You’ll need to know the following definitions to understand the rest of this entry:

Repetition (Rep): One complete movement of a single exercise.
Set: A group of consecutive repetitions.
Rest Interval: The time taken to recuperate between sets.

The multiple set system:
This system is what most people think of when they think of strength training. It involves doing multiple sets for each exercise with a rest interval in between to let the muscle group partially recover.

Here’s what a multiple set workout could look like for your upper body:

So that is all well and good but how can I design a program like that?

Choosing the number of sets, reps and weight:
You are given a range so that you have a way to progress the exercise. If you’ve never strength trained before, start with two sets. On your first set try to pick a weight you can do comfortably 12 times. On your second set pick a slightly heavier weight that you can comfortable get up 6-8 times, but then struggle to get the last 4-6 reps. Our goal is to not be able to push the weight with good form by the end of the final set.

Rest times:
The length of your rest times will vary depending on your goal and fitness level. If you’ve never worked out before, be sure to take longer rest times (up to 90 seconds) so that you can really focus on maintaining form through the exercises.

If your goal is weight loss, you may want to decrease your rest times (30 sec or less) slightly in order to raise your heart rate.

If your goal is to get stronger then you should lengthen the rest times (90 sec) to enable the muscles to fully recover so you can push more weight on the next set.

Choosing Exercises

Here’s a few helpful points on how to choose exercises.

Number of exercises per body part:
This is dependent on your fitness level and time restrictions. It’s important that you listen to your body. If you are so sore you cannot move for several days, then you OVERDID IT. If you have a little soreness or stiffness when you stretch the muscle group the next day or two then you hit it right on the sweet spot.

The Best Exercises?

There is really no such thing as a best program or exercise. Here’s some logic to follow as you build your own programs.

Balanced:
Notice in the example above it is perfectly balanced. There are two multi-joint chest exercises (incline/decline press) paired with two multi-joint back exercises (bent over row/ lat pull). Overworking one set of muscles causes tightness that can lead to repetitive stress injuries.

Variety of Angles:
The first chest exercise (incline press) works the muscle at different angle than the second. The Lat pull hits the muscles of the back in a significantly different way from the rows. This allows the whole body to strengthen and allow the whole muscle group to develop.

Large to small:
Finally the program starts with the largest muscle groups (chest and back) and works to progressively smaller exercises (bicep and tricep). If you do it the other way, you won’t be able to work the large muscle groups effectively as the smaller ones are secondary muscles used in the exercises to work the larger ones (your triceps are also pushing when you do a chest press). So, what will happen is the smaller muscle will get too much work and the large one not enough.

Good luck and next time we’ll get into more advanced forms of strength training!

This is the first of a series of blogs on strength training. Also know as resistance training, it encompasses everything from body weight exercises (such as pushup) to using fixed path selectorized machines to advanced circuit training seen in Crossfit classes. For our purposes, WBV training done on the PowerPlate should be considered a form of strength training – although there are some other factors to take into consideration when designing programs for vibration platforms.

The purpose of this blog is not to argue the benefits of strength training (for that you should check out one of the previous entries) but to give some basic information to help you make good choices when designing you own programs.

So here we go…

What happens to my body when I strength train?

One of the amazing qualities of the human body is its ability to adapt to the stresses placed on it. This ability to adapt to stress is known as the general adaptive syndrome. When the body is physically stressed physiological changes will occur that allow us to more efficiently overcome the stress. OR whatever we do we get better at.

Think about the first time you ride a bike in the spring after not having done it all winter. You are slower, it takes more effort to do a ride that was easy at the end of the season and the next day every part of you hurts. Then, after a couple of weeks of riding, you are back to normal. What you couldn’t see was that your body increased its capability to recruit muscle fibers, increased its ability to pump blood to the legs and became more efficient at dispelling lactic acid buildup. In other words, your strength and endurance increased.

So what does that have to do with a dumbbell curl?

