Hide

Error message here!

Lost your password? Please enter your email address. You will receive a link to create a new password.

Error message here!

Back to log-in

Close
tai-chi

The Benefits of Adding Tai Chi to Your Exercise Regimen

/25 September 2017/ All MFN blog/

“Tai Chi is better than a glass of wine!”

The above quote is an actual proclamation from one of my students at the end of class one night. Let’s take some time to look through all the things that you can expect from learning this relaxing, slow martial art.

Because Tai Chi offers a slow, meditative approach to movement, some people question it as an exercise modality since the aerobic component is not high. You should not dismiss it, however, simply because you might not break a sweat doing it! The intensity of this form of exercise can be increased or decreased depending on the depth of the postures and the duration of practice. It is certainly a low-impact form of exercise which is beneficial to people with existing joint issues and to people who want to avoid joint issues.

Let’s take a look at both the scientifically proven benefits and the anecdotal benefits that occur with the regular practice of Tai Chi.

Physical benefits

As you would expect, there are many physical benefits when one practices any form of exercise over a period of time. The benefits that research has proven with the regular practice of Tai Chi are surprisingly far-reaching, especially in our current climate of anti-aging remedies. The Mayo Clinic lists some of the benefits of Tai Chi as:

  • Improved aerobic capacity
  • Increased energy and stamina
  • Improved flexibility, balance and agility
  • Improved muscle strength and definition
  • Enhanced quality of sleep
  • Enhanced functioning of the immune system
  • Reduction in blood pressure
  • Reduction in joint pain
  • Improved symptoms of congestive heart failure
  • Reduction in the risk of falls in older adults

That list is impressive just by itself! There are other studies that have proven improvement for those who live with chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia, Parkinson’s disease, osteoarthritis, COPD and others. It has also been proven to improve bone mineral density in elderly women. One study (Tai Chi Chuan: an ancient wisdom on exercise and health promotion) even stated that, “The long-term practice of Tai Chi Chuan can attenuate the age decline in physical function . . . .” It’s no secret that we are living longer now due in part to medical advances. It can be argued that we are not necessarily living better, however. The practice of Tai Chi can possibly be one of the ways we are able to increase the enjoyment of our later years because of the improvements it provides in physical function.

One of the biggest concerns of aging is falling. Obviously, the physical detriment of broken bones or concussions or even just severe bruising are difficult for the aging population to deal with. The mental effect of being scared it will happen again is even worse, however. There are many studies that show a rapid decline in independence after just one fall. Clearly, working on balance is an important concept to help prevent falls. In a meta-study, authors Wong and Lan wrote in “Tai Chi and Balance Control” that, “recent studies substantiate that Tai Chi is effective in balance function enhancement and falls prevention.” They also concluded that, “Tai Chi improves static and dynamic balance, especially in more challenging sensory perturbed condition.” A different study on the effect of 4-and 8-week intensive Tai Chi training on balance control in the elderly concluded that, “even 4 weeks of intensive Tai Chi training are sufficient to improve balance control.” Anecdotally, I have witnessed this in the classes I teach. Many of my students comment on the marked improvement in their balance. One student in particular related the story of how she and her husband were hiking and she was getting frustrated because she felt unstable going over the rocks. Then she remembered her Tai Chi training and started to incorporate some of the principles of columns and weight shift, and she immediately felt more balanced and in control on their hike!

One of the other anecdotal effects that I have seen in my classes is weight loss with Tai Chi. It is not something that people express as a goal when they start Tai Chi, however, I have had several students who have admitted that beneficial weight loss has been a side effect of their training.

