PhitZone » exercise http://phitzone.com Diet and Exercise | Real Life Fitness Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:40:41 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Crossfit – Breeding Ground for Injury? http://phitzone.com/index.php/2012/01/crossfit-breeding-ground-injury/ http://phitzone.com/index.php/2012/01/crossfit-breeding-ground-injury/#comments Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000 Todd http://phitzone.com/?p=3508

Crossfit: This ain’t your mommas workout.

Parking for the injured

Injuries can be avoided.

Slice and dice it however you like, Crossfit is probably the hottest fitness trend in the land. But, is that a good thing.

Right up front, I’m not anti-Crossfit. I happen to believe that there are some good things coming out of Crossfit.

Read on, grasshopper

In fact, I love that Crossfit (What is Crossfit?) has inspired so many people to train so hard. Training with intensity is a good thing, no matter how you slice it.

People keep going back. Say what you will, but I doubt that any other gym/training system can make that boast.

For any fitness professional, that is the ultimate goal. Not only from a business standpoint, but from a health perspective.

I believe that it has to do with the constant changes in the routines. The same ol’ routine at the gym is mind-numbing. Crossfit has found a way to make every single day unique. You may never do the exact same workout on a day-to-day basis.

Crossfit’s training protocol is focused on general all-around fitness, and performance. For that, again I give kudos.

Housewives to cubical dwellers, cops to athletes – everybody benefits from solid overall fitness.

Not for the faint of heart – or even mildly fit.

I just mentioned how Crossfit’s training protocol is good for general fitness, but now watch this.

Like with P90X, if you aren’t already in decent physical conditioning, you’re at risk hurting yourself. I don’t mean that you think that you’re conditioned enough, but that you are in good enough shape to complete the Workout of the Day (WOD) without killing yourself.

The exercises and intensity of the WOD require some existing strength, conditioning, and knowledge of some advanced, and some not-so-advanced exercises.

When I trained using a similar modus operandi – methods, if you will – my form would get sloppy, and cheating was inevitable. A shoulder strain, and pinched nerve in my back were my rewards.

Let’s start with the pull-up. A relatively simple (I didn’t say easy) exercise. Hang from a bar, and pull yourself up. But as Daniel McPherson points out (scroll down to #2), Crossfit uses a modified pull-up that utilizes momentum. This makes the exercise pointless, and opens up the possibility of injuring a shoulder.

Do you know how to do a proper Power Clean? If not, don’t feel bad because the average gym-goer doesn’t. Lifts of this caliber require a knowledge that can only come from proper coaching.

A coach’s greatest asset is his sense of responsibility. – Knute Rockne

The typical instructor at Crossfit, while certified to teach their system, aren’t necessarily lifting coaches. For that matter, they don’t even need to be Certified Personal Trainers (CPT). [I know some very good trainers at Crossfit. This is not meant to paint them with a broad brush.]

This is where, as my U.K. friend likes to say, things go pear shaped (I don’t get it either, but it’s fun to say.)

You don’t know what you don’t know.

If you don’t have a working knowledge of a lift, and the person that is yelling encouragement just wants you to complete the lift as prescribed by the WOD, the odds of using poor form goes drastically up.

The WOD outlines that you perform certain exercise movements, using specific weights for a given number of repetitions (reps).

Let’s take the Power Snatch as an example. This is an Olympic lift. It requires good, basic form. This lift is meant to build power.

Power building lifts, such as the squat and deadlift, are meant to be done using heavy weight for small number of reps (1-5).

If you try to lift those heavy weights for 20-30 reps, at some point form will go out the window due to fatigue. Injury odds go drastically up.

The Red Badge of Courage – Not!

The sad part of it all is that I’ve heard from some people that have been injured while performing the Crossfit WOD, and they wear it as a badge of honor.

I’ve hurt myself in the gym (always due to breaking form), and it is nothing to be proud of. Nagging injuries can cause discomfort and pain, and sometimes requires surgery (ask Becca about her shoulder surgery, and the ten months of rehab before she could exercise with it again).

Injuries are nothing to be proud of, no matter how much chicks may dig scars (at least according to Shane Falco – The Replacements).

Crossfit’s exercise protocols have resulted in lawsuits, and controversy.

