South Beach Babes and Dudes … what do you do to work out ??

[Demi]

I know that we have a separate exercise forum here, and that some of us also have gym logs, but I thought that it might be fun, and less daunting for some, to have a specific exercise thread here specifically for South Beachers.

Some of us are experienced exercisers, some of us are just starting out, and some of us haven’t even started an exercise regime yet, but I thought that it would be good to have a place where we could all come for advice, accountability, support, etc., etc., while following the South Beach woe …

So, why don’t you tell us about what sport/exercise you do
Share what you enjoy about it/what you hate
Share your experiences, progress, any relevant information, specific plans you like etc
Post any relevant/helpful fitness articles and website links etc.,

… and perhaps those that don't exercise, might find some inspiration to start from the posts here


Dr. Arthur Agatston, author of the South Beach Diet, prescribes walking for weight loss

by Arthur Agatston, M.D

The beauty of The South Beach Diet is that you can lose weight and keep it off. No expensive exercise equipment, no gym membership, no fitness videos, no sweat required. You can and will lose weight simply by following the South Beach eating program.

But please don't misunderstand me. I'm not recommending that you don't exercise. In fact, I strongly encourage you to incorporate walking or another form of mild cardiovascular exercise into your life. Our bodies were designed to move, and a convincing body of research shows that regular cardiovascular exercise provides one of the best healing salves for aging hearts.

Think of cardiovascular exercise as extra credit: You don't have to put in the extra work. But if you decide to do it, you'll reap faster results.

Why Exercise Works
Cardiovascular exercise (also called cardio or aerobic exercise) speeds up your heart and breathing rate. Embarking on this form of exercise on a regular basis can lower unhealthy LDL cholesterol and raise healthy HDL cholesterol. Many studies have also linked regular exercise with reduced risk for cancer, diabetes, and many other diseases.

The benefits don't stop there. Regular doses of cardiovascular exercise can also help you lose weight and keep it off, but not for the reasons that many people think.

I've heard my patients talk about exercising to "burn off the Big Mac" they ate for lunch or to make up for that strawberry shortcake they demolished last night. But this type of reasoning really isn't all that compelling if you sit down and work out the math. You must walk more than 6 miles--well over an hour--to burn off a Big Mac.

Yes, exercise does burn calories, and those burned calories will help you lose weight. However, there are more compelling reasons to exercise aerobically. They include:

Appetite control. Research shows that regular exercise helps your brain and stomach communicate more effectively. Essentially, you begin to feel hungry only when you need calories. In other words, you'll be much less likely to demolish a huge piece of cake or stop at McDonald's for a spur-of-the-moment Big Mac.

Mood control. Research shows that exercise relieves symptoms of depression as well as prescription drugs. A brisk walk is one of the most effective ways to turn a bad mood into a good one. Cardiovascular exercise also lowers stress. All of these factors help you avoid emotional eating.

Craving control. When you feel a carbohydrate craving coming on, go for a walk. The craving will pass as you burn off extra calories.

Fatigue control. Regular exercise results in more overall energy. You'll no longer turn to food as a pick-me-up for a midafternoon slump because you'll no longer have an afternoon slump. Also, the more energetic you feel, the more calories you'll burn with smaller movements all day long. In essence, you train your body to crave movement. Soon you won't be able to sit for long periods of time without taking short stretching and walking breaks.

http://www.prevention.com/article/0,5778,s1-4-86-27-3155-1,00.html

Health Benefits of Exercise and Physical Activity:

 Reduce the risk of premature death
 Reduce the risk of developing and/or dying from heart disease
 Reduce high blood pressure or the risk of developing high blood pressure
 Reduce high cholesterol or the risk of developing high cholesterol
 Reduce the risk of developing colon cancer and breast cancer
 Reduce the risk of developing diabetes
 Reduce or maintain body weight or body fat
 Build and maintain healthy muscles, bones, and joints
 Reduce depression and anxiety
 Improve psychological well-being
 Enhanced work, recreation, and sport performance

Benefits of Aerobic Exercise:

 Increased maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max)
 Improvement in cardivascular/cardiorespiratory function (heart and lungs)
 Increased maximal cardiac output (amount of blood pumped every minute)
 Increased maximal stroke volume (amount of blood pumped with each beat)
 Increased blood volume and ability to carry oxygen
 Reduced workload on the heart (myocardial oxygen consumption) for any given submaximal exercise intensity
 Increased blood supply to muscles and ability to use oxygen
 Lower heart rate and blood pressure at any level of submaximal exercise
 Increased threshold for lactic acid accumulation
 Lower resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure in people with high blood pressure
 Increased HDL Cholesterol (the good cholesterol)
 Decreased blood triglycerides
 Reduced body fat and improved weight control
 Improved glucose tolerance and reduced insulin resistance

Benefits of Strength Training:

 Increased muscular strength
 Increased strength of tendons and ligaments
 Potentially improves flexibility (range of motion of joints)
 Reduced body fat and increased lean body mass (muscle mass)
 Potentially decreases resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure
 Positive changes in blood cholesterol
 Improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity
 Improved strength, balance, and functional ability in older adults

http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwfit/benefits.html


Some useful sites:

EXERCISE/MUSCLE DIRECTORY (http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html)
ONLINE PEDOMETER (http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/)
WALKING TIPS (http://www.prevention.com/topic/0,5768,s1-2-92-749-0-0,00.html)
NORDIC WALKING (http://www.nordicwalking.co.uk/)
THE COUCH-TO-5K RUNNING PLAN (http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/)
BODY FOR LIFE (http://www.bodyforlife.com/)
WOMEN’S WEIGHT TRAINING (http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/index.php)
BODY SCULPTING (http://www.hrfit.net/wbs/wbsmain.asp)
STRETCHING (http://www.fitstep.com/Library/Info/Stretching1.htm)
BODY TRACKER (http://www.linear-software.com/online.html)




Please don't think that I'm saying that everyone should or must be exercising or whatever, because I'm not! I'm just saying that if you do, or want to, then there's a place here to post about it. If you don’t, then fine, you can skip past this thread.

[Demi]

I previously posted this in my journal and also in the exercise forums, but thought it would be a very good idea to include it in this thread:


Resistance is useful

For years we've been told the only way to burn off fat is endless hours of aerobic exercise. But now researchers say the secret lies in 'resistance training'. By Fiona Russell

Thursday July 6, 2006
London, UK
The Guardian

For decades the experts have been telling us to exercise more, harder and longer, to burn body fat. Run, power-walk, row, trampoline ... do whatever bores you least, but increase your cardiovascular training. Now comes the latest advice: do less cardio - but burn more fat. The key, say scientists, is resistance training. This could mean lifting light weights or using the body's own weight as resistance, with squats, press-ups and lunges.

According to research from Glasgow University currently under review, the rate at which body fat is burned can be significantly increased when you precede any aerobic activity with 20 minutes of press-ups and squats.
"This is a breakthrough for both sedentary people and fit people," says Dr Niall MacFarlane, one of the authors of the study. The research - which monitored 11 fit volunteers over three weeks - suggests that if exercisers include a 20-minute session of resistance training prior to working out aerobically, the fat-burning benefits are two to three times greater. This means the easily breathless don't need to huff and puff for such a long stretch - and exercise aficionados can achieve better results in the same period of time.

"In fact," says MacFarlane, "because resistance training helps to switch on the body's fat-oxidation [burning] processes quicker, it also means people will be able to endure longer subsequent aerobic exercise."

Until now, anyone exercising aerobihas probably been told they need to keep going for at least half an hour to see significant results. At the start of a session, an untrained body uses a higher proportion of sugars, or carbohydrates, mainly stored in the muscles and liver, to fuel energy expenditure. (It is harder for our body to source energy from fat stores than from carbohydrates.) This reliance on carbohydrate can lead to early depletion of muscle glycogen and fatigue - and tired people tend to give up before they have started to burn fat.

For them especially, the research could be a boon. The Glasgow team believes that 20 minutes of resistance training enables the body to use fat as an energy fuel much sooner. The body will burn fat right from the start. And because the body is using fat to fuel the muscles instead of carbohydrate, the muscles do not tire as quickly and can endure longer sessions."This is especially good news for the sedentary person or the very overweight," says MacFarlane.

The happy news doesn't end there. Three one-hour sessions a week should be adequate - and nothing too strenuous either. Forty minutes' brisk walking after 20 minutes' easy resistance training (eg lunges without weights with rests in between sets) should suffice. "The fat-burning potential of this hour is the equivalent of two hours' hard running," claims MacFarlane.

Juliette Cassidy, 33, from Glasgow, is a convert to the resistance-CV combo. Not so long ago, she had a demanding regime, running five times a week and competing in ultra-marathons of up to 100 miles. But a year ago, on the advice of a personal trainer, she switched to two 30-minute sessions a week of weights and resistance work, including barbell lifts, press-ups, straight weight lifts, lunges and squats, while running less. "My body shape has completely changed," she says. "I have much more muscle, and while I weigh more, my physique is slimmer. I have less fat on my hips, bum and thighs and everything is more toned."

Not everyone is surprised by the Glasgow research. "We've always known resistance training is a good thing in terms of fitness," says Mike Johnstone, national endurance coach for Scottish Athletics. "Even if an unfit person was doing only resistance training you would expect to see fat burn. Anything that makes you move quickly, such as sit-ups and press-ups, will help you lose weight.

"The more muscles a person has compared with fat, the more efficient the body is at burning fat and calories. I still believe in the traditional premise that we should all be exercising more, especially aerobically, and for longer periods to improve general fitness. If this gets people up and exercising in the first place, it has to be a good thing. Hopefully, they will then stick at it and increase the intensity."

There are benefits, too, for those who already exercise. Instead of spending an hour sweating on the treadmill and lifting weights, people will find enhanced benefits from a resistance session followed by an easier run. "The more resistance training and aerobic exercise they do, the better the fat-burning benefits are and the greater their endurance," says MacFarlane. "If they are able to do more, that's good, but what we're saying is, you don't have to kill your-self to see fat loss."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/health/story/0,,1813677,00.html

[Demi]

OK, here’s what I do …

I power walk 3 to 4 miles a day
I lift weights 3 times a week
I practice yoga and Pilates once or twice a week (as well as various stretching exercises on a daily basis)
I also swim once a week, if I can

I also make sure that I have a day off each week from 'proper' exercise. I may still walk or do something sporty-ish, but make sure that it is just 'for fun'.

I don’t run any more because my knees just aren’t up to it, so I power walk instead. I found this book, Walking for Fitness (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Walking-Fitness-Nina-Barough/dp/1405300922/sr=8-1/qid=1158677370/ref=pd_ka_1/202-8981789-7619821?ie=UTF8&s=gateway), by Nina Barough, to be really helpful to me when I wanted to go from ‘ordinary’ day-to-day walking to something more.

My lifting knowledge comes from using an excellent book called the Body Sculpting Bible for Women (http://www.amazon.com/Body-Sculpting-Bible-Women-Revised/dp/1578262399/sr=8-1/qid=1159279432/ref=sr_1_1/002-1466998-1641623?ie=UTF8&s=books) which I’d recommend to newbie and experienced lifter alike – an excellent resource for technique, form, workout schedules etc.

I love yoga and Pilates. I use yoga to keep me flexible, and Pilates to keep my ‘core’ muscles in shape. I was originally advised to try Pilates by an osteopath, who told me it would be excellent for my back. It was (and is) and I haven’t needed to see him for quite a while now!

Unfortunately, I’m currently nursing a shoulder injury, so I’ve just been power walking for the last month or so. However, I’m planning on getting back to all my other activities over the next couple of weeks.

[Demi]

Have just read this, and thought I'd share it here:


No pain, more gain: Why exercise can transform your life

By Anastasia Stephens
Published: 26 September 2006
The Independent
London, UK


1. CYCLING

Cycling, even for short periods, gives you an all-round aerobic workout. But cycling regularly and for long distances can strain your knees and, if you're a man, may put fertility at risk.

"The main problems I see with cycling involve the hips and kneecaps," says Gavin Burt, the London-based osteopath and spokesman for the General Osteopathic Council. "If your thigh muscles are out of balance, your kneecaps won't be stable - they'll move slightly sideways with the bending motion of your knee. That can cause grinding and inflammation."

Cycling can also harm male fertility. Recent studies show that 3 per cent of male cyclists who ride regularly become impotent, and virtually all of them felt pain or numbness before the problem occurred. The studies found that the more a person rides, the greater the risk of impotence or loss of libido.

Risk reduction Burt recommends the following exercise to strengthen your quadriceps and surrounding muscles. Lie down on your back with a rolled towel under your knee. Keeping your heels on the ground, press each knee down into the towel as if trying to straighten your legs.

Men who cycle for short or moderate periods shouldn't worry about fertility. Serious cyclists should take regular breaks along you cycling route - say every 30-40 minutes. Some bicycle seats such as Easy Seat (from £30; www.derri-air.com; 001 406 889 5288) are now specifically designed without the usual "nose" that compresses blood and nerve supply.

2. RUNNING

Running isn't as bad for your knees as most people think, says Siobhán O'Donovan, the chartered physiotherapist and sports rehabilitation specialist. "A study at Stanford University looked at the cartilage in the knees of runners," she says. "They found that in people who took up running while young, and continued to run, the sport had a cartilage-strengthening effect." For this benefit, you need to start running in your 20s, while your body is still growing. A sudden decision to take up running and cover long distances, without preparatory training, can cause knee strains.

The main risk for regular runners is Achilles tendonitis. "If the arch of your foot is slightly collapsed, your Achilles tendon will be slightly twisted. Run on it repeatedly, and the tendon will eventually become strained and inflamed."

Risk reduction Build up any running regime slowly and seek appropriate advice in choosing a good pair of shoes. O'Donovan, the clinical director at Meridian Sports in Bolton, recommends seeing a podiatrist or sports professional to get your feet screened. "This will identify if you have low or collapsed arches," she says. "You can then rectify the problem."

3. SWIMMING

Swimming is a great low-impact sport which strengthens and tones muscles of the whole body - and gives cardiovascular fitness a boost. But take into careful account which stroke you use. While front crawl is great for improving all-round muscle tone and fitness, O'Donovan believes breast stroke is so harmful, it should be banned.

"It's bad for your neck, back and knees," says O'Donovan. "Keeping your head above water compresses your neck, contributing to neck pain and tight shoulders. It also strains your lower back. Knees also suffer. "Your knees joints are made to kick up and down, not to kick out sideways as in breast stroke. This movement can strain ligaments and irritate membranes within the joint."

Risk reduction If you insist on doing breast stroke, you can minimise the strain by keeping your head in the water while swimming and coming up for breaths of air. Burt recommends reducing knee strain by propelling yourself forward using the momentum of your upper-body and kicking gently with your legs. Never extend them completely so that they are straight.

4. TENNIS

Beware of the classic tennis injury, tennis elbow. Caused by the backhand movement, the muscle and ligament leading from the forearm to the outer elbow becomes torn and inflamed.

Risk reduction As tennis elbow is painful and difficult to treat, your best strategy should be prevention. Using a double-handed backhand, where you use both arms to take the impact of the ball, will help.

Burt recommends this exercise for people with tennis elbow: place a moderately tight elastic band around the fingertips of your injured arm. Pull open your fingers against the resistance of the band and repeat several times every day. The exercise builds "support muscles" which help you use your arm while the strained ligament recovers.

5. ROWING

Rowing is one of the best sports for a strong back, but rowing machines in the gym can put your lower back at risk unless you get tuition in technique, says O'Donovan. Rowing outdoors may also put your lower back at risk if it is stiff. If you have scoliosis - a sideways curve along the spine - one side of your back may end up stronger than the other, causing muscular imbalances and strain.

Risk reduction O'Donovan suggests that you first ask yourself whether rowing is the best sport for you. "If your lower back isstiff, rowing could easily strain the joints, causing irritation and muscle strain," she says. "In extreme cases, it could lead to a prolapsed or slipped disc." If you do row, it's best to get professional advice. Burt says: "Your legs, low back, upper back and arms should all be involved in one effortless movement to propel yourself with each stroke."

6. YOGA/PILATES

While yoga and Pilates help prevent injuries by improving flexibility and strengthening abdominal muscles, both can cause the very injuries they're designed to protect against. "Overstretching can tear muscle fibres and irritate tendons or ligaments," says Burt.

Risk reduction Warm up properly before any stretching to prevent muscle tears in stiffness the following day, says O'Donovan. In winter, when the outdoor temperature is cold, give your body a good 20 minutes to warm up.

7. SNOWBOARDING

You don't get a rush without risk. And when it comes to winter sports, snowboarding tops the list for both. It offers speed and adventure along with a risk of knee strain, whiplash and wrist injury. "Your feet are fixed on to the snowboard in a way that stresses the knees," says Burt. "And if you fall, your upper body twists but your low body is fixed - that can snap and strain the cruciate ligaments of the knee." Falling forwards or backwards at speed on to compacted snow can cause wrist sprains and whiplash injuries respectively.

Risk reduction Get instructions and don't take on difficult slopes before you're ready. Protect your wrists from fractures or sprains by wearing wrist guards. Knee-braces worn under your salopettes can reduce any twisting when you fall.

Tips for safe and successful sport

Siobhán O'Donovan suggests picking a sport that will complement and help your physiology - then building up your fitness routine at a gradual rate. "I wouldn't recommend that someone prone to shoulder dislocation takes up rugby, for obvious reasons," she says. "Likewise, I'd be careful about suggesting rowing to somebody with a stiff lower back." Often, she adds, people may be predisposed to particular injuries without their realising.

Most people wouldn't know if they had a low foot arch, or if their pelvis was slightly twisted leaving one leg slightly longer than the other. These conditions are very common and can lead to muscular imbalances, tightness and injury in a wide range of sports.

She recommends a pre-exercise screen: an examination that looks at foot posture, leg length and your muscle balance. Orthotics and specific exercises can then ensure your bio-mechanical alignment is good to begin with.

A thorough warm-up routine is recommended before any sport - consisting of around 20 minutes of gentle aerobic activity and some stretches. It's vital not to overstretch early on, or you risk causing tightness and strain. Remember to finish any brisk activity with a 10-minute warm-down to help your physiology gradually adjust from an active to an inactive state.


http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/article1759444.ece

[Jennay1024]

What a great thread...I was just thinking that the south beach board should have their own workout thread this morning! Very weird!

Anyways, I have been a SBer for about 2 weeks now....so far its going great. Since I started the diet I have been running 2-3 miles in the AM 5x a week, usually Monday-Friday.

Anyone else run? Do you think it helps alot with the weight loss... I wonder if I will see significant results without weights.... no time for the GYM! Within the two weeks I def. see my body shrinking... but not fast enough!! :)

[foxgluvs]

Well, currently (as you know Demi) I am working on building a workout, for the past three weeks I have gone 3 times a week to do a mix of lifting and cardio and I do an hour each time.
I have also added in 45 minutes walking 5 times a week.

I will be interested to see how others are doing with exersise.

[Bebet]

I've worked my way up to walking 5 or more miles a day at a quick rate and do Curves three times a week. I've been working at this since the end of April.

[kenley1]

I do turbojam- I think its awesome- comes with many diff. dvs- some that are strenth training with bands- which are awesome, various cardio workouts- along with ones for abs and other things! its awesome! But i just started- so I will have to see how it goes- it will be good if I actually do it- hehe :D

[Demi]

This is why I power walk, as opposed to the pace of ordinary walking:



Walking 'not enough to get fit'

BBC News
London, UK
24 September, 2006


Walking may not be enough on its own to produce significant health benefits, research suggests.

A team from Canada's University of Alberta compared a 10,000-step exercise programme with a more traditional fitness regime of moderate intensity.

Researchers found improvements in fitness levels were significantly higher in the second group.

They told an American College of Sports Medicine meeting that gentle exercise was not enough to get fit.

Lead researcher Dr Vicki Harber said: "Generally, low-intensity activity such as walking alone is not likely to give anybody marked health benefits compared to programmes that occasionally elevate the intensity."

Dr Harber and her colleagues were concerned there was too much focus on simply getting people to take exercise, rather than on its intensity.

They compared people on a 10,000-step exercise regime, which they completed at their own pace, with a group whose routine was tougher, but which left them enough breath to be able to speak one or two sentences with ease at the end.

Both routines, which lasted for six months, burned off the same amount of energy. In total 128 sedentary people took part in the project.

Fitness measures

The researchers assessed impact on fitness by measuring blood pressure, and peak oxygen uptake, a measure of lung capacity.

They found that the step programme increased peak oxygen uptake by an average of 4% over the six months - but the figure for the moderate intensity exercise group was 10%.

Other markers of overall health, such as fasting plasma glucose levels and blood fat levels were unaffected by either exercise programme.

Dr Harber said: "Our concern is that people might think what matters most is the total number of daily steps accumulated, and not pay much attention to the pace or effort invested in taking those steps."

She said the 10,000-step programme did help to get people motivated - and was an excellent way to start taking exercise.

"But to increase the effectiveness, one must add some intensity or "huff and puff" to their exercise.

"Across your day, while you are achieving those 10,000 steps, take 200 to 400 of them at a brisker pace.

'Educated guess'

"You've got to do more than light exercise and move towards the inclusion of regular moderate activity, and don't be shy to interject an occasional period of time at the vigorous level."

Professor Stuart Biddle, an expert in exercise science at the University of Loughborough, said it was possible that the current guidelines on how much exercise to take were set too low.

"They are based on a little bit of an educated guess," he said.

"However, you have got to strike a compromise between physiology and psychology. The harder you make it, the fewer people will actually do it.

"It may be that very small changes to the fitness of a large section of the population would have quite a big impact."

Professor Biddle said there was no doubt that vigorous exercise was the way to get fit, but volume rather than intensity might be more useful in tackling issues such as obesity.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5371116.stm?ls

[Demi]

Anyone tried this ??



All shook up

Madonna is said to have used it, as have Celtic FC. But can a device that simply vibrates get you fit? Peta Bee investigates

Thursday September 28, 2006
The Guardian
London, UK


Being shaken vigorously, pneumatic drill-style is something of a departure from the holistic road to health nirvana down which we have been guided in recent years. For those who have not stepped on a Power-Plate - the device that is usurping the unassuming fitness ball as the workout accessory du jour - this is equipment that claims to get you trim in sessions of just 12 to 15 minutes by vibrating your body so intensely that you can feel your tonsils buzz.

Madonna reportedly used the device to hone her 48-year-old body into looking half its age for her last tour. Indeed, the material girl is now said to take all her telephone calls while standing on one. Celebrities such as Sean "P Diddy" Combs, Claudia Schiffer and Gaby Logan have declared Power-Plate to be part of their fitness regimes. It is also a favourite of Celtic FC footballers and members of gyms such as the Holmes Place, Fitness First and David Lloyd chains. A Power-Plate fitness studio recently opened in Harrods, where groups of four can book 25-minute sessions with a qualified trainer. In addition, an estimated 10,000 of these or similar vibration exercise machines - the VibroGym and the Soloflex Platform, which cost around £2,600 - were sold for private use across Europe in the past year.

Kevin Barclay-Webb, a personal trainer and director of the Fitness Lounge gyms in London and Glasgow, uses the VibroGym in most of his programmes. He says: "They vibrate around 4,000 times a minute, which transfers energy to the body and triggers rapid muscle contractions. The upshot is that you work harder all over when you're on it. In a 12-minute workout, you can effectively train every muscle."

