Over the Wall Exercise for Whole Body Conditioning/Rehab

Think about climbing over a fence when you were young.  When was the last time you did that?  Its actually a great whole body exercise!  Here's a great exercise that works the arms, core, legs and is sure to get your heart rate up!  Simply just find a half wall or a bench works well too.  Place your hands on the bench and supporting your weight with your arms jump over the bench.  Land w/ knees bent and do not let hands leave bench.  Go back and forth for desired reps and sets.  If you do have half wall as seen in picture, simply climb up and over and repeat for reps and sets.  I use this often in my shoulder and knee rehab when the patient is past the acute and subacute phases of tissue healing and is ready to progress to more advanced ex to prepare them to return to work or sport.  Construction workers, police, military and fire personnel all climb and jump over things.  So, I need to prepare them and make sure they are ready to go and confident in their physical abilities.  This in essence is truly functional training/rehab.  Using the bench is an easy alternative and less demanding for those not ready or able to climb a wall.  I always try to think of all the ways my pts will utilize their bodies in their sport, work or recreational activities and progress them to activities and movement that replicate that.
Get Strong! Stay Strong!
Chris

Why You Should Use Garlic in Your Cooking

Garlic is natureís gift to man. This natural ingredient has so many health benefits for the human body. Herbalists and naturopaths consider garlic as a miracle ingredient. With so many studies done on garlic, it was continuously proven to help in curing a variety of health problems.

As the saying goes, Garlic can keep sickness at bay. Because of the components of garlic, the body can fight off sickness and illness. What does garlic contain? It has water-soluble nutrients like enzymes, amino acids, vitamins and natural sugar. It also has oil soluble nutrients including sulphur compounds like alliin and allicin. Garlic is also known for its natural antibiotic properties. Although the sulphur compounds of garlic emit a pungent smell, there is no denying its medicinal uses. When you cook for the family, always include garlic in your dishes.

The Health Benefits Of Garlic

* Garlic is an antiseptic due to its antibacterial properties. It can help cure wounds quickly.
* Garlic has antibiotic properties which helps the body fight off infections. Aside from that, garlic can help fight inflammation.
* When you have colds or coughs, just put raw garlic on your food and you will get better faster. Taking garlic supplements can help too but eating it raw is the best.
* A study in China shows that eating garlic regularly helps in preventing cancer.
* Taking fresh or cooked garlic will help lower blood pressure and prevent cardiovascular problems. You can take 500 mg garlic capsules twice a day too.
* Garlic increases high-density lipoproteins in the body.
* Garlic helps in reducing bad cholesterol in the bloodstream.
* Garlic helps keep the arteries and the heart healthy.
* Garlic helps in thinning the blood, which reduces the risk of blood clotting. It also improves blood circulation in the body.
* Garlic helps boost the immune system to fight off diseases.
* For people with respiratory problems, garlic can prevent and relieve chronic bronchitis and catarrh.
* Garlic acts as an expectorant for cough and nasal decongestants for colds.
* In the digestive system, garlic cleans the stomach and kills internal parasites. It cures flatulence and is a great internal antiseptic.

You probably did not realize how healthy garlic could be. Some just include it in food for design, flavor and scent. Now that you know the health benefits of garlic, it is a must that you include garlic in all the dishes you cook. Having garlic breath is definitely worth it. It is very cheap, yet the benefits are immense.

Get Strong! Stay Strong!
Chris

Shoulder, Core and Calories Burned, All in One!

Here is a great exercise that works shoulder stability, core AND really gets your heart pumpimg, which equals more calories burned.  I'm a big fan of getting more bang for your buck and this exercise does just that!  All you really need are some weights, a flight of stairs and a desire to look and feel better.
This can always be started holding the weights at shoulder level and just walking straight ahead.  To challenge your core moe try doing this only holding one weight overhead.  Or, how about one weight overhead and the opp carried down at your side (farmer carry).
Get Strong!  Stay Strong!
Chris

Summary of Research Supporting Coffee

From Dr Mercola's website.  Check it to read entire article regarding the benefits of coffee.

The following is a summary of some of the more recent research that supports coffee's health benefits.

