Category Archives: exercise

Proper Warm-Ups Before Weight Training

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Warming up properly before you do weight training is important in helping to avoid injury to your muscles, and may reduce post-workout aches and pains. A proper warm up increases circulation, giving your muscles more oxygen and conditioning the muscle fibers so they become more pliable.

Though warming up is important, you may be surprised to find that your usual ways of warming up for other forms of exercise may not be optimal when applied to warming up for weight training. In fact, your current warm up routine may contribute to decreased performance and a greater risk of muscle injury.

There are four common mistakes people make in preparation for weight training, which are:

1) Doing 5-10 minutes of cardio – While cardio is great for you to do on a regular basis, it is not ideal before a weight training session. Cardio will burn whatever glycogen is currently stored in your muscles, which is precisely the fuel that you will need for your weight training session. So by doing cardio you are basically going into your exercise session with your energy reserves already partly depleted.

2) Stretching before your weight training session – Because muscle fibers are at their optimal contraction length when resting, when you stretch them they become temporarily weakened, which is not what you want before demanding a lot of work from them. So the best time to stretch is actually after your weight training session. An exception would be to stretch a muscle that is chronically tight, as it is not normally at its optimal length while at rest. You can also help the muscle group you intend to work by stretching its antagonists (opposing muscles). For example, squatting exercises use your quadricep muscles, so you would want to stretch your hip flexors.

3) High rep warm up with low weights – This adds unnecessary lactic acid to your muscles before your workout begins, causing them to burn out more quickly, and reducing performance.

4) Low reps with heavy weights – Doing this will shock your nervous system, muscles and joints, which are not prepared to work at full capacity at the beginning of your workout.

 

A good warm up for weight training that will set you up for optimal performance consists of completing five sets of reps as follows, resting for 45 seconds to a minute between warm up sets:

Set 1) 12 reps using 25% of your target weight

Set 2) 8 reps with 50% of your target weight

Set 3) 5 reps with 75% of your target weight

Set 4) 3 reps with 85% of your target weight

Set 5) 1 rep with 95% of your target weight

Following this technique should prepare your body for the workout it is about to receive without unduly tiring your muscles before you even start, contributing to better performance and fewer injuries.

Good health is a combination of many factors including your nutrition, preventative care, appropriate corrective care and the small choices you make every day in the course of living. If you have questions about this article, your general or spinal health, please ask. We are here to help!

 

Buying the Right Exercise Ball

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Exercise balls can be used to treat back pain and are effective in preventing, reducing and rehabilitating lower back pain in particular. Exercise balls are a wonderful addition to the fitness arsenal, but to get the most out of using one you must choose the right size ball for you. An excellent way to ensure you get the right ball is to schedule a personal consultation with a fitness and rehab professional. However, since that is not always possible, the following are some general guidelines these professionals have developed to help you choose a ball.

There are typically five different diameters of exercise balls to choose from, in centimeters: 45, 55, 65, 75 and 85 cm. They are each designed to fit a certain body type. Your height is not the only determining factor in terms of ball size; your weight and body composition are also considerations.

Be sure the various balls are inflated and available for you to test before purchase. Sit upright on the ball, ensure that your feet are flat on the floor and that your weight is evenly distributed. Your knees should be level with your pelvis, or just slightly lower. This position is key because you want an angle of 90 or greater at the knees and hips, to avoid stressing either of these pivot points. Your ears, shoulders and pelvis should form a vertical line, without your body leaning in any direction to maintain stability. You can check this alignment by gently bouncing up and down.

In general, people 5’ and shorter do best with the 45 cm balls, and people 6’8” and taller do best with the 85 cm balls. If you are heavier than average, you will compress the ball further when sitting on it. Therefore you should consider buying the next ball size up in order to ensure you have the 90-degree angle or greater for your knees and hips.

Also remember that you can adjust the ball somewhat yourself. For example, if the angle of your hips and knees is much greater than 90 degrees, you can deflate the ball a little. This can be useful if you are out of shape and/or new to using an exercise ball, as the flatter ball will be more stable and easier to use. However if you are in better shape or are more experienced with exercise balls, a flatter ball will be less effective at training your back muscles to improve their balancing and stabilizing abilities. If you initially buy a ball and deflate it, you can always add more air later to increase the difficulty level and train your muscles further.

What is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS)?

