SPORTS DAY

Do you remember the days that you participated in a school “Sports Day” or being involved in “Track & Field”???

With summer finally here, most people curtail their fitness regiment. A lot of us want to be outside enjoying the nice weather while it’s here. Our time is valuable and you want to get the best bang for your buck.

Ever thought of….

A Family Fun Day?This is a fantastic way to get together with your close friends and family. Participating in a number of games, team challenges and topping it off with a BBQ or Picnic is a great way to not only be active but associate with those you may not have seen for a while.

Company Fun Day?
With the nice weather a lot of companies start having Corporate team building events – be it golf tournaments, slo-pitch tourneys, a Company Picnic or Company Sports Day. This helps to promote a feeling of team building and solidarity between employees. It’s also an excellent way of forging new relationships, creating a buzz in the workforce and can be used as a marketing tool to give the company a more positive image to its clients.

Fitness Challenge Day?Does your sports association, ball team, poker buddies, think they have what it takes to do something different? Why not get your teammates together for something different? A one day event playing laser tag, a fitness bootcamp or rock climbing could bring out some friendly competition.

Why not start a Sports Day with your co-workers, friends or family?
You could do a mini-Olympics.
Go a bit further and have a “Sports Day” of “Fitness Day” 3 or 4 times a year.
Send out a press release to participants. Have fun with it!

Summer is a great time to sit down at your favorite patio – but don’t forget to stay active. A lot of people fall off the wagon when the nice weather hits – don’t let it be you!

The first thing to consider when setting up a “Sports Day” is determining what type of event you want to focus on. Getting a team together to do the Dragon Boat Races may seem like a fun time – and it is, but it shouldn’t be taken lightly. Maxing out your heart rate is not a good idea for someone out of shape.

If you plan an outdoor event you will need to consider the space necessary, bookings done well in advance and don’t forget to make alternate plans if it rains. You can select track and field exercises such as long jump, sprints, medicine ball shot put, etc. Of course the three legged race, dodge ball, tug-o-war and egg race are other fitness “games” you can incorporate.

Fitness games are not only fun, but is great for all fitness levels and ages. You’ll find everyone is having a great time, laughing and using their muscles for fun as opposed to work.
I guarantee that a “Sports Fitness Day” will be a hit.

With summer here it’s a perfect time to utilize a never boring fun workout that you’ll talk about for time to come.
If you’d like more information on setting up your own “Family Fun Day”, “Company Fitness Day”, or “Sports Day” send me an email.

Thanks to all Spring Bootcampers!

Thanks to everyone that participated in the Dynabody Fitness Bootcamps this spring!

Now that summer's finally arrived most people are hanging by the pool, going to the beach or enjoying a beverage at the patio. Don't forget to stay active! You know my motto - use it or lose it! You HAVE to burn off those added calories. So why not participate in my Fitness Bootcamp this summer? A one hour session will help burn fat, improve your fitness level and put a smile on your face.

Dynabody Fitness Bootcamp

Tuesday and Thursday Evenings

7pm to 8pm

starting July 7th & 9th

For 8 - 10 weeks

St. James Area

email me for more particulars.

Hope to see you there!

IMPORTANCE OF FUNCTIONAL & CORE TRAINING

Some people just don’t get it.

A lot of us spend a great deal of time hunched over a computer, in a vehicle or slumped on the sofa. Prolonged sitting results in tight hip flexors, hamstrings and stiffness lower back and weak muscles. 

In addition, most people that exercise miss the boat.

And this doesn’t have to be that way.

Many people spend the majority of their time running to improve their aerobic conditioning, or lifting weights to build strength. Conventional weight training like bench presses, leg presses, etc. focus on isolating the muscle groups. Unfortunately, this does little to teach your muscles to work together – in a chain of movement. Even worse are those individuals that only focus on cardio and ignore resistance training all together. Talk about setting your joints up for injury…..

Short, burst interval workouts that emphasize multi-direction and multi-muscles are the best way to stay in shape and lose weight. To motivate you to move to a higher level of fitness, you need to recognize that training priorities must incorporate “functionality”.

Functional and Core Training is becoming very popular. Athletes have always been involved in functional training, yet only recently has the general public taken notice.

Functional training is a way that you perform exercises that closely resemble specific movements that you do in daily life or in sport. Functional Training is the principle of improving the strength and power of “MOVEMENTS” - by teaching your muscles to work together.

