When The Exercise Is Done, the Work Isn't!

What To Do After The Workout

Many of us have a great pre-workout and workout routine. We drink plenty of water before and during exercise, warm up, stretch, work the entire body, and even get in some cardio training as well. Then, after the last exercise, we promptly head back to the locker room, change, and journey home. 

 

What so many out there do not realize is the importance of what you do after a workout. You may have done the majority of the workout, but how you treat your body in the minutes and hours after exercise has a direct effect on muscle soreness, muscle strength and growth, and staying hydrated.

Cool Down

After your last exercise, your workout is not over. The first thing you need to do is cool down. Even if running was all that you did, you still should do light cardio for a few minutes. This brings your heart rate down at a slow and steady pace, which helps you avoid feeling sick after a workout. Walking on a treadmill for five minutes is a good and easy way to cool down.

Stretch

Then, you should stretch again. This is one of the most important things you can do. After a workout, muscles naturally contract. Stretching again prevents them from shrinking. It allows your muscles to rebuild, growing bigger and stronger, and thus allowing you to get the full benefit from your efforts.

Stretching after exercise also relaxes your muscles, helps speed circulation to joints and tissues, and helps removal of unwanted waste products, thereby reducing muscle soreness and stiffness. Add mental sharpness and you have all the reasons you need to make sure stretching comes not only before, but after every workout as well.

Drink Water

Even when you are actually done exercising, you need to keep replenishing your fluid levels. It’s recommended that you drink another 2-3 cups within two hours after you have finished. Then, drink water regularly afterwards. You may not feel thirsty anymore, but you still need to replenish yourself to avoid getting dehydrated.

Refuel

Eating is one of the last, but one of the most important, items to do after a workout.  You have not only burned hundreds of calories and lost carbhydrates, but you have also actually torn your muscles.  You need to repair your muscles and boost your energy levels, and you need to do it fast.  It’s recommended that you eat within 90 minutes of your workout, but the sooner the better. 

Look for foods that are packed with complex carbohydrates and high in protein. A perfect example is a tuna sandwich on whole wheat bread.

The carbs will re-energize your body, while slowly turning into calories – so you have plenty of time to burn them before they turn to fat. The protein helps repair your muscles, so they grow stronger while your body rests until the next workout.

Next time you put down the dumbbells and think your work is done, remember these after-workout necessities to maximize your efforts and get the most out of exercising.

How To Be As BOLD AS A LION!

This may be a little off topic for you Uxbridge fitness buffs, but it is TOTALLY relevant! 

I got this email from Jeff Anderson of www.MuscleNerdFitness.com and thought you’d like it!  The following article comes from Master Scott Bolan – a pretty interesting guy - who has spent YEARS of intensely studying not only Martial Arts, Combat, Warrior Fitness and Strength; but also Art, Philosophy, Mind Control, Persuasion, Seduction, Sales, Negotiation and even Firewalking.

As Jeff pointed out in his email, “the fact is that fear actually can have a white-knuckle grip on so many parts of our lives.

…fear of failure

…fear of gaining weight

…fear of LOSING weight (yes…it happens!)

…fear of ANYTHING can hold us back from being our best and reaching for the stars!”

I sincerely hope this article helps YOU as much as it has my other Uxbridge personal training clients…

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“How To Be As Bold As A LION!”

By Master Scott Bolan

www.martialmasterysecrets.com

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Bruce Lee said “consciousness of self is the greatest hindrance to mankind.”

He was absolutely correct. Self-consciousness is another word for self-doubt, which is a form of fear.

And fear is your enemy’s greatest weapon againstyou. It’s also the greatest obstacle between you and anything you desire.

The way to get rid of fear, permanently, is to train your mind to give up your emotional attachment to the outcome.

What I mean by that is – have you ever noticed the guy who has all the hot women acts as if he couldn’t care less? But the guy who is desperate couldn’t get a date to save his life. You could say the guy with all the girls has lots of money, but that is rarely the case.

