Author Archives: The Functional Mobility Specialist

To begin this workout start by marching in place for 2-3 minutes. Over exaggerate arm swing with each step.

The TRX Suspension Training System is a great modality of exercise if you just need to work on your form to hit that precise squat or if you are working on really feeling and understanding the different muscle or muscle groups, as well as if you were learning a new movement to switch phases of training. It is also useful for people with balance issues because it provides some stability while still allowing free movement.

When performing the movements take 3 seconds on the Eccentric movement (lowering your hips in the squat exercise, lowering the body in the push up, etc.) and another 3 seconds in the Concentric movement (extending the knees to stand tall, extend at the elbows to push up to straight arms etc.)

• Squat – Start by standing tall with the a TRX handle in each hand and palms facing the ground. Lean back to put a little tension in the suspension system. Kick your hips behind you and lower your hips toward the ground. When your knees are bent at 90 degree, use your glutes (butt muscle) and quadricep (large leg muscle) to extend the knee to stand back tall. Perform 2-3 sets of 15 repetitions.

• Row – Stand tall with a little lean to the rear to put tension on the system. With a handle in each hand, palms facing the ground and straight arms, using you Latissimus Dorsi (back muscle) to pull the handles to just below the Pectorals. Extend your elbows to bring the arms straight out in front of you and return back to the starting position. Perform 2-3 sets of 15 repetitions.

• Push up – Turn your body around to face the ground except with a TRX handle in each hand and palms facing the ground, angle yourself to the amount of resistance you want. The closer to the ground the more difficult the movement will be. Start with straight arms. Bend at the elbow to lower your body toward your hands at chest level. Using your pectorals (chest muscle) extend at the elbow to push back to the starting position. Perform 2-3 sets of 15 repetition.

• Front Raise – Turn your body back around so you are facing the sky. With a TRX handle in each hand and palms facing the ground, lean away from the anchor point with your hands at about belly button level. Using your deltoid (shoulder muscle), lift your hands over your head pulling your body vertical. Perform 2-3 sets of 15 repetitions.

• Split Squat – With a handle in each hand and straight arms out in front of your chest, hands facing the ground, kick one foot behind you until both of your knees will be at 90 degrees when at the bottom of the movement. Sink your body toward the ground until your knees are bent at 90 and 90 making sure your knee stays behind the toes in front of your body. Using you Quadricep (large leg muscle), extend at the knee to stand tall again. Perform 2-3 sets of 15 repetitions per leg.

• Mountain Climbers – Standing on the TRX handles with the loop wrapped around your foot and arms extended to the floor in front of your chest, squeezing your core and using your leg muscles, alternate bringing you knee to your elbow and than straight out behind you. Perform 2-3 sets of 15 repetitions per leg.

Are you at a sticking point in your weightlifting? Here are some benefits of working with Super bands do take your strength gains to the next level.

Off the bat I want to talk about the efficiency of using bands as a posed to free weights alone. With free weights gravity is used to produce the resistance of the implement. At the peak of the range of motion, just as the movement changes from eccentric motion to concentric motion, you get a slight break in resistance so the stabilizing muscles can switch engagement.

The super band will continue in a constant tension which will keep your stabilization muscles engaged throughout the entire motion. This also allows for the band to travel in directions that free weights and gravity cannot! As you hook one end of the band to a stable surface it takes the gravity out of the equation, similar to a cable system. This allows you to perform a standing chest press or a standing row.

The Superband is also easy to pack away and carry with you on your vacations so you won’t miss a day of resistance training.

Here is a great full body workout to over come any platou or to get a workout in on the fly.

-Squat – Stand on the band so it fits in the arches of your feet. Stretch it over your head so it rests along the bottom of your neck. Now push your hips behind you and sink your hips to the floor until your knees are bent in a 90 degree angle. Always keep your knees behind your toes through the entire exercise. That is 1 repetition, perform 4 sets of 8 repetitions with a 30 second rest between sets.

-Kneeling Row – Link your band to a point that is about waist level to below pectorals. Kneeling in a stable position as far away from the anchor point to provide the perfect amount of resistance, strengthen the core and stand tall on your knees. With straight arms pull the band to your rib cage and than extend your arms back to the starting position. That is one repetition, perform 4 sets of 8 repetitions with 30 seconds of rest between each set.