Mental benefits

The benefits of Tai Chi are not only substantiated as physical benefits. There are important mental and emotional benefits as well. Let’s return to the list of benefits from the Mayo Clinic. They also list the following as resulting from practicing Tai Chi:

  • Decreased stress, anxiety and depression
  • Improved mood
  • Improved overall well-being

And I would add the following to that list:

  • Increased mental focus
  • Improvement in working memory/executive function
  • Social enjoyment and interaction

The studies concerned with the effect of Tai Chi on psychological well-being are not as conclusive as the studies on the physical benefits due in part to the obvious reliance on subjective measures. In general, however, the studies do demonstrate beneficial effects in regard to practicing Tai Chi for depression, anxiety, stress management and mood disturbance. One study on the therapeutic benefits of Tai Chi exercise (Kuramoto AM) states that, “Tai Chi can influence older individuals’ functioning and well being . . . and the positive effects of Tai Chi may be due solely to its relaxing, meditative aspects.” Just the other day, I had a student comment to me after class that, “It always seems that whatever I’m dealing with on a particular day just eases back into the proper perspective when I’m done with Tai Chi. It obviously doesn’t make the problem go away, but it feels like I can approach it with a better mindset and a healthier attitude.” That’s really the beauty of Tai Chi. It’s not some mystical, magical force or religion. In one study that measured heart rate, adrenaline, cortisol and mood during Tai Chi (Jin P), “Relative to baseline levels, subjects reported less tension, depression, anger, fatigue confusion and state-anxiety. They felt more vigorous and in general, they had less total mood disturbance.” In another meta-analysis regarding Tai Chi exercise and the improvement of health and well-being in older adults (Yau MK), “There is considerable evidence that Tai Chi has positive health benefits; physical, psychosocial and therapeutic. Furthermore, Tai Chi does not only consist of a physical component, but also sociocultural, meditative components that are believed to contribute to overall well-being.” This same study concluded that, “It is recommended as a strategy to promote successful aging.” That’s quite an endorsement! You might say that Tai Chi comes close to being a fountain of youth for those that practice it!

In my own experience, I have seen the improvement in mental focus and working memory. If you are not “in the moment” and really thinking about your movements and how to apply the principles of Tai Chi . . . you will get lost! You can’t think about what’s for dinner that night, or the fight that you had with your spouse the night before. You must focus your mind on the task at hand and that actually causes a relaxation and meditative effect. Because many of the movements force you to cross the midline, you are also forcing your brain to function in a different pattern by making the left side talk with right side. Jean Blaydes Madigan, a neurokinesiologist states that, “Crossing the midline integrates brain hemispheres to enable the brain to organize itself. When students perform cross-lateral activities, blood flow is increased in all parts of the brain, making it more alert and energized for stronger, more cohesive learning. Movements that cross the midline unify the cognitive and motor regions of the brain.” Wow! You are actually making your brain function better on all levels with the simple practice of Tai Chi!

In two different meta-studies concerned with the cognitive performance in healthy adults (Zheng, G, et. al and Wayne PM, et.al), they both concluded that “Tai Chi shows potential protective effects on healthy adults’ cognitive ability. Tai Chi shows potential to enhance cognitive function in older adults, particularly in the realm of executive functioning.” Executive function is defined on WebMD as “ a set of mental stills that help you get things done.” Who doesn’t need to get more things done in their life?? And unfortunately, if we don’t work at it, executive function declines as we age https://holisticdental.org/klonopin-for-anxiety/.

The last point I want to mention about the benefits of practicing Tai Chi is the most subtle, but certainly a very important point, especially as we age. I see a community develop in my classes that is so strong, it supports each member and provides a social interaction that is rare in our society. Many studies have shown that for successful aging, people need to be involved and to interact with each other. My students come to class to enjoy the benefits of Tai Chi . . . but they also come to class to enjoy the social interaction and support from their classmates. This kind of support and interaction can happen in any number of different venues, of course. I think the combination of the relaxing atmosphere, a non-intimidating, simple to move kind of exercise and the joint experience of learning something new that has a calming influence on your mood is un-paralleled in the exercise world. Tai Chi brings together your physical well-being with your mental and social well-being in a unique experience that can be practiced for years. Better than a glass of wine, indeed!

Dianne Bailey has been providing professional weight management and sports conditioning training for individuals since 2002 and opened The Conditioning Classroom, a private personal training studio, in 2006. She earned the prestigious designation of Certified Sports Conditioning Specialist from the National Sports Conditioning Association in 2007. In addition, Dianne is a Certified Tai Chi Instructor (level 1) through the American Tai Chi and Qigong Association and leads the Tai Chi program here at the studio.

logo-phit

The PHIT Act: Insurance Reimbursement for Fitness Trainers?

