EOD - Face Pulls

As any one of my clients will tell you, Face Pulls are one of my favorite exercises. It doesn't matter your strength or size, face pulls are great for everyone and here is why.


The Face Pull works the upper back and back of the shoulders (rear deltoids). These muscles are very underused by everyone. Just typing on my computer right now, I'm using the front of my shoulder and completely ignoring the back of the shoulder. Almost everything we do in life happens in front of us, not behind us.


Therefore, most people acquire what is called protracted shoulders, meaning if you drew a line from shoulder to shoulder it was look like a "C" instead of the straight line it should be.

Face Pulls work the back of the shoulder, strengthening the muscle we never use, straightening up our posture. It is a very important exercise for people who sit all day at work in front of a computer. It is also important for those individuals who want to increase the weight on their bench press because the stronger the back of your shoulder, the more weight you will be able to push forward.

To do a face pull, find a cable machine and take a rope grip, putting it at a height just above your head. With a slight bend in the knee and while leaning backwards just a tad, pull the rop towards your nose, keeping your elbows above your shoulders.

Take a look at the video.....

EOD - Stability Ball Hamstring Curls

Today's exercise of the day comes as a request from my mom of all people. She has some knee problems and her doctor (and her son/trainer) told her she needs to work her quads and hamstrings. So I told her to do the hamstring curl machine. However, for someone who is not used to using machines or someone who does not need to use more then bodyweight, those machines can be pretty uncomfortable. So she asked me for a different way to work the hamstrings and so here I am now about to explain the Stability Ball Hamstring Curl.

 

One of our group fitness instructors at the gym, Megan, does a great job explaining the exercise in this video so I won't go into much detail in words.

I will say that this exercise forces you to use a little bit of balance which in turn uses stabilizer muscles that machines just can't get. For anyone with knee issues, using stabilizer muscles is critical because it can stabilize the knee joint causing less pain for use in every day activities.

The hamstring is one of the most underworked muscles in the human body. Most of our power comes from the hamstring, yet we tend to only focus on the quad. A strong hamstring, means a strong knee and a strong, healthy leg.

Hamstrings also can tighten up and are the cause of most lower back pain. So take the time before and after everyone of your workouts to stretch the hamstrings by sitting on the ground, lifting one leg straight in the air and pulling the leg towards your face with your hands, keeping your leg as straight as possible the entire time. Here is another stretch for your hamstrings you can do anytime at your desk.

As always, let me know if there is a certain exercise or muscle group you want to be on the exercise of the day. Enjoy the video and thanks to Megan for her great explination.

World Cup of Fitness

I finally got internet back at my house after nearly two weeks without it. I'd been posting from work which is why you never saw a weekend post from me. I will continue EOD's starting tomorrow.

For today, I'm going to put a World Cup theme considering the World Cup just began. In my opinion, the most fit and best built athlete in the world is Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal. Watch him over the next month and you will see how great a soccer player he is as well as a great bodybuilder.



Check out a short and sweet article on his fitness routine here.

Soccer players normally aren't as built in their upper body as Ronaldo is considering their sport is all about running, endurance and the use of their legs. But Ronaldo is different.

EOD - The Power Clean

To end the week, I wanted to go with a more advanced move for the Exercise of the Day. The Power Clean is advanced because it requires multiple muscle groups to work together especially the posterior chain of the calves, hamstrings, glutes, lower back and upper back.

The Power Clean is a great exercise for atheletes looking to achieve more power, faster speeds and a lot of strength. This exercise is a combination of a bunch of movements, all of which someone wishing to do a Power Clean should feel comfortable doing on its own before performing the full Power Clean.

Once again I have recruited my co-worker Audrey to demonstrate this exercise. She does a great job of explaining every movement. The Power Clean consists of a deadlift, an upright row, a front squat and finally a shoulder press (NOTE: Audrey does not demonstrate the shoulder press portion because it is optional for this exercise).