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Professionals who are Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists (CSCSs) train athletes with the main goal of improving their athletic performance. To accomplish this, CSCSs apply scientific knowledge; carry out sport-specific testing, and they design safe and effective conditioning and strength plans for their clients. They also assist with injury prevention and proper nutrition.  CSCSs also collaborate with and refer to professionals in other disciplines as needed, such as exercise physiologists, kinesiologists, personal trainers, chiropractors and physicians in order to optimize the program and results for their clients. CSCSs work with sports teams and individuals.

In 1985, the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist program was developed in order to recognize individuals who have the knowledge and skills to create effective and safe training programs for athletes. The goal of the program is to raise the standard of quality in strength and conditioning training by ensuring a higher level of competence among CSCSs. There are now over 21,000 CSCSs.

Chiropractors are among those professionals who hold this credential. Chiropractic doctors often work with athletes and are experts in the skeletal system, which combines well with the skills and knowledge gained in the CSCS program. Other professionals who commonly pursue the certification include elite athletes, athletic trainers, strength coaches, physical therapists, personal trainers, educators and researchers. Professionals with the certification usually offer services related to health and wellness, strength training, sports conditioning, endurance training, and weight loss.

Those who wish to obtain the certification must have attained at least a bachelor’s degree or a degree in chiropractic medicine from an accredited institution. They must also have current CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and Automatic External Defibrillator certification. Receiving the certification involves taking an examination, which is offered several times a year in locations all over the US and in other countries.

Once certified, CSCSs must maintain their specialist certification by staying current with evolving skills and knowledge in the fields of strength and conditioning. They maintain their certification by completing a certain number of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) each year, and submitting them to the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NCSA) for approval. Continuing education can be acquired by attending conferences, clinics, symposia, seminars, or workshops. Additional university work in the field, publication of articles in respected journals, and home study can also provide CEUs.

 

References

NCSA Certification. Available at: http://www.nsca-cc.org/cscs/about.html.

Sports Conditioning Services: http://www.sportsperformancecentres.com/fitness-services.html

Do I Really Need to Stretch?

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Stretching is the part of our workout regimen many of us tend to skip. We might say it is because of lack of time, impatience or a feeling that stretching is “pointless.” However it is important that our joints are able to move in various directions with a certain degree of freedom. As our bodies age, we become stiffer and lose the flexibility we had when we were young. Chances are unless you’re a dancer or a gymnast, you’ll have lost that fluid flexibility you had as a child even in your twenties. However, it is never too late to regain enough flexibility to remain youthful and limber by training through stretching. Proper stretching allows us to continue doing our daily tasks into old age, such as reaching that high shelf, bending to pick up a dropped object, or accessing that hidden switch behind an awkward kitchen cabinet.

One reason it’s really important to stretch before working out is that we are likely to use muscles and tendons that are normally inactive. Without flexibility to those muscles, the risk of injury or of tearing those muscles and tendons when used, is higher. If stretching is done correctly before working out, it’s a good prevention against injury, and can also be used to treat injuries as well. Finally, when done properly, stretching simply feels good. It can be a great way to gently start the day or to wind down after work.

Preparing the body for exercise by warming up the muscles by stretching is easy and need not take up much of your time. This will increase the blood flow to your muscles and loosen them up allowing you to exercise without having to worry about injury or being overly sore the next day. Simply warm up the various muscle groups with slow stretches of the joints towards the end of their range of motion; this should cause the feeling of a gentle “pull” being felt in the muscles. Hold the position for up to half a minute and then alternate side or muscle groups. Not only does stretching prevent injury, but it also improves the mechanical efficiency of your body. Stretching prior to exercise means the muscles are stretched and warmed up, allowing them to undergo the full range of motion with less effort when exercising – this means the body’s overall performance is improved.

Other added benefits to stretching include improved circulation to the muscles and joints, alleviating the pains felt post-workout, and stretching can also help to improve your posture. If you find at the end of the day stiff and achy from sitting at a desk all day – try stretching. You might find that you’ll feel instantly better. Regular stretching in your shoulders and neck may help you to maintain a better posture. As a result, this may help to prevent the onset of lower back pain.

 

 

References Used:

[1] http://www.spineuniverse.com/wellness/exercise/incorporating-stretching-your-exercise-routine Accessed October 2011

[2] http://www.healthnewengland.com/newsletters/LivingWell/LW/Livewell13.pdf Accessed October 2011