/13 September 2017/ All MFN blog/

Senior Woman Holding Fitness Sign With Family In BackgroundThe PHIT Act (Personal Health Investment Today) H.R. 1218 (U.S. House of Representatives) & S.2218 (U.S. Senate) is pending legislation that expands the IRS definition of a medical expense to include physical activity as a form of prevention.  The practical impact of this definitional change would allow consumers to use their pre-tax medical accounts (HSAs & FSAs) on physical activity expenses to promote healthy lifestyles.  The PHIT Act is an innovative concept that helps address two major Congressional concerns: (1) rising health care costs (2) the budget deficit. The rise in sedentary lifestyles is a major contributor to higher obesity rates and an increased incidence of expensive, preventable chronic illnesses. The PHIT Act will help reverse the ‘Inactivity Pandemic’ by providing an economic incentive to invest in physical activity.  If enacted, physical activity expenses could be reimbursed using money in pre-tax medical accounts.

THE PHIT ACT:  GREAT FOR THE FITNESS INDUSTRY

With nearly 82 million Americans who are physically inactive, working out in a health club, attending a group fitness class, or hiring a personal fitness trainer are three ways that Americans of all ages can get off the couch and moving.

“The best way to address our health care crisis is to improve health through exercise and physical activity,” says Tom Cove, president/CEO, Sports & Fitness Industry Association (Silver Spring, MD). “Being a member of a health club can be a great way to stay physically active for a lifelong physical activity that can make a difference in the health of Americans.  The PHIT Act will encourage increased participation in fitness activities.”

To encourage your local Congressman and two U.S. Senators to pass the PHIT (Personal Health Investment Today) Act, PHIT America has created an electronic letter on its website (PHITAmerica.org) which can be sent to members of Congress on Capitol Hill, asking them to co-sponsor and support the PHIT Act.

phit-pepHOW WOULD THE PHIT ACT WORK?

Currently, pre-tax medical accounts are primarily used for reimbursement of medical expenses once you become sick.  The PHIT Act would allow taxpayers to place up to $2,000 a year in existing pre-tax medical accounts for reimbursement of physical activity expenses.

By attaching a financial incentive to a physically active lifestyle, it will result in improving the health of all Americans. The PHIT Act will put prevention in our health care system and increase spending in the fitness industry.

“The PHIT Act would allow funds to be applied to most fitness expenses, such as fitness equipment purchases (treadmills, elliptical machines, stationary bikes), health club memberships, group fitness classes, and fees for personal fitness trainers,” says Jim Baugh, founder, PHIT America, the non-profit cause working to get the PHIT Act passed.

The PHIT Act will also cover physical activity expenses such as sports league registration fees; pay-to-play fees;entry fees for 5K runs, triathlons, & marathons; and sport-specific equipment purchases such as golf clubs, baseball bats, soccer cleats, basketballs, and protective gear for baseball, football, and ice hockey.

Learn more at about PHIT Act legislation.

Electronic bathroom scale and glucometer with result of measurem

Going Beyond Diabetes Treatment: Exercise!

/10 August 2017/ All MFN blog/

There are many treatments for Type II Diabetes (which will be referred to simply as diabetes in this article) but none come with the level of benefits seen by the implementation of a proper exercise program. This is a tall order but exercise is effective for the treatment of insulin resistance and diabetes in three areas. These areas are inflammation, the cell mitochondria (where the cell generates power), and hyperinsulinemia (high blood insulin).2 Treating these areas with exercise goes beyond the benefits of treating just diabetes. In turn, you will be helping prevent other health issues associated with diabetes such as heart disease, stroke, and circulation issues. The questions is how does exercise do this and what kind of exercise is necessary?1

