Balance Training: why it's important for everyone

What is with all the weird looking toys you see in the gyms, sporting goods stores, and fitness magazines today? We see funny looking things like a cut-in-half stability ball called a BOSU. There are the small circular "pillow discs" that are filled with air. Don’t forget about the other items like balance wedges, wobble boards, rocker boards, and indo boards. They look interesting enough, sometimes even fun, but what's the point of all these devices? These fitness tools are specially designed to help people improve their balance. You may think that the elderly are the only ones who should be concerned about balance, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Think back with me to when you were a kid. Remember: “how long can you hop on one foot?” or “who can walk on the edge of the sidewalk the longest without falling off?” We didn't call it exercise or balance training then, but that is exactly what we were doing. Activities like these helped us to develop our balance and stability and to survive our youthful clumsiness. Today, top athletes in the world recognize that balance training helps them to perform better in their sports and fitness experts know that good balance and a strong core go hand in hand. You don't have to be a world-class athlete to add a little balance training to your workouts. Plenty of simple exercises you can do at home (or at the gym) will improve your balance significantly. But if sticking a dismount or avoiding a tackle aren't on your list of daily priorities, why does balance training matter? Let’s look at the reasons why balance training is so important. Benefits of Balance Training Let me spring a big word on you here: proprioception. It's the body’s ability to interpret and use information about your position in space. Through a complex system of environmental feedback, cues from the bottom of your feet, the relation of your inner ear to gravity, and what you see, your body senses which muscles to activate or deactivate to maintain your desired position. It does this when you stand, get up from a chair, or walk on the sidewalk. It also uses all of these cues when you're riding a bike, skiing, strength training at the gym, and standing on your tiptoes to grab something from a high shelf. When the information received is too complex to translate, the system gets overwhelmed and you lose your balance. But with practice and experience (i.e. balance training) you can master what once seemed like impossible tasks—just like you did when you first removed the training wheels from your childhood bike or made it to the bottom of the bunny hill the first time without falling. By training to develop greater balance, you will recognize improvements in coordination, athletic skill, and posture. This in turn will result in fewer injuries and greater stability as you age, which can help prevent falls and keep you both strong and independent longer. These are the very benefits that have led many coaches, trainers, and athletes to incorporate balance training into their workouts. So how do you start? Quick Balance Test Here is a good test to evaluate your own balance. Stand up and imagine you're going to walk forward on a straight line, placing one foot directly in front of the other so that the heel of your front foot touches the toes of your back foot. Keep both feet flat on the floor. Hold that position and close your eyes. If you can maintain your balance for 30 seconds, you are doing pretty well. If you are wobbling just about as soon as you close your eyes—or before—your balance is poor. If you did not perform as well as you thought you should, it's OK. Let’s work on this together. (Adapted from Jason Anderson, Personal Trainer)

Let's connect at gaiaadventures@shaw.ca Catherine D'Aoust, Kinesiologist, Personal Trainer, Adventures for Women http://www.gaiaadventures.com 604 329.1257

Strengthen your Core

Whenever you walk or run, your core muscles are active, keeping you upright, balancing your body as your weight shifts and absorbing the impact as your feet hit the ground. Your body's core forms the foundation of all your movement. If your core is weak, you are susceptible to poor posture and injury. There are many great exercises we can do to strengthen the core. I would like to focus on the abdominal crunch - it is the one exercise that I often see people perform incorrectly. Abdominal Crunch: Lie on your back and place your feet on the floor hip-width apart. Hold your arms out (easiest) or cross your arms on your chest (moderate) or place your hands behind your head or hold a plyoball (advanced). Keep your gaze fixed forward. Using your abdominal muscles—not your neck—lift your chest as far as you can off the floor, even if it is only an inch or two. Hold for 2-3 seconds if you can, then release. Repeat 8 times. Remember to breathe deeply throughout this exercise.

Want to try an advanced core exercise - follow this link and do Medicine Ball Crunches: http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/exercises.asp?exercise=456 Happy training everyone! Let's connect at gaiaadventures@shaw.ca Catherine D'Aoust, Kinesiologist, Personal Training, Adventures for Women, Better Aging http://www.gaiaadventures.com; 604 329.1257

Endings and Beginnings

Life is full of endings and beginnings. I have been teaching Osteofit classes at Kerrisdale community center for almost 13 years. I have come to know and appreciate everyone in my classes. They are like my "Moms" to me, who is 79 - years old now, and also suffers from Osteoporosis. There are three women aged 87 years of age in my Osteofit for life class; these women are full of life and vigor (and yes, there are a few men there too). It has been my pleasure to guide them through to better bones and stronger body. Every week we warmed up and strength trained with the help of 3 lbs, 5 lbs free weights and bands. We also performed special balance exercises to help prevent falls and keep them safe. I enjoyed their warmth and appreciation. I was given an opportunity to teach Healthy Heart classes on Monday at VGH. It was a difficult decision for me, especially after all this time, but I felt it was now time for me to move on to new challenges. My last day at teaching at Kerrisdale, my Osteofit classes were so wonderful to me. In my first class, they took my picture with the group and then with just me. They presented me with a card and a small gift and I hugged just about every one of them. And there were tears, mostly from me. My second class also gave me a card and gift (chocolate - which I love). A period of my life is ending (over 13 years teaching those classes) and a new one beginning (Healthy Heart on Monday classes started today). I wish you all new beginnings too. For more information about Healthy Heart visit: http://www.vch.ca/403/7676/?program_id=10455 Want to know more about the Osteofit program http://www.osteofit.org/ Happy training everyone! Let's connect at gaiaadventures@shaw.ca Catherine D'Aoust, Kinesiologist, Personal Training, Adventures for Women, Better Aging http://www.gaiaadventures.com; 604 329.1257 GAIA hikes Diez Vistas on July 21; join me and other cool women

