Healthy Snacking During the Holidays

Stress during the holidays is usually higher when compared to the other times of the year. And with stress comes the need to eat a high calorie, high carbohydrate food.  It's tough to have self-control during the holidays when it comes to food portions.  An even tougher challenge is which food or treats to eat that wouldn't make your workouts (results) end in vain.  Well, here is a quick and easy healthy treat recipe (compliments of Precision Nutrition) for those of you that have a sweet tooth:

Mixed Nut Cookies
prep time • 20 minutes

1 TBS Olivina (non-hydrogenated olive oil margarine)
1 cup Splenda
1 omega-3 egg
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
2/3 cup pecans, crushed
2/3 cup peanuts, crushed
2/3 cup walnuts, crushed
3 scoops vanilla or chocolate protein powder

Preheat oven to 375°F.
In a mixing bowl, mix Olivina, Splenda, omega-3 egg and ground cinnamon.
Next, add crushed pecans, peanuts and walnuts to the bowl.
Finally, add 3 scoops of protein powder and mix well.
On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, scoop out 6 equal portions of the mixture, separating them about 2 inches apart from one another.
Take a fork and gently press down on them, flattening the mixture into cookies.
Bake for 6 minutes, or until you see the Olivina bubbling from the cookies.
When finished, pull from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
Serve warm or cool, or seal and store in fridge.

Makes 6 servings.

NUTRITION INFORMATION
(per serving)
Calories 396 kcal
Protein 19 g
Carbohydrate 8 g
Fat 32 g
Saturated 3.5 g
Monounsaturated 12.9 g
Polyunsaturated 15.6 g

Enjoy!

Core Strength vs. Core Stability

Thank you to my clients who attempted to respond to Monday's "Pop Quiz: the Core." I apologize for the unfortunate challenges of my commenting platform. I will investigate alternate commenting options, to enable commenting for the next pop quiz. With that said, let's get back to the quiz question: Core Strength vs. Core Stability.

If you'd like one last chance to take a guess, I'll give you a definition of the core that eludes to the answer:

The core musculature can be defined generally as the 29 pairs of muscles that support the lumbo-pelvic-hip complex in order to stabilize the spine, pelvis, and kinetic chain during functional movements. These muscles are the foundation for movement; they support the inherently unstable spine. To ensure stability of the spine, trunk muscles must have sufficient strength, endurance, and recruitment patterns.

Faries, M.D., Greenwood, Mike. "Core Training: Stabilizing the Confusion." Strength and Conditioning Journal. 29: 10-24. 2007.


Do you see where we're going with this?

Core strength refers to the ability of the musculature to stabilize the spine, as a platform for body movement.

And despite what an infomercial might lead you to believe, core stability does NOT refer to the stability of the muscles of the core, but rather the stability of the spine. Therefore, you cannot directly target core stability. (I hope it is obvious that you can't work out your spine.) To stabilize your spine, your direct target will be the strength and endurance of the muscles of the core.

In other words, there is not one set of exercises for core strength and a separate set for core stability. Core stability comes from core strength.

Now that we're all on the same page about the terminology, we'll delve deeper into core strength and stability in coming weeks.

Pop Quiz: the Core

Often times around the gym, as anywhere, terms with similar but different meanings begin to be used interchangeably, and eventually the definition of each becomes lost. Once that happens, two people can end up using the same term to express two totally different concepts. Or they may end up using two different terms when they're really discussing the same concept. This can result in frustrating miscommunication between clients and trainers, and even leave a client feeling like a personal goal is being unaddressed.

Such is the case with the "core strength" and "core stability." Just off the top, when you read those terms, you probably think you know what they mean, right? But think about them for another second. Are they the same thing? Are they related? How? Are you fairly sure you use the terms correctly when talking about your goals?

Today's Pop Quiz question asks:

What is the difference between core strength and core stability?

Looking forward to reading your responses.
I'll post the answer later in the week.

Christmas Gifts to Encourage Winter Activity: Kids

On Thursday, we had some ideas for Christmas gifts for women who love outdoor activities. I bet there will be a few kids who will need a push to get out the door and get active this winter, too.  Here are some gift ideas to keep the kids burning off the sugar of the season:

WHAM-O Snow Trac Ball

This guy has a snow scoop and snowball maker, and can launch snowballs up to 150 feet.  Wowzers!  Can I get one?

