Gravity Fx Fitness

“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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The Power Plate whole body vibration platform is a great tool for warmup and flexibility. With reflex muscle contractions of around 25-35 times per second, you stimulate the muscles and increase circulation at the same time.

Here is a great way to prepare the hamstrings for a workout or training session.  Some self massage on the Power Plate or with the Stick or foam roller first, is a good idea.

I borrowed this clip from Nick Winkelman at the Athlete’s Performance center.

Get moving!

Brian Morgan

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I recently injured my elbow due to my own ignorance (stupidity) and have learned a few valuable lessons.

Basically, I ignored my body’s own pain signals until it was too late and had no choice but to stop what I was doing and make some changes.  In my quest to be “lean and mean” at the age of 44, I tried pushing through pain, which is never a good thing!

Yes, you may definitely have to push your body past its comfort zone to achieve great physical feats, but the adage “no pain, no gain” is a bunch of crap that usually leaves you with loads of injuries down the road.

Specifically, two weeks ago, my right elbow was throbbing after I got done playing basketball for the first time in 10 or 12 years.  I don’t like taking anything if I don’t absolutely have to, but I ended up taking some Advil to reduce swelling and inflammation.

I’ve used icepacks and soaked it in a large pan of ice and water quite a bit, too.  I’ve had restricted movement at my shoulder and shoulderblade for a while, with some nasty triggerpoints in my levator scapula and rhomboids (upper and inner areas of shoulderblade).

My pecs and lats have also been tight and contained some triggerpoints (tight bands of muscle) that haven’t responded to self-massage with a massage ball or tennis ball.  These items plus a rolling massage tool like the Stick may be great for maintenance work, but don’t always replace the hands of a skilled massage therapist.

The result of the tightness and movement dysfunction (misalignment) in these areas puts unnecessary stress on my elbow and I also have some tight bands of muscle in my triceps.  Instead of taking the time to get some quality soft tissue work, I tried to work through it – BIG mistake!

I’ve been doing weighted pushups with a sandbag on my back and single arm kettlebell presses to try and increase my upper body size and strength.  My elbow didn’t want to fully straighten so I just ignored the discomfort and shortened the movement.

Playing basketball and all the overhead movements involved was the last straw.  Two weeks later, the elbow feels much better but is definitely not 100%.  Yesterday I did some upper body strength work and partial pushups with my bodyweight is all I can do for the pushing movements, except for static pushups on the Power Plate.

Its not quite ready for much eccentric work, but the vibration platform allows some static work without causing pain – keeping the stress to the elbow minimal but still providing some maintenance strengthening to occur.  The increased blood flow probably aids the healing process, also.

This minimal joint stress would probably benefit athletes during their competitive season – helping them maintain strength when combined with some resistance training.  So I talked to a massage therapist the other day who does some quality deep tissue work and we are going to exchange services.

The stretching I received at a recent continuing ed course helped quite a bit as well, but if I don’t get the proper massage work done, my problems will only get worse over time and keep me from achieving my goals of a lean, athletic physique.

Get moving!

Brian Morgan

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If you want to lose weight without spending hours on the treadmill, burst training is the way to go!

Did you know that several studies have shown that you can burn fat in sessions lasting 30 minutes or less?  The key for weight loss in minimal time is intensity – turn up the flame.

When you go into oxygen debt with your workouts, you increase fat burning when the training session is over.  In one study, a group of women performed a short, intense workout and the other group did a moderate intensity aerobic session.

Both groups burned the same amount of calories (300) with their workouts, but the interval group lost more bodyfat, with the shorter workouts.  Another study saw the group doing short bursts of exercise keep their metabolism elevated for 24 hours after they stopped exercising.

Their workouts were 15 minutes shorter than the aerobic group.  Intense training puts you in oxygen debt, which leads to fat burning after the workout has ended.  If short on time, crank up the intensity for best results.

Interval (burst) training increases the production of testosterone and growth hormone in your body.  These hormones build lean muscle tissue to keep your metabolism elevated.  They also assist in fat burning.

Ropes Gone Wild are one way to speed up the fat loss, sprint training is another.  Vibration platforms have been shown to increase positive hormone production while decreasing cortisol, a stress hormone that is associated with endurance training.

I like to combine whole body vibration with sandbags, suspension training, resistance bands and ropes.  Besides giving you a great workout in 30 minutes or less, it gives you plenty of different exercises to choose from.

Besides being very time-efficient, it reduces the chance of boredom, which is why so many people give up their New Year’s resolution 3 months later.  For best results over the long haul, add in some leisurely activities here and there – long walks or hikes, bike rides, or paddling a canoe or kayak.

Get moving!

Brian Morgan

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Does whole body vibration (WBV) offer any solutions for those suffering with fibromyalgia?  I think so.

A recent study worked with 3 groups to see what different types of exercise would do for fibro patients.  This included a control group, another that did aerobic activities, stretching, and relaxation techniques….

and the third group did the same exercises, but also included exercise on a vibration platform.  This third group saw a significant reduction in pain and fatigue, while the exercise group alone did not see any improvements.

I was talking with a client recently who came to see me because I have a vibration platform in my studio.  He said that he talked with a woman who had access to a platform at the facility where she worked.

She told him that when she uses the vibration platform that she doesn’t need to take her pain medication.  Pretty powerful stuff – that’s just one person, but I think you might see some potential, when combined with the previously mentioned study.

So how might these machines help?