When you pick up a weight, do a crunch on a ball or perform a pushup, your muscles strain to produce force. As your muscles become overloaded they begin to break down. The next day the micro tears created in the muscles are repaired. This process makes you stronger.
Unfortunately, because the body adapts if you do the same thing over and over again the effect of the workout will diminish each time. The body will get better at that one specific action, not get stronger as a whole (or better at burning fat or have more stamina depending on your goal).

What’s the point?

In the end, whatever workout you choose needs to stick to two principals:

1. Variety – Your exercise routine needs to change at regular intervals. You can increase reps, sets, weight, or time under tension. You can add in different exercises, increase the instability of the exercise or alter the rest time between exercises. Any of these tactics will help to change your workout and keep your body guessing.

2. Progression – Your workout program should have a systematic plan to make it harder as your body adapts. Think about your workout not in single sessions but how it will evolve over the course of a year. As your body adapts, plan out what you will do to keep pushing your limits without going too far and over-training.

Next week we will go over some over-arching approaches to designing a strength program.

Back pain will be experienced by 90% of adults in their lifetime and when it hits, there isn’t anything that one wouldn’t do to get rid of it. When you have back pain everything changes; you get out of bed differently, you feel ridiculous trying to pull that t-shirt over your head, you’re not comfortable standing, sitting or laying down – you simply want it to go away so you can put on your own socks again and get your regular life back.

Your spine is like the Mama of your body, and you know what they say, “If Mama’s not happy, nobody’s happy.” A common root cause of lower back pain is weak core muscles, which fail to provide adequate support for the discs and vertebrae that construct the joints in our lower back. Combine that with poor posture and the compressive forces of body weight and gravity and your back pain becomes more of a question of “when” rather than “if.”

How to relieve lower back pain

As we discuss the “how,” let’s remember the “why.” Weak abdominal and back muscles do not support proper posture which is the position which best resists gravity. The forces of body weight and gravity compress the discs that are in-between our vertebrae and act like the shock absorbers of our spine. Compression on the discs causes them to expel nutrients and fluids, resulting in decreased flexibility, a decreased capacity to support the loads on the spine and an increased chance for injuries like herniated discs, slipped discs, bulged discs or muscles strains.

Inversion is the whole package when it comes to targeting the cause of your lower back pain and conditioning your muscles for improved posture and core strength. Inverting on a Teeter Hang Ups Inversion Table decompresses your spine and other weight-bearing joints by reversing the loads caused by body weight and gravity. Being upside down harnesses those same compressive loads and uses them in your favor to decompress your body, allowing tight and tired muscles to stretch and relax while also opening up your joints and allowing your discs to rehydrate. Regular inversion can be therapeutic in relieving muscles spasms in your back, stretching and elongating the muscles through your back and hips, realigning the spine and optimizing disc health.

It’s important to remember that once back pain is at bay, you should continue to maintain your inversion routine to help keep it at bay. Then take your inversion routine to the next level by beginning a fitness regimen to strengthen and develop a stronger core, primarily focusing on your back and abdominal muscles. A strong core will promote better posture and provide more support for the spine. These exercises can be done right on your Teeter everyday.

Inverted exercised like crunches, sit-ups and squats allow you to perform these important core exercises with little to no loads on your spine and joints. Many Teeter fitness fanatics report back that their core strength advances faster, the exercises are more effective, they do them with virtually no back pain, and they experience greater muscle definition. A great looking core is a bonus to strong and healthy muscles that better support your spine in an effort to avoid future back pain.

It is a common problem that people gain weight during the holidays. It turns out though that we may not gain as much as we think. The common belief is 3-5 lbs is normal for the holiday season but it turns out (according to a study by the National Institute of Child Health and Development) that the average gain is much closer to one pound. Unfortunately the study also found that weight gained during this period is not generally lost in the year that follows.

  • So the good news is we don’t gain as much weight.
  • The bad news is the weight we do gain stays with us from year to year.

SO… WHAT DO WE DO TO STAY TRIM THIS HOLIDAY SEASON?

