The human body!

This week's post is a reminder for everyone that do not take care of their own BODY. It is common that most of you are busy with everything else that is happening around you such as work, family, school and other responsibilities.

I will admit that I do the same as well, but did you ever think if you are taking care of your body in terms of exercise, nutrition, stress, injuries etc. If you think that your body does not need any attention...here your wrong. Your body should be your only priority and if you do not take care of it, yep you will see the negative consequences later.

Think for a second....when was the last time you trained, do you follow a well-balanced nutrition regime, are you a stressful person, do you have any injuries acute or chronic? These are some valid questions that you should ask yourself and seek for the answers right away.

DO NOT wait for the New Year Resolution. Delaying your actions for the future is not the answer. Your body is your NO.1 priority now and its best if you take care of it.

Balance everything out and remember that there is always TIME for everything. It all depends on YOU AND ONLY YOU.

JUST LISTEN TO YOUR BODY.............I'm out!

The influence of a personal trainer!!!

SELF-SELECTED RESISTANCE TRAINING INTENSITY
IN HEALTHY WOMEN: THE INFLUENCE OF A
PERSONAL TRAINER
NICHOLAS A. RATAMESS, AVERY D. FAIGENBAUM, JAY R. HOFFMAN, AND JIE KANG
Department of Health and Exercise Science, The College of New Jersey, Ewing, New Jersey

ABSTRACT:
The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the
influence of resistance training with a personal trainer versus
unsupervised resistance training on the self-selected intensities
used by women during resistance exercise. Forty-six resistancetrained
women (age = 26.6 6 6.4 years; body mass = 64.2 6
10.9 kg) who either trained individually (n = 27; No PT) or with
a personal trainer (n = 19; PT) were carefully instructed to
select a weight they used in their own resistance training
workouts that enabled the completion of 10 repetitions for the
chest press (CP), leg press (LP), seated row (SR), and leg
extension (LE) exercises. Each participant was subsequently
tested for one repetition-maximum (1RM) strength on each
exercise, and the self-selected intensity was calculated based
on a percent of each 1RM value. For self-selected relative
intensity, the PT group selected significantly greater intensities
for LP (50% vs. 41%), CP (57.4% vs. 48%), and SR (56% vs.
42%) whereas a trend (p = 0.10) was observed for LE (43% vs.
38%) compared with No PT. Overall, the average self-selected
intensity for all exercises was ~51.4% in PT group and ~42.3%
in the No PT group. 1RM values for LP, LE, and SR were greater
in the PT than No PT group. Ratings of perceived exertion
values were significantly greater in the PT compared with the
No PT group for CP, LE, and SR but not LP. These results
indicate that resistance training under the supervision of a
personal trainer leads to greater initial 1RM strength values,
self-selection of greater workout intensities, and greater ratings
of perceived exertion values during resistance exercise.

from:
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
www.nsca-jscr.org

SUNDAY THOUGHTS!

These are random sunday thoughts about training and nutrition:

• Muscle is the only thing that burns fat in the body. Increase muscle mass = Decrease body fat.
• If you want to loss weight you need to do 2 things: decrease your calorie intake by 20% ( about 300- 500 calories), and resistance train combined with with aerobic workouts.
• If you are doing the same aerobic workout for more than 2 weeks, your body get used to it and yes you are not losing the same calories as before. If you keep performing only aerobic workout, your muscle mass is gone....baby gone.
• If you want to find out if you are healthy, just measure your % body fat and not your weight.
• Make sure you change your resistance training program after 4 weeks.
• If you are training for a long period of time, a period of deloading is a save bet...your body will thank you and your muscle/ligaments/tendons will be ready for the next training face. for example..2 months ON and then 1 week OFF (perform recreational activities).
• If you are an athlete you need to strength train if you want to take your performance to the next level...of course technique and talent are important but if your weak..you lose.
• Perform heavy lifting..it will boost your strength and metabolism.
• Try also speed training for a change...for example perform squats as fast as you can for 3 sets of 20-30 seconds...you do recruite more muscle fibers
• Be specific with your lifts...calculate your 1 Repetition Maximum and train accordingly.
  
