fitness Archives - Page 16 of 30

Getting Active at Every Age and Stage: Benefits of Nordic Walking

Diana Oliver/14 June 2018/ All MFN blog/

With a shocking 70% of children leaving organized sports by the age of 13 and obesity rates on the rise, we know that we need to be introducing our children to activities that they can do across a lifespan, whether they are 5 or 95 years of age!

Join Urban Poling for a free webinar that will walk through some of the most important and challenging stages of life. Learn why Nordic Walking can be beneficial for each age group to ensure longevity and exercise adherence across a lifetime!

Webinar Overview:

Shocking Stats & a look into the Sport-Lifecycle Trends
What is Nordic Walking?
Research supporting Nordic Walking for All Ages and Stages
- Childhood (3-11 Years)
- Adolescence (12-18 Years)
- Adulthood (Pre/Post Natal, Weight Management & Disease Prevention, Pre/Post Hip/Knee)
- Seniors & Mitigating Falls

This webinar will be presented by Gabriella De Nino, Registered Kinesiologist, CSEP-CPT & NCCP Certified Soccer Coach.

June 26, 12:00-12:45 EST
Webinar Registration ►

Diana Oliver is a dynamic business professional with a extensive background in marketing, sales and fitness. She has a passion for promoting the many health benefits of Urban Poling, which stems from her personal experience. Diana combined Urban Poling with other positive lifestyle choices to regain a healthy weight and improve her cardiovascular health following two strenuous pregnancies. Her positive recovery has instilled a drive to help change the face of health care in Canada. In 2012, she became a certified urban poling instructor and taught classes in her own Pilates business. In 2014, became a partner in Urban Poling Inc.

Alcohol in Sport: How Bad Is It for Athletes?

Nancy Clark, RD/12 June 2018/ All MFN blog/

Alcohol has a strong link with sport, be it with sponsorship, beer consumption after a hard workout, or teams enmeshed in a culture of heavy drinking. To address what is known—and not known—about the impact of alcohol on athletic performance, members of Professionals In Nutrition for Exercise and Sport (PINES) organized a session at the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) 2018 annual meeting in Minneapolis. Respected researchers answered some questions athletes commonly ask regarding alcohol and sport performance. Here’s what you might want to know.

What effect does a big night of drinking have on sports performance the next day?

Dr. Louise Burke, Head of Sports Nutrition for the Australian Institute of Sport, reported heavy drinking is common after many athletic events. For example, research with rugby players suggests they consumed an average of 13 units* of alcohol post-game, with a range of 1 to 30 units (*One unit equates to 10 grams of alcohol; 5 ounces (150-ml) wine equates to 1.5 units; a 30-ml nip of hard (40%) alcohol is 1 unit; a 375 ml (13 oz.) bottle of 4.8% alcohol beer is 1.4 units.)

What does heavy post-exercise alcohol intake do to rehydration and refueling goals?

Dr. Ron Maughan, visiting professor at St. Andrew’s University, acknowledged a modest amount of alcohol, consumed along with a balanced meal, is unlikely to have a negative impact. Alcohol impairs glycogen resynthesis only a little bit. But in the real world of sports drinking, athletes who drink a lot tend to make high fat food choices—and that can hinder optimal muscle glycogen replenishment a lot! Consuming a balanced meal before embarking on heavy drinking is probably a good idea.

Alcohol is a diuretic. One unit (10 g) of alcohol stimulates the formation of 100 ml of excess urine. The alcohol content of beer is low—and beer has a lot of water—so dehydrated athletes can effectively rehydrate with beer. Whiskey and other spirits, however, cause more water loss than they contribute.

What impact does pre-exercise alcohol have on heat tolerance/dehydration during exercise?

According to research presented by Dr. Doug Casa, professor at the University of Connecticut, pre-exercise alcohol contributes to slower running across a wide range of distances. Anecdotes, more so than much-needed research, link pre-event alcohol with poor sleep, under-hydration, reduced heat tolerance, and decreased mental function. Dr. Casa reported that one major summer road race had 20 to 25 heat injuries one year. The common denominator among those heat-stricken runners was pre-event alcohol consumption. Don’t drink excessive alcohol before an event—especially in the summer heat!