If you have ever watched the Summer Olympics you see power-type lifts where Olympians lift ridiculous amounts of weight over their head. For the average Joe's out there, I would suggest started to Power Clean with whatever the amount of weight is that you can do sets of deadlifts.

Enjoy the video and even if you aren't in the physical condition yet to do these, this video is broken down into each part of the exercise and everyone can try all of these seperately.

EOD - The Exercise Band

Today's Exercise of the Day deals with the Exercise Bands which are those rubber band, multi-colored things with handles that you see at the gym. The color of the band determines the amount of resistance each band will give you. Normally, yellow is the easiest and black or grey are the hardest. All you really have to do is look at each band. The thicker bands will provide more resistance then the thinner bands.

Bands are a great way for a beginner to start learning the effects of resistance training. I also use bands when I am introducing a new exercise to a client as a way of making sure they have the right posture and positioning for the exercise. Bands are most common for rehabbing an injury, most commonly the shoulder and ankle.

This article here explains in good detail why band training can be more beneficial then weight training for some people. I suggest incorporating band work into your workout. The video below shows a lat pulldown. But any exercise can be done with a band. Whatever the movement you would do with a free weight or weight machine can also be done with a band.

Bands can be purchased just about anywhere now. I've seen them at Dick's, Target and Sports Authority. You can also purchase them online at Amazon.

Try it out, let me know what you think and enjoy the video.

EOD - The Plank

Most people have heard of the plank. But are you doing the plank correctly? Are you holding it long enough? What does it really work?

Well, the plank might be the best exercise for the core out there today. It doesn't require weights and can be done in your office, at home, in the gym or anywhere you have a flat surface. Today's video shows the side plank and the front plank. I like this video because it also describes how to do a plank push-up from the side.

Planks stabilize the core muscles, which are the muscles in the middle part of our body from the hip up to the ribs, both in our stomach region and the lower back region. The stronger your core, the better you will be at EVERYTHING else in life. Everything starts from your core.

In addition to what this video shows, there is the reverse plank where you put your forearms on the ground which your back side facing the ground and your heels on the ground. Then lift your hips off the mat and keep your toes pointed towards the ceiling. Another progression for planks is an unstable surface. If you can hold a front plank for 90 seconds or longer, then progress to where you are using a stability ball underneath your arms. This will give more of a squeeze to the abdominal area.

I like to try and have my clients hold the front plank for 60-90 seconds and the side and reverse planks for 30-45 seconds.

Enjoy the video!

EOD - The Butt Blaster

Those of you who train with me most likely know that I have an exercise I call the Butt Blaster which I normally incorporate into a leg workout. Today's Exercise of the Day is a compilation of exercises that shape your backside. Almost all women at the gym ask me how they can shape their butt and this video shows a few basic exercises. The exercise where you push your leg almost straight up in the air behind you is what I consider the true 'Butt Blaster'.

Now for guys, working out your glutes is extremely important because not only is that where most of your power comes from in a squat but it is also the muscle group that can help give you power in most athletic activities such as ice skating, swinging a baseball bat or a tennis racket.

If these exercises in this video are too easy for you, consider using resistance bands until the resistance is suitable for your strength.

Don't forget the gluteal muscles connect your lower back to your hamstrings, so strengthening these muscles will not only help with people who have back pain and knee pain, but it will help runners, jumpers and many other different type of athletes.

Enjoy the video.

EOD

Welcome to another workweek. Today's Exercise of the Day is all about the basics of a squat. Squatting is the best exercise anyone can do, hands down! If squatting properly you are working out all of the major muscle groups in the leg including the gluts, hamstrings, quads and calves. It involves movement in three major joint complexes, the hip complex, the knee and the ankle.

A lot of people I talk to tell me they don't squat because they have knee problems. Well here is the truth. A squat shouldn't bother your knees at all if done properly. In fact, squatting will only strengthen your knee. The main reason most people feel knee pain during squats is because they are sitting far enough back into the squat.

