Gravity Fx Fitness

Want to get the most out of your New Year’s fitness program? Don’t forget these three principles of proper exercise – Progression, Variation and Precision, if you want to still be going strong in March.

I recently attended the state of Iowa’s convention for physical educators, here in Davenport.  In more than one session they emphasized having a rational program of exercise progression, variation and precision.

How does this apply to you reaching your weight loss goals?  Simple, progression should be quite obvious.  If you haven’t been exercising on a regular basis lately you should take your time getting back into a regular routine.  Many people fall victim to high levels of muscle soreness and decide that exercise is just too tough or not for them.

The smart thing is to gradually increase the amount of work you do so that soreness is kept to a minimum.  Its normal to feel a little muscle soreness as you adapt to the increasing workloads.  Being so sore that you can barely get out of bed in the morning is NOT the way to go and is not a badge of courage, as some would have you believe.

If you are doing resistance training than make sure to gradually increase the number of repetitions, sets, and/or weight/resistance.  The same goes for your cardiovascular exercise.  For many people its best to increase the amount of time you are walking, riding, etc. and then increase the resistance levels, speed or elevation, especially if you have been sedentary for a while.

If you are short on time, like many of us, consider something like cardio strength training, going from one exercise to another with little to no rest in between.  This will elevate your heart rate, giving you a cardiovascular effect, while challenging your muscles at the same time.  Using multi-joint movements like a bench press or pushup, paired with an antagonistic movement like a row for the back muscles.

The object is to get more work done in a set time period, doing more reps the following workout and/or reducing the length of the workout session.  This type of workout can help build lean muscle tissue and elevate your metabolism.

Variation is very obvious.  In time, your body gets used to what you are doing and needs some variety to keep it challenged.  This can be as simple as taking a new class if you are someone who has spent a lot of time on the treadmill or elliptical.  Both our bodies AND our mind desire new stimuli to challenge us and keep boredom from setting in.  Doing the same movements at a set speed/resistance over and over can lead to a plateau or an overuse injury.

Precision means to make sure you are focusing on your exercise technique and not just going through the motions.  Developing this mind/body awareness can lead to better results as you are able to do more work when you move more efficiently.  It also helps minimize the risk of injury due to improper technique.

Interestingly, a new book on exercise and anti-aging titled Move Into Life addresses some of these very issues.  The author speaks of brain research that shows variation increases the synapses in the brain and that challenging the brain with new tasks is healthy, possibly slowing down the brain dysfunction that is often related to aging.

Last but not least, don’t forget about posture when it comes to exercise.  Many of us spend the majority of our day seated and this can lead to posture issues that need to be addressed before you decide to place a lot of force through your joints with exercise.

I’ll leave you with this link to an article by Dr. Ed Thomas on the importance of posture and some historical methods of dealing with this often neglected issue.

http://www.iowaahperd.org/journal/j02s_posturethomas.html

Get moving!

Brian Morgan

Tweet This Post

Do you want to lose weight and keep it off long-term? Than going on a diet and not exercising is a BAD idea.

Today at my studio is “cardio Monday,” with total body exercises designed to keep your HR up and elevate your metabolism.  I was talking to my client Deandra after the session and she wasn’t fully aware of the connection between muscle and metabolism.

When you go on a diet and lose 15 pounds without exercising, some of that lost weight will be fat, some will be water weight and some will be lean muscle tissue.

This is not a good idea because you will likely put that weight back on over the course of a year, BUT….. you won’t put back the lean muscle tissue.

notice how lean and muscle tissue goes together?

Say you do this yo-yo dieting for 10 years or more, as some people do, and you may have lost 10-15 pounds of lean muscle tissue.

This has two effects:

1 – the loss of muscle tissue means a slower metabolism.

2 – you lost muscle tissue and replaced it with fat, so now you have a less appealing shape than you used to.

Muscle is more dense than fat, taking up less space. So instead of losing weight you should be concentrating on losing fat – there is a difference!

