Posts Tagged ‘workout’
Body Weight Training
What could be easier than body weight training?
There is no money to be spent, no gym membership or dumbbell set, no need to go anywhere; your only investements are the pounds you already possess and a bit of time out of your day. Chances are you already know the basics of each exercise (a push up for example) and with a bit of planning, you could turn these basic exercises into a full body workout.
Body weight training is efficient
Body weight training is efficient at helping maintain a healthy weight. When combined with light aerobic activity, (i.e. the jumping jack, or a lung jump followed by a jog back), body weight training is one of the most efficeint ways to burn calories.
Some other advantages of body weight training include:
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Increasing relative strength
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Boosting reactive strength
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Encouraging better circulation
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Strengthening the core to help with low back pain and posture
These sound exactly like the advantages to be gained from regular weight training! Body weight training works the best in circuits, whereby you move from exercise to exercise without a break and then repeat if possible. This burns calories quick, trains your heart to work at a higher level and boosts Post Exercise Oxygen Consumption, keeping your metabolism elevated for hours after the work out.
Body weight training is compatible with modern lifestyles.
Are you someone who thinks there is not enough time in the day for a full work out? Body weight circuits can be done in as little as 10 minutes in front of the television- now try telling me there isn’t enough time in the day. For help optimizing and indeed, modernizing your work out plan to fit into your hectic lifestyle, give our office in Park Slope a call to schedule an appointment today.
Dr. Karen Thomas, D.C., L.Ac.
The Core of the Issue
Many people subscribe to the idea that the core is just an ambiguous muscle in the middle of the body, when in reality it is so much more. The core is a system of muscles that work together to influence almost every move your body makes, excluding those of the limbs. This makes the core important, but it also means that working out the core properly is important to. For people concerned with using their core to improve the condition of their back, we need to look at the core differently than someone who is looking to get “ripped abs.”
The core can be used as a force producer but this is, in all reality, secondary to its nature. Exercises like crunches strengthen the abs and make the stomach powerful at iniating movement. So…try twisting crunches instead! For people who want to use the core to add support to the vertebrae and muscles of the lower back, we want the core to be a prime stabilizer: using exercises such as planks, side planks, bridges and deadlifts strengthens the core holistically creating a powerful, injury resistant center of the body. This helps to bear some of the burden that is placed on the lower back.
The core as a stabilizer is an excellent idea for people looking to rehabilitate injury or prevent one from ever happening again. At Community Chiropractic & Acupuncture, we urge you not to start an indiscriminate plan for “strengthening the core,” without consulting an expert first. While internet blogs and fitness magazines are good (albeit inconsistent) places to get information, our office offers you a personalized evaluation and health plan.
Dr. Karen Thomas, D.C.
Overtraining
At Community Chiropractic & Acupuncture, we want to encourage athletes of all disciplines to train smarter if they are going to train harder. The science and study of strength training has evolved immensely as more and more money is pumped into professional sports, creating a windfall of information for those of us who are happy to play at our own level. We can help you identify exercises and habits that may be actually working against your attempts to build muscle and endurance.
At our office in Park Slope, we want athletes to be aware of the pitfall of overtraining: when muscles are not given enough time or nutrition to rebuild after vigorous exercise.
Overtraining is a great way to injure yourself and it is entirely avoidable. With the proper attention to hydration, nutrition and rest, you will enter the gym refreshed and inspired rather than tired and ragged. This will in turn, allow you to get the most out of your exercise. For many people, a simple conversation is all it takes to catalyze an entire program of health and efficient muscle building.
Rather than fearing injury, we want you to be confident that your biomechanics are in solid order when you perform your first deadlift, which is incidentally, when performed properly, quite a good exercise for lower back strengthening. We monitor, identify and correct muscular imbalances that could be setting you up for a muscle tear if you push yourself too hard.
Call our office in Brooklyn at (718) 398-3100 to schedule an appointment today.
Dr. Karen A. Thomas, D.C. L.Ac.