To understand how exercise treats diabetes, it is important to understand that diabetes is the end result of insulin resistance. Insulin resistance can be illustrated in that: when we eat something with carbohydrates or sugar, our body breaks it down into blood sugar known as glucose. This glucose triggers a response from our pancreas to produce the hormone insulin. Insulin in turn shuttles the blood sugar into the cells to be used as energy. However, when someone becomes insulin resistant the cells do not respond to the insulin’s attempt to shuttle the blood sugar into the cell, so the pancreas produces more insulin to get the same job done. In essence, the cells are developing a tolerance to the insulin and in order to get the blood sugar absorbed the cells begin to require more and more insulin to do the same job. This leads to the blood retaining the blood sugar for prolonged periods of time as well as an elevated presence of insulin. When someone has prolonged high blood sugar, we call this hyperglycemia and the person is said to be diabetic. Having high blood sugar is dangerous due to the stress it places on cells. It can cause many problems up to and including death.

In the area of inflammation, it is known that not all inflammation is the same. Inflammation can be acute — meaning it is brought on for a short period of time — which happens with activities such as exercise or when tissue undergoes some sort of trauma. Inflammation can also be chronic, meaning it is persistent and recurrent.

Acute inflammation is necessary, and healthy, because it begins the healing and repair process by bringing in white blood cells, and ridding the tissue of damaged cells. Inflammation is required otherwise the body would be unable to heal.

Chronic inflammation can be found in many conditions, such as autoimmune diseases, prolonged injury/infection, obesity, diabetes and other chronic diseases. When inflammation remains present, even at a low level, it begins to damage the body’s cells. Science now knows that:2

  • Obesity creates a level of chronic inflammation.
  • Inflammation is the precursor to every chronic disease including heart disease, arthritis, and cancer.
  • Inflammation suppresses the insulin signaling pathway (how insulin and your cells communicate) which is believed to be related to a reduction of a heat shock protein, this protein however, can be increased through exercise.
    • Increases of the protein begin after the first session of exercise.3

You may remember from science class the power generator of the cell is the mitochondria. This is where the energy is created from fatty acids and glucose. It is now believed that when the mitochondria of the cell becomes dysfunctional, less fatty acids are taken in, elevating fat (lipids) in the blood, and increasing fat storage. It is also believed that the cell becomes dysfunctional as a result of insulin resistance. This relationship may then further feed into the increased body fat and increased inflammation. Further scientific studies in this area have determined that:

  • Proper exercise increases mitochondrial efficiency, proper exercise being summarized as:
    • No less than 150 minutes of moderate activity per week but ideally more than 250 (start light and increase intensity).
    • Incorporate a combination of resistance exercise (i.e. calisthenics and weights) and cardiovascular exercise.
    • Supervision by a registered clinical exercise physiologist if two or more chronic conditions are present is recommended.4
    • Exercising following an interval training protocol ranging from 70-90% of maximal heart rate may provide superior results if tolerable by participant.5
  • It is well known that aerobic training increases the number of mitochondria in muscle fibers in order to increase the delivery of oxygen to the muscle. More mitochondria means more energy that can be generated within the cell.

Hyperinsulinemia is best described as an elevated level of insulin relative to the amount of glucose (blood sugar) present in the blood. This may be the truest indicator of someone who is insulin resistant and about to become diabetic.6 In the beginning, it was illustrated how insulin resistance develops, and it being characterized as requiring more insulin to do the same job. This additional insulin is the definition of hyperinsulinemia. When someone has hyperinsulinemia it can be expected that in a matter of time, even higher levels of insulin will be required as the cell increases its tolerance to the insulin. Eventually the pancreas will not be able to produce the level of insulin required to lower blood sugar and the person will be said to have hyperglycemia, and will be classified as diabetic. When someone is experiencing hyperinsulinemia, they are already experiencing inflammation, and a weakening of the insulin signaling pathway (ways the cells communication for glucose uptake), and likely a dysfunction of the mitochondria, which in turn may magnify the issue further.

What is known is:

  • Exercise lowers glucose in the presence of insulin, and thus exercise will lower both glucose and insulin levels.
  • If you’re currently diabetic and taking insulin, the amount may likely need reduced prior to exercise.
  • Consistent proper exercise may lead to the need to have a physician re-evaluate dosage or usage of insulin and/or pills (i.e. metformin). Never discontinue use of a medicine without consulting with your physician.

