Fitness: January 2008

Dear Editor – I have a question for your fitness writer. I always hear different ways to work out. Some say light weight, high number of reps, less sets. Others say heavy weight, fewer reps, more sets. I’m not sure which is the best way, or best for me. Can you shed some light on this topic? Thanks, Matt

Great question, Matt and thanks for opening Pandora’s Box within the fitness field! The question of how many sets, reps, and weight has been asked for as long as people have been working out. I warn you, the reason why you don’t know the answer is because there is not a clear one. Let me attempt to shed some light (although it may confuse you further).

First of all, let me make a definite statement: it depends on what you are looking for. The majority of people looking for answers to this question, do so in regards to strength training. We are not going to go into what will help most with speed, power, skill, rehabilitation, etc. The concept of strength training is often misunderstood, where people think there is a difference between “toning” and building.

Let me explain: most people refer to toning as becoming well defined, where each muscle can be separately seen from the other muscles around it. To accomplish this, you still need to “build” the muscle, and at the same time – lose the fat around it. People who are worried about building too much muscle are comparing themselves to the freaks they see in magazines.

Most people do not need to worry about “bulking up” provided they are not working out as long or with the intensity that magazine models have, or as long as they do not take steroids! So toning and building muscle is the same thing; toning is just building to a lesser degree, while at the same time attempting to lose the flab in the area. Unfortunately, weight training will not burn fat in specific areas, but does help in the overall fat-burning process by increasing metabolism (metabolism will actually be raised more however when you “bulk up”: more muscle = higher metabolism).

The other issue is there are multiple types of strength, including relative strength, maximal strength, limit strength, endurance strength, speed strength, stabilization strength, optimal strength, and functional strength. So again, it depends what you are looking for.

That being said, the National Academy of Sports Medicine offers some guidelines. Take a look at the chart to the right. If this answers your question sufficiently, stop reading now! If you want to be brave, proceed.

The reason why many people do not achieve the results they are looking for, even when following a similar set/rep model to the one above is because there are many other variables to consider when strength training. These include: speed of contraction (how fast you lift the weight), type of contraction (eccentric/isometric/concentric), rest period length, workout length, exercise frequency, types of exercise (isolated/integrated/single joint/multi joint/varying planes, angles, body positions, etc), exercise volume, time under tension, medical health, and nutrition just to name a few. It also depends what you do with the other 23 hours of your day, and how honest you are with yourself.

The fact is, the most common set/rep scheme is 3 sets of 10 reps. Your body does not know the significance of the number 10 in terms of how easy it is to count that high, or how even and well rounded it is. It is hard to believe that so many people’s bodies just stop working at 10 reps! People think that their muscles may spontaneously combust if they do 7, 11, or heaven forbid – 13 reps! Most people pick a number of reps, not as a goal, but as a limitation. They do 10, but could have done 12 or 15, or even 28. Let me tell you, if you could have done 20, 30, or 40 reps but stopped at 10, that set did not count towards anything in the table at the right. I am not promoting lifting to failure for most people, but if your goal is 10, your muscles should be working hard by that point, and if you squeeze out a couple more reps (provided it is with good technique) nothing bad will happen.

One method to get out of the set/rep trap is to forget about reps and lift for time. Shoot for 10, 30, or 60 seconds. There are strength/ endurance competitions out there, including kettlebell sport, where the goal is to last for 10 minutes without stopping – that will put some hair on your chest! Many people get amazing results by following a set/rep scheme that is completely different than what was stated earlier.

The best results come from the people that pay attention to their bodies and how it responds, and do not just arbitrarily go through the motions of exercising. The NASM model above is a good guide to try. If it does not work out for you, hope is not lost, there are other methods. The main thing for most people is to stop spending so much time thinking about what will work, but instead going out and doing it.

Good luck, Matt.

SIDEBAR – National Academy of Sports Medicine Guidelines:

REPETITIONS

• 1-5 reps = neural adaptation (the connections between the brain and muscles)
• 6-8 reps = strength adaptation
• 9-12 reps = cellular adaptation (muscle growth)
• 12-25 reps = strength endurance adaptation

SETS

• 4-8 sets = neural
• 3-4 sets = strength
• 3 sets = cellular
• 2-3 sets = strength endurance

INTENSITY

• 85- 100% = neural
• 75-85% = strength
• 70-75% = cellular
• 50-70% = strength endurance

For more information, contact Bob at bob@functional-strength-training.com or visit his website at www.functional-strength-training.com.

