Save Your Knees! Best Form For Your Lunges

How do you feel about lunges? Is there a right way to do lunges? Is there a way to do lunges that won’t hurt your knees? These are all great questions! I am afraid though today you will not be getting definitive answers to these questions. What we will be doing is shining a little light on a long vilified exercise.

There are no bad lunges or good lunges. There are lunges and then there are the forces created by a lunge on the knee, hip and ankle that must be understood in order to safely perform this great exercise.

Mike Baird, bairdphotos.com

Let’s start by taking a closer look at the dreaded knee over the toes, sure to have a self-destructing outcome on your knees myth. Okay maybe myth is a little harsh, but this old school gym science “warning” is still alive and kicking today. You watch people in the gym do a lunge of the first time and the first thing out of their trainers mouth 9 out of 10 times, I’ve counted, will be , “whatever you do don’t let that knee go past your toes.” Anyone stop and ask why? Why if when I walk my knee goes out past my toe is it okay but when I am doing a lunge it’s not……?

Here is the deal, doing a lunge with your knees going out over your toes is not a bad thing. Do leg extensions is not a bad thing.  What is bad is when we perform these exercises with no understanding of the force that is being applied to our knee.  Understanding these forces will give you the ability to safety train all the muscles in your body to their fullest potential.

Prior to starting any exercise program, contact your trusted health professionals.

Fitness-Tek: 8721 Gunn Highway, Odessa, Florida 33556 – 813.406.0827

Weight Loss – Golf Fitness – Muscle Activation Technique

Good Fats Versus Bad Fats

The classic battle of good versus evil is alive and well in the discussion of good fats versus bad fats.

There are no inherently bad fats out there. All fats in their natural form (key word being “natural”) serve a purpose and carry with them a given nutritional benefit.

Now just because there are no naturally bad fats out there does not mean that the benefits one gains from eating fat cannot be outdone. How? By eating too much of it or eating non-organic varieties of it.  Yes, too much of a good thing can be bad for you – natural or not.

Let’s touch first on the topic of fats from organic sources versus non-organic. An example of fat from an organic source would be the fat on a steak you get from a cow that has received no medication and is feed a diet that consist of grass that has not been treated with herbicides and/or pesticides. See most living organisms use fat as the storage sight for harmful chemicals their body ingests or absorbs through the skin, as a way of shielding their bodies from the harmful element. Our fat stores are the equivalent of toxic waste storage. So if we go around eating steaks from cows that have been feed grains, have been injected with drugs to make them stronger and meatier, are fed on feed that has been treated with fungicides to keep it fresh and are exposed to a mixed cocktail of other foreign chemicals throughout their life all that goodness ends up in their fat. It is a good idea to avoid this source of fat.

On the flip side of the above scenario if your meat is organic, eat your fat!

The key to remember is organic sources of fat are always cleaner and therefore safer for you to eat. When consuming fat moderation is the key and under no way bad for you.

Want to learn how you can shed your fat and still enjoy the foods you love?

Call us today for coffee on us! 813-406-0827.

Serving Citrus Park, Carrollwood, and Odessa, FL.

8721 Gunn Hwy.
Odessa, FL

Today we will go over one of the staple exercises you will see when you walk into your personal training studio – the row. There is the seated row, the bent over row, the decline row… the list goes on and on. The one we are going to touch on today is the seated row.

We say this a lot, and it’s important: if you are experiencing pain (back, shoulder, or otherwise), consult with your trusted health professionals first! While this exercise may not require a large amount of motion through the spinal segments, there is a tremendous amount of force that will be placed through your spine as a whole. If while you are doing this exercise you feel anything is “off” or is not normal sensations… stop and go to your doctor, then call your Muscle Activation Technique Specialist and progress your body safely and effectively. DO NOT PUSH THROUGH PAIN.

Let’s get started!

Take a seat! Lean forward and grab the double handle. Push yourself back on the seat and place your feet up on the foot rest.

Now the first motion to this exercise will be to retract your shoulder blades, by pulling them back and down.

Elevate your chest.

Now with a light grip on the handles, drive your elbows straight back to your sides.

Pause, and slowly allow your arms to extend back out in front of you.

Repeat these steps!

Have fun and be safe!

If you have any questions about this or any other exercises you have seen being done do not hesitate to give us a call anytime!

813-406-0827

Serving Carrollwood to Odessa, FL

8721 Gunn Hwy.
Odessa, FL

Chicken with Green Olives & Prunes

From EatingWell:  Fall 2004, The EatingWell Diabetes Cookbook (2005)

 Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup chopped pitted green olives, such as Spanish, Cerignola or cracked green
• 1/4 cup chopped pitted prunes, (dried plums)
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preperation:
1.Pat chicken dry with a paper towel. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Add broth and vinegar to the pan; bring to a simmer, stirring. Add olives, prunes and pepper; reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until the chicken is tender and no longer pink in the center, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Spoon sauce over the chicken and serve.