Meaning, don’t worry so much about the scale and instead, try to lose inches and see if your clothes start to fit a little looser.  This is what most people should be worried about.  Having lean muscle tissue is healthy, while having too much fat is not.

Trying to keep weight off long term without exercise is a losing battle for most everyone.  So you should be exercising but also make sure to do some resistance training to keep your metabolism elevated after you are done exercising.

Get moving!

Brian Morgan

Tweet This Post

Finding healthy ways to reduce stress is vital to preventing illness! One of my clients came in on a Monday and was all stressed out.

She told me to really push her through the workout, to help get rid of some frustrations.  She had some unexpected events that increased her stress levels and needed to release it, big time.

This client is a hard worker so my task wasn’t too difficult.  About 35 minutes of work (plus warmup and cooldown) was just what the doctor ordered, or at least that’s what more doctors should prescribe!

We went from one exercise to the next with little rest in between, training all the body’s large muscle groups in a single session.  Monday is cardio day (total body conditioning) and gets the heart rate elevated.

Most people would eat, drink or smoke (or all of the above) to deal with the stress.  Besides not adding to your health, this method doesn’t do anything to actually reduce your frustrations and can cause them to build in the long term.

Can you say heart attack or high blood pressure?  I don’t mean to joke about such a serious matter, but if not released, too much stress can do some serious damage to your health.

Some form of exercise or movement is definitely needed.  Some people may do some yoga to unwind while others will opt for high intensity activity.  Cardio strength training seems to work for my clients and me – different strokes for different folks.

Two or three times a week of higher intensity work and some moderate activity/recreation on the other days gets the job done.  Walking, biking, hiking, jogging or some yoga or tai chi movements will all fit the bill.

If you’re not training for some type of competition, mixing things up will keep your body AND mind fresh.  Keeping your body guessing is a good way to avoid the plateaus that hit the typical gym member.

Another benefit to our workouts is the variety – no two workouts are exactly the same!  The time efficient session also left her with plenty of daylight, so she could enjoy some fishing at the lake with her brother.

Get moving!

Brian Morgan

Tweet This Post

A recent newspaper article interviewed Dr. Oz on staying healthy and fit.  “By the time we are 50, two thirds of how we age will be driven by our lifestyle,” he said.

Doctors don’t change what you put in your mouth – you may need a lifestyle change, according to the doctor.  Here are some tips that he gave:

Don’t travel without snacks. Skip the low-fat “foods” and the 100 calorie snack packs.  Avoid the modified foods and eat nuts, fruits, or veggies instead.  Almonds and an orange or apple is one of my favorites.

Stop drinking diet sodas – diet sodas mess with your body, tasting sweet but not adding any calories.  This can make you want to eat more.  You rarely see thin people who drink several diet drinks daily.  Besides the artificial sweeteners, all that sodium can’t be good for your body.  My suggestion would be trying to drink water instead, to help you feel full and to help eliminate toxins.

Lack of exercise can make you miserable in your later years. Vigorous activity can not only make you look and feel better, it can add “life” to your years.  Don’t spend all your time sitting down and expect to feel full of energy.

Moms need to take care of themselves. Dr. Oz thinks that the most important thing you can do for your kids is to take care of yourself – make time to eat right and exercise.  The short workout routines that we do at my studio are ideal for busy moms who don’t have time to exercise 6-10 hours a week.

Simple bodyweight exercises done in a circuit can be done at home if you can’t get to the gym – think lunges, pushups, planks, and bridges.  Dumbbells, exercise bands or suspension trainers can also add variety to your workouts without taking up much space or investing a lot of money.

This info was borrowed from McClatchy Newspapers.

Get moving!

Brian Morgan

Tweet This Post

What if you could increase your health and reduce your chances of getting the flu at the same time? Would you be interested?

With all the talk about the swine flu and healthcare reform, breaking a sweat can help strengthen your immune system and lower your risk of serious illness.

The effects of being overweight include greatly increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer, yet we hear little talk in Washington of wellness and prevention.

