South Beach Babes and Dudes … what do you do to work out ?? : South Beach Diet Forum : Active Low-Carber Forums

#31 ^

Fri, Oct-13-06, 06:59

Demi

Strong Girls Rock!

Posts: 26,769

Plan: Muscle Centric
Stats: 238/153/160 Female 5'10"

BF:
Progress: 109%

Location: UK

The muscles that really matter

This is an old article, but one where the content is still very relevant:

Quote:

The muscles that really matter

WORKING out in the gym may have your muscles looking good on the outside, but the vast majority of us will be developing only one type of muscle - and that could lead to back and neck pain, together with many other problems.

There are two types of muscles in the body, explains Jonathan Betser, an osteopath. "The mobilisers, such as biceps and hamstrings, help you move and these are what most people work in the gym, but the stabiliser muscles are very important because they support the body," he says.

"The two most important stabilisers are the deep erector spinae, which support the neck and lower back, and the transversus abdominus, which reaches from the stomach around the body to the lower back, underpinning the spine there."

Like all the stabilisers, or deep seated muscles, they are not visible from the outside and relatively difficult to exercise. As a result most of us do not develop or use them properly. "I see athletes with well-developed mobiliser muscles who have very bad deep-seated muscles," says Betser.

Although they are invisible, these muscles do affect body shape, says Christopher Norris, a Manchester-based physiotherapist and author of two books on the subject. "I had an aerobics teacher who could not get a flat stomach although she worked out regularly and had very strong abdominal muscles," he says. "In fact, the deep-seated muscles behind them were weak and so her abdominals were falling forward."

In America, sports trainers are now beginning to suggest that to develop the outer muscles without training the deep-seated muscles can lead to an imbalance in the body and be harmful in the long run.

California-based Paul Chek, a personal trainer, argues against the use of machines in gyms. "Training on machines alone exacerbates balance problems. You have to train both muscle types together," he says.

Chek advises using free weights that require the body to stabilise itself constantly and, when you need to sit, an exercise ball is ideal because again it forces the deep-seated muscles to work in order to hold the body still.

Gymnasts whose sport involves slow, controlled movements, and women who have exercised their pelvic floor muscles in anticipation of pregnancy, often have good deep-seated muscles. Determining the strength of your stabilisers is easy: many experts now have machines to test for electrical impulses coming from the muscles.

You can also test yourself. "Lie on the floor with your knees raised and feet flat," says Jonathan Betser. "Push your fingers into the side of your stomach just below the navel. This should feel firm if you have good stabiliser muscles here."

However, exercising them is considerably more difficult. "You can't see them working and it is very easy to do it incorrectly," says Norris. He advises consulting a qualified personal trainer, osteopath or physiotherapist to develop an inner muscle workout programme.

"You will find muscles working that might have not been used for years - I have muscular men on all fours in my surgery performing pelvic floor contractions," he says. "They can't see anything happening but they eventually feel it and soon sweat is pouring off." Much of the exercise consists of repetition to get the muscles working again. The results will not be immediate but you will feel less stiffness when seated, suffer less back, neck and shoulder pain, and improve your normal work out, he says.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/m...27/thmusc27.xml

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#32 ^

Tue, Oct-17-06, 04:04

Demi

Strong Girls Rock!

Posts: 26,769

Plan: Muscle Centric
Stats: 238/153/160 Female 5'10"

BF:
Progress: 109%

Location: UK

Circuit Training and Circuit Training Routines

Taken from last month's edition of the free newsletter from thestretchinghandbook.com:

Quote:

Add circuit training to your weight training routines
for a well-rounded exercise program.

Circuit training routines are one of my favourite training sessions, whether for myself personally, or for clients. I use circuit training as part of injury rehabilitation programs, for conditioning elite level athletes, or to help my clients lose weight. I use circuits for just about everything.

I was introduced to circuit training routines by an exceptional sports coach by the name of Col Stewart. Col is one of those rare coaches who can take just about any sport, and devise a specific training program that always produces outstanding improvements for his athletes.

Col's circuit training routines are largely responsible for the success of many of his world champion athletes. Including his son, Miles Stewart (World Champion Triathlete), Mick Doohan (World 500cc Motorcycle Champion), and countless others from sports as diverse as roller-skating, squash, and cycling.

Many other coaches are also impressed by circuit training and use it regularly.

Brian Mackenzie from Sports Coach says, "Circuit training is an excellent way to simultaneously improve mobility, strength and stamina."

Workouts for Women state "circuit training is one of the best methods of exercising as it provides excellent all round fitness, tone, strength, and a reduction of weight and inches. In short, maximum results in minimum time."

And another site referred to circuit training as "an ideal way to build versatility, overall strength and fitness, as well as to consolidate your mastery of a wide variety of physical skills."

So what is Circuit Training?
"Circuit training consists of a consecutive series of timed exercises performed one after the other with varying amounts of rest between each exercise.

