Tag: exercise

Seven tricks of turning your Dog walks into Workouts

Taking your furry friend for a walk probably involves lots of sniffing about and a hello here and there to fellow dog walkers – all at a leisurely pace that doesn’t amount to much exercise.

But believe it or not, your canine buddy makes the best workout partner. Unlike humans, he has no last-minute cancellations, never complains how hilly the terrain is and will happily remind you when the clock hits workout time.

As your biological reminder, your dog will keep you in check even on those cold training days you want to lazy around. Then why not turn your daily dog walks into a workout? Remember, working out together not only improves your health but boost the bond between man and dog. So, if you are considering that as an option, here are seven ways to turn your dog walks into workouts.

1. Get to know your dog’s limits

A puppy’s walking ability varies greatly from that of a senior canine while a German shepherd needs more exercise than a Labradoodle. Different dogs have different energy levels. It is best to first understand your dog's physical constraints before turning your morning walks into a great workout session.  Find a rhythm that works for the both of you.

2. Establish a workout routine

Dogs are great at following schedules, especially if it is one that involves a lot of outdoor time. Look for a daily walk routine that fits your lifestyle and gives you enough room to incorporate exercise in-to it. It can be a twenty to thirty minutes’ stroll that rewards both you and your four-legged friend with plenty of mental, physical and emotional stimuli.

3. Change the train

Instead of your normal power walks down the park, try going hiking- it’s a bit more challenging with a change of scenery.  Remember, terrain and pace matter more than distance. When you get a hilly trail that is covered in green, you tend to build more strength and endurance due to the challenge this terrain offers. Furthermore, the change of view mentally stimulates your dog -  he will find it adventurous and will be eager to go out on the run next time hoping for more discovery.

4. Start slow

Try reprogramming your dog slowly especially if he has grown fond of leisurely strolls. This might take several sessions before he gets used to the new routine.  However, this does not mean that you completely sideline those relaxing walks – it basically involves having clear distinctions from regular strolls to more powerful energizing walk up the hill. For instance, many dogs can distinguish the kind of walk based on whether they get to wear a leash or not.

5. Switch things up

A walking routine gets boring over time, so how do you keep things fresh even on day twenty-two of your workout session? Well, a change of routine should do the trick. Try changing the pace, increasing the distance, adding more physical and mental stimuli to keep both you and your dog motivated and involved in the workout session.

6. Look out for jumping, skipping, and pull up opportunities

An excellent way to turn your world in-to a gym is to look out for trees, monkey bars, park benches, and other nature furniture to get your heart rate up. And to motivate your dog during the workout is by giving them a reward – it could be a snack or a favorite puzzle toy they like. By doing so, your dog will be inspired to join you for the next morning run. He will even remind you when the time to go out for a walk comes.

7. Try adding weights to the workout plan

Weights are a great way to add extra effort to your workout program. If you prefer no leash jogs, try carrying some extra weight on your hands. For your dog, you can add weight vests, but it is important to consult a vet first. Weight vests tend to cause unnecessary knee, back and hip problems for your dog.

Getting the most out of your walk workouts

In order for both you and your dog to get the most from walk workouts, your dog needs to know how to move at the same pace beside you, rather than being behind or in front of you. Whether jogging, power walking, or running with your dog, she should be in the shoulder-at-knee heel position. This position allows the two of you to move as one, reducing the risk of colliding into each other along the way.

Furthermore, try increasing your pace and distance after short warm-ups. Keep in mind that your dog benefits physically and mentally from playtime. As a result, it is best to get creative by finding ways to play with your dog that also provides plenty of exercise for you. If he or she likes running off leash free at the park, run along with her. If retrieving a ball gives her a blood rush, throw it and race her for it.

Benefits of daily walks for you and the dog

Tired, under-exercised dogs tend to develop behavior problems that can be resolved through adding more physical activity into their daily schedule. When you turn your daily walks into a workout there are plenty of benefits both you and your dog tend to gain. They include:

• Lowering obesity chances.

