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NEWS AND EVENTSLocal Columns Published in 2009-2010All Fairlington Bulletin-(July 2010, page 10)
Tips for Exercising in Hot Weather
Exercising in the heat can inhibit your performance in a number of ways. One, it increases the core temperature of your body--negatively influencing the endurance capacity of your muscles. Second, it increases the body’s need for carbohydrates as fuel. Third, the heat can have an effect on many aspects of your cardiovascular functioning. Based on this information, consider the following recommendations:
1. During your initial hot weather workouts, decrease your exercise duration or intensity. Start off slowly and monitor your pace!
2. To replace muscle glycogen stores and speed recovery from your workout, you should start replacing carbohydrates within 90 minutes after exercise. You may not feel like eating so soon after a workout, but a piece of fruit and some water will be adequate to help you refuel and rehydrate.
3. Monitor your heart rate and slow down if your pulse is higher than your target zone or if you don’t feel good.
In general, avoid exercising during the hottest part of the day, drink plenty of fluids, and wear lightweight, loose, white or light colored "wicking" fabrics. Exposing as much skin as possible increases cooling by the evaporation of sweat, so applying sunscreen is necessary. If you are unsure about your level of fitness, train with other people as they will see if you’re in trouble, even if you are unaware. If you start to experience any symptoms of heat stress (nausea, dizziness, headache, breathlessness, reduced sweat rate), stop exercising, get cool and rehydrate.
As you would expect, the more physically fit you are the better you can tolerate the heat. Factors such as age, sleep loss, excess body fat, poor cardiovascular fitness, high humidity or a sudden increase in training will all reduce your ability to tolerate heat. So keep these in mind and if the weather is too hot consider going indoors to an air conditioned gym or facility.
Lake Barcroft Newsletter-(May 2010, page 15)
Two Techniques to Help You Get Beach Ready
Most individuals complain that they
don’t have enough time to exercise. This
article will help explain two techniques that will help keep your workout under
30 minutes and provide enough intensity to help you prepare for summer.
Interval Training
This technique can be used with any
cardiovascular workout and involves brief bouts of higher exertion countered
with periods of lower-intensity activity.
A standard interval would look like the following:
· 3 minutes warm-up, gradually increasing at
the end of the warm-up period
· 1 minute moderate or high intensity (on a
scale of 1-10, it should be about 8) followed by 1 minute low intensity (same
scale, should be about 4); repeat 6 times
· 3 minutes cool-down, gradually decreasing at
the end of the cool-down period
The example above is just one of
many variations; intervals can be adapted to any level of fitness by changing
the interval time (increasing/decreasing), the recovery time
(increasing/decreasing), or the number of rounds (increasing/decreasing). Intervals are usually under 20 minutes in
duration and should be done 1-2 times per week.
Your other cardiovascular work can be easy or moderate in intensity and
longer (30 minutes +)
Combination Moves
When it comes to strength training, compound movements are often more functional, good for working multiple muscles and saving time. By combining movements that work different muscles at the same time, you can add coordination, balance and stability to your workout. The following are examples of combination exercises:
- Squats with an overhead press
- Lunge with bicep curl or lateral raise
- Dead lifts with a bent over row
If you pick the right exercises, you will probably only need 4-5 exercises to get a total body workout. The exercises can be done in a circuit (another time-saver) and you can get through 2-3 circuits in under 30 minutes.
By alternating the above workouts (2-3 strength training with 2-3 cardiovascular sessions), you can keep your exercise routine to under a half an hour a day. Now time is on your side! Note: The above techniques can be adapted to any fitness level but if you are a beginner, you may want to seek a professional before trying them yourself. Regardless of your fitness level, make sure you consult with a health professional before starting any new program.
Lake Barcroft Newsletter-(April 2010, page 11)
Spring Into Fitness
To get your best body ready for spring, you need to get started now while it is still frosty outside. The following strategies adapted from Fitness Magazine will have you on the way to enjoying spring when it finally arrives.
• If you have tired of “indoor” fitness activities such as the treadmill, elliptical, or stationary bike you may want to have a back-up plan to carry you through to spring. Consider playing in an indoor volleyball or basketball league as the game playing will prepare you for outdoor activities.
• Use competition to drive your progress. Setting weekly challenges with friends and family helps you stay motivated and excited about your fitness activities.
• Increase you lower body exercises. You lower body (glutes, hamstrings, and quads) forms the largest constellation of muscles and helps you power up the rest of your workout. Start out with either a lower body or a combination move (lower and upper) that will wake up your whole body by elevating your heart rate and pumping blood throughout your system.
• Keep a positive perspective about your activities. Instead of saying, “I can’t make the full 30 minutes” or “I’m not going to be able to finish all my repetitions” say “I will keep going until 20 minutes and see how I feel” or “I will do as many reps as I can with good form”. This will give you a feeling of accomplish whether your reach your specific goal or not, then review what you need to adjust for the next session or set.
