monday, June 11, 2012
Pick up a weight- you're not going to 'look like a dude', and cardio addiction doesn't work
An excellent article on this topic that I wish everyone would read is by Mark Sisson; it's called "The Case against Cardio" and you can find it at this link:
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/case-against-cardio/#axzz1xVuqdAPy
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