• Reduce chances of heart disease.

• Lowers diabetes rates due to cholesterol build up.

• Prevents joint diseases due to tensed muscles.

• Strengthens the bond between you and the dog as you spend more time together.

• Mental stimulation for both you and the dog through increased blood circulation.

• Emotional balance through stimulation of antidepressant hormones.

• Prevents dementia in senior dogs.

Conclusion

When done correctly, your daily walks can turn into a powerful energy-boosting workout session. All you need is to establish a strike routine accompanied with occasional twists and plots to keep it fresh and motivational for both you and the dog. By doing so, you stand to benefit greatly in terms of physical, mental and emotional health. Rather than hitting the gym for a workout and leaving your canine friend out in the dark, why not try powerful walk sessions that boost your friendship level as well as your physical health.

Need a new leg and butt routine? Try this short and highly effective workout for your legs and butt. Perform this workout routine one to two times a week week in addition to cardio intervals. Do two to four total rounds and it will have your legs, hamstrings and butt toned. These exercises will give leave your legs looking sculpted and strong for the summer. If you need more of a challenge simply hold a weighted medicine ball or wear ankle weights during the exercises.

Got 5 Minutes? Want better better legs and a better butt? Try This:

According to The American Council on Exercise the order that you do things in the gym is just as important as getting up and going to the gym. They recently did some research, and figured out what structure that your workout shoud follow. The order is important so that you can get the most out of your workout while you are at the gym.

The Study took 24 men and women between 18 and 39 years. They had them take part in 24 exercise sessions that included every possible workout order. The sessions combined cardio training, resistance exercise, neuromotor (agility, speed, and balance) exercises, and also had them performa  flexibility component.

The results showed that cardio should be performed first (interestingly it's the opposite from what I do myself). They then say this should be followed by resistance training and then flexibility and neuromotor exercises in either order. It was found that when participants of the study performed cardio in the beginning that their average heart rate increased less than when it was performed last. Why is that good? The author's Lance Dalleck, Ph.D., says that is a good thing because too-vigorous exercise can lead to injury and increased risk of cardiac issues. And, doing resistance training second maximizes its effectiveness without making it feel too hard (score!). I myself do a light cardio warmup but I do my longer intervals or steady state cardio first. It was unspecified how long the cardio actually was from what I can find to date. Maybe it was just a short warmup.

It should also be noted that researchers did note that these results are not set in stone. “The order determined by this research stems from purely physiological findings, and it’s essential to know, for example, how sequencing affects cardiorespiratory performance and can account for that effect in the workout design,” says Cedric Bryant, Ph.D., ACE’s Chief Science Officer. And, Dr. Dalleck added, not every workout needs to include all four aspects. He goes on to say that, you should take your own personal preferences into account before changing your personal routine.

Therefore  in my opinion if you want to maximize your workout, according to this research cardio should come first. However don't feel like you need to change your routine if it is already working for you just fine. Continue to #trainitright

Alicia Bell

@trainitright.com

www.trainitright.com

The secret to a flat stomach is to strengthen your core muscles. You have probably heard trainers or other health professionals in the gym talking about how having a “strong core” is important, but if you’re like most people, you may not know exactly what that means, why it’s important or how to strengthen it.

WHAT IS YOUR CORE?

Most health care professionals use the word “core” to describe the different muscles that are is located in the middle section of your body as a whole. Many people think that the core is just the abdominal muscles. Although they are part of what makes up your core it actually includes your diaphragm (lower chest), abdomen (belly), obliques (sides), mid-lower back, and lower pelvic muscles. Add all of these muscles up and you get a total of 25 different muscles that make up your core.

WHY YOUR CORE IS IMPORTANT

Your core is where your body’s strength and stability comes originates. It is part of  what is called a “kinetic chain” that allows the various parts of your body to function correctly. These muscles are critical for optimal athletic performance, daily activities (e.g., sitting, walking, running, reaching, bending, climbing stairs, to name a few). As our bodies age, it becomes increasingly important to do core strengthening exercises so that you can avoiding injuries and maintain an independent, healthy and active life.

