Author: Scott Patterson

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“Get on the Ball: Core Stability”

Vaughn Marxhausen
211
date_saved:2007-07-25 12:30:10
category:health
article:

Have you heard the term, focus on the core? No, we’re not talking about the inside of a golf ball; we’re talking about the inner muscles that make up the abdominal region, hips and lower back. Most people focus their attention on the muscles that are more visible and easy to train, such as biceps, pecs and back, however, the most important muscles that act as our foundation are often over looked. So what is core training, or better yet core stability, and how does an individual increase their core stability?
Core training is best done when the body is placed in an unstable environment. One way to accomplish an unstable environment is with the use of those big colorful balls, depending who you talk to, are commonly known as Swiss balls, Resist-A-Ball or stability balls. Once used as a tool for rehabilitation has now become a hot item for healthy individuals to use to core and stability training. Swiss balls can be used in a variety of settings; use with bodyweight only, integrated with selectorized machines and free weights, or can be used with free weight or tubing exercises.
We have all seen Swiss balls in fitness facilities, but the question many people ask is what makes Swiss ball training so great? How can sitting, rolling, moving or performing an exercise on a ball be beneficial? Believe it or not but there are numerous benefits to Swiss ball training, some of them are listed here.
Improved Posture. It takes more energy to move the body when you have poor posture not to mention an increase of stress to the joints and stabilizer muscles. An athlete is always searching for the edge over the competition and simply improving posture will help the body function more effectively and efficiently. Swiss ball training is an excellent form of posture training. Postural muscles have to work in the unstable environment, unlike supported exercises such as machine training.
Improved Balance/Stability. The human body moves in three planes or a combination of planes and for improved balance and stability, an individual needs to perform exercises that allow them to train in these multiple planes. Traditional machine weight training takes the balance out of the picture and the machine actually becomes your stabilizer. Swiss ball training places you in an unstable environment forcing you to utilize your neutralizer and stabilizer muscles to stay balanced in a given position or through a particular motion. The result is improved sports performance since you are able to apply more power and strength to any situation, especially out on the golf course, when you need to balance and stabilize your body on a hill or unstable position.
Improved Nervous System Activation. The benefit of improving your nervous system activation is that you are able to transform the strength you developed from your training program to real life situations, whether they are sport related or everyday activities.
Strengthen The Core & Extremities. Swiss ball exercises require constant activation of the core muscles, which translates to a more functional core as well as sculpted abdominal and back muscles. Using the Swiss ball with free weight exercises will help develop the extremities while training the core at the same time.
As you will quickly learn, you just don’t get on the Swiss ball and begin your exercises; there are several rules to follow in order to perform the exercises correctly and safely. Seeking the help of a qualified personal trainer experienced in stability training will be beneficial. For starters, using the Swiss balls is not just about getting on one and trying not to fall off – you must maintain proper positioning throughout the exercises. Tucking in the pelvis and pressing the belly button into the spine are some cues that you will need to focus on through the exercises.
In order to improve your athletic performance, have better balance/stability or improve your posture, you will need to train in an environment that places a demand on the core muscles. You will notice that after training on a Swiss ball, you will become more confident in your ability to move effectively and efficiently from the golf course to everyday activities.
Swiss ball training is only one aspect of training in an unstable environment, the use of core boards, wobble boards, foam roller and discs all play a vital role in improving your athletic performance and training in such a way that really translates to real life activities.
No matter what you are trying to accomplish, keeping a balance in your training program is important. Components of fitness that should always be included are: muscle strength & endurance, cardiovascular, flexibility, stability/balance and coordination. Athletes will need to incorporate speed and agility to the list. Looking at the all the components that one needs to integrate, it seems as though there is not enough time in the day to complete it all in a training program. This is where the professional assistance of a personal trainer comes into play. A personal trainer will be able to set up your program that is customized to your needs, wants and lifestyle, so that you don’t spend hours in the gym. After all, we workout so that our life is more enjoyable. Once you start adding stability training into your program, you will quickly see how it will improve other activities in your life as well as your performance on the golf course. No matter what your fitness level may be, anyone can utilize a Swiss ball due to the vast variety of exercises from beginner to advanced level.
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Online Pilates

