Gravity Fx Fitness

Since playing in a men’s basketball league recently, I’ve altered my workouts slightly to be able to compete and avoid injuries.

While my competitive days may be behind me, in my mind I still want to play my best, even if I’m 15-20 years older than many of the guys.  So today I started off with some self-massage with the Tiger Tail rolling massage tool and then some flexband stretching for my lower body.

Last week I had some tightness in my calf and want to avoid any major muscle tears.  I followed this up with more calf stretching with the Prostretch.  Next I did some interval jump rope training – 20 to 30 seconds on and then 20 to 30 seconds off for 5 minutes.

I followed this up with some bodyweight rows with the Bandit’s Loops suspension trainer, alternating with Power Plate pushup holds.  My elbow is still a little sore and this lets me maintain upper body strength without the eccentric contractions of doing the full movement.

While doing this, I picked one leg off the ground for increased core work.  By having one less contact point, it increases the stability demands on your midsection, which saves me from doing crunches and saves time as well.

Then I did some flexband squat-rows for some additional cardio work and then used the flexbands for lateral agility training.  Definitely need that for playing basketball.

I also mixed in some one arm grappler’s throws with the Ropes Gone Wild for more interval cardio work and to hit my obliques.  Doing these with one arm and the 1 ½ inch manilla rope is a great core exercise.

So all total, the warmup and workout lasted almost 45 minutes, making this workout doable by most everyone from a time perspective.  Not everyone over 40 can jump rope, but if you are still playing sports then you need to do exercises that prepare you for the sport, instead of just playing sports to try and stay in shape.

Get moving!

Brian Morgan

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….that is the question.  Are spinal flexion movements like crunches and situps damaging to the spine, or nothing to worry about?

If you’re familiar with top spine researcher Dr. Stuart McGill, you should know that his research shows that repeated flexion, such as doing 15 minutes of crunch and situp variations, can be damaging to the discs.

I attended one of his seminars on core stability a while back at Palmer Chiropractic College.  Having read some of his articles, I was fairly familiar with his concepts for core training.

Recently, I listened to a podcast with Dr. McGill and he stated his belief that we have a limited number of forward flexion (bending) cycles in each one of us and that doing lots of these type of ab exercises just wastes that number.

He thinks that those who have tempted fate in this manner, may have genetics that allow them to get away with it, up to a point.  He advocates “bracing” the abs isometrically to support the spine and strengthen the abdominal wall……

a wall with different layers of muscles running in different directions, kind of like plywood, where the different layers are stronger together than any of them on their own.

Plank exercises are the starting point for these different “bracing” strategies of core stability.  These can be done in the front and side positions, and bridges can address the glute and back muscles.

McGill recently has done studies with competitive strongmen, like the ones you see on ESPN, lifting massive amounts of weight.

This confirmed the role of the quadratus lumborum as an important spine stabilizer.  These muscles run from the bottom of your ribcage to the pelvis and also attach to the spine.

When you carry a heavy suitcase in one hand, it places a lot of demand on this muscle to keep your back straight – or when you carry a heavy suitcase in both hands, these muscles are working hard to support your spine.

So training your abs and low back to stay tight when lifting heavy objects is one of the benefits to this method of training.  Improved posture is another.

If you are someone who has had disc problems or sciatica, then situps and crunches are the last thing you want to do, as this puts unnecessary stress on your back.

One of the few exceptions to doing flexion might be those with too much curve in their low back.  A few sets of reverse crunches might help keep everything in a more neutral position.

After basic stability is gained, I like to use sandbag exercises and suspension training for increased intensity to your midsection – teaching your upper and lower body to work with your “core” for increased coordination – the way it works in real life situations.

Get Moving!

Brian Morgan

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The step up with a sandbag is a great exercise for golf fitness!  This one movement can help with hip strength and flexibility, which is one of the keys to hitting it farther, along with building core stability-

having the sandbag on one shoulder requires you to work hard to keep your torso from swaying one side or the other.  It helps with stability in your lumbar spine – an area often injured in golf.

