SPORTSNFITNESS

The shoulder is a truly impressive joint in the body. The shoulder is the only joint in the body that can rotate 360 degrees forwards and backwards. Being the most mobile joint in the body, this can create a lack of stability within the joint. Think of it like this: If a metal rod is able to move and rotate in so many different directions, how securely can that metal rod be secured to its stand. In order to be able to attain that level of mobility, the foundation stability is sacrificed. This is why the shoulder is more susceptible to dislocations and subluxations. For those of you who have been very lucky and have never had severe shoulder issues, congratulations. However, it is wise to strengthen the muscles surrounding the joints to ensure future stability and optimum joint health. For those of you with rotator cuff issues, shoulder surgery or any stiffness in the joint, rehabilitation and conditioning exercises will definitely help in joint healing and joint strength progression. 3...

OVERTRAINING: Yes, it's in all capital letters for a reason. Overtraining is one of those things that even the fittest individuals can fall victim to. According to physiotherapy.curtain.edu, overtraining (staleness) is characterized by premature fatigue, decline in performance, mood changes, emotional instability and decreased motivation. Basically the individual's body is in a chronic state of insufficient recovery time as a result of prolonged or intense exercise activity. I recently fell victim to overtraining. It is the perfect example for this blog. I had been running low on sleep for several days prior. I decided since I was feeling sluggish, I should go for a run on the treadmill even though I would've much rather taken a nap. I still felt the need to do a little something before I could go home and rest. I attempted my run for 45 minutes and finished it off. I didn't feel too great afterwards so I decided to add another 15 minutes on the elliptical. After that, ...

Plyometrics: Also referred to as 'Jump Training' A very good plyometric move to focus on speed and explosive power is the Box Jump. These exercises are great for using bodyweight and gravity when training. Typical box jump training is done with boxes at different heights. The typical measurements are 12" (typically used for Step-Ups), 18" and 24". The advanced athletes (professional football and basketball players) typically used the 30", 36" or 42" box. Example of Box Jumps Using 28 Inch Box:

Let's go through some of the static stretches that can be done AFTER a workout as both a cool-down and to lengthen those muscles that were just worked. LEFT BICEP STRETCH: RIGHT BICEP STRETCH: LEFT TRICEP STRETCH: RIGHT TRICEP STRETCH: HAMSTRING STRETCH: LEFT GLUTE/HAMSTRING STRETCH: RIGHT GLUTE/HAMSTRING STRETCH: LEFT QUAD STRETCH: RIGHT QUAD STRETCH: LEFT GROIN/HIP STRETCH: RIGHT GROIN/HIP STRETCH: LEFT HURDLER'S STRETCH: RIGHT HURDLER'S STRETCH: CALF STRETCH: LEFT CALF STRETCH: RIGHT CALF STRETCH:

Before creating your stretching program, it is important to differentiate between the type of stretching. Here are the four basic categories defining the types of stretching to perform: 1. Ballistic Stretching Ballistic stretching is one of the more 'retro' style of stretching. It is performed by bouncing repeatedly. *Please Note: This is NOT recommended due to the safety concerns with ballistic stretching* It is only mentioned to be thorough in this explanation. 2. Dynamic Stretching Dynamic stretching is more of an active warm-up involving movements that are similar to that of the activity about to be performed. These stretches may be exaggerated yet controlled when performed. 3. Static Stretching Static stretching may be most commonly thought of regarding the topic of stretching. This technique involves stretching a muscle to the point of slight discomfort for an extended period of time. The length is usually 10-60 seconds. 4. PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) ...

Let's talk about flexibility. Flexibility is one of the most important factors to incorporate into a fitness program. The definition of flexibility is the range of motion around a specific joint. The great thing about flexibility is the more it is done, the better the range of motion, thus increasing the ease of movement for activities of daily living. Flexibility is important for all individuals regardless of their current fitness levels. Better flexibility can improve blood circulation, contribute to injury prevention, correct muscular imbalances as well as increasing muscle pliability and muscle lengthening. If there is one single activity you can commit to every day for your fitness regime, it should be a solid stretching program.

The word FAT tends to be overused and incorrectly described for some individuals. Let's explore the word FAT. In medical terms, the word fat is used to describe adipose tissue. This adipose tissue is stored for future use or over extended periods of time. The location of where this tissue is stored is not going to be the same for every individual. The deposit locations of adipose tissue depend on several different factors. These factors include genetics, areas of the body not readily accompanied with muscle or other body parts that aren't heavily engaged in activities of daily living. For example, for someone who is a web designer and spends 8-14hrs/day sitting in front of a computer may tend to have larger deposits of adipose tissue in their thighs and glutes than an individual who works on an assembly line at a factory. So how do we know what is really fat vs. muscle? This is where Fitness Assements come into play. These assessments help to analyze an individual's body fa...

A very good friend of mine recently approached me regarding her current running routine. She asked me to take a look at her routine and tweak it a little bit. If you are in a similar situation take a look at some of the tips I give to Kirstyn as they may apply to you as well. Also, if other fellow runners have any suggestions, by all means add your two cents! Kirstyn's Routine: 1. Stretch 2. Run: 5 miles pace 9:45 (this is my general run) 7.5 miles pace 10:00 (I do this once a week) 10 miles pace 11:00 (I do this every other week, occasionally back to back weeks) 3. After Run: 1/4 mile walk 4. Every Other Day: 3 sets of 20 - Lunges 3 sets of 10 - Push-ups 3 sets of 10 - Leg Raises(lower ab) 3 sets of 35 - Sit-ups 3 sets of 35 - Calf Raises Issue #1: While running during mile 2-4 I get pain in my top to ab muscles. It feels like side stitch but in the center. How do I prevent/treat this? Issue #2: Also I noticed on my 10 milers I stop sweating from miles 6...