I am going to leave it at this – If you are an athlete, or person that is already in great conditioning, and have a proper understanding of how to perform these exercises, then have fun and train safe.

If you’re a newbie, or even intermediate level gym frequenter, stay out of Crossfit – unless you have good insurance, or like to use your injury as a pick up line at the next ‘Ladies Night’.

Quick, go ‘Like’ our Facebook page.

Photo: Gabriel Doyle

 

]]> http://phitzone.com/index.php/2012/01/crossfit-breeding-ground-injury/feed/ 2 Balance http://phitzone.com/index.php/2011/11/balance/ http://phitzone.com/index.php/2011/11/balance/#comments Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000 Todd http://phitzone.com/?p=3759

It takes just 5 minutes to improve your balance

balance on tightrope

Incredible balance is required here.

Guest post by Kate Wilsson.

How does it feel to stand tip-toed on a champagne bottle? Never tried it! It should never be tried unless you are an expert. This demands great skill. Balancing is one aspect which usually gets ignored by majority. While strength and endurance are integral aspects of fitness, balance is also vital. It might be surprising to know that only five minutes of regular practice can improve your balance for the good.

Balancing your body

The vestibular system is responsible for balancing the body. This mechanism in your inner ear tells you when you start wobbling, and how much and in which direction you may fall. An array of body systems follows the sensory information from the nerves and muscles. When sensory receptors start failing, balance may start declining. In aged persons, balance may worsen as they become less fit. The brain, muscles and bones collaborate to give the body balance and avoid falling. Balance can be improved considerably by becoming more sensitive to the vestibular system.

Enhanced balance not only improves your coordination and posture but also gives you a feel of grace. Fitness training can include the vestibular system gradually after strength exercises. Good balance can benefit in diverse ways like reducing injury risk and strengthening joints. Besides the enhanced sports performance, this also enables improved overall daily function. 

The human body frequently changes its center of gravity and leads to wobbling. When you are perfectly balanced, the center of gravity shall be exactly above where you touch the base. The idea behind keeping balance is to realize when you start wobbling. If you can observe the variation timely, you can control it. But if you delay, it will increase the chances of falling. In other words, you have to learn to experience your vestibular system better.

A simple test

People who are physically active less regularly may exhibit poor balance. It has been observed that hikers, avid runners, cyclists (and many similar others) also may have poor balance. 

You can perform a simple test to assess your balance. Stand straight or use a wall for help (to lean on). Determine the duration you can stand on one leg. If you wobble a lot or feel unstable, your balance needs to improve. A thirty second uninterrupted balance is okay. If it is less than that, you have to work upon your balance. Balancing on one leg can be easier than the opposite leg.

Some find it difficult to balance with closed eyes. Possibly, they link balance to eyes. Closed eyes tend to lose their balance, possibly causing accidents. 

How to Improve Your Balance

Balancing can, thankfully, be improved with practice. Training and practice enables the body to feel the slightest sense of instability and automatically correct thereafter.

First stage

Begin practicing by standing on one leg as long as possible. Keep your head moving side to side and up and down simultaneously. To enable body balance, shift your eye focus quickly. Do not allow your eyes to concentrate on one thing for more than a second. When you can remain stable for one minute, proceed to the second stage.

Second stage

In this stage you have to balance on one leg and play with a ball. While balancing on one leg, throw the ball against the wall and catch it. You can do this yourself or engage friend join in. Your body will learn to balance while your focus is on catching the ball. This technique is very helpful in sharpening the balance autopilot.

Third stage

You may have played this one sometime as a child. You may not have realized the benefit it brings. Balance on one leg. Hop into the air to land on another leg (never rest the two together). Take your time to be stable when changing legs. Repeat this continuously for 3-5 minutes (without faltering). When you have gained the skill, call your friend and play catch with her while hopping around.

Conclusion

Just five minutes of practice each day can contribute to improve your balance considerably. But it takes time to gain the skill. Do not move on to the next stage before you are certain you can handle it. Perseverance and practice are the keywords.

About the author: Kate is a blogger and writer. She loves writing about the environment and technology. She is fond of books on home remedies, and skin care tips. These days she is busy in writing about exercise equipment for her blog.