What does heavy alcohol after exercise do to weight and body-fat goals?

Dr. Barry Braun, professor at Colorado State University, said for most athletes, alcohol is a source of unwanted calories. For example, just five Heineken Light Beers add 500 calories—and that’s not counting the pepperoni pizza or nachos that you can easily overeat when alcohol lowers your inhibitions.

What effect does heavy post-exercise alcohol intake have on muscle recovery?

Dr. Stuart Phillips, professor at McMaster University, noted bad things happen during exercise and good things happens during recovery when athletes rehydrate, refuel, and repair (by consuming protein) their muscles. Adding alcohol to the recovery diet slows down muscle repair, protein synthesis, and adaptation processes. Heavy alcohol intake is not on Phillips’ list of best recovery practices for athletes to follow! Yet, he doesn’t begrudge anyone a glass or two of wine. Moderation is the key word.

What does heavy alcohol intake do to sleep?

Dr. Shona Halson, Senior Physiologist at the Australia Institute of Sport, reports that alcohol might help you fall asleep faster, but it disrupts your sleep cycles so you get less restorative sleep. Alcohol alters body temperature, which can affect how well you sleep. It also aggravates snoring (due to relaxed muscles and a lower breathing rate), so your bed partner also gets sleep deprived. Plus, you have to get up to go to the bathroom more often in the middle of the night. None of this enhances athletic performance.

What does heavy alcohol intake after exercise do to muscle soreness, injury, and inflammation? Matthew Barnes of Massey University in New Zealand noted when athletes perform exercise to which they are accustomed, alcohol’s negative effects are less pronounced compared to doing a new form of exercise. That is, after getting battered up in a game, a 200-lb rugby player who is experienced with both sport and drinking could have perhaps 20 standard drinks and still effectively perform a vertical jump! As for inflammation, players who are conditioned to both their sport and to drinking alcohol do not have a significant inflammatory response. But if you are a weekend warrior, watch out…

Why isn’t alcohol & performance better researched?

Indeed, more research would be very helpful, but few research institutions approve studies that involve alcohol + heat. The alternative is to study athletes who have already been drinking. For example, they can track the number of runners in the medical tent who consumed alcohol the night before.

Any words of wisdom?

When asked, Is beer good for runners?, running legend Jim Fixx’s answer was “Sure, if it’s the other guy drinking it.” If you stay sober, you can take advantage of other athletes’ poor judgment!

Nancy Clark, MS, RD counsels both casual and competitive athletes at her office in Newton, MA (617-795-1875). Her best selling Sports Nutrition Guidebook and food guides for marathoners, cyclists and soccer players offer additional information. They are available at NancyClarkRD.com. For her popular online workshop, see NutritionSportsExerciseCEUs.com.

Squats: Five Things to Consider

Dominick Nusdeu/8 June 2018/ All MFN blog/

The fitness community has some how deemed the squat the king of all exercises. “They” say it’s great for your glutes (Butt), Quads, hamstrings, total body challenge, it’s “functional” weight loss, etc. The list goes on. I’m not saying there isn’t some truth to all those things in the right context. They just aren’t absolute truths like some magazines or trainers may claim. Here’s a list of 5 things to consider when squatting or even deciding if a squat is an appropriate exercise for you.

1. What’s Your Goal?

What part of your body are you trying or wanting to work? If you have a specific target area you would like to address, your squat should match that goal. Not every squat is the same or works the same things, especially with each person having different limb lengths (Tibia, femur, & trunk). Picture this, if you squat down and your line of force is further away from your knee joint (Big Moment Arm), you’re mostly working your anterior knee muscles. Conversely, if you squat down and your line of force is further away from your hip joint (Big Moment Arm), you’re mostly working posterior hip/low back muscles. Neither are good or bad, right or wrong. It just depends on your goal.

2. Lever Lengths (Limb Lengths)

Your proportions play a role in how you’re going to squat. If your tibia (shin bone) is a lot shorter than your femur (leg bone), and your trunk (torso) is very long, your squat will look vastly different from a person who has equal length from there tibia, to there femur, and trunk. The goal of the body when it’s standing is not to fall. It’s about keeping your center of mass over your base of support. In order for that to happen, you’re going to have to modify the way you fold up in a squat to not fall over. While you do that, the forces at other joints are going to change, for example hips, knee, spine, etc… again, what’s your goal?