Functional training discourages the use of machines in favor of simple tools like body-weight exercises, free weights, medicine balls, exercise balls, resistance bands, agility latters, etc.

And one of the best way’s to train your core is by joining a Fitness Bootcamp. It’s no wonder, Bootcamp-style workouts, which were named the most popular workout in 2008 & 2009, and to this day remain a top fitness trend.

Functional Training involves not only your major muscles groups but activates your core stabilizer muscles. This not only improves your strength and mobility but carries over into better posture and control which also helps to prevent injury. Functional training bridges the gap between strength, power and speed by using neurological functions to achieve peak performance.

Functional training emphasizes Core or Stabilization Conditioning. The Trunk or “Core” is the major link in the body’s musculosketal chain that connects the movements between the upper and lower body. Your upper body is supported by your spine, your abdominal muscles and your erector spinae (small band-like muscles of your back). Your abdominal and back musculature’s key function is to exert a muscular force so that spinal and pelvic position can be maintained during varying loads.

Your Core is the power center that allows for dynamic, powerful, coordinated and integrated responses of the whole body. Advantages of effective Functional and Core Training include:

• Development of power and strength
• 
  Faster and quicker actions
• Improved balance and coordination
• Improvement in skill level
• Provides disc nutrition and imbibition
• Reduced change of injury
• Improved Posture
• Prevention of Back Pain
  

Sorry gang, although it looks great, having a so-called 'six pack' or tight abs does not necessarily mean you have good core strength and stability. Some of the most important core muscles lie underneath the rectus abdominus and along with your small erector muscles of the spine and your oblique muscles which enhance low back health. Unfortunately, doing sit-ups or crunches won’t do much for core strength.

It is very important that you train in exercises that are multi-directional and incorporate all planes of motion. There are three geometrical planes of motion for the human body. The trunk can (1) flex forward and extend back, up and down (Sagittal Plane), (2) flex side to side (Frontal Plane) and (3) rotate about it’s center (Transverse Plane).

Unfortunately most weight-lifting movements focus on only two planes of motion. Functional Training changes this.

In addition to your major muscles, Functional Training works your smaller hidden muscles and your postural muscles including your shoulders, rotator cuffs, knees, and back (cervical and lumbar spine).

Core Exercises

As mentioned earlier, a properly run Fitness class is the ideal way to develop you core. The emphasis is on functional exercises using a variety of tools, sequences and ranges of motion that improves pelvic stabilization and a neutral spine.

Here are a number of helpful exercises to strengthen your core:

• Opposite Arm & Leg Raise
• Superman
• Prone Elbow Plank
• Side Elbow Plank
• Regular Push-up
• Crunches (Trunk Flexion)
• Oblique Crunches
• Prone Trunk Extension
• Supine Bridge on Ball
• Gliding Plank on Exercise Ball
• Kneel on Ball
• One Legged Squat
• Cable/Medicine Ball Woodchops
• One Arm Dumbbel Bench Presses
• Russian Twist with Medicine Ball
• Balancing exercises
• Jiu Jitsu Bridges
• Hanging Knee Raises

By using unsteady surfaces, agility drills, trunk rotational exercises your body ensures kinesthetic body awareness. By involving balance training you can restore or improve the normal function of joints and muscles.

You will experience immediate results once you incorporate Functional training in your exercise routine. This principal focuses on neurological adaptation, emphasizing movement while activating your stabilizer muscles. Your body learns to adapt and skill level will increase, bringing a natural progression of your fitness abilities.

Chance of injury is reduced while burning a lot more calories than either regular aerobic or weight-lifting exercises. In addition, there is a never ending variety that will keep you motivated, challenged and the best of all – having fun!

Supplements & the Hydroxycut Warning

Well America’s #1 Selling Weight-Loss Supplement is now under fire


Both Health Canada and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers to immediately stop using Hydroxycut products.

Hydroxycut, a very popular fat-burner supplement sold under the Iovate and MuscleTech brand names, are promoted as a dietary supplements for weight-loss, energy-enhancers, low carb diet aids, etc.

Interesting thing is that I’ve seen them in various stores – including Wal-mart and yet currently no Hydroxycut products are authorized for sale in Canada.

Health Canada has received 17 adverse reaction (AR) reports associated with Hydroxycut products in Canada. These adverse reactions relate to the cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and neurological systems.

The FDA has received 23 reports of serious health problems ranging from jaundice and elevated liver enzymes, to liver damage requiring liver transplant. One death due to liver failure has been reported to the FDA. Other health problems reported include seizures; cardiovascular disorders, kidney failure, to name a few. 