1. Set a weight loss goal prior to Thanksgiving
The majority of the weight gain found during the holiday period was in the six weeks between Thanksgiving and New Years. If you work to be five pounds down before that period then you can come out of the period neutral (or even ahead). If you need some strategies to help achieve this goal check out:

http://www.2ndwindexercise.com/track-weight-loss/
OR
http://www.2ndwindexercise.com/maintain-a-healthy-weight/

2. Add in an extra 30 min of cardio a week
This could be 10 minutes extra per session or one extra session a week. In the Midwest especially we are moving less in the winter months so working to increase your activity levels during this period will help significantly.

3. Eat before functions
Most events during this time from office parties to family gatherings are centered around food so be sure to not show up hungry. Try to eat lean protein or vegetables prior to any gathering that involves high caloric foods. You will be better able to control portions if you are not starving.

4. Make good choices
Life without ever having dessert is boring. So make sure you do allow yourself a few good meals during this time but make sure that the rest of the time you are sticking to the healthy patterns you have adopted the rest of the year. Restricting all the time can lead to cravings and binging behavior. So enjoy yourself at the holiday party but the next day clean it up and get a workout in.

Good luck and please feel free to write-in and we can help with custom solutions to your individual problems!

In the fitness industry the fine print seems to be getting smaller and the number of anonymous experts seems to be multiplying at an exponential rate. This blog is to help you to be more informed as you begin your research.

In the previous two blogs we gave some general guidelines for buying treadmills and ellipticals. This week we are going to dive into a couple of specific things you should know when buying any piece of exercise equipment.

To Be Clear:
We encourage everyone to do their homework before buying a treadmill, elliptical or home gym. It is important that you get the right piece for you no matter what your budget because then you will be more likely to use it. This is blog is not meant to attack anyone’s products or businesses but to turn down some of the background noise that can lead people to be confused.

Review Sites:
Be careful when looking at online reviews. Many of them are not really review sites but “affiliate marketing” sites dressed up as reviews.
Icon Fitness, the manufacturer of many well known brands, uses affiliate marketing programs extensively. In fact you can sign up to be an affiliate right on the home page of some of their products.

http://www.proform.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/AffiliatesSignUp_-1_14201_16002

These programs kick back as much as 8% of the sale to the site that originated the lead.

For an example of a site that appears to be an affiliate marketing site go to:
http://www.treadmilladviser.com/treadmill-ratings.html

This site is a great example. Choose a “highly rated” treadmill. Click on the review and then scroll to the bottom. There you will find a link to “special pricing” for the reviewed product. That is generally how affiliate programs work. Every completed sale that began on the site will generate a payment to the original site owner.

Of course officially we do not know if this is an affiliate marking site. That being said if we had to guess we would say it is. This is based on the limited selection of brands and the direct links to a shopping cart on a different site. This site is designed to drive traffic not give you information.

The fitness industry is not the only industry to do this but it seems to have taken off in the past few years with the affiliate sites getting bigger and more comprehensive.

Fine Print:
The next thing to be aware of is the fine print. This mostly revolves around manufacturer and after market warranties. You will see in big print LIFETIME FRAME, 5 YEAR MOTOR… Usually they are calling out parts they know will not break thus it is inexpensive to warranty.

Unfortunately this can be misleading. Ask instead about timelines on:
  • Wear parts like the belt and deck of a treadmill
  • Electronics as motor control boards are significantly more likely to burn out before a motor will
  • Who does the labor? Is it in home or do you have to box up (usually in original packaging) and
    send it back to the manufacturer?
  • Who do you call if something breaks down? The store you bought it from or a 1-800 number?
  • What are the limitations? Is a power surge covered, does it have to be plugged into a dedicated
    outlet? What about water damage?
  • Damage in shipping. If you buy online will the manufacturer take responsibility for any damage in
    transit? (Many do not)

In the end, the goal of this is to shed some light on what is going on out there to help you ask the right questions and know what to look for. That way you can make the best decision for you.

As a relative newcomer to the fitness world, Ellipticals (also known as cross trainers) appeared in the market in the early 90’s. Contrary to popular belief, while they were one of the first companies to build and market the product, they did not invent the category.

On September 30, 1992 inventor Larry Miller filed for a United States Patent named Stationary Exercise Device. Patent Number 5,242,343 was issued September 7, 1993. Precor later bought his design and started making products.