Have you ever noticed that someone with money tends to make more money? But the guy who’s broke tends to constantly be broke and struggling to get by?

The desperate guy in both situations is emotionally attached to the outcome. He “needs it too badly.”

Thus, he is sending out an energy that is actually pushing away what he wants.

The one who has all the money, the hot chicks, etc, is putting off a different type of energy that attracts rather than repels.

Does that make sense?

And although when reading the above situations one wouldn’t think of fear, in fact they are both fear-based situations.

The desperate guy unknowingly is afraid of not having the money, afraid of not having a pretty girlfriend, etc.

So afraid in fact that he is attracting that which he fears.

And thus the wisdom of Bruce Lee’s words “consciousness of self is the greatest hindrance to mankind.”

It applies to every area of life.

So you may be thinking “how do I start if I don’t have what I want to begin with?”

Simple!

Train your mind to let go of your emotional attachment to the outcome, and Be as Bold as a Lion.

A Lion isn’t afraid of you. He isn’t afraid of losing. He doesn’t even think about it.

He just attacks, instinctively.

Go for what you want in that way.

Kick the ball out ahead of you and chase it, and stop thinking so much.

I’m not saying to be careless and foolhardy. I’m saying develop the Lion’s Intuitive Instinct and replace your self-doubt with it.

If you look deep enough, you’ll find self-doubt affecting everything you do.

But as of right now, it doesn’t have to be that way any longer.

With Martial Mastery you’ll now get the solution.

Once you understand it, and then apply it forevermore it will become as natural as breathing.

Yours in Warrior Wisdom,

Master Scott Bolan

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Pretty cool article, eh?

I hope you got some great insight out of it!  Please, let me know how this article helped you.

Crunchy Roasted Broccoli

Here is a healthy recipe that was brought to me by a fellow broccoli lover that she uses in her healthy eating plans.   She says she can’t take credit for it, but she loves it and so do her kids.  She wanted me to pass it along for the rest of you to give it try.  After you do please come back and leave your comments here on the Uxbridge Fitness Blog.

3 Things I Want You To Know About

Want to get into the Highland Games for FREE??   Rick Blair and myself have been hard at work to help organize the Heavy Events (Caber Toss, Stone Throw etc.) for the Games this coming weekend.  It would be our pleasure to provide you with a wrist band that will grant you FREE access to the park in exchange for a few hours of your help.  Yup…volunteers.  We still need about 5 or 6 people to help out with measuring, setting up and taking down some of the equipment for the Heavy Events.  You’ll get a cool shirt, liquid refreshments and of course a park pass for the day.   If you are interested, simply reply to this e-mail and I’ll give you more details.  For those of you interested in just experiencing the Games this weekend, you can check out the website here:   http://www.highlandsofdurhamgames.com     Have You Checked Your Locker Lately?   We have posted a few notes on lockers that have locks on them.  Basically, we are doing a locker inventory and have noticed that some locks have been left on permanently but we have no record of that particular locker being rented.   To clear up any miscommunication about locker use, here is how it works: Most of the lockers are strictly day use lockers.  We encourage you to use them when you are here and even lock your stuff if you wish.  When you are done your workout, just remove your lock and take your stuff with you so the next person can use the locker.   There are a few designated lockers (ones with black numbers on the top) that are rental lockers.  Members who wish to have the added convenience of having the same locker available to them on a month to month basis can choose to rent them for a nominal fee of $10 per month.   Those who have placed locks on lockers and haven’t requested a rental are asked to remove your lock by Friday July 31st at 9:00PM.  Locks that remain will be cut, property removed  and sold to the highest bidder.  Just kidding, we’ll put it in bags behind the counter to be claimed.  If it’s not claimed within a reasonable amount of time we will either discard it or give it to charity.   After July 31st we will do regular lock to locker checks and cut locks without notice.  There are only so many lockers to go around and we appreciate your consideration and attention.     Who Wants to Join Us For A Fun Evening At   Medieval Times?   On Saturday August 8th, I cordially invite you to join us for an evening of awesome entertainment.  I have rented a bus to take up to 40 people down to Toronto and back and got a sweet all inclusive price that includes the Medieval Times Dinner Theatre.    Only $48…Tax included !   That’s it….$48 bucks for a return trip and Medieval Times.  But there are only a few spots left…15 to be exact.  I opened it up to the staff and their significant others first and they jumped all over it.  But I’d love for you to join us too.  A chance to socialize outside the gym and take in one of the most entertaining shows I’ve seen.  I’ve been 3 times and I’d go 3 more.   Just so you know, there will be alcohol served (at an additional cost) and so it may not be appropriate for those under 19 unless accompanied by a parent.   You can sign up and pay at the front desk.  Cash, Cheque, Visa or M/C.    But Hurry!  I know these spots will go quickly.  We need to submit the final head count by Friday July 31st.   If you want more information about the show click here:   Medieval Times Event Information