Effective Treatment For Fibromyalgia Patients

Jon Campbell
3131

Fibromyalgia is a perplexing disorder that has just begun to make itself known in the medical community. Because of its wide range of symptoms and often intermittent nature, little is known about effective treatments for the condition, but there is evidence that something as simple as a memory foam mattress or topper can help some FMS patients. http://www.sleepaidfactory.com
Fibromyalgia is characterized by widespread, sometimes debilitating pain in muscles, tendons and other fibrous tissues. Other symptoms may include an overwhelming feeling of fatigue, and difficulty with concentration and complex mental tasks, sometimes referred to as “fibro-fog.” As the medical community struggles to learn more about FMS, and to separate it from similar disorders like chronic fatigue syndrome, patients have been left largely to their own devices for treatment.
Through experimentation, many patients have found treatments that are effective on their own FMS. For example, there is much anecdotal evidence to suggest that regular massage therapy from therapists or mechanical massage chairs can help to reduce the muscle pain associated with FMS. Other treatments focus on improving sleep, through the use of pressure point relieving memory foam mattresses or toppers. There are a wealth of options out there, so the best thing for FMS sufferers to do is to seek as much information as possible.
Many doctors believe that the fatigue associated with FMS may be due in part to poor sleeping patterns. Clinical studies have shown that those suffering from FMS have repeated disturbances of phase IV sleep, the deep sleep that we need to feel rested during the day. There is even some evidence that this lack of deep sleep may be a major cause of FMS, and not just a symptom. Many FMS sufferers describe a cycle of sleep loss and muscle pain; those patients who sleep poorly experience more pain during the following day, and therefore sleep less at night, which leads to more pain, and so on.
There is anecdotal evidence that the right mattress can help FMS sufferers sleep more soundly and with fewer interruptions. When we lie down in our beds, our pressure points are always bearing more weight than other parts of our bodies. For example, if you are a side sleeper, most of your body weight will come to rest on your shoulder and hip. Discomfort from these pressure points is responsible for disturbing the sleep of even average individuals through a process called pressure point arousal. Because of already sore muscles, this disturbance is even more pronounced and frequent for FMS patients. Because critical deep sleep is constantly being interrupted, FMS patients may wake up feeling exhausted, even after getting a “full night’s rest.” Memory foam mattresses http://www.healco.com, http://www.A1mattress.com are unique in their ability to distribute pressure away from pressure points, thereby helping to eliminate pressure point arousal.
Doctors are still struggling to learn more about Fibromyalgia, and a cure may be many years away. Until the medical community can offer real solutions, Fibromyalgia patients will continue to find their own paths to wellness.
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Online Pilates

“DNA Diets” : Junk Science?

Word Count:
498

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”
Dieting and weight loss products and programs are such a big budget, big profit business today. We’ve all heard dozens of sales pitches for diet and weight loss products, plans, books, and other items that will supposedly help us miraculously lose that extra weight we’ve gained with the least amount of effort possible.

dna, diet, diets, genetic, fad, weight, loss, plan, scam, fraud

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Copyright 2006 Danna Schneider

Dieting and weight loss products and programs are such a big budget, big profit business today. We’ve all heard dozens of sales pitches for diet and weight loss products, plans, books, and other items that will supposedly help us miraculously lose that extra weight we’ve gained with the least amount of effort possible.

Each of these programs, books and products also usually tout themselves as being based “unique” and strongly backed science and technology.

These hyped diet aids range anywhere from diet supplements that claim to burn fat and/or blast calories away, help to suppress the appetite, or even help to block carbs and fat from even entering the blood stream and being stored as fat or extra weight. But how do we as consumers really know that any of this will actually work?

One of these so called scientifically based diet fads, which costs a fairly lofty sum of money, called the DNA Diet, has recently been in the news for allegedly preying on customers for astronomical sums of money. The company which sells this idea is currently under government investigation for misleading consumers.

The DNA “kits” the company sells online are for swabbing the inside of your mouth and sending it in for “DNA analysis”, along with an accompanying recommendation for your personally tailored diet.

The cost may be anywhere from $499 to $1,000, and a full year of this diet advice and accompanying diet supplements can cost you upwards of $1,800.

Investigators say there is not even any scientific proof that this method of diet advice and supplementation or anyalysis works, further casting doubt on the companies that offer this service.

This particular company also offers expensive diet supplements which are mostly made of concentrated vitamins, some of which analysts claim may actually cause more harm than good due to their high dosages.

Not only that, analysis done on the supplements showed there was no difference in the formula even when different DNA was sent in, so the idea that the supplements themselves are “custom tailored” genetically is assumed to be false.

The investigators created fourteen fake customers and purchased the DNA analysis kits from four different websites. They filled out the accompnaying questionnaires with varied client information, such as different lifestyles, age brackets, etc,. All questionnaires were paired with the DNA sample of an infant girl and a grown male.

The advice varied greatly, the first sign this was an unreliable or simply fake analysis, and many of the pieces of advice received contained generalities such as smoking leads to heart disease and other already well known facts.