Strength training 101 - part 3

We learned that the tension principle and overload principles are the first 2 principles in strength training. Here are the other two principles: 3. The Specificity of Training Principle: This refers to the fact that only the muscle or muscle group you exercise will respond to the demands placed upon it. By regularly doing bicep curls, for example, the muscles involved (biceps) will become larger and stronger, but curls will have no effect on the muscles that are not being trained (such as your legs). Therefore, when strength training, it is important to strengthen all of the major muscle groups. 4. The Detraining Principle: After consistent strength training stops, you will eventually lose the strength that you built up. Without overload or maintenance, muscles will weaken in two weeks or less! This is the basis behind why individuals lose muscle mass as they age—because they are detraining by exercising less frequently. How Much Strength Training Should You Do? When considering the guidelines for aerobic exercise, keep the FITT principles in mind (Frequency, (Intensity, Time and Type). Frequency: Number of strength training sessions per week Aim to train each muscle group at least two times per week, and up to three if you have the time or are more advanced. One day per week may help you maintain your current level of strength, but in most cases, it will not be enough to build muscle. It is important to rest 1-2 days in between working the same muscle(s) again. Rest days give the muscles time to repair themselves from small tears that occur during strength training, and this is how you get stronger. Intensity: How much weight or resistance you should lift This is a tricky one—and if you’re new to exercise, it will take some trial and error. The intensity of the resistance you lift should challenge you. It should be high enough that as you approach your last repetition, you feel muscle exhaustion. Exhaustion means your muscle is so tired that you can’t do another full repetition in good form. Time: Number of reps and sets you should do Going from the starting position, through the action and back to the starting position counts as one rep. Most people lift somewhere between 8 and 15 reps, which equals one set. Most people do 1-3 sets with rest in between each set. Make sure you rest 30-90 seconds between sets. You can use this time to stretch the muscle you are working and catch your breath or get a drink of water. The longer you rest, the more strength you will have to finish out your next set just as strongly as the previous one—which will aid in your strength development. Type: Perform exercises to target every major muscle group when strength training: your arms (biceps and triceps), shoulders, chest, back, core (abs, obliques and lower back), and legs (quads, hamstrings, glutes and calves). Make sure you work opposing muscles, not just the ones you see when you look in the mirror (biceps, chest, abs, quads). The opposing muscles are the ones that work in opposition to those (in this case, the triceps, back, lower back, and hamstrings). Also be sure to work the sides of your body: obliques, hips, abductors and adductors (outer and inner thigh). The idea is to achieve balance. In my next blog I will present tips on getting the most out of your strength training workouts. Happy training everyone! (source: Jen Mueller and Nicole Nichols, Fitness Experts) Let's connect at gaiaadventures@shaw.ca Catherine D'Aoust of GAIA Adventures Kinesiologist, Personal Training, Better Aging http://www.gaiaadventures.com GAIA hikes Diez Vistas on July 21; join me and other cool minded women

