Archive for exercise programs, exercise Q&A, fitness commentary, strength training
Q&A: Hip Bridge: Push or Pull?
In the midst of a project related to the curriculum at FPTI, a healthy debate arose last week amongst my colleagues: What determines whether a lower-body exercise is termed a “push” or a “pull?”
With the upper body, it’s pretty clear: A push is a vertical or horizontal movement that involves moving a load AWAY from the body (either overhead or to the front, respectively), whereas a pull is a vertical or horizontal movement that involves bringing a load TOWARD the body (either from overhead or from the front, respectively). Here are some examples:
Q&A: Should I Do Weights or Cardio First?
Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving and has since recovered enough from any food-induced comas to take full advantage of the opportunity to use work time to search for Cyber Monday deals.
Q&A: What Do These Ropes Do?
Battling ropes are popping up at more and more training facilities these days.
Since we got them at our facility at FocusNYC, just about everyone who walks through the door wants to know what they’re used for. Here’s the answer:
Q&A: Should I Take A Vitamin?
Are vitamin and mineral supplements really good for overall health?
Here’s what Cindy says:
Q&A: Is a Calorie Just a Calorie and Are You Eating The Kool-Aid?
Today, Cindy explains once and for all why all calories are not created equal.
A. Five hundred calories of broccoli simply do not equate to 500 calories worth of, say…fried Kool-Aid.
Calories are complicated. A calorie is the unit of measurement we use to signify the amount of heat a food can produce. In the early 19th century, the calorie was used to explain the theory of heat conservation behind the steam engine.
Training For Parenthood: Part 3
Hope everyone had a nice Memorial Day weekend.
So far, Ilene has talked to us about both lifting and cardiovascular modifications for parents. But there’s an equally important consideration when it comes to exercise programming for new moms and dads: Sleep (or lack thereof).
Training For Parenthood: Part 2
In Part 1 of our interview with Ilene Bergelson, Ilene discussed lifting considerations for pregnant women and people with excess abdominal weight. Today, she adresses the necessary adjustments in cardiovascular programming for these populations.
Training for Parenthood: Part 1 with Ilene Bergelson
If you missed our introductory Q & A with Ilene, be sure to check that out first here. Today, we talk with her about some specific lifting considerations for pregnant women and people with excess abdominal weight.
Q&A: Should I Stretch Before I Run?
If you’re concerned about your running time, there’s an abundance of literature supporting an answer of NO.
But what if you just want to prevent injury?
Q & A: Why Do My Hamstrings Cramp With Bridges?
Gotta give credit where credit is due: I got this idea from a recent episode of The FitCast. But I get asked this question pretty frequently, to no surprise.
Here’s the answer:
Because the bridge involves extension of the hips with bent knees, the hamstrings simultaneous attempt to perform two functions: Knee flexion and hip extension. Bending the knees puts the hamstrings in a shortened and disadvantaged position for hip extension, so ideally the glutes should do most of the work to extend the hips. But because most people have weak or underactive glutes relative to their hamstrings, the poor hammies try to bare too much of the load and wind up cramping.
Turning your toes up and pushing through your heels will increase the contribution of the glutes to some extent; but with most people, I’ve found what helps most is to cue and reinforce a conscious effort to lift with the glutes and not the hamstrings. As with any underrecruited muscle, learning to fire the glutes appropriately requires focused intent. Always think “glutes.” Here’s a visual to help you remember:
That’s my 4-year-old cousin Ryan and his latest masterpiece: His father’s behind. I don’t know what’s been going on in that house but he deserves the Golden Globe for Best Picture if you ask me!
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