The investigation is ongoing, and there has been no announcement whether the company will be forced to close or change their methods and practices.

This is a perfect example of why a consumer must be vigilant when purchasing or researching any claims of diet products, or any other self improvement products for that matter. You never know when the next phony product might come along.

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Online Pilates

“Different Types of Anxiety Disorders”

Word Count:
573

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”
Anxiety disorders are often treated using specific methods and techniques designed to target symptoms and develop coping mechanisms for the anxiety triggers. Knowing which method to use in the treatment largely depends on the kind of disorder a person has. This article provides insights on the most common forms of anxiety disorders.

anxiety disorders

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Anxiety is a common occurrence when a person faces potentially problematic or dangerous situations. It is also felt when a person perceives an external threat. However, chronic and irrational anxiety can lead to a form of anxiety disorder. There are different types of anxiety disorder depending on their causes or triggers.

Common forms of anxiety disorders

Generalized anxiety disorder

A person who has this type of anxiety disorder usually experience prolonged anxiety that is often without basis. More accurately, people with generalized anxiety disorders cannot articulate the reason behind their anxiety. This type of anxiety usually last for six months and often affect women. Due to the persistence of the anxiety, people affected with generalized anxiety disorder constantly fret and worry. This results to heart palpitations, insomnia, headaches, and dizzy spells.

Specific phobia

Unlike someone with generalized anxiety disorder, a person who has a specific phobia experiences extreme and often irrational fear of a certain situation or object. When exposed to the object or situation they fear, people with specific phobias exhibit signs of intense fear like shaking, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, and nausea. Common specific phobias include fear of heights, enclosed spaces, blood, and animals. The fear a person with phobia feels can be so extreme that he or she may disregard safety just to escape the situation.

Panic disorder

Also known as Agoraphobia, panic disorders are characterized by recurring panic attacks which are often unexpected. Symptoms are usually shaking, chest pains, dizziness, fear of losing control, and reluctance of being alone. People with panic disorder are aware that their panic is usually unfounded and illogical. This is why they avoid public situations and being alone. A panic attack can be so severe that people may lose control and hurt themselves.

Social phobia

Alternatively called social anxiety, a person with social phobia may exhibit similar symptoms like those of panic disorder especially in social situations. Shaking, dizziness, shortness of breath, and heart palpitations may ensue when a person with social phobia finds his or herself at the center of attention or in the company of many people, regardless whether they are strangers or not.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

People with obsessive-compulsive disorder experience anxiety caused by a persistent obsession or idea. They tend to avoid experiencing anxiety by resorting to repetitive actions or behaviors that prevent anxiety. For example, a person who is obsessed about cleanliness may experience anxiety at the mere sight of a vase placed slightly off-center. To prevent anxiety, he or she will clean and organize everything compulsively or without reason.

PTSD

Post-traumatic stress disorder may occur after a person experienced a severely traumatic event. He or she may relive the experience in his or her mind which causes stress and anxiety. If a person with PTSD comes into contact with stimuli (any object, person, or situation) that he or she associates with the traumatic event, he or she may literally re-experience the event by crying uncontrollably, panicking, or losing control. Subtler symptoms include insomnia and avoidant behavior. PTSD may manifest itself immediately after the traumatic event or even years after.

Determining the type of anxiety disorder a person has is crucial to seeking treatment and recovery. Techniques and methods that are used to help a person cope with a certain anxiety usually target not only the management of symptoms but coping mechanisms when exposed to triggers. Only after thorough diagnosis can treatment and recovery for anxiety disorders really commence.