So that’s it for now.  I hope you are enjoying your summer holidays and look forward to seeing you at Medieval Times if you can make it.   Sincerely,   Andy Luukkonen Body Fit

Why You Need Protein To Lose Weight?

If you’re looking to lose weight, whether you’re in Uxbridge or anywhere else, chances are you’ve probably heard a lot about protein - why you should eat MORE, or why you should eat LESS.  With so much contradiction and misinformation, it’s hard to know what to make of it all.  After all, protein has been touted both as the essential nutrient, and the nutrient that will ruin your kidneys if you eat too much, etc, etc.

However, scientific research has shown repeatedly that protein is key to weight loss, helping to provide the feeling of fullness, and that it is safe. 

Here are my top 3 benefits of protein that directly help us burn more calories and lose excess fat. 

1. Protein is key to weight loss because not only does it help you feel fuller faster and longer it also burns more calories than carbs or fat.  That’s right the thermic effect of protein is nearly double of carbs and fat. When you eat it your body burns energy to break down that food. Well, protein causes your body to burn nearly twice as much energy to breakdown the food as does carbs or fat. This added Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) is an added boost to your metabolism. By eating some type of lean protein at every meal 4-6 times a day will keep your metabolism at a higher state all day long. You could essentially burn 100-200 more calories per day by just adding protein at every meal. 
2. Another benefit to adding protein at your meals is the fat releasing effect. Eating protein leads to the release of glucagon, a hormone that aids in the release of stored bodyfat to be used for energy. It also helps prevent the storage of fat by creating a lower insulin response. 
3. Of course, most are familiar with protein/amino acids as the building blocks for creating new muscle. Adding muscle increases our metabolism and force our bodies to burn more calories which results in more fat calories being burned off. 

I suggest to my Uxbridge personal training clients that they incorporate a lean protein source (ie.  Bacon does not count – Sorry!) at every meal to enhance utilization of fat for energy, provide satiety(fullness), increase the TEF of their meal and to provide the building blocks to add new metabolism friendly muscle.   I suggest you do the same.

10 Classic Uxbridge Training Mistakes

The following is a list of the 10 most common and significant mistakes that I see well-meaning Uxbridge gym rats making day in and day out.  Odds are that you’re guilty of at least three of them, no matter how self-disciplined or how careful you are.  So please read on, because the information in this list may save you enormous amounts of wasted time and effort.

And most importantly, a mistake isn’t a mistake if you make it once and learn from it!

