New American College of Sport Medicine (ACSM) guidelines for Cardiovascular Exercise 2011

The last time guidelines were published was in 1998.  I will be posting the latest on Cardiovascular, Resistance Training and Flexibility.  Things have changed and all the changes are scientifically based.  As far as cardiovascular training is concerned, daily activity can help diminish the devastating affects of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, elevated blood pressure and cholesterol.   We need to just keep moving.  

Cardio is short for cardiovascular, which refers to the heart. Cardiovascular exercise is exercise that raises your heart rate and keeps it elevated for a period of time. Another name for it is aerobic exercise. The kinds of exercise that are associated with cardiovascular workouts are things like jogging, fast walking, and swimming, spinning, skating, sporting events, skipping, dancing, etc.  where there is continuous movement.  

Weight Loss Made Simple

I hope this title will catch your attention.  Weight loss is actually hard work but you can do it.  Just remember these simple principles.

Your body gets its energy from the food you take into your body in the form of calories.  The number of calories will determine if you gain, lose or maintain your weight.  Extra calories are stored as body fat.  A pound of fat is made up of 3,500 stored calories. 

• 500 extra calories a day   X   7 days a week  =  3,500 unused calories or 1 lbs.

 If you eat fewer calories than your body uses, you will lose weight.  The recommendation for weight loss in a week is 2 lbs.  If you lose more than that, it is usually water or lean muscle instead of fat.  

• 200 calories cut from food  +  200 calories burned from exercise  =  400 fewer calories a day

Don't try and accomplish this goal alone.  Buddy Up, Join a Gym, Get family support or a trainer to help you achieve your goals.  Good Luck.

Tempo Games Workout

I'm back.  I have no good excuses but I'm going to try.  My boys play college ball and we have had the great opportunity to go to all of their games.  I have been out of town a lot and enjoying every minute of it but I have neglected my blogging duties and my attentiveness to your well being.  I promise to be better.  While you are trying to forgive me, please do the following workout.  It is a simple but effective concept.  The workout is endurance based.  We focus on strength, moving in multiple planes and even throw in a few anaerobic intervals to get our cardio push.  You do the same sequence with every exercise.  Below is the sequences written in terms of counts to perform the movement.

The Sequence
Up two counts Down two counts (cts)
Single cts Up and Down
Isometric hold (Example:  Lunge down and hold) 8 cts
Pulse 8 cts (Small contractions, not just bounces.  Try and pulse up against gravity instead of down with gravity)
Up three cts, Down one ct-4 sets
Up one cts, Down three cts-4 sets
Up 4 cts, Down 4 cts (Uber Slow)
Single counts

The exercise outline was the following:

1. Warm Up (rehearsal effect-practice all the movements you will be performing later on)
2. Lower body sequence(Depending on your leg work selection, you may have to repeat to work other leg, example: lunges
3. Upper body sequence
4. Anaerobic Interval (30-90 high intensity movement)
5. Cool Down

Let me tell you,  my Chisel class did this workout today and it's simple but intense.  You keep the same sequence for the legs as well as the upper body exercises.  Pick a weight and try and stay with that same weight the entire sequence.  While your are doing endurance training, it is not a good time to have heavy weights.  Go lighter and Endure.  I will list the exercises that we did today but you can definitely implement your own moves.  Just try to consider moving in different directions or planes of movement when you put your exercises together.  The changes in tempos are  a catalyst to get those calories burning.  You keep changing things up on your muscles and they have to respond to all of the changes.  You also incorporate both slow twitch and fast twitch muscles fibers when you mix up the speed of how you recruit your muscles which is another plus.

Lower Body

• Squats
• Side Lunges with slider disk under outside leg.  (Weight is on inside leg)j
• Reverse Lunges with ball
• Goblet Squats

Upper Body

• Bicep Curls
• Tricep Extensions
• Overhead Presses
• Chest Presses while lying with upper back on ball

If you haven't forgiven me by the time you read this blog then go and do the workout and you will be too weak not too.  Giggles.

Great Interval Workout

A Northwest fitness colleague, Sherri McMillan, has a fun variation of interval training. If your goal is to improve your fitness, increase your speed as a runner, cyclist, rower, walker, swimmer or improve your performance in any sport, try this…

Try intervals if you have a need for speed!

Start by warming up for about 5 minutes. Then go very hard for 30 seconds followed by a 1 minute slower, more comfortable pace. Do this 15x for about a 20 minute workout and then cool-down. Do this workout 2x/week for one to two weeks.

The next stage will be exactly as above except decrease the recovery pace down to 45 seconds. Again, complete this workout 2x/week for one to two weeks.