Photo: Kristin Smith


]]> http://phitzone.com/index.php/2011/11/balance/feed/ 2 Werewolf Training http://phitzone.com/index.php/2011/10/werewolf-training-twilight/ http://phitzone.com/index.php/2011/10/werewolf-training-twilight/#comments Thu, 27 Oct 2011 13:00:00 +0000 Todd http://phitzone.com/?p=2855

In pursuit of beast-like strength

werewolf twilight breaking dawn

Werewolf in human clothing

In honor of the release of part one of Twilight‘s Breaking Dawn, I give you Werewolf Training.

Actually, Project Swole gives you Werewolf Training. I’m just going to give you a few of the highlights, and then send you over to see Steve.

Perhaps you’ve done some training to defeat zombies, but c’mon, really? Zombies? Face it, the only way to beat any super natural creature is through shear terrorizing strength.

Know your goal

Depending on what you’re after, Project Swole has two options for you to consider.

While you’ll gain strength while building mass, and vice versa, these two goals have to be approached in different ways.

Get yoked

If you’re goal is to put on muscle mass, and you’re not concerned about shedding fat or lifting a Prius over your head, than this is the program for you.

This whole routine stems from how Taylor Lautner added 30 Lbs. for the werewolf role of Jacob Black in second Twilight movie, New Moon.

The idea here is muscle confusion. This is achieved by varying rep counts, but the amount of weight lifted during the work sets doesn’t change.

You’ll also notice an emphasis on rest. We’re not talking about between sets. Instead you’ll take a full day off every third day. The only way that you’re body will grow is with amble recovery.

Then there’s the nutrition side of things. Aside form intense work and lots of down time, the kind and amount of food that you fuel your body with is just as important.

You need to be eating not only the right balance of calories, but plenty of them.

In addition, proper supplementation is a must. You’re going to need to at least take a good pre- and post-workout protein shake. Creatine is a good add for serious gains. You can also think about using a Nitric Oxide, such as NO-Xplode. Of course, you can pick all of these up through our Bodybuilding.com link.

What happened to the werewlf who ate garlic ? His bark was worse than his bite !

Brute strength

Let’s say that you’ve done a few cycles of the bulking program, but now you want to up your game with some serious strength gains.

Now you’re talkin’!

Remember in the other program that the amount of weight lifted during the work sets didn’t increase. Now we’re blowing that out the window!

This is based off tried and true powerlifting routines, such as Stronglifts 5×5, etc.

The idea is to be increasing the weight whenever you’re able to complete the set. For example, once you’re able to bench a certain weight, say 225 Lbs. for 5-reps, you’ll add 5 more Lbs. This is always forcing your body to always be striving for that next increase.

Don’t tuck that tail

There you have two great programs that will pack on some pit bull like muscle, but freakish strength.

Photo: Gilbert Tremblay

 

]]> http://phitzone.com/index.php/2011/10/werewolf-training-twilight/feed/ 6 3 Reasons to Avoid Turbulence Training http://phitzone.com/index.php/2011/10/avoid-turbulence-training/ http://phitzone.com/index.php/2011/10/avoid-turbulence-training/#comments Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:00:00 +0000 Todd http://phitzone.com/?p=3067

Three reasons that you should avoid Turbulence Training

Craig Ballantyne - Turbulence Training

Turbulence Training Mastermind, Craig Ballantyne

Turbulence Training is the brain child of that guy right over there <==. His name is Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS.

Craig is a personal trainer in Quebec, Canada. He went to school to learn how to train your body. The result of that schooling are some letters behind his name.

Do you think that “prostitution managers” do that on their business cards – Frosti T. Snoman, PIMP?

Honestly, I know a few people that think personal trainers are really nothing more than sadomasochists, and just enjoy dishing out pain to people for money.

Sure, there may be some truth to that. Over all though, they just want to make you feel better about your body.

That’s where Craig falls (although he just may enjoy making you “feel the burn” a tinsy little bit).

Let’s talk about this Turbulence Training thing. Is it right for you? Here are 3 reasons that you should avoid Turbulence Training.

Drum roll please

#1 The first reason is that you don’t like to perspire. Sweat makes your clothes stick to you. Not to mention staining your clothes. And do we really need to talk about that stink? It’s just icky.