WBV creates reflex muscle contractions of between 25-35 times per second, depending on the hertz setting.  For example, when you stand on a platform in a partial squat position, you stimulate muscle and joint receptors throughout your lower body, 25-35 times a second, exactly.

This is a LOT of stimulation to your nervous system, that has to process all this information.  One of the ideas is that this competes with pain signals, probably blocking some of these signals from getting through.

So this may desensitize your body to the chronic pain of fibromyalgia.

Another recent study showed that there is a miscommunication between the sensory and motor systems – basically, this communication issue can lead to inefficient movement or pain when the body is moving.

This lack of awareness is common after many injuries or having been sedentary for a long time.  This awareness is associated with balance and usually requires specific training, in the rehab process.

Because whole body vibration platforms help with balance and coordination, this is also where you would see positive results.  The multiple muscle contractions increases circulation, which might play a role in removing toxins in the body.

For every contraction you also have relaxation, before the next contraction occurs.  All this contract and relax should help with muscle stiffness, which is probably why so many pro golfers use them in their warmup process.

Stay tuned for part two of this article.

Get moving!

Brian Morgan

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Whole body vibration (WBV) platforms have shown to be useful in reducing some of the “symptoms” of aging, by increasing lower body strength, bone mass, balance, and mobility.

In different studies, post-menopausal women have seen an increase in leg strength, bone mass, mobility, and speed of movement.  One study saw an increase in bone density at the hip and prevention of bone loss at the spine, while a group that performed standard resistance training saw no significant increase.

One study looked at fat loss when doing vibration training.  Group A used a combination of WBV training and resistance training, while group B did resistance training only.  Both groups consisted of previously sedentary post-menopausal women.

Both groups increased lean muscle tissue, but group A was the only group that saw a decrease in bodyfat percentage.  This group used the Power Plate vibration platform, along with other resistance work.

I personally think that using a combination of methods will get the best results when you are looking to slow down the aging process.  I think you get a synergistic effect that is highly beneficial.

WBV platforms have been included in wellness programs designed to maintain or increase strength and prevent falls.  By placing the individual in standing positions, you enhance coordination, as multiple joints are all working at the same time.

I believe that this is where you see the balance increases and probably reduce the risk of falls.  These weight-bearing positions also place greater stress on your bones, which is a good thing when trying to maintain or increase bone mass.

Exercises done on machines while sitting or lying down, won’t have as much carryover to your activities of daily living, either.  Plus, they often place greater stress on your spine than standing exercises.

These platforms can be helpful in activating muscles that were previously “sleeping” due to a sedentary lifestyle.  They also increase circulation, because of all the reflex muscle contractions.  I think that this helps flush out some of the “garbage” in our cells, helping with fat loss.

If you are a busy Baby Boomer who doesn’t want to spend hours in the gym or healthclub,a combination of  WBV training and other strength training methods might be what you are looking for.

Make sure to add in some upper body resistance training to maintain spine strength and proper posture.  You know what they say, move it or lose it.

Get moving!

Brian Morgan

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After a long Monday I am left with little time to exercise – a perfect time for a little Power Plate workout.  I had a fairly intense workout two days ago, so something lighter will do the trick.

If you have heard that a 10-15 minute workout on a vibration platform is the equivalent of a normal workout, it depends on what you are used to.

If you haven’t been exercising for quite some time then you can get some results from 3 of these sessions a week, but if that is all you do, you won’t look anything like your favorite athlete or be mistaken for a fitness model.

Your best results will come from combining it with other forms of resistance training – or you can do a session in between longer workouts, as a maintenance workout.

Like most people, I need a time efficient workout now and then to keep my metabolism elevated.  It also serves as a nice break from more intense workouts – it can help you recover faster.

Tonight I combined the vibration platform with some joint mobility movements.  Besides being a very joint friendly workout, all the reflex muscle contractions helped increase my circulation and flush out some waste products.

Movement based workouts are good for relieving stress and keeping the mind fresh, something we all could use.  I spoke once of “fire and ice training”.  This would definitely be a good example of the two extremes – high and low intensity.

Get moving!

Brian

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So you’re wondering how exactly vibration training can help you lose fat?

Simple, the vibrations create reflexive muscle contractions of about 30 contractions per second.  That’s a whole lot of contractions! You also use exercise positions that involve several muscles at the same time, allowing you to work almost all of your muscles in a single session.

This allows you to get more work done in a shorter amount of time – which is the secret to getting fit for those who have busy lives and not a lot of time to exercise.

In most all strength (resistance) training, you are exercising your muscles  (using dumbbells, weight machines, bodyweight exercises) against the resistance of gravity, the exception is when using elastic resistance bands.

Whole body vibration platforms such as the Power Plate, increases the force of gravity through your body while your muscles are contracting.  This stimulates your metabolism, increases bone density, and increases the circulation of testosterone and natural growth hormone, which plays a large part in maintaining lean muscle tissue.

Lean muscle tissue usually decreases with age, if you don’t do some type of resistance training.  Less muscle = slower metabolism!  So obviously you need to do some resistance training to keep from gaining weight.

I like to combine vibration training with different dumbbell exercises, sandbags, and flex band resistance bands.  So I will do a circuit, alternating from one upper body exercise to another, going from a pushing exercise to a pulling exercise.

I may do these in a circuit with lower body exercises to work all my muscles in one session, creating a fast, efficient workout that keeps my heart rate elevated the entire time.

This type of workout is the key to losing weight if you don’t have a lot of time to exercise.  Intense resistance training can boost your metabolism for up to 24 hours after you are done exercising!

Get moving!

Brian

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