The next stage will be exactly as above except decrease the recovery pace down to 30 seconds. Start with 20 minutes of these intervals and then increase the volume to 30 minutes over the next few weeks.

Fraser reminded me that during the hard intervals, you should focus on quality. If your quality decreases because you are getting fatigued, take a longer recovery set so when you’re ready to go hard, you can really push the pace.

And guess what, I’m a believer. I’ve only done 3 of these workouts so far and this morning I did a 12 mile run 8 minutes faster than my last 2 training runs of the exact route and distance. Speed work is definitely the most effective way to get fit and fast quickly!

Good Luck.

Make your own healthy McMuffin

Here is an easy recipe for you.  I usually have all the ingredients on hand.  I have actually used low sodium deli meats instead of the Canadian bacon and it is still yummy.

1 egg ( I put in Microwave)
1 slice of Canadian bacon
1 slice of tomato
1 toasted whole-wheat Enlish muffin
1 Tbsp reduced fat cheese
326 calories, 24 g protein, 30 g carbs, 13 g fat, 5 g fiber

Enjoy

Core Test-How did you do?

Boy did my family have fun with this test.  Not actually taking the test but for making fun of me and my big words. I don't know how they could twist that knowledge and make words like Rectus Abdominus and Obliques seem bad and almost inappropriate.  I am going to give you all the answers to the test and share a little bit more information for those who are vocabulary challenged. (My family) Giggles

1. The Rectus Abdominus is the most external abdominal muscle. T The deepest is the Transversus TA, then internal obliques, followed by the external obliques and last, rectus abdominus RA.
2. The fibers of the Transversus abdominis are essentially perpendicular to the Rectus Abdominus. Transversus fibers run essentially horizontal while the rectus runs vertical.  It is a compressor muscle.  Think of it as an internal corset holding everything in.  It is great for stabilizing your core and protecting your back.
3. The Internal Obliques origin is both bone and ligament. T The origin of the internal obliques is the lateral half of the Inguinal ligament (large ligament at the base of the abs) , the pelvis and also the thoracolumbar facia which is connective tissue that runs on either side of your spine.
4. The most external of the abdominal muscle group are the External Obliques. F See question #1.
5. The origin of the Rectus Abdominus  is at the xiphoid process and the cartilages of ribs 5-7. F.  That is the insertion.  The origin is the pubic bone.  Origin is where the muscle begins and insertion is where it ends.  
6. Abdominal muscles can be used as both stabilizers and movers. T You should train both ways too.
7. The Serratus  Anterior interdigitates with external obliques. T The fibers of those muscles intertwine( interdigitate).   If either the obliques or the Serratus are performing well it affects the other.
8. Normal range of motion for spinal flexion is 30-45 degrees. T Greater movement involves hip flexion.
9. There are only 4 major muscles considered when training the “core.” F.  We also consider hip flexors,  Erector Spinae (back muscles), Quadratus Lumborum  and deep spinal muscles to be included in the “Core.”
10. The most effective training for the core is flexion exercises. F.  Abdominal muscle fibers run in multiple directions so you should train in many planes of movement.
11. You actually have an 8-pac not a 6-pac. T  You have an 8-pac.  There are three tendinous intersections that carve out your pac.
12. Your four major abdominal muscles run in the front, sides and back of your core. T
13. Core exercise doesn’t really help improve performance or daily functional movement. F
14. There are 5 major core abdominal muscles. F The 4 major abdominal muscles are, Transversus Abdominus, Internal and External Obliques and Rectus Abdominus
15. Planes of movement for abdominal movements are sagittal and Frontal. F  There is the transverse plane for rotational movements as well.  

Test Your Core Knowledge

In all of your spare time today.  Take this core quiz and see how much adbominal savvy you may have. Just answer T or F.   I will post the answers later.

1. The Rectus Abdominus I the most external abdominal muscle.
2. The fibers of the Transversus abdominis are essentially perpendicular to the rectus abdominus.
3. The internal obliques origin is both both bone and ligament.
4. The most external of the abdominal muscle group are the external obliques
5. The origin of the rectus abdominus  is at the xiphoid process and the cartilages of ribs 5-7
6. Abdominal muscles can be used as both stabilizers and movers.
7. The serratus  anterior interdigitates with external obliques
8. Normal range of motion for spinal flexion is 30-45 degrees.
9. There are only 4 major muscles considered when training the “core.”
10. The most effective training for the core is flexion exercises.
11. You don’t actually have a 4-pac not an 6-pac.
12. Your four major abdominal muscles run in the front, sides and back of your core.
13. Core exercise doesn’t really help improve performance or daily functional movement.
14. There are 5 major core abdominal muscles.

Good luck and please hold in your abs while you take this test.