For example, a simple circuit training routine might consist of push-ups, sit-ups, squats, chin-ups and lunges. The routine might be structured as follows, and could be continually repeated as many times as is necessary.

Do as many push-ups as you can in 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds.
Do as many squats as you can in 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds.
Do as many sit-ups as you can in 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds.
Do as many lunges as you can in 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds.
Do as many chin-ups as you can in 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds.

What makes Circuit Training so good?
The quick pace and constant changing nature of circuit training places a unique type of stress on the body, which differs from normal exercise activities, like weight training and aerobics.

The demands of circuit training tend to prepare the body in a very even, all-round manner. I have found circuit training to be an exceptional form of exercise to aid in the prevention of injury. Circuit training is one of the best ways I've found to condition your entire body (and mind).

There are many other reasons why circuit training is a fantastic form of exercise, and what most of these reasons come down to is flexibility. In other words, circuit training is totally customizable to your specific requirements.

Circuit training can be totally personalized. Whether you're a beginner, or an elite athlete, you can modify your circuit training routine to give you the best possible results.

A circuit training routine can be modified to give you exactly what you want. Whether you want an all-over body workout, or you just want to work on a specific body area, or you need to work on a particular aspect of your sport, this can all be accommodated.

Also, you can change the focus of your circuit training routine to emphasize strength, endurance, agility, speed, skill development, weight loss, or any other aspect of your fitness that is important to you.

Circuit training is time efficient. No wasted time in between sets. It's maximum results in minimum time.

You can do circuit training just about anywhere. One of my favourite places for doing circuit training is at some of the parks and playground areas near where I live.

Circuit training is a favourite form of exercise for the British Royal Marine Commandos because they tend to spend a lot of time on large ships. The confined spaces means that circuit training is sometimes the only form of exercise available to them.

You don't need expensive equipment. You don't even need a gym membership. You can just as easily put together a great circuit training routine at home or in a park. By using your imagination, you can devise all sorts of exercises using things like chairs and tables, and even children's outdoor play equipment like swings and monkey bars.

Another reason why I like circuit training so much is that it's great fun to do in pairs or groups. Half the group exercises while the other half rests and motivates the exercising members of the group.

The main types of Circuit Training
As mentioned before, circuit training can be totally customized, which means there are an unlimited number of different ways you can structure your circuit training routine. However, here are a few examples to give you some idea of the different types available.

Timed Circuit
This type of circuit involves working to a set time period for both rest and exercise intervals. For example, a typical timed circuit might involve 30 seconds of exercise and 30 seconds of rest in between each exercise.

Competition Circuit
This is similar to a timed circuit but you push yourself to see how many repetitions you can do in the set time period. For example, you may be able to complete 12 push-ups in 30 seconds. The idea is to keep the time period the same, but try to increase the number of repetitions you can do in the set time period.

Repetition Circuit
This type of circuit is great if you're working with large groups of people who have different levels of fitness and ability. The idea is that the fittest group might do, say 20 repetitions of each exercise, the intermediate group might only do 15 repetitions, while the beginners might only do 10 repetitions of each exercise.

Sport Specific or Running Circuit
This type of circuit is best done outside or in a large, open area. Choose exercises that are specific to your particular sport, or emphasize an aspect of your sport you'd like to improve. Then instead of simply resting between exercises, run easy for 200 or 400 metres. You can even use sprints or fast 400 metre runs as part of your choice of exercises.

Some Important Precautions
Circuit training is a fantastic form of exercise, however, the most common problem I find is that people tend to get over excited, because of the timed nature of the exercises, and push themselves harder than they normally would. This tends to result in sore muscles and joints, and an increased likelihood of injury.

Below are two precautions you need to take into consideration.

Firstly, your level of fitness. If you've never done any sort of circuit training before, even if you consider yourself quite fit, start off slowly. The nature of circuit training is quite different to any other form of exercise. It places different demand on the body and mind, and if you're not used to it, it will take a few sessions for your body to adapt to this new form of training. Be patient.

Secondly, you're warm-up and cool-down are crucial. Don't ever start a circuit training routine without a thorough warm-up that includes stretching. As I mentioned before, circuit training is very different from other forms of exercise. Your body must be prepared for circuit training before you start your session.

For more information on how to warm-up and cool-down properly, review the following articles.

Warm-up: http://www.thestretchinghandbook.co...ves/warm-up.htm
Cool-down: http://www.thestretchinghandbook.co...s/cool-down.htm

Examples of Circuit Training Routines
It's easy to design your own circuit training routine, and the best routine is usually the one you design yourself. The information in this article, along with the references below, and a little bit of imagination, will help you put together the perfect circuit training routine.

While researching this article I came across some fantastic examples of circuit training routines. To follow is a list of some of the better ones. Feel free to modify them to suit your specific requirements.

