Out of Breath?

It’s important to remember that, if you run out of breath, become dizzy or nauseous, it means you are not taking in enough oxygen for the speed you are running. Generally speaking, this means you must either adjust your speed, or the amount of air you take into your lungs. The tips below keep those two strategies in mind.

7 Key Breathing Tips

1. Try slowing down before attempting to change your breathing.
2. Focus on longer, deeper breaths.
3. Breath more from your diaphram (belly) than your chest (chest breathing is more shallow).
4. Focus on exhaling more fully. This will remove more CO₂ (Carbon Dioxide) and allow for deeper inhalations of O₂ (Oxygen).
5. Allow air to enter through both the nose and mouth. This will allow for maximum O₂ intake.
6. Aim to take three footsteps for every inhale, and two footsteps for every exhale (3:2 ratio). A good descriptions of this can be found on Military.com:
   

   Many experts will say that to fully oxygenate the muscles and clear the body of carbon dioxide you should breathe a 3:2 inhale-to-exhale ratio; full inhales and full exhales. This means you INHALE on the LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT foot strikes and EXHALE fully on the RIGHT, LEFT foot strikes. This pattern is not that hard to turn into a habit, but it may require you to slow your pace down for a few runs to master the technique. You will notice a lower heart rate as you are able to get more oxygen in and more importantly push all the carbon dioxide out of your body. You may notice that you naturally drop to a 2:1 ratio when you are really pushing it to the finish. That is OK. But realize it is difficult to maintain a pace that requires you to breathe at a 2:1 ratio.

   For those wanting more explanation about step to breath ratios, another article – based on the Daniel’s Running Formula – can be found at this link on proper breathing while running

7. One last thing – try not to over-think your breathing! It’s best to try to slow down, relax, and let yourself fall into your body’s natural rhythm.

Following these tips should make breathing easier, and your runs more enjoyable. For you audio/visual learners, I’ve included two very good video clips which cover much of what I’ve described above.

Happy running!

Source: http://completerunning.com/

• “Would you write something about CLA?”
• “What do you think of Maximuscle Cyclone?”
• “Can you make an article about Creatine?”

The answer is generally “no” or “I don’t know”. I can’t tell you if “Cyclone” works, because I don’t know that product & it doesn’t interest me to know. I count on my training, nutrition & perseverance to do the job. Not supplements.

However I do use supplements. For the simple reason that some make your life easier. So I decided to make an article about which supplements you really need for strength training & why. Here it is.

Whey. Although whey is a very common supplement, some people don’t know what whey is good for. Here are three benefits of whey:

• Builds Muscle. You need at least 1g/lbs protein to build muscle. One scoop whey is about 25g of protein. If you struggle to get your 1g/lbs daily protein, 1 or 2 scoops daily will help.
• Easy. One scoop in your shaker, mix it with milk or water, drink. Nothing easier when you’re short on time.
• Cheap Protein. 75$ for a 10lbs tub that will last 5 months if you take one scoop daily. Whey is the cheapest protein.

I buy Optimum Nutrition whey. Whatever the brand you choose, buy whey only. No mass gainers with added sugars. If you need a mass gainer, make it yourself by adding oats & olive oil. Check this post workout shake for example.

Fish Oil. Omega 3 fats have been a hot supplements for several years now. Tons of food come with the label “contains omega 3″. Benefits of omega 3 consumption include:

• Reduced Inflammation. Less acne, tendinitis, etc.
• Decreased Body Fat. Fish oil helps burning fat.
• Less Soreness. Reduced soreness from strength training.
• Lowers Cholesterol. Prevents heart disease, cancer, depression.

You should eat fatty fish several times a week to get your required amounts of omega 3. Time consuming & expensive.

Fish oil is easy. Caps or liquid form. I prefer liquid form with lemon flavor to avoid the fishy after-taste. Watch the EPA/DHA content. Some brands have low amounts of EPA/DHA. I use Pfo Pure Fish Oil. 1 tsp. contains:

• Fish Oil: 4360mg
• Omega-3 EPA: 715mg
• Omega-3 DHA: 470mg

How much fish oil do you need? The bottle says 1 tsp. a day. Charles Poliquin says 30-45g daily. Andrew Gaeddaert recommends 30g fish oil daily to heal skin disorders. Dr. Di Pasquale, author Anabolic Diet, says 2000mg EPA daily. Start with 1 tsp. a day & experiment from there.

Multivitamins. Eat a healthy varied diet to get your vitamins. Veggies and/or fruits with every meal. Meats, fish & eggs. Some benefits of multivitamins:

• Better Sleep. Zinc helps getting quality sleep.
• Less Illness. Vitamin C fortifies your immune system.
• Faster Recovery. Calcium & iron help recovery from strength training.

Eating a healthy & varied diet is not always easy. Multivitamins will help you avoid vitamin deficiencies. I used Beverly International Ultra-4 in the past. Many recommend AST Multi Pro 32x.

Some say high dosis of multivitamins & anti-oxidants cause cancer. Read these articles & draw your conclusions.