-Calf Raise – Begin standing tall with you feet about shoulder width apart and the band underneath the balls of your feet. Raise your heals off of the ground until you are only contacting the ground with the balls of your feet. Lower your heals to the starting position. That is 1 repetition, perform 4 set of 8 repetitions with a 30 second rest between sets.

-Push Up – Wrap the band around your upper back and and sounders. lying prone on the floor lift your body off of the floor supporting yourself on your toes and palms. Sink your chest to the floor until your elbows are at a 90 degree level. Extend your elbow to come back up to the starting position. That is 1 repetition, perform 4 sets of 8 repetitions with a 30 second break in between.

-Straight Leg Dead Lift – Stand tall with your feet shoulder with apart and the band under the arches of your feet. Grab the band about 8 inches away from the ground. Extend at the knee waist to stand tall. Now hinge at the waist to bring your chest toward the ground. As your upper and lower body is bent in a 90 degree angle, push your hips back to the front of the body to return back to the starting position. That is 1 repetition, perform 4 sets of 8 repetitions with a 30 second break between sets. Keep your back and spine in a straight line, you should feel a slight tension in the back of your legs using your legs, not your back, to stand tall again.

-Wall Squat Chest Fly – Wrap the band around your upper back and shoulders. Leaning against a wall slide down until your knees are bent in a 90 degree angle. Hold the squat as you bring your elbows out to your side like you are about to hug a big girthy tree. As your elbows touch the wall bring your hands back to the starting position with the same arch. That is 1 repetition, perform 4 sets of 8 repetitions with a 30 second rest between sets.

-Overhead Press – With the band In the arches of your feet stretch the band overhead with straight arms. Lower your hands until the band is just above eye sight. Extend your elbows to straighten your arms and return to the starting position. That is 1 repetitions, perform 4 sets of 8 repetitions with a 30 second break between sets.

Its always a good idea to warm up the muscles that are about to be used. A quick and easy way to do this would be to isometrically hold the muscle or muscle group in a certain position.

When broken down and put in to terms of fitness, Isometrics means to generate muscle tension without the lengthening and shortening of the muscles that are causing that joint to move.

One major benefit to Isometric exercise is when you are limited on space and always on the go. Free weights and machines require a gym or fitness facility and wont fit in a carry on.

As you hold a muscle in a certain position, not only is the major muscle activated but all of the stabilizing muscles of that joint are all going to engage to control the eccentric movement (lenthening of the muscle) or the concentric movment (shortening of the muscle).

With the activation of the supporting muscles being worked, stabilization is another key factor. As you hold, lets say a wall squat or plank, you will need to engage your core to stabilize your full body, this will increase balance and posture.

Here are some holds that will help strengthen your Activate the muscles before you start moving at the gym.

Plank – Lying prone on a mat supporting yourself on your forearms, elbows and toes. Brace and strengthen your core to raise your body off of the floor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yO_lERfEihY

Side Planks – Lying on your side with your body weight supported on your elbow and outside of foot to remain in a straight line with your hips lift them off of the ground. Raise your arm to the sky to keep you chest opened and to make sure the correct movement is performed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97_o-0xXxxs

Superman – Lying prone with your hands over your head, raise your arms and upper body off of the ground until a slight tension is felt in the lower back. At the same time, raise and dorsi flex your feet to add a small amount of more tension in your low back as well as the hamstrings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp_ucWWOD2M

Glute bridge – Lying supine with your feet a couple inches away from your glutes, using your glutes, hamstrings and abs press into the ground with your heels and left your hips to the sky.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKzAekMou2Y

Wall Squat – Press your lower back and shoulders into the wall or surface supporting the back. Walk your feet out until your knees are at a 90 degree angle. Hold this position by bracing you core and using your quads to drive back into the wall.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJMJD9GN3h8

Bottom Squat Hold – Stand vertical with your feet shoulder width apart. Kick your glutes behind you and sink them toward the ground until your knees are bent at a 90 degree angle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nb8e8oDjQ4

Here are 5 reasons that you lose all the hard earned gains by visiting the watering hole to kick off the weekend!

1. Muscle protein Synthesis is drastically reduced. There for your muscles can not utilize the protein you just consumed to properly rebuild, grow, and become stronger.

2. Reduced fat burning. Instead of your pristine digestive system working properly to use stored fat for energy, it will use the toxic mess of a nutrient that was just consumed. Putting fat loss on pause while your body removes the toxin.

3. Unhealthy meal choices.What do you see on all bar menus? Unhealthy Finger foods served with a side of grease. Drinking makes it so much easier to give into the surplus of calorie ladened options and away from your diet.