Proper exercise not only goes beyond the treatment of diabetes to the treatment of the cause (insulin resistance), it helps prevent other health issues that stem from diabetes. Health issues such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, and issues with circulation dramatically decrease with exercise. Also, remember diabetes aside exercise reduces risk of nearly every chronic disease.1

Jeremy Kring holds a Master’s degree in Exercise Science from the California University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelor’s degree from Duquesne University. He is a college instructor where he teaches the science of exercise and personal training. He is a certified and practicing personal/fitness trainer, and got his start in the field of fitness training in the United States Marine Corps in 1998. You can visit his website at jumping-jacs.com

References

  1. Booth, F. W., Roberts, C. K., & Laye, M. J. (2012). Lack of exercise is a major cause of chronic diseases. Comprehensive Physiology, 2(2), 1143–1211. http://doi.org/10.1002/cphy.c110025
  2. Ye, J. (2013). Mechanisms of insulin resistance in obesity. Frontiers of Medicine, 7(1), 14–24. http://doi.org/10.1007/s11684-013-0262-6
  3. Matos, M. A. de, Ottone, V. de O., Duarte, T. C., Sampaio, P. F. da M., Costa, K. B., Fonseca, C. A., … Amorim, F. T. (2014). Exercise reduces cellular stress related to skeletal muscle insulin resistance. Cell Stress & Chaperones, 19(2), 263–270. http://doi.org/10.1007/s12192-013-0453-8
  4. Moore, G. E., Durstine, J.L., & Painter, P. (2016). ACSM’s exercise management for personals with chronic diseases and disabilities. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
  5. Roberts, C. K., Hevener, A. L., & Barnard, R. J. (2013). Metabolic Syndrome and Insulin Resistance: Underlying Causes and Modification by Exercise Training. Comprehensive Physiology, 3(1), 1–58. http://doi.org/10.1002/cphy.c110062
  6. Paniagua, J. A. (2016). Nutrition, insulin resistance and dysfunctional adipose tissue determine the different components of metabolic syndrome. World Journal of Diabetes, 7(19), 483–514. http://doi.org/10.4239/wjd.v7.i19.483
Personal Trainer, Gym, Pull Down Machine, Exercising, Assistance

Training the Older Adult Client – Part IV: Key Corrective Exercise Patterns for the Shoulders

/8 August 2017/ All MFN blog/

Welcome to the 4th installment of this edition of Integrative Movement Insider™ (IMI) where we’ve been discussing a few of the key concepts and corrective exercise patterns we use when training our older clients.

In the previous video we discussed how to implement the foundational concepts of the Integrative Movement System Corrective Exercise Strategy™ – improve our clients’ awareness, pay attention to the small details, and help your clients earn-the-right – to help our older clients successfully work towards achieving their health and fitness goals.

In Video 1, we discussed one of our go-to corrective exercise patterns for improving glute function and hip mobility. In Video 2 of the series, I shared with you one of the key corrective exercise patterns we use to improve scapular stability and overall head and thorax alignment.

If you missed either video you can access those videos here: Video 1 and Video 2

In the third video of the series, I’ll share another one of our go-to corrective exercise patterns for improving overhead shoulder range of motion.

You can be the specialist your current – as well as potential – clients need, want, and will seek out to help them safely and effectively work towards accomplishing their health and fitness goals.

By helping our older clients become aware of the factors that are within their control and helping them become more aware of their posture and movement we empower them for success.

By paying attention to the simple things like alignment, breathing, and control we can help our older clients address many of the underlying issues that are leading to chronic tension, discomfort, and/or the loss of performance.

By helping our clients ‘earn-the-right’ by appropriately progressing their patterns we empower them to safely and effectively work towards achieving their health and fitness goals.

If you like this information and want to learn more about how to develop your confidence and expertise in working with older clients that have Chronic back tightness, Degenerative joint disease, or Spinal stenosis and other issues related to the trunk and spine, then consider joining us for our one-day events. We share these concepts in our one-day, intensive training – Corrective and Progressive Exercise for the Older Client: The Trunk and Spine-Level I.