EMS has it for $12.95, with free shipping.
Amazon has it for $12; free shipping with $25 purchase.

(They are out of stock at Target.)

Flexible Flyer

Zipfy

Crazy Sleds

Check out the Zipfy at EMS ($40), or the Flexible Flyer PT Blaster at amazon ($60).

I'm trying to figure out how to work these guys into a bootcamp workout!

Connectible Walrooz

Need something tamer for the smaller kids?

How about Target's BenBal Connectible Walrooz (2 pack, size small, $16, age 3+).

(Amazon has them, too, but pricier.)

Snowshoes

You knew I was going to say snowshoes, right?

You'll find the same starter snowshoes for kids (at right) at our 3 favorite adventure retailers: $30 at REI, and $35 at EMS and LLBean.

LLBean also has snowshoe kits, complete with poles, for $99.


If these gifts don't get the kids outdoors, time to unplug the Wii!

When you're done shopping, time to study up... Pop Quiz coming soon!!!

Christmas Gifts to Encourage Winter Activity: Women

Ah, winter.  So easy to stay on the comfy couch in the nice warm house, and become sedentary for the next 4 months, until the fear of swimsuit season strikes right around April or so.

Why not give gifts this Christmas that encourage an active lifestyle in your household?  If you haven't finished shopping for the women on your list, here are some suggestions.

BTW, when shopping for workout gear and apparel for the gym, the neighborhood athletic store will generally serve its purpose.  But for true outdoor gear, I prefer to shop through more specialized outdoor adventure retailers.  My favorites are REI, EMS, or L.L.Bean.  Right now, each has FREE SHIPPING and a shopping incentive:

REI: spend $100 and receive a $20 gift card to use by 01/06/13
EMS: spend $75 and receive a $15 "Gear Bucks" card to use in January, 2013
L.L.Bean: spend $50 and receive a $10 gift card to use by 02/13/13

Snow Shoes

Moving from California, we did not enjoy our first few winters in the Midwest. Last year we decided to make the best of it, and found we really enjoyed snowshoeing.

Both REI and L.L.Bean have them starting around $100.  EMS has a 20% off sale, so prices start at $80. 

Down Skirts

I'm not sure if I'm convinced about this trend yet, but my wife, Julie is really into these down skirts. Supposedly they're all the rage in Alaska, and making their way south. Apparently they're worn with wool tights.

EMS and REI both have these skirts.  L.L.Bean doesn't seem to carry them.

Headbands & Accessories

Headbands are everywhere.  You can find them at any area store, but Julie's favorite is from REI, and pictured at right.

Arm warmers, wristlets, and buffs (neck warmers) also seem to be popular right now.




Gals, what's on your wishlist this Christmas?

Coming soon: Gifts to Encourage Winter Activity for Kids

Strong Mind, Strong Body

Did anyone catch the shocking research synopsis in December's "Experience Life" magazine, entitled "I Think, Therefore I'm Strong"? In case you missed it, let me fill you in on a finding that might prove helpful in this over-scheduled holiday season: you can get stronger just by imagining exercising!

Researchers at Quebec's Bishop University conducted a study on 30 student athletes. 10 participants were randomly selected to mentally practice training their hip flexors. 10 participants were randomly selected to physically exercise on a hip flexor weight machine. The remaining 10 acted as a control group that did not engage in any mental or physical training.

Before the study began, all participants were tested on amount of weight lifted using their hip flexors. At the end of two week study, the participants were once again tested on the amount of weight that they were able to lift on a hip flexor weight machine.

Participants from the control group achieved no gains in physical strength. Those who took part in physical or mental exercise saw a significant increase in the weight they were able to lift using their hip flexors. Participants who mentally imagined exercising their hip flexors were able to lift 24% more weight, and participants who physically exercised were able to lift 28% more weight.

Now don't go quitting the gym just yet!  Remember, the study did not look at long-term strength gains, or maintenance of strength via mental imagery. Nor can we assume that imagining exercise will increase metabolism, improve mood, or provide any other benefits of actual physical exercise.  But it does feel good to know that, should the demands of the season cause a missed workout or two, our mental capacities can pick up a little slack. But I'd still better see you at bootcamp!


