Videos !!!

I've been wanting to do this for a while now, so as a heads up,  keep an eye out for some workout videos coming soon.  As much as I know you all enjoy reading about fitness/health issues,  I am aware that videos (especially exercise videos) have become a necessity to capture a broader audience.  So it is my intention to include several workout videos utilizing several different pieces of equipment.

Stay tuned and in the meantime keep checking back for more health tips.

PS.  If you haven't already taken my April Health Questionnaire, please take the time to submit your answers to the questions in the Comment section listed below the post.

Thanks for reading.

April Health Questionnaire

Each month I like to post a Health Questionnaire to test your knowledge of health and fitness questions.  These questions are not meant to show how much you do NOT know, but rather help better educate you.  There are questions that touch on fitness, nutrition, and health in general.

Please take the quiz and post your answers in the "Comments" section below the post.  Thanks and good luck.


Results will be posted on the 16th.


1.  Chia seeds are shown to help those with diabetes manage blood sugar levels, and can protect heart health?
     A. True    
     B. False

2.  Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye?
     A. True    
     B. False

3.  Performing a back extension exercise primarily isolates which muscle?
     A. Glutes
     B. Biceps
     C. Erector Spinae
     D. Deltoids

4.  Which of the following muscles is NOT a calf muscle?  List all correct answers.
     A. Soleus
     B. Obliques
     C. Gastrocnemius
     D. Latissimus Dorsi

5.  What does DOMS stand for?
     A. Doing Only Muscle Stretches
     B. Do Only Monday Situps
     C. Don't Overexert Muscle Strains
     D. Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

6.  Interval training helps prevent injuries often associated with repetitive endurance exercise?
     A. True
     B. False

7.  When creating fitness goals, what does SMART refer to?
     A. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-Framed
     B. Specific, Movement, Action, Repetitive, Time
     C. Stretching, Movement, Action, Realistic, Total
     D. Short, Memory, Attainable, Relative, Thorough

8.  Regular stretching of the hip flexor can improve gait patterns among older adults?
     A. True
     B. False

9.  Doing abdominal crunches alone will reduce abdominal fat?
     A. True
     B. False

10. What is the ideal body fat composition for both men and women?
     A. Men 15-18%, Women 18-24%
     B. Men 8-12%, Women 15-20%
     C. Men 20-25%, Women 25-30%
     D. Men 5-10%, Women 10-15%

A different kind of training

We are all familiar with training the physical and mental aspects of our bodies.  What about our eyesight?  Believe it or not there are exercises you can do to train your vision; allowing you to perform better in a given sport, or as simple as improving hand/eye coordination.

I have read several articles and have spoken with a few Z-Health specialists and both stress the importance of improving  hand/eye coordination in an effort to improve athletic performance.  Here are a few scenarios that make me a believer in training me eye muscles as well as my leg, back, core muscles.

Scenario #1 - An NBA player at the free throw line.  He makes the free throw and his team wins.  There is a lot riding on his shot and he vision has to be optimal.

Scenario #2 - A golfer ready to put in an effort to win his first Masters.  Being able to read the correct line and hit the ball with his putter just right can be the difference between millions of dollars.

Scenario #3 - An outfielder running to catch a fly ball, that if caught, could win the game and the World Series.  How important is his eyesight...very.

Of course these are extreme cases, but we all will have moments in life and in sport that require our vision to be sharp.  So why not spend a few minutes each night or day training your eyes just like you train the rest of your body.

So if you are still reading and are ready to do some exercises, here you go.  Do each exercise 10 times for the first 1-2 weeks and then increase by 5 each week following until you are able to do each exercise for 3 minutes.  Just like your other bodily muscles, your eyes will get tired the more you do.  Be conservative in the beginning.

Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images

#1.  Side To Side:  Look side to side as far as you can and pick something to focus on.

#2.  Up/Down:  Same as above only look up and down focusing on an object.

#3.  Diagonal:  Look right to left and then left to right (10 each direction)

#4.  Eye Circles:  Move your eyes clockwise and then counter clockwise.

#5  Focus Drill:  Using index cards, write 1 word on each card.  Hold one index card in your hand close to your face, and tape the other card about 5-10 feet away in front of you.  Start by focusing on the word in your hands as quickly as possible, and then switch to the other word and try to focus on that word as quickly as you can.  Switch back and forth for the total # of reps you are doing.

That's it.  5 simple exercises that can be done while sitting at work or at home.

In addition to eye exercises what you eat can also help improve your eyesight.  Antioxidants are critical for maintaining proper eye health and help to fight off free radical damage to the eyes.

Vitamin C (strawberries, broccoli, oranges, kale), Vitamin A (steak, cod liver oil, carrots, sweet potatoes), and Essential Amino Acids (salmon, mahi mahi, trout)

will help provide benefits for optimal vision.  And not only will eating these foods improve your vision, but they will also help improve your health.  Gee, it's amazing how eating certain foods (vegetables, fruit, and lean protein) can help improve so many areas of our body.  Don't make it difficult, stick to the foods that Mother Nature provided us with.