3. Resistance Profile/ Strength Profile

A squat has a very distinct profile. Relatively balanced at the top of the motion and very hard at the bottom. There are several ways to account for this. Many people think they have to do everything through a “full range of motion”, but you don’t. In a situation like this, you can simply use different loads (weights) at different points in the range of motion to match the profile. For example, at the top of the motion use a heavier weight where your strongest and go down a little bit. Then drop the weight and go down lower where you are weakest with the lighter load. This way you can challenge the full range of motion you have available without sacrificing the load. Your joints will thank you.

4. Holding Dumbbells/KettleBells vs. Bar on Back/Front

This is a topic that I don’t think is discussed a lot. If you’re holding a dumbbell/kettlebell while doing a squat, what do you think is going to give out first? Your ability to grip and hold the dumbbell/kettlebell or the tolerance of your whole lower body and spine? Again, it goes back to what’s your goal? If your goal is hypertrophy and/or strength in those muscles then using an appropriate load to challenge them is necessary. I’m not saying you can’t hold dumbbells or kettlenbells, I’m saying this is something to consider. If the bar is resting on your upper back or front, you don’t have to worry about holding it. You just have to balance it.

5. Available Active Range of Motion

Before you decide to squat, I would suggest checking all the motions of the squat and making sure you have those ranges available to you (Dorsiflexion, Hip Flexion, Knee Flexion, Spinal Flexion, Spinal Extension, Hip Extension, Knee extension, PlantarFlexion). If you see a difference relative to the other side, assuming there is no structural abnormalities, you may want to consider doing an isometric. You can use that as a warm-up. For the isometric, contract into the position of limitation for about five seconds at approximately 50% of effort. Repeat 3-5 times.

I hope these tips will help you, or at least make you think about some things that otherwise you may not have considered.

Dominick Nusdeu has been certified as a Personal Trainer for over 20 years. He holds the distinction of Muscle System Specialist, Resistance Training Specialist, ACE Orthopedic Exercise Specialist, as well formally being one of only 14 Instructors of Muscle Activation Techniques worldwide and was one of only 85 Master Level Muscle Activation Techniques Specialists in The World. Dominick has completed well over a 2000 hours of advanced coursework in biomechanics, exercise mechanics, neuroscience, anatomy, physiology, and muscle function. Dominick is a trainer to the trainers, teaching his highly successful course, “Decision Making 101: From the Table to the Floor.” He currently owns and operates MotionMechanix (MMX), Muscular System Optimization LLC, and MotionMechanix Academy, which was formed out of a need to give fitness enthusiasts and current exercise professionals quality, high level education backed my science, not what’s currently trendy or “cool”.

3 Keys to Healthy Aging

Nicholas Prukop/1 June 2018/ All MFN blog/

No one really knows why we age other than to acknowledge that as our cells die and don’t get replaced, organs – and ultimately our bodies – do indeed die. The role that disease plays in this process is obvious – especially if there is no successful treatment available that can address the underlying causes of the problem. I believe in the “art of prevention” as a strategy for helping not only extend our lives – but also improving the quality of the time we have to live.

I did not come to this understanding in my early years because when we are young we assume we will “live forever”. It is only as we grow older and have to face the challenges of aging that we begin to appreciate the beauty and mystery of our own bodies – and what we “could” have done better along the way.

I decided that based upon my own experiences over the past 7 plus decades of life that we ARE in control of much of the aging process as we currently know it. I could assign a number to it (i.e. 80, 90%) but I would most likely be wrong. I will therefore ask instead what if we could control the “majority” of the outcomes we might face, then how would WE choose – and act – today to prevent problems in the future? When we REACT rather than RESPOND to life’s “urgings” we are always going to be “behind the curve” and face unintended consequences.

There are people who live to be hundred or more and then there are those of us who “die before their time”. How do we distinguish between being “lucky” and making good choices and does making thoughtful choices always work? I believe it does and this is why I thought I would share with you what I consider to be the three most important keys to healthy aging as I have lived them.