Whole body vibration (WBV), to use the term given to the Power-Plate effect, is not a new concept. Exercise scientists have been studying the effects of intense vibrations for around four decades. Russian scientists first discovered its benefits in the 70s when trying to find a workout that could be done in space. Until then, the weightless atmosphere had predisposed astronauts to osteoporosis, but scientists found that standing on a vibrating platform stimulated muscle and bone development. Since then, some trials have shown that regular use of vibration training methods increases muscle strength by 20 to 30% more than ordinary weightlifting - and in 85% less time.

Within the medical world, there is growing acceptance of various types of vibration machines for the treatment of cerebral palsy, osteoporosis, chronic pain and back injuries. Specialists treating people with spinal injuries and multiple sclerosis at the Royal National Orthopaedic hospital in Stanmore, Middlesex, have had some promising results using the Power-Plate.

George Waylonis, a clinical professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Ohio State university in the US, studied the effects of WBV on patients with fibromyalgia, a disease that causes constant full-body pain. He used the Power-Plate and the Galileo, another vibration exerciser, in his trials, and was impressed by the results. It "seems to be a way for people in pain to exercise their muscles and feel better," he said.

Less convincing is the claim that it will get you fit in the time it takes to get changed for your usual gym session. Will standing on such a machine really tone muscle, increase flexibility and generally buff up your body in little more than 10 minutes, as the manufacturers would have us believe?

Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise, a watchdog for the US fitness industry, has been looking into the benefits of such equipment. He says "conceptually, it has merit", but that there is insufficient scientific research to support the fitness claims made for it. "This is not a magic bullet that helps people to lose weight without doing anything," he says. "If you are a healthy individual, WBV training should be a supplement to a sensible diet and exercise programme." And while it might be good for one muscle group, it could strain another. "Those types of question haven't been addressed sufficiently in my mind," he says.

Sam Howells, a sport scientist for Leisure Connection, agrees. He says that while WBV training is useful "for some people and during rehabilitation from some injuries", in other instances "it doesn't have much benefit and can even be harmful if used incorrectly or with poor technique".

Professor Aurelia Nattiv, a sports medicine expert at the University of California, Los Angeles, says more research is needed. "We have data, but the results are inconsistent, and most of the studies have looked at one specific area, such as knee extensor strength and jump height. And even the results on those tests have been mixed."

Some researchers, such as Philip Clifford, professor of physiology at the Medical College of Wisconsin in the US, cite animal studies showing that extreme vibration is linked to circulatory problems, raising the question of whether the same problems might arise in people who use these machines.

Bryant and others also question whether WBV devices will get you fit in minimal time. "We don't know what the optimal training protocol would be in terms of frequency and duration and what types of exercises and positions are most effective," he says.

You cannot just stand still on the Power-Plate and hope to step off with abs and legs like Madonna's. "You won't get aerobically fit no matter how often you use the machine because it doesn't drastically raise your heart rate," Howells says. "You would need to do some aerobic activity as well."

The best approach is to do exercises you would do on the floor - squats, tricep dips, push-ups, lunges - on the machine's platform, advises Barclay-Webb. Because your muscles get tired more quickly, the routine will be shorter, but the continual vibration causes you to tense and relax your muscles up to 50 times a second just to keep your balance. "You will be surprised how hard you feel you have worked," he says.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/story/0,,1882666,00.html

[foxgluvs]

Madonna reportedly used the device to hone her 48-year-old body into looking half its age for her last tour. Indeed, the material girl is now said to take all her telephone calls while standing on one.

And sounds like a pneumatic drill :lol:

There is a toning table at my gym and the women sit on it and it pummels their bottoms, which I think is pretty much a similar thing to this theory. I got chatting to one woman who I see doing this table a lot and she said, even though I feel rediculous while on it, it really does make a difference! She had gone away for a month and when she came back she had celulite forming on her bottom and thighs, she started doing it again and within the month she had reduced the celulite again.

There's obviously something in it! (Even if you do feel like a complete twerp when doing it)

[Camelle217]

I did my "walk away the pounds" video this morning... not SUPER MUCH, but hey, better than nothing!

[mchale]

Well I hit the gym monday-friday before work. 30 minutes aerobic (usually the elliptical machine) followed by 15-20 minutes resistence training. Of course if the above article is correct, I probably should do the resistence training first...

--
Bill

[icemanjs4]

I've been focusing on the level of intensity. From everything I've seen, my target heart rate for weight loss is between 143 and 156. So I do the eliptical for 35 minutes 3x a week, and I strive to keep my heart beat in the above range. Then I follow each cardio session with half an hour or so of weight training.

I alternate, first day upper body, second day lower body, third day upper body (I guess I care more about having my upper body sculted than my lower ). Not that it's really sculpting at this point :lol:

[Annabel33]

I walk every morning, fast, for an hour or just over. Sometimes I also walk for an hour in the afternoon too. prob about 3 times a week. I bought a very athletic dog, so I have to walk her. She motivates me, and she benefits from the walk. I run for a minute every so often in that walk sometimes, though I walk fast enough to sweat and get my heart going. I have ankle weights too...
I used to run long distance competitively, but since the dodgy thyroid kicked in and I gained the weight, I haven't run... caused too much pain.
I also do a workout video, which has a pilates section about 3 times a week.
Once I lose some more weight, I'll prob start running again. I'm too heavy at the mo.

I haven't got as many hours to exercise as I used to - having children means your time is limited so that's why I got the dog.. 'me' time.
The kids walk too and they get a ton of exercise, but the little one is only 4 and so can't keep up with my fast pace, so we do separate stuff with them.

PS - haven't tried the power plate, but I could stand on top of the washing machine whilst it's on its spin cycle....

[fluffybear]

I walk a mile a day either outdoors or at home. I know that doesn't sound like much but I have joint problems so it is a BIG accomplishment for me.

Also, my husband has set up a home gym in our basement with a fixed weight machine, free weights (barbells & dumbbells), a stationary bike, a treadmill, workout mats and a TV with VCR for exercise tapes including Leslie Samsone's WATP. So I am pretty well set. I try to workout a minimum of 3 times a week.

Even though I am 60 years old, I aim to keep as active as possible. :thup:

p.s. Thanks for those links. I will check them out.

[Demi]

Originally posted by fluffybear
Even though I am 60 years old, I aim to keep as active as possible.
Good for you! :thup: :) ... and you might find this article of interest too:


Don't lose it - just use it

The over-55s are colonising the nation's gyms - but is it a good idea to work up a sweat in later life? Absolutely, says Peta Bee

Thursday April 27, 2006
The Guardian
London, UK

Slowing down and developing a thickened girth used to be an accepted side effect of getting on a bit. Not any more. Britain's grey army is limbering, toning and speeding up like never before and represents the fastest growing sector of the fitness industry. Around one in 10 Britons age 55-64 and one in 20 over-65s are now members of gym or health clubs, while many more keep fit by exercising regularly.

The majority of first-time triathletes are over 40 too. Encouraged by evidence that exercise prolongs life, wards off killer diseases and prevents mental decline, older people cannot, apparently, get enough of working out.
While exercise is good for everyone, it is, apparently, even better for older people and in Britain, 32% of the population - 18.6 million people - is over 50. The number is expected to rise to 23.8 million by 2012. A recent study by the University of Washington found that, of former couch potatoes, those aged 65-79 who jogged or cycled for half an hour three times a week experienced a 30% rise in how effectively their bodies use energy) compared with a 2% rise in those aged 20-33.

Researchers are also convinced that getting older is not a barrier to staying super fit. "Studies have shown that the lung capacity and cardiovascular fitness of people in their 50s and 60s is no worse than when they were in their 30s and 40s," saya Ceri Diss, a sport scientist at Roehampton University, Surrey, who is researching the effects of age on running performance. "Aerobic ability remains pretty constant provided someone stays active," she says. When 60-70-year-old men and women ran for 45 minutes on four days a week, one study recently found that their aerobic capacity increased by 24% in less than a year. However, flexibility and elasticity, which affect power and speed, do deteriorate with age.

But age is no bar to marathon runners. Around 4,000 of those who finished last Sunday's London event were over 40. Previous winners include Joyce Smith, the first woman across the finishing line in the first London marathon in 1981, aged 43; she repeated her victory the following year. Two years ago, at 92, Fauja Singh a world-record breaking marathon runner in his age group, from Ilford, Essex, signed a deal with Adidas to co-front a major advertising campaign featuring David Beckham and rugby player Jonny Wilkinson. Singh had only taken up running 11 years earlier. You don't have to run to be fit, though. Penny Hilling is far more limber at 80 than many people a quarter of her age who attend the yoga class she teaches in Leighton Buzzard. "A lot of it is down to attitude," she says.

A study of marathon runners published two years ago in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, written by Professor Peter Jokl, an orthopaedic surgeon at Yale University School of Medicine, analysed the finishing times of 415,000 runners in the New York marathon between 1983 and 1999. Finishers in the older age groups had improved more markedly than younger runners. In the 60-68 age group, women ran an average four minutes faster each year. It confirms, Jokl says, that "you can maintain a very high performance into the sixth or seventh decade of life." It also adds weight to the theory that a lot of people grow weaker not because of age, but because they don't use their muscles.

Whichever activity you choose, there will be benefits to your waistline, blood pressure and self-esteem. Walking, skipping and climbing stairs are especially good for building bone density, which weakens with age (and lack of weight-bearing activity) in both men and women. Or why not try weight training? Sports scientists at Texas University found that weight training for six months improved the sleep quality as well as fitness levels of 70-80 year-olds by an average 38%.

Ultimately, though, any activity is better than nothing. In last month's Journal of Aging and Health, researchers at the University of South Florida divided volunteers with an average age of 84 into three groups. One group exercised by walking, the second did weight training and the third group did no exercise. After four months both of the exercise groups had lower blood pressure, improved body strength, better flexibility and higher scores in tests of balance and coordination compared with their sedentary counterparts. That then is the message: it doesn't matter what you do, just as long as you do something.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/health/story/0,,1762322,00.html

[fluffybear]

OK, here’s what I do …

My lifting knowledge comes from using an excellent book called the Body Sculpting Bible for Women (http://www.amazon.com/Body-Sculpting-Bible-Women-Revised/dp/1578262399/sr=8-1/qid=1159279432/ref=sr_1_1/002-1466998-1641623?ie=UTF8&s=books) which I’d recommend to newbie and experienced lifter alike – an excellent resource for technique, form, workout schedules etc.



I just bought the Body Sculpting Bible for Women and it is really helpful. It isn't easy to find a workout book with good illustrations. There are some demos online, but my computer is on the second floor of my home and my gym is in the basement. I am getting so old I can't remember how to do them if I don't have the illustrated exercise right in front of my face! :read: LOL

[fluffybear]

I have printed out all the stuff you posted on this subject. It is really helpful. :)

[Demi]

In case anyone is looking for a good programme, here's one which was serialised in a British newspaper earlier this year. It's by a top British personal trainer, Matthew Robinson, and is entitled Get Fit in 12 Weeks!


Matthew Robinson introduces his new fitness plan (http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/health/story/0,,1678294,00.html)
Week one: Getting started (http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/experts/matthewrobinson/story/0,,1683326,00.html)
Week two: Upping the ante (http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/experts/matthewrobinson/story/0,,1684776,00.html)
Week three: Increasing your stamina (http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/health/story/0,,1689793,00.html)
Week four: Harder, longer, faster (http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/health/story/0,,1694981,00.html)
Week five: Looking ahead (http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/health/story/0,,1700095,00.html)
Week six: Cross training (http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/health/story/0,,1705592,00.html)
Week seven: Alone no more (http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/experts/matthewrobinson/story/0,,1710713,00.html)
Week eight: Onwards and upwards (http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/experts/matthewrobinson/story/0,,1719376,00.html)
Week nine: Think positive (http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/experts/matthewrobinson/story/0,,1721642,00.html)
Week 10: Nearly there (http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/experts/matthewrobinson/story/0,,1726649,00.html)

[Charran]

Demi- Thanks for posting all those exercise links. I'm going to be very busy checking them all out.

I have just started South Beach and I have started walking again. Yesterday I walked 8002 steps, so I was pretty proud of myself. I used to do weight training, but sustained an injury to my shoulder and find many of the upper body exercises difficult to do now. I am going to be researching though and trying some out to see what I can do that won't irritate my shoulder.

[Demi]

As recommended in yesterday's Lean Plate CLub (Washington Post), Family Circle recommend five ways to ramp up your walking workout:

The Walking Workout (http://www.familycircle.com/fc/story.jhtml;jsessionid=GE5HCU4BILW0TQFIBQNSCZQ?storyid=/templatedata/fc/story/data/1158176155325.xml)


There is also a great link to: America's Running Routes (http://usatf.org/routes/), which is a great database of running/walking routes in the US.

Another good route planner is the Gmaps Pedometer (http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/), which you can use use to plot your route anywhere in the world.

[Demi]

An interesting article about why we should be 'active':


Gym shirkers unite!

A good boogie, Hoovering or sex might feel like a high-impact work-out but are we kidding ourselves? Vicky Frost investigates

Thursday, October 5, 2006
The Guardian
London, UK


The path to a portly tummy is paved with good intentions: empty promises of pre-work yoga, lunchtime running, evening gym sessions. Britain is riddled with twice-worn swimming costumes, barely broken-in trainers and sports bras greying glumly at the bottom of the knicker drawer. We are a nation united by its abandoned sportswear, common ambition to make it to the gym, and a collective excuse: "I didn't have time."

If the government could raise a tax on this phrase, it would probably have enough cash to buy every single adult their own personal trainer.

Meanwhile, we try and make our own amends. Really, who needs shouty people in Lycra when there are desk-squats, stair-climbs and walking to the shop to fit into a busy morning?

Don't pretend you don't understand what I'm on about. All those attempts to make up for our gym slackness: running up escalators, doing a bit of Pilates-lite while lying in front of the telly, two hours enthusiastic disco dancing at that wedding last weekend (which got especially high-impact when Wham! came on).

Everybody is at it - gym-shirkers on a mission to rack up bonus exercise points in the fight against heart disease, cancer and cream cakes.

The problem is, none of us really knows if all this covert exercise action is having any effect. We have no ammunition when our binge exercising colleagues belittle our efforts and scoff at our brags of extra-curricular ambling. Surely, every little helps?

Asker Jeukendrup, professor of exercise metabolism at Birmingham University, has some cheering news. "It all depends on what your goal is," he says. "To get the health benefits, there is no need to do sport or go to the gym, just being physically active is enough."

But, it transpires, there's active, and there's active. "Millions of years ago," says Jeukendrup, "humans' physical activity levels were really high. Now we think activity, like the Tour de France, is totally extreme. But then, it would have been normal."

So while the average office worker burns about 2,300 calories a day, our ancestors would have been using around 5,500. You are unlikely to make up the difference by getting off the bus a couple of stops early. Or even a couple of miles early.

Thankfully, Jeukendrup reckons office workers only need to up their daily energy expenditure by 500 calories: "That's probably an hour's worth of walking. But you could do half-an-hour of walking, and then be more physically active, instead of sitting down and watching television."

Doesn't sound too gruelling, does it? It's like the official Department of Health advice: adults should do 30 minutes of moderate activity (ie it makes you breath harder and, perhaps, sweat a bit, such as a brisk walk) at least five times a week. Perfectly sensible, and perfectly attainable.

Ken Fox, professor of exercise and health sciences at Bristol University, says: "We are not in trouble because people aren't going to the gym and playing sport - the reason we're in trouble, is we've stopped being active in our general routines."

Almost any movement is helpful - and for those of us with rather more than our fair share of the nation's collective tummy, walking is one of the best things we can do as it uses our own body weight.

But while that means a stroll round the shops can be good for you - although a brisk trot would be far more beneficial - you have not necessarily "earned" that piece of cake and glass of wine at the end of an exhausting afternoon. "It is dangerous if the reason you are increasing your activity is for energy balance," says Fox. "You can overestimate how much activity you've done, and underestimate how much you've eaten. The equation is always unbalanced - it gets biased towards what people want to hear."

Damn those exercise boffins, always trampling on our fitness plans. "We should be building exercise into our lives, and accepting it as part of our daily routine," Fox says.

You don't need to do it all at once - 10-minute bursts of activity are effective too. Half-an-hour of digging or shovelling in the garden can burn 250 calories, with 105 for weeding and 100 for raking. Moderate Hoovering, or mopping, will burn 160 calories an hour. Even clothes shopping is good exercise, especially when trying on different outfits - you can expect to burn around 100 calories an hour; 20 to 25 minutes washing and waxing the car can also dispose of 100. You'll also improve flexibility and upper body strength. And, of course, there's sex - half-an-hour of which can use up 120 to 180 calories. Kerry McCloskey, who wrote a book on the subject, claims she sometimes even clears the 350 calorie mark. "This is roughly the equivalent of briskly walking, running, or lifting weights for 30 minutes," she says.

But you do need to keep these things in check. Two hours of dancing on a Saturday night after downing your own body weight in booze, will not give you the figure of a dancer. Lucy Banfield is a member of the ensemble for the West End show, Dirty Dancing - and if you want be as fit as she is, you'll have to work hard. "When we're rehearsing we usually start at 10 and finish at six. It will be learning a new dance and going over it again, and again, so rehearsing can be harder than doing a show," she says. Even when she's performing in the evening, Lucy will attend dance classes and keep up with her Pilates.

So while it is perfectly possible to stay healthy and fit, without ever having to enter a gym - so long as you actually do walk to work, rather than just thinking about it - we shouldn't start closing down leisure centres quite yet. For a start, if you're looking to improve muscle tone, or add bulk, using specific gym equipment will be the most effective way. Second, the reason why we joined in the first place - to force ourselves to exercise more - is still an important factor. "At the gym there are more performance markers, so you can see your improvement because you can do something for longer, or do it better," says Jeukendrup. "It's a way of motivating yourself."

Signs of improvement are not so obvious in everyday life. Many sports scientists are reluctant to give average calorie-burning statistics on, say, vacuuming, as they differ wildly according to each person.

Be reassured, however, that panting up and down the office stairs - 15 to 20 minutes = around 100 calories - bottle of water in each hand, is in no way a waste of time.

See you in the top-floor meeting room for some quick star jumps.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/health/story/0,,1887883,00.html

[kris29]

I worked out a lot this past week and I really think it helped me get a 5 lb loss. I wasn't working out much before this. I do the treadmill for 30 minutes and that means a mile and half walk. I'm very out of shape! lol I also do resistance machines at the gym and some pilates for abs at home. My plan is to do cardio about 5 times a week, resistance 3 and pilates 4

[Walkerbabe]

I walk one hour each three days a week and strength train twice a week for
an hour each session. Twice a month, my husband and I hike.

[Demi]

Here's a great way to work out, and one that you don't need to go to the gym for or use any expensive equipment:


The playground sport is right back in fashion, reports Nicholas Roe

The Daily Telegraph
London, UK
9 October, 2006


A rope screams through the air at 200 revs a minute, energy is burned at the jaw-sagging rate of 1,300 calories an hour and miracles of physical activity are performed in front of cheering crowds. Welcome to the new, super-cool world of... skipping.

Once considered childish, this ancient playtime skill is making a comeback. And what's emerging is not just an effective route to mass fitness for little outlay (£5 buys a decent rope), but a new place for Britain's young athletes in a growing international sport that's intriguing to watch.

Fiercely competitive, hugely intricate and physically demanding, skipping - aka rope-jumping - also shows signs of being, quite literally, the new rock'n' roll. Singer James Morrison recently featured a team of competition skippers in his music video You Give Me Something.

Meanwhile, Britain's best skippers returned from the World Rope Jumping Championships in Canada this summer with a creditable fourth place.

Four years ago the British Rope Skipping Association (BRSA) started trying to raise the profile of the sport, persuading television shows such as Blue Peter to focus on the subtle intricacies of rope work, which can involve 200 different kinds of "jump". Directors loved the fancy footwork and youthful profile.

Huge efforts were also being ploughed into getting skipping back into the playground. This year saw Britain notching up a new world record when 7,632 children skipped continuously for three minutes in 85 locations, backed by teachers who consider rope-work to be a great way to improve youth fitness.

"Skipping went out of fashion because video games and PlayStations came along," says Sue Dale, secretary of the BRSA. "But teachers are now pushing to bring it back."

Dale says that young people are instantly amazed at what is possible with just a simple rope. Her own daughters, Beci, 18, and Rachael, 17, started as seven-year-olds and now skip for Britain: "We skip four or five times a week for two or three hours at a time," says Rachael. "It's fun."

And this is the key. Although basic skipping is simple, and almost anyone with five square feet of free space can do it, there's a genuinely attractive art to higher-level work. Half a dozen clubs in Britain regularly compete.

In speed contests, the world record is 188 jumps in 30 seconds. More creatively, rope-jumpers use one or even two long ropes held by team members to perform cartwheels, push-ups, handstands and aerial leaps while dodging a rope spinning at 200 rpm.

Skipping for 10 minutes is said to be the equivalent of 30 minutes jogging, and it tones the upper body as well as legs. The truly extraordinary thing, perhaps, is that this antique pastime ever lost its mass appeal in the first place.

Although the trend has been reversed, one remaining challenge is that many young men still consider skipping an off-puttingly effeminate activity. This is surprising, given that boxers rely on skipping for endurance training. And when was Mike Tyson ever a wuss?

Jump-in-a-box

The British Rope Skipping Association offers information and rope sales: www.brsa.org.uk.

If you are starting skipping from scratch, buy a lightweight rope long enough to stand on with the handles at your armpit.

Wear good trainers to absorb the bounce DStart with just 30 seconds of skipping and then stretch, rest, and try again.

Vary the jump.

www.jumpropeinstitute.com offers illustrations of various tricks, such as alternate step, skier's jump and half-twisted.

Aim to skip three to four times a week for 10 minutes a session in two-minute bursts.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/main.jhtml?xml=/health/2006/10/09/hskipping09.xml&sSheet=/health/2006/10/09/ixhmain.html

[Tim709]

Hey Demi...

Awesome thread ;) I used to skip rope a lot...but got out of it for some reason. I used to skip for 30 - 50 minutes depending on my mood. I guess I really should start again before I gain much more weight :lol:

[Demi]

Thanks Tim!

If anyone else has got any articles, ideas etc., that they'd like to add to the thread, then please feel free to do so.

[Demi]

I came across this great series of exercises in The Times earlier this year, and thought it would be good to add them here - just click on each link to bring up the exercises involved for that part of the body:


Haven’t got time for the gym? Gabby Logan demonstrates three exercises that can be done together in just ten minutes and tackle a specific part of your body.

Legs (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,8127-1866511,00.html)
Bottom (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,8127-1916277,00.html)
Stomach (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,8127-1960754,00.html)
Core Muscles (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,8127-2022120,00.html)
Heart (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,8127-2066824,00.html)
Arms (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,8127-2165263,00.html)
Chest (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,8127-2217215,00.html)

[Demi]

As recommended via the Lean Plate Column in today's edition of the Washington Post, another great workout for those who haven't got a lot of time:


Got a minute? Then you've got time for a workout from Shape magazine, because that's all each exercise in this regimen takes. Do 'em all at once, or split them up throughout your day.