This one is great for strength and stamina.
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/0285.htm

This routine is specifically for distance runners.
http://www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/circuit.htm

Good all-over body circuit.
http://www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/exercise.htm

Some examples of circuit exercises you can do at home.
http://www.fitadvisor.com/schwinn/l....php?lib_nav=26

Article by Brad Walker. Brad is a leading stretching and
sports injury consultant with over 15 years experience
in the health and fitness industry.

http://www.thestretchinghandbook.co...ng-routines.htm

#33 ^

Tue, Oct-17-06, 04:07

Demi

Strong Girls Rock!

Posts: 26,769

Plan: Muscle Centric
Stats: 238/153/160 Female 5'10"

BF:
Progress: 109%

Location: UK

Cross Training for Injury Prevention

Taken from this month's edition of the free newsletter from thestretchinghandbook.com:

Quote:

Cross Training for Injury Prevention

In keeping with the theme of last months issue on circuit training, I wanted to talk about another great form of athletic preparation and injury prevention called cross training.

Cross training, although it has been used for years, is relatively new as a training concept. Athletes have been forced to use exercises outside their sport for conditioning for many reasons, including: weather; seasonal change; facility and equipment availability; and injuries. These athletes were cross training whether they knew it or not. The benefits of cross training are beginning to get more press and one of those is injury prevention.

What is Cross Training?
Cross training is the use of various activities to achieve overall conditioning. Cross training uses activities outside the normal drills and exercises commonly associated with a sport. The exercises provide a break from the normal impact of training in a particular sport, thereby giving the muscles, tendons, bones, joints and ligaments a brief break. These exercises target the muscles from a different angle or resistance and work to balance an athlete. Cross training is an effective way of “resting” the body from the normal sport-specific activities while maintaining conditioning.

Any exercise or activity can be used for cross training if it is not a skill associated with that particular sport. Weight training is a commonly used cross training tool. Swimming, cycling, running, and even skiing are activities used for cross training. Plyometrics are becoming popular again as cross training tools.

Critics of Cross Training
Cross training does help achieve balance in the muscles due to working them from various angles and in different positions. Cross training does not, however, develop skills specific to the sport or sport-specific conditioning. A football player who jogs three to five miles all summer and lifts weights will still not be in “football shape” when the preseason starts. Cross training cannot be used as the sole conditioning tool. Sport specific conditioning and skill training is still required.

High impact sports such as basketball, gymnastics, football or running cause a lot of jarring on the skeletal system. Cross training can help limit the jarring but some sport-specific impact is necessary to condition athletes for their activity. A runner who runs in water as their only conditioning routine may develop shin splints and other injuries when they are required to run on hard surfaces for races or training. Their body is not conditioned to the forces it is subjected to and will react accordingly.

Jumping into an intense cross training schedule without progressing into it properly can also lead to problems. It is important to progressively increase the intensity, duration and frequency in small increments.

Cross Training Examples
Cross training can take many forms. The key to a successful cross training program is that it must address the same energy systems used in the sport and must allow a break from sport specific activities. Training the same major muscle groups, but in a different way keeps the athlete conditioned but helps prevent overuse injuries.

A cyclist may use swimming to build upper body strength and to maintain cardiovascular endurance. They may use cross-country skiing to maintain leg strength and endurance when snow and ice eliminate biking time.

Swimmers may use free weight training to develop and maintain strength levels. They may incorporate rock climbing to keep upper body strength and endurance up.

Runners may use mountain biking to target the legs from a slightly different approach. They can use deep water running to lessen the impact while still maintaining a conditioning schedule.

A shot putter may use Olympic weightlifting exercises to build overall explosiveness. They may use plyometrics and sprinting to develop the needed explosiveness in the hips and legs.

How does Cross Training prevent injury?
Cross training is an important tool in the injury prevention program of athletes. Cross training allows coaches and athletes the opportunity to train hard all year round without running the risk of overtraining or overuse injuries. The simple process of changing the type of training changes the stress on the body.

Cross training gives the muscles used in the primary sport a break from the normal stresses put on them each day. The muscles may still be worked, even intensely, but without the normal impact or from a different angle. This allows the muscles to recover from the wear and tear built up over a season. This active rest is a much better recovery tool than total rest and forces the body to adapt to different stimuli.

Cross training also helps to reduce or reverse muscle imbalances in the body. A pitcher in baseball may develop an imbalance laterally between the two sides of the body as well as in the shoulder girdle of the throwing arm. Thousands of pitches over a season will cause the muscles directly involved in throwing to become stronger while supporting muscles and those unaffected by throwing will become weaker without training. Cross training can help balance the strength in the muscles on both sides as well as the stabilizing muscles. This balancing of strength and flexibility helps to prevent one muscle group, due to a strength imbalance, from pulling the body out of natural alignment. It also prevents muscle pulls and tears caused by one muscle exerting more force than the opposing group can counter.

Precautions for Cross Training
Whenever starting a new activity it is important to get instruction in the proper techniques and safety measures. Ocean kayaking can be a great cross training activity for tennis players to develop and maintain upper body endurance but without instruction on proper techniques it can be dangerous.