Get over it, buttercup! If you’re sweating, it’s a sure sign that you’re working. You can’t gauge how much your working by how much you sweat, but I can promise you one thing, if you’re working with intensity, you’re gonna sweat!

#2 Next, you’re tired and don’t have the energy. You had a hard day at the office, and just want to sit on the couch with a burger,  grande-sized curly fries, and a “liter of cola” (brownie points if you name that movie), and watch reruns of Cagney and Lacey.

Come on, Nancy, hoist it off the couch, and get that body moving! I know that you don’t want to train, but when you’re done, you will have earned that rest. I doubt that you’ll still want that “crappy meal” when you’re done.

#3 Lastly, you just don’t have time to drive all the way to the gym, change your clothes, etc. It takes too long, and just requires too much effort.

Good news, princess! Turbulence Training doesn’t require a gym. For that matter, you don’t need any equipment at all. Sure, you can use that stuff if you got it, but you don’t need it! Bodyweight exercises can be done in the smallest of living rooms, and you don’t have to shell out the coin for gym memberships.

There we have it – three excuses reasons that Turbulence Training may not be for you. Then again, I can come up with oh so many more reasons why it is for you.

In the interest of full disclosure (Hi Mr. FTC dude, and Ms. IRS lady), none of the affiliate links within were harmed in the making of this post.

 

]]> http://phitzone.com/index.php/2011/10/avoid-turbulence-training/feed/ 8 Say Goodbye to Lower Back Pain http://phitzone.com/index.php/2011/09/goodbye-lower-back-pain/ http://phitzone.com/index.php/2011/09/goodbye-lower-back-pain/#comments Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:00:00 +0000 Todd http://phitzone.com/?p=3307

Bye-bye back pain!

back pain core muscle

Cure back pain with a strong core.

Lower back pain started for me on the football field my Junior year. That was from an actual back injury though.

Disclaimer! Before attempting the following – If you experience  back pain, talk to your doctor. It may be something serious.

In more recent years, however, I started feeling it more. The difference was that this was not from an injury. This was just that “getting old” feeling.

From working in the yard to playing golf, your everyday life is affected by your lower back.

But wait, does it have to be that way?

Heck no!

There are two things that have always made my back feel better.

The first was stretching. I learned this from that football injury. Stretching makes me feel all loosey-goosey. That always feels good.

The second was something that I didn’t stumble on until much later in life.

While I worked out pretty much constantly most of my life, my core was never something that I worked on.

We’re not talking about exercising for six-pack abs. This is just plain and simple core work.

“[A] strong core is essential to deal with all the twisting and turning as well as endurance the lower back needs to deal with overuse injuries caused by sports”, said Chris of Zen to Fitness

The core area consists of the abdominal area, and lower back. That’s where all of your stability comes from. It’s the base, or foundation for everything that you do.

What to do

Below are a few exercises that you can perform that will help to strengthen your core. If you experience lower back pain, this could be the cure.

  • Plank – A simple exercise that will work the core as a whole. Simply assume a push-up position on your elbows. Hold for thirty seconds. Rest thirty seconds. Repeat for three sets.
  • Side Plank – This one is very easy to transition into from the standard plank. Just rotate to one side from the push-up position. Your body and legs should be straight, with one arm on the ground. After thirty seconds, switch to the other side.
  • Bridge – Another exercise that works well. Lay flat on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and arms to your side. Lift your butt up, making your stomach even with your thighs. You can either hold this for thirty seconds, like the planks, or you can do the lift ten – fifteen times to complete one set. Rest thirty seconds, and repeat for three sets.
  • Leg Lifts – Staying on your back, extending your legs straight, lift them to be perpendicular to the ground. Keeping your legs straight, lower them until they are 4-6 inches off of the ground. Again, you have the choice of holding this position for thirty seconds, or repeating the lift 10 – 15 reps.
  • Superman – Lying flat on your stomach, stretch your arms in front of your head. Keeping your knees locked, lift up your legs and upper body off of the ground, and hold. Stay like this for thirty seconds. Rest and repeat.

I like to perform one of these exercises each day. This way my core is always getting hit, but never being the focus of my workout.

A word of warning

In the last couple of years there has been a lot of bad press for sit-ups, and even more recently, crunches.

