Fitness Tip for the New Year

by Hilton Head Health Fitness Coach John Lippett

We're 8 days into the New Year! How are your fitness & health goals coming along? Hopefully you are still going strong with daily or weekly workouts. If you're having trouble here's one of my favorite tips to help you get and stay on track; this is a tip I frequently give to Hilton Head Health guests:

Find a workout partner.

 

Having a workout partner is a great way to stay consistent with your workouts. Let's face it we all have days we don't feel like going to the gym, knowing that you have a partner to hold you accountable is a great way to get to improve your consistency.

Tell us what your fitness goal is for the New Year.

3 Moves for Killer Legs & Glute

At Hilton Head Health, we offer over 50 different fitness classes to help our Guests achieve their weight loss and wellness goals, and live a healthier lifestyle. One thing that we like to remind our Guests of is that you don't need expensive equipment to get a good workout. Today we're going featuring 3 simple moves that make a great leg and glute workout!

1. Squat and Lift

2. Curtsy - Side Lunge

3. Fingertap



We hope that you enjoy this leg and glute workout! What's your favorite move?

Fitness Friday: Muscle Mobility

“All human beings should be able to perform basic human maintenance on themselves.” – Kelly Starrett

Steadily flexibility training has changed over time. We’ve gone from ballistic type stretching (the bouncing type which isn’t safe) to static stretching where you hold a stretch for 30-60 seconds hoping to restore range of motion to the area. What you may or may not have heard about is this new idea of self-massage using balls or rollers. This is formally known as Self-Myofascial release and may also sometimes be referred to as the poor man’s massage.

What’s the deal with SMR? Think of your body as an interconnected chain between your muscles. Between those muscles lies this connective tissue called fascia. When fascia gets tight it restricts movement. When movement is restricted pain may occur, which can the lead to injury. It’s that one chink in the chain that can throw everything off. Check out the Injury Cycle by TP Therapy. Does this seem like something you’ve gone through? Not too much is out on the CDC as to studies behind this stuff, but many physical therapists continually implement these techniques with their clients.

One of the biggest names out there is a CrossFit Coach by the name of Kelly Starrett.  He’s written a solid book called The Supple Leopard. Coach Kelly Starrett received his Doctor of Physical Therapy in 2007 from Samuel Merritt College in Oakland, California. Before starting his own physical therapy practice he practiced performance-based physical therapy at the world-renowned Stone Clinic. Kelly has with the help of others gotten these techniques much more mainstream through his blog www.mobilitywod.com. If you’re ready for a little knowledge check it out!

We’ve recognized the benefits of these SMR techniques so about 3months ago we added a new fitness class called “Muscle Mobility.” Within this class, we teach the most common techniques using lacrosse balls so with a $2 investment our guests can unglue their muscles at home.  Remember that SMR should only be performed on soft tissue never bone or spine. Muscles feeling like beef jerky today? Get on that SMR.

Fitness Friday: Stretch it Out

THE POURPOSE AND BENEFITS OF FLEXIBILITY:

Flexibility means being able to move your joints and muscles through their full range of motion.

As you become more flexible, you will find it easier to reach things on high shelves, to look under a bed, or perhaps to tie your shoes. You will also have a better sense of balance and coordination.

Over time, we create body movements and posture habits that can lead to reduced mobility of joints and compromised body positions. Staying active and stretching regularly help prevent this loss of mobility, which ensures independence as we age. Being flexible significantly reduces the chance of experiencing occasional and chronic back pain.

BENEFITS OF FLEXIBILITY TRAINING:

- Reduces stress in the exercising muscles and releases tension developed during the workout.

-Assists with posture by balancing the tension placed across the joint by the muscles that cross it. Proper posture minimizes stress and maximizes the strength of all joint movements.

- Reduces the risk of injury during exercise and daily activities because muscles are more pliable.

- Improves performance of everyday activities as well as performance in exercise and sport.

HOW TO IMPROVE FLEXIBILITY:

To stay flexible, stretch all your major groups of muscles. These include the muscles of your arms, your back, your hips, the front and back of your thighs, and your calves.

-Warm up your muscles for 5 to 10 minutes before you stretch them by doing aerobic activity such as walking or jogging. This will help increase blood flow to your working muscles.   - Try to hold each stretch for 15 to 30 seconds.