4. Contains 7 calories per gram. Other healthier carb options only contain 4 calories per gram. So even though you might not have drank much, the calorie content rises through the roof at almost double time and then goes straight to fat storage.

5. Adversely effects our sleep pattern. Alcohol might relax you just enough to put you to sleep but it makes it harder to remain asleep and doesn’t allow us to reach the REM state of sleep. When we reach this state of sleep muscle recovery and repair is largely effected.

Instead of reaching for alcohol to help yourself relax grab some water and start to reap the benefits of all your heard earned work!

Message me the word “NUTRIENTS” to make yourself better!

Here are three reasons why exercise is essential to add into your daily routine!

1. Decrease risk of Illness– Exercise increases the amount of white blood cells and their transportation through the body where the harmful bacteria is located or where tissues are damaged. With this increase of blood flow and healing cells, sick or injured people seem to bounce back quicker than others.

2. Better cope with stress– As you exercise your brain is flooded with epinephrine (a.k.a. adrenalin) which increases the flow of oxygenated blood to the brain. In turn this will heighten your alertness to keep you more aware of your surroundings and life stressors.

3. Burn more calories at rest– With each session of resistance training you breakdown muscle fibers. During rest and recovery more energy is used to rebuild the broken down muscle fibers. This results in more calorie utilization.

Where are you in your journey to stay healthy, fit, and blow off steam during these times? What do you struggle with when it comes to your fitness?

Message me the word “POWERFUL” for more information

Eating more frequent meals throughout the day could help you lose 2 pounds of belly fat a week to lower your risk of heart disease as well as type 2 diabetes.

By consuming small meals every 3 hours your blood sugar levels remain consistent which will keep your metabolism running at a high level throughout the day. After 3 hours of fasting your body goes into starvation mode where your metabolic system starts to break down muscle so that the protein can be used to generate energy. The 3- hour diet resupplies the body with the correct amount of fats and carbohydrates to restrict muscle loss.

Begin each day by eating a meal at 7 in the morning with mostly protein, moderate amounts of fat, and a minimal amount of carbohydrates. Throughout the day continue consuming around the same ratio of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Your last meal should be consumed 3 hours before bed with smaller amounts of fats and no carbohydrates.

With few restrictions on the foods consumed and no need to count calories loosing weight to producing a healthy body just became easier. Instead of all the work of counting calories and figuring out nutrition labels, wouldn’t controlling the portion size be less stressful and time consuming when shedding belly fat?

Start by standing straight with the anchor point in front of you, holding the TRX handles with your arms extended out in front of the body and the straps at full length. You will always keep the straps at full length through all of the movements. March in place for 3 minutes to increase your heart rate and blood flow to the muscles.

Before we begin lets talk about the rate at which these movements should be done. Using the squat as an example, take 3 seconds to lower your hips (eccentric movement) until you upper leg is parallel to the floor, and another 3 seconds to extend your legs (concentric movement) back into a standing position. Performing 15 squats. Lean Back to keep tension in the band, lower you hips (eccentric movement) toward your heals. Using you quads, raise your hips (concentric movement) back into a standing position.

Now walk your feet forward a couple steps so your body is slanting away from the anchor point. Remember to keep your arms straight out in front of you with full tension on the straps. Perform 15 back rows by bending your elbows using the back muscles, Latissimus Dorsi, to pull (concentric movement) your body toward your hands. Squeeze your back muscles as your chest reaches your hands. Straighten your arms to eccentrically lower your back toward the original position.

Now turn your body around so the anchor point is behind you. Perform 15 push ups by bending your elbows and lowering (eccentric movement) your chest until you have a 90 degree bend in your elbows. Using the pectoral, chest muscles, extend your arms (concentric movement) until your arms are straight and your body is at the starting position. Squeeze you chest muscles as you extend your arms.

Turn your body back around so the anchor point is in front of you again. Now we will perform the front raise exercise. Begin with your hands near your waist, with straight arms, using your front deltoid, anterior shoulder muscle, raise your hands over head (concentric movement) pulling your body into an erect position. Lower your arms back down to your waist (eccentric movement) to the starting position.

To finish up this exercise routine, perform 3 rounds of all these movements with a 30 second rest between each movement and a 60 second rest between sets. When complete you will have successfully worked all major muscles of the body. Full body workouts use compound movements that work more then one muscle at a time as well as aid in range of motion.