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Online Pilates

“Dieting” Toture By Another Name, It Doesn’t Need To Be That Way

Paul Freemantle
635 I have tried many “diets” here in the USA and in England and to me they all felt like self inflicted torture. They were boring, tasteless, and restrictive. Like many of you I work hard, I don’t ask for much in the way of pleasures when I get home at night. The one thing that does give me enormous pleasure is eating, I love food and yes, I like the odd drink too.
I was not and never have been a very large person, 186lb at 5’8″ tall. Not huge but always feeling bloated, I had the “carry on luggage” hanging over the belt and always felt tired and lethargic. Then one day my wife and I heard about the Atkins torture, I mean, diet. I thought what the heck; I might as well give it a go. Well, to my surprise I lost weight and I lost it quite quickly, I still lacked energy but nevertheless I was very impressed. It was like every man’s dream come true, meat, meat, and more meat, and losing weight. I was doing well but yes you probably guessed it, I got bored, bored, bored. The weight went back on far quicker than it came off. I have learned that most if not all diets will help you lose weight. The trick is being able to stick to it.
Like all the other diets I had tried, Atkins was restrictive, repetitive and after a while tasteless. To be fair to the other diets I had tried, including Atkins, there are recipes that can help to ease the pain but who wants to start experimenting with their culinary talents when they get in from a hard day at the office. I can tell you now, I do not. I know it sounds great having steak every day but we have all heard the saying “too much of a good thing” and very quickly that “good thing” can turn into a very bad thing. Atkins almost put me off steak for life!
Now I am losing weight again and I am down to 172lb, I know it’s only 14lb or a “stone” as we say in England but I am not bored, I feel great, and when I get in from work at night I eat what I want. How I hear you all cry, well I will tell you; I found a way of giving my body the nutrition it needs to stay healthy and I have been able to lose weight at the same time.
I started using and then marketing an all natural nutritional program that incorporates weight loss for those that need it, weight gain for those that want it and many other beneficial products for skin health, major organ health and male and female personal health solutions.
Many people get stuck in the boom and bust cycle. We have all tried many diets but most of us have failed. Ask yourselves a question and answer honestly. What caused you to fail? If you are being honest you must answer “will power” All of the diets I have tried have caused me to lose weight. I cannot say they were not effective at achieving this. I can say however that they were boring and restrictive and that the boredom probably did not help my chances of sticking to the diet. I am not without some will power but as they say “Variety is the spice of life”.
As I said earlier I love food and the thing I like most about it is the sheer variety of foods available. I do not want to have to pick and choose what I am and am not allowed to eat. Since myself and my family moved to the USA we have been able to eat out more times in the last five years than I was able to do in England in the previous thirty. The cost of eating out here is so much more affordable. I am like a kid in the candy store, I love it. Unfortunately that makes putting on weight very easy, and so the diet cycle begins.
Of course any sensible attempt at weight loss has to have an element of sacrifice, we have to eat a sensible amount of food while at the same time supplying our bodies with all of the vitamins and nutrients that it needs but the goals that we set ourselves must be attainable otherwise we doom ourselves to failure. Do we need to eat meat and nothing else? Do we have to eat salad and nothing else? Does anyone out there honestly think that microwave meals are satisfying?
Being overweight is now being linked with many health problems, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, the list goes on. It is also well documented that obesity is the fastest growing health problem on the planet. It is crucial that overweight people who wish to lose weight are encouraged and helped to break the vicious cycle of eating and dieting. Let me say this “you are not alone”.
I often see overweight people who are obviously desperate to lose weight forcing themselves to jog around the streets in a desperate attempt to burn calories. If they understood what harm they are doing to their joints and heart they probably would not attempt this form of exercise. I am not saying do not exercise but we must make sure we are fit enough for exercise. If you are carrying far too much excess weight then you will do yourself more harm than good. Start by getting the food and nutrient intake under control and incorporate some light exercise such as walking then as you begin to lose weight you can start to gradually increase the amount and intensity of the workout.
Most of the overweight people I have seen jogging are probably doomed to failure because they cannot possibly be enjoying the torture of forcing their bodies to do something that, lets face it, has been totally alien to it for years. Start slowly, that is the key. Do not expect instant results, the quick fix does not exist. It took time to get out of shape it will take time to get back in shape. Be patient.
If overweight people are ever to be able to lose weight and keep the weight off they must look for a more scientific way of maintaining healthy, nutritional eating patterns. Help is out there, there is an army of very dedicated people, who were all customers once, just like me, that are now helping thousands of people lose weight and become healthier, happier people.
These people understand that proper nutrition is the key to a healthier life. They understand that the never ending cycle of torturous dieting or joint busting exercise simply does not work for most of us and are nearly always doomed to failure. Some people are very strong willed and can stick to even the most demanding of diets to achieve their goals. I am afraid that like many people out their, I am not one of those people.
If you are like me and do not possess a will of iron, get help. It will change your life as it has changed mine.
Do yourself and your loved ones a huge service. Choose a nutritional program you can stick to without destroying your taste buds.
You won’t regret it. Oh and by the way, it definitely is not boring!
Paul Freemantle
Independent Herbalife Distributor
Personal wellness mentor
For more information please visit http://WWW.WANNAFEELGR8.US
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“Car Accidents: The Expressway to The Next Life”

Word Count:
589

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”
According to a recent study, car accidents ranked ninth out of the top ten causes of death world wide. It also ranked first among the top ten accident-caused deaths. Over 40,000 Americans die in car crashes every year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, someone is involved in a car accident every ten seconds. It is estimated that every 12 minutes, a person dies in a car crash. Car accidents are the leading cause of death for Americans 35 years old and younger.

car accidents

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According to a recent study, car accidents ranked ninth out of the top ten causes of death world wide. It also ranked first among the top ten accident-caused deaths. Over 40,000 Americans die in car crashes every year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, someone is involved in a car accident every ten seconds. It is estimated that every 12 minutes, a person dies in a car crash. Car accidents are the leading cause of death for Americans 35 years old and younger. In 2002 alone, there has been a reported 43,005 deaths caused by car accidents.