• Take a 'power nap' for 20 -30 minutes a day of if you need to...believe it or not it restarts your nervous system.
• Men and women that never train before in their lives and they seem thin....believe it or not their muscle mass = 0 and their body fat is really high, which means that these people are very unhealthy.
  

I'm out......

BRAZILIAN JIU JITSU !!!

Check out this website if you are a true BJJ athlete or what to learn more about this great sport out there http://www.trainingforwarriors.com/

Hey Daki my man this is for you.....and do pass it to the other guys aaayyt. I'm out....

PRENATAL AND POSTPARTUM FITNESS!

This is a small educational article that I recently wrote for Dessange Magazine...enjoy!

It is commonly accepted and scientifically proven that a well- designed prenatal/ postpartum exercise program can have positive outcomes towards the mother and her baby. The old myth depicting that exercise can harm the baby does not exist any more, yet qualified advice is highly recommended.

Some exercise benefits for the pregnant woman through a well-design training plan are: Feeling stronger and more able to handle the demands of pregnancy and birth, potentially shorter active labors and fewer cesarean births, improved sense of well-being and faster recovery. As for the baby some benefits are: possible benefit of less distress in labor and birth, probable advantage of better nourishment in utero resulting from bigger placenta. In addition, some benefits for the postpartum women are: quicker return to normal weight and more energy/ stamina.

At all times if any of the contraindications mentioned below should excluded any pregnant woman from exercise. These are: pregnancy- induced hyperextension, premature rupture of membranes, preterm labor in current or prior pregnancy, cervix early contractions, persistent bleeding in 2nd or 3rd trimester, and intrauterine growth restriction. Furthermore, consolidation from a doctor is needed if any danger warning signs are present: pain, vaginal bleeding, dizziness, increase shortness of breath, or rapid heartbeat.

It should be noted that the exercise regime is broken down for the pregnant woman to first trimester, second trimester, third trimester, yet for the postpartum woman to 6 weeks recovery period and 6 weeks to 6 months after period. The exercise program targets the main components of fitness such as cardiovascular capacity, strength, flexibility, core development and relaxation. The woman fitness state is another factor that an exercise professional should take into consideration.

Reference: The quick series guide to prenatal and postpartum fitness by the Cooper Institute, Dallas Texas.

DO NOT FORGET TO TRAIN THE 'NON IMPORTANT MUSCLES' ???

HEY EVERYONE,

I HAVE BEEN BUSY LATELY, SO THATS WHY I COULD NOT WRITE ANYTHING. I KNOW THAT I PROMISE A TRAINING VIDEO, BUT IT SEEMS THAT ITS IMPOSSIBLE TO DO AT THE MOMENT. I PORMISE I WILL HAVE IT IN MIND.

INDIVIDUALS THAT RESISTANCE TRAIN FOR ANY REASON TEND TO FORGET TO TRAIN THE 'NON IMPORTANT MUSCLES'. NEGLECTING THESE EQUALLY IMPORTANT MUSCLES; YET IMBALANCES CAN BE CREATED ACCOMPANIED WITH SOME PAIN ISSUES.

THESE 'NON IMPORTANT MUSCLES ARE THE:

• THE PSOAS AND ILLIACUS THAT TEND TO LIFT THE THIGH AT 90 DEGREES AND ABOVE. WEAK PSOAS CAN CAUSE MAJOR PROBLEMS ON THE KNEE AND KNEE JOINT. YOU CAN SIMPLY ACTIVATE THESE MUCLES BY PERFORMING THE BRACING TECHNIQUE, AND YOU CAN ACTIVATE THESE MUSCLE FURTHER WITH THE FLOOR BICYCLE EXERCISE WERE YOU ALTERNATELY CYCLE YOUR THIGHS OFF THE FLOOR.