The one-minute workout plan (http://www.shape.com/workouts/80?page=1)
To work Muscle Groups: Abs,Arms,Back,Butt,Legs,Shoulders

[Demi]

This is an old article, but one where the content is still very relevant:


The muscles that really matter

WORKING out in the gym may have your muscles looking good on the outside, but the vast majority of us will be developing only one type of muscle - and that could lead to back and neck pain, together with many other problems.

There are two types of muscles in the body, explains Jonathan Betser, an osteopath. "The mobilisers, such as biceps and hamstrings, help you move and these are what most people work in the gym, but the stabiliser muscles are very important because they support the body," he says.

"The two most important stabilisers are the deep erector spinae, which support the neck and lower back, and the transversus abdominus, which reaches from the stomach around the body to the lower back, underpinning the spine there."

Like all the stabilisers, or deep seated muscles, they are not visible from the outside and relatively difficult to exercise. As a result most of us do not develop or use them properly. "I see athletes with well-developed mobiliser muscles who have very bad deep-seated muscles," says Betser.

Although they are invisible, these muscles do affect body shape, says Christopher Norris, a Manchester-based physiotherapist and author of two books on the subject. "I had an aerobics teacher who could not get a flat stomach although she worked out regularly and had very strong abdominal muscles," he says. "In fact, the deep-seated muscles behind them were weak and so her abdominals were falling forward."

In America, sports trainers are now beginning to suggest that to develop the outer muscles without training the deep-seated muscles can lead to an imbalance in the body and be harmful in the long run.

California-based Paul Chek, a personal trainer, argues against the use of machines in gyms. "Training on machines alone exacerbates balance problems. You have to train both muscle types together," he says.

Chek advises using free weights that require the body to stabilise itself constantly and, when you need to sit, an exercise ball is ideal because again it forces the deep-seated muscles to work in order to hold the body still.

Gymnasts whose sport involves slow, controlled movements, and women who have exercised their pelvic floor muscles in anticipation of pregnancy, often have good deep-seated muscles. Determining the strength of your stabilisers is easy: many experts now have machines to test for electrical impulses coming from the muscles.

You can also test yourself. "Lie on the floor with your knees raised and feet flat," says Jonathan Betser. "Push your fingers into the side of your stomach just below the navel. This should feel firm if you have good stabiliser muscles here."

However, exercising them is considerably more difficult. "You can't see them working and it is very easy to do it incorrectly," says Norris. He advises consulting a qualified personal trainer, osteopath or physiotherapist to develop an inner muscle workout programme.

"You will find muscles working that might have not been used for years - I have muscular men on all fours in my surgery performing pelvic floor contractions," he says. "They can't see anything happening but they eventually feel it and soon sweat is pouring off." Much of the exercise consists of repetition to get the muscles working again. The results will not be immediate but you will feel less stiffness when seated, suffer less back, neck and shoulder pain, and improve your normal work out, he says.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/main.jhtml?xml=/health/2001/02/27/thmusc27.xml

[Demi]

Taken from last month's edition of the free newsletter from thestretchinghandbook.com:



Add circuit training to your weight training routines
for a well-rounded exercise program.

Circuit training routines are one of my favourite training sessions, whether for myself personally, or for clients. I use circuit training as part of injury rehabilitation programs, for conditioning elite level athletes, or to help my clients lose weight. I use circuits for just about everything.

I was introduced to circuit training routines by an exceptional sports coach by the name of Col Stewart. Col is one of those rare coaches who can take just about any sport, and devise a specific training program that always produces outstanding improvements for his athletes.

Col's circuit training routines are largely responsible for the success of many of his world champion athletes. Including his son, Miles Stewart (World Champion Triathlete), Mick Doohan (World 500cc Motorcycle Champion), and countless others from sports as diverse as roller-skating, squash, and cycling.

Many other coaches are also impressed by circuit training and use it regularly.

Brian Mackenzie from Sports Coach says, "Circuit training is an excellent way to simultaneously improve mobility, strength and stamina."

Workouts for Women state "circuit training is one of the best methods of exercising as it provides excellent all round fitness, tone, strength, and a reduction of weight and inches. In short, maximum results in minimum time."

And another site referred to circuit training as "an ideal way to build versatility, overall strength and fitness, as well as to consolidate your mastery of a wide variety of physical skills."

So what is Circuit Training?
"Circuit training consists of a consecutive series of timed exercises performed one after the other with varying amounts of rest between each exercise.

For example, a simple circuit training routine might consist of push-ups, sit-ups, squats, chin-ups and lunges. The routine might be structured as follows, and could be continually repeated as many times as is necessary.

Do as many push-ups as you can in 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds.
Do as many squats as you can in 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds.
Do as many sit-ups as you can in 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds.
Do as many lunges as you can in 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds.
Do as many chin-ups as you can in 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds.

What makes Circuit Training so good?
The quick pace and constant changing nature of circuit training places a unique type of stress on the body, which differs from normal exercise activities, like weight training and aerobics.

The demands of circuit training tend to prepare the body in a very even, all-round manner. I have found circuit training to be an exceptional form of exercise to aid in the prevention of injury. Circuit training is one of the best ways I've found to condition your entire body (and mind).

There are many other reasons why circuit training is a fantastic form of exercise, and what most of these reasons come down to is flexibility. In other words, circuit training is totally customizable to your specific requirements.

Circuit training can be totally personalized. Whether you're a beginner, or an elite athlete, you can modify your circuit training routine to give you the best possible results.

A circuit training routine can be modified to give you exactly what you want. Whether you want an all-over body workout, or you just want to work on a specific body area, or you need to work on a particular aspect of your sport, this can all be accommodated.

Also, you can change the focus of your circuit training routine to emphasize strength, endurance, agility, speed, skill development, weight loss, or any other aspect of your fitness that is important to you.

Circuit training is time efficient. No wasted time in between sets. It's maximum results in minimum time.

You can do circuit training just about anywhere. One of my favourite places for doing circuit training is at some of the parks and playground areas near where I live.

Circuit training is a favourite form of exercise for the British Royal Marine Commandos because they tend to spend a lot of time on large ships. The confined spaces means that circuit training is sometimes the only form of exercise available to them.

You don't need expensive equipment. You don't even need a gym membership. You can just as easily put together a great circuit training routine at home or in a park. By using your imagination, you can devise all sorts of exercises using things like chairs and tables, and even children's outdoor play equipment like swings and monkey bars.

Another reason why I like circuit training so much is that it's great fun to do in pairs or groups. Half the group exercises while the other half rests and motivates the exercising members of the group.

The main types of Circuit Training
As mentioned before, circuit training can be totally customized, which means there are an unlimited number of different ways you can structure your circuit training routine. However, here are a few examples to give you some idea of the different types available.

Timed Circuit
This type of circuit involves working to a set time period for both rest and exercise intervals. For example, a typical timed circuit might involve 30 seconds of exercise and 30 seconds of rest in between each exercise.

Competition Circuit
This is similar to a timed circuit but you push yourself to see how many repetitions you can do in the set time period. For example, you may be able to complete 12 push-ups in 30 seconds. The idea is to keep the time period the same, but try to increase the number of repetitions you can do in the set time period.

Repetition Circuit
This type of circuit is great if you're working with large groups of people who have different levels of fitness and ability. The idea is that the fittest group might do, say 20 repetitions of each exercise, the intermediate group might only do 15 repetitions, while the beginners might only do 10 repetitions of each exercise.

Sport Specific or Running Circuit
This type of circuit is best done outside or in a large, open area. Choose exercises that are specific to your particular sport, or emphasize an aspect of your sport you'd like to improve. Then instead of simply resting between exercises, run easy for 200 or 400 metres. You can even use sprints or fast 400 metre runs as part of your choice of exercises.

Some Important Precautions
Circuit training is a fantastic form of exercise, however, the most common problem I find is that people tend to get over excited, because of the timed nature of the exercises, and push themselves harder than they normally would. This tends to result in sore muscles and joints, and an increased likelihood of injury.

Below are two precautions you need to take into consideration.

Firstly, your level of fitness. If you've never done any sort of circuit training before, even if you consider yourself quite fit, start off slowly. The nature of circuit training is quite different to any other form of exercise. It places different demand on the body and mind, and if you're not used to it, it will take a few sessions for your body to adapt to this new form of training. Be patient.

Secondly, you're warm-up and cool-down are crucial. Don't ever start a circuit training routine without a thorough warm-up that includes stretching. As I mentioned before, circuit training is very different from other forms of exercise. Your body must be prepared for circuit training before you start your session.

For more information on how to warm-up and cool-down properly, review the following articles.

Warm-up: http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/archives/warm-up.htm
Cool-down: http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/archives/cool-down.htm

Examples of Circuit Training Routines
It's easy to design your own circuit training routine, and the best routine is usually the one you design yourself. The information in this article, along with the references below, and a little bit of imagination, will help you put together the perfect circuit training routine.

While researching this article I came across some fantastic examples of circuit training routines. To follow is a list of some of the better ones. Feel free to modify them to suit your specific requirements.

This one is great for strength and stamina.
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/0285.htm

This routine is specifically for distance runners.
http://www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/circuit.htm

Good all-over body circuit.
http://www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/exercise.htm

Some examples of circuit exercises you can do at home.
http://www.fitadvisor.com/schwinn/library/index.php?lib_nav=26


Article by Brad Walker. Brad is a leading stretching and
sports injury consultant with over 15 years experience
in the health and fitness industry.

http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/archives/circuit-training-routines.htm

[Demi]

Taken from this month's edition of the free newsletter from thestretchinghandbook.com:



Cross Training for Injury Prevention

In keeping with the theme of last months issue on circuit training, I wanted to talk about another great form of athletic preparation and injury prevention called cross training.

Cross training, although it has been used for years, is relatively new as a training concept. Athletes have been forced to use exercises outside their sport for conditioning for many reasons, including: weather; seasonal change; facility and equipment availability; and injuries. These athletes were cross training whether they knew it or not. The benefits of cross training are beginning to get more press and one of those is injury prevention.

What is Cross Training?
Cross training is the use of various activities to achieve overall conditioning. Cross training uses activities outside the normal drills and exercises commonly associated with a sport. The exercises provide a break from the normal impact of training in a particular sport, thereby giving the muscles, tendons, bones, joints and ligaments a brief break. These exercises target the muscles from a different angle or resistance and work to balance an athlete. Cross training is an effective way of “resting” the body from the normal sport-specific activities while maintaining conditioning.

Any exercise or activity can be used for cross training if it is not a skill associated with that particular sport. Weight training is a commonly used cross training tool. Swimming, cycling, running, and even skiing are activities used for cross training. Plyometrics are becoming popular again as cross training tools.

Critics of Cross Training
Cross training does help achieve balance in the muscles due to working them from various angles and in different positions. Cross training does not, however, develop skills specific to the sport or sport-specific conditioning. A football player who jogs three to five miles all summer and lifts weights will still not be in “football shape” when the preseason starts. Cross training cannot be used as the sole conditioning tool. Sport specific conditioning and skill training is still required.

High impact sports such as basketball, gymnastics, football or running cause a lot of jarring on the skeletal system. Cross training can help limit the jarring but some sport-specific impact is necessary to condition athletes for their activity. A runner who runs in water as their only conditioning routine may develop shin splints and other injuries when they are required to run on hard surfaces for races or training. Their body is not conditioned to the forces it is subjected to and will react accordingly.

Jumping into an intense cross training schedule without progressing into it properly can also lead to problems. It is important to progressively increase the intensity, duration and frequency in small increments.

Cross Training Examples
Cross training can take many forms. The key to a successful cross training program is that it must address the same energy systems used in the sport and must allow a break from sport specific activities. Training the same major muscle groups, but in a different way keeps the athlete conditioned but helps prevent overuse injuries.

A cyclist may use swimming to build upper body strength and to maintain cardiovascular endurance. They may use cross-country skiing to maintain leg strength and endurance when snow and ice eliminate biking time.

Swimmers may use free weight training to develop and maintain strength levels. They may incorporate rock climbing to keep upper body strength and endurance up.

Runners may use mountain biking to target the legs from a slightly different approach. They can use deep water running to lessen the impact while still maintaining a conditioning schedule.

A shot putter may use Olympic weightlifting exercises to build overall explosiveness. They may use plyometrics and sprinting to develop the needed explosiveness in the hips and legs.

How does Cross Training prevent injury?
Cross training is an important tool in the injury prevention program of athletes. Cross training allows coaches and athletes the opportunity to train hard all year round without running the risk of overtraining or overuse injuries. The simple process of changing the type of training changes the stress on the body.

Cross training gives the muscles used in the primary sport a break from the normal stresses put on them each day. The muscles may still be worked, even intensely, but without the normal impact or from a different angle. This allows the muscles to recover from the wear and tear built up over a season. This active rest is a much better recovery tool than total rest and forces the body to adapt to different stimuli.

Cross training also helps to reduce or reverse muscle imbalances in the body. A pitcher in baseball may develop an imbalance laterally between the two sides of the body as well as in the shoulder girdle of the throwing arm. Thousands of pitches over a season will cause the muscles directly involved in throwing to become stronger while supporting muscles and those unaffected by throwing will become weaker without training. Cross training can help balance the strength in the muscles on both sides as well as the stabilizing muscles. This balancing of strength and flexibility helps to prevent one muscle group, due to a strength imbalance, from pulling the body out of natural alignment. It also prevents muscle pulls and tears caused by one muscle exerting more force than the opposing group can counter.

Precautions for Cross Training
Whenever starting a new activity it is important to get instruction in the proper techniques and safety measures. Ocean kayaking can be a great cross training activity for tennis players to develop and maintain upper body endurance but without instruction on proper techniques it can be dangerous.

Equipment used for cross training activities should be fitted properly and designed for the activity. Unsafe or ill-fitted equipment can lead to injury.

Cross training is a great way to avoid overuse injuries and overtraining. Unfortunately, these same pitfalls can be an issue in a cross training program. Varying workouts, adequate rest between workouts, use of proper form and gradual increasing of resistance are important in any program. Many athletes simply add cross training to their current program rather than substituting. This leads to overtraining and the opposite of the injury prevention goal.


Article by Brad Walker. Brad is a leading stretching and
sports injury consultant with over 15 years experience
in the health and fitness industry.


http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/archives/cross-training.htm

[Demi]

An interesting article about exercising during illness or injury:



Speedy recovery

Can yoga or Pilates help back pain? Should you go for the burn when you've got a cold? Peta Bee on how to exercise with an illness or injury

Thursday October 19, 2006
The Guardian


Gym junkies swear that working out is a hard-core cure-all - it keeps the blood circulating to areas that need healing and sweats out severe colds. Are they aware, however, that exercise-related injuries are on the increase?

According to figures from Bupa Sports Injury clinics, up to 50,000 people suffer some form of sports injury every day, while research at the University of Arkansas revealed that there has been a 35% rise in gym injuries since the 80s. And with the flu season now upon us, many of even the most enthusiastic exercisers will be deliberating whether or not to hit the treadmill.

In some cases, experts say, persevering with your workouts can enhance recovery from illness and injury; in others, it can hamper it.
How to negotiate this minefield? Professor Thomas Weidner, director of athletic training at Ball State university, Indiana and a leading researcher in the effect of exercise on colds (and vice versa), says a consistent gym programme "pumps the immune system" and keeps us from getting colds in the first place. But if you do get a bout of the sniffles, should you forgo your gym sessions until you recover? Weidner says the decision should initially depend on how poorly you are feeling and "always listen to your body".

A useful strategy is to assess the severity of your cold. If you have a runny nose, sneezing or a sore throat (what Weidner calls "above-the-neck" symptoms), it is probably safe to exercise at a low intensity - walking, cycling or yoga - and it may even boost the activity of illness-fighting white blood cells. If, however, you are suffering from extreme tiredness, muscle-aches or feverish symptoms (below-the-neck), stay at home with a hot-water bottle.

According to guidelines from the American Council on Exercise - a consumer watchdog on the fitness industry - allow at least two weeks for a full recovery if you have flu-like symptoms. Mild colds, though, are different. In various recent studies, Weidner and his colleagues inoculated subjects with rhinovirus and then asked them to follow either a moderate exercise regime (half-hour workouts at 70% of their maximum heart rates on treadmills, bikes or steppers for five days a week), or to remain mostly sedentary, except for a shortish walk to work. While the exercisers said they felt better after their gym sessions, there was no difference in symptoms between the groups.

"Nobody feels good when they have a head cold, but research says people can exercise," Weidner says. "It found that cold symptoms do not get worse after working out and that athletic performance does not suffer during light to moderate exercise. Neither the severity nor duration of symptoms seem to be affected."

Among the most common injuries to sporty types are pulled or torn leg muscles. Claire Small, a spokeswoman for the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists, who specialises in treating musculoskeletal problems, says laying off workouts for a few days after pulling a muscle is essential: the healing process begins with an inflammatory response that can last for three to five days. "This is a crucial time during which rest - protection of the injured muscle is vital in order to prevent any further damage," Small says. "During the inflammatory reaction, the body produces chemicals and cells that remove dead muscle fibres and start the repair process."

After that, however, a gradual return to exercise is the best route to recovery. "A lot of people make the mistake of resting completely for four weeks if they get a sports injury, only to launch back into their fitness programme once they feel no more pain," says Ben Ashworth, a physiotherapist at the Olympic Medical Institute in Northwick Park Hospital. "Because the body's tissues harden themselves to activity over time, a sudden return can predispose someone to getting injured again." Instead, says Ashworth, they should consult a physiotherapist who will gently increase their exercise load. Pool-based sessions are often included because the water acts as a giant cushion for the joint and muscles.

"Swimming or aqua-jogging [using a buoyancy aid] is great for many injuries because it is no-impact and supports your body weight, while giving a good cardiovascular workout," Ashworth says. "From there, they could progress to walking on grass or a soft surface."

If you suffer from weak knees or ankles, a mini-trampoline or rebounder - as used by David Beckham - is a great buy. American researchers have found that the body has to work harder to run on a springy surface than on a treadmill, which means that you could burn more calories - around 100 for every eight to 10 minutes spent bouncing up and down. "Mini-trampolines encourage a little bit of assisted mobilisation," Ashworth says. "The elastic recoil of the bed affords some protection."

Yoga may be beneficial for some problems, although it should only be performed on the recommendation of a physiotherapist. A recent study into back pain published in the American College of Physicians' Annals of Internal Medicine, found that a gentle yoga class seemed a better alternative to general exercise or a self-help book for back pain. However, Dr Karen Sherman, who conducted the study, conceded that more vigorous types of yoga, and classes led by poorly qualified instructors, can potentially make problems worse. Matt Todman, consultant physiotherapist at the Sports & Spinal Clinic, Harley Street, agrees, saying "yoga is generally not good for back pain and a lot of its postures can compound the problem by loading pressure on the back".

Instead, Todman recommends Pilates classes, preferably run by a physiotherapist. Studies at Queensland University in Australia have shown that Pilates exercises can develop the core muscles in the trunk which support the back and help to prevent a range of leg injuries. "The importance of posture is massively underplayed," Todman says. "Poor posture is the most common cause of back ache and that links to other injuries. Activities like Pilates can help to correct that."

While flexibility is important in injury prevention, too much stretching as part of a rehabilitation programme, can do more harm than good. "Most normally active individuals only need to maintain a normal range of motion to function at a high level and to function safely," says Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist at Ace.

Too many people, however, don't stop there. "They think that if being able to touch your toes is considered normal, being able to touch four inches past your toes must be better," Bryant says. "There is evidence to suggest that hyper-mobility in some people can be a risk factor for further injury".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/health/story/0,,1925653,00.html

[Demi]

The importance of warming up and cooling down pre- and post-exercise ....


How to ...

... warm up and cool down

Peta Bee
Thursday October 19, 2006
The Guardian


Don't neglect a warm-up. It prepares your body for aerobic exercise by increasing blood flow through your heart and lungs. This results in more oxygen and sugar (glucose) being delivered to your muscles, a faster and more forceful heartbeat, and more frequent breathing. As the temperature of the body rises, muscles become warmer and better prepared for exercise.

Do structure your warm-up. Jog or power walk for five to 10 minutes before a workout to get yourself warm, then perform five to 10 minutes of dynamic stretching exercises (arm/leg swings, shoulder circles and lunges etc) to reduce stiffness. Static stretches, in which you hold a position for several seconds, don't have the same effect.

Do pay particular attention to your warm-up if you suffer from exercise-induced asthma. A 10-20 minute warm-up routine has been shown to alleviate chest tightness and other symptoms. Performing some short sprints over 15-20 metres helps ease your body into activity mode.

Don't end a workout abruptly. If you do, especially following vigorous exercise, your blood pressure drops, which could cause dizziness or fainting. A proper cool-down prevents the sudden pooling of blood after activity and re-circulates it back to the heart, skeletal muscles and brain. A cool-down also helps flush out waste products produced during exercise, such as lactic acid, that can leave you feeling stiff and tired the next day. Ideally, a cool-down should consist of five to 10 minutes of jogging or walking and five to 10 minutes of stretching.

Do save static stretches (where you hold a stretch for several seconds, as with yoga-type moves) for the cool-down. Last year, researchers at the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal reviewed the evidence on stretching for the Physician and Sports Medicine Journal. They concluded that when performed immediately prior to a workout, stretching causes a small, albeit temporary, reduction in a muscle's power and force. For anyone needing to perform kicks or jumps (in football or martial arts) or who wants to lift weights, this could be limiting.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/health/story/0,,1925637,00.html

[Demi]

Read about the latest fitness craze - hoola hooping!



Hoop it up in a fitness revolution

The Times
London, UK
21 October, 2006

A new exercise in LA will soon have us all in a spin. Lucy Broadbent meets the hoopsters


The big advantage of a Hula Hoop class for adults is that everyone’s too grown-up to openly laugh and snigger at you. Back in my school days there was no such restraint.

Anyone who couldn’t gyrate like Elvis to keep a hoop spinning on their hips was simply not worthy. And being someone whose best attempt at physical co-ordination has always been a good brisk lounge on the sofa, it meant that the Hula Hoop was something to steer clear of. And until now, it’s been easy. But Hula Hooping in Los Angeles, where I live, is back in fashion. Not in the playgrounds but the gyms. It is America’s latest fitness obsession, with cardio hoop classes, workshops, videos and Hoopster clothing lines springing up across the country.

“Hooping is a phenomenon,” says Anah Reichenbach, a terrifyingly hip 30-year-old Californian, who likes to be known as Hoopaliscious, and is credited by the Los Angeles Times as starting the hoop revolution.

“During the Nineties the Hula Hoop was transformed from being a child’s toy into a new dance form,” she says. “It’s a fabulous workout. It tones the whole body and strengthens the abs, but one of the best benefits is that it gives you a place for free expression, a place to cut loose and be yourself.”

That, for Reichenbach, has meant becoming a hoop star. She has become so proficient that the rock star Sting used a film of her dancing with a Hula Hoop as a giant projection behind him on stage for his 2004 Sacred Love world tour. She also performed at his birthday party last year, and at all the premiere parties for Cirque du Soleil for the past five years. Plus, Coca-Cola used her in one of its commercials last year and she appeared on the TV show America’s Got Talent this summer.

But it is through her classes that she has really spread the word, converting many into what she calls hoopaholics. “You have no idea how many times I have heard someone say ‘I can’t do that’ or ‘I never could’. But there isn’t anyone who doesn’t pick it up with a bit of practice. And, once you get into it, you just won’t want to stop.”