In addition to having your body ready for spring activities, it will also help prevent injuries. As usual, gradually increase your level of activity and monitor how your body responds rather than going full board and you will be up to speed in no time!
All-Fairlington Bulletin- April 2010 (page 13)Ease Into Warm Weather Activity
As warmer and longer days call us out to the gym and onto the sidewalks with a renewed interest in fitness, the experts advise, “Take it easy.” If you haven’t been active for the last few months, don’t try to make it up all at once by going overboard with spring workouts. To avoid injury, keep the following in mind:
- Gradually increase your intensity. You may think that your indoor winter workouts were sufficiently demanding to simply take them outdoors now. But it’s wise to make the transition more slowly. You need to ease your body back to the outdoors and into different activities.
- Focus on flexibility and range of motion. You may find that winter-month movements aren’t the same as those you do in other months—which will require stretching muscles you haven’t been working and moving body parts in unusual ways (golf vs. step aerobics, for example). So do a thorough warm-up and stretch the right muscles for your new movements.
- Do something different. Now that community leagues are starting up and people are looking for sports“buddies,” it’s a good time to consider a new activity or sport. Trying something new can help develop both body and mind and supply motivation.
- Be mindful of nutrition. Increased outdoor activity may tempt you to eat more, and outdoor and social events offer opportunities to overeat or eat poorly (company picnics, baseball/softball games, etc.). Plan ahead and make healthy substitutions.
- Get enough recovery time. Since spring brings longer days, it’s easy to neglect getting enough rest. If you have an established routine for sleep, continue it despite the temptation to stay up later. Recovery time is vital for your body to rejuvenate itself.
Lake Barcroft Newsletter-March 2010 (page 7)
To get your best body ready for spring, you need to get started now while it is still frosty outside. The following strategies adapted from Fitness Magazine will have you on the way to enjoying spring when it finally arrives.
• If you have tired of “indoor” fitness activities such as the treadmill, elliptical, or stationary bike you may want to have a back-up plan to carry you through to spring. Consider playing in an indoor volleyball or basketball league as the game playing will prepare you for outdoor activities.
• Use competition to drive your progress. Setting weekly challenges with friends and family helps you stay motivated and excited about your fitness activities.
• Increase you lower body exercises. You lower body (glutes, hamstrings, and quads) forms the largest constellation of muscles and helps you power up the rest of your workout. Start out with either a lower body or a combination move (lower and upper) that will wake up your whole body by elevating your heart rate and pumping blood throughout your system.
• Keep a positive perspective about your activities. Instead of saying, “I can’t make the full 30 minutes” or “I’m not going to be able to finish all my repetitions” say “I will keep going until 20 minutes and see how I feel” or “I will do as many reps as I can with good form”. This will give you a feeling of accomplish whether your reach your specific goal or not, then review what you need to adjust for the next session or set.
In addition to having your body ready for spring activities, it will also help prevent injuries. As usual, gradually increase your level of activity and monitor how your body responds rather than going full board and you will be up to speed in no time!
Lake Barcroft Newsletter-December 2009
December Double-Whammy: Shorter Days and Colder Temperatures
As sunlit hours get shorter and the weather gets colder, scheduling workouts can become more challenging, especially if your preference is for exercising outdoors. During the shorter days, consider choosing activities that give you the same fitness benefits in a shorter period of time—say jogging/running versus walking. If you bring your fitness activity indoors, it may lose some of its enjoyment (cycling the countryside or hiking in the mountains), so you may have to make adjustments to avoid boredom. This can be achieved by doing short sessions of several different types of activities, such as going from the treadmill to the stationary bike to the stair climber. If you decide to workout in your home, use the extensive collection of workout DVDs from the library. They are free and you can choose from a variety of activities and fitness levels.
Health care and fitness experts also suggest the following ideas to help make the transition to winter exercise easier:
• Protect your workout by putting it on your calendar or appointment book specifying when (date/time), location (gym/home/indoor pool/mall), and the type of activity.
• Join a group of people who walk, run or cycle at a regular time and place or make a commitment to work out with a buddy or a personal trainer. Consider signing up for a class or activity you have wanted to try (yoga, kick-boxing, or ballroom dancing). You are more likely to maintain your activity level if you establish an outside obligation.
• Maintain your outdoor exercise skills by choosing indoor workouts that use the same movement and muscles as the sport in which you participate. Keep the muscles strong and flexible for the next season of golf or tennis.
• If you continue to participate in outdoor activities, make sure you have a bad weather backup plan so you don’t have an excuse to miss a workout. Consider walking at the mall, swimming at an indoor pool, or developing a home workout.
All Fairlington Bulletin-December 2009
Tips to Stay Fit Through the Holidays
We all know that holidays are killer on your eating and your physical activity levels. Preparing for family, planning get-togethers with friends, office events with colleagues and shopping for gifts can all lead to less time for exercise and a disproportionate focus on food.