• THE ADDUCTOR GROUP MUSCLES ARE THE INNER THIGH MUSCLES. WEAK ADDUCTORS CAN ALSO CREATE PROBLEMS AT THE KNEE AND HIP JOINT. YOU CAN EASILY TRAIN THESE MUSCLES BY PERFORMING THE ADDUCTOR MACHINE OR SQUEEZE A MEDICINE BALL ISOMETRICALLY BETWEEN THE KNEES.

• SHOULDER MUSCLES SPECIFICALLY INFRASPINATUS, SUPSCAPULARIS AND SCAPULA MUSCLES WHICH SIMPLY THE MUSCLES/ TENDONS AROUND THE SHOULDER AND MID- THORACIC AREA. WEAK SHOULDER MUSCLES/ TENDONS CAN INTERFERE WITH SHOULDER HEALTH. SPECIFICALLY THE SCAPULA MUSCLES IF NOT TRAINED FOR A LONG PERIOD AND SITTED FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME CAN CREATE A KYPHOTIC POSTURE. YOU CAN EASILY TRAIN THESE MUSCLES WITH CHIN- UP AND PULL-UP EXERCISES.

IT IS VITAL TO STRETCH THESE MUSCLES ALSO AFTER YOU WORKED THEM OUT.

THIS IS THE TRAINING TIP FOR THIS WEEK FOR A HEALTHIER RESISTANCE TRAINING BODY. MAKE SURE YOU GIVE EMPHASIS IN THESE SPECIFIC MUSCLES TO AVOID ANY IMBALANCE/ PAIN ISSUES. I'M OUT.......

NUTRITIONAL TIP FOR WATER!

AS YOU ALL KNOW KEEPING HYRATED DURING THE DAY IS VITAL. OUR BODY IS 70 % WATER. WATER IS THE MOST ERGOGENIC AID FOR ANY ATHLETE. TOO LITTLE OR TOO MUCH WATER IS HARMFUL FOR YOUR BODY, SO MAKE SURE YOU KEEP THAT IN MIND.

AS A GENERAL RECOMMENDATION UNTRAIN INDIVIDUALS IS GOOD TO DRINK 2 LITERS OF WATER, 3 LITTERS FOR ATHLETES AND MAYBE 4 LITERS OR MORE TO THOSE WHO EXERCISE IN HEAT. MAKE SURE THAT IF YOU CONSUME ANY DEHYDRATING PRODUCTS SUCH AS COFFEE, SOFT DRINKS OR TEA YOUR WATER CONSUMPTION NEEDS TO INCREASE. FURTHERMORE, IT IS WISE TO DRINK WATER IN SMALL INCREMENTS.

DID YOU KNOW THAT SOME OF THE FOODS THAT YOU DAILY CONSUME CONSIST OF WATER. SOME FOODS THAT CONSIST HIGH PERCENTAGE WATER IN THEM ARE:

• APPLES
• BEAN SPROUTS
• CABBAGE
• CELERY
• CHERRIES
• CUCUMBER
• LETTUCE
• SPAGETTI
• OKRA
• GREEN PEPPERS
• TOMATOES
• BROILED CHICKEN
• SPINACH

THESE FOODS CAN ADD UP TO YOUR HYDRATION STATUS.

EAT FOODS THAT HAVE HIGH WATER CONTENT SUCH AS SALADS BEFORE MEAL, CAN MAKE YOU FULL, SO LESS CALORIES ARE CONSUMED. MAKE SURE YOU START YOUR DAY BY DRINKING A GLASS OR 2 OF WATER TO GET YOUR HYDRATION STATUS GOING AND IT HELPS DECREASE CHOLESTEROL LEVELS ALSO.

HMMM...MAYBE NEXT TIME I WILL POST ONE OF ME FAVORITE WORKOUTS IN VIDEO!

I'M OUT...