Posts Tagged ‘exercise’

by Adam Martin

January 6

11:09 am

Friday Fitness: It’s Never Too Late To Get Back In The Game

Hat tip to our avid reader Katha Kissman for finding this one! Watch the vid and then read the commentary below.

Sure the point of the video was to show how exercise helps aging adults avoid disease. But, we already knew that! I think there was a more important lesson. The Tigerettes aren’t exercising, they are PLAYING! Exercise to me means drab elastic sweatpants, monotonous treadmill training and physical torture generally endured under solitary confinement. Let’s spend some time this upcoming weekend playing. Find a lonesome friend or loved one and kick, throw or shoot a ball. Hell, who needs a ball, you can tag, race, swim, jump or crawl to a calorie burn. But for God’s sake, stop sensationalizing exercise and start playing!

This entry is filed under Activities, Fitness.

by Amber Shadwick

October 15

9:35 am

No Comments

Functional Fitness

What exactly is functional fitness?

You hear me talking about functional fitness all the time. My personal fitness philosophy is centered on body weight functional fitness exercises, thus my keen appreciation of my countless plank variations. Nevertheless, “functional fitness” as fitness guru’s coined it describes exercises that help to train your muscles in working together. Thus, there is no “I” in “Team”. Fundamentally functional fitness exercises help prepare our bodies for everyday common movements; movements in which you may engage in at work, at home and or during your leisure time.
Training with functional fitness exercises can be without a doubt very challenging. However, it will help to enhance your current fitness level as well as simplify everyday activities- consequently improving your quality of life!
Functional exercises can be easily done at home and or at the gym. With equipment, and or without equipment. Some gyms offer specific functional fitness classes. Other highly recommended functional outlets are boot camps and yoga classes. Most enthusiastic resistance junkies adhere to functional fitness by incorporating combo exercises into their workout regimens. For those of you who are not sure what a combo exercise is, basically it is an exercise that simultaneously utilizes both upper and lower body muscles. Combo/ functional exercises are a.k.a. multitaskers. Chiefly- “multijoint, multimuscle” exercises.
Some examples of functional fitness/combo exercises are as follows:
• Step-ups with weights
• Multidirectional lunges
• Squats with bicep curls

Step ups with weights replicate walking a flight of stairs and or getting up off the ground. Stand behind a 15-inch platform or step (higher or lower depending upon ability level) – hold weights if desired. Place the right foot on the step, transfer the weight to the heel and push into the heel to come onto the step. Slowly step back down and repeat all reps on the right leg before switching to the left.
Multidirectional lunges prepare your body for common activities, such as vacuuming and yard work. To do a lunge, you keep one leg in place and step out with the other leg — to the front, back and or side. Remember to keep good form. Front and back leg kept with the 90/90 rule- weight in front heel.
Squat with bicep curl use weights or maybe don’t use weight. This exercise mimics the action of lifting an item from the floor. To perform a squat with bicep curl, you start with your feet hip distance apart, stable core, straight spine. Holding the dumbbells (if using weight) at your side, slowly bend through the hips and knees, keeping your weight back in your heels. Bend until your knees reach a 90-degree angle (as if you were sitting in a chair). As you slowly return to the starting position (weight kept in heels), turn your palms toward the ceiling, flex your arms and curl (bicep) the dumbbells in toward your shoulders.

Therefore, your challenge is to get FUNCTIONAL:…
With the given examples above, and or any other body weight combo functional fitness exercises you embrace in your repertoire – I challenge you to perform them today! Spend at least 30 min working specifically on your functional fitness. If you are lacking creativity and are just sticking with the exercises above, for each exercise perform 3 sets of 15 reps.
Creative note: You may aspire to add in renegade rows, planks, plank climbers, plank jacks, sumo squats with upright rows, squats with overhead press, etc., etc., etc.

This entry is filed under Fitness.

by Chef Jen Welper

October 1

12:00 pm

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What to eat before and after a workout!

Now there are a lot of different ideas on what is best to eat before and after a workout. Some people think drinking protein shakes are the best and others are believers in carbohydrate loading. The misconception about carbohydrate loading is that you need to eat a half box of pasta to carbohydrate load; that may put you in a carbohydrate coma instead.

The main idea of eating properly before exercising or even before a 5k, is that you are giving your body enough “fuel” or energy to be able to perform at your maximum potential. Complex carbohydrates such as whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, oatmeal, and whole grain cereals are great to eat before a workout. Complex carbohydrates will break down a little slower in the blood and release glycogen slower, so you don’t burn all your energy at the beginning of your workout. Carbohydrates are stored in the muscle cells themselves, that way your muscles themselves are providing you with energy as you workout. Just remember, you’re providing your body with energy. Don’t eat so much that you weigh yourself down.