BEING PHYSICALLY ACTIVE

From a purely practical standpoint this key is what I would call a “no-brainer”. I started life on Maui in the mid 1940’s (1946) and was introduced to swimming before I could even walk. I remember a man holding me by the stomach in a half empty pool teaching me to kick my legs and paddle my arms. That man became my future swim coach and his name was Mack Nakano – a former champion himself. He shared his passion and love for swimming that animated his own life and I have carried that love and passion for physical activity within me ever since those wonderful days of my boyhood on Maui.

As I grew and I moved on from swimming to other sports (because of circumstances beyond my control), I found I had formed a love for all forms of physical activity. I discovered other ways to enjoy being active when I was no longer competing and that main form of activity became running. As I adjusted to life on the mainland at Syracuse University in 1964, I began a running campaign that has stayed with me to the present day. I can’t imagine letting even one day go by without stressing my body in some form and even when I was injured as I was last year, I still found ways to train and remain active. This idea is a part of WHO I AM.

I have run over 65,000 miles in the more than half a century I have been a runner. I believe my commitment to being fit has saved my life many times over during my lifetime – even in the darkest of times when I felt lost and without hope. My question to you is: What is your passion when it comes to being physically active and will you honor that passion the way I did with my running program? If you don’t have one – then find one! Being physically fit does NOT guarantee a healthy body but a healthy body does require a FIT body. I am hopeful my “luck” continues into the years ahead. I will do everything in my power to insure that it does!

BECOMING A “CRITICAL THINKER”

This is my second choice for a key to healthy aging because the key to life IS thinking and the corresponding choices that we make leading to the actions that we take as a result. ALL thought is powerful but it is in HOW we CHOOSE to use these “power houses” of life that makes all the difference. With the fast paced changes that are occurring in all facets of life today, it is becoming increasingly difficult to know “what to think”. I say that becoming “aware of our thoughts” is a key to healthy aging because they lead us to our potential choices and it is through our choosing that we can enhance our circumstances – or cause them to do us great harm.

An example of choice gone wrong would be the choice to smoke. We all know the dangers inherent in smoking – or taking drugs for that matter – but many of us do it anyway. My father started smoking during World War II as many service men and women did during that terrible conflict and as a result shortened their lives. My father died in November of 1983 at the age of 64 from cancer which had spread throughout his body but started in his lungs. I saw him the week before he died and it left an indelible impression on me. I was 37 at the time and I vowed to never go out like that. The past 35 years have been healthy ones for me because I cared about my future health and most importantly ACTED on that thought.

Deciding to become thoughtful and critically involved in our thoughts is an important part of the healthy aging process. Don’t “fall into” your choices – make them consciously and with the belief that you are doing what is right for you. People buy pills of all kinds sight unseen, and other potentially dangerous products online all the time “without thinking about the consequences” of their actions. I believe that we MUST “think before we leap”. It is the only sensible way to move forward in life and hopefully “cut the odds” in our favor so my advice is simple: Get in touch with your thoughts and act according to what they are allowing you to see and feel about yourself – and then choose wisely. This is the best any of us can do and it will insure WE are choosing our path in life – and not the other way around!

THE SPIRITUAL LIFE

I am not religious and have never found comfort – or peace for that matter – in any conventional religion but I have found that the spiritual path is available to all of us who seek a different way. I found this path in 1985 through a minister at the Church of Religious Science in Huntington Beach by the name of Peggy Bassett. She introduced me to the principles that would guide my life and choices going forward and that have sustained me to this day 33 years later.

I believe in “quiet time” for myself (meditation and affirmative prayer work – a form of prayer that affirms rather than asks for something). Every day presents me with a new opportunity to get “in touch” with my “inner self”, providing me with the opportunity to receive guidance – and even wisdom – that may give me clarity or a new understanding of some aspect of my life that may be causing me pain or any other challenge I need to address in the present. I will respond only when I can “see my way clear” to a solution and only then will I act on this wisdom or guidance.

The role of the spiritual journey is to bring an expanded consciousness – or awareness – into our life experiences and allow us to contact joy, peace, harmony and love in a way that enriches and sustains us while allowing us the opportunity to “let go” of the baggage of our pasts. Regret, guilt, unexpressed anger, hatred and other forms of negative inner turmoil CAN and DO lead us to an early death. The body responds to all forms of emotion and if these emotions – and thoughts – are not directed by US to a “higher consciousness” they will bring sickness and chronic illness in all their terrible manifestations into our lives.