- Add stretches to your day. Do some stretches first thing in the morning, take a stretch break instead of a coffee break, or stretch in the office for a few minutes.

-Get involved in activities that include stretching, such as dance, martial arts tai chi, or yoga

Remember to never push your body beyond its limits. Any stretch that hurts, means you’re pushing too far.

Fitness Friday: Michael Brams Success Story (Brams the Man)

There have been many people who have walked through the doors of Hilton Head Health and have gone home successful. Today, June 14^th, 2013 marks the day that one of our guests, Michael Brams, has achieved his goal weight. After 7 weeks of H3 dedication in the fall of 2012 combined with 12 weeks of H3 dedication in the Spring/Summer of 2013, (75+ lbs later), Michael Brams says he is “feeling and looking the best I’ve felt since high school”. Michael took full advantage of the program; diligently following the meal plan, taking several fitness classes a day, signing up for personal trainings, cooking lessons, one on one nutrition consults, and learning as much as he possibly could in order to apply these healthy habits for when he goes back home. As a Fitness Specialist here, I am thrilled to show off some of the amazing accomplishments Michael has made during his time here. Please enjoy the video that does just that! =D

Fitness Friday: TRX Suspension Training

Make your body your machine.

The TRX Suspension training (Total body Resistance eXercise) is a highly portable performance training tool that leverages gravity and the user’s body weight to complete 100s of bodyweight exercise that develops strength, balance, flexibility and core stability simultaneously.

TRX was originally designed by a Navy Seal who needed to be able to stay in shape with limited space and something small enough for sea bags. Since then, TRX has made its way into the fitness industry and is used by many pro sports teams, coaches, and top trainers around the world.

Here are a few examples of many ways you can use the TRX:

Mobility and Flexibility :  TRX helps you focus  on stabilization and increase range of motion.  You can perform stretches to increase your flexibility and focus on strengthening the muscles around your joints. The TRX Suspension Trainer allows you to unload and leverage your bodyweight while performing strength, mobility and flexibility exercises. This enables you to instantly modify any exercise to your available range of motion and safely and appropriately improve your functional mobility and flexibility over time.

Example: Chest stretch



Strength: Muscular strength plays a part in every movement you make.

TRX gives you a fun, functional way to develop strength and give yourself an advantage in whatever endeavors you pursue. TRX also works your body the way it’s built to move as an integrated, interconnected unit. You can easily progress the difficulty of each TRX exercise, sequence or workout to find the challenge that’s just what you need to safely develop strength.

Example : Row (back strengthening exercise)



Core :TRX training engages the core on every exercise  because it requires that you brace and stabilize with your abs, obliques and lower-back so you can leverage your own bodyweight as resistance. TRX trains for reactive stability, “forcing” you to tighten your core so you don’t lose balance on the straps. Bracing your core before you move becomes second nature.

With the TRX you can also perform specific exercises that  focus on the muscles to stabilize your spine and strengthen your core.

Example: Reverse crunch



Cardio: With the TRX you can also perform cardio exercises to help increase your metabolic rate, reduce stress level, increase blood flow, boost immune-system and improve cholesterol levels.

TRX is a great tool for interval training and also allows you to take regular exercises to a more challenging level.

Exemple : Mountain climbers

Fitness Friday: Quality AND Quantity

Many times in life we ask ourselves what is more important to us, quantity or quality? Perhaps it depends what we are referring to. When it comes to spending money on a movie, many of us look for a quality movie that we hope to enjoy. Sometimes, if you’re like me and my enjoyment for Star Wars, you might hope that greater quantities of movies are made just so you can see those same characters return in another exciting adventure. Ideally, those sequels should be just as good if not better than the first one. However, many of us know that sequels do not always turn out the way we hoped for, as was the case for the new Star Wars trilogy.

Outside the realm of movies, many people also toss back in forth the importance of “Quality of Life” vs. “Quantity of Life”. Would I rather live a short and exciting life?... or a longer less exciting life”? Well, the good news is, it is certainly possible to have both. Most people know that exercising is good for you. But sometimes people forget why it is good for them. The two benefits of exercise, cardiorespiratory exercise in particular, that I would like to point out today are; 1) Improved Energy levels (increased VO2 max) and 2) reduced resting heart rate.