Equipment used for cross training activities should be fitted properly and designed for the activity. Unsafe or ill-fitted equipment can lead to injury.

Cross training is a great way to avoid overuse injuries and overtraining. Unfortunately, these same pitfalls can be an issue in a cross training program. Varying workouts, adequate rest between workouts, use of proper form and gradual increasing of resistance are important in any program. Many athletes simply add cross training to their current program rather than substituting. This leads to overtraining and the opposite of the injury prevention goal.

Article by Brad Walker. Brad is a leading stretching and
sports injury consultant with over 15 years experience
in the health and fitness industry.

http://www.thestretchinghandbook.co...ss-training.htm

#34 ^

Thu, Oct-19-06, 02:53

Demi

Strong Girls Rock!

Posts: 26,769

Plan: Muscle Centric
Stats: 238/153/160 Female 5'10"

BF:
Progress: 109%

Location: UK

Speedy recovery

An interesting article about exercising during illness or injury:

Quote:

Speedy recovery

Can yoga or Pilates help back pain? Should you go for the burn when you've got a cold? Peta Bee on how to exercise with an illness or injury

Thursday October 19, 2006
The Guardian

Gym junkies swear that working out is a hard-core cure-all - it keeps the blood circulating to areas that need healing and sweats out severe colds. Are they aware, however, that exercise-related injuries are on the increase?

According to figures from Bupa Sports Injury clinics, up to 50,000 people suffer some form of sports injury every day, while research at the University of Arkansas revealed that there has been a 35% rise in gym injuries since the 80s. And with the flu season now upon us, many of even the most enthusiastic exercisers will be deliberating whether or not to hit the treadmill.

In some cases, experts say, persevering with your workouts can enhance recovery from illness and injury; in others, it can hamper it.
How to negotiate this minefield? Professor Thomas Weidner, director of athletic training at Ball State university, Indiana and a leading researcher in the effect of exercise on colds (and vice versa), says a consistent gym programme "pumps the immune system" and keeps us from getting colds in the first place. But if you do get a bout of the sniffles, should you forgo your gym sessions until you recover? Weidner says the decision should initially depend on how poorly you are feeling and "always listen to your body".

A useful strategy is to assess the severity of your cold. If you have a runny nose, sneezing or a sore throat (what Weidner calls "above-the-neck" symptoms), it is probably safe to exercise at a low intensity - walking, cycling or yoga - and it may even boost the activity of illness-fighting white blood cells. If, however, you are suffering from extreme tiredness, muscle-aches or feverish symptoms (below-the-neck), stay at home with a hot-water bottle.

According to guidelines from the American Council on Exercise - a consumer watchdog on the fitness industry - allow at least two weeks for a full recovery if you have flu-like symptoms. Mild colds, though, are different. In various recent studies, Weidner and his colleagues inoculated subjects with rhinovirus and then asked them to follow either a moderate exercise regime (half-hour workouts at 70% of their maximum heart rates on treadmills, bikes or steppers for five days a week), or to remain mostly sedentary, except for a shortish walk to work. While the exercisers said they felt better after their gym sessions, there was no difference in symptoms between the groups.

"Nobody feels good when they have a head cold, but research says people can exercise," Weidner says. "It found that cold symptoms do not get worse after working out and that athletic performance does not suffer during light to moderate exercise. Neither the severity nor duration of symptoms seem to be affected."

Among the most common injuries to sporty types are pulled or torn leg muscles. Claire Small, a spokeswoman for the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists, who specialises in treating musculoskeletal problems, says laying off workouts for a few days after pulling a muscle is essential: the healing process begins with an inflammatory response that can last for three to five days. "This is a crucial time during which rest - protection of the injured muscle is vital in order to prevent any further damage," Small says. "During the inflammatory reaction, the body produces chemicals and cells that remove dead muscle fibres and start the repair process."

After that, however, a gradual return to exercise is the best route to recovery. "A lot of people make the mistake of resting completely for four weeks if they get a sports injury, only to launch back into their fitness programme once they feel no more pain," says Ben Ashworth, a physiotherapist at the Olympic Medical Institute in Northwick Park Hospital. "Because the body's tissues harden themselves to activity over time, a sudden return can predispose someone to getting injured again." Instead, says Ashworth, they should consult a physiotherapist who will gently increase their exercise load. Pool-based sessions are often included because the water acts as a giant cushion for the joint and muscles.

"Swimming or aqua-jogging [using a buoyancy aid] is great for many injuries because it is no-impact and supports your body weight, while giving a good cardiovascular workout," Ashworth says. "From there, they could progress to walking on grass or a soft surface."

If you suffer from weak knees or ankles, a mini-trampoline or rebounder - as used by David Beckham - is a great buy. American researchers have found that the body has to work harder to run on a springy surface than on a treadmill, which means that you could burn more calories - around 100 for every eight to 10 minutes spent bouncing up and down. "Mini-trampolines encourage a little bit of assisted mobilisation," Ashworth says. "The elastic recoil of the bed affords some protection."