My personal thoughts are that when performed correctly, these are excellent exercises. With poor form though, these can do more harm to your back. Proceed with these with caution.

There we have it; a sure fire way to stop most back pain by using some very simple bodyweight exercises. Follow these, and kiss your back pain goodbye!

Photo: Fernando Seiji Imay

]]> http://phitzone.com/index.php/2011/09/goodbye-lower-back-pain/feed/ 7 Get Fit Without a Gym http://phitzone.com/index.php/2011/08/get-fit-no-gym/ http://phitzone.com/index.php/2011/08/get-fit-no-gym/#comments Mon, 15 Aug 2011 13:00:00 +0000 Todd http://phitzone.com/?p=3003

No gym required to get fit

playground exercise fitness

Train outdoors for fun!

Guest post by Jeff Turner

First, what does, “getting fit” really mean?  No worries, here’s the answer; it depends.  Seriously, it depends on your goals, time, gym or no gym, and do you have equipment or just body weight.

My daughter, Brianna (B) just committed to play lacrosse in college.  She will be a junior in a few weeks so she has 25 months to prepare.  Yes, I’m a proud father, but the point is she has a different view of “fit” than most of us.  Playing at the D1 level takes big commitment, the good news is she has an awesome strength coach…and time.

What’s your definition of “fit?”  And will your life allow your goals to come to fruition?  If you’re one of those, “time-crunched” peeps that would love to be fit (er) or maybe run your best 5k, but just can’t fit the workouts or your runs in,  I’d say we have a problem.

Hey!  Not getting to the gym is no excuse.  Personally, I’ve committed to do all my workouts out the gym for the month of August, I’m gonna get’em all outside, in my basement or hanging in / on the car port.

Push-ups, pull-ups, get-ups, KB swings, flipping tires, bands, and just pulling and pushing stuff can all yield outstanding results (I’ve used all of those movements with 12-71 year olds).  Below is a video of B at the park — its just a 90 second circuit, but after 5 rounds it provided more than enough for that day.  That’s 7.5 minutes — can you commit to 10 minutes, 4-5 times per week?  Of course you can!

The next question is how do you start?  How much should you do, and what are the progressions?  If you need help starting, let me know.  Because you’re a reader of Phitzone.com I’ll tweak your program or get you started on the right path.  When you fill out the short contact form, add Phitzone in the subject line.

If you’re committed, and willing to invest a little time (and be consistent), eat right, I promise and guarantee you’ll be amazed with your results.

Visit Jeff Turner at http://fit2play.com

Photo by Steven Michelau

 

]]> http://phitzone.com/index.php/2011/08/get-fit-no-gym/feed/ 9 Cardio Machines that Suck http://phitzone.com/index.php/2011/08/cardio-machines-suck/ http://phitzone.com/index.php/2011/08/cardio-machines-suck/#comments Mon, 01 Aug 2011 13:00:18 +0000 Todd http://phitzone.com/?p=2811

Elliptical workouts aren’t effective!

Guest post by Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Elliptical machines suck

Cross trainers suck

Recently, I was in Tampa, Florida, at a seminar. Between sessions, a physician from Georgia stopped me in the hall and said, “Hey Craig, you were right about those crosstrainer machines. I’ve had your program for a few months now and I’m getting better results with the bodyweight circuits.”

It’s always great to meet clients, and I was curious to find out how he heard of me. Turns out, he found me through Google, landing on an article I wrote about “how elliptical machines (crosstrainers) suck for fat loss”.

That’s right, I think those machines are almost a complete waste of time.

“I was using one of those machines for a long time and was wondering why I wasn’t getting any results,” the physician continued, “I’m so glad I found your program and now I’m using the bodyweight circuits from the Dumbell-Bodyweight Fusion Workout”, he added.

I told him how I wasn’t surprised. In fact, I’ve never personally known anyone to get great results with one of those crosstrainer machines. Now I’ve watched really lean people use them, but they didn’t get lean with those machines.

I know some people will be angry with what I have to say because they like exercising on the crosstrainer, but the truth is that they just don’t work as well as harder forms of interval training.