• High dosis of anti-oxidants can cause cancer. Study by JAMA.
• Multivitamin prostate warning. BBC News May 16th 2007.
• Do Anti-oxidants cause cancer or prevent it? From The Pump Handle.
• Nutritional crime of the Century. By TC on T-nation.

Creatine. I never used creatine. But many of you have or will in the future. Some say creatine doesn’t work. Other say it does. Mark Rippetoe writes in Practical Programming creatine works. I believe it works too. Benefits:

• Better Recovery between sets & workouts.
• More Strength & performance.

Buy Creatine Monohydrate in powder form. Don’t buy liquid creatine, you’ll waste money. Creatine is not stable for long periods in liquid form.

More Supplements? You can take the supplements you want, you’ll never get anywhere if you don’t train hard & eat right in the first place. Supplements are supplements to your training, nutrition & most of all attitude.

Experiment with supplements if you want to. But don’t forget the placebo effect.

by Mehdi
http://stronglifts.com/

You’re already doing that but not getting results? Maybe you’re not eating that healthy. Here are 10 foods you might think are healthy because they’re labeled as such, but which in reality are anything but healthy.

1. Breakfast Cereals. Cereals are labeled healthy & nutritive and recommended for weight loss. Read the labels: cereals are often high in sugar & salt and their vitamin/mineral content is chemical based. Drop that spoon.

Healthy alternative: one of these 7 breakfast recipes.

2. Granola Bars. Granola bars consist of healthy oats & nuts. But they’re glued together with blood sugar raising ingredients like corn syrup. Some bars even contain chocolate chips, making them as bad as candy bars.

Healthy alternative: homemade protein bars.

3. Yogurt with Fruit at The Bottom. Fat free doesn’t mean healthy. Labels tell you they contain added sugars, corn syrup or artificial sweeteners. Same with fat free frozen yogurts which can contain 20g sugars per 1/2 cup.

Healthy alternative: plain unflavored yogurt mixed with fruit cut into pieces.

4. Bread. Convenient and tastes good, but not as healthy as you think. Whole grain or whole wheat means nothing. Dark bread can still contain corn syrup & trans-fats and eating too much bread will make you fat.

Healthy alternative: Ezekiel Bread, but lower your bread intake.

5. Sandwiches. Often labelled “fitness” or “light”, but containing sugar-laden salad dressings, little veggies & proteins and too much white bread. Freshness is questionable and you need the foot-long to fill your stomach.

Healthy alternative: make your own sandwiches.

6. Fruit Juice. Even 100% fruit juice has added sugars, usually fructose. Cans of fruit juice contain up to 38g sugar per 8oz. Excess fructose causes obesity, bad cholesterol, poor appetite control, etc.

Healthy alternative: home-made fruit juice or eat fruit.

7. Sport Drinks. Supposed to help you replenish electrolytes, carbs, etc. But it’s actually sugar water, with up to 30g sugar/serving. If you eat healthy and don’t drink 2 gallons water in 1 setting, you don’t risk water intoxication.

Healthy alternative: water during workout, protein + carbs post workout.

8. Fast Food Salads. Contain sugar-laden salad dressings, croutons made from refined white flour or white floor pasta. In many cases you’re better off ordering a double cheeseburger than a chicken salad.

Healthy alternative: make your own salads.

9. Frozen Meals. Nothing is wrong with frozen veggies/fruits. But a lot is wrong with frozen meals often labeled “light” or “healthy”. They’re processed, high in sugar, and come with sauces & sodium. Avoid.

Healthy alternative: cook all your meals for the day in the morning or evening.

10. Diet Soda. Contain artificial sweeteners like the controversed aspartame. Do your research and decide if you want to take the risk. Start with this & this thread on diet soda in StrongLifts.com Forum.

Healthy alternative: water, water with squeezed lemon, green tea.

Source: http://stronglifts.com/

Eating fats also helps fat loss: your body holds fat if you don’t eat fats. Fruits & veggies contain vitamins & minerals, necessary for recovery from your workouts. And carbs fuel your muscles so you feel full of energy at the gym.

Lots of you struggle to get these foods. Sometimes because you’re too busy or sometimes because you just lack information. This list will help you — 20 super foods you need to build muscle & lose fat.

1. Whole Eggs. Cheap & rich source of protein: 7g/egg. The yolk contains most nutrients: half the protein, vitamins A/D/E and cholesterol to naturally increase your testosterone levels.

Don’t worry about cholesterol in eggs. Dietary cholesterol isn’t bound to blood cholesterol. Read this, this, this & this. If you have bad cholesterol, lower your body fat rather than throwing the yolk away.

2. Fish Oil. Reduces inflammation (joints/skin), lowers body fat and increases testosterone levels. You need 9000mg EPA/DHA per day. Since you’ll probably struggle to get that from eating fatty fish, consider a fish oil supplement.

3. Wild Salmon. One of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids that also gets you 20g protein per 100g serving. Farm raised salmon is, however, omega-3 deficient: it’s corn/grain fed. Go with wild salmon.

4. Berries. Strong antioxidants that prevent cancer, heart & eye diseases. Any kind works: cranberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, etc. Buy fresh or frozen berries and mix with oatmeal.