Fitness: Make a Strong First Impression

In today’s world, it is important to make a good first impression, and then also leave a lasting memorable impression on everyone you come in contact with. Few gestures provide these impressions as well as a strong handshake. It does not matter what type of business you are in, or if you are just making/greeting friends, you will likely shake hands.

Besides a good handshake, it is also important to maintain good hand health because it is the most commonly used part of almost everyone’s body. Arguably, the sudden inability for any of us to use our hands would be one of the more debilitating events we could face. I can speak from experience. After a traumatic tubing accident (try to control your laughter), and losing the use of my dominant hand for about one month, I had to give serious thought to things that were no-brainers before.

If you look at any activity involving heavy use of the upper extremity, the hands are often the weak link, which prevents good performance. Increase the strength of the hands, and you will directly, or indirectly, improve the strength of the entire arm.

So how do we achieve and maintain healthy hands? First you must understand that the hand is a fairly complex body part – this is why there are doctors and therapists who specialize only in hands. Most people think that if you buy a hand gripper from a sporting goods store and squeeze it 100 times a day, that is all you need. First, let me be clear – if you currently have a hand injury or pain in any area of the hand(s), you need to consult a hand physician and/or hand therapist. Besides the multitude of problems that can arise from the hands themselves, hand pain can also stem from anywhere else in the arm up to the shoulder, upper back, and neck. For the purposes of this article, we are going to look at strengthening of the hands for maintenance.

Hand Strength

First, we must identify the different types of strength necessary for proper hand function. It goes beyond the gripper. Proper hand strengthening will also help improve hand mobility, circulation, and endurance.

1) Crushing grip

This is what most people think of as it relates to strong hands. How much force can you exert with a squeezing motion of your whole hand? This type of grip strength is necessary for many sports and occupational duties, as well as different household tasks such as moving heavy items.

Yes, a hand gripper works this type of strength, however, what you get at most sporting goods stores will not cut it. Generally, a store bought gripper provides about 30 lbs. of tension.

In a study by Mathiowetz, et al, grip strength was tested in men and women aged 20-75+ years old. Results showed that the average grip strength in men was 93-104 lbs, with the low being 55 lbs., while women demonstrated an average of 54-63 lbs with a low of 38 lbs. Therefore, while a 30 pound gripper may improve endurance if done for multiple repetitions, it will not do much to improve strength in most people. To increase crushing grip, there are many tools, including grippers with tension ranges up to 300+ lbs (a feat accomplished by very few people)!

Another method is to take a racquet/tennis/small medicine ball, depending on your strength level, and maximally squeeze it. Just remember, crushing strength does not require, and should not involve a high number of repetitions – generally sets of 10 reps or less. If you can do many reps, you need higher resistance. Also, as with any type of grip strength, the size and shape of whatever you are gripping will affect your overall strength.

2) Supporting grip

One of the more commonly used types of grip, this is more of an endurance vs. strength requirement. Supporting grip may use a similar position to a crushing grip, but is maintained for an extended period to “hold” something, as opposed to maximally crushing it. This type of grip is useful for activities like doing pull-ups, carrying/holding a suitcase, or playing tennis.

To increase support grip, pulling/rowing exercises are great. You can also try a farmer’s walk/hold – grab anything heavy and either stand or walk with it as long as you can. This can be done using one or both hands.

3) Pinch grip

This is the strength of your grip using mainly the fingers, especially the tips, as opposed to the whole hand. Pinch grip can include each of the fingers individually, or all of the fingers together. Pinch gripping can be used as a strength or endurance tool, depending on your needs. A good pinch grip has numerous sports and occupational applications, as well as opening jars (depending on the size) at home.

For “whole hand” pinch grip, use a 2×4 with a weight hanging from it. You can either hold it as long as you can, or while holding it, lift up and down for repetitions. To improve pinch grip of the individual fingers, grab the end of a dumbbell with the index finger and thumb, then alternately switch from index, to middle, ring, and pinky fingers as many times as possible.

4) Hand extensor strength

All of the above types of grip strength involved strength to bend the fingers towards the palm. Hand extension is strength to straighten the fingers (opposite of gripping). Though not used as often as gripping, extension strength is important to maintain overall stability throughout the hand, and when done properly, can help fight the effects of arthritis and other conditions which keep the hands/fingers “stuck” in a bent/flexed position.

Fingertip pushups work well to increase this type of strength. Be careful not to let the fingers hyperextend while doing this. If standard pushups are too difficult, try them on your knees.