Studies have shown that for every corporate dollar spent on wellness there is a return of two to three dollars, or more.  How much money would we save with a renewed focus on prevention, instead of trying to fix people after they have broken down?

Sweating gets rid of toxins in your skin and the increased rate of breathing with exercise gets rid of even more toxins in your body.  Unfortunately, many people would rather take a pill than put in the work.

This weekend I was at a presentation on flu prevention.  The focus was on what you can do to avoid it without getting a vaccine shot, including chiropractic care and supplements like Vitamin D.  I was in the back to talk to people about coming into my studio for a free week and a vendor with an alkaline water product was also there.

More people seemed interested in taking the water to try and improve their health than in the exercise – maybe because one is passive, while the exercise actually requires some physical effort.

I think many of us have gotten “soft” because of all the modern conveniences we have available.  For thousands of years we have had to work hard to provide food and shelter.

Now, it seems people just want to take a pill for their health, but there is no pill that takes the place of exercise.  Our bodies are designed for movement and function at a higher level when we get adequate movement.

There is no replacement for sweating when it comes to your health and you don’t have to spend hours exercising to see results – you just have to find the right program.

Get moving!

Brian Morgan

Tweet This Post

My fat loss workout burned 457 calories in 30 minutes. What did I do?  Glad you asked.

I only had 30 minutes for my training today so I combined some sandbag exercises with rope training and the X-iser.  I wore my HR monitor to see how many calories I torched.

After Monday’s all sandbag workout I mixed in some other moves for a little variety.  I did burpees combined with sandbag high pulls, alternating between the 30 second (approximately) sprints on the X-iser.

Resting for 30 seconds, I did some of my favorite rope throws – one and two arm grappler’s throws and alternating uppercuts, which is somewhat similar to cross country skiing, only more intense.

I tried to alternate between upper and lower body exercises, in order to keep my intensity high.

I did some various lunges and split squats as part of my warmup.  I also threw in a set of one arm rows on the suspension trainer and a set of ab wheel rollouts to the front and sides (diagonal).

The 30 minutes went by pretty quickly and I stopped my HR monitor to check the damage…..457 calories burned in 30 minutes even.  Of course, your heart rate stays elevated for a while after this type of workout, since you went into oxygen debt with all the short bursts of exercise.

I’ll take those numbers any day of the week.  In a magazine advertisement for the Bowflex Treadclimber they mention 321 calories burned in 30 minutes versus 150 for a treadmill at the same speed but no elevation.

Not bad numbers but not as good as my workout – and with my intense interval training, my metabolism would stay elevated longer after the workout. Plus, I worked my upper body and midsection, too.

More bang for your buck if you ask me.

Get moving!

Brian Morgan

Tweet This Post

Do your feet need any specific workouts or just a nice, cushioned shoe to train in?

Wearing shoes with minimal support can actually strengthen your feet and ankles, as well as improving postural alignment.  The body is a series of links that all work together and a problem with one link (joints) can affect those above or below it.

About 3 years ago I got a pair of Nike Free’s and soon noticed an improvement in my posture.  My walking became more efficient, as my feet now were working harder and “doing their job.”  I wore them around as much as possible and did most of my workouts in them.

They provide very little stability and are very flexible – perfect for strengthening your feet, as they now have to work harder.  Recently, I bought a pair of Vibram Five Fingers.  They are kind of like a surf sock with individual pockets for each toe.

I’ve always had flat feet and also balance issues when standing on one leg.  I could squat with decent weights but had problems when I tried to do balance exercises at different fitness seminars, feeling a little embarrassed.

I really like how the Five Fingers separate your toes so each one has to do their share of the work.  Using them while doing resistance training will help strengthen your lower leg, too.  Since there is a neurological link between your foot/ankle and your hip, you may see improved glute function.  Coach Dan John has reported decreased hip pain from wearing these unique “shoes”.

Those who do martial arts, yoga, and pilates will frequently go barefoot to train their feet and this will give you that barefoot feel with some added traction.  I’m not sure if I would do much running on concrete with them, but softer surfaces would work okay.