5. Yogurt. Contain bacteria that improve your gastrointestinal health. Don’t buy frozen yogurt or yogurt with added sugar and fruits at the bottom. Get plain low fat yogurt. Eat it with berries & flax seeds.

6. Flax Seeds. Source of fiber, protein & omega-3. Grind the flax seeds to get the most out of them. Take 1 tbsp with yogurt & berries before going to bed. Stay away from flax oil: it’s unstable and contains no fiber.

7. Extra Virgin Olive Oil. 70% monounsaturated fats that protect against heart diseases and cancer. Add 1-2 tbsp olive oil to your salads. Buy Extra Virgin Olive Oil: it contains more polyphenols and tastes better.

8. Mixed Nuts. Contain mono- & polyunsaturated fats, proteins, fiber, vitamin E, zinc, potassium, magnesium, etc. Mixed nuts are caloric dense, great if you’re a skinny guy who wants to gain weight.

Anything works: almonds, walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts, … Peanut butter also works as long as you buy natural peanut butter without added salts/sugars.

9. Red Meat. Protein, vitamin B12, heme iron, zinc, creatine, carnosine and even omega-3 if you eat grass-fed beef. Eat steaks & hamburgers from top round or sirloin. Read Dr. Lonnie Lowery’s article on Meat.

10. Broccoli. High in cancer-fighting phytochemicals and anti-estrogenic indoles. Broccoli is also high in soluble fiber and low calorie, helping fat loss. Eat other cruciferous vegetables for a change: cabbage, bok choy, cauliflower, kale, …

11. Spinach. One of the most alkaline foods. Spinach prevents muscle & bone loss, but also cancer and heart diseases because of its high nutrient profile. Try one of the spinach recipes I shared a while back.

12. Turkey. If you don’t believe saturated fat is good for you, try white turkey. The leanest beef has about 4.5g saturated fat/100g, while white turkey has close to 0g (that why it’s so dry). Eat turkey with spinach & quinoa.

13. Quinoa. South American “king of grains”. Quinoa is higher in fiber & protein than rice or oats, tastes a lot better and is gluten free. Buy the whiter grain, it’s better quality. Eat it post workout with meat & spinach.

14. Oats. Reduce cholesterol, provide you with low-gi carbs for energy, and high in soluble fiber. Try this post workout shake of whey & oats.

15. Tomatoes. High in lycopene, which prevents cancer. The lycopene in tomato paste is 4 times more bioavailable than in fresh tomatoes. Have pizza or pasta with tomato sauce & olive oil post strength training.

16. Oranges. Vitamin C to fight diseases, magnesium to lower blood pressure, anti-oxidant beta-carotenes, etc. Quit drinking processed orange juice which often has added sugars. Eat oranges or make your own orange juice.

17. Apples. Pectin in apples helps weight loss by increasing satiety. Apples are also the strongest antioxidiant after cranberries (eat the peels). Unfortunately apples are one of the most pesticide-contaminated fruits. Go organic.

18. Carrots. Their huge vitamin A content improves eye-health, especially night vision. Carrots are also rich in fiber, low calorie and taste good, even raw.

19. Water. Your body holds water if you don’t drink enough. Drinking prevents water retention, helps muscle recovery and prevents dehydration from strength training. Get a brita filter and drink 2 cups of water with each meal.

20. Green Tea. Strong antioxidant and natural diuretic. Green tea also speeds up fat loss, prevents cancer and improves blood sugar & circulation. Drink green tea in the morning instead of coffee. Real green tea, not the teabags.

Putting it All Together. Eat proteins, veggies, fruits & fats every 3 hours. 2 cups water with each meal. Carbs post workout only. Junk food 10% of the time. Get stronger in the meanwhile and you’ll build muscle & lose fat.

Source: http://stronglifts.com/

The average person needs a different approach. One that builds muscle fast and prevents physical & mental overtraining from doing too much, too soon. Here’s how to build muscle: the definitive guide to building muscle.

1. Get Stronger. More strength is more muscle. Get into strength training. I recommend weight lifting because it allows you to start light and add weight endlessly. Body-weight exercises work too.

• Weight Lifting. Start with an empty bar. Learn proper technique. Add weight each workout to keep pushing your body out of comfort zone.
• Calisthenics . Push-ups, Pull-ups, Dips, Pistols, Reverse Crunches, etc. Switch to harder versions or add weight when they get easy.

2. Use Free Weights. You can lift the heaviest weights using barbells. More weight is more stress, thus more muscle. Dumbbells are great for assistance exercises, but not for your main lifts. Stay away from machines.

• Safe. Machines force you into fixed, unnatural movement patterns which can cause injuries. Free weights replicate natural motions.
• Efficient. Free weights force you to control and balance the weight. This builds more muscle than machines, which balance the weight for you.
• Functional. Strength built on machines doesn’t transfer to free weights or real life. No machine balances the weight for you in real life.
• Versatile. You can do hundreds of exercises with just 1 barbell. Saves a lot of money and space, especially if you want to build a home gym.

3. Do Compound Exercises. Don’t imitate Pro Bodybuilders. Isolation exercises are ok once you’ve built base strength & muscle mass. But if you’re starting to build muscle, exercises that hit several muscles at the same time are better.