And hey, any time you are traveling or want a break from regular interval training workouts, you can use one of the 4 bodyweight circuits from the TT DB-BW Fusion Fat Loss program that you get as a bonus when you order the Turbulence Training fat burning workout routine.

Click here to get Turbulence Training
==> http://www.turbulencetraining.com

Let me know how it goes for you,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Photo: CWCav

Pssssst–This post contains affiliate links.

]]> http://phitzone.com/index.php/2011/08/cardio-machines-suck/feed/ 7 This Woman is Reshaping Her Lower Body! http://phitzone.com/index.php/2011/07/shape-lower-body/ http://phitzone.com/index.php/2011/07/shape-lower-body/#comments Thu, 28 Jul 2011 13:00:00 +0000 Todd http://phitzone.com/?p=2941

Shape Your Lower Body with Weight Lifting

Lower body reshaped with weights

You can shape your lower body using weights

Guest post by Suzanne Digre.

When you talk about wanting to work on your lower body, what you’re really saying is that you want to re-proportion it. You want a more defined backside or shapelier calves. You want more muscle or less fat in specific areas.

While cardio and lean eating will help reduce body fat and reveal your muscles, we all know you can’t spot reduce. But weight lifting, unlike cardio, can shape your body and change it in very specific places. Making just a few technique tweaks and honing in on specific exercises can get you stellar results in the specific areas you want.

Glutes

It’s common to see people doing exercises like back extensions without squeezing their gluteal muscles. In reality, when you don’t squeeze your glutes hard at the right time – the top, where you contract – you’re just not getting the best benefit from this exercise. Combine squeezing at the top with holding the contraction for two seconds, and you’ll feel a burn that is very significant. You won’t lift as much but you’ll feel it even more.

When it comes to exercises, it can be argued that nothing shapes glutes like squats. Squats are particularly effective if you can go low and squeeze your glutes at the top. However, as mentioned above, back extensions are super glute builders when you squeeze at the contraction and also hold a plate against your chest. Remember to pause at the top for a two-second hold.

Kettle bell swings are another way to shape your backside and again, but they’re only as effective as your form. You need to give your glutes a hard squeeze at the top, along with snapping your hips. Check out this video to see correct form.

Kettle Bell Swing from Suzanne Digre on Vimeo

Reverse lunges, step ups, hacksaw squats, hip extensions, and stiff-legged deadlifts are all also effective for developing your glutes.

Hamstrings

The glute-hamstring tie-in is the area where your glutes and hamstrings meet and it’s the area that makes your backside look high instead of low. You’ll be glad to know that many of the glute/ham exercises also work this area. Therefore, the hamstrings can be worked with the glutes (and quads) in addition to some hamstring isolation exercises. These include the lying hamstring extension, one-legged cable kickback, and the standing hamstring curl. Focus on form instead of how heavy you can go. If you’re use momentum or the wrong muscles because the weight is too heavy, is that really getting you to your goal?

Quadriceps

Leg extensions have a bad reputation for being hard on the knees, but if you perform them correctly they are can be safe for knees. Take the movement slow and hold for two seconds at the top. If you use this technique you’ll need to use less weight.

Squats are fantastic for your quads, as are leg presses. If you have strength imbalances in your legs, use the leg press machine single-legged to avoid letting the stronger leg take over. To emphasize your quads, keep the weight evenly distributed in your feet (press more from the heels to emphasize your glutes). Wall sits target the quads (and glutes and hamstrings) with precision – see how long you can last.

Calves

Your calves are working every time you do big compound movements such as squats and leg presses. It’s important not to overuse your calves by compensating for weak glutes. Consider them a small muscle group that gets trained less, but if you really want to hit them hard try drop sets or reverse pyramids. Don’t use these techniques more than once a week or you risk over-training them.

Standing calf raises and seated (donkey) raises are isolated movements that obviously target the calves, but try integrating calf raises into dumbbell snatches, squats, and leg presses. Just remember to stretch or foam roll your calves thoroughly after weight lifting, since they tend to be tight in most people.

Always integrate functional, full-body exercises into your workout as well as they are excellent for burning calories and saving time.

It really is possible to re-proportion your body using weight lifting. Target your lower body with these techniques and exercises and you’ll see specific changes – better than simply hoping what you’re doing works.