You can do step ups with dumbbells, but its not quite as effective for golf as the sandbags.  Same thing goes for a barbell.  I used to use a 185 pound barbell for step ups, but I didn’t feel it in my abs and back, as much as I do with the bags.

That shifting sand makes for a great core workout.  Choose a sturdy platform for this exercise and if you have poor flexibility, make sure the step height is adjusted to fit your needs.

Many of the gyms where I have trained didn’t have many or any platforms for this exercise, so I had to use a weight bench.  The extra padding can increase your instability, so if this is your only choice, keep the resistance low until you get used to the movement.

Make sure to push through your heel to get your glutes doing much of the work.  Golfers need flexibility in your hips, but also strength, as these muscles create a lot of force during the golf swing.

These muscles are also important for providing stability to your pelvis, helping to protect your lower back from injury.  Most of the rotation in your swing comes from the hips, thoracic spine, and shoulder - NOT your low back!

There are plenty of other sandbag exercises for golf, which focus on your core and help build power into your swing.

Those of you with hip replacements have to watch how far you stretch your hip, so clear this exercise with your doctor or therapist, first.

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Suspension training is one of the hot, new exercise trends.  In fact, the TRX trainer was voted Best Total-Body Tool in Men’s Health article on best new fitness gear.

I tried it out at a fitness trade show in Chicago and its a good tool.  I recently purchased the Bandit’s Loops suspension trainer from Art of Strength, and I love it.

There are plenty of different exercises that can be done with these, all of which are great for core stability.  Instead of doing endless crunches, I prefer to train my abs and low back to work with my upper or lower body.

Besides being a more time efficient way to train, this really hits your abs with lots of intensity.  It also increases your total body coordination, making all your movements more efficient and making you more athletic.

I’ve had plenty of shoulder problems, in part because of poor posture.  Suspension trainers can help with your posture and build core stability, so you minimize the risk of back pain.  The rowing exercises are great for your upper and mid back.

Besides being important for your posture, strength in this area is extremely important to help prevent rotator cuff injuries.  I’m speaking from experience here, as I’ve done some damage to both of my shoulders in the past.

You can work on shoulder stability from the pushup position as well.  With the Bandit’s Loops you can add some spice to your pushups by working from different positions – either with your hands holding the loops or your feet in them, doing a “suspended” pushup.

These movements are similar to gymnastics training and will build decent strength just by doing bodyweight training.  Gymnasts have a very impressive amount of upper body strength compared to what they weigh.

The large loops make it easy to slip your feet into and you can adjust the straps quickly for the amount of resistance you want.  This makes it possible for those with minimal strength to exercise, as well as those who are already in decent shape.

A pretty versatile tool if you ask me.  I like the creative movements that are possible, besides the fact that I don’t have to spend extra time to work my abs.

If you train at home or outdoors, the loops are a great tool to use for bodyweight exercises.  Add some dumbbells, sandbags, or kettlebells for a fast, efficient workout.

Get moving!

Brian Morgan

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Last night I did some stability work on the Power Plate to work on some “weak links.”  I like using the vibration platform as part of my warmup to activate (turn on) muscles that are prone to weakness and injury.  I also like the fact that I can get in a quick workout when short on time.

Today I was watching some resistance band videos and saw something new that I wanted to try out.  So I attached the bands to a fixed object and used a dowel rod to do some core stability work.

I’m getting ready to reopen my training studio and flex bands are one of the key components of the workouts.  They are extremely versatile, portable, and they help increase your athleticism, even if you are slightly past your competitive days, like myself.

The exercises really worked my midsection while also working on my shoulder stability, making them very efficient.  I’ve had past shoulder injuries and anything that helps keep my shoulders healthy is a plus.

So I did these seemingly simple exercises, working my core from every possible angle, including front and back.  I also used the bands for some lower body activation, including some lunges with the band around my waist.

Then I finished with a little sandbag work for my lower body – good mornings and front squats.  Between these two training tools, I got a fast, efficient workout which worked my core during every exercise.

Workouts don’t have to take hours to do in order to get results.

Get moving!

Brian

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