You will leave this training with the tools and strategies you need to successfully work with and attract older clients. You won’t think the same about training this population after attending this workshop!

Dr. Evan Osar is the developer of the Integrative Movement Specialist™ certification designed specifically to aid the fitness professional establish themselves as an invaluable part of their client’s health care team. In addition to his chiropractic degree, Dr. Osar has earned national certifications through the American Council on Exercise (ACE), National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), and The Soma Institute – National School for Clinical Massage Therapy. He is the founder of Fitness Education Seminars, an education company with the mission of helping trainers and therapist recognize their role as a part of the solution to the health care crisis.

running-sunrise

Take Charge of Your Future Health & Fitness Future: Become Relentless

/26 July 2017/ All MFN blog/

It occurred to me recently that the only true answer to the question of how can we best accomplish our health and fitness goals consistently – and save our own lives – was to “become relentless”. I recognized this trait in myself as a boy on Maui and today I know that it is how I have maintained a high level of fitness over more than six decades of my life. I decided early on to never let myself “get out of shape”. I always wanted to be fit. In making this choice I became committed to my purpose: Never make excuses and treasure the physical gifts I had been given by always training as though today were my last on earth.

This article addresses three key principles to becoming relentless and exercising the control over your choices that only YOU can make. Nothing in life is more important than our health and if we lose it – we may never be able to get it back. We also cannot become fit because our health is a precursor to overall fitness achievement. I understand that we are confronted every day by challenges and that some of the circumstances we face are beyond our control. However, I also DO believe that the power we exercise in making our choices is always within our control. Do you want to live a fulfilling and healthy, happy, and fit life – or not? The choice is yours!

NO EXCUSES!

In my world there are no such things as excuses. We either commit to our own health and fitness future – or we don’t. There is no “in between”. I am asked frequently by people at the gym how many days I work out and my answer is always the same”. I train EVERY day if I am not sick or injured because I never want to “go backwards” and lose all the gains I have made. Every new day presents each of us with the opportunity to train mentally, physically and spiritually. What do you do to plan your day with your health and fitness needs in mind?

Most Americans are eating and sitting their way to an early death by not considering these important needs. It is as though they have turned off their brains and disconnected them from their bodies. I see this behavior every day and this pattern of “thoughtlessness” WILL become chronic if not changed. This “way of thinking” by parents then gets passed down to their children.

I see potentially obese children stuffing their faces with French fries while their parents model behaviors that are truly unhealthy. Technology is a now a major part of how

we interact with one another and this poses additional challenges for a healthy exchange of ideas and knowledge. We are “buried in our devices”!

The KEY here is NEVER MAKE EXCUSES! There is ALWAYS time to exercise your mind, spirit and body. MAKE the time. If you are not sick or injured commit yourself to your own “renewed” purpose: Train every day and NEVER LOOK BACK! Today is all any of us get. Do you want to waste while in making excuses about why you couldn’t take that walk, eat that salad, or meditate for a few moments on what you are grateful for in your life? I hope not. Regret is a terrible burden to carry into your future. Be Relentless!

LIGHT YOUR INNER FIRE!

The only true motivation is “inner inspiration”. I was inspired as a boy through my swimming coach at the time to strive for excellence and to use my talent to its highest potential. He saw me as a potential champion – even at the age of 8 – and I trained accordingly. The “fire was lit” by his belief in me and his encouragement during our training sessions. He gave me the strength to endure the many hours of repetition that it took to become skilled for competition.

I remember the joy I felt when I met with my teammates before practice. We were all friends and were close in age. The training was difficult at times but it gave me the understanding of how to become a better swimmer and maximize my talent. I knew the hard work would pay off and it did when we competed against other teams. I loved the competitive “fire” within me because it gave me purpose and a feeling of accomplishment when the training came together during our races.

This “inner fire” cannot be given to you. It has to be generated from within you. You have to “own it”. We can hire coaches to help us by inspiring and encouraging us but we have to do the work of “lighting the fire” for ourselves. It IS within each of us and this is our POTENTIAL. Don’t short change yourself. We ARE capable of accomplishing great things if we believe in our potential. This is what my swimming coach on Maui gave me when I was just beginning life as a swimmer: The belief in myself that I could become a champion.