I have never been in a hospital, had surgery, taken drugs or medication, or had any outside medical intervention that I can recall – ever. I believe that through the spiritual path that Peggy me gave all those years ago – coupled with my ongoing efforts to remain healthy and fit – I thrived and DO wake up each day grateful and hopeful. I am “lucky” but this luck came to me because I ACTED on my BEST instincts – and intentions – at the time I was making crucial choices in my life. What will your choice be when it comes to letting go of “preconceived notions” of what you “think” is true so that you can finally live in the REAL truth of who you are – and are becoming?

IN SUMMARY

I believe the world we live in today is “noisy”. There are too many voices and too little silence. I believe in being quiet and thinking and experiencing my life on more than just the superficial levels available in today’s world. I believe listening is becoming a lost art and that we are never going to “hear” anything of value arguing with another. Sometimes I feel as though I was not meant for this world and look back with fondness on the world as it was when I was a boy learning to swim and ultimately getting to know the me that I am today.

The keys to healthy aging are mine and mine alone. Whether others take what I have shared and “think about” them is for others to know. I believe that there is something greater and wiser than me that created me and is helping me to share what I have learned in my own unique way. This is my mission and this mission – or purpose – is always “on my mind”. I want it to be there constantly so that I may choose to support it in any way that I can in order to bring my life full circle from student to teacher – and back to student again.

What will you do with this information and how will your choices today affect your future? Only you will know but I will tell you that in “thoughtful living” we are ALWAYS rewarded by life with the best that it has to offer. Isn’t that worth your time and commitment? It is to me – and it is PRICELESS! Think about that!

Originally published on Healthy New Age. 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.

If you need help in designing a fitness plan, you can contact Nicholas Prukop via email at runningnick@sbcglobal.net or read his inspiring book Healthy Aging & YOU.

The Power of Plank

Kama Linden/10 May 2018/ All MFN blog/

Many people will go to the gym in hopes of “looking” better. Although we all want to be our best selves, working out for a “look” vs. overall strength and well-being can lead to imbalanced muscles, as well as other injuries. This can be especially true for those looking for a “flat stomach” or “washboard abs”. However, the true importance of abdominals is to strengthen and contain the organs in our central region, as well as support the spine, especially the lumbar region.

In Pilates, as well as in Yoga, our main focus is the Transverse Abdominus. A way to think of this: the saran wrap, or casing of a vegan sausage, that wraps all the way around, and holds everything together.

For this reason, many exercises are done in neutral spine, vs. merely moving one’s head up and down. In fact, many people injure their necks because they “pull on their heads”, and don’t even come up high enough to achieve enough forward flexion to have the desired result of abdominal contraction.

I have also encountered students who have had neck and spinal injuries that prevent them from curling up. Does that mean that abdominal strengthening is off the table? The answer is quite the opposite.

Plank is such a wonderful and functional exercise. Learning how to maintain one’s body in neutral spine plays into everything that a person does in daily life activities: from simple sitting and walking, to running and spinning. And you would NEVER want to lift a box in a rounded spine, so it is important to learn to TRAIN the body for real life.

When working with beginners, I will often use a raised box or platform to take the edge off, as having the chest inclined upward will help a new person ease into the idea of eventually having a horizontal line. However, remember that this is not a FLAT line by any means! The spine has 3 curves: the cervical spine (at the neck) has a concave curve, the thoracic spine (back of the rib cage) has a convex curve, and the lumbar spine (lower back) has a concave curve. And if you want to add a 4th, the pelvis/sacrum has a convex curve as well. Together, this “S” shape is what keeps a body “straight”.

To get started: Find and all fours position where you can feel “the suspender” action: when the base of your ribs and your pelvic bone will feel like they are aligned in the front. All your curves in your spine will be present. Your arms will be directly under the line of your shoulders.

