The Horse Stance is a very important exercise and should be considered as one the staples of anyone's exercise program. It is one of the most valuable exercises in terms of strengthening the deep stabilizer muscles around the spine. I encourage all of my physiotherapy and personal training clients to make it part of their personal training exercise program. This video is the first of a two part series on the Horse Stance in which I cover the basic position and moves. In Part Two, I will cover more advanced positions.

Labels: horse stance exercise, personal training, personal training ottawa

The Plank Exercise is frequently used by many personal trainers to build core strength. But it also is effective for weightbearing through the wrist and forearm (important to people with osteoporosis to reduce the risk of fracture in case of a fall) as well as developing shoulder stabilization.

Labels: osteoporosis and exercise, personal training, plank exercise

A 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.

Labels: exercise program for osteoporosis, personal training, pushups

In 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".

Labels: exercise program for osteoporosis, personal training