Today every fitness company in the world has their own version of the elliptical with only one company (Octane Fitness) focusing exclusively on the category.

To decide if an elliptical is the right piece of equipment here are a couple of things to think about:

Do adding arms really make a difference?
In order to maximize caloric expenditure you need to increase the amount of muscle mass that the equipment uses. Typically, the more muscle engaged in the activity, the more calories burned. Using more muscle mass during exercise also increases energy expenditure after exercise, as the post-exercise metabolic rate (as measured by the excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) has been found to be significantly greater and take longer to return to resting values following lower body exercise (stationary cycling) than following upper body exercise (arm cranking) performed at the same relative intensity. [source]

Is it better than running?
It can be. I know this seems to counter some of what was said in the last blog. While running does not cause harm in the average person you are still creating impact every time your foot strikes a surface. The elliptical is a great way to get your heart rate up without that pounding. Many people who are unable to run due to joint pain will switch to the elliptical to continue to get their cardiovascular activity.

How high is your ceiling?
Some ellipticals raise you off the ground as much as 18 inches. Be sure to measure and then go somewhere and try it out before you buy.

How does it feel?
Every elliptical is built differently and every brand has its own unique feel. Make sure you get on it and try it for at least 10-15 minutes using different speeds and resistance levels to make sure it works for you.

Weight of the machine
In general, if it weighs more it means that there’s more linkage, steel and overall durability built into the machine. If the machine weighs 150lbs and you weigh 180lbs, it probably won’t feel as solid nor will it hold up to the pounding of heavy use.

What is a flywheel and why do I care how much it weighs
The flywheel is only one of many components that impact the “feel” of the machine. There are bearings, linkage, gear ratios, braking systems and other components that make up the drive system of an elliptical machine. A heavier flywheel does not mean that the motion will be better. The proof is in the smoothness of the ride—and you need to ride machines more than 5 minutes to feel the differences.

Next week: Look for information to help you sort through the fun and exciting world of exercise equipment warranties. (I know this sounds stupid but there is a lot of deceptive marketing and this upcoming blog article will help – I promise!)

Treadmills were originally called “treadwheels” and were used as a method of reforming offenders in prison, an innovation introduced by Sir William Cubitt in 1817. Later treadmills were introduced in to the public in medical setting to diagnose heart and lung disease by Dr. Robert Bruce and Wayne Quinton at the University of Washington in 1952. Later research by Dr. Kenneth Cooper on the benefits of aerobic exercise, published in 1968, provided a medical argument to support the commercial development of the home treadmill and exercise bike.

Here are answers to many of the most common questions about treadmills:

Will running hurt my knees?
As with any form of exercise you should check with your physician to be sure you are healthy enough to exercise but recent research shows that running may actually strengthen joints.

Athletes who participate in sports involving running and jumping—soccer, running, basketball, and volleyball—have greater bone mineral density compared to non-active people and even compared to athletes in non-impact sports, such as swimming, cycling, cross-country skiing, and rowing.

Running has not been shown to increase the risk of joint injury or osteoarthritis for healthy people, as there is no greater incidence of joint degeneration in people who run compared to people who don’t run. Indeed, running may even have a protective effect against joint degeneration.

http://www.jaoa.org/cgi/content/full/106/6/342

Why is running on a treadmill easier than running outside?
Running on treadmills is easier than running on an equivalently flat distance outdoors because the ground is smooth and there is no wind. Generally a person running outdoors faster than 10 miles per hour (16 km/h) (6 minute mile pace) will expend up to 10% more energy than an indoor runner. Treadmills can approximate the additional effort of running outdoors by setting the incline to 1%.

If two treadmills look the same on paper are they really the same?
No. All treadmills are not created equal as some manufactures use tricky labeling to disguise the truth about their products. One common trick to use a smaller, cheaper motor with high RPM’s to up the listed horsepower. Through special gearing they are able to increase the horsepower output on the belt but since the motor is spinning so much faster it will burn out more quickly. Find a salesperson with a passion for fitness to walk you through the differences in each brand.