Shackell, E. M., & Standing, L. G. (2007). Mind over matter: Mental training increases physical strength. North American Journal of Psychology,  9, 189-200.

Preventing Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

We've talked about what DOMS is, then looked at ways to manage DOMS when it strikes.  What about prevention?  Is it possible to work out hard without feeling extreme soreness later?

Well, there's never a guarantee, but there is a best practice to minimize the risk of DOMS: active dynamic warm-up.

Now don't panic when you read over the protocol below for active dynamic warm-up.  Yes, it is long.  (It can take up to 30 minutes.)  But the exercises are organized in a ramping fashion, meaning that they challenge your muscles, mobility, and flexibility to an ever-increasing degree.  Not a cakewalk!  Depending on your level of fitness, the active dynamic warm-up may be just that: a warm-up, or it may be a full workout for a beginner.

Active Dynamic Warm-Up includes:

Movement Prep:
The first step is to prepare your body for movement, by way of self myofascial release.  Use The Stick or foam roller for about 10 minutes to prime your muscles for exercise.  The most important muscles to focus on are: calves, hamstrings, inner thighs, quadriceps, hip flexors, mid-back, upper traps, lats, and pecs.

Mobility Exercises: 
These activities are used to increase blood flow, take joints through ranges of motion, and further prepare the body for movement. Mobility exercises are executed at a low exertion level.

After sticking-out or foam rolling, jog forward and backwards for 30 seconds to 1 minute, to increase your core temperature.

After the 1 minute run, complete 5-10 reps of:
big, medium, and small shoulder circles moving clockwise and counterclockwise,
wrist circles,
standing trunk twist,
arm hugs with hamstring stretch,
bent trunk twist,
hip circles,
half squat,
ankle circles,
heel to toe raises

Muscle Activation: 
After the core body temperature is elevated, target muscles that are important to posture, stability, and force application during training.

Exercise examples:
plank or bridge 30 seconds,
side planks 15 seconds each side,
glute bridges 10x,
Y, T, I, W, and L for your mid-back and posterior shoulders 10x,
chin tucks 10x

Transit Mobility: 
These activities take joints through a specific range of motion, while traveling over a prescribed distance (10 yds). These movements are designed to reinforce athletic movement, increase dynamic flexibility, while also increasing the intensity of physical exertion.

Exercises include:
forward/backward skips,
lateral skips,
half speed or 75% sprint speed,
walking knee hug to elbow to instep,
straight leg march to inverted toe touch,
side slides,
carioca,
lunges,
skips and scoops

Dynamic Mobility: 
These activities take joints through an explosive or rapid range of motion. While similar to transit mobility, dynamic mobility activities generally do not travel over a distance, but offer a final increase in intensity of physical exertion.

Try the following exercises, either for 5-10 reps, or for 20-30 seconds:
thrust and/or frog thrust,
mountain climbers,
crawling jacks,
standing frontal and sagittal leg swings,
rockers
100% sprint speed 2x (sprint full court, walk back)


And with that, your active dynamic warm-up is concluded.  If you've got anything left, go hit some iron!

An Outlawed Exercise?

Anyone have a rough week?  Here's some exercise humor to get your weekend off to a better start.

(Bear with the acting; it gets better after the first minute.)

Now get out there and do some outlawed exercise!  Thanks, Martin Rooney, for the inspiration.

Managing Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

Last time we looked at delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS.

Today let's talk about how to manage DOMS when it strikes.  A review of current research on the topic of DOMS management shows much disagreement on whether or not DOMS treatment can actually bring on recovery of the damaged muscle tissue.  But most professionals agree that treatment can alleviate the symptoms of DOMS.  (On that note, please remember that pain reduction does not represent recovery. While these methods may be effective in reducing symptoms of pain, underlying muscle damage may require a degree of time and reduced activity for muscle tissues to heal.)

Let's look at some of the more common methods of managing DOMS symptoms.

Gentle Massage, "The Stick," Foam Rolling

These techniques, referred to as myofacial release, increase blood and lymph flow through the muscles, thereby nourishing muscles and removing waste.  Partial relief of symptoms is commonly felt almost instantly with myofacial release.

Gentle massage is fairly self-explanatory.  But what about those of us whose funds disallow massage sessions?  The Stick and foam rolling provide the same benefits as gentle massage, with only the initial investment; once you own the tools, you can basically "self-massage" any time the need arises.