Consuming good sources of fruits and vegetables are also important, but pick some of the vegetables that are not quite as high in fiber. This helps avoid stomach cramps during exercise. Such items would be carrots, green beans, asparagus, tomatoes, and cucumbers. These provide good sources of carbohydrates and a little bit of fiber, but not enough to give you discomfort or potential gas.

Protein is the next important ingredient to the balance in your pre-exercise workout. But remember, unless you are competing in an Iron Man contest, you don’t need an excessive amount of protein. Perhaps 2-3 ounces of turkey breast, 2 hard boiled eggs, ½ cup of cottage cheese or maybe even an 8 ounce glass of skim milk should be sufficient amount of protein before a typical workout or 5K.

Make sure you eat something at least 2 hours after your workout is completed. Some great items would be a balance of carbohydrates and protein to refuel the muscles and rebuild them, low fat yogurt and berries, low fat cottage cheese and an apple, two ounces of chicken breast on a slice of whole wheat bread, or even a ½ ounce of nuts with a banana. Either way you need to have a balance of protein and carbohydrates to rebuild your energy stores, your muscle tissue.

The bottom line is to eat good quality carbohydrates and moderate amounts of protein to give you that full feeling and to satisfy you before you exercise. Working out on an empty stomach never is a good thing as you have not filled your take with energy to perform at your best. Small meals throughout the day will keep you feeling fueled throughout the day, so before your workout you should have the energy to exercise at your maximum potential. Hope this helps as you prepare for this year’s Devin’s Dash Memorial 5K!

This entry is filed under Fitness, Nutrition.

by Adam Martin

September 23

10:12 am

No Comments

Friday Fitness: New Target Heart Rate Formula For Women

For the past 40 years, the standard heart rate zone guidelines had been based on studies conducted solely on men. Ohio State University Medical Center cardiologist Martha Gulati has found that women have a different exercise capacity that should be measured using a gender specific formula. A target heart rate zone can help you determine how hard you should be working during aerobic exercise.

Gulati’s study recruited 5,437 women in the Chicago area 30 and older and followed them for over 20 years. Her team conducted stress tests to find that women’s peak heart rates are generally a bit lower than men of the same age. So, she set out to create a more female-friendly equation. Granted the new equation requires a little more math than the previous autonomous model.

Here is a nice graphic courtesy of USA Today to help explain the new formula versus the standard guideline:

This entry is filed under Fitness.

by Alicea Glover

September 21

5:23 pm

No Comments

How to Prevent the Common Cold

It’s that time of year—the time of year when you want to rush into your office and shut the door to keep the germs out; the time of year when you want to stand at least five feet from everyone you talk to; the time of year when you’d rather tap fists instead of shake hands to say hello. Instead of going to those extremes, we’ve got something else that can help you ward off disease… I’m talking about exercise! It is believed that moderate exercise and physical activity throughout the week can reduce the number of colds you get in a year.

You may already know that exercise helps prevent the development of chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, but did you know it can also help you ward off the common cold? The answer is yes! According to the Harvard Medical School, a healthy lifestyle is the single best step you can take toward keeping your immune system strong and healthy. Regular exercise keeps your body strong, alert and ready for battle! According to the publication, exercise contributes directly by promoting good circulation, which allows the cells and substances of the immune system to move through the body freely and do their job efficiently.

So as the temperature begins to change and we enter cold & flu season, remember these healthy lifestyle practices to help you defend against the common cold:

Don’t smoke.
Eat a diet high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and low in saturated fat.
Exercise regularly.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Control your blood pressure.
If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation.
Get adequate sleep.
Take steps to avoid infection, such as washing your hands frequently and cooking meats thoroughly.
Get regular medical screening tests for people in your age group and risk category

Source: “How to Boost Your Immune System,” Harvard School of Medicine

This entry is filed under Healthy Lifestyle.

by Amber Shadwick

September 16

1:11 pm

No Comments

Friday Fitness: Interval Training Workout Routine

In preparation for “Devin’s Dash”, which is simply less then one month away, one of the best ways to spice up your training program- all the while continuing in your preparations for the race-is to cross train: i.e. interval training. Interval training adheres to the principle of adaptation. In “layman’s terms,” the principle of adaptation simply implies that the body will react to the training loads imposed by essentially increasing its ability to cope with those loads. Adaptation occurs during the recovery period, which is after the training session is completed. It is important to understand that interval training works both the aerobic and the anaerobic systems. As both systems are being labored physiological changes occur. These changes include an increase in cardiovascular efficiency (the ability to deliver oxygen to the working muscles) as well as an increased tolerance to the build-up of lactic acid.