• No endless Biceps Curls -> Pull-ups, Chin-ups & Barbell Rows
• Also no Triceps Kickbacks -> Bench Press, Overhead Press, Dips
• And definitely no Leg Extensions -> Squats & Deadlifts

4. Train Your Legs. Squats work your whole body, they’re the most important exercise. You’ll look totally different once you can Squat 1.5x your body-weight. That’s a free weight Squat with hips coming lower than knees.

All your muscles tense when doing Squats & Deadlifts. They work your body as 1 piece and let you lift heavy weights. Don’t lose time with Biceps Curls. When you can Squat & Deadlift heavy weights, you’ll have bigger arms.

5. Do Full Body Workouts. Don’t compare to Pro Bodybuilders. 3rd time so this gets into you. Body part splits with isolation exercises is fine once you’ve built a foundation. That’s once you can Squat 1.5x your body-weight.

You can’t Squat that much or never did Squats? Check StrongLifts 5×5. It takes 3×45mins/week and includes compound exercises like Squats, Deadlifts, Bench Press, Barbell Rows, Overhead Press, Pull-ups, Dips, etc.

6 Get Recovery. Pro athletes workout 5-6 times per week. But they didn’t start that way. They added workouts as they got stronger & bigger. You’ll overtrain if you jump into their routines. As a beginner you need more recovery.

• Rest. Muscles grow when you rest, not when you workout. Start with 3 full body workouts per week and focus on intensity, not gym time.
• Sleep. Growth hormone releases when you sleep, building muscle. Aim for 8 hours sleep. Nap post workout if your lifestyle allows.
• Drink Water. Avoids dehydration and helps muscle recovery. Drink 2 cups water with each meal, and sip water during your workout.
• Eat. “Eat like a horse. Sleep like a baby. Grow like a weed”. Your training is useless if you don’t eat plenty of whole foods. More below.

7. Eat Whole Foods. You’ll achieve a lower body fat, so the muscles you’ve built show better. And the vitamin & mineral content helps recovery. Stop eating food coming from a box. Eat whole foods 90% of the time.

• Proteins. Meat, poultry, fish, whey, eggs, milk, …
• Carbs. Brown rice, oats, whole grain pasta, quinoa, …
• Veggies. Spinach, broccoli, tomato, salad, carrot, …
• Fruits. Banana, orange, apple, pineapple, peers, …
• Fats. Olive oil, fish oil, real butter, nuts, flax seeds, …

8. Eat More. You need food for energy and for muscle growth & recovery. More frequent meals also boosts your metabolism, helping fat loss.

• Eat Breakfast. Get calories from the first hour. Read how to build the habit of eating breakfast. Try these 7 breakfast recipes.
• Eat Post Workout. Get proteins & carbs post workout to help muscle recovery & replenish energy stores. Try this post workout shake.
• Eat Every 3 Hours. 6 meals/day. Gives your muscles a steady intake of protein, speeds up muscle repair & recovery, boosts your metabolism.
• Eat BW in lbs x 18kcal. Track your daily calorie intake using FitDay. You need at least your body-weight in lbs x 18kcal to maintain weight.

9. Gain Weight. You’ll never look muscular weighing 140lbs at 6″. No matter how much training you do. Check the guide on how to gain weight for skinny guys. Here’s the most important part.

• Eat Calorie Dense Foods. 100g raw spinach is 25kcals. But 100g raw rice is 380kcals. Eat pasta, oats, olive oil, mixed nuts, etc.
• Get Stronger. Increase your Squat to 1.5x your body-weight for at least 1 rep. Deadlift 2x BW for at least 1 rep. More strength is more muscle.
• Drink Whole Milk. If you don’t bother gaining some fat, drink 1 gallon whole milk daily on top of your current food intake. You can gain 25lbs in 1 month if you combine this with 3 weekly Squat sessions.

10. Get Protein. Proteins have the highest thermic effect. You need 1g protein per pound of body-weight daily to build & maintain muscle. That’s 160g of daily protein if you weigh 160lbs/72kg. Eat whole proteins with each meal.

• Red Meat. Ground round, steaks, deer, buffalo, …
• Poultry. Chicken breast, whole chicken, turkey, duck, …
• Fish. Tuna, salmon, sardines, mackerel, …
• Eggs. Eat the yolk, it’s full of vitamins.
• Dairy. Milk, cottage cheese, quark cheese, yogurt, whey, …

If you weigh 160lbs: 1 can of tuna at lunch, 300g quark as snack, 300g meat at dinner and 500ml milk through the day gets you 160g protein. Read also how to get your daily protein when you’re a vegeterian/vegan.

Source: http://stronglifts.com/

Push-ups look easy but like any other exercise they have their technique. Bad Push-up technique is common, and unfortunately it can cause shoulders and/or lower back injuries. Here’s how to perform Push-ups correctly.

Benefits of Push-ups. Push-ups are a closed kinetic chain exercise. Unlike the Bench Press, your hands are fixed while your body moves through space.

