Get a Grip!

The outdoor conditioning (masochistic torture) program I do at Miramar college just about every weekend is a series of challenges. I love it for that very reason. Nothing is easy, nothing is routine, nothing can be found in the gym. If you ever want to come out, just let me know - it's a blast.

Although the whole thing is tough, nothing compares to the workout experienced by my forearms/wrists due to all the gripping obstacles/exercises. The first time I went out there, I felt like Private Pyle due to my inability to cross a 20-rung monkey bar set without flailing and/or falling.

Which is why I decided to write about grip strength today - because it's so often overlooked yet can make such a difference in performance when resistance training due to the stability and extra torque it can provide. After I finished Saturday morning, I went online to find some grip strength exercises and was surprised to find out how many easy ones there are.  Here's a page with a list. I've grabbed a few that I really like:

Power holds:  Take a bar and just hold it, like at the top of a dead lift. The key is to load it up heavy so that you cannot hold it for more than 20-30 seconds at a time (you can experiment with the duration).  To make the exercise more effective, get some super thick foam rubber--like the kind used to insulate pipes--and wrap that around the bar to change the grip. 

Farmer's walk (my favorite):  Take two heavy dumbbells, grab them and hold them at your sides.  Walk as far as you can, or pick a specified distance and walk it in "reps."

Pinch grips:  Take two plates, put them together so the smooth side is out, now grab it so your thumb is on one side, and your four fingers are on the other.  Lift and hold for one minute at a time - then increase the weight/extend the time.


Know of any other good grip strength exercises? Share them with us! Also, if you'd like a workout partner, let me know - I'm always game! 

A Focus on Flexibility

There are five main elements to physical fitness: muscular strength, muscular endurance, body composition, cardiovascular/respiratory endurance and flexibility. Today I began thinking about the one category where the vast majority of people have a deficiency--flexibility--because of the way my legs screamed at me after I got up from a chair.

The "tightness" we experience  is caused by many things - the lack of adequate stretching, inactivity, resistance training, prior injury, tension/stress, and more. I've started to pay more attention to this as I notice the deficiencies in my own fitness and try to adapt.

I figured a good way to learn more about stretching (the one area where we can make the biggest difference in improving flexibility) is to talk to all of you about some stretches I use and like. The one I chose for today is the calf stretch, because it is one from which so many of us can benefit, especially runners.

Rather than spend 300 words describing it to you, I am going to link you to an article that describes one of the many different ways to do this stretch, along with a video that demonstrates another technique. If you look around online, you'll find tons of other articles and videos to check out and learn from.

You'll notice in the video that the woman instructing the stretch mentions the gastrocnemius and the soleus, which are the two main muscles that comprise the calf/posterior portion of the lower leg. If you want to learn more about those, check this out.

If you run and don't pay a TON of attention to your flexibility, you likely have a pretty significant deficiency. The calves, hamstrings and hip flexors are typically the biggest problem areas that can cause major and minor injury alike. Well-timed and executed calf stretches are just one of many that can really help.

My advice on stretching? Just start doing SOMETHING. I know it's hard to work in a full routine before or after a workout and you have to be realistic when setting goals. But develop a quick, 5-minute regimen -- especially after you work out -- and you'll see improvement quickly and help alleviate soreness.

What are your favorite stretches? Any tips you can share?

President Obama Wants You ... To Be Fit

Subjective fitness assessments are great. I want my future clients to come to me and say things like "I feel better today" and "my pants fit!" and "wow, you're an amazing trainer." Well, the last one has nothing to do with fitness assessments, but you know.

Despite the effectiveness and importance of subjective assessments, it is widely accepted that objective, quantitative gauges are preferred by the majority of people trying to make fitness improvements. People like numbers. Pounds, inches, time, reps, steps, miles ... things like that. They're tangible, easily trackable (not a word), and can't be interpreted in any way other than black and white.

As a would-be trainer that plans to be as motivational as possible, I  embrace all kinds of quantitative assessments. But I also have a new favorite that you should try: President Obama's Challenge.

I could spend a looong time describing this, but I'll try and keep it short. The Challenge is free and super simple to use - you log in, choose the activities you do on a regular basis, provide some (very basic) starting information, and you're rolling. You then use it each day to track your activity, and it assigns point values based on duration, intensity and activity. As you amass points, you collect "Awards." Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, etc. You can also compare your progress against other members, people in the same city/age group/location, etc. Certain gyms (like the Mission Valley Y, where I intern and lead running classes) develop their own sub-groups so you can track your progress against friends, team-members, etc.

I love the tool for its simplicity and intrinsic motivational element. It immediately adds accountability to an exercise regimen and also something exciting to work toward. I'd be lying if I said I didn't geek out a bit when I achieved my bronze and silver awards (I'm 5,000 points from the gold).

I plan to use it to help clients stay on track, monitor their progress, and be more engaged in their fitness. I think it will work for you too. What do you think? What do you do now to keep track of the work you put in to feel better/lose weight/improve your running times? Does it work?

Free Post Turkey Day Boot Camp

Your gym is probably closed on Turkey Day. This is a good thing - rest up, eat tons, feel good. It's a day to splurge. Don't count calories, don't ignore the gravy. Eat, sleep, eat again, watch lots of football.

However, on the day after, please do take the opportunity on your day off to get outside and join me for a boot camp! I'll be hosting one next Friday (Nov. 26) - at 10 am in Mission Bay Park. Free, fun, no reason not to come. I usually focus on calisthenics/bodyweight-based resistance training and some cardio.

I stage it on the grass just south of the Hilton in Mission Bay Park. If you need/want more specific directions, give me a call or send me an e-mail and I can give them to you. Either way, please do let me know if you're coming so I plan something special for you.