So here I am at Hoop Hatchlings, Reichenbach’s hour-long beginners’ class, held in a dance studio in Los Angeles, reliving my worst playground memories. There are eight of us lined up behind her — all women, some middle-aged and dressed in jeans, others defining their youth with bare midriffs and Lycra.

We begin with basic warm-up stretches and then the Hula Hoops are distributed. They’re heavier than the light plastic Wham-O hoops of my school days. “The weight makes them easier to spin,” Reichenbach says. And it does. I’m proud to say that in seconds, the hoop is floating round my midriff as if I’d been doing it all my life. It isn’t that difficult: not so much a challenge of strength as of concentration.

But the victory is short-lived. Idly spinning a hoop around the waist is only the warm-up. The idea is to dance and exercise at the same time as constantly rolling hips back and forth to keep the hoop circling. So there are squats, leg lifts, arm raises and, worst of all for an inhibited Brit, the techno thump is turned up loud, the lights low and we’re told to express ourselves by dancing as we feel.

Frankly, I can’t see Sting ever asking me to perform. But I know why he asked Reichenbach. With a hoop constantly whizzing around some part of her anatomy — shoulders, knees, arms — she moves her body in such a graceful, artful way that she is mesmerising. She has the same ease of movement as an otter or seal swimming under water. The rest of us have some way to go before we bear comparison.

But some of her students aren’t that bad. “I wanted to do a class that was more lively than yoga but was still calming,” says Willa Wong, 36, an optician, whose hoop didn’t once clatter to the ground. “So I bought a Hula Hoop and it’s amazing how quickly you pick it up. It feels good to master something and the more you do it, the easier it gets.”

Hooping is also good for shedding pounds as, apparently, it burns as many calories as running or doing aerobics. “I’ve probably lost 5lb or 6lb (2.3kg to 2.7kg) since I started doing this once a week three weeks ago,” says Suzie Tyler, a 46-year-old housewife. “It’s great exercise. Just you wait, you’ll feel it in your abs tomorrow.”

She was right. I did. But was I a convert? Reichenbach says she gets hoop withdrawal symptoms if she doesn’t spend some time hooping every day. She believes the concentration required to do it, together with the constant circling, gives it a meditational quality that helps to relieve stress and revive the spirits.

Given that most of my exercise came from bending and picking up my hoop off the floor every time it clattered off my hips, I’m not convinced that I achieved that level of Zen, but it made me laugh. And possibly my classmates, too, though not to my face.

For more details, www.hooprevolution.com


http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,8127-2412434,00.html

[Camelle217]

Let me just say... I have a LONG WAYS to go before I can Hoola Hoop!!!! They had some at the Homecoming Pep rally for one of the "games" it was FUNNY... but I was sitting there thinking THANK GOD I wasn't one of the chosen teachers to participate in THAT skit!!!!!

Oh, and POGO STICKS I hear are making a "fitness comeback" YIKES!!!!

[Kristal21]

My boyfriend bought me Kinetic for my birthday..it's the coolest thing...You have to have a PlayStation2 but it comes with a camera and you plug it up and there are 2 personal trainers that you can choose from...you type in your information and they set up a 12 week program for you to follow...It shows you on the tv screen and you have to do cardio, yoga, and stretching activities....it's an interactive game...while you're looking at the screen there are things that pop up that you have to hit....it's so cool....it's a better workout for me than going to the gym

[Demi]

In case anyone doesn't know, this is what Kristal21 is talking about:


Eye Toy Kinetic (http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Computer-Entertainment-74782-Kinetic/dp/B0009I95TK/sr=8-2/qid=1161507364/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/104-9393215-4795962?ie=UTF8)

Product Description
Get in shape with an engaging and challenging workout all in the comfort of your own home. EyeToy: Kinetic, exclusive to the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, is a unique and innovative fitness product that acts as an in-home personal trainer to create authentic customized exercise routines with real-time performance evaluations for more effective workouts. Utilizing the revolutionary EyeToy technology, EyeToy: Kinetic offers players an all-in-one fitness program of cardio, mind and body, and strength exercises inspired by Aerobics, Capoeira, Kick Boxing, Yoga, Modern Dance and Tai Chi. Choose between two unique personal trainers each of whom provide guidance and assess players' performances as they engage in 12-week training programs or select individual routines to tone specific areas of the body. To create a more interactive and robust workout experience, the innovative EyeToy technology measures the force and direction of the players' movements, analyzes them and provides real-time performance evaluations. Whether players are fitness fanatics or looking to rev up their workout routine, EyeToy: Kinetic provides a fun, personalized fitness experience custom tailored to each players' fitness level, schedule and overall objectives. Select a challenging and intensive 12-week training program, which keeps track of workout schedules and monitors progress Train in 4 different environments - Dojo, Dance Studio, Zen Garden and Loft Designed for all fitness abilities.
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Computer-Entertainment-74782-Kinetic/dp/B0009I95TK/sr=8-2/qid=1161507364/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/104-9393215-4795962?ie=UTF8


Yourself! Fitness (http://www.amazon.com/RESPONDESIGN-30002-Yourself-Fitness/dp/B0007PNEGA/sr=8-3/qid=1161507364/ref=pd_bbs_3/104-9393215-4795962?ie=UTF8&s=videogames)

Product Description
This Yourself!Fitness Program for Home PlayStation 2 software brings the expertise of a certified personal trainer and nutritionist into your home to guide you through a personalized health and fitness program. Maya, your interactive personal trainer, builds a program that is tailored to your lifestyle and gives you one-on-one training with over 500 unique exercises that never get boring. Choose your music, your mood and your focus and let Maya, through step-by-step coaching, do the rest.
http://www.amazon.com/RESPONDESIGN-30002-Yourself-Fitness/dp/B0007PNEGA/sr=8-8/qid=1161507722/ref=pd_bbs_8/104-9393215-4795962?ie=UTF8&s=videogames

[Demi]

As recommended via this week's edition of the Lean Plate Column in The Washington Post:

Beginning a Strength Training Program (http://www.sportsmed.org/sml/document.asp?did=311) - good advice from The American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine on how to start a strength training program with weights

[Tim709]

http://www.patentlysilly.com/patent.php?patID=7037243

maybe that will help me get started jumping rope again lol

[Demi]

Another good reason for exercising:


A brisk walk a day keeps those winter colds away
By Nigel Hawkes, Health Editor

The Times
London, UK
27 October, 2006


HALF an hour’s exercise a day cuts the risks of catching colds in half, a new trial suggests.

Brisk walking is all that is needed, and the longer that you continue to exercise daily the greater the benefit.

The trial recruited 115 older women from Seattle, Washington state. All were sedentary and either overweight or obese. For a year they were asked either to exercise daily or take part in a 45-minute stretching class once a week.

The women were randomly allocated to one or other of these groups, and every quarter were asked to fill in questionnaires asking them whether they had suffered colds or other upper respiratory infections in the previous three months.

The results, published in The American Journal of Medicine, show that the daily exercise group had only half as many colds as the weekly stretch-class group. Over the final three months of the study the gap was even wider, with the stretchers suffering three times as many colds as the exercisers.

“This adds another good reason to put exercise on your to-do list,” said Cornelia Ulrich, the paper’s senior author and an associate member of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre’s public health sciences division in Seattle.

But moderation was the key. Other studies had shown that excessive exercise could increase the risk of colds. She said that the likeliest cause of the benefit, if it proved to be real, was the enhancement of the immune system.

“It has been shown that just a 30-minute walk can increase levels of leukocytes, which are part of the family of immune cells that fight infection,” she said.

The exercise group was asked to do 45 minutes of exercise a day, five days a week, but managed only 30 minutes, mainly brisk walking. That, however, seems to have been enough to achieve a benefit that increased over time.

“The enhanced immunity was strongest in the final quarter of the year,” Dr Ulrich said. “This suggests that, when it comes to preventing colds, it’s important to stick with the exercise.”

But the findings are by no means definitive. If all upper respiratory infections, rather than just colds, were counted there was no significant difference between the two groups.

Jessica Chubak, a research associate at the Hutchinson centre, said that, although the study was larger and longer than earlier ones, it still may not have been extensive enough. “It would be interesting to see what would happen over the course of a longer exercise intervention,” she said.

An editorial in the journal by Richard Ruffin and Paul Thompson, of Hartford Hospital, in Connecticut, raises further doubts. They ask whether the stretching group’s higher number of colds could have been caused by a spread of the infection during the weekly session and say that more evidence is required.

The main objective of the study, funded by the US National Cancer Institute, was to assess the impact of physical activity on the risk of breast cancer. As well as reducing their incidence of colds, the women in the exercise group reduced their weight, total-body fat and intra-abdominal fat, which should reduce their risk of cancer.


http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,11069-2423456,00.html

[Judynyc]

As recommended via this week's edition of the Lean Plate Column in The Washington Post:

Beginning a Strength Training Program (http://www.sportsmed.org/sml/document.asp?did=311) - good advice from The American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine on how to start a strength training program with weights


GETTING STARTED
It is important to check with your doctor before beginning a strength training program, particularly if you have any significant medical problems or physical limitations. If you have musculoskeletal issues, check with a sports medicine specialist or orthopaedic surgeon to make sure that the strength training program will not aggravate the problem. An exercise professional such as a certified athletic trainer, sports physical therapist, a personal trainer or a strength and conditioning coach can be helpful in designing a safe, individual and appropriate strength training program.

Your goals for strength training will determine the type of program you will want to initiate. In general strength training should be performed at least 2-3 times a week. Increasing the frequency of workouts will result in faster strength increases. Rest periods between training days are important for proper muscle healing. Unless you have other restrictions, perform 8 to 10 exercises starting with the larger muscle groups first.

The number of sets and repetitions of each exercise is also important. A set consists of an exercise repeated multiple times without rest. The repetitions (or reps) is the number of times an exercise is performed in a set. A good starting point is to perform 2-3 sets of 8-10 repetitions. Proper technique is extremely important. You should perform a full range of motion in a controlled manner. Movements should be fluent and controlled. Fast movements should be avoided. Take care to breath appropriately through the exercise and always use a spotter when lifting heavy weights, particularly when performing a bench press or squat.

Building strength will allow you to progress in your program. You can progress by increasing the frequency of your workout, the number of repetitions and sets or the amount of weight. Gradual increases are recommended to avoid injury to muscles and joints. Rest periods between strength training sessions for a particular muscle group are necessary to allow muscles to recover and rebuild.

This is from the article itself and I should've read it before I started last week :rolleyes: ugh....my shoulder has gotten reinjured and my sciatica has me limping this week....I'm afraid my age is catching up with my body.

Honor those rest periods!!! :idea: :agree:

[foxgluvs]

According to research from Glasgow University currently under review, the rate at which body fat is burned can be significantly increased when you precede any aerobic activity with 20 minutes of press-ups and squats.
"This is a breakthrough for both sedentary people and fit people," says Dr Niall MacFarlane, one of the authors of the study. The research - which monitored 11 fit volunteers over three weeks - suggests that if exercisers include a 20-minute session of resistance training prior to working out aerobically, the fat-burning benefits are two to three times greater. This means the easily breathless don't need to huff and puff for such a long stretch - and exercise aficionados can achieve better results in the same period of time.

Am I getting this...? Does it mean that you should do the weights etc before the walking machine and cross trainer and stuff like that?
Just checking that's what it actually means!

[PattiWagon]

I started out walking about 4 miles every other day in May. I have since changed that regimen to running 2 1/2 miles to 3 miles each day Monday -Sat. This month I started strength training on M, W and F. I always rest on Sunday.
Last weekend we bought a 70 pound heavy punching bag and I am looking for boxing lessons or a really easy to follow dvd to teach me how to box.
I ran in high school and I loved it! I love the way I feel when I run now...my mind just blanks and I feel relaxed afterwards as well. I think that the "me" time has made me a bettter parent. (For years I felt guilty whenever I did anything for myself. I realize now I was only hurting everyone around me because I was taking my frustrations out on them.)
I'm still a work in progress and eager to try all sorts of different exercises.

[Demi]

Am I getting this...? Does it mean that you should do the weights etc before the walking machine and cross trainer and stuff like that?
Just checking that's what it actually means!
Yes, it does mean that you should weight train before you use the treadmill and cross trainer etc.

Your body uses the glycogen you have stored for energy during weight training and cardiovascular exercise. During weight training glycogen stores are the only energy source used, so doing your cardio before weight training will substantially deplete the glycogen stores needed to complete a proper weight training routine.

Completing your weight training before your cardio also significantly decreases you glycogen stores. However, when you begin your cardio, your body has less glycogen to burn and so switches to burning more of your stored fat.

So, to reach you optimum fat burning stages and to have the proper energy to do your programme, you should do your weight training before your cardio.


The following article explains it very well:

Barbells Before Bikes: Stop Doing Cardio Before You Weight Train! (http://www.femalemuscle.com/medicine/larrypepefm7.htm)

[Demi]

A great article with tips about power walking:


Power walking

Joanna Hall
Saturday, October 28, 2006
The Guardian
London, UK


What the expert says...
Nina Barough founded Walk The Walk Worldwide, the health charity that organises the Playtex MoonWalk. She advises...

Get the right shoes
If your feet hurt, everything hurts. The beauty of power walking is that the only kit you need is a good pair of walk-specific shoes that are padded and cushioned in all the right places and will support you comfortably mile after mile.

Variety keeps motivation
Plan your route so you know where you are going and how far. It's more interesting if the route is circular, and even better if it runs through a park. Plan two or three different routes of different distances for variety.

Set a goal
Depending on your fitness, your goal could be three miles or a marathon. Once you have set the goal, break it down into small, achievable pieces, so you can celebrate success on a weekly basis.

Keep bending
Stretching before, during and after a power walk is essential, and will make a huge difference to your flexibility and comfort. If you do it properly, it can be really enjoyable and give you a great sense of wellbeing and coordination.

Use your arms
Often, people do not realise that it is the arms that control the speed. The more you work them, the faster your feet will go. To get a really good pace, work on using your arms and taking a shorter stride, adding more steps to your mile.

Make it your time
I love walking alone and find it quite meditational, but I also love walking with friends - as long as talking doesn't slow down my feet.

Start stretching in bed
Lying on your back, point your toes down the bed and away from you, which will give a good stretch on your shins and the front of your legs. Then point your toes up and feel the stretch on your calves. A fantastic way to start the day.

Getting started

Active travel
Swapping one trip by car, bus or other transport a day for doing the journey on foot is one of the simplest and easiest ways to get walking. Some good in-car satellite navigation systems show walking routes, detailing the exact distance and the time it will take you.

Pedometer power
Wearing a pedometer for at least three consecutive days - including at least one weekend day - to establish average daily number of steps can be a real eye-opener as to how much walking you actually do or don't do. Aim to increase this daily average by 5-10% each day for a week. A daily accumulated step count of between 7,500 and 10,000 is a good target to aim for. When choosing a pedometer, make sure you get a good one - some models have an error rate of more than 58%. A 3% level of error is the industry standard but, best of all, look for a model with only a 1% error.

Find a route
If scenic walking is for you, visit walkingworld.com, which features a database of 3,000 British walks with printable Ordnance Survey maps, detailed photographs and helpful tips for every major decision point on every walk.

The gear
Your footwear will be the most important asset. Merrell, Salomon and Meindl are popular brands for hill and mountain terrain, while Adidas and Reebok cater for more recreational pursuits. If you want the best, invest in a pair of MBTs, providing core stability for your ankles; they improve posture and have been shown to reduce joint forces by 200-300%.

Lightweight waterproof outerwear is essential for keeping you dry, while technical base-layers and fleeces will keep you warm in cold weather. A baseball cap or hat with a peak, while not essential, is useful to shield your eyes from drizzle or sunlight.

Walking poles used in Nordic walking are particularly beneficial for older people. Research from Brighton University has shown that Nordic walking with poles burns 25% more calories than normal walking at the same speed.

The downside

Walking too slowly is the main reason individuals become disillusioned, because they feel results take too long. For health and fitness improvements, we're not talking a dawdle around the shops: you need to walk with pace and establish your breakpoint.

Bad weather: Sadly, the British weather means you can expect to get wet. However, according to the Met Office, East Anglia is your best bet for a dry walk - last year there were only 115 days of rain compared with 200 days in the west of Scotland.

Fashion faux pas: Walking to work in your skirt and trainers is not the best look, but you can always slip into your heels once you get there.

Sore shins: Inflammation of the anterior tibialis muscle at the front of the shin is common when walking distances on hard surfaces are increased. Minimise it by lying on your back, with your feet flat on the floor. Lift your toes off the floor, drawing them into your shins.


http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/wellbeing/story/0,,1933486,00.html

[foxgluvs]

Thanks for the info Demi. I tell you what, I went to the gym and tried the above - did the weights first then cardio - MAN that was more dificult!!! I sweated BUCKETS! Thanks for the info, its really useful!

[icemanjs4]

After reading this thread, I decided to change a big part of my workout routine this week. Rather than doing cardio first then lifting weights, I decided to lift weights first then do cardio like you gals recomended. I'll post my observations today, and then I'll update when I weigh in to see if it made a difference.

Observations: The weight lifting was a little bit easier, but not tremendously. I upped some of my routines by 2.5lbs - maybe because I've gotten stronger, or maybe I just wasn't as fatigued from having run 35 minutes on the eliptical.

The cardio afterwards was significantly harder to do. On the days I did upper body, I found myself lacking some energy. It took a good 10 minutes or so to get back into the routine. After that I pretty much went on autopilot. But I definitely felt different doing my cardio this time. On the day I did lower body, it was naturally harder to get started because my legs were already exhausted. Again though, after 10-15 minutes of cardio, i was back in a groove and had little problem proceeding to finish. I do think I pushed myself a little less harder on the cardio than I sometimes do though.

We'll see if this made any significant difference in weight loss this week.

[icemanjs4]

OK, update. I lost 3 lbs this week. So maybe the order of excercise really does matter. As much as I didn't like it, I will try it again this week and see if I have yet another week of good results.

[Demi]

OK, update. I lost 3 lbs this week. So maybe the order of excercise really does matter. As much as I didn't like it, I will try it again this week and see if I have yet another week of good results.
Great to hear that you're giving it go :thup:

[Demi]

A great article on motivating yourself to exercise during the winter, and some good exercise recommendations:


Keep fit in winter


As the cold nights draw in, bleak morning jogs give way to extra duvet snuggling while we indulge in lie-ins and comfort food. Lawrence Booth on how to avoid the descent into seasonal sloth

Tuesday November 7, 2006
The Guardian


If it was hard enough keeping fit during the summer, you might just have noticed that Mother Nature is starting to up the ante. The days are getting shorter, the evenings colder, and the nights wetter. Your sofa has adopted an alarming, come-hither countenance, and the only reason you're braving the evening chill is to hustle for the warmth of the pub. So how, as the no-prisoners-taken British winter approaches, are you supposed to get up, get moving and get into shape?

The first hurdle to confront your creaking limbs is that of motivation, which is easier said than done when your alarm clock goes off while the streetlights are still on. "I usually ask my clients to write down between three and five goals," says Amelia Watts, a holistic exercise specialist. "Looking good for the Christmas party is a classic aim, or going on a skiing holiday, or heading somewhere warm. I might get them to stick notes on to their mirror at home to remind them.

"On a more immediate note, you can try keeping your gym shoes or kit by the front door. Often it's the hassle of having to think about it that puts people off. Or block some time off at the start of the week for exercise, so you can't use the excuse later on that you're seeing your friend down the pub."

The fitness and diet expert Joanna Hall recommends a lateral approach. "It helps if you look at exercise as you do your wardrobe: try to adopt a sense of seasonality. If you're fed up with jogging, for example, then think of November as a very good month for cardiovascular activity and weight loss because December is the month for parties. In other words, it's good to get some cardio in the bag. Then, in December, you might look to do more posture-orientated work - quick-fix stuff, without neglecting your daily walk."

"Posture can make people look leaner. Pilates can help, plus some abdominal work. January is another good month to look at posture and in February you're back to weight loss. In a sense, it's getting away with as little as possible where people don't have much time, but without neglecting the health aspect."

A spokeswoman for the National Register of Personal Trainers confirms that the last three weeks have seen a big increase in the number of clients signing up, a trend she puts down to the fact that parents have been freed from the constraints of the school holidays. And Watts, whose company - Benefit Personal Training - offers home-based assistance, agrees that November is the time that business starts to take off. August, she says, is the quietest month of the year.

It seems, then, that we are aware that the potential food-and-drink excesses of the pre-Christmas months require decisive and pre-emptive action. Research suggests that the winter months require most of us to up the level of our activity, simply because the cold persuades us to cut back on a whole raft of simple-but-effective calorie-burning activities, such as walking to the shops or doing the gardening. A recent study by the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that heart attacks in the US were 53% more likely during the winter, but there are good psychological reasons for staying fit as well. "SAD (seasonal affective disorder) is the most common form of depression and it affects many people at this time of year," says Claire Smith of Leisure Connection health clubs. "Regular moderate exercise releases essential endorphins to keep the blues at bay."

Jogging remains popular, but the weather means you have to plan more carefully than you did during the summer months. Warm up before you head out, take three layers - one to absorb sweat, one for insulation, and one to protect you from the elements - and if the wind is up, run into it on the way out and with it on the way back. But there are problems. Slippery pavements can be especially hazardous in the dark, and not everyone feels safe jogging alone. There is also the risk of coming down with a cold if you sweat and are not insulated properly.

The gym and the swimming pool present obvious indoor solutions, but unless you live in a five-star hotel or have a regular exercise partner who will make you feel bad about letting them down, the chances are you're going to have to brave the winter evening by yourself to get there in the first place. It can be enough to put anyone off - even those of us who don't regard the gym as Dante's 10th circle of hell.

"The best place to start is with easy exercises that you can do in your bedroom or a small, confined area," says Dale Naylor, the clinical director of Physiotherapy Network and physiotherapist for Surrey cricket club. "I'd suggest five or six exercises to do for 30 minutes, three times a week. There are abdominal exercises such as the plank, where you lie on your forearms, raise your body off the ground and hold the position. Then there are star jumps, which give great mobility through the spine - although it's important to make sure you have had no back pain before.

"Hamstring exercises are also important, such as lying on your back and lifting your hips up towards the ceiling with your knees bent at about 30 degrees. Then there's the exercise I call the Superman, where you are lying on your stomach and you raise alternate arms and legs, about 10 times on each side. The push-up is very important too. Once you've got into the process of exercising it becomes self-motivating."

Enjoyment is crucial, says Watts, "as you are more likely to push yourself to do something you find fun. And you can try keeping a record of all the positive effects from your exercise routine - if you have lost a pound, for example, or you are waking up more refreshed." As well as floor-based exercises, she also recommends walking up and down the stairs and skipping.

But outdoor activity in the winter need not be considered a last resort. In fact, it is probably a necessity - it's just that we might be doing it at the wrong time of day. "You miss out on sunshine and vitamin D during the winter," says Watts, "so get out of the office and do some exercise during your lunch break." A brisk half-hour walk ought to get the circulation moving.