• Build Muscle. Just like Pull-ups & Dips, Push-ups force you to lift your own body-weight. Push-ups work your chest, shoulders, triceps & core.
• Shoulder Health. Push-ups improve shoulder health by strengthening your serratus anterior. They also teach you to Bench Press correctly.
• Versatile. You can do Push-ups anywhere, anytime. Harder Push-up variations keep things challenging for constant progress (more below).

Push-up Technique. Assume the Push-up starting position with your elbows locked. Lower yourself by bending your elbows until your chest almost touches the floor. Come back up by pushing through the floor.

• Hand Position. Don’t take your hands out to wide. Put your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width. Hands turned out 45°.
• Tuck Your Elbows. Easier on your shoulders. Keep your elbows at a 45° angle to your body during Push-ups.
• Push Your Abs Out. Straight line from shoulders to ankles. Push your abs out as if someone was going to punch you in the stomach.
• Squeeze Your Glutes. Push your abs out while squeezing your glutes hard. Both will avoid any hyper-extension of your lower back.
• Tuck Your Chin. Lead with your chest, not with your head. Your neck must stay inline with the rest of your spine. Don’t look forward.

How to Increase Your Push-up Strength. If you lack the strength to do 1 Push-up or if you struggle to do Push-ups with correct technique, start this way.

• Push-ups Holds. Hold the Push-up starting position for time. Straight line from shoulders to ankles. These strengthen your core. Aim for at least 1mins. Switch to Prone Bridges for a bigger challenge.
• Kneeling Push-ups. Perform Push-ups with both knees on the floor. Push yourself up using your chest, shoulders & triceps muscles. Do not push yourself up using hip or back extension.

Push-up Variations. Unless you’re looking for strength-endurance, you’ll need to add some kind of resistance to keep Push-ups challenging. Some ideas:

• Close Grip Push-ups. Shift the emphasis to your triceps. Perform Push-up with your hands slight narrower than shoulder-width.
• Iso Push-ups. Improve shoulder health & posture. Hold the bottom position for time. Hands elevated for a greater stretch. Example.
• Blast Straps/Ring Push-ups. Harder to stabilize, improve core strength and improve bottom Push-up (and Bench Press) strength by increasing the stretch. Use Blast Straps or Rings.
• Resistance Bands. Add a mini or light resistance band like in the video above. I have Jump Stretch flexbands. Iron Woody works too.
• Chain Push-ups. Another way to add external resistance. Perform Push-ups with chains wrapped around your body. Example.
• Rucksack. Wear a rucksack filled with plates high on your back (not on your neck!). Add weight as you get stronger.
• Xvest Push-ups. Much more expensive than a rucksack or chains, but also more convenient. Perform Push-ups wearing an Xvest.
• Incline Push-ups. Shifts the emphasis to your shoulders. Do Push-ups with your feet elevated. Check the picture at the top.
• 1 Hand and/or 1 Feet Push-ups. Pavel Tsatsouline wrote a whole book about these Push-up variations in the Naked Warrior.
• Explosive Push-ups. Build power. Lower yourself in a controlled way. Hold at the bottom for a split second. Push yourself up as hard as you can, trying to elevate yourself from the floor.
• Depth Push-ups. Plyometric exercise. Hands on 4″ blocks. Let yourself fall between the blocks. Push yourself back up on the blocks. The floor is “red hot”: think of bouncing back on the blocks before you hit the floor.
• Handclap Push-ups. Also build explosive strength. Clap your hands on the way up. Check Ross Enamait video of triple handclaps push-ups.

Common Push-up Errors. Here are some of the most common Push-up errors you’ll see. Avoid them at all costs.

• Looking Forward. Hyper-extending your neck can cause neck injuries. Keep your neck inline with the rest of your spine from start to finish.
• Leading with Your Head. Forward head position from computer work is common. Leading with your head during Push-ups aggravates the problems. Both increase risks of neck injuries. Tuck your chin and lead with your chest.
• Letting Your Torso Sack. Often caused by a weak core. Your body must be in a straight line from ankles to shoulders. Push your abs out and squeeze your glutes. Strengthen your core with Prone Bridges.
• Elbows Out. Increases the torque on your shoulder joint. Avoid on Push-ups & Bench Press. Tuck your elbows: 45° angle to your body.

If you’re doing StrongLifts 5×5 and lack the equipment to do Dips or if Dips hurt your shoulders, replace them by Push-ups for 3xF. Add a mini resistance band once you can do 15 Push-ups with good technique on your 1st set.

Source: http://stronglifts.com

Push ups can be performed no matter where you are, and best of all, they are completely free – no expensive equipment or annual gym fees required! If you’re looking to develop a great chest and shoulders, you could do much worse than follow along with the hundred push ups plan. Your core strength will also go through the roof too!

To improve your strength, fitness and general health all you need to do is commit about 30 minutes of your time per week, and follow the push ups training program as closely as you can. I promise you will feel much better about yourself and much more confident after just a few short workouts.

Good luck!

Source: http://hundredpushups.com/

There are many ways to prevent non-accidental back injuries, such as making sure your workstation is user-friendly, taking breaks to stretch or walk around, and lifting weights to strengthen your back muscles.