At this point I will cue, “Elbow, elbow, leg, leg”. Place one elbow on the mat or on the bench (if modifying), then the other, then walk one leg back straight, followed by the second. The elbows will still be right under the line of the shoulders. The Head will remain elongated (never hung, and DEFINITELY not hanging into one’s hands, hoping for it to be over). The chest is expanded, not rounded, as if you have a great necklace or t-shirt you want everyone to see. The feet are parallel, not spread apart. And although a strong plank will lead to a strong downdog, the BUTT is NOT above the chest. The opposite can be true, especially for a beginner on a box, or when doing the plank on straight arms, but sticking the butt up in the air takes away from the abdominals, and will eventually hurt one’s back and shoulders. Same is true for pelvic tucking/back rounding. The trick is to find and enjoy the neutral spine alignment.

As you progress, some fun variations on plank are:

Gently lifting one foot off the floor a few inches, and placing back down. Doing 8-16 reps alternating legs.
On straight arms (if on the mat), or on bent elbows (on a platform that is 2-4 risers high), gently bend one knee to 90 degrees, hold for a second, place back to parallel on the floor, and switch sides. Doing 8-16 reps alternating legs. This is NOT to be done as a run, as many people will lift their butt/hang their head/round their back. This is meant to be done in a slow and controlled manner for the most pain, I mean FUN!
More advanced, you will see me do a plant on straight arms with my feet on a foam roller. Without changing out of neutral spine, I will gently roll the roller with my feet toward my midline, (about a 90 degree angle), and then extend back to the original plank, without letting my center sag. I do not do this on a ball as that would lift my butt. Again, it is better to have the chest higher than the hips, rather than the reverse.

Of course, plank does involve a bit of strength. Therefore, new students could simply go to an all fours and practice finding neutral spine. Or, to modify further, sit at the edge of a hard backed chair, and practice aligning one’s ribs and hips, and then containing the abdominals. Hold for a count of 5, and release.

In closing, abdominal strength is so much more than flat stomachs and washboard abs. Using the power of the plank, one can achieve true abdominal strength that will help with all sports and daily life activities.

Kama Linden has been teaching fitness for over 2 decades. She has taught strength, step, pilates, vinyasa yoga, senior fitness, and has worked with clients and students of all ages and fitness levels. She is certified by AFAA Group Exercise and NASM CPT, as well as 200 hour Yoga. She has a BFA in Dance from University of the ARTS. Her newest book is titled, “Healthy Things You Can Do In Front of the TV”. Visit her website, bodyfriendlyoga.com

Active senior friends talking and working out in fitness club

Fitness After A Stroke

Chris Phillips/26 April 2018/ All MFN blog/

Strokes are devastating, not only physically, but mentally. They change lives, many of which are very young and active. When stroke patients are discharged from physical therapy, many are just beginning to recover physically, especially from a fitness and strength perspective. This is where the experienced Athletic Trainer, Strength Coach or Personal Trainer can make a huge difference in their quality of life.

Both physical and mental aspects must be addressed when entering a fitness program. From the physical perspective, balance, strength, flexibility, coordination and cardiovascular fitness are just some parts that may be incorporated into the fitness program. The mental aspect may be even tougher in addressing fear, complacency and motivation, to name a few.

The stroke patient can be addressed just like any other fitness client and should be. Ask them the same questions.

What are your goals?
What do you need to be able to do to obtain your goals?
What are your current limitations?

Active retired people, old man and woman talking and exercising in fitness gym

With these answers in mind, a professional now needs to assess where the client currently is physically by looking for strengths, weaknesses, asymmetries, flexibility issues, etc. At this point, a proper plan can be designed. Since strokes typically affect one side of the body, it is important to train each side independently. For example, step ups or isometric lunges for lower body and single arm presses or rows with a band can work each side of the upper body. The resistance or range of motion may need to be modified depending on how the client has been affected. Yes, resistance or strength training needs to be a part of the program. In an article in NeuroRehabilitation, investigators determined that targeted strength training in patients with muscle weakness due to strokes significantly increased muscle power without any negative effects on spasticity.

Considering many stroke clients are de-conditioned when they begin a fitness program, it is important to incorporate strength exercises into the sessions to improve active daily living activities such as walking through a crowd, wearing high heels or getting through a work day with less physical effort. Others may benefit by being able to start running again or getting involved with other types of sporting activities they have been missing.