Yoga may be beneficial for some problems, although it should only be performed on the recommendation of a physiotherapist. A recent study into back pain published in the American College of Physicians' Annals of Internal Medicine, found that a gentle yoga class seemed a better alternative to general exercise or a self-help book for back pain. However, Dr Karen Sherman, who conducted the study, conceded that more vigorous types of yoga, and classes led by poorly qualified instructors, can potentially make problems worse. Matt Todman, consultant physiotherapist at the Sports & Spinal Clinic, Harley Street, agrees, saying "yoga is generally not good for back pain and a lot of its postures can compound the problem by loading pressure on the back".

Instead, Todman recommends Pilates classes, preferably run by a physiotherapist. Studies at Queensland University in Australia have shown that Pilates exercises can develop the core muscles in the trunk which support the back and help to prevent a range of leg injuries. "The importance of posture is massively underplayed," Todman says. "Poor posture is the most common cause of back ache and that links to other injuries. Activities like Pilates can help to correct that."

While flexibility is important in injury prevention, too much stretching as part of a rehabilitation programme, can do more harm than good. "Most normally active individuals only need to maintain a normal range of motion to function at a high level and to function safely," says Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist at Ace.

Too many people, however, don't stop there. "They think that if being able to touch your toes is considered normal, being able to touch four inches past your toes must be better," Bryant says. "There is evidence to suggest that hyper-mobility in some people can be a risk factor for further injury".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/health/st...1925653,00.html

#35 ^

Thu, Oct-19-06, 03:08

Demi

Strong Girls Rock!

Posts: 26,769

Plan: Muscle Centric
Stats: 238/153/160 Female 5'10"

BF:
Progress: 109%

Location: UK

Warming up and cooling down

The importance of warming up and cooling down pre- and post-exercise ....

Quote:

How to ...

... warm up and cool down

Peta Bee
Thursday October 19, 2006
The Guardian

Don't neglect a warm-up. It prepares your body for aerobic exercise by increasing blood flow through your heart and lungs. This results in more oxygen and sugar (glucose) being delivered to your muscles, a faster and more forceful heartbeat, and more frequent breathing. As the temperature of the body rises, muscles become warmer and better prepared for exercise.

Do structure your warm-up. Jog or power walk for five to 10 minutes before a workout to get yourself warm, then perform five to 10 minutes of dynamic stretching exercises (arm/leg swings, shoulder circles and lunges etc) to reduce stiffness. Static stretches, in which you hold a position for several seconds, don't have the same effect.

Do pay particular attention to your warm-up if you suffer from exercise-induced asthma. A 10-20 minute warm-up routine has been shown to alleviate chest tightness and other symptoms. Performing some short sprints over 15-20 metres helps ease your body into activity mode.

Don't end a workout abruptly. If you do, especially following vigorous exercise, your blood pressure drops, which could cause dizziness or fainting. A proper cool-down prevents the sudden pooling of blood after activity and re-circulates it back to the heart, skeletal muscles and brain. A cool-down also helps flush out waste products produced during exercise, such as lactic acid, that can leave you feeling stiff and tired the next day. Ideally, a cool-down should consist of five to 10 minutes of jogging or walking and five to 10 minutes of stretching.

Do save static stretches (where you hold a stretch for several seconds, as with yoga-type moves) for the cool-down. Last year, researchers at the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal reviewed the evidence on stretching for the Physician and Sports Medicine Journal. They concluded that when performed immediately prior to a workout, stretching causes a small, albeit temporary, reduction in a muscle's power and force. For anyone needing to perform kicks or jumps (in football or martial arts) or who wants to lift weights, this could be limiting.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/health/st...1925637,00.html

#36 ^

Sat, Oct-21-06, 02:03

Demi

Strong Girls Rock!

Posts: 26,769

Plan: Muscle Centric
Stats: 238/153/160 Female 5'10"

BF:
Progress: 109%

Location: UK

Hula Hooping for Fitness!

Read about the latest fitness craze - hoola hooping!

Hoop it up in a fitness revolution

The Times
London, UK
21 October, 2006

A new exercise in LA will soon have us all in a spin. Lucy Broadbent meets the hoopsters

The big advantage of a Hula Hoop class for adults is that everyone’s too grown-up to openly laugh and snigger at you. Back in my school days there was no such restraint.

Anyone who couldn’t gyrate like Elvis to keep a hoop spinning on their hips was simply not worthy. And being someone whose best attempt at physical co-ordination has always been a good brisk lounge on the sofa, it meant that the Hula Hoop was something to steer clear of. And until now, it’s been easy. But Hula Hooping in Los Angeles, where I live, is back in fashion. Not in the playgrounds but the gyms. It is America’s latest fitness obsession, with cardio hoop classes, workshops, videos and Hoopster clothing lines springing up across the country.