So, you've got the motivation, you've got the variety, you've got the exercises. You know exercise is better when you're having a laugh and you're doing it with a friend. The last, crucial, piece in the jigsaw is to avoid the old trap of easing off completely in December before sticking a little too obsessively to your new year's resolution. "How many people drop off over Christmas, then reach January and overdo it?" asks Dale Naylor. "They kill themselves, sometimes literally." Boring though it sounds, steady and constant will almost certainly win the race.


http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/wellbeing/story/0,,1941270,00.html

[icemanjs4]

Great to hear that you're giving it go :thup:

I'm trying for week 2. We'll see what happens on Saturday :-)

[Demi]

I love skiing, but you do need to be fairly fit. The following is a great article about how you can get into shape before you start:



Get fit for skiing
by Sean Newsom

Planning a ski trip this winter? Then put this newspaper down immediately, and go and do some squat pulses. Dr Steve Ingham, physiologist at the English Institute of Sport, and author of Fit to Ski, says you’re asking for trouble if you don’t get into shape before skiing.

“The average skiing holiday involves six hours of vigorous exercise a day for an entire week, at altitudes above 1,500 metres,” he says. “How many people come out of their working routines ready for that?” It’s not just a question of being too weak to ski a full day, as Ingham points out that lack of fitness increases the risk of injury.

In order to prepare properly, he suggests a 12-week schedule focusing on the four key areas of strength, stamina, stability and flexibility. Stamina comes first because most people find the length of the skiing day a shock. Cycling is a good way to build it, but running is better because it helps prepare your bones for the bumps and jolts of a fast descent on snow. Ideally you should do both, once each a week.

Alongside your endurance training you should also work on improving the flexibility of your back, legs and shoulders with a programme of stretching, and build the strength of your quadriceps and abdomen with squat pulses and crunches. Build up from one session to three a week.

Ski boots can inflict a lot of strain and pain on feet and ankles, so toughen them up by standing on one leg every day and rocking back and forth. This simple exercise will also increase your stability on skis.

It sounds daunting, but as Ingham points out your reward will come in heaven — or rather the closest thing most skiers know to heaven, the mountains in winter. “We spend a fortune on our ski holidays,” he says. “By training hard beforehand we can ensure that it’s money well spent.”



www.ifyouski.com (http://www.ifyouski.com/fitness)

Offers a comprehensive range of skiing-related exercises

www.skiersedge.co.uk (http://www.skiersedge.co.uk )

Home of the Skier’s Edge company, which has pioneered ski conditioning/exercise machines

www.skiclub.co.uk (http://www.skiclub.co.uk )

The website of the Ski Club of Great Britain gives a twice-weekly report on global snow conditions, and member feedback on resorts



http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,10294-2435234,00.html?region=&country=&city=&query=&holidaytype=Wintersports&holidaysubtype=&nRegion=&nCountry=&nCity=&nHolidaytype=&nHolidaysubtype=

[Demi]

I can't remember where I got this article from originally, but I thought I'd post it here because the exercises are not only brilliant if you have a back problem, but done regularly they also help to prevent problems too:



Beat backache for good

There are three crucial elements to keeping your back healthy - mobility of the vertebrae, elasticity of the muscles, and strength exercises to maintain posture and daily function. Here is Joanna Hall's fitness programme.

Cat curls with limb lift
A combined mobility and strength exercise that can be adapted according to ability.

On your hands and knees form a box position, knees over hips and shoulders over wrists: your limbs should form straight sides of a square box and your back should be flat. Pull your tummy muscles in firmly and arch your spine up towards the ceiling. Hold this position, breathing smoothly, feeling your belly being scooped up towards your backbone. Now reverse this position, passing through the flat back position you started with, gently arching your spine in the opposite direction so it dips down to the floor. Ensure your stomach muscles and pelvic floor are pulled in to support your spine. Aim to do four to eight complete arches.

To make this exercise harder, you can challenge your balance, and strengthen your back extensor muscles. In the flat back position slowly lift one leg off the floor, extending it back into a straight line behind you, while extending the opposite arm out in front. Pull tightly up through your abdominals, pelvic floor and bottom to provide internal stability. Lower the leg and arm and repeat on the other side. Once this feels relatively easy, you can challenge yourself further by performing the leg lifts with your eyes shut. This tests the sensory receptors responsible for good balance.

Wall rolls
This simple Pilates-style exercise helps to maintain functional mobility throughout the spine as well as assisting the abdominal muscles to provide support.

Stand with your back to a wall, adjusting your feet so they are a little way from the wall and each part of your back, hips, lower spine, waist, torso and head touches the flat surface. With the knees slightly bent, slowly drop your head forward, chin to chest, as you peel off each part of your spine, from your head to your hips, slowly to the floor. Try to create as tight a curl as possible through the spine, challenging each vertebra to progressively come off the wall; your arms will be hanging loosely by your side as you roll down. Keep the hips in contact with the wall throughout and slowly uncurl to an upright position, placing each vertebra back in contact with the wall. Try not to rush: one whole roll-down cycle should take at least four counts down and four counts up. Aim to do four to eight repetitions.

It is likely that you will experience "sticking points". This is when you find it difficult to peel your spine bit by bit off the wall and instead the spine seems to come away in sections. You own personal sticking points will depend on the mobility of your spine and any muscular imbalances. Do persist - you will see big improvements.

Seated back press
This is a simple back-strengthening exercise that can be done at home or in the office - all you need is a chair with a high back.

Sit upright and forward in the chair. Have both feet flat on the floor directly under the knees. Make sure your abdominals are contracted and your back is straight. Place your hands across your chest with the fingers resting on the shoulders. Slowly start to lean back until your shoulders touch the back of the chair (about 110 degrees) and flatten the abdominals as you move into position. Slowly come back to an upright position using the abdominals to support your back. If you have a weak back, keep your hands on the side of the chair for extra support and reduce the range of movement. Add a small weight across the chest to make this more challenging.
Repeat five to 10 times.

Lower lumbar back stretch
This stretches one of the hard-to-isolate back muscles, the quadratus lumborum. It is a difficult muscle to stretch, and tightness can cause limited mobility and discomfort.

Stand with your back against the wall. For this exercise you need to keep the whole of your spine flat against the wall; to avoid the lower spine coming away from the wall, position your feet a little way from it and soften your knees. Extend your arms up over your head. Keeping the spine and arms in contact with the wall, slowly stretch over to one side, extending through your arms as you reach. This is a gentle exercise and you will not be able to bend too far. You should feel a gentle stretch in the lower part of your spine and across the pelvis. Hold for 10-30 seconds, slowly return to start position and repeat on the other side.

Lying side rotation
This helps to maintain rotational function of the vertebrae, as well as flexibility of the back muscles.

Lie flat on the floor and gently bring one leg in at a time so your knees are lifted off the floor and over your hips. Take the arms out to the side, level with the shoulders, to provide balance. Slowly keeping your stomach muscles contracted and both knees together, lower your knees to the left. Try to keep the knees close to your waist, as opposed to stretched out away from the body. You should feel a gentle stretch to your spine, across your outer thigh and waist. Exactly where you feel the stretch will depend on where you are most tight. Hold for 10-30 seconds, pull your stomach muscles in and repeat on the other side.

The good cardio guide
Warming up and cooling down are essential components in any cardio work, but are particularly important if you are prone to back problems. A warm-up should consist of gradually increasing your body temperature to assist physiological responses, as well as mobility work to help your joints and vertebrae to move smoothly through their full range of motion.

Start with small movements and gradually progress to larger ones; think hip circles in both directions, standing pelvic tilts and side bends. Raise your body temperature gradually by increasing the pace of activity. For example, when walking progress from an ordinary pace to walking briskly and when swimming use a float before using full strokes. What you can do in your cardio work will depend on the nature of the back problem, so listen to your body and aim for a small and gradual progression of intensity rather than a no-pain-no-gain approach.

Activities such as recumbent cycling in a gym or on an old-fashioned Schwinn bike may not be the best activities for back-pain sufferers as they can compress the vertebrae. Similarly, it is best to focus on brisk walking rather than jogging or running. As for swimming, breaststroke may not be most appropriate; instead switch to backstroke, front crawl or, easier still, flutter kicks on your stomach holding a float in front of you, keeping your head in line with your spine.

Posture is always important, but drawing in the deep transversal muscles of the abdominals (the muscles you pull when you try on a tight pair of jeans) will help to provide an essential girdle of support in your cardio activity.

When you are cooling down, perform the mobility exercises again but this time gradually reduce the size of the movements.

[icemanjs4]

So I'm trying another experiment this week.

First of all, I discovered jogging. So Saturday I jogged my block. Sunday I went to the gym, and for the first time ever was able to jog a mile straight!! I spent 30 minutes on the treadmill and ran maybe 1.5 miles total. Monday I did a normal workout and used the eliptical. Tuesday I went back to the gym and jogged - between walking and jogging I hit almost 3.5 miles in 42 minutes, including 2.25 miles of jogging. I'm so psyched!!! Then wednesday (today) I went back to the gym for normal workout. That means 5 straight days of excercising. Also, after dinner, I went out for a 30 minute walk a few of those nights. Lets see what happens.

[Demi]

So I'm trying another experiment this week.

First of all, I discovered jogging. So Saturday I jogged my block. Sunday I went to the gym, and for the first time ever was able to jog a mile straight!! I spent 30 minutes on the treadmill and ran maybe 1.5 miles total. Monday I did a normal workout and used the eliptical. Tuesday I went back to the gym and jogged - between walking and jogging I hit almost 3.5 miles in 42 minutes, including 2.25 miles of jogging. I'm so psyched!!! Then wednesday (today) I went back to the gym for normal workout. That means 5 straight days of excercising. Also, after dinner, I went out for a 30 minute walk a few of those nights. Lets see what happens.
Congrats on the jogging. Hope you see good results this week :thup:

[Demi]

A great article about Pilats ... although it's obviously written for a UK audience, there is some good info that anyone can use:


All you need to know about: pilates


Sam Murphy
Saturday November 18, 2006
The Guardian


Getting started

You've almost certainly heard of Pilates, but you may not know exactly what it is. The series of precise, controlled exercises was developed by a German man, Joseph Pilates, as a way of overcoming his own physical shortcomings, caused by childhood ailments. Pilates emigrated to the US in the 1920s and opened a studio in New York, where his method quickly became popular among the dance community. He continued to develop and advance the Pilates method until his death in 1967.

Find a teacher

There is no single UK governing body for Pilates - various organisations certify teachers, and their courses vary. Good bets include teachers trained by The Pilates Foundation (07071 781859, pilatesfoundation.com), Alan Herdman Pilates (020-7723 9953, alanherdmanpilates.co.uk) and Body Control Pilates (020-7379 3734, bodycontrol.co.uk).

Mat v studio

Pilates can be done in two ways. Studio classes use special machines equipped with straps, springs and pulleys to facilitate muscle lengthening and strengthening. Mat-work classes are predominantly equipment-free, perhaps using only basic items such as blocks . Neither is better - indeed Alan Herdman recommends everyone start with mat classes, which are cheaper and more widely available.

Home practice

A book or DVD can be a useful addition to your class practice, but it's best to learn the basic principles from an instructor. Pilates Fitness Beginning Mat Workout (Gaiam, £12.99) or Pilates Body with Lynne Robinson (Firefly, £12.99) DVDs are good for newbies. If you already know the basics, try Darcey Bussell: Pilates for Life (Virgin, £17.99). Bookwise, check out Alan Herdman's Pilates Plus, aimed at 50+ participants or Busy Person's Guide to Pilates (both Gaia). I also like Kellina Stewart's Pilates At Home (£10.99, Carroll & Brown), which is spiral-bound and stands up on the floor for easy reference.

What the expert says ...

Former dancer Alan Herdman set up the UK's first Pilates studio in 1970 after studying in New York with Joseph Pilates' original students. He still teaches as well as writing, lecturing and training instructors in Pilates.

Don't be a purist

There are many different styles of Pilates. Some people criticise nonpurist forms for not being true to Joseph Pilates' original methods, but it doesn't have to be 'classic' Pilates to be good. Remember, Pilates died in 1967 (at the age of 87) - if he was still alive today he would be doing some things differently.

Use your brain as well as your body

Pilates takes focus. Try to 'think' yourself into the body part you are working on. Focus on the process of the exercise rather than the outcome. But don't try too hard: that causes you to tense.

Get your core contractions right

Recruiting and working the deep abdominal muscles - the transversus abdominis and internal obliques - is a key part of Pilates, but many people find it difficult to locate these muscles. Lie on your side, with knees bent, heels in line with spine and a pillow between your thighs. Rest your head on your outstretched arm with your back in a neutral position. Allow your tummy to fall forward - completely relax the muscles. Then, keeping the spine still, slowly draw the abs up and away from the fl oor and in towards the spine. Imagine yourself 'collecting them in'. It's much easier to feel the muscles working in this position than when upright or on your back.

Find the right teacher

It's crucial you find a well-qualified, experienced teacher. Find out where the teacher trained, how long it took, and what their background is. These days, you can almost train to be a Pilates instructor on the internet. If you have specific problems , it's better to have an individual lesson or go to a smaller class where you can get personal attention. Also, if the teacher's style doesn't work for you, look elsewhere.

Breathe easy

There is a lot of focus on the breath in Pilates - we talk about 'lateral' breathing, where you try to breathe more into the back, and some movements are coordinated with breathing patterns. Don't get too hung up on getting the breathing techniques right - the main thing is that you breathe rather than hold your breath.

Be patient

To get the best results, you need to give it time and commitment. And don't try to progress too quickly.

The gear

You can wear pretty much anything to a class, as long as it's comfy and you can move freely. You have bare feet.

The only equipment you really need is a mat. A Pilates mat, such as the Stott Pilates Express mat (£32.99, from Proactive Health, 0870 848 4842, proactive-health.co.uk) is thicker than a yoga mat, to support the spine, and non slip for safety. You may also want a head support (£8.99, from Pilates Plus, 020-8892 3403, pilates-plus.co.uk). Pilates rings (circles), blocks and balls can also be useful. Gaiam's BodyRing Kit contains a 14-inch flexible metal ring to add resistance to mat work and a 40-minute DVD workout (£24.99, from Gaiam Direct, 0870 241 5471, gaiamdirect.co.uk).

You can buy your own 'studio' equipment to use at home . NordicTrack does a basic Reformer for £149 (from CCSports, 0800 783 6032, ccsports-online.co.uk), or you can go the whole hog and spend £2,787 on the Stott Pilates Pro Reformer (from Proactive Health, as before).

On the downside

No discernible aerobic benefits

An American Council on Exercise study found that Pilates elicited a heart rate equating to 54% of subjects' maximum: lower than the recommended guidelines for aerobic training.

Tricky to master

You need to be in it for the long haul.

Expensive

Studio classes can cost £20-£50 a session.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/weekend/story/0,,1951002,00.html

[Demi]

This article rather amused me so thought that I'd post it here ;) :lol:


Fitness fanatics, Hollywood-style

The Independent
London, UK
20 November, 2006

Forget the gym workout. From pole-dancing to playing with samurai swords, celebrities are turning to more exotic exercises. And they are on their way here.
By Andrew Gumbel

One thing Hollywood doesn't lack is an awe-inspiring array of exercise opportunities. Logic, and the natural advantages of southern California, would suggest that the beautiful people spend their time surfing, or riding the 40-mile bike path from Redondo Beach to Malibu, or hiking in the Santa Monica mountains, or swimming in their to-die-for pools with panoramic views of the City of Angels far below.

But logic has nothing to do with it. Exercise fads come and go faster than action-movie sequels. The body-building gyms that Arnold Schwarzenegger championed in the 1970s are old hat. Weight-lifting and crunches aren't glamorous enough. Yoga is fine but too widely known. Even relatively recent trends, such as pilates and spinning, are starting to feel clichéd.

The market, naturally, is driven as much by the fitness gurus and personal trainers as by their clients - all of them jockeying for position and trying their utmost to stand out from the crowd. Here are a few of the crazier things they've come up with - and stand by for them coming to the UK, for what starts in Hollywood crosses the Atlantic eventually.

Gyrotonic

At first sight, a Gyrotonic machine might suggest sexual kinkiness, or the sadistic killing machine in Kafka's In The Penal Colony. It is, in fact, an exercise device, with wood and steel components held together with high-tension springs, permitting more than 1,000 exercise motions in lying, sitting or standing positions. Invented by Juliu Horvath, a Hungarian ballet dancer, the machine is now available in more than 1,200 studios across the world. Madonna and Bjork are fans. The promotional literature features medical as well as fitness vocabulary: "Special attention is paid to increase the functional capacity of the spine, resulting in a superior and well-proportioned body, which is significantly less prone to injuries. It also reduces long-term accumulation of micro trauma... culminating in an organic rejuvenation, increased vitality and vigour." Outside magazine's Adam Skolnick reported: "Afterwards, I was loose and calm, but I couldn't help imagining a dominatrix putting this contraption to good use."

Pole-dancing

One might think the twin disasters of Showgirls and Demi Moore in Striptease in the mid-1990s would have cured Hollywood of any temptation to seek inspiration in the sleazy world of strip joints and lap-dancing, but one would be wrong. A former actress called Sheila Kelley started using strip routines as a workout with her clients in 2001 - to promote "sexual power and a fit body" - and now has seven pole-dancing studios around the US. Kate Hudson, for one, claims to be addicted to the workout, as does Teri Hatcher, one of the stars of Desperate Housewives. "It's not about looking at yourself, it's about finding confidence in your body," says Hatcher. Oprah Winfrey is also said to be a fan.

The Bar Method

No, this is not a new-fangled form of birth-control, or a way of staying in shape while qualifying to be an entertainment lawyer. It is, in fact, an exercise fad spawned almost entirely by mass envy - of Jennifer Lopez's bottom. The New York Times once described it, wryly, as "taking the gluteus to the maximus". It's all about stretching hamstrings and oblique muscles on a ballet bar to develop the perfect posterior (and a few other parts of the anatomy too). Originally developed in the 1960s by Lotte Berk, a German-born dance instructor, and updated since by one of her students, Burr Leonard, it appeals almost exclusively to women including the Olsen twins. It is hard work: the manager of the Bar Method studio in West Hollywood describes the workout as "one hour of hell".

Forza

The name may be Italian, but the inspiration is all oriental: specifically, the notion that it would be a whole lot of fun to wield a Samurai sword, just like Uma Thurman in Kill Bill, and still call it exercise. This is, for the moment, a strictly New York fad, started by an Italian martial artist, Ilaria Montagnani, and modelled on an ancient Japanese swordfighting method called iaido. Practitioners learn cut-and-thrust routines with a 1lb (500g) wooden sword, keeping their knees bent at all times and prancing about to an Asian techno soundtrack. Adam Skolnick, who tried it on behalf of Outside magazine, reports: "After an hour, your forearms and shoulders will burn as if you're a 5.9 climber who just scaled a 5.10. And the rush of wielding a samurai sword - even a wooden one - beats holding a dumbbell."

Budokon

The exercise equivalent of red pepper and garlic pesto hummus, with a little spirituality thrown in for good measure. Budokon combines elements of yoga, karate, jujitsu and tae kwon do - all of it designed to increase upper-body and core strength as well as muscular flexibility. Cameron Shaye, budokon's founding practitioner, calls it "a living art". "It is your waking and your sleeping, your walking and your sitting, your living and your dying," he says. "Budokon is not about gaining ideas. There is nothing to gain from it. It is simply a way. Our way is the Zen way. We are not a religion or a devotional practice. We do not practise to become enlightened. We practise because we are enlightened." That may not make much sense to you or me, but it does to the former Friends stars Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox Arquette, who are fans. Not to be confused with Budokan, the Japanese city where Bob Dylan once recorded a famous live album, or even Bokonon, the prophet of a deeply unreliable new religion in Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle.

Yoga & spinning

You like yoga. You love spinning. Why not combine them into a single workout? That's what Kimberly Fowler, a veteran personal trainer and triathlete who found her vocation while recovering from a debilitating accident, wondered five years ago - and she hasn't looked back since. Clients at her Venice Beach studio have included Robert Downey Jr and Julia Roberts. The spinning (for the uninitiated: a form of indoor bike exercise) involves high-intensity imitation sprints and climbs; the idea is to push muscles to the limit, then iron out the kinks in the follow-up yoga sessions. Fowler herself says YAS "attracts strong, powerful and capable people looking for another way to strengthen and push their physical body. The class is packed with movement start to finish in an effort to get students a great workout, and build strength and flexibility in a one-hour class format". Celebrities aside, the workout also attracts surfers, long-distance runners and Fowler's fellow triathletes.


http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article1999198.ece

[Demi]

An interesting article about how running barefoot could help prevent injuries:



Barefoot in the park


A growing number of athletes claim running barefoot can change their lives and prevent all kinds of injuries. Lucy Atkins looks at the pains and the gains

Tuesday November 21, 2006
The Guardian


Yanni Papastavrou regularly runs nearly nine miles from his home in Leyton, east London, to University College Hospital in central London. The 37-year-old medical research physicist runs 30 to 50 miles a week, has completed the Bristol half-marathon three times and plans to do the Paris marathon next year. One of Nike's best customers? Hardly. Since December 2004 he has done all his running - anywhere from the Welsh mountains to Tottenham Court Road - shoeless. He is one of a growing number of "barefooters" who are claiming that kicking off your trainers can change your life.

Papastavrou suffered from a painful iliotibial band injury (ITB or "runner's knee") and was on the point of giving up running when he came across a website called RunningBarefoot.org (http://www.runningbarefoot.org/), set up by Ken Bob Saxton, a shoeless marathon runner from California. "Barefoot Ken Bob", a 51-year-old computer technician, has just completed his 55th barefooted marathon. He believes that kicking your trainers can prevent all sorts of injuries. Papastavrou agrees: "I have not experienced any of the crippling overuse injuries I used to get when running in shoes."

Such injuries can be debilitating. Elaine Bruce, 27, an IT consultant from Worthing, West Sussex, was suffered severe pain from plantar fasciitis (a common runner's ailment in which the tissues on the foot become overstretched, inflamed and sometimes acutely sore). She, too, found Barefoot Ken Bob. "Within a few days of being barefoot the pain had gone," she says. "I've been basically fine ever since." While living in London, she would run shoeless from her job in Vauxhall, south of the river, to her home in Hampstead, north London, twice a week. "I got some looks and children shouted things. But British people are generally very polite." Now she runs pain-free by the sea.

Barefoot runners and hikers claim on websites and blogs that removing their footwear cured anything from bursitis to herniated discs, knee, ankle and foot problems. Do these people have a valid medical point when they say trainers are bad for you? Professional athletics coaches have long used barefoot running as a foot-strengthening exercise, and runners such as Zola Budd and the two-time Olympic marathon champion Abebe Bikila competed shoeless. Dr Sharon Dixon, a senior biomechanics lecturer at the University of Exeter, says: "While there is no conclusive research evidence that barefoot running is better for your performance or your body, there is definitely a key difference in the way you run."

Of the 206 bones in the adult human skeleton, 52 are in the feet. Barefooters argue that running in trainers squashes these bones. "In cushioned trainers most people's feet hit the ground on the outside edge of the heel then roll inwards," says Dixon. This is called 'pronation'. Many runners' injuries are linked with a large amount of pronation. And the more cushioned the running shoe, the more pronation there is likely to be."

This seems like heresy in the world of athletics footwear. Loud marketing campaigns tell us that elaborately cushioned - and priced - shoes are safest, fastest, best. "This is not the case," adds Dixon. "There is no evidence that increased cushioning provides more protection. In fact, evidence suggests that running shoes can actually make some people more susceptible to injuries such as Achilles tendinitis or anterior knee pain because the cushioning makes the foot less stable."