During the high intensity effort bursts, the anaerobic system uses the energy stored in the muscles, a.k.a. glycogen. Note: Glycogen is used for the short bursts of activity. The anaerobic metabolism works without oxygen and the by-product is lactic acid. During the high intensity interval, lactic acid builds and oxygen debt is experienced. This explains the burning sensation felt in the muscles during a high intensity bout. However, during the recovery or the low intensity phase (aerobic phase), the heart and lungs work together to repay this oxygen debt and break down the lactic acid.

All in all, interval training simply helps to increase variety, stamina and also adds challenge to any workout. Because of its effectiveness, when doing interval training you can cut back on training time. This, for some- dispite the information above- may be the persuading point! Let’s face it…interval training takes less time and is complemented by an increase in physiological gains… who wouldn’t want to include it into their training program?!

Therefore, this “Fitness Friday” I gladly challenge you to the 30 minute treadmill interval workout charted below:

Time	The Workout	RPE
5 Minutes	Warm up: Start with a moderate pace to gradually warm up	3-4
3 Minutes	Baseline: Increase incline/resistance and speed to slightly higher than comfortable pace. This will be your baseline.	5
3 Minutes	Pyramid Up: Increase the incline/resistance 2% every 15 sec.	7
3 Minutes	Pyramid Down: Decrease incline/resistance 2% every 15 sec.	7
2 Minutes	Baseline	5
3 Minutes	Pyramid Up: Increase the incline/resistance 2% every 15 sec.	7
3 Minutes	Pyramid Down: Decrease incline/resistance 2% every 15 sec.	7
3 Minutes	Baseline	5
5 minutes	Cool down: Slow down to easy pace.	3-4
	Total Workout Time: 30 minutes

This entry is filed under Fitness.

by Amber Shadwick

June 30

5:03 pm

1 Comment

Taking Advantage of the Outdoors

This upcoming 4th of July, declare your Independence from the gym! Start your July with a SPARK of motivation and get OUTSIDE! Studies show there are numerous benefits to exercising outside. Some examples are as follows:

The best part of exercising outside is it’s free! There are no membership fees to explore what’s in your own backyard. You don’t need any special equipment and no matter where you are, it is always available for you to take advantage of.
The air is cleaner. You may be surprised to hear that the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that indoor air is more than twice as polluted as outdoor air.
A free daily dose of Vitamin D. Outdoor exercise is a great way to get your daily vitamin D. FYI: This is especially important if you are overweight — a recent study found that people who are overweight are almost twice as likely to be deficient in vitamin D.
Read the rest of this entry.

This entry is filed under Fitness.

by Adam Martin

June 10

12:58 pm

3 Comments

Friday Fitness: HOW TO DO LESS AND GET MORE! NO GIMMICKS.

A new frontier in the fitness field is emerging and it’s dispelling years of conventional thought. For decades we have been trained to pound the pavement for a long duration at a manageable intensity. As we’ve been taking our sweet time leisurely pedaling or ambling along, a growing collection of individuals are practicing a more effective method.

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is an exercise strategy that improves performance with short training sessions that typically last between 10-20 minutes. HIIT is a repeated combination of short near maximal intensity bouts of activity followed by periods of recovery. In addition to being time effective, HIIT has been shown to significantly increase cardiovascular efficiency as much, and in some cases more, than moderate aerobic training, decrease body fat percentage and increase resting metabolic rate, and improve insulin action. Below are three methods; the 1:2 ratio, 1:3 ratio and the Tabata Method.

Keep in mind that HIIT is only effective if you warm-up and cool down—take the prescribed rest—and is not appropriate for individuals that have preexisting cardiovascular issues. I’d recommend starting with one or two HITT sessions per week and increasing to three or four once you feel your body is ready. Finally, HIIT training can be used during any modality of exercise whether that’s cycling, running, elliptical, swimming or rowing.

1:2 Ratio

A 1:2 exercise session consists of 30 seconds of high-intensity aerobic exercise at about 70-80% of your maximum effort. This 30-second session of intense exercise is followed by 60 seconds of low-intensity exercise at about 30% of your maximum (30 seconds followed by 60 seconds is a 1:2 ratio).

This is a total of 90 seconds and completes one interval. Repeat this cycle for 6-8 intervals depending on your fitness level.

HIIT 1to2 Friday Fitness: HOW TO DO LESS AND GET MORE! NO GIMMICKS.

1:3 Ratio

For a 1:3 ratio workout start at 90% of your maximum for 30 seconds followed by 90 seconds at 30% effort. Notice that the “rest” period is 3 times as long as the exercise period but the intensity level is higher than in the 1:2 routine.

Thirty-seconds of high-intensity exercise followed by 90 seconds of “rest” is a two-minute interval. Repeat 4-5 times, then cool-down. Exercise time for this workout: 8-10 minutes!