Core stability and flexibility are two other aspects that need to be addressed in a program as well. The core muscles which can include the abdominal, low back and hip musculature provides a base of support for the arms and legs to work. There are a million core exercises that can utilized, but start with simple and progress to complex work. Isometric and anti-rotational core exercises like planks, planks with leg lifts or resistance band chopping exercises are a great place to start. Flexibility and mobility are also important aspects to consider and should be addressed one side at a time. Since contractions typically occur in strokes, they can limit movement and function. It is also important to send the client home with some stretching exercises to perform on their own.

The mental side of the program may be a little more trying than the physical side. Some clients may be fearful to perform certain exercises because they assume they just can’t do those things anymore, some frustrated that they can’t do what was once easy and some that have just lost motivation. It is the professional’s job to find ways to overcome these issues, whether modifying exercises or showing how they relate to their goals. Progress is the biggest component here. Showing improvement and where a client has come from and their accomplishments is the key to success. Simply reminding a client how hard an exercise used to be or what they do now without thinking that was difficult before goes a long way.

Clients recovering from a stroke are no different than any other client, they may just have different goals and different limitations that affect the way a program is put together. Developing a relationship with a client and devising programs that are specific to their needs is the key to helping former stroke patients obtain the goals they are looking for.

Chris Phillips is the owner of Compete Sports Performance and Rehab in Orange County, CA. Chris is a certified Athletic Trainer, Strength and Conditioning Specialist and Corrective Exercise Specialist.

You Need a Coach

Maurice D. Williams, MS/11 April 2018/ All MFN blog/

You Need a Coach.

This is a subject I am REALLY passionate about.

As most of my readers know, I’m writing to you from the perspective of a weight loss, nutrition, and fitness coach.

I own my own facility coaching others like you.

And I have a coach.

You need a coach.

You see, despite being a highly qualified coach myself across multiple areas, I hold a deep belief that everyone needs a coach in their life.

I have a business coach that I speak to 2 times a month, and it’s been a powerful investment I’ve made in myself. I love the personal growth that comes from it. There is tremendous value in being coached. She tells me yes when I say no and vice versa.

So what area of life should you look for a coach in?

Anywhere you are struggling, really. Struggling with weight loss? You need a coach. Struggling to make major decisions in life? You need a coach. Struggling to transition careers? Hire a coach. Looking to improve athletic performance? Hire a coach.

Think about it…there are not many people (if any) who reach high levels of success in life without a coach. It’s too hard to go it alone, to know what to do, to see things in life objectively.

The number one reason I hear from people for not hiring a coach is cost.

How many times have we tried to “do it on our own” and failed? Here’s the thing…we can’t afford not to. We need accountability, support, guidance, advice, etc.

I’ve been there and fallen off the wagon. I’ve given up and stopped believing in myself.

But, the difference is that when you’ve got someone to bring you back to reality and pick you back up, life just gets easier and less lonely. We all need an objective eye on our lives, someone who sees things entirely from an outside perspective.

So, if you have a goal that you want to achieve, stick to for the long run, and you believe investing in yourself is a top priority, hire a coach. Go on that journey. Change your life, in whatever aspect you seek change.

You’ll gain more than you ever expected.

Originally published on MoveWell Fitness. Reprinted with permission from Maurice Williams

Maurice D. Williams is a personal trainer and owner of Move Well Fitness in Bethesda, MD.

Disabled Man with family practicing yoga outside.

Patient Activation Network Interview with Alene Brennan

Matt Cavallo/6 April 2018/ All MFN blog/

Matt Cavallo, MPH, patient advocate, author and speaker, interviews Alene Brennan, a Nutrition Coach, Yoga Instructor, Personal Trainer and Natural Food Chef. Alene overcame debilitating migraine headaches through diet and lifestyle and is now once again using a “Less Pharm, More Table” approach is managing her diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis.

Since receiving her MS diagnosis and seeing first-hand the power of using diet and lifestyle to create a healing environment in the body, she dedicated her virtual nutrition coaching practice to helping people with MS and autoimmune take back control of their health. She connects with clients around the world via phone and video chat to help them transition to a healing diet and lifestyle and manage the symptoms of chronic illness.