A lot of the so called “supplements” have a number of ingrediants that do not require FDA or Health Canada approval prior to hitting the shelves.  It’s like playing Russian roulette – is it worth it?

Quick fix diet supplements, like quick fix diets themselves are all a scam. Talk about brain washing your easily-influenced consumer.

Walk down any supplement aisle of your pharmacy or health-food store.  Thousands of products that claim health benefits.  

According to the Nutrition Business Journal, the supplement industry reached an all time high of $13 billion in sales in 2000.

Americans spent almost $35 billion on diets and weight loss products!

There are over 1,000 manufacturers of over 20,000 different supplements consumed by over 100 million people.



To get a bit more insight read up on my May Newsletter:  Supplements

 

RESISTANCE TRAINING EQUIPMENT - What's Best?

Sick of spending money on a gym membership? A study in Boston discovered that members went to the gym an average of less than five times per month average users were paying $17 per workout (as opposed to the $10 pay-per-use option). I can see why many people are now looking at purchasing home equipment.

Whether you go to the gym or workout at home, when it comes to exercising people ask me what equipment is best. A few years ago they were inquiring about the Bow-flex, the exercise ball, and now it’s the kettlebell and bosu. Thanks to the fitness bootcamps, bodyweight and calisthenics are popular – but are they better than weights?

What type of resistance training equipment is best? Weights? Machines?

Honestly, No equipment is necessarily better than another. It depends on safety, load & technique. Your muscles cannot differentiate between the type of equipment you use. The principle of progressive overload needs to be applied.

Ultimately ask yourself…can I fatigue the muscle or muscle groups I want to isolate with 6-20 reps?

Now let’s look at the different types of resistance or weight training available:

FREE WEIGHTS – consist of Barbells, Dumbells, etc.

Free weights are a type of dynamic constant resistance equipment meaning that the resistive force (tension) remains constant throughout the exercise movement. Free weights work against gravity. They also help to engage the secondary muscle groups or muscle stabilizers.

Advantages

Better biomechanically correct

Inexpensive

Space friendly

Portable

Variety of options.

Disadvantages

Not great for beginners

Require proper technique (not momentum)

Requires a spotter

Cumbersome

MACHINES (MULTISTATION) – cables & pulleys with plates.

There are the individual machines that you would find at a gym as well as the multistation gyms for home. Many of these machines use dynamic variable resistance. The advantage of this type of equipment is that it applies variable tension when your muscle needs it, can isolate the muscle group you are working on, and helps to encourage good form.

Advantages

Beginner friendly

Easy set up

Quick set up

No instruction required

Disadvantages
not one size fits all

Expensive

Takes up room

Limited Variety

PULLEY / CABLE SYSTEM – Bowflex / composite resistance

Very similar to Multistation machines (see above)

Advantages

Many attachments

Easy set up

Limited range of motion

Limited weight available

Disadvantages

Expensive

Takes up room

Require Technique

RESISTANCE BANDS & TUBING

Also uses dynamic variable resistance. Great for starting out, or if you have limited time or space. Easy to pack in a suitcase for those business trips where you’re not able to hit the gym.

Advantages

Great for beginners

Inexpensive

Space friendly

Portable

Variety of options

Disadvantages

Limited progressive overload

require proper technique

BODY WEIGHT / CALISTHENICS

Considered the best cross-over to real life situations, this type of training is considered functional training. Another benefit of bodyweight training is that it can be used as a very efficient means of building tremendous lung power, which develops endurance at the same time as strength.

Advantages

Great for beginners

Inexpensive

Space friendly

Works all planes of motion

Variety of options

Disadvantages

Limited progressive overload

(limited strength adaptation)

require proper technique

When it comes down to what type of training equipment you choose – it really depends on what your goals are, the room you have available and of course how deep you wallet pocket or purse is.

For cosmetic purposes – like body building, free weights are king. For sports, Body weight along with Calisthenics movement are best. Ideally if you can incorporate a multiple of training equipment, you will get the best out of your fitness routine.

It is more important to remember that key to your training results is not your equipment but how you train. Intensity, Mechanics and movement speed will bring the best results. And remember, you can blame your parents for your genes, but YOU are the one to blame for your consistency, your progression and your results

Osteoporosis Prevention

The constant instability of the weather on the prairies has made things quite interesting to say the least. The cold winter and sudden warm days then freezing has left the roads like ice rinks. Everyone I’ve talked to knows someone who has slipped and fallen. Many resulting in breaks and fractures. Aside from staying inside or learning how to do break-falls there’s not much else you can do. Not about the weather anyhow.