However, if you are part of the 70% of Americans who suffer from some form of back pain at one point in their lives, there are exercises you can do to relieve the aching.

Keep in mind that the back is a very sensitive area and that performing inadequate exercises could have serious consequences. If you are experiencing more than mild to moderate pain or are unsure about any of these exercises, consult a doctor for advice.

The following exercises, which mostly concentrate on the lower back since this is the most common site of pain, should be performed every day or at least every second day. Choose five or six exercises to do per session and rotate through the 10 on subsequent days. They should be done on a firm but soft surface, such as a carpet or a yoga mattress. And remember: If an exercise hurts, stop immediately.

Number 10

Spread eagle
Lie on your back with your arms stretched above your head, palms facing up. Make sure not to bend your neck so you don’t strain it and pay attention to your lower back throughout the exercise. Tilt your pelvis toward the sky and push your belly in, so the entire surface of your lower back is touching the floor.

Simultaneously reach above your head with your right hand and push down (into the “air” below your foot) with your left leg. Hold the position for four seconds, then change sides (left hand up, right leg down). Repeat three times on each side.

Number 9

Pelvic lift
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Keep your legs together and cross your arms over your chest. Tilt your pelvis up and push your lower back to the floor, then slowly lift your buttocks off the floor as far as you can without straining. Maintain the position for five seconds, then lower your buttocks to the floor. Repeat three to five times. Breathe normally throughout.

Number 8

Hip twist
Lie on your back with your arms stretched out to your sides. Bring your right knee up toward you so that your thigh forms a 90 degree angle with your chest and bend your knee so that your lower leg is parallel to the floor.

Keeping your shoulders stuck to the floor, slowly lower your knee to the left until it touches the floor. Relax for five seconds, then slowly bring your leg back to rest beside the other one. Repeat three times with each leg.

Number 7

Knee to chest
Lie on your back and clasp your hands together behind one of your knees. Keeping the opposite leg flat on the floor, pull your thigh toward your chest. Maintain the position for 15 seconds, then switch legs. Repeat three times with each leg.

Number 6

Cat and camel
Get down on all fours and keep your neck straight so that you are staring at the floor. Slowly turn your face toward the ceiling while allowing your lower back to “sag” comfortably into an arch; don’t push or force it. Next, arch your back in the opposite direction, contracting your abs and pushing your lower back toward the ceiling while lowering the top of your head toward the floor. Make sure that all movement is initiated and controlled by your lower back. Repeat three times in each direction.

Number 5

Tail wag
Get down on all fours and look down at the floor. Keeping your shoulders still, slowly push your right hip as far as you can toward your right shoulder. Then, slowly return to the starting position and repeat the exercise on the other side, pushing your left hip toward your right shoulder. Repeat three times on each side.

Number 4

Hip extension
Get down on all fours and keep your neck straight so that you are staring at the floor. Simultaneously lower the top of your head toward the floor while bringing your right knee in toward your head. Then, tilt your face up toward the ceiling and extend your leg out behind you until it is parallel to the floor. Return to the starting position and repeat with your other leg. Repeat three times on each side.

Number 3

Rag doll
Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor and your knees shoulder-width apart. Look straight ahead and relax your neck and shoulders. Slowly curl your neck, then your upper back, then your lower back forward until your chest is between your thighs. Let your palms rest on the floor and hold for 10 seconds. Straighten up by doing the same movement in reverse, lifting your head up last. Repeat three times.

Number 2

Upper back stretch
Sit on a stool with your head and back flat against a wall. Lift your arms over your head and hold for five seconds. Try to make your shoulders touch the wall while keeping your back flat, and hold for another five seconds. Lower your hands to the starting position. Repeat three times.

Number 1

Side bend
Stand up straight with your arms at your sides and your feet shoulder-width apart. Lower your right shoulder to the side, running your hand down the outside of your thigh and bending your entire trunk at the waist as far as you can without straining. Hold for five seconds and slowly straighten up. Repeat three times on each side.

relieving back pain

Back pain is a serious issue, so if you’re hurting, take 10 to 15 minutes out of your day to do some stretching exercises; they could prevent more serious problems in the future. Just remember that if a certain exercise hurts, you should stop doing it. And if you think your back pain may be serious, consult a physician immediately.

Resources:
www.spine-health.com
http://back.snowseed.com
www.emedicinehealth.com
www.nismat.org

By Sabrina Rogers

There’s a good chance that you’ve relied on a scale to tell you what kind of progress you’re making with your body.  Instead, go that extra mile and have a body-fat reading taken — it will give you a much better idea of what’s going on with your body composition.

No.2 - Keep a better workout journal

If you’re the type of person who goes by memory in terms of how much weight you’ve lifted and how many reps you’ve performed, start tracking this info more closely in a workout journal. A journal will give you a better indication of improvements you’ve made and help pinpoint weakness you may want to spend extra time on. Moreover, when looking back over the months, a journal can help you see how much progress you have made.

No.3 - Make stretching mandatory

Stretching is often the most neglected aspect of fitness. Insufficient stretching will put you at a higher risk for injury, so dedicate at least 10 minutes at the end of your workout to basic stretches.