An important thing to remember is that all of the above are about people and relationships, not food. If you continue your normal physical activity and eat holiday foods in moderation, you may be able to get through the holidays without weight gain. Use the gatherings as a time to be physically active—taking a hike before picking out the pumpkin, playing some flag football before a holiday dinner, or a short walk after dinner to allow you to enjoy family and/or friends. If bad weather prevails, an alternative may be the new interactive video games like Wii.
The American Council on Exercise recommends the following activities to help you stay fit:
• Use the opportunity to entertain as a way to build in some vigorous household cleaning chores such as raking (or mowing the lawn), washing the floor, putting items into storage, etc.
• Have a light soup or salad prior to the meal rather than along with it to help you feel fuller.
• Take a walk or run before your meal. Many race events happen on the mornings of holidays just for this purpose.
• Exercise portion control. Work on placing one serving of each item on your plate and don’t go back for seconds or thirds.
• Separate dinner from dessert and take a leisurely walk in between; this may help to manage your indulgence.
• Make sure to warm up for any dynamic activity—now is not the time to start playing basketball/football if you don’t normally do so. Participate in an activity you normally do or is part of your regular physical activity (i.e. walking)
• Don’t panic or beat yourself up if you overdo it; be aware of the need to eat lighter for the next couple of days.
By using some of the strategies above balanced with a commitment to your regular fitness regimen you can stay fit, healthy and trim throughout the holidays.
All Fairlington Bulletin-March 2009 & Lake Barcroft Newsletter-September 2009
How to Design a Safe and Effective Exercise Program
As seasons and work schedules change, you may want to review your strategy for maintaining your fitness for the rest of the year. A total fitness program must include cardiovascular activity, muscular strength/endurance training, and flexibility exercises.
Keep Your Aerobic Activity Simple
Choose activities you enjoy and can do with friends to get your daily activity. If you need variety, combine different activities to stay motivated. Recommendations from the American Heart Association for a healthy adult under age 65 include doing moderately intense cardio 30 minutes a day, five days a week or vigorous intense cardio 20 minutes a day, three days a week. For weight loss, gradually work up to 45 minutes or longer at low to moderate intensities in a low or no-impact activity.
Strength Conditioning Provides Options
Pick calisthenics, free weights or machines. Just be sure that your strength training includes exercises for every major muscle group, including the muscles of the arms, chest, back, stomach, hips and legs. Start with a weight that’s comfortable to handle and keep it up for eight repetitions. Gradually add more repetitions until you can complete 12 repetitions. For greater strength conditioning, add more weight and/or more repetitions, in sets of eight to 12, when the exercise becomes easy. Do strength training at least twice a week to receive maximum health benefits.
Flexibility for Maintaining Activities of Daily Living
Flexibility is also critical. Each day you perform cardio or strength-training activities, take an extra 10 minutes to stretch the major muscle groups, with 10-30 seconds for each stretch. Repeat each stretch three to four times. Flexibility training will help facilitate performing everyday activities.
Always check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program, especially if you’re over 40, or have cardiovascular risk factors, such as smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or a family history of heart disease. If you are new to “structured exercise”, work with a professional to learn proper technique or seek out professional literature at your local library to avoid injuries. With some basic information, you can design and maintain your own fitness routine.
All Fairlington Bulletin-January 2009 & Lake Barcroft Newsletter January 2010
Develop Healthy Resolutions to Last the Whole Year
It's that time of year when many individuals decide to improve their fitness. The difficulty is that most good intentions get sidetracked early on in the process. According to researchers, it takes about 3 months to change behaviors and lapses occur most frequently as people start seeing improvement. Make good on your New Year's resolutions by aiming for a healthy lifestyle that you can keep up by following some of the guidelines below.
• Make Small Changes
Come up with small goals you can meet every day; accomplishing smaller goals will provide immediate results and a feeling of success.
• You Make the Decision to Change
Think of your resolutions as positive changes that will lead to you reaching your optimal health and well-being rather than to please others. Resolutions that feel like punishment frequently lead to negative feelings making it more difficult to succeed.
• Be Imaginative
Be creative by finding other ways to be active while accomplishing other goals. Think about how you can incorporate family, friends, or colleagues into your exercise plan. Consider how you can use physical activity to accomplish tasks at home (i.e. cleaning the house, maintaining the yard, washing the car).
• Be Practical
Make things as easy as possible to accomplish and set goals so that you can reach them without becoming overwhelmed. Work on finding a role model who is living your goal and know that if they can do it, so can you.
• Anticipate Obstacles
You know that there will be circumstances that may keep you from sticking with your plan, so make sure you have alternatives for those situations you cannot control (i.e. weather, injury or illness). Know when setbacks are likely to occur (holiday parties, vacations, Super Bowl Sunday) and plan for them. If you have set practical goals, you should be able to get back on track fairly quickly.
• Reward Successes
It is easier to stay focused if you feel good about what you are doing. Make a list of ways to reward your successes; these will keep you happy and motivated.
• Build a Support System
Get the support of the people who will play an important role in your success—family, friends, and co-workers. With their help you can build an environment that will encourage healthy behaviors.
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