What are the leading causes of car accidents?

Car accidents can often be attributed to driver recklessness or negligence, the vehicles involved in an accident, and road and weather conditions at the time of the accident.

Driver Negligence.

Driver negligence may manifest in many forms. It may be because of rubbernecking, driving under the influence of alcohol, the driver’s lack of experience, or an aggressive driving behavior.

Under driver negligence, rubbernecking had been reported as the top cause of car accidents. This happens when motorists stop to look at other accidents they pass by and lose concentration on the road ahead. This distraction ends up in a chain of accidents that could have been avoided. Driving under the influence of alcohol is strictly prohibited in the US. This is considered as a criminal offense and is not taken lightly. A reported forty percent of all traffic-related deaths have been attributed to driving while intoxicated. Inexperienced drivers who aren’t accompanied by an adult with a valid driving license also contribute to car accidents. One quarter of reported car accidents involved teenage drivers. Aggressive driving behaviour like challenging other drivers to a street race in the middle of the road, forcing to cut into a lane, not giving way to other cars also contribute to the growing statistics of car accidents.

Vehicles.

Defective auto parts, vehicle design, and/or car maintenance are also major causes of car accidents. Defective door latches, seat belts, airbags, seat backs, roofs, ignition systems, and fuel systems are all contributing factors in the damage caused in vehicular accidents. The overall faulty design of a car makes accidents and damages more likely. SUV designs make a car less stable on the road and four times more likely to rollover in an accident as compared to passenger cars.

Road and weather conditions.

It is understandable that this cause isn’t really something man can have any control of. However choosing to come out on the road without first taking into consideration the weather and road condition may also be considered negligence on the part of the driver.

How can I avoid car accidents?

Responsible driving is the key to avoid getting yourself involved in a car accident. For teenage drivers, don’t go out driving unsupervised. Avoid ingesting too much alcohol when you’re driving, not only will you be able to see the road clearer, your concentration will be better, too. Concentrate on the road, disregard any distractions while driving. If it is really necessary that you take a moment to acknowledge any distractions, park your car on a safe area and then attend to what ever needs your immediate attention. Drive defensively instead of being aggressive on the road. Always keep yourself abreast to weather conditions before going out. Make sure and check your vehicle for any problems even before you hit the road. It is better to be prepared and safe than getting into an accident on the road.

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“Breaking Point: The Factors Behind Insanity”

Word Count:
560

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”
Insanity is one of those things that most psychological texts attempt to categorize, illustrate, and analyze, but never outright define. Indeed, from some standpoints, insanity and sanity are too relative to the individual and his circumstances to be given any single, all-encompassing definition. There are, however, several key factors to be noted among the various “forms” of insanity known to modern mental health experts.

mental health, stress, depression, stress and anxiety, social anxiety,

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What can drive someone to insanity? Certainly, insanity is something that is commonly understood (or misunderstood) and usually carries some sort of stigma in the popular consciousness. If you believe in modern psychology and psychiatry, there are literally thousands of forms of insanity that a person can end up developing over a lifetime. Some of them, like depression, are temporary, while others, like social anxiety, require more work for a person to get through. However, there appears to be some commonality as to what actually brings about most of the forms of insanity that people go through. Which brings the question to bear: is there a common, underlying trigger that compromises the stability of a person’s mental health?

Things like stress and anxiety are often cited, as most of the common (and several uncommon) mental health issues are triggered by one of the two. Continued exposure to stress can eventually push someone beyond their “breaking point,” with the form of insanity afterwards being affected by external factors. This is often a long, strenuous process because most people have some level of resistance to such things, allowing them to at least survive the stressful period with their sanity intact. Additionally, the process may not even really result in insanity, with most of the population serving as proof of this theory. Prolonged stress can affect a person’s behavior and outlook, but it is also known that several other factors can increase or reduce the impact of this. In some cases, stress and anxiety can merely even have the opposite effect, depending on the person’s personal outlook.

Emotions are also said to play a critical role in driving or pushing people into insanity, with feelings being so closely tied to mental health. A person’s emotional state can often be a reflection of a person’s relative state of mental stability, but may also become an effect of fractured sanity. There is no doubting that emotions can disrupt and affect a person’s thought processes and make them do things that they normally would not do. It has also been noted that extremely emotional situations and heavy emotional trauma can permanently affect a person’s mind, often resulting in a condition that requires therapy to eventually overcome. However, it is rather arguable that emotions are merely augmenting the effects of stress and pressure, not a factor in itself.