Barefooters argue that running shoes also encourage you to "pound the pavement", causing joint stress. Barefoot, you land softly on the forefoot, naturally flexing your knees to absorb the shock. "The big advantage is the pain we can feel with each and every step if we run badly, as most people do with shoes," says Barefoot Ken Bob. "It's this pain, or feedback, that teaches us to run more gently, almost immediately." This, barefooters argue, reduces injury. "There is no solid research evidence that this is the case," says Dixon. "But certainly barefoot runners adjust their running style when the foot hits the ground."

Running with no shoes does, however, sound painful and potentially grubby. "The soles of your feet contain masses of nerve endings," says Mike O'Neill, a podiatric surgeon and spokesman for the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists. "Abrasions and puncture wounds are a very real risk."

Papastavrou - who cleans his feet with a Brillo pad - says they quickly became tough and the worst thing he has trodden on is a bramble up a mountain in North Wales. As for the cosmetics, says Bruce, "My feet are leathery, but they are smooth and don't have callouses. Pavement exfoliation is amazing."

Nike and Puma have recently produced shoes that mimic the "barefoot" action, while offering basic protection against hazards such as dog faeces and broken glass. Real enthusiasts can even buy the Vibram FiveFingers, a lightweight glove-style shoe that is little more than a rubber shield for the foot. But do such gimmicks work? "Tests on Nike's 'Free' shoe showed that it did strengthen certain muscles in the foot," says Dixon. "But there is no research to show this improves performance."

What is more, if you simply take off your trainers and run five miles, you could do serious damage, O'Neill warns. "If shod runners take off their shoes and run as normal, they could risk shock absorption problems as their heel hits the floor. There is also a high risk of stress fractures, shin splints or knee problems." The older you are, the higher this risk. As you age, your feet and muscles lose their ability to absorb shock. "Start short, start slow, build gradually," advises Barefoot Ken Bob. "It isn't simply a matter of toughening the soles. The muscles, tendons and ligaments inside the foot are most certainly weak."

He organises shoeless gatherings near his home at which barefooters splash in the ocean together, wallow in hot tubs or enjoy his home-made "barefoot smoothies". Perhaps shoeless life is not so crazy after all - particularly if you live in California.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/health/story/0,,1953153,00.html

[Demi]

Strong and Feminine
A Monthly Q and A for Women with Strength and Conditioning Coach, Rachel Cosgrove.

Q: I have read a lot about weight training, but nothing really specificly geared towards women. What types of things should I consider when putting together my program? I mean, I don't want to end up looking like a man, big and bulky.

A: It is extremely difficult for a female to become "big and bulky." It usually takes a great deal of chemical assistance and years and years of training. I wouldn't worry too much about becoming "big and bulky", it doesn't happen that easy... Just ask any man (who already has the hormones) how easy it is to build "bulk."

When designing your program it is important to address your imbalances and train to correct them. The biggest mistake most females make is that they don't lift heavy enough. The only way you will gain any muscle, which is the reason you weight train, is if you push your body beyond what you have already adapted to do. This means you should be lifting more weight every workout as long as you are using proper form. Remember, the more muscle you have the more calories your body will burn! You must lift heavy!

For females, I recommend performing primarily compound exercises such as lunges, bench press, squats and rows. These exercises will burn the most calories because they use more then one muscle. Don't worry about isolating each muscle instead work the bigger muscles and the small ones will get worked in the process. Beginners will benefit from training their whole body two to three days a week instead of isolating each body part, and females in general often need a higher frequency of training per bodypart. This way you train your legs, which are the biggest calorie burners, more then once a week. You also must change your training program every three to four weeks, because your body adapts.

Q: Okay, once and for all is there anyway to spot reduce? Like most women I can't seem to get my thighs to get lean. I do plenty of aerobics, some weight training, and watch what I eat. I really get frustrated because this area doesn't seem to want to change. What can I do?

The thighs seem to be a problem spot for most women. Unfortunatley there is no way to spot reduce, I wish it were that easy! And no, the inner thigh machine doesn't do much! There is hope though! First of all I would stop doing aerobics and start doing some interval training. Doing too much aerobics will actually cause you to store more body fat in your lower body. Your body adapts to the aerobics by becoming more efficient, which means storing more fat in your lower body to use for aerobics. Basically - if you are doing 'fat burning' activity using the lower body - the body will store more fat where it needs it most !!! Cut it back to 15-20 minutes of hard interval training. Increase your weight training and do a lot of lunges, squats and step ups. EMG studies have repeatedly shown a greater activation of the inner thigh with movements like step ups, squats and split squats as opposed to the inner thigh machine. Focus your energy on the compound exercises and you'll see greater results.

Q: Most of the time I am really good about my diet and I have seen some great progress, but I have one problem. During my period I just can't seem to control my cravings. I feel like I go backwards, but I don't know what to do to prevent this, any ideas?

At this time of the month your body craves carbohydrates, it has to do with hormone levels. The best thing you can do is cut your carbohydrates out the week before so they are out of your system when your hormones start to change, this should help with your cravings. Also make sure you are eating enough calories and eat every 2-3 hours so your blood sugar levels never drop during this time. If you keep your carbohydrates low during this time you can actually get leaner, due to your hormone levels. Basically during your period progesterone increases - this is actually a potent fat burner - but to counteract this - the body (which always wants to remain in the same condition) - craves carbs - to spike insulin (insulin and progesterone can't coexist). So during your period you can actually lose a lot of fat!!! Keep that in mind when you feel like cheating. Keeping your carbs low should help with mood swings too. You can also actually get fatter then you normally would if you are eating the wrong foods, so you probably are going backwards. You know you have a tendency to cheat during this time, be aware of it and take control at this time of the month! You'll feel so much better!

http://www.rachelcosgrove.com/x.pro/ModShow/ShowPage/36830

[Demi]

From today's free South Beach email newsletter:


Finding Time to Exercise During the Holidays

Chances are, your calendar is booked through New Year's with parties, shopping excursions, family gatherings, and other seasonal activities. While plans with friends and family may disrupt your regular exercise routine, there are still simple ways to get your fitness fix during the holidays.

As Dr. Arthur Agatston, preventive cardiologist and author of The South Beach Diet® advises, some exercise is better than none (although 30 minutes most days of the week is best), so it makes sense to squeeze in as much as you can manage. Here are four tips to help you work it out:

Get up a little earlier.
Set your alarm earlier than usual and do a short workout or yoga/stretching routine. Exercise will help energize you for the busy day ahead, plus checking off your fitness routine first thing in the morning makes it less likely that other things — like a business lunch or a weeknight party — will interfere.

Plan a family activity.
Involve everyone in a friendly game of tag or touch football; check out an ice rink and go skating; or head to a nearby town for some strolling and window-shopping.

Manage your time in the kitchen.
If you're hosting a crowd, try to get a head start and prepare as much as you can in advance so that you have more time for your own pursuits. Take shortcuts, like buying prewashed veggies, premade hummus, or jarred, minced garlic. By minimizing your prep work, you'll reduce stress — and have time for a short daily walk!

Recruit a few helpers. Get your family members involved in meal preparations, decorations, or cleanup — and spend the time you save on getting in some exercise.

http://www.southbeachdiet.com/public/dailydish/dd_20061130.asp

[Demi]

All you need to know about Ashtanga Yoga:


All you need to know about: Ashtanga yoga


Joanna Hall
Saturday December 2, 2006
The Guardian


What the expert says ...
John Scott is a world-renowned practitioner and teacher of ashtanga yoga, and was certified by Sri K Pattabhi Jois, who is considered to be the founder of this style of yoga. Scott will be touring the UK in January. For information, visit triyoga.co.uk.

Master your breath
The physical practice of ashtanga is very cleansing and purifying. The aim is to become Master Of The Breath and then Master Of The Body, with breath control coming first. A technique to bring focus to the breath is to regard the air coming in through your nose as the perfume of a rose, lotus or another favourite flower, and then set your mind and inner voice to repeat an internal mantra: inhale fragrance in, exhale fragrance out, inhale fragrance in, exhale fragrance out. This technique will slow the breath, lengthening it to a calm rhythm. In this way, the mind and body relax, allowing you to go deeper into each posture.

Keep your mind quiet
If you find your thoughts racing off, bring them back to the rhythm of the breath to work deeper into your favourite asana, or posture. This should be your primary challenge, rather than trying to master the physical demands of the postures.

Take it off the mat
Yoga offers huge physical, spiritual and emotional harmony. To optimise this, use the breath techniques in everyday life to help you feel grounded. When the mind is not calm or centred, bring it straight to the breath with a long, metred exhale, counting slowly to three, then follow with a deep inhale to a count of three.

Don't turn your head
When practising the inverted postures, always keep the head in line with the spine, and never turn around. With beginners, the temptation can be to swivel and compare your practice to others', but this can seriously damage the spinal vertebrae.

Picture the posture
Knowing what each posture should look like will help your alignment. Look at books, advanced yogis or DVDs to familiarise yourself with how each posture should look, and hold this image in your head as you practise.

Practise in the morning
The best time for practice is early in the day. The body may be stiffer but your mind will be clearer. A lot of energy is created, which is best used throughout the day, rather than leaving it until evening and feeling too energised to sleep.

Getting started

Find a class
It is best to learn under the guidance of a qualified ashtanga yoga instructor: yogauk.com lists qualified teachers in the UK, though some teachers may instruct in 'power yoga', a physically challenging form similar to ashtanga. Most yoga centres will offer beginners' courses introducing the basic techniques and principles of ashtanga yoga, covering the opening asanas - or postures - of the primary series, the sun-salutation series being the most well-known. Classes are generally 90 minutes long and cost pounds 10, on average.

More experienced students are encouraged to participate in self-practice, either at home or in a studio. Again, yogauk.com is a good source of regional yoga centres and organisations. For those with more time on their hands, information on residential yoga courses can be found at yogaholidays.net. Respected ashtanga yoga DVDs include John Scott's Ashtanga Yoga: The Primary Series, and David Swenson's First, Second and Third Series, all available from ashtanga.com.

Read all about it
Ashtanga Yoga: The Practice Manual by David Swenson, available from Amazon, has excellent photographs and descriptions of both the primary and intermediate series. YOGA Magazine (yogamagazine.co.uk) is a stylish title that offers current yoga news, yoga features, celebrity interviews and everything new in the world of yoga, while Yoga & Health (yogaandhealthmag.co.uk) is a more general yoga magazine catering to enthusiasts whatever their age.

The gear

You'll be doing a lot of twisting, stretching and moving with ashtanga postures, so you need clothing that allows your body freedom to move and breathe. Sweat-absorbance fabric is a must, as clothes should not end up making you sticky and moist. Fashionistas will fall in love with the Christy Turlington-inspired yoga range from Puma, the Mahanuala collection, especially created for more physical practice (mahanuala.com). For a more relaxed style, Asquith yoga clothing is available nationwide or online from asquith.ltd.uk. Casall and Sweaty Betty's own label are also popular brands.

Ashtanga yoga may make you more limber, but chances are you'll start out needing a helping hand, so props such as a yoga belt or strap and yoga blocks can make your practice a lot more successful and enjoyable. Starter kits available from gaiam.co.uk and agoy.com can provide useful support materials, helping you modify your position and postures to suit your level of flexibility. Committed yogis will have their own yoga mat, but for one of the most desirable yoga mat bags that will turn fellow yogis green, treat yourself to an Agoy bag, available from Sweaty Betty and Sheactive stores or agoy.com.

The downside

Too-perfect pelvic floors?
Anecdotal evidence suggests that female ashtanga yogis may have a higher likelihood of C-section births due to such toned pelvic-floor muscles.

Head over heels
If you have glaucoma or detached retinas, or have had recent facial surgery, inverted postures are not advised due to the pressure placed on the eyes and face. Check with your doctor, and make sure they understand the type of yoga you are planning to do.

Time-consuming
Self-practice ashtanga yoga can take two hours a day - a lovely indulgence, but also a big commitment.

Injuries
Experts have attributed a steady rise in recent yoga-related injuries to poor yoga instruction and individuals pushing themselves too hard in their practice.

Benefits

Supports the lower back
Sequences of postures that increase the range of motion in your hips can help to reduce lower-back pain

Boosts the heart functions
Though it's not traditionally considered aerobic exercise, a study from Bangalore's Yoga Research Foundation showed that ashtanga yoga not only improves the heart's ability to use oxygen at rest but also helps to stabilise an erratic heart rhythm

Decreases body fat
Studies show that 'power' forms of yoga can lead to significant weight loss

Reduces anxiety
Scientific evidence reported in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research shows that regular participation not only decreases anxiety but is also an effective treatment for depression

Improves bone density and stamina
Unlike other forms of yoga, ashtanga places equal emphasis on strength, flexibility, and mental and physical stamina. A study from Duke University Medical Center showed significant improvement in bone density in men over the age of 60


http://www.guardian.co.uk/weekend/story/0,,1962061,00.html

[Demi]

After the news in the UK that the National Health Service is to pay for tango and street-dancing sessions in a drive to counter declining fitness levels and tackle obesity, here's a great article about dancing for fitness:



Shall we dance?


Leo Benedictus
Tuesday December 5, 2006
The Guardian


First there was sport. Then came jogging and aerobics. Now, with the popularity of Strictly Come Dancing and the news that the Department of Health is sponsoring schemes to help the nation lose weight, dance has joined the exercise mainstream.

This is not surprising when you consider that a 10st 7lb person can burn 3.5 calories a minute by ballroom dancing - so 45 minutes would get rid of half a chocolate bar. But not all dances offer the same workout. To find out which style was best for whom, I spoke to Sharon Morrison, an independent physiotherapist specialising in sport and dance medicine, and Darren Bennett, British Latin champion, who is partnering Emma Bunton on Strictly Come Dancing.

Morrison sounds a note of caution at the beginning. "With all forms of dance, and any new activity, there's always risk," she says. "You've got to go at your own pace, listen to your body, and it should be under supervision." Nevertheless, she says it should be "an achievable form of exercise for most people."

Ballet

The most refined style of dance is "very good for stretching muscles and lengthening the body," says Bennett. Does this mean it could make you taller? No, but "It helps you reach your natural height."

For all its virtues, ballet does not provide a complete workout. "It's more an anaerobic activity," says Morrison.

Ballet is also difficult. Very difficult. "You're working on extreme ranges of motion and impact," Morrison explains. "I would always advise you to go into a class of your ability. Go with your appropriate level of fitness."

Waltz

"A waltz would be quite an easygoing type of fitness," says Bennett. "It's probably the least physical of the ballroom dances, and more socially orientated. Often, it would be the first thing you would do in a beginner class."

Such low-intensity dancing has its benefits, though. A study presented to the American Heart Association suggested that recovering cardiac patients benefited more from waltzing than from using a treadmill or an exercise bike.

"Ballroom dancing is especially good for the older generation," agrees Morrison, "and it's safe."

Salsa

One of the most popular forms of dance, salsa is "more physical than a waltz, but achievable at any age", according to Bennett. "It involves the arms, so you're giving the whole body a warm-up and a workout." Half an hour of salsa is said to burn around 250 calories, which is less than jogging, but still worthwhile. I ask Morrison if this makes it a good dance to lose weight with. "Absolutely, although you need that extra bit of range of motion," she says, adding that the dance is "good for the back and lower limbs".

Line dancing

"Good for coordination" is Morrison's opinion. Considering the violent boots, tassels and check shirts often involved, this presumably does not refer to colour coordination. "And you get a reasonable effect on your cardio- pulmonary system," she adds.

Line dancing can burn 200 calories in half an hour, making it a reasonable workout. It can also be done more or less energetically, depending on the class. "You can have opposite extremes for line dancing," says Bennett. "But you should be looking at graduating from it."

Belly

An extremely specific form of exercise. "It's good for maintaining the core [lower back muscles]," says Morrison. "I wouldn't advise people with back pain to go and do that straight off, though. It's something they should work up to."

"It's good for the legs, and good for the centre," says Bennett. "But it involves isolation. Using different parts of the body would definitely get more of a workout."

Break

If you keep it up for 30 minutes, breakdancing burns around 300 calories. However, this is not the dance to try if you're out of shape. "It's something you have to get fit to do," says Morrison. "It tends to be for younger people."

"Breakdancing is very hard," agrees Bennett. "From a fitness point of view, street dancing is good, whereas breakdancing is more specific, doing headspins and things like that. You'd have to have a very good centre [the stomach muscles along the front]."

Morris

This historic form offers a more sedate option for older men who prefer their dance floors woman-free. "It's not something I'm qualified in," says Bennett, "but there is a physical aspect to all styles of dance." Few, however, employ handkerchiefs and tobacco pipes.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/story/0,,1964158,00.html

[Demi]

Next time you're in the swimming pool, why not try this 10 minute workout from Prevention Magazine:



10-Minute Water Workout

Splash the pounds away with this fun routine

by Shelley Drozd


Here's a high-intensity workout that builds strength, shapes muscles, and burns a boatload of calories--all while being easy on your moving parts. That's because despite feeling like silk against your skin, water creates a natural resistance 800 times greater than air.

These double-duty moves turn your local pool into a giant exercise machine. Not only do they simultaneously tone and strengthen your major muscle groups, they also work the upper and lower body in tandem for maximum cardio fat frying.

This workout was created by Mary E. Sanders, an exercise scientist at the University of Nevada, Reno. It burns about 100 calories in only 10 minutes. Perform each exercise for 3 minutes (resting your upper body if needed), then jog for 30 seconds between exercises. Repeat to burn even more calories. Perform this workout two or three times a week. Look for water exercising accessories in sporting goods stores and pool stores.

And when exercising in the water, don't forget these pool rules:


Exercise in navel- to chest-deep water.

Wear water shoes.

Add equipment if the work's too easy.

Maintain form while increasing your speed to intensify resistance.

Begin by practicing the upper- and lower-body moves separately.



Jump & Dig

Lower-body Move
Assume a wide stance, then jump like a frog, bringing your knees to the surface and back down, landing on the pool floor. Your abs will love this one!

Upper-body Move
At surface level, place your hands together so they form a scoop. Reach down, then scoop back up without breaking the surface, moving first left, then right. A killer move for your obliques, the muscles that wrap around your torso.

Make it harder with water gloves; for maximum resistance, use water paddles ($19 a pair).

Stomp & Push

Lower-body Move
Striking a wide stance, pump your legs, alternately lifting each knee in front of you as if you were stomping grapes. Touch the pool bottom with every step. This is a great exercise for your thighs and butt.

Upper-body Move
Hold your arms out wide and in front of you, bending them slightly. Alternately push each arm down hard to your hips, then back up again. Works your upper back and the back of your arms on the way down, your shoulders and the front of your arms on the way up.

Make it harder with water gloves ($11 to $14 a pair).

Scissor Press

Lower-body Move
Place one leg behind the other in a lunge position. Flex your knees, jump, and switch legs (like you're cross-country skiing). An awesome challenge to your legs and butt!

Upper-body Move
Extend your arms out to the sides at the water's surface. Keep your shoulders down and back and your elbows slightly bent. Press your arms down to your sides, then back up to the surface. Works your back and shoulders.

Make it harder with water gloves, water paddles, or aquatic hand buoys ($12 to $18 a pair).

http://www.prevention.com/article/0,5778,s1-2-171-742-4173-1-P,00.html

[Demi]

"10 Minutes Counts!"

Walking
with Jo Ann Taylor

Not having a consecutive half hour is no longer a reason not to get up and get moving! If you only have 10 minutes, use it to your advantage. It will all add up to a healthier you!

Stanford University took a group of people and divided them into two groups. Half exercised for 30 consecutive minutes, the other half exercised in 10-minute intervals - once in the morning, afternoon, and evening. At the end of the study, both groups increased their fitness levels at the same amount and at the same pace!

While “The Magic Fitness Formula” is a very good goal to strive for, if you limit yourself to only using this formula, you could be setting yourself up for failure. It is too easy to convince yourself that you don't have a half-an-hour right now, so you can exercise later. Many times, "Later" never comes.
("Magic Fitness Formula." For years, the experts have told us that in order for your exercise program to be successful, you have to work out at 60% - 80% of your maximum heart rate, for 20 - 30 minutes each session, at least 3 - 4 times each week.)


Time is one of our most precious commodities. Here are a few ideas on how you can find the time for YOU!

* Instead of a coffee break, take a walking break.
* Take a walk while your clothes are in the dryer.
* Set your alarm for 20-30 minutes earlier in the morning.
* Go for a walk while waiting for a table at a restaurant.
* Walk in the airport while traveling.
* Going shopping?... take a lap or two around the mall before going into stores.
* When waiting for your tee time, warm up by walking.
* Golf at a course that allows you to walk.
* Park at the outside of every lot you park in.
* Walk to the corner store.
* When waiting for your kids' lessons or at practice - walk!

REMEMBER ... TEN MINUTES COUNTS!

http://www.walkingconnection.com/jawalking1.htm



Taking the "10 Minutes Counts!" theory further, these great DVDs were recommended by the Washington Post's Lean Plate Club:

10 Minute Solution (http://www.amazon.com/10-Minute-Solution/dp/B00005R24O/sr=8-1/qid=1165402595/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-7591936-0683827?ie=UTF8&s=dvd)
10 Minute Solution - Carb and Calorie Burner (http://www.amazon.com/10-Minute-Solution-Calorie-Burner/dp/B0006SSPAI/sr=8-2/qid=1165402647/ref=pd_bbs_2/103-7591936-0683827?ie=UTF8&s=dvd)
10 Minute Solution: Fat Blasting Dance Mix (http://www.amazon.com/10-Minute-Solution-Blasting-Dance/dp/B000GEIRAK/sr=8-4/qid=1165402692/ref=pd_bbs_4/103-7591936-0683827?ie=UTF8&s=dvd)
10 Minute Solution - Kickbox Bootcamp (http://www.amazon.com/10-Minute-Solution-Kickbox-Bootcamp/dp/B000A3DGG2/sr=8-5/qid=1165402738/ref=pd_bbs_5/103-7591936-0683827?ie=UTF8&s=dvd)
10 Minute Solution - Target Tone for Beginners (http://www.amazon.com/10-Minute-Solution-Target-Beginners/dp/B0002J58NI/sr=8-3/qid=1165402787/ref=pd_bbs_3/103-7591936-0683827?ie=UTF8&s=dvd)
10 Minute Solution: Pilates (http://www.amazon.com/10-Minute-Solution-Pilates-DVD/dp/B0009BXO3K/sr=8-6/qid=1165402289/ref=sr_1_6/103-7591936-0683827?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods)


So, there's no excuses now! ;) :)

[Demi]

Taking a walk is one of the best ways to work out and get fit, if you do it properly. The following workout gives some great tips on the correct way to walk for fitness:


The Walking Workout

Recent research results could hardly be clearer: Taking a walk is one of the best ways to take charge of your health. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (February 11, 1998) showed that walking briskly for half an hour just six times a month cut the risk of premature death in men and women by 44 percent. A study in the New England Journal of Medicine (January 8, 1997) reported that men 61 to 81 years old sharply reduced their risk of death from all causes, including cancer and heart disease, by walking two miles a day. Other research has shown similar results for women.

Besides the well-documented health benefits, the beauty of walking is you can go at your own pace. If you are new to exercise or recovering from injury or childbirth, you can aim to walk for 20 to 45 minutes four or five days a week at the good fitness walking speed of three miles an hour. When (and if) you want to power up, you can take longer walks and work up to walking each mile in 15 minutes or less.

