Gravity Fx Fitness

Deandra has taken 4 inches off her waist without doing any crunches or sit-ups.

She has done planks, pushups, exercises with sandbags, bands and the TRX suspension trainer, but very little isolated exercises for the abs.  The best way to describe these workouts is cardio strength training.

In this photo she is doing a pushup with a rotation, where you come up from the bottom and then rotate to one side, do another pushup and rotate to the opposite side.  This isn’t easy for many women to do and it challenges both your upper body strength and stability, as well as your core.

Dee has been training with us since Feb. 20th and made great strides.  She works hard 3 days a week and trys to stay active the rest of the week.  This type of training takes hard work, builds lean muscle tissue and raises your metabolism.

This is a sandbag deadlift with one leg doing most of the work.  Besides the glutes and hamstrings, her obliques (side abs) are working hard as well.  We like to do exercises that work multiple muscles at one time – exercises that force your abs and low back to stay tight while you are moving other muscles and joints.

She knows that its not what the scale says, its how you look and how your clothes fit.  Four inches off your waist is huge, especially for someone who wasn’t that overweight to start with.

Diet is definitely important, there is no doubt about that.  Building lean muscle tissue is key to lasting changes in your metabolism, not to mention strengthening your bones and joints.  Just goes to show that you can shrink your waistline without doing endless crunches or sit-ups.

Get moving!

Brian Morgan

Tweet This Post

Can working on your breathing patterns help with your posture and flatten your stomach?

Yes!!

In recent years, several physical therapists and doctors have recommended breathing exercises to restore proper abdominal function and  reduce low back pain.  In particular, they have had patients start with diaphragm (abdominal) breathing exercises before moving on to other exercises.

While there has been some disagreement about how important this function of your “inner core” really is, one thing is certain, your abdominal and low back muscles function as a unit to help stabilize your spine.

After injury or surgery, or just being sedentary for a long time, your abs may not be functioning as efficiently as possible.  Starting with breathing exercises helps to activate (turn on) your deeper abdominal muscles.  There are different layers of muscles in your abdominal wall that function as a unit, kind of like a “plywood effect,” where the whole is greater than the individual parts.

The strength of plywood comes from the multiple layers crossing in different directions, similar to your abs.  Before moving on to more difficult ab exercises like planks, its a good idea to make sure those inner muscles are functioning properly.  Diaphramatic breathing exercises can help accomplish this task.

Various plank exercises can be progressed from here, as you get stronger, as well as standing exercises that focus on keeping your core stable.  Here is an example of an isometric exercise on the Power Plate to help with ab and back stability.

Kneel on the platform with knees about hip width apart.  “Brace” your abs, keeping them tight without sucking them in or letting them push out.  Keep your spine in a neutral position throughout the exercise.  This should not create pain!

If so, you may need to modify the exercise or choose another exercise as a substitute.

Get moving!

Brian Morgan

Tweet This Post

Here is a great video from coach Josh Henkin that shows some exercises you may not have seen before – exercises that really challenge your core.

He has described this video as fighter fitness but it will work equally well for many non-athletes.  I like exercise tools that can provide a great workout for an elite athlete but also work well for “average” people who want to lose weight and be in great shape.

Sandbags and the TRX definitely accomplish this goal, providing results for all ages.

I tried the TRX rotation exercise for the abs this morning and it works great.

Get moving!

Brian Morgan

Tweet This Post

Saturday I used only sandbags in my workout and burned 641 calories according to my HR monitor. In one exercise I used a slight assist from a TRX, but the workout took 45 minutes and worked every muscle in my body.

The TRX suspension trainers are supposed to be “all core all the time” because your core is activated to some degree in every exercise.  Same thing with sandbags – you’re always working your abs, low back and hips during an exercise.

Cardio strength training (interval training) is a great way to build lean muscle tissue and burn fat at the same time.  For example, my average heart rate for this workout was 78% of my max, with the peak HR reaching 98%  (pretty intense).

So a 45 minute workout at 78% will obviously burn some calories.  By doing more intense interval training you go into oxygen debt, where you are breathing heavily.  Research has shown that this can elevate your metabolism for 24 hours or more AFTER you have stopped exercising!

That’s one of the things I like about sandbags – improved fat burning efficiency while improving your coordination in different movement patterns.  The exercises train multiple muscles to work together at the same time.