“Hooping is a phenomenon,” says Anah Reichenbach, a terrifyingly hip 30-year-old Californian, who likes to be known as Hoopaliscious, and is credited by the Los Angeles Times as starting the hoop revolution.

“During the Nineties the Hula Hoop was transformed from being a child’s toy into a new dance form,” she says. “It’s a fabulous workout. It tones the whole body and strengthens the abs, but one of the best benefits is that it gives you a place for free expression, a place to cut loose and be yourself.”

That, for Reichenbach, has meant becoming a hoop star. She has become so proficient that the rock star Sting used a film of her dancing with a Hula Hoop as a giant projection behind him on stage for his 2004 Sacred Love world tour. She also performed at his birthday party last year, and at all the premiere parties for Cirque du Soleil for the past five years. Plus, Coca-Cola used her in one of its commercials last year and she appeared on the TV show America’s Got Talent this summer.

But it is through her classes that she has really spread the word, converting many into what she calls hoopaholics. “You have no idea how many times I have heard someone say ‘I can’t do that’ or ‘I never could’. But there isn’t anyone who doesn’t pick it up with a bit of practice. And, once you get into it, you just won’t want to stop.”

So here I am at Hoop Hatchlings, Reichenbach’s hour-long beginners’ class, held in a dance studio in Los Angeles, reliving my worst playground memories. There are eight of us lined up behind her — all women, some middle-aged and dressed in jeans, others defining their youth with bare midriffs and Lycra.

We begin with basic warm-up stretches and then the Hula Hoops are distributed. They’re heavier than the light plastic Wham-O hoops of my school days. “The weight makes them easier to spin,” Reichenbach says. And it does. I’m proud to say that in seconds, the hoop is floating round my midriff as if I’d been doing it all my life. It isn’t that difficult: not so much a challenge of strength as of concentration.

But the victory is short-lived. Idly spinning a hoop around the waist is only the warm-up. The idea is to dance and exercise at the same time as constantly rolling hips back and forth to keep the hoop circling. So there are squats, leg lifts, arm raises and, worst of all for an inhibited Brit, the techno thump is turned up loud, the lights low and we’re told to express ourselves by dancing as we feel.

Frankly, I can’t see Sting ever asking me to perform. But I know why he asked Reichenbach. With a hoop constantly whizzing around some part of her anatomy — shoulders, knees, arms — she moves her body in such a graceful, artful way that she is mesmerising. She has the same ease of movement as an otter or seal swimming under water. The rest of us have some way to go before we bear comparison.

But some of her students aren’t that bad. “I wanted to do a class that was more lively than yoga but was still calming,” says Willa Wong, 36, an optician, whose hoop didn’t once clatter to the ground. “So I bought a Hula Hoop and it’s amazing how quickly you pick it up. It feels good to master something and the more you do it, the easier it gets.”

Hooping is also good for shedding pounds as, apparently, it burns as many calories as running or doing aerobics. “I’ve probably lost 5lb or 6lb (2.3kg to 2.7kg) since I started doing this once a week three weeks ago,” says Suzie Tyler, a 46-year-old housewife. “It’s great exercise. Just you wait, you’ll feel it in your abs tomorrow.”

She was right. I did. But was I a convert? Reichenbach says she gets hoop withdrawal symptoms if she doesn’t spend some time hooping every day. She believes the concentration required to do it, together with the constant circling, gives it a meditational quality that helps to relieve stress and revive the spirits.

Given that most of my exercise came from bending and picking up my hoop off the floor every time it clattered off my hips, I’m not convinced that I achieved that level of Zen, but it made me laugh. And possibly my classmates, too, though not to my face.

For more details, www.hooprevolution.com

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/articl...2412434,00.html

#37 ^

Sat, Oct-21-06, 07:37

Camelle217 Camelle217 is offline

Senior Member

Posts: 614

Plan: South Beach
Stats: 375/309/185 Female 6'0"

BF:
Progress: 35%

Location: Lincoln, Nebraska

Let me just say... I have a LONG WAYS to go before I can Hoola Hoop!!!! They had some at the Homecoming Pep rally for one of the "games" it was FUNNY... but I was sitting there thinking THANK GOD I wasn't one of the chosen teachers to participate in THAT skit!!!!!

Oh, and POGO STICKS I hear are making a "fitness comeback" YIKES!!!!

#38 ^

Sat, Oct-21-06, 13:42

Kristal21

Registered Member

Posts: 27

Plan: SBD
Stats: 155/151/125 Female 5'3"

BF:
Progress: 13%

Location: Mississippi

My boyfriend bought me Kinetic for my birthday..it's the coolest thing...You have to have a PlayStation2 but it comes with a camera and you plug it up and there are 2 personal trainers that you can choose from...you type in your information and they set up a 12 week program for you to follow...It shows you on the tv screen and you have to do cardio, yoga, and stretching activities....it's an interactive game...while you're looking at the screen there are things that pop up that you have to hit....it's so cool....it's a better workout for me than going to the gym

#39 ^

Sun, Oct-22-06, 03:06

Demi

Strong Girls Rock!