1. No Goal – When’s the last time you jumped in a car without knowing where you were going?  Never.  Okay, then when’s the last time you did a workout without having a crystal-clear objective?  Always.  I thought so.
2. Sacrificing Quality to Quantity – More isn’t better - BETTER is better!  Make sure you do something well before you do it more.
3. Fatigue Seeking – The way to assess the quality of a wokout isn’t by how sore it makes you feel.  The way to do this is to measure the degree it improves the qualities and/or abilities that you’re trying to develop.
4. Training in Pain – Everyone’s heard of “no pain, no gain.”  Well, pain is your body signaling you that something is wrong.  I suggest that you listen to it, adjust your workout accordingly, and seek medical attention if pain persists for more than a couple of days!
5. Excessive Focus on Load – Sure, lifting heavy is important but it shouldn’t be your only consideration.  In general, if you need a spotter, you’re probably lifting too slowly and should lighten up.
6. Too Much Focus on Strengths – People tend to do what they like to do or what they are good at.  But, if you overuse a strength, it is sure to become a weakness.
7. Insufficient Diversity – One of the lessons that I learned early on was that there is no “best” program out there, but Charles Staley has come close to describing it: “The best program is the one that you’re not doing.”  Remember, any program has both positive and negative effects.  You must counteract the negative ones.  And, you do this by optimizing diversity in your fitness programming.
8. Lack of Continuity – Changing your program too often is just as bad as doing the same routine workout after workout.  For you to get good at something, there is a great deal of motor learning that must occur – and this is achieved through repetition.
9. Poor Biomechanics – The goal of any exercise should be to feel tension in the target muscle, but no discomfort or pain in the joints.  Every rep is an opportunity to perfect your technique, and each rep should look identical.
10. Too Much Aerobic Exercise – If you’re looking to lose fat, regular doses of aerobic exercise can improve recovery, but too much can sap your strength and cause you to lose muscle.

If you’re making these mistakes, STOP!  If you want “real” results you need a REAL plan that ties your goals and current fitness level together. 

Don’t know how?  No problem.

At Body Fit, you can hire an Uxbridge fitness professional to individually guide you to a successful outcome, or if you’re a DIY’er choose to follow one of our online training programs professionally designed with a specific goal in mind - such as ”Fat Loss for Women, Fat Loss for Men, Bodyweight Workouts, Strength Workouts, Core Workouts, etc”

Quick Summer Salad

Roasted Edamame Salad

Here’s a summer salad that’s packed with protein and tastes great.  Finally, my wife’s obsession with the Food Network pays off!  Seriously though, I really like this thing and I think you will too. 

 This recipe belongs to Alton Brown.  It only takes 15 minutes to make and serves four. Try it and let me know how you like it:

Do You Understand Your Abs?

With summer in full swing, there’s been a lot of talk around Uxbridge about abs lately.   It seems everyone wants to lose a few inches off the waist, get a flat stomach or six-pack abs.

As a fitness coach, I could go on about diet and how spot reduction doesn’t work, but forgetting that for now – here’s the problem that Mike Robertson and I see:  Most folks “training” their abs are still caught up in outdated training methods, and not focused on what science has brought to light over the past 5-10 years.  Let’s take a quick look at the actual anatomy of your abs, as well as the various functions that your Rectus Abdominus (RA) provides.

Anatomy

The RA is a large, beaded muscle that runs from your xiphoid process and bottom of your rib cage to your pubic symphisis.  It’s interesting (and important) to note that instead of being one long, continuous muscle, the RA actually is broken up into several smaller sections.  But more on that later.

The RA has several well-defined roles, along with some lesser-known roles, too.  Let’s examine each.

Functions

The primary functions of your RA include:

-    Trunk flexion/Resisting Trunk Extension
-    Posterior Pelvic Tilt
-    Transmission of “hoop” stresses

Let’s look at each in a little bit more depth, as this is where the story starts to unfold.

Trunk Flexion

Any Uxbridge trainer or fitness enthusiast who knows anything can tell you the RA can promote flexion of the trunk.  This is why you’ve seen the ridiculous number of ab rollers, Bender balls, and other gimmicky guru crap being sold at 2 am in the morning for decades.

The idea, initially, was that sit-ups were the best to promote this flexion movement pattern.  Then, people started looking deeper and decided that sit-ups placed too much compressive loading on the back, or that they didn’t “isolate” the RA from the hip flexors.  Thus, crunches were deemed better for “isolating” the abs and keeping the back healthy. 