I did step ups, overhead presses, high pulls, partial rotation deadlifts and an overhead rotational lift that is often done with a medicine ball.  I kept the rest periods between exercises minimal which keeps your heart rate up and stimulates your fat burning hormones.

One of the reasons you’re metabolism stays elevated after this workout is because of the fast twitch muscles that are worked with the exercises that focus on either strength or power.  More muscles used equals more calories burned but you also have the “afterburn” effect going on as these muscles are being repaired after the workout.

These workouts can take a lot out of you and need to be progressed gradually.  I have my baby boomer clients doing most of these same exercises and it allows them to get in a fast, efficient workout – letting them spend more time with family and friends.

I really could feel it in deep in my abs the next day, particularly from the overhead rotational lift with the sandbag.  I have taught those 15 minute ab workouts before at a healthclub and would never feel it in my abs like I do with the sandbags, or even the TRX.

Here is a video from coach Josh Henkin that shows a few examples of sandbag training.

Get moving!

Brian Morgan

Tweet This Post

The TRX suspension trainer is a great tool for golf fitness. One description of this piece is “all core all the time,” which makes it ideal for golf training.

It allows you to develop strength and flexibility while focusing on the abs, back, and hips.  You can work on golf specific flexibility and strengthen the upper and mid back – areas which are important for posture and shoulder health.

In the video you will see how it can help your game.  Its portability is another nice feature, enabling you to take it outside in good weather.

In the video with the Titleist Performance Institute, you will also notice the Power Plate vibration platform.  This is another valuable tool for golf fitness.  I think sandbags would also complete the overall effect, helping develop total body power.

For more info on the TRX, click here.

Tweet This Post

So it’s 57 degrees in early February and a Saturday.  Naturally, you head outdoors for some exercise and to enjoy the Sunny weather.

I thought about getting my bike out but I knew that there would be too many puddles on the bike path and the streets have too many potholes.  Recent temps reached about 30 below zero with the windchill, a few weeks ago.

After some Power Plate stretching, I headed outdoors to a local college.  I saw a few people walking or running on a track but I had something else in mind – a little sandbag training.  If this is your first time reading this blog, you should know that I enjoy doing things a little differently than most people.

I prefer to exercise outdoors whenever possible and can take my sandbags and flex bands pretty much anywhere.  The resistance bands are easier to carry but transporting the bags turns into part of the workout.

Carrying a sandbag of about 120 pounds down a couple flights of stairs and then back gets your heartrate up.  For the actual workout I will use lighter bags to do stair training and heavier ones for more strength work.

If you are short on time, then doing full body workouts are a great way to train.  Sandbag exercises involve multiple muscles and joints which burn plenty of calories.  Every movement involves your core and helps with your overall coordination.

But I just think they are a fun way to train and make me feel like I’m doing something athletic.  After all, life takes place on your feet and it just makes more sense to train that way.

Tweet This Post

So what makes flex band resistance bands a great tool for core training?  Simple, every exercise becomes a “core exercise!”

Whether you are doing push/pull exercises in a standing position or some type of agility training, it stresses your midsection.  Instead of isolating your abs by doing crunches on the floor, you force your abs and back muscles to stabilize your spine while you are training your upper or lower body.

When doing a 1 arm pressing or rowing move you put a lot of stress on your obliques, strengthening your core in the process.  You are training all these muscles from every possible angle.

So whether you want flat abs, more yards on your golf drive, or a more athletic body, these resistance bands will get the job done.  They help to teach all your muscles to work together more efficiently.

Besides gaining a body that looks good and performs better, you achieve all this in the least amount of time spent – meaning a quicker, more efficient workout.

Training with them allows you to get more bang for your buck because they eliminate the need to do that 15 minutes abs class, then do seperate weight training and so on.

In most work or sports situations you are on your feet, so by training on your feet you will teach your abs to work with your upper and lower body.  It doesn’t matter how much force your legs can produce if your core can’t properly stabilize your spine.

Most of the time your midsection remains still or moves very little, while everything above or below is moving.  If you don’t care about being more athletic than you will enjoy the fact that the bands will flatten your midsection while spending the least amount of time exercising.

I personally like to combine them with sandbag exercises to hit them with plenty of intensity.  When you are pushing a band that provides 50-75 pounds of pressure, you have the same amount of resistance pulling you backwards.

This really trains all your muscles to work together as a unit – very efficient.

For more info on flex bands go to Resistance Band Training.

Get moving!

Brian

Tweet This Post