Listen to the podcast from Patient Activation Network:

Our health is truly the only thing that connects us. Whatever your age, gender or background, health is the great equalizer. The Patient Activation Network was created by patients for patients to accomplish real change in healthcare. Visit patientactivationnetwork.com for more podcasts.

Matt Cavallo, MPH is a patient experience speaker, author, and podcaster who motivates audiences worldwide with his personal patient experience and genuine storytelling style. At age twenty-eight, Matt was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Seemingly overnight he went from a fully-functioning, healthy man to someone who was numb from the waist down and unable to walk. As a result of his diagnosis, Matt has dedicated his life to improving the patient experience. Matt is the founder of PatientActivation Network.

Losing Weight with Yoga

Emily Brathen/5 April 2018/ All MFN blog/

Yoga offers many of benefits to the body, but one, in particular, is that it can help facilitate weight loss. Many experts will agree that doing yoga is one of the best ways to lose weight.

While it is true that yoga is not as fast-paced as some cardiovascular exercises, yoga poses can help in promoting body detoxification at a certain level. There are also some poses, specifically vinsaya flow and power yoga, which combine the benefits of both strength-training and cardio exercises.

How Often Should I Do Yoga to Lose Weight?

Now that you know that yoga does offer plenty of weight loss benefits, you may be wondering how much yoga you should do to reap weight loss benefits. How often should you do yoga to lose weight?

The truth is, you can do as much yoga as you want. At least, as much your lifestyle will allow you too. Some people do 30 to 60 minutes of yoga 3 to 5 times a day. But this is not the magic number. You can do 10 to 20 minutes of yoga every day if that is more suitable for your schedule.

Aside from practicing yoga on a regular basis, what other things can you do to make the most out of the weight loss benefits of yoga? Well, it seems like there are plenty! These are as follows:

Prioritize the mind/body connection.

The main purpose of yoga is to establish the connection between the mind and the body. It is also one of the reasons yoga can help people lose weight. It is only through maintaining a balance and connection between these two that you can make the most out of your workouts, curb your unhealthy cravings, and practice mindful eating.

So, before you focus on doing more difficult and more calorie burning poses, it’s important that you practice meditation first.

Do poses that use large muscle groups.

Yes, yoga is not as calorie burning or as athletic as some exercises are. But you can boost the calorie burn in your yoga sessions — choose poses that utilize large muscle groups. Aside from increasing the calorie burn, it can also improve the fat burning, muscle toning, and fitness benefits of the yoga session. Examples of these poses are lunges, warrior one and two.

In addition, you can also try the Vinsaya flow which requires you to be constantly on the move. To help you focus more on the core, you can also try the boat pose.

Try gentle and restorative yoga from time to time.

While it is true that Vinsaya yoga may be the first option for weight loss with yoga, there are also times when gentle and restorative yoga can also support weight loss.

This type of yoga can stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system. As a result, the digestive and respiratory systems are regulated. In fact, even the hormonal balance in the body is maintained. Once the parasympathetic nervous system is activated, you can easily control your hunger pangs and unhealthy cravings.

In addition to that, gentle and restorative of yoga can help to slow you down mentally. As a result, it would be easier for you to prevent eating caused by emotions.

If you are a newbie, this is also the perfect kind of yoga to start!

Do it regularly.

It takes commitment before you can experience results. It’s important to invest time in doing yoga on a regular basis. No matter how effective poses, if you don’t do it regularly, you won’t see the desired results.

Don’t forget your diet.

Keep in mind that diet and workout go hand in hand; it’s a must that you pay attention to your diet too. Luckily, practicing yoga can help you make healthier food choices!

Conclusion

For decades, we have known that yoga comes with plenty of health benefits — not just physically, but mentally and emotionally.

With the tips mentioned above, you can surely be able to reap the fat and weight loss benefits that yoga is known for. Try out these tips, and for sure, you can be able to get rid of that excess weight and fats in no time!

Emily Brathen is founder of BodyShape101.com, a blog where she and her associates talk about exercise, fitness, and yoga. Their aim is to help people like you to achieve perfect body. BodyShape101 is concentrated on exercise & fitness tips, and making the most out of it. She is also a mother of one and she tries to find balance between her passion and her biggest joy in life.

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