Trauma is also frequently cited as having drastic effects on a person’s sanity, particularly if it occurs during the formative years. The extreme psychological and emotional impact that trauma victims have to endure can often force some past the breaking point, having permanent effects on their mental health. However, it should be noted that trauma tends to be little more than a combination of stressful and emotional factors, usually mixed in with extreme circumstances. The vulnerability of the person’s psyche plays a larger role here than in other potential causes of insanity, which explains why trauma encountered later on in life does not have the same general effect as similar events encountered during childhood.

Ultimately, insanity is something that, like sanity, must be defined on an individual basis. What is sane for one person in a given society may not be considered such by a different person within the same society. Insanity is a matter of context in this case, which is the assumption that some psychological texts make.

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“Bodybuilding Sins” That Cause Back Pain and Missed Workouts: Part 2

Jesse Cannone, CFT, CPRS and Steve Hefferon, CMT
1452

Welcome to article number 2 in our series “Bodybuilding Sins That Cause Back Pain and Missed Workouts”. In this article we are going to talk about how bodybuilders tend to create massive muscle imbalances and what you can do to not be one of them.
If you missed the first article, you can read it by clicking on the link below.
Here’s a breakdown of the articles to look for:

Article #1 – Choosing The WRONG Exercises
Article #2 – Training Variations for Pain Relief and Maximum Results
Article #3 – Targeted Stretching
Article #4 – Targeted Exercises
Article #5 – Rest, Recovery, and Injury Prevention

Article #2 – Training Variations for Pain Relief and Maximum Results
Bodybuilders are a stubborn bunch… almost as bad as runners! And they tend to follow the “HERD” doing whatever exercises and routines the “pros” are doing…
Now, if your goal is to be as big as possible and you are not at all concerned with your health and fitness, don’t even bother this article… this article is for bodybuilders who ARE concerned about their health and want to be big, strong, powerful, and agile… if that’s you, read on…
The reason so many bodybuilders suffer from so many different injuries is because there are several things the “pros” don’t tell you…
First off, the articles that you see in all the muscle mags aren’t even written by the “pros”… and the workout routines they recommend are always extreme and often not even used by the “pro” who supposedly wrote because their main goal is to sell magazines… not give you the real deal on bodybuilding.
If you are serious about bodybuilding and want to achieve your true peak, you need to stay injury free… and that’s just about impossible if you train they way most bodybuilders do.
There are several key strategies that you can use right now to not only eliminate any aches, pains and injuries you currently have, but also keep from creating more muscle imbalances in the future. For a more detailed article on muscle imbalances go to http://www.losethebackpain.com/achesandpainsarticle.html
Strategy #1 – Target the Weaklings!
No, we don’t mean the exercises you think your weak at, or even the muscles you think are underdeveloped… what we mean is the muscles that are weak in relation to the opposing muscle group.
For example, in the first article we talked about why the Leg Extension is not a great exercise and why it’s responsible for so many cases of knee, hip, and back pain… and the reason is, most people, especially bodybuilders, are already over developed and stronger in the quadriceps… and usually have a significant imbalance between the quadriceps and hamstrings.
Another reason bodybuilders tend to develop so many severe muscle imbalances is because they emphasize the front of the body more than the back… a great example of this is what we call “The T-shirt Muscle Workout” and it usually consists of dozens of sets of chest and biceps…
you know what we mean… in just one workout you do flat bench, incline, decline, pec deck, dumbbell fly, cable cross overs… and then for biceps you’ve got barbell curls, dumbbell curls, preacher curls, cable curls, machine curls, and the list goes on…
So instead of emphasizing the muscles that are already strong, why not really hit those weak and under worked muscles like: neck, upper back, shoulder rotators, hamstrings, glutes, hip rotators, lower abs, and shins.
These areas tend to be weak, tight, out of balance with their opposing muscles, prone to muscle strains and pulls and most importantly, these imbalances lead to major injuries and conditions like back pain, knee pain, rotator cuff tears, tendonitis and others.
All of these conditions are caused by muscle imbalances and will NOT go away unless you work towards correcting the imbalances… and the only way to know for sure which imbalances are causing your pain or injury is to do a series of physical assessments like the ones covered in our “Lose the Back Pain Video”.
Strategy #2 – Experiment!
Here’s a personal challenge for you: Replace at least 1 of your normal weekly workouts with something totally different like combat martial arts, kettle bell training, functional training, or even strongman style exercises.
For example, instead of doing your super heavy, 3 inch partial rep leg presses, try a single leg squat… and if that’s easy, try adding weight! Or instead dozens of sets of shoulder presses and lateral raises, see if you can do 1 handstand push-up.
Those are just a few examples… do yourself a favor and experiment with other types of exercises. You can find hundreds of different types of training styles by taking classes, reading books, watching videos, surfing the web, hire a personal trainer, etc.
We aren’t asking you to give up your traditional workouts… but just cross-train a bit so you not only work towards a balanced body but also towards a stronger, more powerful and usable strength. Again, what good is muscle if you can’t use it!
Strategy #3 – Switch It Up!
Another great way to minimize the number of missed workouts due to injuries is to vary the exercises that you do for each muscle group. For example, if you always do barbell squats try rotating in other exercises like single-leg leg presses, trap-bar dead-lifts, d-bell squats, etc.
Conclusion
Remember, the key to eliminating injuries and preventing future ones is to identify what areas you need to target. In the next two articles we’ll be discussing in detail, how to address various injuries like back, hip, knee, and shoulder pain with targeted exercises and stretches. In the meantime, be sure to read thru all of our detailed Articles and if you have questions, please post them in our Discussion Forum.
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“Bodybuilding Sins” That Cause Back Pain and Missed Workouts

