The Lowdown on Cholesterol

2 06 2010

I found another wonderful website today: http://thehealthyskeptic.org/ Direct from their tagline, this website is “Challenging mainstream myths about nutrition, health and disease”.  I love this site because it discusses many of the myths and misconceptions that are present in the health field today.  Here is the video from their latest post, which clears up some confusion about cholesterol.

I am a huge fan of any information that challenges conventional wisdom and makes people think.  Some doctors don’t even stay up to date with the current research!  Be careful out there and take any information about your health with a grain of salt. (pun intended)


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Exercise of the Week- Single Stiff-Legged Deadlift

29 05 2010

My first High Definition Video!

Happy Memorial Day weekend!  I hope everyone gets to enjoy the weekend with good friends, delicious bbq, and maybe a few stiff drinks!  I’ll be working most of the weekend but hope to get to at least one pool party for a little relaxation and fun.

Today’s exercise is a great lower body exercise that involves the glutes, hamstrings, calves and even the core.  Because you are on one leg when you do the exercise it is also a challenging balance exercise.  Most people only do what I call “knee-dominant” leg exercises- squats, lunges, etc.  Most of the motion happens at the knee.  Stiff-legged deadlifts are a “hip-dominant” exercise so the motion occurs at the hip joint.  The hips and the muscles that cross the hip are often neglected in most people’s workouts.

The exercise can be done without weights to get used to the movement.  Once the movement is mastered weight can be added.  A straight bar can be used with two hands or for even more of a challenge grab a dumbbell in one hand.  See the video for variations.  To execute the move properly, bend the stance leg slightly and maintain the knee angle throughout the exercise.  All the motion happens at the hip by bending forward at the waist.  You should feel as if you are sticking your butt out as you bend forward.  If using a weight, keep the arms straight and hanging toward the floor.  This exercise will be a great addition to anyone’s leg workout.


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Categories : Exercises

How Important is a Strength Coach?

26 05 2010

Thanks Coach!

I am always amazed watching elite level athletes and their achievements.  I often wonder, how do they prepare themselves for the big game, event, etc.  Certainly, these are some talented folks but there is always something going on behind the scenes that we don’t get to see.  The unsung heroes responsible for helping these athletes deserve some credit too.  Granted I’m biased because I am a certified strength coach but this article by Mike Boyle (one of the best strength and conditioning coaches in the country) is tough to argue with.

The Importance of the Strength and Conditioning Coach by Michael Boyle

A recent post in the forum on the value of the strength and conditioning coach made me repost this article. I wrote it a few years ago but, the debate continues regarding the value and impact of the strength and conditioning coach. Football is the best example as football has employed the strength and conditioning coach the longest, and generally employs organized off-season programs.

I’m going to give you a few surprising stats. 1- Do you know that the person in the NFL with the most Super bowl rings, is not a player and did not even play college football? 2- Do you know that only one man in history has coached world championship teams in two sports and in fact has coached nine world championship teams? 3- Did you know that only four strength and conditioning coaches have coached nearly half of the teams that have played in the Super Bowl in the last 19 years?

Before I go on, let me state my bias. I am also a strength and conditioning coach, although not as accomplished as those I’m writing about. Also three of the men I’m discussing I consider to be both friend and mentors.

The man with the most Super bowl rings in NFL history is current New England Patriots Strength and Conditioning Coach Mike Woicek, with six. In 2005 Woicek passed Charles Haley, one of his former players. Coincidence, I don’t believe so.

Another interesting statistic: Since 1987 thirty eight teams have played in the Super Bowl. Four strength and conditioning coaches have coached 18 of the thirty eight, nearly half. Mike Woicek obviously leads the way with six Super Bowl appearances and six wins. Current Chicago Bear Strength and Conditioning Coach, current San Francisco 49′ers Strength and Conditioning Coach Johnnie Parker and recently retired Atlanta Falcons Strength and Conditioning Coach Al Miller have both been to four each. Parker has the distinction of doing it with three different teams. An interesting trend or a correlation? Knowing most of these men I’ll vote for correlation. All four are among the most committed in our industry. It is a coincidence that Tampa Bay declined after Parker left in 2003? Is it a coincidence that Chicago was in the second round of the playoffs in 2006 after adding Jones to their staff?

The relationships of strength and conditioning coaches to team success can be hard to measure. Injuries happen, personnel changes. However in these days of Moneyball and statistical analysis, there seems to be a correlation between good strength and conditioning coaches and NFL success.