5) Wrist/forearm strength

Wrist and forearm strength directly contribute to overall hand strength. People who wish to strengthen their forearms to get the “Popeye look” often do “wrist” curls for the front of the forearms. This is only one technique for the forearms, but lacks the ability to recruit a large portion of the forearm necessary for proper function.

In addition to bending the wrist forward, it is also helpful to bend it backwards, sideways towards the thumb, sideways towards the pinky, and to rotate it in both directions.

Other good wrist and forearms strengtheners include a piece of PVC pipe with caps on the ends and a rope hanging down with a weight. Keeping the elbows bent, roll the weight up and down with the rope towards and away from you, and with the palm up and/or down and on the sides. A piece of metal pipe or a sledge hammer can also be held at the end, and with the elbows bent, and forearms parallel to the ground, make circles in a clockwise and counter clockwise directions. Alternate the left, then right hand on top.

Practicing these exercises 1x times per week can dramatically improve the strength in your hands and maintain their health for years to come. For more great information on hand strengthening, visit the following websites:

www.ironmind.com

www.functionalhandstrength.com

Fitness: What Women Want

1. “How do I get rid of the jiggle on the back of my arms/legs/butt/stomach?”

2. “How do I stop my back/neck/knees/hips/etc. from hurting?”

3. “How much time do I need to spend exercising?”

4. “How can I tone my body without getting bulky?”

5. “I eat right/work-out, why can’t I lose weight?”

6. “How can I get more energy?”

As a personal trainer, and physical therapist, these are some of the top fitness questions (or variations) that I get asked by women. The majority of women who participate in an exercise program do it to lose weight, and “get toned.” As they age, women start to have more issues with pain in various parts of their bodies, and decreasing energy levels. As priorities change and responsibilities accumulate with career, family, etc., women (as well as men) often stress about finding time to exercise.

Let’s try to address these issues one at a time (maybe 2 or 3 at a time).

1. Getting rid of “the jiggles”, weight loss, and toning vs. bulking.

To address the big one first: you cannot spot reduce; what was thought to help weight loss years ago is not the same as what we know today; and there is really no such thing as “toning” – that pretty much covers it, right? Just kidding.

But seriously, spot reduction really does not happen. Unfortunately, women accumulate fat first in the areas that come off last: legs, butt, back of arms; add a pregnancy to it and your abs take a beating. This is a generality, but true for most. Weight loss happens (when done correctly) in the order that nature dictates. The important thing is to lose the weight and be patient about where on your body it happens.

Some things to consider about weight loss. For a long time, people were told to do aerobic exercise (I don’t mean step aerobics or classes necessarily) in a supposed “fat burning zone” (FBZ). This zone was usually at a low to moderate intensity, often described in practical terms as the point where you could still talk while exercising as opposed to being completely out of breath. This level was the one where the greatest percentage of calories burned were from fat. More recent research has shown that while the FBZ may in fact have burned the highest percentage of calories from fat, higher intensity/interval training (HIIT) exercise will burn more total calories and total fat.

For example, exercising in the FBZ may burn 300 total calories, with 200 of them from fat (67%). HIIT may burn 500 total calories, with 250 of them from fat (50%). Ask yourself, would you rather have 80% of $100, or 30% of $1000? Furthermore, the traditional aerobic training would generally burn calories only during the exercise, while HIIT can continue to use calories for many hours after exercising, resulting in further weight loss.

So what is HIIT exactly? Simply pick an exercise that you may typically do for “aerobic” exercise (i.e. running, biking, elliptical, etc.), or pick an atypical exercise such as punching a heavy bag or jumping rope. After proper warm-up, go at the highest intensity you can for a period of up to 2 minutes. This means that if you are used to walking on a treadmill, you may actually have to run. If this is painful, pick a different exercise. Then slow down to a low to moderate intensity for a period of up to double your “hard work” intensity. For example, if you ran fast for 1 minute, you can speed walk or jog for up to 2 minutes. Then repeat this cycle for however long you had planned to exercise, or whatever you can accomplish. Realize that even if you cannot last as long as you do with the typical aerobic exercise, if the intensity is high enough, you will still burn more calories.

Don’t take what I am saying wrong, people can and will lose weight with the typical aerobic exercise. The high intensity workout is another option for those who have not benefited or cannot participate in the typical workout program.

The other piece of the weight loss puzzle that many people miss is the resistance training component. Strength training is necessary for many health issues, including weight loss.

