Gravity Fx Fitness

My client Pete, a National Guardsman, does “basic training” for a year long mission in Afghanistan. Sandbags, parachute straps, ropes and bodyweight exercises take the place of weight machines found at the typical healthclub.

One such piece of equipment is the TRX suspension trainer which was developed by a former Navy SEAL to provide an effective workout using your own bodyweight as resistance.  The straps fold up into a small pouch which takes up little space and is easily portable, attaching to any post, tree, or even a Humvee.

Sandbags are usually easy to find on a military base and make a handy form of resistance training.  The particular bags that he uses are known as the Ultimate Sandbag and come with different handle positions built into the bag for doing various exercises.

Soldiers wear body armor and gear that is quite heavy, requiring plenty of core strength in order to carry out their duties in the field.  Pete has had previous hip and back issues in the past, but since taking up this “basic training” routine has noticed a big difference.

Recently he spent the weekend doing drills and had no problems while wearing all his gear.  Previously, Pete had done the typical weight machines at a local gym and knew that something was missing.  His current training regimen has him doing multi joint exercises that target the abs and low back, integrating them with the upper and lower body.

These exercises require several muscles to work together, making it easier to perform work or sport duties by allowing you to function more efficiently.  These simple but rugged workouts take place in my small studio.  Little rest is allowed between exercises in order to burn greater calories overall.

This can also build mental toughness which might help on the battlefield.  Pete is getting married a month prior to his deployment.  He is scheduled to attend officer training after his mission, before heading to physical therapy school.

While these workouts can be tough they can be modified to fit an individual’s needs and strengthen past weak spots or injuries.  A related article that you might find interesting is The Skinny People are Over There.

Get moving!

Brian Morgan

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The TRX suspension trainer isn’t just for increased fitness and core conditioning, its also a great tool for flexibility.

It can be used for both dynamic and static stretching.  Many people think of stretching as being static, where you hold a certain position for 20-30 seconds or longer.  This type of flexibility is often best for after your exercise session, as part of your cooldown.

The exception to this is with someone who might have some past injuries and needs to release excess tension in the muscles.

This particular position has helped me regain flexibility after an old injury.  Ideally, you do some type of massage first to warm up the muscles.  Various dynamic stretches can also be done for the trunk, upper and lower body.

You need a combination of strength and flexibility for optimal performance.  The TRX is a great tool for the job.

Get moving!

Brian Morgan

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According to an Australian researcher, increasing adrenaline is the key to losing belly fat! Professor Steve Boutcher was one of the researchers involved in a study that compared intense interval training vs. long cardio for fat loss.

The study (published in 2007) separated 45 obese women into 2 training groups -

Group A did three 20 minute interval training sessions a week.  They pedaled intensely for 8 seconds, followed by 12 seconds of light pedaling on a stationary bike, repeating this for the 20 minute session.

Group B did 40 minutes of slow, steady pace cardio for 3 sessions per week, exercising for twice as much time as the first group.

No changes were made to the diet of either group.  Its been said that you can’t make up for bad eating habits with exercise, so the results of this study are very interesting.

Group A saw significant fat loss, with one participant losing 17.6 pounds in 15 weeks.  Group B didn’t lose fat and one woman actually gained two pounds!

Professor Boutcher believes the results from the interval group was due to the adrenaline increase that occurs with that type of training – the release of these hormones speeds up fat burning.

Adrenaline is also known as epinephrine in the science world and is released into the blood in response to stress – your “fight or flight” hormones.

The 8 seconds of sprinting came about after different studies determined that 20 seconds was too difficult for most people and 2 to 3 seconds wasn’t enough.  He advises to gradually build up to the 20 minutes exercise time and recommends a spinning bike, rower, or cross trainer (Airdyne bike).

He has found that most anyone can exercise in this manner when taking the gradual approach.  Obviously, you should check with your doctor first if you have any health concerns in regards to exercise.

Once again, the lack of time excuse is busted!  This information was borrowed from Turbulence Training.

Get moving!

Brian Morgan

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Yesterday’s Super Bowl victory was a comeback for both the franchise and the city of New Orleans. Not too many years ago Drew Brees was facing his own comeback after a shoulder injury threatened his career.

One of the training tools that made a big impact on his shoulder health and his performance on the field is the TRX suspension trainer.

This piece of equipment can help strengthen your shoulders, upper and mid back, and your core all at the same time.  Even when “isolating” different muscles your low back and abs are working to some degree to provide stability.  This efficiency is one reason that athletes love this tool and its also why it is a great way for the average person to exercise, as well.

If you are looking for home exercise equipment that is inexpensive, portable, versatile and most important, effective, its hard to go wrong with the TRX.  It can be used by most anyone to increase their fitness levels without taking a lot of time.

Get moving!

Brian Morgan

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“My hip felt better at work today than it has in the past month,” claimed one of my clients as he came through the door.

Which means the program must be working!  This person is in his mid 50’s and has no cartilage left in his hip.  His orthopedic surgeon told him you “worked hard and played hard,” spending his days working on concrete and playing recreational sports.

He’s been working with me for just over a month and doing well.  Yesterday’s workout focused on the lower body so it’s a good sign that he felt better the day afterwards.

The workouts are low to no impact, which is ideal for those with past injuries.  They also focus on dynamic flexibility and are done mostly in a circuit for optimal efficiency.

One of the unique components is the Power Plate vibration platform.  It creates reflex muscle contractions which can help with flexibility and weight loss.  The lower body positions involve double and single leg stances (squats and lunges).

It allows for additional stress to the muscles without stressing the joints.  Single leg exercises done off the platform allow for increasing flexibility and strength at the hip.  We also use ropes and an X-iser mini stepper for cardio work.  This places no significant stress on the joints while elevating the heart rate.

He says his bowling is improving so that is likely due to the work on dynamic stretching.  Reaching lunges done to the front and side are some of the exercises done, along with step ups using dumbbells or sandbags for resistance.  Being able to exercise without pain is always a good thing.

The TRX suspension trainer also works well for doing various lunges while providing just enough assistance (added stability).  Its also a great tool for stretching the shoulder and thoracic spine – areas that often become tight with age.

Today’s “workout” involved joint mobility movements and some work with the Indian clubs for additional mobility work.  These easy movements help you recover from more intense exercise, lubricate the joints and help flush toxins out of your body.

Besides being less physically demanding they give you a mental break, leaving you feeling better and ready to hit it hard on your next training session.  They also add to your movement efficiency.

If you stop moving your joints in certain directions they become stiff over time, not so much from aging, but from lack of use.

30 minutes of movement and out the door, leaving plenty of time to spend with friends and family.  So if you’ve been using that old excuse of lacking time to workout, you’re busted.  That’s no longer valid.

Get moving!

Brian Morgan

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A great way to assist your warm up and help prevent injuries is through use of the Stick and a tennis ball.  The tennis ball is great for loosening up the fascia (connective tissue) in the arch of your foot.

Your fascia provides support for your muscles and is spread all throughout your body in different layers and in diagonal patterns, as well as vertical and horizontal.

Tight (restricted) fascia in your feet can cause problems further up the body, so a simple way to work them is with a little self massage.  You can do this seated or standing by rolling the ball underneath your foot for 30 seconds to two minutes, using an amount of pressure that works for you.  You can progress to a golf ball if needed, as long as you didn’t just injure your foot.

This is also good to do before you exercise or prior to stretching.  Same thing applies to massage with the Stick. If you have special issues or health concerns check with your doctor or therapist first.

Brian Morgan

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