Once you're ready to hit the road (or the trail, track, treadmill or mall), how do you make the most of your walking workout? Minneapolis, Minnesota, walking instructor Kate Larsen, who has developed the LifeWalkTM Easy Audio Coach tape, offers these 10 practical tips for getting maximum aerobic, strength, postural and conditioning benefits from your walking program:

1. Warm Up First, Then Stretch. Start by walking for just seven to 10 minutes (wear a watch) and then do a few gentle stretches. Your muscles will stretch better if you've warmed them up first. Ask a fitness professional which stretches are best for you.

2. Take Short, Quick Steps. By taking short, quick steps, rather than long strides, you will work your glute muscles (in your buttocks) as you log miles.

3. Practice the Heel-Toe Roll. Push off from your heel, roll through the outside of the foot, then push through the big toe. Think of the big toe as the Ago button and push off with propulsion. Keep the other toes relaxed. (This takes practice.)

4. Squeeze Your Glutes. Imagine squeezing and lifting your glutes up and back, as if you were holding a $50 bill between them! This will strengthen your low-back muscles. Developing the ability to maintain this deep contraction throughout your walk will take a while.

5. Zip Up Your Abs. During your walk, imagine you're zipping up a tight pair of jeans. Stand tall and pull your abdominal muscles up and in. You can practice this even when you're not walking.

6. Pump Your Arms. Imagine you are holding the rubber grips of ski poles in your hands. Stand straight, drop your shoulders, squeeze your shoulder blades behind you and push back your elbows with each step. Keep your arm movements smooth and strong.

7. Keep Your Chest Up, Shoulders Back. Use your walk as an opportunity to practice perfect posture. Imagine someone dumped ice down your back. That's the feeling you want to have as you hold your chest up and shoulders back.

8. Keep Your Head Up. Look about 10 feet ahead of you. Imagine you're wearing a baseball cap and have to look up just enough to see the road. This keeps your neck aligned properly.

9. Smile and Have Fun. Learning these techniques takes time and concentration. Be patient and enjoy your workout. Dress comfortably, find a partner or wear a headset and listen to music you love and, if you're walking outdoors, vary your route.

10. Practice Mental Fitness. Don't replay the problems of the day while you walk. Try to maintain a state of relaxed awareness by paying attention to your breathing and noticing how your body feels. Visualize yourself getting healthier, stronger and leaner.

A Habit You Can Live With
Consistency is probably the most important part of your walking workout. The more committed you are to walking all or most days of the week, the healthier you'll be. Remember that short walks are better than none at all. As Larsen says, Health, like life, is a journey. All you have to do is take the first step.


http://www.ideafit.com/articles/walking_workout.asp

[Demi]

Some great work advice and tips from this week's edition of the Lean Plate Club in The Washington Post:



Joy of Motion


Feel as if you don't have time to work out this holiday season? Make the time. You're worth it. Plus, moving fast or slow, a lot or a little, can help you reduce holiday stress. And when you're exercising, you're likely not eating!

If you have problems getting out of the house, try making your own gym at home (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/08/AR2006120801672_pf.html) with these directions from the Health section.

This weekend, I tried Gin Miller's Simply Step Classic Moves (http://www.ginmiller.com/gmf06/gmf_store/workouts/simply_series/simply_step.html). What fun! Gin, who is the creator of step aerobics, takes you through the paces.

Tai Chi, is an ancient martial art that is great for both strength and balance. Find a class to try near you (http://taoist.org/english/directory/usa/usa.php) with help from the International Taoist Tai Chi Society.

Want to jog without hurting your joints? The Aquajogger (http://aquajogger.com/default.htm) could be just the thing for you. There's even a DVD with a workout to help you jog in the pool.

Yoga Journal lets you check out poses (http://www.yogajournal.com/x_multimedia_asana.cfm) with streaming video.

Men's Health offers some stretches and exercises to help alleviate neck pain (http://www.menshealth.com/cda/article.do?site=MensHealth&channel=fitness&category=workout.plans&conitem=4b57b8b0ad63f010VgnVCM10000013281eac____).

Shape magazine has the stability bridge (http://www.shape.com/workouts/61) and the rolled-towel knee pull (http://www.shape.com/workouts/61?page=3) among others as part of a stick with it balance and stretch workout.

More magazine give your exercises to turn the pool into a toning tool (http://www.more.com/more/slideshow/slideShow.jsp?slideid=/templatedata/more/slideshow/data/1151678171002.xml&catref=cat2220020).

And last but not least, you can also put on your favorite music and dance!

[atiaran]

Thanks for all the great info on different workouts. Right now I am just doing walking. I will ask my OB at the next appointment if I can do some light weights too so I don't get bored.

[Demi]

Some great yoga info - I use yoga to improve my flexibility:


It's meant to be spiritual, you know


Disco yoga? Laughter yoga? It's more popular than ever before - but these days yoga is a lifestyle choice rather than a serious practice, says Kathy Phillips

Tuesday January 9, 2007
The Guardian


Is there anyone who hasn't tried yoga? Classrooms, gyms, studios and church halls are groaning with yoga devotees from Los Angeles to New York, from London to Sydney and more recently from Tokyo to Shanghai and Seoul. Movie stars, models, designers and television personalities have "found" yoga. We read about it endlessly (and inaccurately) in the media, snap up celebrity DVDs and books, go on yoga courses and retreats, not to mention taking it up as a career option (it used to be a vocation) along with the essential props of branded belts, blocks, mats and clothing, an organic diet and an ecologically conscious lifestyle which can be picked up and put down as easily as getting in and out of your 4x4.

So ubiquitous is yoga, and in so many forms, that we now have the British Yoga Championships, devotees of which are attempting to get yoga "recognised" as an Olympic sport. And one of the reigning British yoga champions has been doing yoga for only two years.

Pushing the Olympic dream forward is the Bikram school of yoga, founded by Bikram Choudry, who was always more of an athlete than an aesthete. His system of the same 26 poses performed in a room heated to 41C was devised originally to restore his own health after a gymnastics accident at 20. Now, thanks to a nine-week teacher-training course and 840 studios world-wide, Bikram is claimed to be the fastest-growing yoga system in the world.

So I feel like a grumpy old woman as I clock up not two but 30 years of yoga practice, as well as a teaching qualification that took two years' study of anatomy, philosophy, history and teaching practice. I despair at the idea that we now want to turn a 5,000-year-old spiritual system, seen in the words of the founder of Viniyoga, TKV Desikachar (an Indian guru who is still teaching today) as "the discipline of controlling the mind, rooted in ancient Vedic texts", into a competition on a par with figure skating and gymnastics.

I feel even more depressed to hear that the egregious spread of any number of types of yoga has extended back to India itself, the home of yoga, where fashionable girls in Mumbai are taking it up for the first time because "Madonna does it".

Power yoga classes, the Californian way, seem to have become a platform for both teachers and pupils to show off toned torsos as well as to perform and impress with their fabulous ability to bend and contort the body into ever more demanding positions. What happened to inquiry and the acquisition of wisdom? What happened to the teaching of BKS Iyengar, who suggested that all you need for yoga practice is a mat and some space in the shade?

No longer does the aspiring yogi have to choose from acknowledged schools such as Hatha, Iyengar, Sivenanda, Ashtanga or Kundalini - the Bhagavad Gita (regarded as a sacred text by the majority of Hindu traditions) actually names 18 different kinds, each with its own emphasis. Today, due to the proliferation of yoga across the western world, teachers with only a few weeks or years of knowledge are offering a plethora of new permutations, some of which have strayed a very long way from the original systems.

Today you can choose from any number of "yoga fusions", among them power chi yoga (a combination of tai chi and Ashtanga yoga), Sport yoga (aerobics and yoga), Fitcamp Fusion (yoga and pilates), weight loss yoga, disco yoga and laughter yoga (the latest hot trend from Los Angeles) - and that's not a joke. I could go on.

"In the 60s, we didn't know anything about yoga and we accepted all things oriental with blind faith," says Peter Blackaby, a distinguished teacher with a practice in Brighton. "But after 40 years yoga has flowered and, yes, diversified and some of it is mad. Absolutely mad."

Indeed, some teachers think that if they throw in some pseudo-science, a bit of Sanskrit, some chanting but little instruction, then that is all right. In one class in LA they even played bagpipe music and I wondered if they thought that it was Indian. And remember the woman who came back from India some years ago practising a yoga that involved not eating, just breathing?

"There is such a thing as intelligent yoga," says Blackaby. "It's about letting go, unravelling muscles only where you need to. There is nothing mindless or sleepy about it. "

For this article, I went recently to a so-called Ashtanga class in central London with a friend who is happily caught up in a passion for yoga. I have been to classes all over the world, in chilly church halls, mouldy basements, Zen gymnasiums, hotel spas as well as on distant beaches and in shaded gardens.

I have woken at dawn and driven from London to Oxford for regular classes and workshops. I have tried classes in Thailand, New York, Los Angeles, Paris and Shanghai. I have done days of yoga, three- and five-hour sessions and 40-minute bursts; classes where "gurus to the famous" presided and joss sticks were burned; where there was Sanskrit chanting, mystic breathing, and yogic jumping. I have done classes on my own and classes with up to 100 people.

In the Ashtanga class I tried, the pupils were packed in so tightly that the teacher couldn't possibly see whether we were unravelling or not and she had no assistant. (It appeared to be more about making money than sharing knowledge.) She had what I call an Ashtanga body - taut and defined - and she started the class with an extremely advanced set of breathing exercises that are potentially dangerous. We then progressed to the familiar, tiresome routine of endless down-dogs, up-dogs and chatarangas that seem typical of many of today's classes; repetitious poses that merely add up to callisthenics with absolutely no attention paid to the very stiff who were trying to go much further than their capabilities allowed.

Rarely do I go to a class (except those with my own teacher, Chloe Fremantle) in which upside-down poses (headstand, shoulder stand and variations), let alone a series of thoughtful floor poses (twists and balances), are taught or the individual is considered. It is all about pumping people up, rather than bringing them down into a calm, mindful place - despite ending the session with a bit of chanting (Sanskrit? Hindu? Tibetan?), to add a touch of random spirituality.

"In 1976, studying with Iyengar in India, we were told that we were very lucky to be learning yoga because it was something that was only for high-class, spiritual Indians," says teacher and yoga book author Mary Stewart. "Nowadays yoga has been dumbed down. Publishers demand a 'celebrity' on the book or magazine cover even if they don't know how to do the poses," she says. "And I was asked to include a 10-minute programme presumably because no one these days is thought to have the attention span to do it for longer. In 1983, I was told that the word yoga could not be used, if the book I was co-writing was to sell in middle America."

Stretch and Relax (the title that was chosen, and her first of six books on yoga) has sold for more than 20 years. Today anyone can write a yoga book and, worse still, sacred chants, costumes and rituals have been ambushed and taken up without conscience.

And this is the same yoga that Carl Jung described as "the spiritual achievement of the East, one of the greatest things the human mind has ever created". What would he say about Geri Halliwell's video? Would he be disenchanted to know that the desire for money and fame has corrupted Indians as well as westerners, many of whom have played along with what they think westerners want, both in India and, particularly, in guru-friendly California, branding their schools and systems for the rewards of money, status, cars and jewellery.

"Beneath the bogus spirituality and superficiality of some of the yoga around," says Stewart, "there is a yearning among generations all over the world for something deeper and more meaningful." I agree.

Yoga that is about strength and competition misses the point and inevitably ends up with injury and disillusion. Poses should be beneficial, not detrimental, as we strive for balance and the ability to sit and meditate with ease. The practice is about grounding and releasing; it involves effort but not push and struggle.

With or without Olympic yoga, there are people who will take yoga onwards and who realise the deep significance and power of its roots. "How can I say what is good and bad?" said the great Iyengar, recently interviewed about the way yoga is going. "People will find what they are looking for."

That seems to say it all.

[list]The Spirit of Yoga by Kathy Phillips is published by Cassell Illustrate[/unlist]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/health/story/0,,1985951,00.html




A beginner's guide to yoga

Kathy Phillips
Tuesday January 9, 2007
The Guardian


Hatha yoga (classical yoga)
Hatha yoga is generally interpreted as the yoga of physical action and is practised in most western yoga classes.

Kundalini yoga
The aim of kundalini yoga is to awaken dormant energies in a subtle way. The principle idea of it was turned into a system by Yogi Bhajan (the son of a Sikh doctor) in 1969. Also called the "yoga of awareness", it is commonly referred to as kundalini, although it does not concentrate on raising the kundalini energy, or pure consciousness, but promises "to make you the best you can be".

Ashtanga yoga
Ashtanga is named after the practice of yoga as laid down by the sage Patanjali - "ashta" meaning eight and "anga" meaning limb which symbolised the eightfold path of yoga of which asanas, or postures, is only one. The highest-profile teacher of Ashtanga yoga is K Pattabhi Jois, who was a student of Krishnamacharya, who taught Iyengar. Ashtanga is a fast-paced gymnastic style of yoga popular in the west because it represents the smallest shift from gym culture to yoga.

Iyengar
Christened "the Michelangelo of Yoga" by the BBC, Iyengar is the founder of the famous school and, aged 88, is still teaching in Pune, south India. His book Light on Yoga was first published in 1966 and continues to inspire students all over the world.

Viniyoga
Krishnamacharya broke all sorts of social taboos when he opened his yoga school in Mysore in the 1930s. He was still teaching at the age of 101. His son, TKY Desikachar, carries on his work, with great emphasis on the individual and the belief that yoga must be tailored to fit the person and not the other way round.

Scaravelli
Vanda Scaravelli was in the privileged position of being able to study with many gurus. She was a close friend of Krishnamurti, a pupil of Iyengar and she later worked with Desikachar. She went on to develop her own technique which owes much more to breathing and to "the song of the body" than most other systems.

Sivananda yoga
Swami Sivanada Sarasawi was born in Tamil Nadu in southern India. He founded an ashram in 1948. Sivananda is based on the gurukula system. Guru means "teacher" and "kula" means home. Students would arrive at the age of eight and study at the ashram (home) for 12 years. The contemporary model of this is somewhat truncated: students arrive for an intensive four-week programme to live, work and study with teachers and students, leading a yogic lifestyle including a vegetarian diet. The classes are based on 12 basic asanas.

Bikram yoga
Bikram Choudry was born in 1945 and gained the title of national yoga champion of India at 12. After a weightlifting accident at 20, he was told he would never walk again. He created a set of postures to restore his own health, using a heated environment to encourage sweating and stretching without injury. He and his wife now teach this method to others. He has moved to Los Angeles, where his nine-week training programme and method of franchising have made him hugely wealthy; he claims to have pioneered the most successful system of yoga ever.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/health/story/0,,1985957,00.html

[Demi]

A great workout to get you started:


Shape up with Gabby's 10-minute workouts
Bend it, stretch it with Gabby Logan


If you’ve had enough of seasonal excess and your resolution for the new year is to look toned and trim, get off the sofa and take some exercise. Regardless of your level of fitness, my two ten-minute workouts — which target arms, stomach and legs — are a quick and simple way to get into shape in 2007.

Aim to do at least three sessions a week. Alternatively, if you feel up to doing a more extensive workout, click on the links (right) to read her seven part series of ten-minute exercises for legs, bottom, stomach, heart, arms, chest and core muscles.

You have two routines to choose from, that you can do both indoors and outdoors, so, if the weather’s really dreadful, you have no excuse not to do something. If an exercise states that you should do two sets, allow 30 seconds’ recovery between each set.


INDOORS

http://images.thetimes.co.uk/TGD/picture/0,,379479,00.jpg

1. SKIPPING (4min)
To raise your heart rate, skip continuously for four minutes.

2. TRICEP DIPS (1min)
Sit on the end of your bed with your legs straight out in front of you, ankles together. Place the palms of your hands on the edge of the bed, with your fingers facing the same direction as your legs. Then take your body weight on to your arms by moving your bottom a couple of inches away from the edge of the bed, lower your bottom as far as is comfortable by bending your arms, and then raise back up. If you find this difficult, do it with your legs bent. Do two sets of ten.

3. FULL CRUNCHES (1min)
Put your bath towel on the floor and lie on it on your back, with a cushion in your hands and your body at full stretch so that your arms are above your head, your legs together on the floor. Bring the cushion towards your feet and bend your knees to your chest at the same time. In the end position you will have the cushion over your knees, then lower back to the floor and start again. The cushion is to help you to get the position right rather than add weight. Do two sets of ten.

4. SQUATS (2min)
You will need a bucket or a wastepaper basket. Place the bucket next to your left foot. Using the standard squat movement (see Outdoors), squat and twist to the left to pick up the bucket, then stand and twist to the right to put the bucket down, then squat and pick it up again and return to the left side. Repeat 10 times.

5. V-SITS (2min)
Finish with V-sits. Lie on the ground and put your arms straight up above your head, then bring your hands and feet together in the air before returning to the lying position. Do two sets of 15 repetitions.


OUTDOORS

http://images.thetimes.co.uk/TGD/picture/0,,379485,00.jpg

RUNNING (4min)
If you’ve never been a runner, start by walking quickly for a minute and then alternate by jogging for a minute. Do this four minutes. If you are starting with a good level of fitness, jog for a minute and sprint for the other minute. Again do this for four minutes.

SQUATS (2min)
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and place your hands on your hips. As you lower your hips towards the floor keep your back straight, stick your bottom out, and keep your pelvic floor engaged (as if you were trying to stop peeing on the loo). When you return to the top remember to keep your hips forward and squeeze your bottom muscles. Do two sets of 20.

1. SQUAT JUMPS (1min)
Squat down to the ground, touch the ground, then jump as high as you can and repeat. Do ten squat jumps.

2. CALF RAISES (1min)
Stand facing a wall or tree; you should be able to touch the wall with your fingers for stability, but not to hold you up. With your ankles close together, rise up on to your toes remembering to engage your core muscles, keeping your bottom tight and focusing on your pelvic-floor muscles. Lower your feet back to the floor and repeat 30 times. Remember: it is the calf muscle that you are trying to isolate, but keeping your core muscles engaged will help your middle-body strength.

3. LUNGE (1min)
Start in a standing position with your feet together and your hands on your hips. Step forwards with your left leg about two feet and lower your right knee to the ground. Just before it touches the ground, return to the standing position. Repeat eight times on the left leg and then eight times on the right.

PUSH-UPS (1min) If you can’t do full push-ups, do half push-ups by resting your weight on your knees as opposed to your feet. Remember to squeeze your bottom muscles and keep your head level with your back; don’t look up. Repeat 15 times.

POST-EXERCISE: STRETCHING (3min)

http://images.thetimes.co.uk/TGD/picture/0,,379484,00.jpg

After any exercise you shoudl stretch the muscles you have used the most. It's relaxing and helps to return your body temperature and heartbeat to normal, and in a controlled manner. Stretching also makes you feel more flexible and loose the next time you start your workouts.

1. LOWER-BACK STRETCH
Lie on the floor on your back and bend your right leg at the knee. Put your left hand on the outer part of your knee and gently pull the knee towards the floor on the left side. Keep your right arm flat on the floor at a right angle to your body. Make sure that you use the right arm to push the body into the floor and extend the stretch. With each breath the knee should get closer to the floor. Try to stretch for at least 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side.

2. CALF STRETCH
Get on to your hands and knees and rise on to your toes so that your weight is distributed evenly between your feet and hands. Place your ankles together and alternate your weight from left to right foot. Do this 20 times, holding each side for a few seconds. To increase the stretch, walk your feet closer to your hands and repeat exercise.

3. ARM STRETCH
Sitting cross-legged, raise your left arm and place your hand between your shoulder blades as if trying to reach your bottom. Take the right arm and push the elbow of the left arm to increase the stretch. Hold for ten seconds and repeat on the other side.

TOP TIPS

When you exercise make sure that you are wearing properly fitted sportswear. Wearing trainers that are too tight or too big will cause you all kinds of problems, including back and shin injuries.

A well fitted sports bra is just as important for women. There is no point toning your legs and increasing your cardio fitness if you have droopy boobs at the end of it. Also, you will feel pretty uncomfortable if you are well endowed and not properly supported.

Training with a friend can be much more effective in terms of the intensity of your programme and your commitment to it. It's much harder to knock a fitness regimen on the head if you've got a friend waiting to pull you off the sofa to work out in the park with you.

Remember to keep your body hydrated. It is more beneficial to take small sips every few minutes.


http://women.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,18849-2521721,00.html

[Demi]

An interesting article about how to tailor your exercise routine to your body shape:


The shape of things

Apple, pear, tube or hourglass — every woman has a different figure. So it makes sense to tailor your exercise routine to accentuate your assets. Matt Roberts has the know-how

We often want what we can’t have, and, if my female clients are anything to go by, that applies especially to body shape. There are four main female body types: the apple (with most weight carried around the stomach), the pear (bottom-heavy), the tube (pretty much straight up and down) and the hourglass (cinched-in waist, with curvaceous chest and bottom).

Each shape has its pros and cons. While a tube-shaped woman may hanker after feminine curves, the hourglass girl will have to work hard to fit into restrictive clothing. Equally, while apple-shaped women may fight to get a flat tummy, they probably have legs to die for, and pear-shaped women may have a propensity for thunder thighs, yet be blessed with a slender waist and arms.

It’s virtually impossible to change your body shape, but by adapting your training, you can create the illusion of a different silhouette.

THE APPLE

Women who tend to hold weight around their stomach and have a small, flat bottom.

WORKOUT DO’S

Reduce body fat with long-duration aerobic work such as swimming for 40 minutes three times a week, to burn calories.

To define your waist, focus on training the obliques, the abdominal muscles and the muscles in your back.

Use high-repetition sets for your upper body (at least 20 reps per set) to tone rather than increase the size of this area. Try the seated row, chest press and upright row.

Use weights on your legs. There is little danger they will get bigger, so you can afford to work them hard to burn fat for the whole body. Try weighted squats, hamstring curls and high bench step-ups, 10-12 reps per set.

WORKOUT DON’TS

Heavy weights during upper-body exercises will accentuate the area you want to minimise.

THE PEAR

This means having a prominent bottom and hips wider than your shoulders and bust.

WORKOUT DO’S

Develop your shoulder width and the depth of your chest and back profile. Building size here is crucial to balancing your upper and lower halves. Try lateral raises and shoulder presses, 10-12 reps per set

Burn fat on your hips, bottom and thighs by working aerobically for long durations at moderate intensities. Try walking or jogging for 30-40 minutes three times each week.

Do high-repetition exercises (at least 15 reps per set) using light weights or none at all.

WORKOUT DON’TS

Exercise with heavy weights aimed at the bottom and thighs — so avoid squat or leg-extension machines.

THE TUBE

Straight up and down, with similar-width bust, waist and hips.

WORKOUT DO’S

Aim for strong, defined shoulders to give the impression of a smaller waist. Try shoulder presses and lateral raises, in sets of 15-20 reps.

Develop shapely arms by using weights for your biceps and triceps. Try triceps extensions and biceps curls, in sets of 10-12 reps.

Add shape to your bottom and thighs with glute raises, step-ups and power lunges. Use weights to add resistance, 12 reps per set.

WORKOUT DON’TS

Avoid excessive aerobic training, as you may become smaller and more rake-like. Aim to add shape, not take it away. Small doses of 20 minutes three times a week are sufficient.

