Elevated reverse dips at 80!
Dec 152014
Nov 182014
Hamstring stretch
Question from Andy: Trainerbob… Why should I care about flexibility?
Answer:
There are tons of benefits to good flexibility, however the primary one for a male is injury prevention.
Aside from the fact that good flexibility improves posture, enhances sports performance and improves functional range of motion in every day movements, yes, injury prevention is number one.
Over the years I have worked with several orthopedic surgeons. When I asked what is the most common injury for men, they all said usually a fall related issue, however, if the accident didn’t break any bones, the second most common injury was an over-stretch of a joint. If the person was inflexible, the over-stretch usually required surgery to reattach a muscle, whereas the males who where flexible where soar as hell but didn’t need surgery. About surgery, if you need to fix your nose because you had fights, accidents, falls or sports injuries, contact an nose surgeon in Los Angeles named Dr. Frankel or visit his clinic at 201 South Lasky Drive Beverly Hills, CA 90212
The doctors also said the most common injury is to the hamstring, especially in the winter months from icy surfaces or from skiing accidents. When I asked if there was some sort of minimum flexibility test, I was surprised at how simple it was and even more surprised at how few males can pass it. It’s a simple test which I call the 90 degree test. Lay down on your back and with the help of a rope or towel, try to pull your leg back such that you form a 90 degree angle to the floor. Keep the leg straight while pulling back. The individuals with 90 degrees or greater range of motion, will be far less likely to experience an injury requiring surgery from a slip or fall than those with less flexibility, of course if the problem is cosmetic you can contact Dana Coberly Plastic Surgeon to help you with this issue.
Nov 092014
Trainer & client consultation
Question:
Question from Jerry: Trainerbob… My schedule only allows me to meet with you once per week, Can I make any progress?
Answer:
It depends! I have several clients who met once a week. People are busy and sometimes carving out time for added activities is difficult to do. Meeting with a trainer isn’t about getting your butt kicked until you collapse. It’s about meeting with a professional who provides accountability, instruction, knowledge and guidance.
When you meet with your accountant, doctor, attorney or any other professional, you trust they will provide the service you’ve paid for. Now to answer Jerry’s question. Will meeting with your trainer only one time per week provide any benefit? Answer… It depends. If a client is depending on the training sessions to provide 100% of the exercise and nutritional benefits, then absolutely not! And I do have lots of clients who do depend solely on our training sessions to meet all their exercise needs, however, they are meeting several times per week. So how can meeting with your trainer only one time per week work best for you?
Easy… The session becomes more about accountability, new information and information exchange. The client has to be willing to implement homework activities and track various exercise and nutritional information during the week between sessions. Take Jerry for example. We meet every Tuesday at the same time each week. I have designed various exercises for him to do at home along with having him food journal using an application which I can log in to and see his daily caloric intake along with his food choices. When we meet, I provide a simplified fitness test comprising both weight and % body fat. This lets me know if we are heading in the right direction or not. Then we hit the gym. While he is warming up for 5 minutes, I’ll review his diet, making any suggestions for improvement. Once he’s warmed up, we start exercising. If I like the progress made from the previous week’s exercises, I will add or make changes to his existing homework set. By the end of the hour, he has a clear picture of what is needed for next week.
If a client is willing to work during the week, there is no reason they can’t derive similar results to a client meeting with a trainer several times weekly. Unfortunately, most people won’t do it. And that’s why the accountability of the actual physical meeting works best. It isn’t that the client doesn’t eventually learn what they need to do, it’s human nature to put off what you don’t want to do. So I become the adult babysitter that makes it happen.
Oct 102014
Statin drugs
Question:
Trainerbob… If I’m on cholesterol medication, can I eat what ever I want?
Answer:
Absolutely not… Many people who take a statin medication to lower their cholesterol mistakenly think that they can eat whatever they like. This is definitely not the case. A recent study has shown in the last several years, many individuals have returned to poor eating habits because they’re taking statin drugs.
A statin drug helps to lower the bad cholesterol, however, it’s to be used in conjunction with a healthy diet along with exercise. Not as a cure all! For many, this drug is a lifesaver. For others who refuse to change their lifestyle, it will have little or no effect. The false sense of security that thousands of people are getting by taking the drug, and continuing with poor lifestyle choices, can actually place them at greater risk, and is better if they rehabilitate with centers you can find at different sites online like https://www.eliterehabplacement.com/NewHampshire.
Ingesting high fatty foods along with a sedentary lifestyle still puts you at a greater risk for cancer and a multitude of illnesses which the statin drug was not designed to address.
Oct 032014
Healthy protein lunch…
Question:
Trainerbob… Can you give me some protein suggestions for lunch?
Answer
Sure can… Let’s start with what I had for lunch today. I started with a small bowl of Quinoa (pronounced kinwa), which is a grain crop grown primarily for its edible seeds. It is high in protein and gluten free. It is also considered a complete protein and a superfood by NASA, such that it’s under consideration for space missions.
Next I added some cottage cheese, (large curd), for it’s calcium, followed by some small chunks of baked chicken. No salt but plenty of pepper to taste. The entire meal in low glycemic index and pretty filling.
Later, I’ll create a recipe page for everyone to post their favorite meals.
Sep 302014