Nutritional Info:
Per serving: 224 calories; 8 g fat ( 2 g sat , 2 g mono ); 118 mg cholesterol; 3 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 29 g protein; 1 g fiber; 394 mg sodium; 454 mg potassium.

 Bonus Opportunity!!!

Bake it and bring it in for a free session!!!

We are located just north of South Mobley!

8721 Gunn Hwy
Serving the Greater Tampa Bay Area

813-406-0827

Alright it’s that time of the day….workout time! Here is a great dynamic warm up to do before you start to pump the Arnold iron! You will need a cable machine or elastic cord to do this warm up and the weight should be relatively low.

Now standing with your legs shoulder width apart and your arms out in front of you at 90 degrees grasp the handle lightly in your hands.

Top Ten Benefits of Muscle Activation Techniques

1. Decreased pain related to tissue inflammation.

In general muscular pain is related to inflammation of soft tissue and is often a symptom of some larger problem. With Muscle Activation Techniques you can get to the source of the problem and address the root cause, rather then just treat the symptoms.

2. Improved muscular contractions.

Muscle Activation Techniques is designed to identify limitation in range of motion as an indicator of muscular weakness. Once the weak muscles have been addressed and the range of motion has been restored the muscle tissue will now be able to fully contract and lengthen.

3. Increased contraction speed equating to faster on field movements.

The faster your body can contract muscles the fast you are going to be….MAT can help with that!

4. Increased force production equating to increased ability to build lean tissue.

If your muscles are properly communicating with the rest of your body you will have an increased ability to generate more force with the muscles you have…..The more force you can generate equates to a greater potential for hypertrophy and bigger guns!

5. Increased range of motion.

What if you could touch your toes again or reach that itch in the middle of your back? Or maybe you are a golfer or tennis player and want to be able to wind up for that long shot. Muscle Activation Techniques can do that for you!

6. Decreased insulin sensitivity.

One of the side effects of Muscle Activation Techniques is a decrease in inflammation in your body. This decrease in inflammation has the benefit of decreasing your body’s sensitivity to insulin and greatly increase your body’s ability to burn fat!

7. Increased ability to move and resume activities you had long ago given up.

Are you one of the millions of Americans that has given up on participating in your favorite past time? Get your life back with MAT! Decreased function and pain do not have to be part of getting older!

8. Ability to perform athletic activities with decreased wear on joints and soft tissue.

If you are a professional athlete in real life or maybe just play one in your mind you still ask a lot of your body everyday. MAT can help make sure your joints are properly aligned and decrease excessive wear on your joint surfaces.

9. Decreased stiffness and discomfort.

How does it sound to be able to get out of bed in the morning have your feet hit the ground and the first thing you think is “dam my …. hurts, I am getting old”. Muscle Activation Techniques can help with that!

10. Increased overall feeling of wellness and balance.

What if you could move about your day and not be reminded of how old you are  getting by your creaking bones??? You could definitely benefit from a Muscle Activation Techniques Assessment.

Do not put it off any longer! Muscle Activation Techniques is a valuable tool that can help with a number of issues. If you have tried everything else come experience the difference MAT could make for you! Mention this post and receive half off your initial assessment! Call Kevin @ 813-406-0827

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Melanie J. Clarke

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 (6-ounce) tuna steaks (about 1 inch thick)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup diced plum tomato (about 3 tomatoes)
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
• Cilantro sprigs (optional)

 
Preparation

1. Combine coriander, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Rub spice mixture evenly over both sides of fish.
2.  Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from heat.
3. Combine tomato and next 5 ingredients (through beans) in a medium bowl. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and toss well. Serve salsa with fish. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.

Laura Zapalowski, Cooking Light
APRIL 2008

First one to cook this and bring it in to the studio gets a free Muscle Activation Technique assessment. That is a $185 value!!

Serving Tampa Bay Florida

8721 Gunn Hwy
Odessa, FL

813-406-0827

As long as I can remember growing up playing soccer and wrestling we were always told to start by warming up with stretching exercises. Coach would say, “Do a deep hamstring stretch and hip flexor stretch and hold that leg up there for at least 30 seconds while your stretching partner tried pushing your leg back to your ear!” Recent research however, has shed some new light on the topic of stretching and how it is to be incorporated or not into our daily activities.

What does the research say about the benefits of static stretching?

Most recent research has indicated that performing static stretching prior to your workout or activity will actually decrease your ability to perform and showed no correlation with decreased injury. By performing a static stretching routine, one held for more than 30seconds, you actually decrease the sensitivity of your nervous system and sedate your muscles.