Strength training 101

4 Principles of Strength Training The four principles of strength training are guidelines that will help you strength train safely and effectively to reach your goals. 1. The Tension Principle: The key to developing strength is creating tension within a muscle (or group of muscles). Tension is created by resistance. Resistance can come from weights (like dumbbells), specially-designed strength training machines, resistance bands, or the weight of your own body. There are three methods of resistance: Calisthenics (your own body weight): You can use the weight of your own body to develop muscle, but using body weight alone is less effective for developing larger muscles and greater strength. However, calisthenics adequately improve general muscular fitness and are sufficient to improve muscle tone and maintain one’s current level of muscular strength. Examples include: pushups, crunches, dips, pull ups, lunges, and squats, just to name a few. Fixed Resistance: This method of resistance provides a constant amount of resistance throughout the full range of motion (ROM) of a strength training exercise. This means that the amount of resistance/weight you are lifting does not change during the movement. For example, during a 10-pound curl, you are lifting 10 pounds throughout the motion. Fixed resistance helps to strengthen all the major muscle groups in the body. Examples include: Exercises that use dumbbells (free weights), resistance bands and tubes, and some machines. Variable Resistance: During exercises with variable resistance, the amount of resistance changes as you move through the range of motion. This creates a more consistent effort of exertion throughout the entire exercise. For example, when lifting weights, it is harder to lift up against gravity and easier to lower the weight down with gravity. Specially-designed machines (like Nautilus and Hammer Strength brands) take the angle, movement, and gravity into account so that the release of a biceps curl feels just as hard as the lifting phase of the curl. 2. The Overload Principle: In order to build strength, your muscles must work harder than they are accustomed to. This “overload” will result in increased strength as the body adapts to the stress placed upon it. Everyone begins at a certain level of strength. To become stronger, you must regularly increase the tension (weight or resistance) that your muscles work against, causing them to adapt to a new level. As the muscles respond to an overload, they will grow in size and strength. There are two types of strength overloads: Isometric means “same length.” This is a high-intensity contraction of the muscle with no change in the length of the muscle. In other words, your muscles are working hard but the muscle itself remains static. Isometric exercises are good for variety and some strength maintenance, but they don’t challenge your body enough to build much strength. Learn more about isometric exercise here. Isotonic means “same tension.” When you lift weights or use resistance bands, your muscles are shortening and lengthening against the resistance. This challenges your muscles throughout the entire range of motion. However, the amount of force the muscle generates will change throughout the movement (Force is greater at full contraction/shortening of the muscle). Unlike isometric exercises, this type of contraction does help build strength. (source: Jen Mueller and Nicole Nichols, Fitness Experts) In my next blog I will cover the other two strength training principles. Let's connect at gaiaadventures@shaw.ca Catherine D'Aoust of GAIA Adventures Kinesiologist, Personal Training, Better Aging http://www.gaiaadventures.com GAIA hikes Diez Vistas on July 21; join me and other cool minded women

Strength Training 101

Every movement we make—from walking to driving—involves our muscles. Muscles are unique. They have the ability to relax, contract, and produce force. They are metabolically active, meaning that the more muscle you have, the more calories your body uses at rest and during exercise. Your muscles are highly responsive to strength training, which helps them to become larger and stronger. But if you don’t know anything about strength training, where do you start? Right here! In this and my next few blogs I will tell you everything you need to know to begin and even offer a few tips for experienced exercisers as well. What is Strength Training? Strength training is the process of exercising with progressively heavier resistance for the purpose of strengthening the musculoskeletal system. It is also referred to as weight lifting, weight training, body sculpting, toning, body building, and resistance training. What are the Benefits of Strength Training? Regular strength training increases the size and strength of the muscle fibers. It also strengthens the tendons, ligaments, and bones. All of these changes have a positive impact on your physical fitness, appearance, and metabolism, while reducing the risk of injury and decreasing joint and muscle pain. Muscle is metabolically-active tissue. This means that the more muscle you have, the faster your metabolism is while at rest. So, strength training is an important component of weight loss and weight maintenance. Without consistent strength training, muscle size and strength decline with age. An inactive person loses half a pound of muscle every year after age 20. After age 60, this rate of loss doubles. But, muscle loss is not inevitable. With regular strength training, muscle mass can be preserved throughout the lifespan, and the muscle lost can also be rebuilt. (source: Jen Mueller and Nicole Nichols, Fitness Experts) Let's connect at gaiaadventures@shaw.ca Catherine D'Aoust of GAIA Adventures Kinesiologist, Personal Training, Better Aging http://www.gaiaadventures.com GAIA hikes Diez Vistas on July 21; join me and other cool minded women

Exercise with arthritis

Three of my personal training clients suffer from arthritis: a woman in her 50's, 70's and 80's. It can be very painful and demotivating. You just don't want to move anything when inflammation is present. But exercise can actually really help. Last week we covered flexibility and strength training. Today I will address Aerobic training (or cardio). Aerobic Exercise Weight-bearing activities like walking strengthen your bones, improve your balance and coordination, and help you maintain a healthy weight. In addition to these physical benefits, aerobic exercise helps improve your mood and reduces tension and stress. Aim for 3-4 sessions of aerobic exercise each week. Try exercising in water. Water exercise is gentle on the joints since water acts as a cushion. Warm water also raises your body temperature, which causes your blood vessels to dilate, increasing circulation. ReadExercising in the Water for more details. Try walking. Walking is an easy and safe way for people with arthritis to strengthen their muscles and joints. SparkPeople's Walking Guide will give you all of the tools you need to get started! Avoid overdoing it. Although exercise has many benefits for people with arthritis, it is possible to do too much. Vigorous exercise that aggravates inflammation in the joints is harmful. If exercise-induced joint pain lasts more than two hours, you've done too much. You and your doctor should work closely to come up with an exercise plan for you. Since each person is different with regards to arthritis type, degree of severity, and limitations, what works for one person might not work for another. That's why it is so important to talk to your doctor before starting an exercise program. Starting a consistent exercise program will help manage your disease and reduce your risk of future problems. Arthritis and exercise go hand-in-hand, so get up and get moving! Let's connect at gaiaadventures@shaw.ca Catherine D'Aoust of GAIA Adventures Kinesiologist, Personal Training, Better Aging www.gaiaadventures.com