Posts: 26,769

Plan: Muscle Centric
Stats: 238/153/160 Female 5'10"

BF:
Progress: 109%

Location: UK

Computer Fitness Games

In case anyone doesn't know, this is what Kristal21 is talking about:

Eye Toy Kinetic

Quote:

Product Description
Get in shape with an engaging and challenging workout all in the comfort of your own home. EyeToy: Kinetic, exclusive to the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, is a unique and innovative fitness product that acts as an in-home personal trainer to create authentic customized exercise routines with real-time performance evaluations for more effective workouts. Utilizing the revolutionary EyeToy technology, EyeToy: Kinetic offers players an all-in-one fitness program of cardio, mind and body, and strength exercises inspired by Aerobics, Capoeira, Kick Boxing, Yoga, Modern Dance and Tai Chi. Choose between two unique personal trainers each of whom provide guidance and assess players' performances as they engage in 12-week training programs or select individual routines to tone specific areas of the body. To create a more interactive and robust workout experience, the innovative EyeToy technology measures the force and direction of the players' movements, analyzes them and provides real-time performance evaluations. Whether players are fitness fanatics or looking to rev up their workout routine, EyeToy: Kinetic provides a fun, personalized fitness experience custom tailored to each players' fitness level, schedule and overall objectives. Select a challenging and intensive 12-week training program, which keeps track of workout schedules and monitors progress Train in 4 different environments - Dojo, Dance Studio, Zen Garden and Loft Designed for all fitness abilities.
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Computer...4795962?ie=UTF8

Yourself! Fitness

Quote:

Product Description
This Yourself!Fitness Program for Home PlayStation 2 software brings the expertise of a certified personal trainer and nutritionist into your home to guide you through a personalized health and fitness program. Maya, your interactive personal trainer, builds a program that is tailored to your lifestyle and gives you one-on-one training with over 500 unique exercises that never get boring. Choose your music, your mood and your focus and let Maya, through step-by-step coaching, do the rest.
http://www.amazon.com/RESPONDESIGN-...F8&s=videogames

#40 ^

Wed, Oct-25-06, 05:16

Demi

Strong Girls Rock!

Posts: 26,769

Plan: Muscle Centric
Stats: 238/153/160 Female 5'10"

BF:
Progress: 109%

Location: UK

Beginning a Strength Training Program

As recommended via this week's edition of the Lean Plate Column in The Washington Post:

Beginning a Strength Training Program - good advice from The American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine on how to start a strength training program with weights

#41 ^

Wed, Oct-25-06, 10:20

Tim709

Senior Member

Posts: 1,205

Plan: South Beach
Stats: 168/153/140 Male 5 feet 3 inches short

BF:
Progress: 54%

Location: Newfoundland

http://www.patentlysilly.com/patent.php?patID=7037243

maybe that will help me get started jumping rope again lol

#42 ^

Fri, Oct-27-06, 01:58

Demi

Strong Girls Rock!

Posts: 26,769

Plan: Muscle Centric
Stats: 238/153/160 Female 5'10"

BF:
Progress: 109%

Location: UK

A brisk walk a day keeps those winter colds away

Another good reason for exercising:

Quote:

A brisk walk a day keeps those winter colds away
By Nigel Hawkes, Health Editor

The Times
London, UK
27 October, 2006

HALF an hour’s exercise a day cuts the risks of catching colds in half, a new trial suggests.

Brisk walking is all that is needed, and the longer that you continue to exercise daily the greater the benefit.

The trial recruited 115 older women from Seattle, Washington state. All were sedentary and either overweight or obese. For a year they were asked either to exercise daily or take part in a 45-minute stretching class once a week.

The women were randomly allocated to one or other of these groups, and every quarter were asked to fill in questionnaires asking them whether they had suffered colds or other upper respiratory infections in the previous three months.

The results, published in The American Journal of Medicine, show that the daily exercise group had only half as many colds as the weekly stretch-class group. Over the final three months of the study the gap was even wider, with the stretchers suffering three times as many colds as the exercisers.

“This adds another good reason to put exercise on your to-do list,” said Cornelia Ulrich, the paper’s senior author and an associate member of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre’s public health sciences division in Seattle.

But moderation was the key. Other studies had shown that excessive exercise could increase the risk of colds. She said that the likeliest cause of the benefit, if it proved to be real, was the enhancement of the immune system.

“It has been shown that just a 30-minute walk can increase levels of leukocytes, which are part of the family of immune cells that fight infection,” she said.

The exercise group was asked to do 45 minutes of exercise a day, five days a week, but managed only 30 minutes, mainly brisk walking. That, however, seems to have been enough to achieve a benefit that increased over time.