The interesting thing I found about the majority of the studies done is that the population they used were active individuals. Given most of us are not this active the studies are not a fair representation of our population. What would they find if they ran the test on a few hundred executives who sit most of the day and lead high stress lives?  They would probably find that holding a stretch for even 10 seconds would cause a weakening effect on the muscle.

The truth of the matter is there is no definitive answer to stretch or not to stretch. Every person’s body is going to respond differently.

One technique that I have found invaluable in assessing a person’s ability to handle the physical stress of stretching exercises is Muscle Activation Techniques or MAT. Muscle Activation Techniques gives the specialist a unique set of tools for assessing the contractibility of a muscle and assess the impact of stress placed on the tissue.

If you have questions as to whether or not stretching is right for your body give us a call to schedule a Muscle Activation Techniques assessment today. If you would like to learn more about MAT first go to:

http://www.muscleactivation.com/science.html

Give us a call for a complementary consultation and get the truth!

Call us at 813-406-0827

Serving Tampa Bay, FL
8721 Gunn Hwy.
Odessa, FL

Resistance to change

It can be difficult to change your life or change a habit. For example, I had been told many times that when I speak, I use fillers too much like “um”, “okay?”, or “like”. No matter how hard I tried to stop saying those words, it took me a few weeks – and a lot of annoying help – to take a word out of my vocabulary.

Changing a habit or transforming how we relate to an issue can be hard especially when it comes to weight loss goals. It can be simple to talk about, but not always easy to execute.

Regardless of the area of our life that we want to alter, there are a few tips that help me get “unstuck” and get the results I want.

How many times do you make a health resolution before it sticks?

Is this the 3,654th time you’ve made the same resolution? You’re not alone. Take some time and really tell the truth about what happened the other 3,653 times you tried this. When it gets hard, do you talk yourself out of really wanting that commitment anyway? Or when someone calls you out, do you get nasty enough that they never ask you about it again? Me too. The more we’re willing to tell the truth about that and clean it up with the people in our lives, the more support and power we’ll have.

Let other people know what you’re up to with your weight loss goals.

Pick people who aren’t afraid to tell you when you’re being a jerk. Tell them WHY it’s so important for you to reach your goal – the more you open up, the better. Why does it matter that I stop saying “um” so much? On the surface, I want to appear professional and look good. When I look deeper, it’s also because I want to make the biggest difference possible for people and adding in a “blah blah blah” when I get nervous to fill space, can be distracting and ultimately take away from what I’m all about.

Share the deep part of your “WHY”. Remember it’s all a process. If you knew what to do and how to do it, you would have done it already. Use the people you trust and consult the experts. It is possible to get the results you want.

Do you need an accountability partner to help you make healthy changes in your life? We can help! Give us a call today at 813-406-0827. Call us right now and start getting the results you want in life!

Serving Odessa and Tampa, FL

8721 Gunn Hwy
Odessa, FL

Are All Calories Created Equal?

Let’s start off with a quick discussion about what a calorie is. A calorie according to Wikipedia.

If you took that time to read that you may be even more in the dark about what a calorie is. Look at it this way: a calorie is a unit of heat. The more calories a food has the more stored energy it contains.

No all food calories are not created equal!

A calorie of fat has a different impact on our body then a calorie of carbohydrate and the same goes for protein. Each of these macro nutrients has a completely different impact on your body composition and in turn your weight.

Do I need to understand calories?

Yes calories are important to understand, but more importantly to understand is the impact that each macronutrient (Fat,Protein,Charbodydrate) has on your body.

It is important to understand how each macronutrient impacts your blood sugar and what this means for those of us looking to get rid of some of our unwanted fat.

Let’s take a look at what happens in our bodies moments before we consume a meal that is high in processed carbohydrates. As soon as we start to think about consuming this meal our pancreas begins to release insulin into our blood stream to get ready to combat the spike in blood sugar that follows eating a meal high in processed carbohydrates. Insulin is a storage hormone and is responsible for maintaining a balanced blood sugar. The problem is that when our blood sugar goes up so does our production of insulin and our body goes into a storage mode setting the stage for everything that we eat with in that meal to be stored as fat for later use.

Now take a look at what happens when we consume meal of protein, fat and leafy green carbohydrates. There is a small increase in insulin production at the onset of the meal that reaches a cap in the first few moments. It then returns to neutral as the blood sugar returns to neutral. With insulin not present in our blood, the body will now continue to produce glucagon, a break down hormone that is responsible for the breakdown of fat for energy. The energy you consumed instead of going into fat storage gets ushered into your lean tissue and stored as glucose for later use.

Now this is a simplified version of what happens when we consume calories of different macronutrients. The moral of the story is still the same, eat processed carbohydrates and you will store fat!

Interested in knowing more?

Call us today for coffee on us! 813-406-0827 . Serving Citrus Park and Odessa, FL.

8721 Gunn Hwy.
Odessa, FL