I never forgot these lessons or his belief in me. I carried this “fire” within me during the many years that followed all the way up to this – my 71st year. I am capable of so much more today because I believed in myself and knew that every day was a gift that I could use to move myself forward – or I could have let my circumstances let me “slip” into obscurity and mediocrity. I REFUSE to live in mediocrity and I encourage you to not let this thought overwhelm you and stop you from pursuing excellence in your own life. Be relentless!

STAY THE COURSE!

Once you have decided to commit yourself to your health and fitness goals – STAY THE COURSE! Never let excuses or sloppy thinking prevent you from reaching for the “greater within you”. I have suffered badly these last 6-8 months from painful feet (plantar fasciitis) – a debilitating inflammatory condition at the bottom of both my feet characterized by searing pain. “It is often referred to as an “overuse” injury. Fifty three years of running can have this type of effect and it DID catch up to me!

It progressed to swelling in my right calf and ankle brought on by what I suspect was tearing of the soft tissue. I have not been able to run during this time so I substituted the lifecycle for cardio training and as a form of rehab it has served its purpose but I miss running very much. I KNOW that I am improving with the addition of my stretching program and new strength training methods but this time has served as a reminder to me that no matter what we do we are vulnerable to age, injury, and pain.

I have stayed the course with my training but I also know that at 70 I am not going to escape the possibilities of additional injury. I believe in the benefits of training so deeply, however, that I will NOT let anything stop me from my appointed training sessions. My time as a swimmer taught me that every action we take in support of our goals can propel us to becoming more than we ever dreamed possible.

What is your dream and what are you willing to do to fulfill it? I am willing to do what is necessary to see mine come true: Help the world become “more” by focusing all our energy on becoming happy, healthy and FIT! Be relentless!

IN CONCLUSION

Take time TODAY and review your mental. physical and spiritual needs and desires. Make an appointment with yourself that you WILL “show up” each day to work on advancing your health and fitness goals. DECIDE today to never let a moment “slip away” from you that could have moved you closer to becoming the person you were meant to be.

DECIDE TO BECOME RELENTLESS! Don’t make excuses, not the light the fire within you or NOT stay the course that you have set before you. Decide to be EXCELLENCE and pursue that idea every day – regardless of the circumstances or challenges you face. My feet will run again but I am taking the time right now to appreciate all that they have done for me over past 70 years!

Appreciate and be grateful for all that you have been given and start your day in gratitude and forgiveness. These two traits alone are omnipotent. I never will take today for granted because it is all I have. Your journey – and mine as well – has just begun. Cherish every moment and BE RELENTLESS!

Originally printed on HealthyNewAge.com. Reprinted with permission from Nicholas Prukop.

Nicholas Prukop is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer & a Health Coach, a fitness professional with over 25 years of experience whose passion for health and fitness comes from his boyhood in Hawaii where he grew up a swimmer on Maui. He found his calling in writing his first book “Healthy Aging & You: Your Journey to Becoming Happy, Healthy & Fit” and since then he has dedicated himself to empowering, inspiring and enabling people of all ages to reach for the best that is within them and become who they are meant to be – happy, healthy and fit – and be a part of a world where each person can contribute their own unique gifts to life.

Two women doing yoga workout at gym

Exercising with Arthritis

/17 July 2017/ All MFN blog/

Although it comes in many forms throughout the body, in general arthritis is an inflammation. There are various reasons that this condition occurs, but one thing is for sure — it can affect a person of any age and in many different situations.

senior-yoga-water

Evolution of Medical Fitness

/4 May 2017/ All MFN blog, Conditions/

Once upon a time, exercising used to have a uniform and a regiment specific for men and women. Men would suit up in short shorts, beach themed tank tops, white headbands, wrist-bands, calf high knee socks, and white New Balance shoes. Women would shimmy into their sleek leotards, heads decorated with colorful braided headbands, legs adorned with scrunchie leg warmers, and feet comforted by puffy, linen white high-tops.