STRENGTHENING YOUR CORE

To strengthen your core, it’s important to focus on keeping your belly button pulled in, a flat back and to remember not to hold your breath.

Try these exercises below For For endurance. Hold each one as long as you can. Repeat 2-3x.

Try these exercises below For For strength. Do each leg for 10-20 reps then switch. Repeat 2-3x.

Alicia Bell is a Toronto based Personal Trainer.

For more exercise tips follow Alicia Bell on Twitter.

Injury prevention: Tennis Elbow

No doubt you have heard of this injury in past while either watching sports or have personally experienced some symptoms of it. Tennis elbow (properly known as Lateral Epicondylitis) is a chronic, nagging pain on the lateral (outer) aspect of the elbow joint often caused by weakness leading to overuse and overexertion of certain movements. Some other signs include pain when gripping an object, pronation and supination while holding an object or by stiffness throughout the forearm and elbow. The reason it was given the common name of tennis elbow was it was a common injury that was popping up in tennis players, with those at higher levels having a greater incidence of the injury. While not a completely debilitating injury, it is commonly a nagging, persistent annoyance for many while it can manifest itself as a very sharp shooting pain very much like other tendonitis type pains.

Rapid extension of the elbow joint coupled with either forceful pronation (turning palm down) or supination (turning palm up) is one of the primary causes of tennis elbow with both direct impacts and overuse also being major contributors to the frequency of the debilitation. Typically there is minimal inflammation from this but is indicated with pain along the radial nerve as micro tears and adhesions in the tendons at the wrist and/or elbow signal pain.

To help prevent the injury from occurring in the first place or to reverse the symptoms of it, one must directly focus on the structures involved. What this requires is properly warming them up to allow greater blood flow and also performing various stretches for the muscles around the elbow and wrist to ensure that there is adequate flexibility in the muscles and tendons and also that the joints themselves are able to move through their full ranges of motion. Some simples ones are wrist circles, wrist extension and stretching out the hand. As well, ensuring that the muscles and joints are “conditioned” enough to handle repetitive use like in tennis/racket sports by gradually increasing their work capacity over time and learning proper mechanics. One population known for this are the older population who take up tennis, doing some general fitness and stretching before and after will help alleviate symptoms.

Also strengthening up specific muscles will immensely cut down the risk for injury. A few of the major points are the supinators and pronators of the arm, excluding the biceps brachii as it is typically already sufficiently strong. I speak of the smaller, supinator muscle, Pronator quadratus and teres. Some simple ways to do this is at a twin pulley station, adjust the pulley height to be at roughly waist height (approximately the same height as the hand when the elbow is bent to 90 deg). From here using either a small straight bar or a rope attachment, perform both pronation and supination of the wrist while keeping the elbow bent to 90 degrees. To  do this, stand beside the pulley with it beside your elbow while you are looking sideways to the pulley, grab the attachment with your furthest hand (if right side is beside pulley, grab with left hand) for supination and closest hand for pronation. From here if you are doing supination start with the palm facing the floor and turn your palm up, in the case of pronation, do this in reverse. This will help strengthen the muscles to be able to handle greater external load demands like striking a ball in with a racket. Performing relatively higher reps, 10-15 reps with a slow eccentric and fast concentric is best while holding a pause at the end of each range.

Another common issue is that people are generally far stronger in elbow flexion movements when the hands are supinated (regular bicep curl) while being pronated (reverse curl) they are significantly weaker. This large imbalance on its own over time can manifest it in the form of tendonitis so as opposed to always doing regular curls, for a time being exclude them completely and focus on reverse grip and neutral (hammer) grip curling movements to bring these muscles all up to par.

Big props to the city of Los Angeles for installing public exercise bikes downtown. Check them out! Every city should have them!

Way to go Los Angeles!

Check out this neat chart!