Metabolism, or how many calories your body uses for various activities, as well as doing nothing at all, is directly related to how much muscle you have. It takes 50 calories/day to maintain 1 lb. of muscle. This equates to 350 calories per week and 18,200 calories per year. About 3500 calories equal 1 lb., so 18,200 calories burned is a little over 5 lbs. lost by doing absolutely nothing beyond maintaining the muscles you already have. Add 5 lbs. of muscle and your body will burn about 25 lbs. per year just maintaining that muscle.

The other benefit of strength training is to add muscle to those areas that “jiggle.” While you will not necessarily burn the fat by adding muscle there, having muscle in those areas as opposed to not having muscle there is still a better option. Strength training will also help achieve the “toned” look.

Let me break down the whole issue of “toning. A muscle can grow, shrink, or stay the same. To build muscle for tone versus bulk means to grow the muscle less, either way you need resistance training. Unless a woman takes steroids, becomes a crazy gym rat, makes big muscles a priority, or has genetically large muscles, she will not get too bulky, generally speaking.

To build muscle, the exercise needs to be somewhat intense. Many people waste time in the gym doing an exercise with far too light of a weight. If you are doing 3 sets of 10 reps (another story all together) with a weight that you could do 3 sets of 50 reps with, then you should use a heavier weight or do more reps – make each set a challenge. If the weight is too light; do more of them and then go heavier next time. Your body does not know the convenience of the number 10 or 20. If you do 11 or 17 reps, nothing bad will happen, but maybe something good will.

Most people who work out for 1 hour or more could be done in half that time if their workouts were intense enough and they got down to business.

2. Stop the pain.

Pain can happen anywhere, to anyone. As we age, pain often becomes more prevalent due partly to normal changes that occur in our bodies, but also due to the lack of exercise or physical activity that we used to do. According the American Obesity Association, 62% of women, ages 20 to 74, are overweight (Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 or more) and about half of that population (34 percent) is obese (BMI of 30 or more). As far as back and neck pain, studies have shown that for every 1 lb. of weight carried in front of a person (stomach, chest, etc.) about 10 lbs. of stress is put on the spine; not to mention the hips, knees, and ankles/feet.

How do we stop this? One, either don’t gain weight or take off the weight that you can (see the above section). Two, strength train to help support the extra 10 lbs. (or more) that is on your joints. On an additional note, WebMD examined five medical conditions that are of great concern to women: heart disease, breast cancer, osteoporosis, depression, and autoimmune diseases. The list of risk factors for these conditions included many things that cannot be changed (age, sex, race, etc), but common between the first 3 were high blood pressure, physical inactivity/sedentary lifestyle, and obesity/overweight – all of which can be helped with exercise. Depression and

autoimmune disorders also have plenty of research to show the value of exercise for treatment.

3. How much time?

The most precious commodity for many of us – these days we feel we need 48 hours in one day to get everything done. Our personal needs take a back seat to many other things. This holds especially true for women. Things are different than they used to be. Many women have full time careers and families. Not to say that we men don’t work hard, but as much as I may do, I am amazed at how my wife can balance her career and take two kids to and from day care, come home, make dinner, clean up, pack lunches, etc. – all before I get home from work (I do help out).

For many women they only have maybe 10-20 minutes to work out, or maybe that is all the time they want to devote to it with their other priorities. The good news is, if you only have 10-20 minutes, that is great. As I said before, most people waste a lot of time working out. If you are there to be social, that’s fine too, but don’t mistake that social time as workout time. The high intensity/interval training I spoke of earlier generally does not last longer than 10-20 minutes. Alternate that with strength training days (still 10-20 minutes of intense work) and you can have an awesome workout.

4. Where is my energy?

It’s pretty simple. Your energy probably has gone to the job, children, spouse, home, etc. and as was just stated – not to you. Proper exercise and diet (not the quick fast food dinner that may be common) has to become a priority again. A little activity goes a long way.

One of the best exercises a person can do if they have young children is to do what the kids do and join in on their playing. Rather than trying to have kids calm down because we are too tired, let them go all out (not on the Playstation, I’m talking good old active playtime) and join them. You will find that it can be very intense exercise, and if you can work up to playing the whole time they do, your overall energy levels will get up there as well.

If playing with kids is not an option, take other steps such as parking farther away from the door at work, the mall, etc. and walk. Use the stairs vs. the elevator.

Do some stretching during your lunch break. Find an excuse to be active, and do not forget the importance of eating right and getting enough sleep (about 8 hours for most adults).