Steve Hefferon, CMT and Jesse Cannone, CFT
1240

It’s one thing for someone who sits at a computer all day and never exercises to have back pain, but for a bodybuilder, someone who spends hours and hours each week pouring everything they’ve got into building muscle, it should be criminal!
The reason we say this is because, if you are going to spend so much time, money, and energy trying to build the “perfect body”, you have to make sure that you not only look good, but also feel good…
We’ve identified what we call “Bodybuilding Sins” that lead to back pain, sciatic pain, and other injuries… read em and take action now if you are serious about bodybuilding and are fed up with your back pain.
Because there is so much information to share with you, we’ve broken it down into a series of 5 articles, each covering a different component of how back pain affects bodybuilders.
Here’s a breakdown of the articles to look for:

Article #1 – Choosing The WRONG Exercises (below)
Article #2 – Training Variations for Pain Relief and Maximum Results
Article #3 – Targeted Stretching
Article #4 – Targeted Exercises
Article #5 – Rest, Recovery, and Injury Prevention

Article #1 – Choosing the WRONG Exercises
Get ready, this is gonna hurt! The exercises most bodybuilders focus on the most, are the ones that cause the most problems… hopefully, you’re different J
But before we share with you what those exercise are, let’s talk real quickly about what bodybuilding is…
The goal of bodybuilding isn’t to get as big as you can, or at least to us it isn’t and shouldn’t be, but to build a balanced body that is as strong as possible in every way. For example, while being freakishly big may get people’s attention, it serves you no purpose at all…
while on the other hand, what if you were not only big, but also extremely strong and powerful, lightning fast, flexible, and agile enough to kick ass if needed?
So many bodybuilders build massive amounts of muscle yet are so unbelievably weak and inflexible… for example, we know a guy who can bench press over 350 lbs but can’t do a measly 50 push-ups!
The point is, the exercises you choose and how you perform them not only determine how big, strong, and flexible you are, but also affect how your body functions and whether or not you suffer from aches, pains, and injuries like back pain and sciatic pain.
Ok, here they are… the exercises that create the most problems and are most likely to lead to back pain:

Bench Press
Leg Extension

So, any of your favorites on this list?
While there are others, these are the two that cause the most damage.
There are several reasons why these exercises made our list of the “worst bodybuilding exercises”. First, all of them target areas that already tend to get worked a lot in everyday life and often times are overdeveloped…
and by focusing so much on these exercises you end up creating muscle imbalances, or worsening existing muscle imbalances, which pull your bones and joints out of their normal position…
and this leads to uneven pressure and wear and tear on your muscle, ligaments, tendons, bones, and joints and will sooner or later lead a break down or injury.
For example, chronic overuse of the bench press, coupled with little or no exercises targeting the upper back, leads to an overdevelopment of the chest and a lack of strength and development in the upper back…
This all too common combination leads to what we call “Turtle Back”. You know what we’re talking about, when the shoulders are pulled so far forward, lats are as wide as barn, and from behind, their back looks like a giant sea turtle shell!
This “Turtle Back” posture can create neck, upper back, and shoulder pain and injuries faster than you can pop an Advil!
Plus, how many times during your day are you forced to lie on your back and push up a bar loaded with weights? There are so many better exercises for chest development that not only stimulate more muscle, but also build more usable strength.
Now let’s talk about the fabulous thigh builder, the leg extension…
Not only does it place an unbelievable amount of strain on the knee joint, but it also will quickly overdevelop the quads, which are already getting far more work than their counterpart, the hamstrings.
An imbalance between the quadriceps and hamstrings, which is also extremely common in bodybuilders, is a key contributor to back pain. This imbalance is easily identifiable by what people often call “Bubble Butt” or “Ghetto Booty”.
So hopefully you can see how important it is to choose your exercises wisely. We strongly recommend you cut out these exercises, or at least cut back on using them and add in targeted exercises for the opposing muscle groups and targeted stretches for those tight, overdeveloped muscles.
The key to eliminating back pain, or any other ache, pain or injury for that matter, is to bring your body closer to balance…
What good is muscle if you can’t use it? How many more workouts are you going to miss because of back, neck, or shoulder pain? How much bigger and stronger could you be if back pain and other injuries weren’t ruining your training?
Just imagine how bad things will be 10, 20, or 30 years from now if you don’t make changes to your training now… but don’t take our word for it, ask some of the older bodybuilders who are paying the price now… you can spot them easily at the gym because they limp around trying to find something they CAN do.
Look for the next article, “Training Variations for Pain Relief and Maximum Results” very soon and in the mean time, if you are suffering from back pain or sciatic pain, here’s what you need to do…
Head on over to our website http://www.losethebackpain.com now to find out exactly what’s causing your back pain and the specific steps you need to take to get relief fast and get back to training at 100%.
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Categories
Online Pilates

“Banking Calories”: Eat Less Now To Pig Out Later???

Tom Venuto
3679

Suppose you’re on a diet and you have a banquet or a holiday party coming up. You’re expecting a big meal to be served for dinner, and there will be open bar with lots and lots of “party snacks.” You’re not sure if there will be any healthy food there, but you are sure that you’re going to be in a festive, partying mood! What should you do? Should you cut back on your food earlier in the day to make room for the big feast?
What I’ve just described is commonly known as “banking calories,” which is analogous to saving calories like money because you’re going to consume more later, and it’s a very common practice among dieters. If you’re really serious about your diet and fitness goals however, then the answer is no, you should NOT “bank calories! Here’s why and here’s what you should do instead:
First of all, if you’re being really honest with yourself, you have to agree that there’s almost always something healthy to eat at any gathering. You know those tables you see at holiday parties that are covered with yards of chips, dips, pretzels, cookies, salami, candies, cheese, punch, liquor, and a seemingly endless assortment of other goodies? Well, did you also notice that there’s usually a tray full of carrot sticks, cauliflower, celery, fruit, turkey breast and other healthy snacks too?
No matter where you are, you always have options, so make the best choice you can based on whatever your options are. If nothing else, you can choose to eat a small portion of “party foods” rather than a huge portion.
If you skip meals or eat less earlier in the day to bank calories for a big feast at night, you are thinking only in terms of calories, but yo’re depriving yourself of the valuable nutrition you need all day long in terms of protein (amino acids), carbohydrates, essential fats, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that come from healthy food, as well as the small frequent meals required to stoke the furnace of your metabolism.
Not only that, but eating less early in the day in anticipation for overeating later is more likely to increase your appetite, causing you to binge or eat much more than you thought you would at night when the banquet does arrive.
Eating healthy food earlier in the day is likely to fill you up and you’ll be less likely to overeat in the evening. High fiber foods, healthy fats and especially lean protein, tend to suppress your appetite the most.
I don’t like the concept of “banking calories.” Your body just doesn’t work that way – it tends to seek equilibrium by adjusting your appetite to the point where you consume the same total amount of calories in the end anyway.
Even if it worked the way you wanted it to, why would you eat less (starve) in an attempt to burn more fat, then overeat (binge) and put the fat right back on? Why allow yourself to put on fat in the first place?
A starving and bingeing pattern will almost certainly cause more damage than an occasional oversize meal. Some dieticians might even say that this kind of behavior borders on disordered eating.
A better approach is to stay on your regular menu of healthy foods and small meals through the entire day – business as usual – and then go ahead and treat yourself to a “cheat meal,” but sure to keep your portions small.
It should be a big relief to know that on special occasions, whether it’s a party, restaurant meal, banquet or holiday dinner, you can eat whatever you want with little or no ill effect on body composition, as long as you respect the law of calorie balance. However, you CANNOT starve and binge and expect not to reap negative consequences.
To burn fat and be healthy, you don’t have to be a “party pooper” or completely deny yourself of foods you enjoy, but you do need to have the discipline to stick with your regular meal plan most of the time and control your portion sizes all of the time.
Copyright 2005 Tom Venuto
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