March 2008 - Posts
By Gina Lombardi
Although we’ve moved our clocks ahead an hour and daylight stays with us a little longer, you still may find yourself doing the same old dark workouts inside the gym. So why not spring forward -- right out the door. Taking your workout outside this spring can recharge your batteries and give you a renewed enthusiasm for exercise.
But first, keep some pointers in mind. When transitioning your indoor workout outside, take things a little slowly at first. Aside from bumps in the road and slippery surfaces to watch out for, you don’t want to overdo it the first time you head for the hills or rough terrain. On the elliptical or treadmill machines in the gym you can manipulate the incline and resistance, but outdoors you are at the mercy of Mother Nature, so you may have to adjust your speed or intensity accordingly. Of course, when heading outside also be sure to bring lots of water and wear sun block and dress in moisture-wicking layers of clothing that you can peel off as you warm up.
And if you’re looking for an entirely new outdoor workout to kick off spring, here’s one of my favorites:
*Warm up. Start off with 5 to 10 minutes of walking, light jogging, jumping jacks or jumping rope. Then perform the following series of exercises all the way through and, if you’re up for more, repeat two to three times.
*Jack squats. Squat down while clapping your hands above your head. Bring your arms to the side when standing up. Repeat 20 times.
*Push-up combo. Do 10 push-ups with your hands on a wall or tree, then 10 with your hands on a bench, then 10 with your hands on the ground.
*Jumping jacks or jump rope. Go for 3 minutes.
*Walking lunges. Start standing tall and then lunge forward with your right leg until your thigh is parallel to the ground. Bring your left leg up as you stand tall and then repeat on the opposite leg. Do 15 reps with each leg.
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By Jay Blahnik
There is a lot of discussion about the correct way to breathe during exercise. While there is limited research on the topic, most experts agree your breathing patterns during exercise should change depending on what activity you are doing.
Why does it really matter? Proper breathing during exercise helps in a few important ways. It makes cardiovascular training more efficient, helps with power and stability during strength and endurance training, and it fosters relaxation during mind/body and flexibility training.
Here are the ins and outs of breathing during exercise:
Cardio training -- When doing cardio training, such as running, cycling or swimming, it is important to remember that breathing and the cadence of the cardio activity may not always be in sync. For example, when cycling up a hill, you may be pedaling a bit slower, but your breathing rate may be high.
The most important thing is to avoid shallow breathing during cardio training whenever possible. Shallow breathing is an indicator that you are either working too hard or have not established a good breathing pattern for the activity you are doing. Try taking stronger, deeper breaths during cardio training (without any feeling of holding your breath), and establish an inhale/exhale pattern that feels comfortable for you. For example, many runners will inhale once during three foot strikes in a row (right, left, right), and then exhale once during the next two foot strikes (left, right).
Strength/endurance training -- When doing strength or resistance training, such as weight lifting, you should generally exhale on the exertion (or most difficult part of the exercise) and inhale on the recovery (easiest part of the exercise). For example, when doing a crunch, you should exhale when you lift your shoulders off the ground, and inhale when you lower your shoulders to the ground.
Another example of this breathing pattern can be found in many Pilates classes. Instructors will often encourage their students to think “inhaling on the preparation for the move,” and “exhaling on the execution of the move.”
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By Kathy Kaehler
St. Patrick’s Day brings out the crowds for parades and lots of Irish food and green beer. So why not keep with tradition and make your workout green, too? I’m referring to environmentally-friendly exercise, of course.
Going green with your workout routine is actually pretty easy to do. Here’s how:
*Get outside. Electrically powered exercise machines at fitness centers and home gyms require a lot of energy to operate. But by taking your workout outdoors, the only energy required is yours. Walking, hiking, biking and jogging are all great cardiovascular activities. Along the way, stop to strength train by using your body weight for resistance with lunges, squats, push-ups, pull-ups, dips and step-ups.
Not only will you get a great workout, you’ll also have lots of fun connecting with the natural world and your community. You can go it alone, enlist a workout partner or even start a workout group in your neighborhood.
*Unplug at home. If outdoor exercise is not an option, try creating a home gym using equipment that, again, requires you to generate the power. Some examples: dumbbells, tubing, kettle bells, jump ropes and self-powered cardio machines such as spinning bikes and rowing machines.
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By Keli Roberts
Do your muscles feel stiff and inflexible? Can’t touch your toes? Not really certain when or how to stretch? Read on: You may find that you’ve been stretching incorrectly all along! Stretching for injury prevention and improved sports performance is misunderstood and steeped in tradition.
First off, you may be surprised to know that there are actually four different types of stretching:
1. Static -- A sustained stretch that is held and leveraged with another limb or against gravity in order to deepen the stretch. Example: Lying on your back and using your arms to pull your legs to your chest.
2. Ballistic -- Your body is placed in a stretched position and then followed with small bounces performed in an attempt to deepen the stretch. Example: Doing the last move and then gently bouncing your legs to your chest. This is NOT recommended, though, because it can cause micro tears in the muscle.
3. Active -- A stretch in which the opposing muscle group contracts and pulls the body into a stretch. Example: Reaching your arms up overhead and pressing back to stretch the upper body.
4. Dynamic – A stretch in which the body or a limb is moved through a range of motion. Example: Extending your arms and then moving them in full circles.
Previously, it was believed that static stretching before exercising would prevent injury. However, many recent studies have demonstrated that this is not the case. Furthermore, it has been established that performing a static stretch prior to any type of muscle contraction slows down and weakens the muscles involved, and thus worsens performance.
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