Type 2 Diabetes	A Japanese study in 20103 revealed that coffee consumption exerted a protective effect against type 2 diabetes; further confirmed by 2012 German study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Researchers have also found that coffee doubles glucose intake, which will greatly reduce blood glucose levels.
Parkinson's Disease	Coffee may significantly cut your risk of Parkinson's disease4. In fact, coffee is so preventative against Parkinson's that drug companies are designing experimental drugs that mimic coffee's benefits to your brain5
Alzheimer's Disease	A 2011 study6 revealed that a yet unidentified mystery ingredient in coffee interacts with the caffeine to help protect you from Alzheimer's disease
Prostate Cancer	A large 2011 study7 of nearly 50,000 men found men who drank six cups of coffee per day had 60 percent lower risk of lethal prostate cancer, and those who drank three cups per day had a 30 percent lower risk
Liver Cancer	A Japanese study8 found those who drank coffee daily, or close to it, had about half the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a type of liver cancer, than people who never drank coffee; coffee is also associated with less severe liver fibrosis, lower levels of fat in your liver, and lower rates of hepatitis-C disease progression9
Kidney Cancer	Coffee consumption may be associated with decreased risk of kidney cancer10
Colorectal Cancer	A 2007 study11 suggested coffee consumption may lower colon cancer risk among women
Heart Rhythm Problems	A study showed moderate coffee drinking reduces your chances of being hospitalized for heart rhythm problems12
Pulmonary Function	A 2010 study13 revealed a beneficial effect of coffee on the pulmonary function of nonsmokers
Stroke	A 2011 study14 found that women who drank more than one cup of coffee per day had about a 25 percent lower risk of stroke than women who drank less; a 2009 study15 found women who drank four or more cups of coffee per day reduced their stroke risk by 20 percent
Gastrointestinal Flora	A study16 in 2009 showed coffee produced an increase in the metabolic activity and/or numbers of Bifidobacterium, which are beneficial bacteria in your gut

There are many more studies with positive findings—in fact, too many to list. Not every single study shows coffee to be beneficial, but the majority are quite positive, suggesting that coffee has been unfairly maligned. There is strong evidence coffee can help stabilize your blood glucose level and may even help curb sugar cravings. Caffeine binds to your opioid receptors, which essentially prohibits you from craving something else, such as sugar.

Research also shows that coffee triggers a mechanism in your brain that releases a growth factor called Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). BDNF activates brain stem cells to convert into new neurons, and also expresses itself in your muscles. It does this by supporting the neuromotor, which is the most critical element in your muscle. Without the neuromotor, your muscle is like an engine without the ignition. Neuromotor degradation is part of the process underlying age-related muscle atrophy. Essentially, caffeine from natural whole coffee may help keep your brain and muscle tissue young.

Get Strong! Stay Strong! (and enjoy your coffee!)

Chris

Happy Labor Day: Avoid Toxins When Grilling

Here are a few great tips from RealAge.com

 good grilling might elicit a confession from a bad guy at the hands of Gibbs and his crew on "NCIS," but when you put a healthy, skinless chicken breast on the flame there's potential for bad chemistry.

4 steps to healthier grilling

Cooking meat, as well as poultry, fish, and even vegetables, over charcoal or any source of high heat produces two toxins: polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic amines (HCAs) -- both known carcinogens. But you don't have to give up the joys of grilling. You can fire up the barbecue, enjoy great flavors, and eliminate the toxins with these simple techniques:

1. Stop the fat-dripping, PAH-producing cycle. When meat and other foods drip their juices on flames or embers, they cause flare-ups that deposit PHAs on the underside of your food. Minimize that nasty additive by placing your food on aluminum foil (you can poke holes or cut slits in it) on top of the grill's grate.
2. Microwave your fish or poultry (meat, too, but we avoid all red meat to help us stay younger) for 1½ to 2 minutes before putting it on the grill. This eliminates 90% of HCAs. Your food will spend less time on the grill, but you'll still enjoy great barbecue flavor.
3. Always marinate. Make sure you use fresh rosemary (a real HCA killer) and lemon juice, with a base of balsamic vinegar. Sounds good, right?
4. Make sure there's a whole lotta broccoli goin' on. Broccoli (dish it up on the side) has been shown to break down HCAs -- even the ones that get through the marinade and end up on the food.

Get Strong! Stay Strong!

Chris

Great Pump w/ Push / Pull Superset

Here is a fast and effective push / pull super set circuit utilizing bands.

A.) Pull Circuit - B (bilateral)  Pulls, Alt. Pulls, Bent over pulls, straight arm pull downs w/ squat (skiier), med balls slams.  Each done 15-20 reps consecutively.

B.) Push Circuit - Push ups, B push, Alt Push, Flys, Clap push ups (or reg push ups).  Each done for 15-20 reps consecutively.

Do A and then B and repeat 3-4 rounds.
Great pump, great metabolic effect!

Get Strong! Stay Strong!
Chris

One Day at Band Camp.......

Heres a good workout that only requires a couple super bands.  Each group is done as a superset. 3-4 sets
A)  Band chest press 15-20 reps
      Band Rows 15-20 reps

B)  Band Lat Pulls or Verticle Pull Downs  15-20 reps
     Band Upright Rows  15-20 reps

C)  Band OH Squats  15x
      Band Speed Curls x 20-30

Rest as needed between ex and sets. 
Should copmplete in 40-50 min.