THE HOURGLASS

This is the classic curvy figure with a well-defined waist.

WORKOUT DO’S

Improve your posture. An hourglass can be sexy, but fuller-busted women can slump. Work your upper back hard to support your upper body. Try the seated row, reverse fly and shoulder press, in sets of 10-12 reps.

Focus on your hamstrings, the muscles at the back of your thighs. This will balance out the front of the thighs, which tend to be larger. Try hamstring curls, 15 reps per set.

Focus on core-strength exercises to tone your stomach and make the most of one of your best assets.

WORKOUT DON’TS

Avoid overworking the front of your body. Too much work for the chest and thighs will pull your posture forward.

EXERCISES

Shoulder press
Sit on a bench or fitness ball. Holding a 3kg dumbbell in each hand, raise your arms straight up. With the elbows pointing outwards and forearms vertical, slowly lower both arms to the sides, until your upper arms are level with your shoulders. Press your arms back up to the start position.

Lateral raise
Stand with feet hip width apart, knees slightly bent. Start with arms by your sides, holding a 3kg weight in each hand. Slowly raise your arms, keeping elbows slightly bent, until your hands are at shoulder level. Lower slowly.

Triceps extension
Sit upright on a chair, with a 3kg weight in each hand. Reach both arms towards the ceiling, then bend them to 90 degrees so the weights go behind your head. Straighten them back up again, squeezing the triceps as you go. Try to tense the back of the arms as much as you can.

Biceps curl
Stand with feet hip width apart, knees slightly bent, and holding a 3kg weight in each hand. Start with arms by your sides, elbows slightly bent, palms facing up. Bend your arms and lift the weights up toward the shoulders, keeping the elbows tucked in close to the body. Slowly lower your arms back to the start position.

Glute raise
Start off on all fours, with your hands shoulder width apart and one leg extended out behind you. Keeping your back straight, exhale and raise the extended leg up. Hold for one second, then inhale and lower.

Step-up
Stand sideways on to a bench and rest your left foot on it. Push yourself up and touch the top of the bench lightly with your right foot. Step back down, keeping the left foot on top of the bench for a full set. Repeat on the other side with the other leg.

Power lunge
Stand with your feet hip width apart, your hands relaxed by your sides and your knees slightly bent. Step forward so your front foot is one stride from your back foot. As you step forward, lower your body, taking care not to allow the front knee to travel beyond the toes. Spring back to the start position. Repeat, starting with the other foot.

Seated row
Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you. Wrap an exercise tube around your feet and pull the ends towards you, keeping your elbows close to your body, until you can feel a stretch in your upper arms. Allow the tubing to go slack before pulling again.

Chest press
Lie on your back on a bench, with your arms straight up, holding a 5kg weighted ball. Bend your elbows and bring the ball down until it touches your chest, then return to the start position.

Upright row
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, your legs slightly bent and your back straight, with a 2kg or 3kg weight in each hand. Hold the weights in front of you, with your palms facing your thighs. Keeping your hands close together, pull the weights up to chest height until your elbows are at shoulder level. Return to the start position.

Squat
Standing with your feet shoulder width apart, bend both knees to 90 degrees. Keep your back upright. Return to the start position. For weighted squats, hold a 6kg dumbbell in each hand.

Hamstring curl
Lie on your back with your feet resting on top of a stability ball. Lift your hips so that your body is in a straight line, with your arms by your sides and palms on the floor. Keeping your hips high, gently push your heels into the ball and roll it towards you, using both legs equally. Straighten the legs to return to the start position.

Reverse fly
Stand with your arms by your side, a 3kg weight in each hand. Bend forward to make a 70-degree angle at the hips. With your arms hanging down, lift them both out to the side until they are slightly higher than your shoulders. Return to the start position.


http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,589-2533342,00.html

[hk-lowcarb]

Since this is my second time around w/ SB, I've decided to add more exercise.

Last autumn, I started going to the gym every morning at 6am, which meant getting up at 5:45. Then I would work out for 20-30 minutes and go home for breakfast.

Problem w/ that routine was that the kids didn't like it so much w/ me away in the morning (no morning cuddles) and it just made the morning kind of rushed. Plus, by Nov.-Dec. it was still dark outside & cold & difficult to motivate myself to get out of bed.

My latest routine is now to go to the gym during lunch. I do the 20-30 minute work out - usually either elliptical or the rowing machine. On the weekends I try and do it in the morning or early afternoon. Either elliptical or the bicycle.

re: weight training. In the autumn I was doing some (days I didn't do cardio I was doing 30-40 minutes of weight training). Problem w/ that is that it interfered w/ my cardio (didn't have time for both) and that I "bulk up" really fast.

So now I *sometimes* also do it on the weekends. In May the swimming pool will open again, so I can use that for "fun" messing around or a nice cool down after the weekend work-outs.

When I swim I usually try to do at least 500 meters, 1/2 crawl & 1/2 breast stroke or back stroke.

[Demi]

Hi hk-lowcarb, looks like you've got some good workout ideas going there. I also work out at lunchtime, as I find it's the best time of the day for me to do it.

[Demi]

A great article about how to measure your fitness success:


To Get Anywhere, First Pick a Destination

By Stacey Colino
Special to The Washington Post
Tuesday, January 23, 2007; Page HE03

When it comes to exercise, how do you measure success (or even progress)? Some people are so gung-ho about getting fit (yesterday!) that they do too much too soon, burn out and throw in their sweaty towels. Others get hopelessly lost in the details, wondering whether to be most concerned about the duration, distance or intensity of their workouts. Still others play a numbers game as they try to hit a personal best during each tryst with the treadmill or elliptical trainer.

What should you be aiming for? It's a good question, fitness experts say. But before you can answer it, you need to know what your fitness goals are. "The basic issues are: What do you want to get out of it? Why do you want to exercise?" says Richard Cotton, chief exercise physiologist with Myexerciseplan.com. In other words, your target will depend on whether you're exercising to stay healthy, lose weight or run a marathon.

After getting an accurate pulse on your underlying motivation, the next step is to be SMART about how you frame your fitness goals. That is, establishing an exercise goal that's Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant (to your life) and Time-bound, explains Cedric Bryant, chief science officer for the American Council on Exercise (ACE).

"Rather than saying, 'I want to get in better shape,' which is a goal that's too nebulous, you should really define what that is -- that you want to be able to run four miles without stopping, [for instance]," Bryant says. "Once you do that, you can start to break it down." Let's say you currently run out of steam after a mile: You might set your sights on running two consecutive miles within a month then add a half-mile to your target every two weeks until you've reached your goal.

But if you're exercising to boost your health or well-being, your aim might be quite different. The Surgeon General's guidelines, along with those of many other health associations, recommend 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most, if not all, days of the week. (During "moderate" exercise, you should be able to carry on a conversation, but you shouldn't be able to belt out your favorite show tune.) Instead of thinking about how hard or fast you're moving, "it's better to develop consistency and regularity," Bryant says. "What you're thinking of is punching the clock, hitting that minimum target each day."

For those who have been exercising consistently, it's fine to think about stepping up intensity. "If you do the same activity over and over at a set rate, once the cells in your muscles or bones adapt to being able to do that easily, they don't adapt any further," explains Carol Torgan, an exercise physiologist in the District and a spokeswoman for the American College of Sports Medicine. "In order to get further improvement, you need to provide additional stimuli by increasing the frequency, intensity and/or duration."

At that point, the key is to increase your workouts gradually so you don't set yourself up for injury or exhaustion. A good rule of thumb, exercise physiologists say, is to increase the speed or duration of your workout by 10 percent per week.

Or you can alternate hard and easy workouts, Bryant says: During one workout per week, go for increased intensity or duration but not more than a 20 percent boost; then, in the next workout, make it slightly easier than what you'd been doing normally. "This gives your body sufficient time to adapt to and recover from the additional level of stress and allows you to avoid significant muscle soreness," Bryant explains. Alternate two hard sessions with three easier ones each week for the first month, followed by three hard sessions and two easier ones each week during the next month, and so on, until all five of your workouts in a given week are at a higher intensity.

At the gym, it's easy to get into a beat-the-cardio-machine mentality. Don't. Besides upping the risk of injury, becoming obsessed with the machines' digital feedback can be misleading. For one thing, there's a considerable margin for error with the calorie-counting. "The feedback is based on the assumption that you're not [leaning] onto the machine's handrails," Bryant says. "If you're offloading 20 to 30 percent of your body weight, you can reduce the calorie burn by 20 to 30 percent. Getting into this whole numbers mind-set can be counterproductive."

That's why ACE-certified personal trainer Ted Vickey, president of FitWell, a fitness management company based in Vienna, prefers that people focus on exercising hard enough to get into their target heart zone (60 to 80 percent of their maximum heart rate). "If you aim for that zone range, you can then cross-train between different machines," Vickey says, by trying to stay in that ideal intensity range with each activity.

While your age, fitness level, body weight and overall health can affect how quickly you reach your fitness goal, rest assured: If you exercise regularly, the feel-good fitness gains will come.

"Regular physical activity is like a fountain of youth," Torgan says. "It may prevent, delay or ease cardiovascular problems, diabetes, osteoporosis and some cancers. It can improve mood and sleep, reduce stress, anxiety and depression -- and even increase life expectancy." In the end, these may be the measures that truly matter most. ·


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/19/AR2007011901429.html

[Demi]

The Mail
London, UK
23 January, 2006


Forget the gym - why a brisk walk is really the best workout

This activity will melt away the pounds, tone your flabby bits and leave you on an emotional high. Yet the form of exercise destined to become the fitness trend of 2007 does not require gym membership or a personal trainer. All you need to do is walk.

"Walking is a refreshing alternative to complicated aerobic routines and over-priced gym memberships," says personal trainer Lucy Knight, author of a new book on the exercise.

"It is free, enjoyable and already a part of everyday life. All you need to do is correct your technique, walk faster and for longer, and you will lose weight."

There is much evidence of the benefits of walking. Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh recently revealed that overweight people who walked briskly for 30 to 60 minutes a day lost weight even if they didn't change any other lifestyle habits.

Another American study found that people who walked for at least four hours a week gained less weight (an average 9lb less) than couch potatoes as they got older.

Last year, researchers at the University of Colorado found that regular walking helped to prevent peripheral artery disease (which impairs blood flow in the legs and causes leg pain in one-fifth of elderly people).

Walking can even prevent colds. Researchers at the University of Massachusetts medical school found that people who walked every day had 25 per cent fewer colds than those who were sedentary.

Because walking is a weight-bearing exercise, it can also help prevent the bone disease osteoporosis.

"Bones are like muscles in the way that they get stronger and denser the more demands you place on them," Knight says. "The pull of a muscle against a bone, together with the force of gravity when you walk, will stress the bone - which responds by stimulating tissue growth and renewal."

Best of all, walking makes you feel good about yourself. "For people suffering from depression, walking three to four times a week for 30 minutes has been shown to enhance their mood," says Knight.

Even if a 20-minute power walk at lunchtime is all you manage, after six weeks it could be comparable to a course of psychotherapy, psychologists at the University of Illinois found.

Here's how to walk your way to weight loss and wellness . . .

How much, how often?

Health experts recommend that we should walk 10,000 steps a day (about five miles) to stay healthy, yet most Britons walk only 4,500 steps.

You would probably need to tot up at least 16,000 steps a day to lose weight.

Knight suggests the following workout plans, depending on your level of fitness. With each, you should aim to progress by increasing the duration of your walk by five minutes every two weeks, and the intensity by walking faster.

"In just three months, the results should speak for themselves," says Knight.

• Beginners:

Monday to Saturday: Walk ten minutes at a moderate pace
Sunday: Walk slowly for 20 minutes

• Intermediates:

Monday: Rest
Tuesday to Friday: Walk for 25 minutes at a moderate pace one day, 30 minutes the next Saturday: Walk 20 minutes fast
Sunday: Walk 45 minutes at a moderate pace

• Advanced:

Monday: Rest
Tuesday to Friday: Walk 45 minutes at a moderate pace one day and 50 minutes the next day
Saturday: Walk 50 minutes at a fast pace
Sunday: Walk 60 minutes at a moderate pace

Perfect your technique

To burn fat quickly and effectively, you should master power-walking.

"Without it you will struggle to increase your pace and your weight loss will plateau," says Knight. Stand tall with your arms by your sides and pull your navel towards your spine so that your core muscles are working.

Focus your eyes five to six metres ahead and keep your shoulders relaxed. Bend your elbows at a 90-degree angle and cup your hands lightly, rather than clenching your fists.

Leading with the heel, take a step forward with your right foot and move your arms in opposition (i.e. as your left arm moves forward, your right moves back).

Transfer your weight through the heel of your right foot.

"It is very easy, once you start concentrating on the movement, to forget about breathing," says Knight.

"Try to get into a pattern, counting the number of steps to each in-and-out breath, making it the same each time."

Vary the terrain

Adding hills to your route will speed up calorie burning.

"On really steep inclines, it's not unusual for even a fit person's heart rate to increase by about 20 per cent," says Knight. Going downhill, you have to contract your leg muscles to work against gravity and slow your descent.

Walking on softer surfaces, such as mud, sand or grass, also uses more energy than walking on concrete. Every time your foot hits the ground, it creates a small depression so that the leg muscles must work harder to push upwards and forwards for the next step.

Walking on cobblestones or rocky ground may have even more benefits. Physiologists at the Oregon Research Institute have found cobblestone walking lowers blood pressure and improves balance.

The uneven surfaces may stimulate acupressure points on the soles of the feet, regulating blood pressure. Because it is challenging, it will also burn more calories.

Walking styles

Think walking is boring? Then try these alternatives:

Nordic walking, which uses skilike poles, has proven benefits.

Professor John Pocari, an exercise physiologist at the University of Wisconsin, who has studied its effects, says using walking poles forces people to pick up their pace and work harder without realising it.

"Just the fact that you are using your arms through a greater range of motion than normal means you burn more calories," says Pocari.

On average, people use 20 per cent more calories when they use poles. Participants in his studies increased their upper body strength by 40 per cent and reduced impact on vulnerable hips, ankles and knees by 26 per cent compared with running.

Mall walking, called "mallercise" in the U.S., was originally devised by doctors, who encouraged cardiac patients to incorporate indoor walking in shopping malls to hasten their rehab.

"It is a fantastic way to walk as you don't breathe in toxic car fumes, shopping centres are usually open seven days a week and good weather is guaranteed," says Knight.

Treadmills, because they are sprung, offer softer and easier terrain than a hard road, placing less strain on your joints, says Knight. This makes them a good option for people with joint or back problems.

The downside is that, on a flat setting, they don't require the same level of exertion, so set them on a slight incline.


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/dietfitness.html?in_article_id=430679&in_page_id=1798

[Demi]

Battle of the workouts


Running or aerobics? Yoga or Pilates? Making the decision to get fit is the easy part - choosing how to go about it is the difficult bit. Peta Bee offers some advice

Tuesday March 6, 2007
The Guardian


Running v aerobics

Running

How quickly will it make a difference?
After two to three weeks if running three or more times a week.

How many calories does it burn?
Around 612 per hour if you run six miles per hour (a 10-minute mile). You will burn more calories running off-road as your legs have to work harder on soft ground.

Will it keep me motivated?
Treadmill running, hamster fashion, can be tedious: run outside, changing your route and terrain whenever you can. As you get fitter, challenge yourself more by entering fun runs.

Specific benefits:
The basic running action strengthens the hamstring, quadriceps, iliopsoas muscles at the front of the hips, calf and the gluteus maximus muscles each time you take a stride forward. The pumping action of your arms will strengthen the upper body to some extent. And it's among the best forms of aerobic exercise.

Risk factors:
Your feet absorb three to four times your body weight every time they strike the ground and a shock reverberates up through your legs and into your spine. Good shoes help to cushion the blow and reduce the risk of injury to the knees and other joints.

Aerobics

How quickly will it make a difference?
After four to five weeks of twice-weekly classes.

How many calories does it burn?
374 per hour.

Will it keep me motivated?
It depends on your instructor. Classes that stick to exactly the same format every week can become too predictable for both muscles and mind. As with all class-based workouts, there is little scope for progress, so there will come a time when you will want to try something different.

Specific benefits
Aerobics classes incorporate an element of dance that will improve coordination and spatial awareness.

Risk factors
Low-impact aerobics - at least one foot remains in contact with the floor at all times - are preferable to high-impact classes for anyone prone to back and joint problems.

Victor: running

Tennis v squash

Tennis

How quickly will it make a difference?
After six to eight weeks of twice-weekly matches.

How many calories does it burn?
476 per hour in a singles match or 340 in a doubles.

Will it keep me motivated?
Tennis is competitive and in the summer there is nothing better than heading outdoors to a tennis court. However, your motivation to play can be dampened somewhat when it comes to seeking out indoor courts over the winter months.

Specific benefits
The power for a shot is initiated from ground level - the strength for a great serve is provided by the push off from the quadriceps in your thighs. Sharp turns and twists put the abdominals and upper body through a vigorous workout, holding the racket and hitting the ball exercises your arms and shoulders, and your forearms absorb the impact from the ball contact.

Risk factors
It works one side of the body more than the other, so muscle imbalance is common unless you work on your less-dominant side in the gym.

Squash

How quickly will it make a difference?
Two to three weeks if playing three times a week.

How many calories does it burn?
748 per hour.

Will it keep me motivated?
Undoubtedly. It is sociable and, if you join a club, there will be coaching and a league structure.

Specific benefits
Recently rated the number-one healthy sport - ahead of rowing - by Forbes magazine, squash is easier to learn than tennis and you can play all year round. It also helps to improve the strength of your legs, arms and core region.

Risk factors
There is a sporty adage that goes: "You don't play squash to get fit, you get fit to play squash." Because it is so physically demanding, researchers at Liverpool John Moores University recently warned older and unfit people not to launch into it full-pelt as it could put unnecessary strain on the heart and body.

Victor: squash

Weights v circuits

Weights

How quickly will it make a difference?
After the first session, your muscles will feel more toned, but noticeable changes will take three to four weeks.

How many calories does it burn?
136-340 per hour depending on weight lifted and the recovery time between repetitions and sets.

Will it keep me motivated?
If improved body tone is your solitary goal, then yes. But otherwise it can become tedious.

Specific benefits
Great for improving muscle tone and bone density. Combined with aerobic exercise, resistance and weight training has been shown to speed up the rate at which calories are burned, thereby resulting in quicker weight loss.

Risk factors
Lift too heavy weights too often and you can get bulky. Injuries are high in the weight room, but mostly linked to weights being dropped and poor technique.

Circuits

How quickly will it make a difference?
After two weeks of twice-weekly circuits.

How many calories does it burn?
476 per hour.

Will it keep me motivated?
Circuit training is as challenging (or not) as you make it. You are unlikely to get bored as circuits can constantly change their content and order.

Specific benefits
A good circuit addresses every element of fitness - aerobic, strength, balance and flexibility. Ideally, an instructor should introduce new tools - medicine balls, skipping ropes, weights, wobble boards - to make sure you are always developing new skills and testing different muscles.

Risk factors
Because the movements are so varied, there are very few risks - unless you perform exercises with poor technique.

Victor: circuits

Yoga v Pilates

Yoga

How quickly will it make a difference?
After eight weeks of thrice-weekly sessions.

How many calories does it burn?
102 per hour for a general, stretch-based class. Power yoga burns 245 per hour.

Will it keep me motivated?
Yoga is all about attaining a sense of unity between body and mind rather than setting and achieving personal targets. However, you will feel accomplishment as you master the postures and there are many different types to try.

Specific benefits
In a study for the American Council on Exercise (Ace), Professor John Porcari found that women who did three yoga classes a week for eight weeks experienced a 13% improvement in flexibility, with significant gains in shoulder and trunk flexibility. They were able to perform six more press-ups and 14 more sit-ups at the end of the study compared to the beginning.

Risk factors
Don't fall for the line that celebrities get fit on yoga alone. According to Ace, even power yoga constitutes only a "light aerobic workout".

Pilates

How quickly will it make a difference?
After five to six weeks of thrice-weekly sessions.

How many calories does it burn?
170-237 per hour.

Will it keep me motivated?
Once you start noticing positive changes in the way you move and hold your body, Pilates is hard to give up.

Specific benefits
Widely used by dancers and top athletes, it improves postural awareness and strength. Studies at Queensland University in Australia have shown that Pilates exercises can develop the deeply embedded traversus abdominal muscles which support the trunk.

Risk factors
Another study by Ace last year found the cardiovascular benefits of Pilates to be limited. Even an advanced 55-minute session raised participants' heart rates to a maximum of only 62% (below the recommended 64-94% said to constitute an aerobic workout) and was deemed the energy equivalent of walking 3.5 miles an hour. If you have back pain, make sure you see a teacher who is also a physiotherapist, as poor technique can make matters worse.

Victor: Pilates

Spinning v step

Spinning

How quickly will it make a difference?
After two to three weeks of twice-weekly sessions.

How many calories does it burn?
408-646 calories an hour.

Will it keep me motivated?
Although it's a group session, spinning allows you to test yourself by increasing the workload as you get fitter. Look out for classes with video screens that take you on a virtual ride through pleasant scenery to less gym boredom.

Specific benefits
Pedalling works most of the muscles in the legs and buttocks during the pushdown phase so you will get an unbelievably toned lower body. But your heart and lungs are the biggest beneficiaries.

Risk factors
Cycling is not a good workout for the upper body, so you would need to include some resistance training. Make sure your seat is positioned correctly to avoid back strain and leg cramps - your extended leg at the bottom of the pedal stroke should be almost straight. Because it is a non-weight-bearing exercise, cycling is not good for strengthening bones.

Step

How quickly will it make a difference?
After four weeks of twice-weekly classes.

How many calories does it burn?
510-612 per hour (depending on height of step).

Will it keep me motivated? You will notice changes in your body shape fairly quickly, but there are only so many times you can step on to a platform before utter boredom takes hold.

Specific benefits
A study carried out two years ago by researchers at California State Polytechnic University showed that women who did step aerobics three times a week for six months experienced up to 3.3% increases in the bone density of their spines, hip and leg bones. It has good aerobic benefits as well as toning muscles in the bottom and legs.

Risk factors
Not recommended for anyone with lower-back or knee problems. The repetitive stepping could aggravate existing injuries.

Victor: spinning



http://www.guardian.co.uk/health/story/0,,2027401,00.html

[allijs]

I do hip hop Abs or Turbo Jam 6 days a week and abuot 2 times a week jumb on my elliptical machine. I also walk my son to and from school five times a week. Now that the snow is going and we've got a new puppy I will be running with him each morning before the husband goes to work!

[Glendora]

I have one special-needs child and one infant at home, and any time I put in a tape they are literally crawling all over me. For certain exercises like yoga, I get injured (back or legs) when they jump on me and for others, like aerobics, it is dangerous to them because they're going to get jumped on by me. Then one or the other of them invariably begins crying and needs something five minutes into the tape.

It's hard to find daycare for a special needs child, and it's pricey, in addition to the price of a gym membership, so I don't go to the gym.

So I just pick up my kids and go. We take a million walks. I strap them into the wagon and walk them to the store and buy something I've been needing--a holiday card for someone; a container of milk. I walk them around the block, sometimes in the wagon or stroller, and sometimes taking the bigger one by the hand while carrying the baby in his sling on my chest.