“The enhanced immunity was strongest in the final quarter of the year,” Dr Ulrich said. “This suggests that, when it comes to preventing colds, it’s important to stick with the exercise.”

But the findings are by no means definitive. If all upper respiratory infections, rather than just colds, were counted there was no significant difference between the two groups.

Jessica Chubak, a research associate at the Hutchinson centre, said that, although the study was larger and longer than earlier ones, it still may not have been extensive enough. “It would be interesting to see what would happen over the course of a longer exercise intervention,” she said.

An editorial in the journal by Richard Ruffin and Paul Thompson, of Hartford Hospital, in Connecticut, raises further doubts. They ask whether the stretching group’s higher number of colds could have been caused by a spread of the infection during the weekly session and say that more evidence is required.

The main objective of the study, funded by the US National Cancer Institute, was to assess the impact of physical activity on the risk of breast cancer. As well as reducing their incidence of colds, the women in the exercise group reduced their weight, total-body fat and intra-abdominal fat, which should reduce their risk of cancer.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/articl...2423456,00.html

#43 ^

Fri, Oct-27-06, 08:11

Judynyc

Attitude is a Choice

Posts: 30,111

Plan: No sugar, flour, wheat
Stats: 228.4/209.0/170 Female 5'6"

BF:stl/too/mch
Progress: 33%

Location: NYC

Quote:

Originally Posted by Demi

Quote:

GETTING STARTED
It is important to check with your doctor before beginning a strength training program, particularly if you have any significant medical problems or physical limitations. If you have musculoskeletal issues, check with a sports medicine specialist or orthopaedic surgeon to make sure that the strength training program will not aggravate the problem. An exercise professional such as a certified athletic trainer, sports physical therapist, a personal trainer or a strength and conditioning coach can be helpful in designing a safe, individual and appropriate strength training program.

Your goals for strength training will determine the type of program you will want to initiate. In general strength training should be performed at least 2-3 times a week. Increasing the frequency of workouts will result in faster strength increases. Rest periods between training days are important for proper muscle healing. Unless you have other restrictions, perform 8 to 10 exercises starting with the larger muscle groups first.

The number of sets and repetitions of each exercise is also important. A set consists of an exercise repeated multiple times without rest. The repetitions (or reps) is the number of times an exercise is performed in a set. A good starting point is to perform 2-3 sets of 8-10 repetitions. Proper technique is extremely important. You should perform a full range of motion in a controlled manner. Movements should be fluent and controlled. Fast movements should be avoided. Take care to breath appropriately through the exercise and always use a spotter when lifting heavy weights, particularly when performing a bench press or squat.

Building strength will allow you to progress in your program. You can progress by increasing the frequency of your workout, the number of repetitions and sets or the amount of weight. Gradual increases are recommended to avoid injury to muscles and joints. Rest periods between strength training sessions for a particular muscle group are necessary to allow muscles to recover and rebuild.

This is from the article itself and I should've read it before I started last week

ugh....my shoulder has gotten reinjured and my sciatica has me limping this week....I'm afraid my age is catching up with my body.

Honor those rest periods!!!

#44 ^

Sat, Oct-28-06, 12:17

foxgluvs

From Flab to Fab!

Posts: 11,752

Plan: Fat Flush / SB
Stats: 300/225/185 Female 5ft 8"

BF:No Thanks
Progress: 65%

Location: UK

Quote:

According to research from Glasgow University currently under review, the rate at which body fat is burned can be significantly increased when you precede any aerobic activity with 20 minutes of press-ups and squats.
"This is a breakthrough for both sedentary people and fit people," says Dr Niall MacFarlane, one of the authors of the study. The research - which monitored 11 fit volunteers over three weeks - suggests that if exercisers include a 20-minute session of resistance training prior to working out aerobically, the fat-burning benefits are two to three times greater. This means the easily breathless don't need to huff and puff for such a long stretch - and exercise aficionados can achieve better results in the same period of time.

Am I getting this...? Does it mean that you should do the weights etc before the walking machine and cross trainer and stuff like that?
Just checking that's what it actually means!

#45 ^

Sat, Oct-28-06, 19:00

PattiWagon PattiWagon is offline

New Member

Posts: 3

Plan: my own
Stats: 230/182/155 Female 65 inches

BF:
Progress: 64%

Working out

I started out walking about 4 miles every other day in May. I have since changed that regimen to running 2 1/2 miles to 3 miles each day Monday -Sat. This month I started strength training on M, W and F. I always rest on Sunday.
Last weekend we bought a 70 pound heavy punching bag and I am looking for boxing lessons or a really easy to follow dvd to teach me how to box.
I ran in high school and I loved it! I love the way I feel when I run now...my mind just blanks and I feel relaxed afterwards as well. I think that the "me" time has made me a bettter parent. (For years I felt guilty whenever I did anything for myself. I realize now I was only hurting everyone around me because I was taking my frustrations out on them.)
I'm still a work in progress and eager to try all sorts of different exercises.