Get Strong! Srtay Strong!
Chris

If Your Knee Hurts, It's Probably Your Butts Fault

From Dr Mercola.com

New research shows that a twice weekly hip strengthening regimen proved effective at reducing or eliminating the kind of knee pain referred to as patellofemoral pain (PFP) in female runners.  Stronger hips may correct running form errors that contribute to PFP.

The study used a pain scale of 0 to 10, with 3 representing the onset of pain and 7 representing very strong pain. The injured runners began the six-week trial registering pain of 7 when they ran on a treadmill, and finished the study period registering pain levels of 2 or lower.

According to Science Daily:

"PFP, one of the most common running injuries, is caused when the thigh bone rubs against the back of the knee cap. Runners with PFP typically do not feel pain when they begin running, but once the pain begins, it gets increasingly worse ... PFP essentially wears away cartilage and can have the same effect as osteoarthritis."

Vigorous physical activity in young children results in stronger hip bones.

More than 200 six-year olds participated in a study. Researchers measured bone mass and analyzed the structure of the hip and thigh bone. Physical activity was assessed for seven days.

According to Science Daily:

"The results showed that there was a relationship between time spent in vigorous activity and strength of the femoral neck, both in terms of shape and volumetric mineral density. This was independent of other factors such as diet, lifestyle and physical size."
Poor form during exercise can end up frequently hurting your knees and cause you to develop problems like patellofemoral pain (PFP) which frequently occurs in female runners. PFP occurs when your thigh bone starts rubbing against the back of your knee cap while running.According to a pilot study, this type of pain can be reduced or even eliminated simply by strengthening your hips. Granted, this was a very small, preliminary study, but your body almost always has the innate ability to rebalance itself when something is out of alignment, so the theory is quite plausible.The key is to determine which area needs to be strengthened to correct the imbalance.In this case, the theory that strengthening your hips to improve your gait, which in turn might correct the form error that contributes to PFP, makes sense, as stronger hips will help reduce the severity of the "q" angle on your leg alignment. The q angle is more severe on women because the distance between a woman's femur bones is greater for child-bearing reasons.  This ends up putting more pressure on women's knee joints. The hip-strengthening exercises prescribed during this study involved single-leg squats and resistance band exercises, twice a week for 30-45 minutes, for six weeks. The results were surprisingly positive as the majority of the runners no longer experienced onset of pain when running at the end of the trial.
So, if knee pain is bothering seek out a "qualified " professional who can evaluate you to find your imbalances and prescribe an appropriate exercise program for you.  Hint - if your laying on a table or the floor doing various leg lifts you are in the WRONG place!

Life is a sport. Get Strong! Stay Strong!
Chris

The Sports Medicine and Fitness Fanatic: Good Green Tea Smoothie

The Sports Medicine and Fitness Fanatic: Good Green Tea Smoothie: From:  RealAge.com About 3 1/2 cups for 2, 1 3/4-cup servings Active Time:   10 minutes Total Time:   10 minutes NUTRITION ...

Good Green Tea Smoothie

From:  RealAge.com

About 3 1/2 cups for 2, 1 3/4-cup servings

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

NUTRITION PROFILE

High fiber | Low saturated fat | Low cholesterol | Low sodium | High potassium |Heart healthy | Gluten free |

View Our Nutrition Guidelines »

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups frozen white grapes
• 2 packed cups baby spinach
• 1 1/2 cups strong brewed green tea (see Tip), cooled
• 1 medium ripe avocado
• 2 teaspoons honey

PREPARATION

1. Combine grapes, spinach, green tea, avocado and honey in a blender; blend until smooth. Serve immediately.

TIPS & NOTES

• Tip: To brew strong green tea, use twice the amount of tea (or two tea bags), but do not over steep. Green tea should be steeped for no longer than 3 minutes; over steeping will give the tea a bitter taste.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 345 calories; 15 g fat ( 2 g sat , 10 g mono ); 0 mg cholesterol; 56 g carbohydrates; 6 g added sugars; 5 g protein; 9 g fiber; 36 mg sodium; 1110 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (72% daily value), Vitamin A (63% dv), Folate (36% dv), Potassium (32% dv), Calcium (23% dv), Magnesium (18% dv)

Get Strong! Stay Strong!

Chris

My Awesome Lunch....and Dinner

Heres what I put together after going to the farmers market and gathering some fresh veggies.  Chopped kale, spinach and romaine, yellow peppers, tomato, onion, cucumber, feta cheese, cracked pepper (they say pepper increases nutrient absorption by 40%)  and some balsalmic vinegarette.  Man was it good!  Matter of fact it was so good I ate it again for dinner and threw in some grilled chicken.  Talk about eating a rainbow.  Next time Im thinking of adding olives and artichoke hearts.
Remember, there is no ex program that makes up for a crappy diet!