My co-worker at Gold's Gym Audrey is doing the demonstrating in this video and explains the squat really well. She is one of the best trainers I work with and one of the strongest women I've ever lifted weights with, especially when it comes to lower body workouts.

Enjoy the short video and starting squatting today.

EOD - The Vertical Jump

The exercise of the day today is a little different. This one is a dynamic movement which helps give power to your legs. It is a standing vertical jump (Box Jump) onto a platform, step or whatever level-raised surface you can find.

This is a great exercize for active people who want a spring in their step for whatever sport they play. This is the drill most used by NFL scouts to determine how athletic a player is. Denver Broncos Quarterback Tim Tebow had a ridiculous vertical jump which helped him move up in the draft all the way to the first round even though his throwing skills as a QB were lacking. I bet he practiced this exercise a lot.

The video (click here) for this exercize is courtesy of one of my clients, Beth. Her husband is a football coach at a local high school here in Pittsburgh and this is a player on his team which after seeing this jump should get some scholarship offers next season when he is a senior. Maybe it will be Pitt!! The jump is the first 30 seconds of the video. The rest are football drills which college coaches will use to determine how valuable this athlete could be for their team.

Have a great weekend everyone and remember a glass or two of red wine is actually good for you so have a glass of wine with your dinner tonight!

Exercize of the Day (EOD)

Too many times in the gym I see people workout without stretching first. Stretching is a huge part of workout out, getting stronger, losing weight and just being a healthier person.

Now most people think stretching is getting into a certain position and holding it for a few seconds. This is called static stretching and is great, but it doesn't prepare you for a workout. Static stretching is great AFTER your workout.

Prework stretches should be ACTIVE, meaning your muscles are moving, not sitting still. These are called active or dynamic stretches. The reason for this in simple terms is that if you warm up by being still, your muscles will be still and it will be harder to activate them when you lift a weight or start running. When you use active stretches you are actually preparing each muscle to lengthen and then contract which is exactly was is done with resistence training. (Sports Fitness Advisor)

Here is a video of some active/dynamic preworkout stretches. Obviusly you don't need to go as far as the man in the example, but attempting a slower variation is recommended before your workout no matter if you are about to get on a cardio machine or about to do resistence training.

Exercise of the Day - Kettlebells

Kettlebells have been around for a while but recently they are becomming more and more popular for everyday use at the gym. At my gym, we got a set in about a month ago and we are continuously learning how to use them. Here is a great video instruction on some basic kettlebell exercises.
Try this out at home if you have a kettlebell. If not come into Gold's Gym in downtown Pittsburgh and I'll give you a crash course lesson.

Ping Pong Balls, Jewish History and some Gym Time

Wow, what a crazy day. Not that I follow the NBA that much but I am a Wizards fan when push comes to shove. And my Wiz got the No. 1 pick in the draft tonight which means Welcome to D.C. John Wall!!! Now if only we could sign LeBron. (ESPN Article)

Tonight begins the Jewish holiday of Shavuot. It is the day that God gave the Torah to the Israelities in the desert. I went to an even at the JCC (Jewish Community Center) tonight as I try to get more involved in the Jewish Community. I learned a lot tonight such as you are supposed to eat dairy tonight. There are many theories on why this is the case but I don't buy any of them so I won't get into it now.

I need some help from everyone with this next topic. I started a class at the gym last week. It is called Power Lunch and I run it like a bootcamp for 45 minutes. The gym I work at is downtown so I figured I'd get business people on their lunch break. Last week I offered the class for free so everyone could see what it was all about. I had 10 people show on Tuesday and 8 on Thursday. However, today not a single person showed up. It seems no one wants to pay even the small $10 a class fee I am asking. Any suggestions on how or what you think I can do to make this class a success. I still want it to work out as I think it is a great cheaper option to have a personal trainer. I can charge up to $60 a session for 1-on-1, so I thought in a group setting, I could charge a lot less and get more people involved.
Hopefully all of you brilliant marketing/PR minds out there can suggest something for me.