Parker has been to Super Bowls with the Giants, Patriots and Buccaneers. Woicek with the Cowboys and Patriots. Jones spent his entire career in Buffalo prior to taking over in Chicago. Al Miller’s appearances were all with Denver. The head coaches have varied and have obviously been outstanding. Assistant coaches may have also had a similar level success, although I am not aware.

The key is that this is probably more than coincidence. With Parker helping to rebuild the 49er’s and Jones in Chicago, the theory will be put to the test. My bet: Within two years you will see either San Francisco or Chicago appear in a Super Bowl.

The answer to my second question is Al Vermeil. Al coached a Super Bowl team in San Francisco before moving on to the Chicago Bulls and I believe 7 more World Championships. Coincidence? I don’t think so.

FYI- Since this article was initially published the Bears and Rusty Jones went to the 2007 Superbowl and, in 2008 the patriots in Mike Woicek also appeared in the Superbowl.

If you are interested in athletics or performance enhancement I highly recommend checking out Mike Boyle’s blog or his member site www.strengthcoach.com.  As a fitness professional, I believe this is the best resource out there right now.  Real strength coaches from around the world post in the forums regularly and the discussions are very educational.  If you like the blog, it may be worth a membership to the site. Check it out.


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Categories : Behavior Change, Motivation

Map Your Run

25 05 2010

Nice 4-Mile Run Around the Charles River

Lame blog tonight I know…. work is hell, my son is sick and I’m beat.  So here you go!

If you are a runner and you don’t know about www.mapmyrun.com yet, then you are missing out.  I used to use Google Earth to chart my running and biking routes until I found this website.  This method gets very tedious because the Google Earth isn’t designed to track and save your routes.  Mapmyrun.com is easy to use and has some really cool features like the ability to see the elevation profile of your run.

I love that the site keeps a record of your runs and you can track mileage, pace and routes with a simple click of the mouse.   You can join groups or discuss running questions in the large forums.   If you are a not-so-motivated runner there are challenges listed for all ability levels.  I think the best feature is finding runs in your area that other people have posted.  You don’t even have to do any work!  Check it out if and track how you run.


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Categories : Just for Fun, Motivation

Exercise Your Brain

21 05 2010

I’ve always enjoyed reading and I’m always looking for new books about exercise, nutrition, etc.  Check out this post for some of my most recent reads.  I also listen to tons of audio books during my commute to and from work.  My ride can take from 20 minutes up to 1 hour each way.  I use this time to listen to books since I don’t have enough time in a day to do everything I have to plus read the books I want to.

The book I am listening to now takes a fascinating look at how exercise affects the brain:

Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John J. Ratey is an interesting look at how exercise can improve mental health, sometimes as much as medicine.  The author explains how running helps students to focus more and do better on tests.  He tells stories of his patients and how exercise improves stress, anxiety and depression levels as well as other mental health problems.  The book is a refreshing look at treating mental health with exercise in a time of pharmacological dominance.

For those of you who currently exercise, you already know the feelings described in the book.  For those of you who aren’t exercising, this book may give you a reason to start.  Get moving, feel better… simple enough.


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Exercise of the Week- Overhead Press

13 05 2010

The overhead press (aka shoulder press or military press) is a great exercise that engages all the muscles of the shoulder.  While some people do this exercise seated I prefer to do this exercise standing for many reasons:

  • less stress on the spine when standing compared to sitting
  • core muscles more involved when standing
  • leg muscles involved in the standing position
  • would you ever lift a heavy object over your head from a seated position in real life?

Many of my older clients struggle with this movement because they lose range of motion in the shoulder as they age.  They lose the ability to reach overhead simply because they never do it.  If you practice the overhead press regularly, you will never have that problem.

Variations I show in the video include alternating the arms, changing the position of the hands, and the Arnold press (yes, named after the governor of California- supposedly it was his favorite exercise before he got into politics!)  Enjoy…


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Ask The Trainer

12 05 2010

Go ahead, ask me anything...

I’ve been busy with work and family lately which is why I have posted less lately.  Plus, my focus in the evenings is on the Bruins and Celtics playoff series.  That being said, I started this blog to help people with exercise and nutrition and I intend to.  How better to help people than to answer your specific questions.