Realize that “intense exercise” is very relative. What is intense for one person is easy for the next. Only you know how hard you are working, but actually work when you work-out. Always warm-up, pick some exercises you like (or at least don’t hate for a few minutes) and go for it. You will improve over time if you give it a chance.

Ask an expert if you are unsure of proper technique, use of equipment, etc. Just about anything is better that nothing as long as it does not cause pain or other undesirable effects. Be like Nike – “just do it.”

And in regards to the title of this article, besides the fitness part, I’m still trying to figure it out.

Fitness: Kettlebells 101

What is a kettlebell? Funny you should ask.

You could go see the latest Rocky movie, but let me give a little background (no offense to Stallone). A kettlebell, also known in Russian as “giri” or “girya”, resembles a cannonball with a handle. While its exact origins are not known for certain – several cultures, including the ancient Greeks, Scots, Germans, and Shaolin monks have record of using a “ball with a handle” – the kettlebell.

By most accounts, it appears to have its roots in Russia sometime around the 18th century. At one time, the kettlebell was used as a farming implement to measure grain, using units called “poods”, with 1 pood equaling 16 kilograms (about 35 lbs).

Currently, kettlebells generally range (with a few exceptions) between 9 lbs. and over 100 lbs. In the early 1900’s, kettlebells were used by many of the famous strongmen, including Eugene Sandow and Arthur Saxon.

In 1985, the modern sport of kettlebell lifting was developed with the current rules in the Soviet Union. In 2000, former Soviet special forces instructor Pavel Tsatsouline, introduced kettlebells to America and began the first instructor certification – the Russian Kettlebell Challenge (RKC).

Currently, there are 3 main categories of kettlebell lifting:

1. Classical (competition) – Includes 2 different lifts: a one arm snatch (raising the bell from just above the ground to overhead in one fluid motion repeatedly); and a two arm jerk (starting with two bells at chest level and press both overhead repeatedly). Each is performed for 10 minutes without stopping. Men use 70 lb. bells, while women use 35 lbs.

2. Juggling – Actually using various size bells and flipping them in the air

3. General fitness – Kettlebells have been shown to be one of the most efficient and effective training tools for weight loss, strength, endurance, speed, agility, power, flexibility, and balance; as well as requiring mental concentration and focus. The perfect portable gym, only one kettlebell is initially required, along with a 4 ft x 4 ft area, and as little as 10-30 minutes of time. Exercises can mimic common dumbbell exercises, but generally include kettlebell specific moves.

While kettlebells are nothing new in the coastal states, they are slowly gaining popularity in Michigan. You may have seen them advertised on-line or in magazines. You may have also seen them at local gyms and health clubs. These little tools have produced miraculous results for some people – weight loss of up to 100 lbs in one year (extreme example) – significant strength and endurance increases at all levels of fitness (including professional athletes), and rehabilitation for injuries.

Kettlebells are extremely safe and effective, however, in untrained hands – like anything – they can be dangerous. As is common in the fitness industry, people take a good thing and apply an instant gratification mindset. They don’t want to take the time to properly learn, so they are content to do it incorrectly. Do not be fooled by the so called “expert” personal trainer who appears very strong or athletic. Kettlebells require a different kind of strength than common exercise tools, as well as appropriate education.

There are few qualified certifying agencies for kettlebells, and only about 11 certified kettlebell instructors (not all of them practicing trainers) in Michigan. Personal trainers need to make the effort to properly learn kettlebells. You would not learn to play basketball from a book or video, you need actual instruction and practice, kettlebells are a skill, also, and require the same respect. If you are interested in exercising with kettlebells, follow this simple advise: do your homework when choosing a trainer, have an open mind, and give kettlebells a shot – you will be amazed with the results.

Bob Budai is a physical therapist, personal trainer, and certified kettlebell instructor. He can be reached for questions at: bob@functional-strength-training.com.

Fitness: Keep You Fitness Going, Even As Life May Change

“I don’t have the energy I used to.”

“OOH, my (fill in the body part) hurts.”

“I was really strong when I was younger.”

“My clothes are shrinking.”

“You get used to the creaking.”

How many of us have heard our parents or grandparents say something along these lines? How many times have we ourselves said something similar?

As we age, we often start to change our fitness priorities. From childhood through young adulthood, part of our day often includes active play, gym class, a sport, or walking to class. We may regularly exercise to improve our sport performance, or look good to impress the ladies. Once we enter into adulthood, midday play or sports are replaced with work – getting stiff while sitting down all day, or duties that include repetitive motions, can lead to joint breakdown. Making time for workouts takes a backseat to spending time with family, or attempting to get the bare minimum amount of sleep necessary to function.