No.4 - Move your workouts out of the gym

Always doing your workouts in the gym can add to the boredom you experience, and makes sticking with your workout program that much harder. To remedy this, consider taking your workouts out of the gym. Sign up for a recreational basketball or soccer team, try a new activity like jujitsu or take a couple wall-climbing sessions to enhance your upper body strength.

No.5 - Focus on functional fitness

When we work out, much of the time, we’re heavily focused on bringing our bench press up 10 pounds, squatting an insane amount of weight or just out-lifting our training partner. While these are fine goals to have, this year, spend some time focusing on functional fitness — increasing your strength in areas that will help you in everyday life. Perform resistance tubing exercises to strengthen the ligaments and joints, and focus on weight-training movements that resemble everyday activities.

No.6 - Resolution participate in a sport

Many of us talk about running a marathon, competing in bodybuilding or participating in the local triathlon, but few of us take action to pursue these goals. Make this the year that you finally do put those goals in place and get into the game — sign yourself up for a training group, get yourself onto a 16-week training plan or just find a buddy to do the event with you.

No.7 - Invest in proper running shoes (or insoles)

If you’ve been running all year in the same running shoes, it’s time to pay a visit to a local running store and get fitted for some new ones. Improperly fitting or worn-out runners are some of the top reasons behind running injuries, making this a resolution that cannot be overlooked.

No.8 - Commit to early morning workouts

If the primary reason you’re skipping out on your gym sessions is due to other things crowding your time, make the resolution to commit to early morning workouts. Initially, it will be hard getting yourself out of bed, but after you get into the habit of it, you’ll find you’re a great deal more consistent with your workouts than when you were doing them later on.

No.9 - Add interval training to your cardio workouts

If you aren’t already doing interval-style cardio workouts, now is the time to start. Not only does it help with muscle retention, but it also promotes a faster metabolic rate and enhances lipolysis, speeding up the rate at which you see fat loss.

No.10 - Include one new exercise each month

A lack of variety is one of the most common workout routine errors. Your body is going to stop responding unless you take steps to mix up your program. Make it a goal to add one new exercise to your program each month. Remember, this does not have to be an exercise using traditional weights and barbells. You can get a terrific workout by using your body weight, as demonstrated in Alwyn Cosgrove’s “Your Body is a Barbell” program.

Source: http://au.askmen.com/

What is Pilates and makes it a great exercise for golf?

Pilates is an exercise system in which all work is based from the core or center of the body. Generally these muscles include the abdominals, obliques, lats and glutes. While the extremities are distinctly involved, the base of movement, the core, is always stabilized to allow for maximum range of motion (ROM) and support. The Pilates system of exercise was developed by Joseph Pilates, who was born in the late 1800s and came to the US in the mid-1920s. Pilates requires control, concentration, mind-body awareness, flowing movement and precision which sounds a lot like golf. There are many benefits to doing Pilates, one of which is correcting imbalances in the body which can be monumental in keeping golfers healthy and playing longer!

What are the best Pilates exercises for golfers?

Because men and women generally differ in strength and flexibility, we’ll present some Pilates matwork exercises for each that address those differences along with step-by-step instructions on how to perform the exercise. Before beginning the exercises it is important to talk about breathing and how it should be done; breath will facilitate and enhance the movements. In the Stott Pilates instructor training manual, breath is explained as follows:

“A relaxed and full breath pattern focuses the mind and allows concentration on each task. Exhaling deeply can also help activate the deep abdominal muscles. In all exercises the breath and awareness of stabilization should occur before the actual movement.”

How to Breathe?

Lay on your back with your hands around your ribcage, knees bent with feet flat on the floor. Inhale deeply through the nose and try to expand the ribcage laterally. You should feel the spaces between the ribs open and the back ribs expand toward the floor. The chest should be still; avoid breathing into the chest and shoulders. Exhale through the mouth making sure to expend ALL the air in your lungs. You will feel the ribcage contract and the spaces between the ribs close, the bottom front
ribs will pull down toward the navel. If you have trouble finding this breath, try to perform it seated (or standing) with a towel wrapped around your ribs. You should feel the pressure against the towel on the inhale and then feel the pressure decrease on the exhale.

Pilates and Golf exercises for Women

Women tend to lack upper body strength because they have fewer muscles fibers in their upper body relative to men. However they are usually quite flexible and sometimes even hyper-mobile, especially young golfers. Therefore it is important to focus on increasing upper body strength while increasing stability. Some mat exercises that will address those issues include:

Push-ups are a great overall strengthener. When done properly, works
on shoulder and hip stability as well as targeting strength in the triceps, biceps, shoulders and lats.

• Starting from a standing position, crown of the head lifting toward the ceiling, spine long, take an inhale breath
• Exhale, nod your head and sequentially release the spine forward, releasing all the way down until your hands are on the floor (bend your knees when you need to)
• Inhale and walk the hands forward into a plank/push-up position (for those who find it difficult to maintain the position with legs fully extended, the knees can be on the floor)
• Exhale for a count of 3 as you lower the upper body, maintaining a neutral spine (no dipping in the hips to overextend the low back)
• Inhale and press back up to fully extend the arms
• Repeat 3 times
• Inhale to walk the hands back to come to the forward bend position (knees bent however much you need them to be)
• Exhale and slowly start to stack the spine from the tailbone to the crown of the head, coming back to the tall, standing position

Leg Pull Front is also a great overall strengthener. The exercise addresses stability in the entire torso, mobility in the calves and hips, and strength in the arms,
shoulders and spinal extensors.

