This article takes advice from physical therapists to make sure you never need to see one of them! Heed their top 10 tips to ward off aches and pains.
When its comes to maintaining good posture, for example, spending 30 mins at the gym each week dosent compensate for the 40 hours + spent at your PC each week. The article includes tips from Robert Forster Los Angeles-based physical therapist to 38 Olympic medalists and member of the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness.
Good posture starts from maintaining activation of your transverse abdominals (the deepest layer of your abs). If you have a sedentary lifestyle — or a typical 9-to-5 job — these muscles become less activated as you age, so your lower back loses its main support. That allows the rest of your upper body to slouch forward, applying more pressure through the lower discs of your spine. Eventually, you overload your tissue, which can lead to system overload and failure — or a herniated disc, arthritis or muscle strain. So keep your shoulders back over your hips to maintain the alignment
Pull, don’t push
In the gym, you should do more pulling exercises than pushing exercises. Most injuries and painful conditions are caused by weakness of the muscles in the back of the body. That’s because the typical gym program focuses on stretching the “glamour” muscles in the front of your body and those you see in the mirror. Pulling exercises include lateral pull-downs, low rows and hamstring curls. Pushing exercises include bench presses, biceps curls and leg extensions.
Stretch
You need to stretch daily. The connective tissue structures of your body — the tendons, ligaments and fascia — will shorten naturally every day if you don’t stretch. Stretching is important in the morning to get your body ready for the ergonomic stress related to daily activities. You should also stretch before and after all workouts to prepare your body for exertion and recovery. Finally, stretching at night will reduce stress and improve rest.
For optimum fitness, include posture and stretching exercises in your program.
The typical scenario is you joined a Health Club, Leisure Centre or Gym and were given an exercise program, but without any guidance on nutrition or the way nutrition works in harmony with exercise? So, normally within 6 – 8 weeks you feel despondent because you are not getting the results you expected? This is why 80% of memberships get cancelled or frozen.
There are 3 key elements to the 24Fit Challenge:
1. Good nutrition, with a personalised programme.
2. Exercise programme(strength training as well as cardio) for 24 weeks.
3. Track results, ideally using body composition testing. An essential part of a weight-loss program involves noticing your progress which will keep you motivated and on track.
1. Good Nutrition – Ask any fitness pro or nutrition expert and you will hear weight loss is comprised of about 80% diet and 20% exercise. For fitness 50%/50%. The Herbalife programme provide all the nutrition your body needs on a daily basis for less calories, so your energy improves as your weight and inches go down. The programmes help you to gradually change eating habits, though getting into the routine of eating 3 times a day( or every 3 hours if working out), getting protein(plant and animal protein) into every meal and, finding alternatives for carbohydrate based snacks.
2. Exercise -” Many people say that, as they age, they eat and exercise the same amount but still gain weight. One of the main causes of this is loss of muscle mass. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn. Strength training preserves and even increases muscle mass, keeping metabolism at a high level. Genetically, women have less muscle than men, and as a woman ages, the preservation of lean muscle becomes vital”. Tom Holland, Exercise physiologist. Hit a weight plateau? Step up your strength training. It builds muscle & increases your metabolic rate. The 24 Fit Workout includes flexibility and posture exercises as well as cardio and strength training workouts. To help preserve muscle mass, aim for at least 20 grams of protein at very meal. Have you had your shake after your workout?! “Important! Don’t skip your protein shake after you exercise and think that you’ll save calories! A protein shake after training accelerates lean muscle growth, which in turn revs your metabolism and burns more fat.
3. Tracking Results – Ask most gyms, leisure centres or health clubs what results they get for their clients? And you will normally get a blank expression. Are they scared of what they will find? An essential part of a weight-loss program involves noticing your progress. Yes you can step on the bathroom scales but they don’t take into account your body’s composition. This is what your body is made up of, how much fat you have relative to lean tissue. By figuring out your body fat percentage you can get a better look at how your body is composed and how “healthy” you are and what progress you are making. Motivation is key to success so when you see impressive improvements you will keep going! Reductions in body fat% & visceral fat%, along with increased muscle mass, (remember, healthy lean muscle burns calories) you will also see things like a reduction in your metabolic age.
But fitness experts say proper conditioning can make the difference between a fun weekend on the slopes and one waylaid by injury.
To minimize fatigue and risk of injury, Forster, physical therapist to 42 Olympic medalists, suggests getting in ski-shape before hitting the slopes.
“All fitness begins with an aerobic base,” he said. “So six weeks before, start training with an elliptical trainer or stationary bike, or running or walking. Build up to 20 to 30 minutes three times a week.”
Aerobic training also strengthens muscles, Forster said, so any subsequent agility drills, such as running sideways or skipping, will be even more effective if you’ve established an aerobic base.
Stretch before skiing to protect against injury and enhance freedom of motion; stretch afterward to return the muscles to their normal length, said Forster.
He calls stretching the single most important thing people can do for body health maintenance.
“Connective tissue shortens with time,” he explained. “We stretch to maintain good alignment of the bones.”
Herbalife fitness expert, Samantha Clayton shares her advice on balancing exercise with frequent travel. If you travel for work or are simply on the go all the time, planning is key to ensure exercise remains a part of your daily routine. Take nutritious snacks with you on the go to avoid munching on unhealthy foods. Choose a hotel that has a fitness center. Take a quick jog or do some simple stretches in your room. Use resistance bands they are light, compact and easy to take with you. You can always take a walk and sightsee when you’re in a new place. These fitness tips will help you stay active and healthy during your travels.