Get Strong! Stay Strong! (and eat healthy)
Chris

3 of the 7 Worst Junk Foods!

Copied from Real Age Website

Worst Junk Food #1: Pizza

If you count pizza as its own food group, watch out. Cheese and pizza are the No. 1 and No. 2 sources of artery-clogging saturated fat in the American diet. One slice of extra-cheesy pizza can contain as much as two-thirds of your daily saturated fat limit. Nutrition expert Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, CDN, author of Read It Before You Eat It, offers these tips to lighten up your pizza: Top it with veggies instead of pepperoni and sausage. While you're at it, say "no" to breadsticks and "yes" to a side salad, and you're on the way to preventing heart disease.

Worst Junk Food #2: Fettuccine Alfredo

A Mediterranean diet isn't a license to gorge on pasta 24/7. Mounds of fettuccine are bad enough for the waistline, but there's nothing heart-healthy about Alfredo sauce. With only three ingredients (cream, butter, and cheese), the dish can contain 50 grams of saturated fat, which raises LDL (bad) cholesterol. To put that in perspective, an entire pint of Ben & Jerry's Chubby Hubby comes in at 40 grams. Love your pasta? Choose whole-grain noodles and keep the serving size to 1 cup. Add fresh, chopped herbs; vegetables sautéed in olive oil; and lean protein, such as beans or chicken.

Worst Junk Food #3: Submarine Sandwich

To many guys, the submarine sandwich is the world's most perfect food. It requires neither a stovetop nor utensils, and contains all the major food groups. That's where its virtues end. According to Taub-Dix, the monster sandwich supplies up to 6 servings of white bread, plus a quarter-pound (or more!) of cured meats. Researchers have found that eating just one serving of processed meat daily (one to two slices of deli meat) is associated with a 42% higher risk of heart disease and a 19% higher risk of type 2 diabetes. Turn your sandwich into a real heart hero by using whole-grain bread and roasted turkey or chicken breast.

I really hope this is no surprise, but I'm still amazed at how many people just dont get it!

Stay tuned for the remaining 4.  You might be surprised!

Get Strong! Stay Strong!

Chris

Get the Most Out of Mowing the Lawn

Call me crazy but Ill find a way to make anything a workout.  Today was beautiful (and hot) and I mowed the lawn.  I love being out in great weather.  So what did I do?  I put on a backpack, loaded it with some weight and I mowed.  Using a push mower BTW.  I burned 328 kcals in about 1/2 hr.  Just for doing a chore I was going to do anyway.  I was wearing a heart rate monitor in case you were wondering how I knew the calorie count.  My neighbors think im nuts but then im in a lot better shape then they are!  Be creative, work hard and make it fun!!!!

Get Strong! Stay Strong!

Chris

Quit Kidding Yourself, Sugar is Not OK!

Refined white sugar is particularly noxious, and by some perverse twist we have come to believe that sugar-sweetened desserts are essential to "having fun." We feed our children this devitalized food because we are socialized to expect it, (amen!) and we to provide it (not me)."  As adults, most people like to end their meals with a sugar-sweetened dessert, anything from ice cream to cake or cookies. The absence of such a dessert at an elegant dinner party would almost be a social faux pas. What is so bad about this ubiquitous substance? According to nutritionist Robert Crayhon, author of Nutrition Made Simple, sugar can:
*raise insulin levels and contribute diabetes
*raise blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides and so contribute to cardiovascular disease
*contribute to gallstones and obesity
*contribute to mood swings and depression
*increase stomach acidity
*cause migraines
*weaken the immune system
*deplete the B vitamins, calcium and copper
*interfere with the absorption of calcium and magnesium - and so contribute to osteoporosis
But despite what we know about the substance British physician John Yudkin calls "sweet and dangerous" and "pure, white and deadly,"many people still feel that they might be "deprived" when they consider quitting the consumption of sugar-sweetened foods. For our long term health, thats the kind of "deprivation" that would be a good thing, just like deprivation of tobacco would be good too.
Dont worry, a little treat here and there is not going to kill you, but consuming the amount of sugar that the average person does just might! What's really sad is the kids that suffer from their parents choices. Just look around.  Despite all the info out there people just don't get it!
Get Strong! Stay Strong! (and sugar free!)
Chris

Great Whole Body Exercise Circuit

 Russian Twist  Alt. 20-30 reps     

                Pivot Feet!

Kettlebell Swings   20-30 Reps                

            Watch your Toes!  Shoes???

Box Jumps    20 reps                                           

Physioball Plank to Push Up   20 reps        <---------->   

Complete 3- 5 rounds.   Rest 1-3 min. between rounds (or longer as needed)

Get Strong! Stay Strong!  (Have Fun!)

Chris