Archive for November, 2009
The Perfect Pushup
Posted by: | CommentsA natural follow up to my The Perfect Plank article is a discussion of The Perfect Pushup. Here it is.
The pushup is “pushed” by personal trainers everywhere and is a basic staple in many people’s personal training program. I like the pushup. When done correctly, it encourages core and upper body strength, both very important to an overall wellness program. People at all stages of fitness can benefit from pushups. For example, if you lose your balance, you need core and upper body strength to grab something and stabilize yourself. Remember falls can lead to fractures for people with osteoporosis or osteopenia.
My concern is when I see people on a personal training program that emphasizes quantity of pushups and not the quality. When someone is pushed to hard to hit a target number of pushups in a set period of time, the person frequently loses form and loses proper postural alignment.
Take a look at my video where I explain (and demonstrate) The Perfect Pushup in some detail. If you are considering a personal training to improve your fitness, remember to keep in mind the importance of quality.
10 Tips for Osteoporosis – Stronger Bones. Stronger You.
Posted by: | CommentsOn Wednesday, November 18th I offered a one hour Osteoporosis Exercise and Education Seminar called “Stop the Stoop”. During the event I presented and covered in detail 10 Tips for Osteoporosis: Stronger Bones. Stronger You. The tips were well received and I wanted to share them with you. Here they are.
If you want to attend my next Stop the Stoop seminar, I have one taking place on Tuesday, December 8th from 4:45 – 5:45 PM at NutriChem Pharmacy and Clinic. To register for the seminar call 613-721-3669. Cost is $30 + GST. Hurry. There are only a few seats available.
Here are the 10 Tips:
1. Exercise as many muscles as possible, especially around your hips and spine.
2. Make your workouts count! In the first 3 months choose a resistance level that has you fatigued by the 12th repetition. With more experience, increase the resistance level so that you fatigue by the 8th to 10th repetition.
3. Include some weight-bearing, cardio building exercises into your week.
4. Keep your bones on their toes! Mix up your workouts and try new activities.
5. Remember you are what you eat, down to the bone!
6. Identify and minimize reduced bone density from:
a. Medications
b. Thyroid/hormonal imbalance, and
c. Gluten sensitivity.
7. Move well, avoid slouched postures at work and at play.
8. Yoga is great, but know that certain poses increase your fracture risk and that you should modify or avoid certain Yoga poses.
9. Just because you have Osteoporosis, you should not stop moving (and living)! Stay informed and adopt bone healthy activities. The result: a stronger YOU!
10. Consult an expert. Work with a Physiotherapist, Kinesiologist, Certified Athletic Therapist knowledgeable in exercise programs for osteoporosis.
You can download a PDF cheat sheet of these 10 Tips for Osteoporosis.
10_Osteoporosis_Tips.pdf
Stop the Stoop Seminar Update
Posted by: | Comments
The response to my “Stop the Stoop – An Osteoporosis Exercise and Education Seminar” at NutriChem has been great. The session on Wednesday, November 18th (tomorrow) is sold out and we have already sold half of the seats for the session on Tuesday, December 8th from 4:45 – 5:45 PM.
Please call NutriChem at 613-721-3669 to reserve a seat at December’s session. Cost is $30 + GST.
The Perfect Plank Pose
Posted by: | CommentsIn one of my earlier blog posts, I told you about my recent interview with the Toronto Star. I was pleased with the way the writer captured and presented many important messages regarding exercise and osteoporosis and especially the importance of finding the right exercise program for osteoporosis.
However, the article included a picture that needs addressing. The picture showed a client in a “Plank” position. The plank is an excellent way to develop core strength but to be effective, it must be executed properly. In fact, if it is not done well, it can cause problems for the client.
In the picture, the client has her head tilted down. Take a look:
It is important to maintain a proper posture with all your exercises.
To be clear: I am not blaming the Personal Trainer for the client’s position. I did not participate in the session so I cannot state whose fault this is. Perhaps the photographer took the photo before the Personal Trainer had a chance to fix her client’s posture.
I decided that I should illustrate how I like my clients to execute this pose. Note the difference in the alignment of my body. I try to keep a straight line from the back of my head to my heels:
I have also posted a short video on the topics where I discuss how to achieve that “perfect plank”.
Function to Fitness Physiotherapy and Personal Training in Ottawa
