Improving your Core Endurance and Pushups

Hello Fitness Challengers,

This week I will give you a few tips to help you improve your plank and pushups.

To increase your plank time, it is paramount to incorporate both functional training and core stability exercises into your routine. Here is a great functional exercise that will work your core.

"The Woodchop"
1) Attach a single hand grip to the #1 or #2 setting on the cable column of the functional trainer
2) Face outward towards the gym, and position your feet hip width apart. Grasp the hand grip with both hands above your right shoulder
4) Swing the clasped handle downward and across the body until it passes the opposite thigh, as if you are chopping wood
5) Allow your hips and knees to rotate slightly as you pull your navel into your spine
6) Keep your abdominals tight as you allow the hand grip to return to starting position
7) Perform 8 to 10 repetitions on your right side, then switch sides

"Core Stabilization"
Another way to strengthen your core is by perfoming movements that challenge your body's alignment and balance. When your body is placed in an unstable environment, for example when lying on a stability ball, you need to use stabilizing muscles to help you maintain proper body alignment and balance.

For example, try working your chest on the stability ball during your next workout

1) Hold a set of dumbells, one in each hand and sit on the stability ball
2) Roll out into a supine "face up " position on the ball with your shoulders and head rested on the ball, and your feet on the floor with your knees bent
3) Keep your hips up, glutes tight, and core engaged to ensure proper body alignment and balance
4) Extend your arms and straighten your elbows, while keeping your shoulder blades on the ball. Return your elbows to 90 degrees and repeat for your targeted reps

By incorporating both functional training and stability ball training into your workouts, not only will you strengthen the core muscles, but your body will perform more efficiently.



Here is a great way to help you do more pushups.

1) From either the modified (on your knees) or advanced position (on your toes) perform what I like to call "pyramid push-ups". Each set increasing the repetitions, followed by a brief recovery period. For example: Perform 7 sets, with a 5 rep sequence, resting only 15 seconds between each set.

Here is a sample pyramid pushup format:
Set 1 = 5 reps ---- rest 15 seconds
Set 2 = 10 reps ---- rest 15 seconds
Set 3 = 15 reps ---- rest 15 seconds
Set 4 = 20 reps ---- rest 15 seconds
Set 5 = 15 reps ---- rest 15 seconds
Set 6 = 10 reps ---- rest 15 seconds
Set 7 = 5 reps


As you progress, try reducing your rest intervals. In a few weeks, you will be doing a lot more push ups without rest.

I hope you found this information helpful. If you would like to learn more about the exercises in this blog, please feel free to contact me at 694-0196.

Thank you,
Bryan

Tips for Increasing your One Mile Run, 1 Rep Max, and Sit & Reach

Hello Fitness Challengers,

I'm back from a very relaxing week in Mexico and looking forward to helping you perform better on the results challenge. These fitness tips will help improve your overall performance.

One Mile Run
Try interval training. Start out with a 1:4 (sprint to jog). Sprint for 30 seconds, then jog for 2 minutes, repeat until you reach one-mile. As you become more fit, try a 1:3 (sprint to jog). Sprint for 30 seconds, then jog for 1:30. If you are more advanced you can start with 1:1 (sprint to jog) then progress to 2:1, 3:1. As your fitness level improves, increase your intervals to 60 seconds.

Muscular Strength (1 -RM)
Perform either the bench press or leg press using 60 - 70% of your 1 Rep Max (your max is posted on the results wall in the gym). Perform 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps and increase the weight each set. Perform 12 reps @ 60% max on set one, 10 reps with 65% max on set two, and 8 reps @70%max on set 3. Rest 2 to 3 minutes between sets to allow your muscles to fully recover. When you can perform 8 reps on your last set for two consecutive workouts, increase your starting weight by 5%. If you are an intermediate lifter, you can train with 70% - 85% of your max with a rep range of 8 to 10. If you are advanced, you can train with 80 - 100% of your max with a rep range of 1 to 8.

Flexibility (Sit and Reach)
The sit and reach test measures the flexibility of the back, hip and hamstring muscles so any auxiliary stretches you do for these three areas will increase your ability to reach out further on the test.

Recommendations: Perfom one stretch for each muscle group. Hold each stretch for 15 - 30 seconds, and perform 3-4 sets, 2 to 3 days per week.

Lower back
1) Sit on the floor with your legs hip width apart. Keep your toes pointed toward the ceiling and relax your body as it gently falls forward towards your knees.

2) Lay on your back flat on the floor, and bring both knees towards your chest, rock top to bottom for a nice feel on your back.

Hips
1) Sit cross legged on the floor with your back straight but not in a solid arch and lean forward at the hips.

2) Lay flat on the floor with your legs out stretched and arms on the floor perpendicular to the upper torso. Bend one knee up until the foot is next to the out stretched legs knee. Now with the hand on the side of the out stretched leg gently pull the bent knee over the top of the straight leg. You will feel a gentle pull on your hips as you apply pressure to bring the bent leg over to the side.

Hamstrings
1) Sit on the floor with your legs stretched and spread hip width apart. Gently bend forward from the waist and reach towards your toes. You should feel the stretch in the lower back and hamstrings.

2) Lay flat on your back with both legs straight out, now bend one knee and raise the straight leg up in the air. Gently pull it back towards your head.

What Stretch is Best? In general, Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) stretching has resulted in greater increases in range of motion compared with static or ballistic stretching, though some results have not been statistically significant. Please see Bryan to learn how to perform PNF stretching.


I hope you found this infomation helpful. Look for more tips on improving your muscular endurance and core conditoning posted here next week.

Thank you,
Bryan