Suzanne Digre is a technical writer and fitness Blogger who is passionate about helping women feel at home in the weight room. Go check her out on Facebook, and Twitter.

Photo by John Nyberg

]]> http://phitzone.com/index.php/2011/07/shape-lower-body/feed/ 10 Old-Man Bodyweight Warm-up and Off-Day Workout http://phitzone.com/index.php/2011/06/bodyweight-warm-up-workout/ http://phitzone.com/index.php/2011/06/bodyweight-warm-up-workout/#comments Mon, 27 Jun 2011 13:04:04 +0000 Todd http://phitzone.com/?p=2725

Bodyweight workouts keep things fresh!

Lounging at the beach

What do you do on your day off?

Guest post by Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS, CTT
Turbulence Training

This article is long overdue.

Today I want to talk about the best off-day workouts you can do between hard sessions of Turbulence Training.

In most cases, simply walking, biking, hiking, stretching/easy yoga, and easy bodyweight exercises are all good enough off-day activities.

Doing 500 kettlebell swings and 200 pushups on an off-day might be fine once in a while for an advanced person, but in reality, that is not an off-day. That’s a workout.

The 5 true purposes of off-day activity are:

1) For health (if your life is sedentary, i.e. desk job + commute + sitting down leisure time), then you simply need to get up and get moving for 30 minutes each day at a minimum.

If you are a manual laborer who walks 3+ miles per day or does 1+ hour of moderate activity (lifting boxes, etc), then you really don’t need to obsess about off-day activity – stretching, foam rolling and massage, and meditation are probably best for your health.

We’re not trying workout on our off-days. We’re just trying to improve our general health and well-being.

2) Mobility (aka TT Yoga) – In many cases, we can do low-intensity bodyweight exercises and mobility drills to fix our bodies.

This includes foam rolling, simple torso (ab endurance exercises), shoulder mobility drills, hip mobility drills, moderate bodyweight exercises, and stretching. This will not qualify as a workout, but will get you a bit of a sweat going.

And there are some cool new bodyweight exercises in this program:

Turbulence Training

Combined with walking, mobility exercises – such as those found in my “Old Man Warm-Up” would be an excellent way to spend 45 minutes each day.

3) Enhanced recovery from past workouts and preparation for future workouts – same movements as above but this is a different benefit.

By doing light activity, we get blood flow to the sore areas and this might help recovery, decreasing soreness and getting us ready for our next training session.

4) Social time with family and friends and errands – Incorporate light activity into your daily life. Take the dog for a longer walk, meet your friends for a walk, play extra long with the kids
outside, or do your errands by foot rather than by car. Heck, walk around a shopping mall and people watch.

5) Relaxation – Unplug. Go for a walk without a phone, ipod, or in my case, a portable CD player. (Yes, I have one and I use it regularly.) Let your mind wander as your body wanders.

That said, what I do on my off-days is something that I call my “Old Man Warm-up”, that I also do before all of my hard workouts.

It lasts about 25 minutes, and in the list below I’ve added a few other exercises to give you a little extra sweat without stealing from your recovery.

The Old-Man Warm-Up/Off-Day Activity Session

  • Foam rolling: Upper back, lats, upper back/posterior deltoid, TFL, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, adductors, hamstrings, glutes.
  • Acuball rolling: calves, glute, biceps (i have a sore left biceps).
  • This takes about 5-10 minutes. I’ll make a video of 1 & 2 soon.

Then I move into a bodyweight circuit.

  • Cross-body arms (also called X’s in some manuals)
  • Bodyweight squat
  • Bird Dog or Bird Dog with Leg Abduction
  • Glute squeeze
  • Plank or side plank or ball plank or bird-dog plank
  • Band pull (done 4 times at various points in circuit)
  • Overhead lunge (using broomstick)
  • 1-Leg RDL
  • Stick-up
  • Chest stretch, shoulder stretch
  • Psoas/hip flexor stretch
  • Downward dog stretch (hips up position)
  • Cossack lunge
  • Yoga Pigeon stretch
  • Stability Ball Leg Curl – 10 reps
  • Pushup – 25% of max reps
  • 1-leg lying hip extension
  • Chin-up – 25% of max reps
  • Spiderman Climb with 3-second hold at top
  • Forearm stretches
  • Neck/trap stretches
  • Leg swings
  • Total Body Extension – 10 reps

I hope this off-day activity guide clarifies the purpose and recommendations for these days.