So ask away.  Post your questions in any comment section of the blog and I’ll do my best to answer them.  Be it nutrition, exercise, relaxation, equipment I want to know what you want to know!  Now I have to get back to the Bruins game!


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Categories : Behavior Change, Equipment, Exercises, Just for Fun, Motivation, Nutrition, Relaxation

My Home Gym

10 05 2010

In one of my first posts I wrote about Home Gym Essentials.  These are the things that I couldn’t do without in my home gym.  You can see from this post that you don’t need a lot of equipment to work out effectively.  Now that being said, I have and use more equipment than I showed in that post.  Today, I will show you the rest of my equipment and the home gym in all its unfinished basement glory!

I haven’t been using the home gym in about two weeks because it became a spring cleaning storage area for all things in my basement.  Sporting goods, tools, toys and old baby stuff had taken over my exercise sanctuary.  Well I finally finished cleaning it out and changed the layout to a much more open and more efficient area.  I will enjoy working out in this space even more now simply because I moved some things around!  Here it is!

Adjustable Bench, Adjustable Dumbbells, Body Bar, Steps, Medicine Ball, Push Up Bars, Stability Ball, Yoga Mat and Blocks

Treadmill- Helpful for cold, New England winters!

Ipod- Nothing beats music for motivation. Kings of Leon "Sex on Fire" was playing at the time!

This is my home gym.  It isn’t much but it’s mine and it serves its purpose.  I can do challenging full body workouts in the comfort of my home.  What more do I need?  Someday I will finish the basement and create a dream gym complete with indoor driving range and sauna but for now this is all I need to stay healthy.

(Update)

Home-Made Pull Up Bar, Various Resistance Bands

I forgot to post the pride and joy of the gym- my homemade pull-up bar.  This only cost me a few dollars for lag screws and a gas pipe.  I already had the wood, which I attached to the floor joists above then just slipped the gas pipe between the two and voila- instant pull up bar!


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Categories : Equipment, Just for Fun

Are You Wasting Money on Sneakers?

8 05 2010

The foot is an amazing and complex piece of anatomy.  Muscles, ligaments, tendons and bones all work together to absorb the forces of standing, walking, running and jumping.  The arches of the foot act like springs as we move and further help to dampen force.  When we wear sneakers the impact forces on the feet are significantly decreased.  Sounds good, right?  Well, not necessarily. Let me explain.

Expensive running shoes do a great job of absorbing force- that’s what they are designed for.  The problem is that when the shoes absorb all the force the foot becomes less efficient at doing its job.  After years of wearing cushioned sneakers the foot “forgets” how to support itself. I’ve even read one study that suggests the more you pay for your shoes the more likely you are to get injured. Researchers have even shown that runners land on their feet differently when wearing shoes and when unshod.  When people wear shoes and run they land on their heel which sends a lot of force up the leg and can damage joints.  When people run barefoot they land on the ball of the foot and transfer the force of impact more efficiently in the foot meaning less stress on other joints.

So what does this mean? Throw your shoes out and start running barefoot?  While more and more people are doing this everyday, there are some things to consider.  If you are used to running with sneakers your foot will not be ready to just start running barefoot.  Like other muscles of the body, your feet need time to adapt to the stresses of being barefoot. Sneakers also protect the bottom of the foot from abrasion very well. A good quality if you run on pavement.  Shoe manufacturers are starting to make shoes with less support but with all the protection of a normal shoe.  These are a good place to start.  Here are some options:

Vibram Five Fingers

Vibram Five Fingers

I haven’t tried these yet as the look of them turns me off but from what I’ve read this is as close as it gets to running barefoot but still having some protection for the soles of your feet.

Nike Free

Nike Free

I have a few pairs of these shoes and love them.  They do offer more support than the Vibram’s and I think they are a good first shoe to try for barefoot activity.

While these sneakers won’t exactly save you any money (they aren’t cheap) they may help you save your feet.  I firmly feel that sneakers are doing more harm than people realize.  The research on barefoot running is still in the early stages but I think we will see more come out supporting the benefits of barefoot activity.  Here is good blog from a person who has been running barefoot for some time…. check it out.

Barefoot Ted’s Adventures


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This is How You Use A Treadmill (MUST SEE!)

29 04 2010

I am speechless… in all my years as a personal trainer, this is the funniest thing I’ve ever seen on a treadmill.  If you are gonna go to the gym you better rock the treadmill like this!  Enjoy…


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