I promise you a good workout, some time with  great people, and a good start to the day after the gluttony. Gobble gobble!!!

Kanye West - Part Douche, Part Ergogenic Aid

Kanye's P is for Push-up, Pull-up, Pull-down or Plank. He's here to help.

An ergogenic aid is something that - in layman's terms - benefits a person during a bout of exercise/improves performance. You may be wondering how one of the douchiest people around (but, in my opinion, most amazing musicians) could serve in this capacity. And that would be a good question.

I never would have considered it myself until I reached the home stretch of a recent, particularly taxing day at the gym. It was at this moment that "Monster" from Mr. West came on my iPod (his next mega-hit, you watch), which immediately gave me a tangible boost that I wasn't expecting and allowed me to finish stronger than I started. At that moment, I started to wonder what research has been done to gauge music's true impact on a workout. Because I had definitely just experienced something interesting.

Turns out, quite a bit of research has been done on the subject. I read a few pieces, but the most informative was one I found a post on a site called WorkoutMuse that cites a few different studies that proved music not only motivates but it also makes one "Stronger." Kanye would be so proud. The right kind of music also reduces perceived exertion, improves the ability to learn new movements and blends perfectly with the fundamentals of motion, which improves mechanics and exercise output.

Hey, you might think Queen is the right thing for the treadmill. Or maybe, like one of the AM warriors I see a few times a week at the SDSU Arc, you prefer death metal. Just find something that works for you and strap on your headphones. Get your "Glory". Mr West is here to help.

The Dopeness of Kinesiology

I'm in an applied Kinesiology class right now. Let me start by saying that taking an intensive Kines. class in the evenings, after a day at work is not for the faint of heart. My brain often feels like marmalade when I leave at 10 pm. Mmmmmm, marmalade.

Let me follow that with this observation: the knowledge base I'm building is incredible and invaluable in my future field. I've been working with, improving and trying to understand my body for the better part of 20 years. However, not until I began to study its pieces and how they move did so many things begin to truly dawn on me (in terms of how to be a better fitness pro).

I didn't realize how cool it was until my buddy Adam hurt his shoulder playing soccer a few weeks ago. I saw him shortly after and he told me his doctor told him he hurt his rotator cuff. In the past, I would have said/thought something like "damn, that sucks - sorry man. I hate shoulder injuries, I had one when I was in high school." These days? My first thought was "Hmmm, I wonder if it was the Subscapularis, Teres minor, Supraspinatus or Infraspinatus? Or maybe a combination? I wonder what angle his arm was in when he hurt it and how that impacted the injury?" I wonder how stable his muscles are that surround his shoulder joint?

These thoughts led me immediately to jump online and research some rotator cuff rehab practices. Not because I'll use Adam as a guinea pig or fancy myself an expert on the subject, but instead because I am starting to find myself 100% intrigued and mystified by the body and how it works. And that is due to the Kines. class and this new found drive to become a motivational/helpful/successful fitness pro.

If you love your body and want to know more about how it works, jump online and just start digging. Or, better yet, take a class or two. There's TONS of information out there ... much of which I can't wait to share with future clients.

Power to the People

I'm reading an interesting book right now - Power to the People by Pavel Tsatsouline. (I'm not including a link to buy the book because I don't want to look like a shill for him). If you want it, just Google it. Boom.

If you're into functional movement or serious strength training, you've likely heard of Tsatsouline. He's known and renown for many things, but one huge proverbial feather in his cap is his being credited with bringing the Kettle Bell into popularity in the U.S. Crossfitters know that particular piece of equipment very well

Yes, the book is filled with strange language and too many images of Pavel's hairy chest, but the content is really intriguing.  I'm especially drawn to the discussions on Neurological Efficiency (sometimes referred to as muscle recruitment). It is, in plain terms, the idea of training your muscles to work maximally even when not encountering a maximum force, which directs the body to recruit muscle fibers in unique patterns, increasing strength and power.

It caught me because, if done properly, neurological efficiency can help the body make significant strength gains without training at maximum weight or seeing enormous size gains.  As an aspiring trainer who anticipates some skepticism when promoting a strength training program that doesn't have to push someone to crazy limits to reach goals, I like the idea of having some science and a routine I can cite.

If you can tolerate the "Comrade" and "girly-man"-esque references, it's a good read. Pick it up. He also goes into specific instruction on some lifts that you may find new and challenging.

Vitamin D

I’m not a nutritionist, although I’m studying nutrition for sports performance right now and it’s really interesting. If I were a nutritionist, this post would likely be about dietary guidelines, fortifications and deficiencies. (Which is all good and important information and available here.)

 

My thoughts on Vitamin D began stirring today on the beach after a recent lesson on the subject. My thought process went something like this: 1) We all need Vitamin D to promote calcium absorption . 2) A major source of Vitamin D is sunlight. 3) We all need variety in our exercise regimens. 4) Exercising outside is the most healthy, active way to intake Vitamin D. 5)Many of us act like hamsters on wheels and head to an inside gym 99 % of the time when it comes to “working out.”

Why is that? Pure and simple, we do what we know. We are all – to some extent – creatures of routine. I’m a prime example. But a few days a week, I get outside. To the park for a run, a boot camp on the bay, pickup hoops, a soft sand jog to watch the sun go down, … Just something different. I had never really thought of it as a way to make sure I’m getting my Vitamin D, but I found that when I did start to think of it that way, it made it that much more motivating. 

So, my advice to you? Get outdoors. It will supply your body with a vital nutrient and add a twist to the humdrum workout routine. It will engage your senses. It will get you thinking about different things. You’ll appreciate natural beauty. And hey, you’ll be helping your body absorb calcium to create stronger bones, among other benefits. Just don’t forget the sunblock (motherly tone).