Did you know that 50% of women and 25% of men over age 50 will suffer at least one bone fracture in their lifetime! And this excludes those caused by slips and falls.

Osteoporosis is a disease of the bone that can lead to fractures. Bone mineral density becomes reduced or brittle. Your body continuously breaks down bone, releases calcium in the blood and reforms again. This breaking down and replacement is necessary for growth, for repair, and for maintenance of a properly functioning body. Osteoporosis means “porous bone” and is a result of bone loss exceeding what is need for new bone.

Did you know that women are five times more likely than men to develop the disease? Part of the reason could be because woman do not focus on weight training as much as men.

And this is not just a disease of the elderly. Current research shows that kids are putting themselves at risk now for osteoporosis later in life. Bones need calcium and physical activity to become strong. The most crucial time for bone building is during the pre-teen and teen years, but many young people are not getting enough calcium or physical activity.

According to the Heart & Stroke Foundation Report on Canadian Kids only 63% of 6-12 year old kids are active. In addition Canadian children watch TV for an average of 2.4 hours each day! Not only that, but soft drinks and other beverages often replace calcium-rich foods.

Achieving a higher peak bone mass through exercise and proper nutrition during adolescence is important for the prevention of osteoporosis. By maintaining dense, sturdy bones, you can stay active and independent into your 80s, 90s, and beyond!

Prevention
The best prevention relates to Lifestyle. Exercise and proper nutrition are the most important factors to not only delay bone degeneration, but also increase or improve bone density.

Exercise
Regular weight-bearing exercises help stimulate bone mass. Resistance (weight) training and activities that involve impact like stair climbing, jogging, aerobics and racquet sports are best. Intensity is the key to success and emphasis should be on activities that require your muscles to work against gravity.

If you do have osteoporosis high impact exercises and bending and twisting of the trunk are NOT recommended. These activities increase compression in your spine and can lead to fractures of weak bones.

Nutrition
Calcium rich foods are necessary to maintaining strong healthy bones. Follow the Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating by including;
2-4 servings of milk products (yogurt, milk, cheese, cottage cheese, tofu, etc)
7-10 servings of vegetables and fruit (broccoli, rutabaga, orange, navy beans, greens, etc)
2-3 servings of meat and alternatives (salmon, shrimp, oysters, almonds, seaweed, etc.)

Caffeine (coffee or pop) and salt (sodium) have a negative impact on bone mass. Substitute with milk, water and calcium fortified soy or orange juice.

Cut back on processed foods and limit foods and beverages high in calories, fat and sugar.

Other factors

Avoid smoking.

Reduce or eliminate alcohol intake.

Vitamin D. About 20 minutes a day of unfiltered sunlight on the skin is best. Of course this is quite difficult at this time of year so oral supplementation is sufficient.

Vitamin K. Found in dark-green, leafy vegetables, this vitamin helps get calcium into your bones and helps prevent bone from breaking down.

Be active as a family.

And PLEASE – be a good role model for kids!

Summary

It is estimated that between 35-50% of women over 50 have had at least one vertebral fracture. Twice that of men. Of this, only about a third are recognized. By strengthening your back you help to reduce your chance of vertebral fractures, increase your posture and helps relieve lower back pain.

If osteoporosis is suspected, have your doctor take a Bone Mineral Density test to see if you have the disease. Ask about options and what exercises are recommended.

Prevention is far better than treatment. By living a healthy lifestyle you can help reduce your chance of osteoporosis and its resulting problems. Remember the old LifeCall commercials? “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” I know that when I hit my 70’s & 80’s I will still want to participate – not just sit on the sidelines watching and wishing…..

BAKER BENEFIT SOCIAL - March 20, 2009

There will be a benefit social on March 20th 2009 at the Pyramid Cabaret for Jackson Dale Baker.

Dale died suddenly on December 13th from a snowmobile accident.

Part-owner of Dale & Ron's Auto Service on Roblin, he was known for his honest and upfront nature.

The benefit social is to not only help out his wife and children but to remember Dale for the great type of guy he was. Dale was well known around the St.James community where he grew up and was always willing to lend a hand.

If you'd like more information feel free to send me an email or phone call.

J.D. Baker Benefit Social
March 20, 2009
Pyramid Cabaret
176 Fort Street
Silent Auction
$15