• Begin in a push-up position. Inhale and lift one leg as high as possible without letting the hips rotate. Keep the lifted foot flexed (toes toward shin bone)
• Exhale and point the toes of the lifted foot while simultaneously pulling the toes on the bottom foot more toward the shin bone and shifting the entire body back slightly.
• Inhale, shift the body back forward while flexing the toes on the lifted foot
• Exhale and return the lifted foot to the floor.
• Repeat 5 times, alternating sides each time.

Leg Pull Up is similar to leg Pull Front but facing upward, this exercise requires hip and shoulder stability, deep core engagement and upper body strength.

• Sit on a mat with arms behind you, shoulders over wrists and legs extended, slightly turned out with toes pointed. Lift hips off of mat to bring the ankles, hips and shoulders in a line.
• Exhale and lift one leg as high as possible without dropping hips or letting them rotate.
• Inhale and flex the foot of the extended leg as you lower it down, not touching the floor.
• Repeat the lift & lower motion 3 times, on the last one, release the foot to the floor while letting the foot return to a pointed position.
• Repeat the exercise 4 times, alternating sides each time.

Pilates and Golf exercises for Men

Men tend to have less body awareness than women. Therefore, the breath and breathing techniques will be a major component of Pilates work for men. Learning to articulate the spine (move one bone of the vertebrae at a time) will increase awareness and mobility of the pelvis. Some exercises to increase this awareness and to help increase hip strength include:

Hip Rolls is although considered to be a warm-up exercise, this will help you understand how to articulate your spine as well as strengthen the glutes (muscles required for power and stability in a golf swing) and hamstrings.

• Lay down on your back on a mat with your knees bent and feet hip-width apart, a comfortable distance from your rear end. Inhale and feel your spine lengthen.
• Exhale and tilt your hip bones back towards the mat (think of flattening your low back). Continue to exhale as you lift the tailbone, then low back, then mid-back off of the mat. Think of peeling your spine off the mat one vertebra at a time. Coming to rest on the upper back.
• Inhale and hold in the lifted hip position feeling the breath expand the ribcage
• Exhale and slowly return the spine back to the mat, again thinking about sequentially
  releasing one bone at time down to the mat
• Repeat approximately 5 times

Bridge is an exercise similar to Hip Rolls but adds a greater strength component for the gluteal muscles.

• Lay down on your back on a mat with your knees bent and feet hip-width apart, a comfortable distance from your rear end.
• Inhale and feel your spine lengthen
• Exhale and lift the hips, trying to bring them in a line with the shoulders and knees (NO pain should be felt in the low back)
• Inhale and lift one foot off the floor, bending the hip. Extend the leg reaching the toes toward the ceiling without dropping hips or letting them rotate.
• Exhale and flex the foot of the extended leg while simultaneously lowering the leg to bring it in line with the thigh of the supporting leg.
• Repeat the lift & lower motion 3 times, on the third repetition bring the extended leg back to the floor and repeat on the other leg.
• Inhale and feel the spine lengthen
• Exhale return hips to floor
• Repeat the sequence 3 times

Roll Up is an exercise that really challenges the deep abdominal muscles and shoulder (scapular) stabilizers. The two phases of the exercise, the up motion and the down motion challenge the body in different ways.

• Repeat approximately 6 times.
• Lay on your back with arms extended over your head, legs extended with heels resting on the mat, feet flexed. Make sure the shoulder blades are pressed down with the top of shoulders moving away from the ears.
• Inhale and lift the arms toward the ceiling, wrists in line with the shoulders, feel the spine lengthen.
• Exhale and nod the head, slowing begin to peel the spine off the mat one vertebra at a time (sequentially rolling up). Reach the hands toward the feet flexing the spine forward, keeping the arms parallel to the floor.
• Inhale and stack the spine, initiating from the tailbone, lift the crown of the head toward the ceiling.
• Exhale and pull the hip bones back (pelvic tuck) and slowly place one bone at a time back to the mat (sequentially rolling down). Once the head is back down, reach the arms overhead.

The exercises presented are a small sampling of the Pilates matwork repertoire, all of which can greatly benefit golfers and other athletes. These Pilates and golf exercises can be made more or less difficult by adding small props such as flex bands, small balls and large stability balls. Many DVDs are available that can help you with a program. However, it is important to understand the nuances of the movements. There are many Pilates instructors who are highly skilled and are trained through reputable certifying bodies such as The PhysicalMind Institute, Stott Pilates and Polestar. These certifying bodies require several hundred hours of intense instruction and guided, supervised teaching. It is critical to seek an expert in this field who will ensure your safety and help you achieve the greatest benefits for your golf game. I’m sure Camillo will attest to that!

Source: http://www.fitnessorlando.com/