The problem, however, is that while your RA is capable of producing trunk flexion, the underlying anatomy leads us to believe that this role isn’t nearly as important s the fitness industry has given it credit for.  At the Chicago Perform Better Summit in 2007, world reknowned spinal biomechanist Dr. Stuart McGill went so far as to say that if your RA was really there for crunching and trunk flexion, instead of having the beaded sub-sections, you would have one long, continuous hamstring instead!

We also need to ask ourselves another question:  At what cost are we crunching?  This is where we have to examine the big picture.  Will trunk flexion help “bring out” our abs?  Maybe – but at what cost?  When we examine the big picture, we start to realize several things.

1 – Trunk flexion works to shorten our RA.  Doing so exerts a downward pull on our ribcage, effectively pulling us into an increased thoracic kyphosis or “slouched” upper body posture.  Not only is this aesthetically unattractive, but virtually useless to us as weight trainers, fitness enthusiasts or athletes.  By pulling our body into an increased kyphosis, we lose the ability to get our scapulae into the appropriate positions and increase the likelihood of shoulder and rotator cuff problems. 

2 – Research by McGill and others has shown that repetitive flexion/extension of the spine is injurious.  Our spine only has so many flexion/extension cycles in it; once we hit a certain threshold, we get injured!

Mike Boyle has a great analogy here – it’s like a credit card.  Bend a new credit card back and forth and, initially, it bounces back.  But if you continue to bend that card, you eventually start to see a white crack.  Continue to bend it back and forth, and over time that crack leads to a break.  Your spine is not much different.  And hey, maybe this is the reason that the Canadian Center of Activity and Aging identified spinal flexion as a movement pattern that should be contraindicated for those with osteoporosis – years ago!

Here’s another way to think about this – instead of thinking about promoting movement, start to think about how your muscles work to control or resist various movements as well.  In this case, your RA not only promotes trunk flexion, but it also works to resist trunk extension!  It’s not rocket science, but it’s a huge step forward in your thinking.  Far too often, we only think of how muscles work in an open-chain, textbook definition, instead of what they do in real life.

However, there might be some exceptions to this rule – I can think of a few high-end athletes who might need some judiciously included trunk flexion in their programming.  For most of the population, however, hopefully we can agree that crunching and trunk flexion movements probably aren’t in the best interest of our bodies. 

Posterior Pelvic Tilt

The second function of the RA is to promote posterior pelvic tilt, and/or to control pelvic alignment.  While many are focused on upper vs. lower RA, it only has one common nerve supply and therefore can’t be isolated into upper and lower sections. 

Many people assume that exercises like leg throws and ab wheel rollouts must hit their “lower” abs harder, because they get so sore following these exercises (especially when compared to crunches).  The primary difference, however, is that these movements emphasize the negative portion of the lift.  Eccentric exercise has been proven time and again to increase delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), so it’s not so much that you’re training different muscles as it is that you’re shifting the type of training stress.  Or it could just be that you’re doing something “new”, which is also virtually guaranteed to make you sore.  It’s not necessarily better, it’s just different.  But I’m getting a little off target here; I digress.

Transmission of Stresses and Force

The final piece of the puzzle is promoting or transmitting “hoop” stresses that are generated from the obliques.  The idea here is simple – instead of working to promote movements around the lumbar spine, the RA (along with the rest of the abdominal muscles) was primarily there to prevent movement and transmit forces!  Again, this was a huge shift in thinking.

So, in other words,  isometrically training the rectus abdominus is consistent with its anatomy and stabilizing function to enhance performance and power development in the hips and extremities.

Quite simply, stop moving and start stabilizing!  If you want to get the most out of your abdominal training, you’d be well served to focus on exercises that optimize pelvic alignment and train your body to stabilize the lumbar spine.  Not only will you stay healthier, but you’ll perform better as well.

And if you’re an Uxbridge athlete, you should be aware of this fundamental concept – the core doesn’t promote the power itself.  Instead, it transmits the power that the hips and thighs have generated.