Category: Fitness

 

There are  many benefits to training your body unilaterally or one side at a time. The first and most obvious benefit would be the improvement of any weaknesses or imbalances between our right and left halves which can be disguised by always doing barbell exercises. Because each arm and leg works independently, dumbbell work prevents your dominant side from bearing most of the load during a lift and allowing your weaker side to stay weak. Dumbbell work also requires the smaller stabilizer muscles of a joint to get involved during each repetition which over time increases joint stability and can help in injury prevention. Another added benefit of unilateral exercise is the additional core training that it provides. By having to stabilize and balance your body with a weight on one side, your deep trunk muscles remain activated throughout all of the exercises rather than only during a specific set of core exercises. Some unilateral exercises to try include:

1)      Single Arm Dumbbell Chest Press

2)      Single Arm Dumbbell Bent Over Row

3)      Single Arm Dumbbell Deadlift

4)      Single Arm Dumbbell Shoulder Press

5)      Single Arm Dumbbell Lunge

 

These exercises can be performed as circuit by performing one exercise on both the right and left side directly after the other with as little rest as possible in between. That’s one circuit. Rest for 60 to 90 seconds before completing the circuit one or two more times depending on your fitness level.

 

 

It is now the middle of summer, arguably the hottest part of the year. With the temperature regularly reaching the mid 90’s, it is extremely important to take certain precautions when exercising outdoors.

If you are exercising outside, then the time of day is important. Try to avoid exercising during the hotter parts of the day, typically from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. If at all possible try to work out early in the morning before the heat hits, or in the

evening when the heat begins to dissipate. During your workouts, choose shaded trails or pathways that keep you out of the sun. If you exercise at night, be sure to do so with a partner and wear brightly colored or reflective clothing so that you are easily visible.

When looking at the weather be sure to take the humidity into account; many weather reports now include an actual temperature and a “feels like” temperature which factors in humidity. Relative humidity affects the body’s ability to cool itself, and studies have found that your exercise capacity is progressively impaired as the relative humidity increases.

Always stay hydrated. You should already be drinking throughout the day, but on warm days make sure that you drink a glass or two of water before heading out. Carry a bottle of water or even a hydration pack, and try to take a drink every 15 minutes, even when you’re not thirsty. When you’re done with your workout, replenish your lost fluids by having a few more glasses of water.

Wear lightweight, breathable, and light-colored clothing. The lighter color actually will reflect heat, and loose, lightweight clothing doesn’t trap heat or prevent sweating. You may also want to try specially designed exercise shirts and shorts made for training in warm weather. They are often made from material meant to help keep you cool.

Always put on sunscreen before going out into the summer sun. Use something with ultraviolet protection and at least 15 SPF, preferably higher. It is important to protect your skin year round, and remember that you can still get burned or suffer sun damage to your skin even on cloudy days.

Listen to your body, and look out for signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Signs of heat exhaustion may include fatigue, weakness, nausea, dizziness, muscle cramps, and an increase in body temperature. Symptoms of heat stroke include temperatures above 104, an inability to sweat, acute respiratory distress, and loss of consciousness. Stop immediately if you’re feeling dizzy, faint or nauseous, and take shelter from the sun.

Summer is a great time to be outside, so stay safe and have fun!

 

 

Flexibility training is an important aspect of any exercise regime. Achieving your optimum level of flexibility increases your body’s resistance to muscular injury by allowing your joints to move through their full range of motion.

Flexibility training targets two different tissue adaptations: elasticity and plasticity. Elasticity refers to the muscles ability to return to original resting length after a stretch. Plasticity refers to the muscles tendency to assume a new and greater length after a stretch, even after the force is removed. The primary goal of stretching is to produce a plastic deformation over time, which causes a permanent increase in our range of motion. Some tips to help achieve this are:

• Emphasize stretching to the point of minor  discomfort
• Hold the stretch for at least 15 to 30 seconds
• Stretch after you have sufficiently warmed up the muscles

There are many factors that influence flexibility, some include: joint structure, age, core temperature, and activity levels. While not all of these factors are controllable, we can implement different practices to increase our flexibility.

Traditionally static stretches are completed during warm ups for the majority of our stretching. Holding positions such as a standing quadriceps stretch, a hurdler stretch, or a basic sit and reach.  Another option is to use active mobility exercises, such as dynamic stretching, to help warm up the muscles dynamically and take the joints through their full range of motion. That is not to say that static stretches do not have their place in routines. It is good practice to use static stretches after the cool down of your workout.

Dynamic stretches use controlled movements to improve range of motion, loosen muscles, increases heart rate, increase body temperature, and increase blood flow to help you exercise efficiently. Dynamic stretching is most effective when it is activity-specific. The best time to perform dynamic stretches is during a warm-up routine. Several examples of dynamic stretches include walking lunges, straight leg kicks, high knee walks, and arm swings. Once your workout is complete it is a good idea to perform a cool down, and then perform those static stretches.  Remember to hold the stretch until you feel a light pull on the muscle. While holding the stretch, be sure to relax. If you are unable to relax, that is a good sign that you may need to lighten the stretch just a little. As you feel less tension you can increase the stretch again until you feel the same light pull. Hold this position, and then relax. You should be able to notice a difference after 3 to 4 weeks.

Mason Recreation just held its semi-annual powerlifting competition on April 27. The meet consisted of the three traditional lifts, the squat, bench, and deadlift. Now that the meet is done, let’s take a close look at these three compound lifts.  When completing any of these lifts make sure that you start out with a light weight and always use a spotter.