The Stick is my preferred tool for DOMS alleviation.  In fact, I use it regularly after workouts, and even before workouts as a pre-warm-up (which we'll talk about in a future post).  Why do I love The Stick?  I don't have to put my body into challenging positions to reach the target muscles.

If you're slightly more flexible, the foam roller might be a good alternative for you.  Working basically like The Stick, the foam roller does require flexibility, and upper body strength and stability to access certain muscles (e.g., calves, hamstrings). Although the foam roller is a viable option, The Stick would tend to be more user-friendly for most people.

Anti-Inflammatory Drugs    
Paired with myofacial release, anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, diclofenac, etc) often help alleviate symptoms of DOMS.

Light Jogging or Stretching
While our tendency is often to baby a sore muscle (or for some, to push through the pain with excessive ferocity), several studies have shown that light exercise of the affected muscles can lead to less muscle tenderness, a lesser loss of strength, and greater return of ROM.

Cold-Water Immersion 
This one might be a tough sell as we enter the winter season.  However, I should mention that immersion in a tub of 55-60F ice water for 5-20 minutes immediately after exercise, and every 12 hours thereafter, has been shown to be effective in minimizing DOMS symptoms.


It goes without saying that individual response to each treatment will vary between people, or even in one individual from one episode to the next. 

Now we've looked at what DOMS is and how to manage DOMS.  Next time, we'll talk about minimizing the risk of DOMS.

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness: Overview

Clients often ask me about the muscle pain and tightness that occur a day or two after beginning/increasing exercise. Often the pain takes them by surprise, since they didn't notice it during the workout. This type of pain is called "delayed onset muscle soreness," or DOMS.

If you've been working out for a while, you've probably been told that DOMS results from lactic acid build-up in the muscles. That theory had a good run before researchers determined that lactic acid is merely a by-product of activity, and not the cause of pain following exercise.

Currently, several theories attempt to explain DOMS. One of the most widely accepted theories is that DOMS is caused by the inflammatory and regenerative response of the body to the microscopic damage that training causes within the muscle fibers. This damage-recovery cycle is considered a normal adaptation process that leads to greater strength and stamina. However, at times the damage will be more extreme, thus will be the recovery, leading to DOMS.

Besides the intensity of the work-out affecting the risk of DOMS, the type of activity can also create a greater chance of DOMS. Activities that focus on eccentric actions put you at greatest risk of DOMS. (Eccentric exercise lengthens the muscle, as in slow squatting, stepping down, or any activity where you have to control movement with resistance.) Isometric actions (application of force without joint movement, no change in the length of the muscle, as in a squat hold) elicits the next greatest chance of experiencing DOMS. Finally, concentric actions (i.e., shortening the muscle, as in bicep curl from arm straight to arm flexed) poses the least risk of DOMS.

DOMS can affect a professional athlete just as easily as a boot-camper or a novice. Any time you begin a new program or new intensity, be ready for the possibility of DOMS.

Next time we'll address how you can deal with DOMS when it strikes, and even better, how you and your trainer can minimize the risk of DOMS.

Tunes to Rev You Up

A long holiday weekend.  Lots of food.  Some Black Friday deals.  It's going to be difficult to get in the zone to train.

Here's one of my favorite songs to get me pumped to work out.  Have a listen, and see if you don't just want to lift something heavy.

Want it for your iPod workout mix?  Check it out at iTunes.

Welcome

Almost a decade ago, my career path took me from the physical therapy clinic to the sports performance arena.  While those two settings present an extreme dichotomy of clientele, one thing became obvious to me in that career move: dysfunction in movement pattern can be detrimental to people across the board.

Sedentary adults who don't make exercise a priority often begin to feel pain just from simple activities of daily living.  Likewise, athletes who don't work to conquer their weakest link are more prone to injury, not to mention the likelihood of falling short of their maximum potential on the field. 

These days I work primarily with clients who fall somewhere on the continuum between sedentary and athlete.  Maybe that describes you.  Whether you are looking to unleash your inner athlete and reach your maximum physical potential, or simply wanting to get off the couch and feel better, I hope you'll join me as we tackle issues like motivation, program design, nutrition, and more.