HIIT 1to3 Friday Fitness: HOW TO DO LESS AND GET MORE! NO GIMMICKS.

Tabata Method

Dr. Izumi Tabata is a Japanese exercise physiologist at the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo, Japan where he has been researching HIIT training in competitive athletes. When he and his colleagues experimented with the interval ratios they made a startling discovery.

By changing the ratio from 1:2 to 2:1, he found that the greatest benefits came from exercising at very high-intensity (at or near 100% effort) for very short durations. A Tabata workout would consist of 20 seconds of all-out effort followed by 10 seconds of rest (a 2:1 interval ratio). This creates a 30 second interval that is repeated 8 times for a total of 4 minutes! With warm-up and cool-down, this is a 14 minute workout!

The amazing thing is how well this workout routine seems to work. The competitive athletes that Tabata tested showed a 28% increase in their aerobic fitness while a control group that did more traditional cardio training showed little increase over the testing period.

HIIT Tabata Friday Fitness: HOW TO DO LESS AND GET MORE! NO GIMMICKS.

This entry is filed under Fitness.

by Cheney Maddox

May 12

12:12 pm

3 Comments

What does fitness mean to you?

As television sets made their way into living rooms across America in the 1950’s, President Dwight Eisenhower decided to take a stand against the decline in physical activity by establishing the President’s Council on Youth Fitness. This council was created to raise awareness on the importance of regular physical activity.

Later on in 1983, the President’s Council declared May as National Physical Fitness Month, challenging every American to make physical activity and sports something to try every day – whether it’s playing on a softball team, training for a race, walking the dog or just watering the garden.

What does fitness mean to you? Fitness is not running a marathon or lifting heavy weights, fitness is being able to perform physical activity and having the energy and strength to feel as good as possible.

Unfortunately to many people, fitness has become a chore. Exercise is a dreaded activity – even though it is what our bodies were essentially made to do. Physical activity is not only a necessity for a strong body and clear mind, but it also helps to prevent obesity related diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Here at H3, fitness is one of the three core elements to our successful Healthy Lifestyle™ program. Without this component, you will have a hard time reaching your end goals. Here, fitness comes in the form of sunrise beach walks, beach boot camps, biking tours, kayaking adventures, dance classes, tennis camps and more. Fitness doesn’t have to be miserable – it’s meant to be fun and enjoyable.

Fitness means different things to different people, but really it comes down to being able to live your healthiest life. From staff to Guests, listen to what they had to say about what fitness means to them.

This entry is filed under Fitness.

by Amber Shadwick

March 29

4:16 pm

No Comments

Are you working out the F.I.T.T. way?

The F.I.T.T. Principle in exercise is a set of rules that help you get the most out of your workouts.

Frequency: how often you exercise

- 3-5 days per week

- 30 minutes or more of Moderate-intensity PHYSICAL ACTIVITY is preferable on MOST days of the week for health related benefits.

- For those exercising at a lower intensity, exercising more than 3 days per week may be needed to achieve the caloric expenditure associated with weight loss and fitness goals.

- NOTE: Vigorous training is not recommended 7 days per week. Including “light days” can reduce risk of injury and aid in adherence.

Intensity: how hard you work during exercise

- Target Range of 150-400 kcal (kcal=fitness calorie) of physical activity and/or exercise energy expenditure per day.

- 10 minutes of exercise = 100 kcal, thus 30 minutes = 300 kcal; 60 minutes = 600 kcal

- Energy expenditure (through exercise or physical activity) in excess of 2,000 kcal/week has been shown to be successful for both short- and long-term weight control.

- The RPE Scale (Rate of Perceived Exertion) is another method used to measure intensity. An RPE between 3-6 (on a 0-10 scale) elicits a “Moderate” to “Hard” intensity.

- The “Talk Test” is yet another method used to structure intensity levels.

Time: how long you exercise

- 30-60 minutes of continuous or intermittent activity. Therefore 10 minute bouts accumulated throughout the day are acceptable.

- Warm-up/cool-down (5-10 minutes each) not included in the 30-60 minutes.

Type: what type of activity you’re doing

- Repetitive type movements (rhythmic in nature) that employ large muscle groups.

- Examples: Thermal Walks, Brisk walking, Biking, Jogging, Swimming, Aerobics, Kickboxing, Water Aerobics, Dancing, etc.

Using the F.I.T.T. principle can help you vary your exercise and make the most of your fitness efforts. To change things up , you could add another day of walking (changing your exercise Frequency), walk faster or add some running (changing the Intensity), walk for a longer period of time (changing the Time) or try something different like swimming or cycling (changing the Type).

This entry is filed under Fitness.

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