While physiologic reasons do exist for the age-related loss of muscle strength and mass, flexibility, joint mobility, cardiovascular capacity, metabolism, bone density, oxygen consumption, and others; an even bigger determinant is our preventable change in activity.

Why don’t we spend time on our physical well-being the way we used to?

The biggest reason – a lack of time. This is followed by reasons which include lack of access to facilities/equipment, unsure what to do, no energy, too expensive, not convenient, too painful, embarrassed at how out of shape they are, it’s boring, too tired, procrastination.

In a 1994 poll by the Presidents Council on Physical Fitness, when asked why they didn’t exercise, the answers given stated:

• 40 percent said they didn’t have enough time

• 20 percent said they get enough exercise at work or home

• 15 percent said they can’t exercise because of health problems

• 12 percent said exercise is boring

• 10 percent said they’re too old

• 9 percent said exercise isn’t necessary

• 7 percent said they’re too tired The reasons have not changed in the last 13 years, and while some of these may still be true, what it often comes down to is making exercise a priority.

Somewhere between childhood and adulthood, something goes wrong, and it’s not getting any better. In fact –

• During the past 20 years, obesity among adults has risen significantly in the United States. The latest data from the National Center for Health Statistics show that 30 percent of U.S. adults 20 years of age and older – over 60 million people – are obese.

• 46 million Americans are currently living with arthritis, the nation’s leading cause of disability.

• Americans spend at least $50 billion each year on low back pain, the most common cause of job-related disability and a leading contributor to missed work

More than two of every five Americans die of cardiovascular disease. Today, more than one in five Americans suffer from some form of cardiovascular disease, with more than 2,500 Americans dying from it each day. Of those with heart disease, 52.2 percent are male.

According to the March 2007 issue of Men’s Fitness, Detroit has worked its way back into the top 10 fattest cities in the U.S. at number 9 (worse than last year’s 15th place finish).

To cater to our busy schedules, here are five exercises to address multiple areas of fitness in one short, convenient workout. Equipment costs: about $10, time cost: about 15 minutes to whatever you want it to be.

Exercise #1: Figure 8 Walking – Improves joint mobility, balance, coordination and flexibility

Step forward with one foot, arms go forward in front of your body, arms then drop along side your body (on the same side as the forward leg), reach back behind you – make sure your body twists back (do not just reach your arms back), arms then reach up towards the ceiling, step forward with the other leg and repeat. You are taking normal steps with weight on both legs (not lunging); arms and body make figure eight circles. It is important to not lean your body side to side, only twist it backwards when you reach back. The twist back occurs from the body, not arms. Your feet should point forward the entire time. Start with distance of about 50 feet total, or stand in place and just switch feet vs. walking; do for about 1-2 minutes.

Exercise #2: Jump Rope – Improves cardiovascular and muscular endurance, oxygen consumption, speed, agility and weight loss

There are many different ways to jump – from slow skipping, to double jumping, to moving the feet and body along with the jumps. Try to stay on the toes/balls of your feet. Try for 5 minutes to start, or do intervals of 30-60 seconds and repeat for a total of 5-10 minutes. Work your way up from there.

Exercise #3: Burpee – Improves strength, muscle endurance, speed, power, agility and metabolism

Start from a standing position. Squat down and put your hands on floor. Kick legs back into pushup position. Do a pushup. Jump legs forward. Stand up. Try to do 10 to start.

Exercise #4: T-band Lawnmower – Improves strength, muscle endurance, balance and flexibility

Tie a resistance band to something secure at about waist level. Hold end of band with one hand (we’ll say left), stand on opposite leg (right). Lean forward and reach left arm towards where band is secured, and kick left leg behind while maintaining a straight back (bend forward which should come from hip, not spine). Stand back up (still balancing on one leg) and pull arm along side of your body and squeeze shoulder blades together behind you. Repeat 6-10 times per side.

Exercise #5: Windmills – Improves strength, muscle endurance, flexibility and joint mobility

Stand with a dumbbell held over head. Bend forward from hips (try to keep spine straight) and touch opposite hand between feet while dumbbell arm stays vertical. Come back to a standing position. Do five on each side.

Performance of all of these exercises assumes a certain base level of health. You should always consult a physician prior to any exercise program. If you know of any limitations to performing the exercises, you should be checked and cleared by a medical professional. If you experience any pain or other abnormal or unusual symptoms, you should stop immediately and consult a medical professional.