Add a little gratitude and meditation for bonus karmic points and you’ll feel like you’ve done something without doing too much.

Keep rocking,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS, CTT
Turbulence Training

Photo: Gregory Runyan
Affiliate links within.
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Paint your workouts with a colorful palette

A wide array of colors to use

You wouldn't paint with just one color, so don't train that way.

A guest post by Cooper Elling.

I hardly ever go to the gym, but I manage to stay strong and in great shape.

I actually really enjoy heading to the health club, but I move back and forth across the country a lot and don’t want to pay for a membership in any one location.

I use to have a much more consistent workout routine where I would do this on certain days and that on the other, but ever since my schedule became much more random I’ve realized that I’ve stayed just as strong and I’m in great shape for any activity you through my way.

Key #1: Go Hard

The key ingredient is that I’m a fitness/athletic nut and love the feeling of my lungs breathing for air, my muscles pumping with blood and my heart pounding in my chest.

If you want to be in great shape, you have to want it and eventually love it.  There are some days where I’ve had a busy day and the only thing I end up doing is a set of push-ups before I hop in the shower.

When I get down on the floor, I go all out.  I push for 50, and then I rest in a “downward dog” yoga position to gain my composure before doing 5 more, then another 5 until I literally cannot do another push-up.  Maybe I only did 1 set today, but my body was pushed to its limit is stronger because of it.

Key #2: It’s Random

I mentioned that I feel strong now that I have a lack of routine.  There is no set day where I do this or that.  You have to be smart; if I get the opportunity to head to the gym and workout my chest hard, I give myself ample rest before doing exercises that will stress those muscles again.

The shock factor is key.  I used to do “back and bi’s” on this day and “chest and tri’s” on the next, then a day in between where I would do cardio and then do it all over again.  That schedule is okay, but your body will plateau.  You’ve got to confuse your muscles if you want to get strong and stay strong.

My “Schedule”

I’m an active guy and my life revolves around activity.  Part of the year I live in the mountains and I ski on powder days, play basketball twice a week and volleyball once a week.  In the summer I swim in the lake and mountain bike.  In the fall I cut wood for winter.

On days where the snow isn’t falling or I’m not playing outdoors having fun I typically work out at home.  Get yourself a pair of bands, a pull-up bar, and a nice chunk of floor.  Put on your favorite motivating Pandora station and get after it.

No matter what you’re doing, go hard.  Do as many pull-ups as you can, push-ups as you can, curls as you can, crunches, planks, etc.  Do not rest for very long, move from one exercise to the next quickly and keep up the pump.  Most people lag between exercises for way too long!

The Gym

When I do get the opportunity it’s a pleasure to have an insane amount of weird machines and every free-weight imaginable at my disposal.  I’m a fitness kid in a candy store, bouncing from one exercise to the next because I want to try it all.

I actually end up getting a phenomenal workout because of that and if you consistently head to the gym for your workouts give it a shot.  Instead of doing a set of bench and sitting on the end of the bench people watching for 3 minutes before your next set, do something else.

Sometimes people complain about crowded gyms, I never have an issue.  Don’t get stuck on the exercise you need to do next, do what’s available.  Hit a solid set of bench, then go do a set of pull-ups, then go try out that cool new decline chest press machine and then that weird new row machine.

Have a little fun, mix it up, and I bet your body will be jacked up by the time you leave!

The Takeaway

I know everyone doesn’t live the lifestyle I do, but there is a takeaway for everyone.  Mix it up, get random and go hard.

Add more physical activity into your life, not just the gym or whatever routine you’ve been doing for the last 3 years. Before you take your morning shower, do as many push-ups as you can.  Put a pull-up bar in a convenient location so that when you walk by it you’ll bust out a set.

Incorporate random spurts of exercises into your life and you’ll notice it energizes you, makes you feel better about your day, and makes you a healthier, stronger person.

About the Author

Cooper Elling is passionate about health, business & blogging. When he’s not working out, he writes about Smartlipo, and cooking. He also runs an online store selling hacky sacks.

Photo By: Asif Akbar

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