I did talk to one guy who wore the Nike Free’s while completing the marathon portion of the Hawaii Ironman and his feet help up very well, with minimal blistering compared to others – according to his post-race massage therapist.

Shoes with excess cushioning – most athletic shoes – can keep the receptors in your feet from sending the appropriate signals to your nervous system.  A strong stimulus to your feet can strengthen the signal to the muscles further up the chain, making them contract a little more.

This is why some lifters wear flat soled shoes like Chuck Taylor’s or occassionally do some lifts while barefoot.  Besides when doing resistance training, I like to just wear them around when at home or when doing joint mobility work or creative movement.

Get moving!

Brian

Tweet This Post

Yesterday I did my first training session with ropes and it was a blast!   If you’ve never heard of doing workouts with ropes, it probably sounds a little strange.

After seeing several videos with Art of Strength founder Anthony Diluglio, I was convinced that there was definitely some value in this.  One, it adds some measure of creativity that is not usually associated with exercise.

While “training” is a part of my lifestyle – something that is just a part of me – I realize that for many people exercise is something to dread, and any way that you can mix things up and add some creative movement is a big plus.

Two, it is a way to do some upper body cardio and take away some of the pounding that occurs with running on hard surfaces.  As a massage therapist, I’ve worked on more than a few runners with overuse injuries and this might give the joints a little break.

Just because something is new and different doesn’t make it better, or even worth while, but I think you will see a lot more of rope training in the near future.

Yesterday just happened to be incredibly warm for February in Illinois, so it was a great chance to get outside and see what the ropes are all about.  I wasn’t dissappointed!  Besides being a lot of fun they provided a great grip workout.

My forearms, biceps, and lats were “pumped”….. and while I’m not into bodybuyilding training, I enjoyed the feeling.  When you watch Anthony on the video you see that there are many different movements that can be done, so I’ve got plenty to work on.

I definitely see this as something to add to my fitness studio circuit, which I plan on opening soon.

Bottom line – find some form of exercise you enjoy and if not, do something that doesn’t take up all your time, being sure to get some quality resistance training in.

If you want more info, go to Art of Strength.

Get moving!

Brian

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

Never seen a shoe with individual pockets for each of your toes?  Well, I just bought a pair called the Vibram Five Fingers and I’ll soon tell you why.

Not long ago I was reading an article about a coach who used these “shoes” to reduce the hip pain that he had been dealing with for about a year.  During this time he saw doctors, massage therapists, and physical therapists, with noone really having any answers.

He decided to give them a try after going to a strength training seminar on kettlebells and seeing them on some of the other participants.  After a week of using these shoes, he noticed his baby toes were now gripping the floor and no longer “sleeping.”

At the end of the week his hip pain was significantly improved.  Your feet and ankles are linked to how your hips function.  The idea of wearing the five fingers is to strengthen the muscles of your feet, improving how well everything further up the chain works.

Shoes that are too rigid or too cushioned can weaken the muscles of your feet, as they don’t have to do as much work as they would otherwise.

I’ve had some problems with my right hip and have a slight bunion on my right foot.  I’m trying to see if these shoes will help.  My baby toes seem to always curl under the toes next to them and I have had some slight balance issues when standing on one leg, in the past.

So I bought my pair yesterday and have been wearing them inside for a few hours at a time.  Getting all your toes into the individual pockets can be a little tricky the first time, especially the last two toes.

The second day was a little easier to get them on.  I wore them during my workout today and they feel a little strange at first, but you get used to them.

The idea is that by stretching out your toes, they will all have to do plenty of work as you walk.  They could be used during yoga or pilates classes, joint mobility training, or weight (resistance) training.  Though, you might get some strange looks or whispers when lifting at the gym.

Since I don’t train at a large commercial facility it doesn’t matter – but I frequently do exercises outside of the mainstream, anyway, so I don’t care how silly these red shoes might look on my size 13’s.

I’ll keep you posted on any changes that might occur.

Get moving!

Brian

Tweet This Post