Next week….More than anyone ever wanted to know about ellipticals!

The journey of a thousand miles may begin with a single footstep, but sometimes that first step can feel like walking off the edge of a cliff.

When we make a decision to start an exercise routine after months, years or decades of inactivity it can be a daunting task. Here are some steps to set smart goals based on the work of Dr. Edwin Locke.

In order to set goals that are successful they must have:

1. Clarity
2. Challenge
3. Commitment
4. Feedback

1. Clarity:
Clear goals are measurable and unambiguous. When a goal is clear and specific, with a definite time set for completion, there is less misunderstanding about what behaviors will be rewarded. For instance, “get in shape” will have less success than “lose 10 pounds”. This also includes clearly defined time periods to re-evaluate.

2. Challenge:
When setting goals, make each goal a challenge. If a goal is too easy then the effort exerted to attain it may not be that impressive. Make sure that goals are attainable but not too easy. Losing 100 lbs in a month is not realistic but losing 100lbs in a year (1.92lbs a week) is.

3. Commitment:
Goals must be understood and agreed upon if they are to be effective. If you are working with a trainer, dietician or outside program (weight watchers) make sure you have input in the goals set for you. In the end you are really only competing against yourself. So don’t let someone else’s expectations affect your commitment to completion.

4. Feedback:
Feedback basically means that you have quantifiable steps that allow you to gauge if you are on track. Weekly weight loss goals, distance on the treadmill, upping resistance on the elliptical. Essentially any measure to help you grade how things are working so you can make changes if needed. Feedback also provides opportunities to clarify expectations, adjust goal difficulty, and gain recognition. It’s important to provide benchmark opportunities or targets, so you can determine for yourself how you’re doing. ]]> http://www.2ndwindexercise.com/setting-simple-fitness-goals/feed/ 2 http://www.2ndwindexercise.com/fit-body-fit-brain/ http://www.2ndwindexercise.com/fit-body-fit-brain/#comments Thu, 11 Aug 2011 16:11:33 +0000 admin http://www.2ndwindexercise.com/?p=2070 Continue reading →]]>

Ever forget your car keys or someone’s name? These forms of dementia and memory loss occur and increase as we age but there is hope!

The latest science suggests physical activity holds the potential to fend off aged-related memory loss. One study performed by Dr. Middleton at the University of Waterloo in Ontario measured the energy expenditure and mental functioning of elderly adults over two to five years. The study found the most active group of people to have the least cognitive decline over the years.

If fact, the study revealed that about 90% of people with the greatest daily energy expenditure could think and remember on a similar level each year, with virtually no decline. Best of all? Dr. Middleton concludes that even small doses of exercise, such as the occasional bike ride, can fend off the signs of dementia and memory loss. So those of us who can only spare a few hours a week for the treadmill can rest assured we are still working to maintain our mental health.

But don’t forget the weights! A separate study concluded that women who were lifting weights twice a week for 12 months performed even better on tests of mental processing ability than a control group of women who completed a balance and toning program. Try switching up your cardio routine with a little strength training.

So this blog is about one of those choices. I want to be clear: I would prefer that everyone wear comfortable running shoes with great arch support everywhere they go but if that is not going to happen here are some tips to you wear high heels and protect your body at the same time.

Treat them like dessert:
You wouldn’t eat cake with every meal so don’t do that with heels. No matter how comfortable they are or how good you are at walking in them they put the body in an unnatural position that leads to back problems, knee problems hip pains and shortening of the Achilles tendon. So find ways to limit your time.

Stretch:
The main reason that heels are so hard on the body is the shortening of the Achilles tendon and the muscles of the calf. To counter this be sure to stretch the muscles of the calf every day this will help to correct much of the damage that is being done. This is especially true after any cardiovascular exercise (treadmill and elliptical work especially) as the exercise may further tighten the musculature.

Watch your posture:
Proper posture while in heels can help mitigate a lot of the pain that is associated with them. Check out the is video from Dr. Emily Splichal:

I hope this helps! If you have any other tips or suggestions be sure to let us know.