When you hear people talking about VO2 max, they are talking about a person’s maximum capacity to take oxygen and deliver it to muscles for energy during exercise. The more oxygen your muscles receive during exercise, the longer you will be able to continue the activity at a higher intensity. More simply put, the more energy you have, the more things you can accomplish at an “easier” rate. Perhaps you’ve heard someone say they do not want to exercise because they would rather spend their time doing something else. It turns out, with regular exercise, you could do both and more!

The American Heart Association has found that the average human heart beats about 2.6 billion times in a lifetime. This is the same for those who are healthy and those who are unhealthy (assuming they did not pass away pre-maturely). It is known that with regular cardio-respiratory exercise a person’s resting heart rate decreases. Heart rate is measured in beats per minute. The slower a person’s heart rate is, the less times a heart has to beat in a minute, the less times it beats in a day and in a year. Therefore, since the amount of beats is fairly consistent for healthy and unhealthy hearts, the less frequently it beats, the longer you will live.

So let’s get this straight. Exercising increases your energy in a day and allows you to really put a lot of quality into it. Not only that, but it ALSO slows down a person’s “living timer”?! Wow! It sounds like it really is possible to have both quality and quantity in a lifetime! Let’s just hope the next Star Wars trilogy “exercises” that same pattern!

FRIDAY FITNESS: BARRE WORKOUT

No Tutus Required!

Barre workout is like the dancer training without the dance.

It Is a no-impact workout that allows you to lengthen and strengthen your body as well as improve flexibility and balance.

Utilizing a Ballet Barre, a countertop, or even the back of a chair, todays workout will focus on your lower body with 3 simple exercises where you will perform small isometric movements working each muscle to fatigue.

This simple 3 exercise routine will focus on your lower body:

1. Wide Plie : works on quads, inner thighs and calves

How to do it: Stand with legs straight and feet wide apart, toes turned out. Do 10 to 20 deep plies, bending the knees deeply until they're directly over your toes.



2. Parallel Plie Pulse: works on glutes, quads and abs

How to Do It: To start, stand with your feet parallel, knees together. Rise onto balls of the feet, bend your knees into a deep plié and lift half way up 10 to 20 repetitions.



 

3. Heel lift: works on hips and glutes

How to Do It: Facing the back of a chair, hinge at hips with a flat back. Bend right leg and lift to hip height, pushing heel toward the ceiling. Keeping hips square, pump leg up and down 10 to 20 times. Repeat on other leg.

Fitness Friday: Sitting Less + Exercise = Feeling Better

Do you find that the thirty to sixty minutes your devoting to exercise just isn’t cutting it? One of our program staff came across a very intriguing video so I thought I’d share. If you have three minutes to spare please check this out. Your metabolism will thank you for it!



Also, I’ve been reading a great book called Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John J. Ratey, MD. I always knew exercise made me feel better, but this book proves it through evidenced based research.  Research presented in this book shows that Aerobic exercise has the ability to physically remodel our brains to perform at their best.

Message for this Friday… Sitting less coupled with more exercise makes us feel better!

 

Friday Fitness: Cleansersizing

Time management is something that many people struggle with, especially when it comes to exercising, and even more so during holidays. This weekend is Easter weekend and for many of you out there it might be a slightly busier time than normal and it might be that much more challenging to fit time in for exercise. Maybe you have family coming in town and need to tidy the place up, or maybe you are hosting an Easter egg hunt and you are simply swamped with finding places to put those eggs. Or maybe this is just a typical weekend for you. Whatever your case is, today’s Fitness Friday is all about killing two birds with one stone.

 Cleaning up the house and exercising are two activities that most people feel are important. Why not free up your schedule a little bit by doing them both at the same time! Here are a few reasons why exercising while cleaning may benefit you; 

1. Less Laundry: You are in clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty (1 pair of dirty clothes as opposed to 2)


2. More time in the week for other things


3. Exercising makes cleaning more fun


4. Cleaning is a good way to kill time during recovery periods


5. It’s fun to listen to music during cleaning time and exercise time

 Just to name a few. Man, it just seems like exercising and cleaning were made for each other, right! Below is a video demonstrating one of many ways you could incorporate exercising into your cleaning time. Enjoy! =D