Weekly Wednesday Quotavation

Well I have slacked off a bit the past 2 weeks.  Sorry for not giving you your morning motivation on the last 2 Wednesday's.  I hope you have been able to make it through the day :-).

Here is a great quote from one of the most powerful woman in the world.

"Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity" - Oprah Winfrey

This can be true whether playing a sport or looking for a job.  You have to do your homework and be prepared, but you also have to take advantage of an opportunity when it presents itself. 

All about the Core

We hear the word "Core" used quite frequently these days.  Many (or most if not all) in the fitness industry are familiar with this buzz word.  However, if you are not and are confused what core means, here is a simple explanation.  The word "core" is NOT an acronym.  The core is basically the trunk of the body; or more specifically the abdominals, lower back, hips and glutes.

The abdominals compose of the following muscles:  1) Rectus Abdominis (front of abdominals), 2) Transverse Abdominis (deep muscle located on the sides beneath the obliques), 3) Obliques - External and Internal (both are located on the sides and front of the abdomen...internal obliques are located beneath the external obliques).

The lower back is composed of the following muscle:  1) Erector Spinae (runs the length of the spine from the base of the pelvis).

The glute muscles include the following 3 muscles:  1) Glute Maximus (large butt muscle - external rotates and extends the leg), 2) Glute Medius (located on the outer surface of the pelvis - abducts the leg away from the midline of the body), and 3) Glute Minimus (located beneath the glute medius - also abducts the leg away from the midline of the body).

 

                    

Pratt, N.  Clinical Musculoskeletal Anatomy.  CBLS: Marietta, OH 2004

So now that I have explained what muscles compose our "core" and where each of them is located, you are probably asking yourself  "what are some exercises I can do to work those muscles"?  Believe it or not you are most likely using all of these muscles in one or more ways during your everyday activities.  However, there are several exercises that can isolate each of these muscles specifically helping to improve posture, balance, athletic movement or look good in the mirror (and only if your nutrition is very good).

For the following exercises, complete 2 sets of 15-20 reps with no rest between each exercises and only 30 second rest between each sets.  For planks, use time instead of reps.

1.  Knee Tucks - Sit on a bench with hands behind you and on bench.  Lift your knees up and hold your torso at a 45 degree angle.  Simultaneously tuck your knees to your chest and bring your torso forward towards your knees.  Lower back down and repeat.

2.  Windmill - Lie on your back with your arms out to the side at shoulder height.  Straighten your legs and extend towards the ceiling.  Now keeping your abdominal muscle tight, lower your straight legs to the right, pause, and return to starting position.  Now rotate to the left and pause.  Keep shoulder blades on the floor and do not use momentum.  Repeat for reps.

3.  Back Extension - You can use either an extension machine or swiss ball for this exercise. Swiss ball adds more stability work.  Lower your upper body forward bending at the waist until you are perpendicular to the ground, and then return keeping your back flat.  You can either cross your arms in front or cross behind your head.

4.  Hanging Knee Crunches - Using a pull up bar, grab the bar with hands just wider than shoulder width. Your feet should NOT be able to touch floor when hanging.  Slowly raise your knees towards your chest without using momentum.

5.  One-Leg Deadlifts - balance on 1-leg with knee slightly bent.  You can use dumbbells for added resistance if needed.  Begin by lowering your torso forward keeping left foot on ground with knee slightly bent.  At the same time lift your right leg behind you keeping it straight (forming a 90 degree angle with left leg).  Tighten your hamstrings and but muscle and return to the starting position.

6.  Russian Twists - For this exercise you can use either a dumbbell or medicine ball for an added challenge.  Sitting on the ground, lift both legs off floor keeping them slightly bent.  While holding the weight (or not), twist your torso from side to side bringing your hands towards your hips.

7.  Pike - Use a swiss ball for this exercise.  Begin by placing both feet on the swiss ball with body in a plank/pushup position.  Slowly raise your hips bringing your feet towards your chest and return to starting position.

8.  Plank - Assume a pushup position.  You can either perform this exercise on your elbows or hands.  make sure yo keep your should blade pulled back so you don;t shrug your shoulders.  For an added challenge you can lift one leg straight off the floor for 10 sec and the switch legs.  Complete the exercise (whether just holding or doing lilfts) for 30-60 sec.

9.  Side Planks - Just as the name implies, this is similar to the plank but done on your side.  Start on one side and resting on elbow.  Lift your hips off the floor keeping torso in a straight line.  Hold for 30-60 sec. and repeat on other side.

10.  Reverse Crunch - You will need to use a swiss ball for this exercise.  Lie on floor with knees bent at 90 degree and squeezing the back of the swiss ball.  While keeping the ball squeezed, bring the ball towards your head as you lift your hips off the floor.  Return to starting position and repeat.

There you go, 10 Core exercises targeting the abs, glutes, and lower back muscles.  Have fun !!!