Hip and knee pain are often the result of weakness in the abdominal and glute muscles.

Your abdominals (a.k.a “core”) work to keep your upper body stable while your arms and legs move and your glutes extend your hip by bringing your leg back like when you walk or run.

But, when your abs and glute muscles are weak other muscles must compensate. This happens when your quadriceps (thigh muscles) and your hip flexors try to perform the work your abs and glutes are supposed to be doing. This is also why you can have knee pain when squatting.

The result is often one or more of the following:

-lower back pain
-hip pain
-knee pain
-foot and ankle pain

I use many different types of core strengthening exercises to eliminate hip and knee pain quickly.

Using exercises to strengthen your core muscles help to strengthen weaker muscles to reduce painful symptoms.

In the video to the right I’ll show you a simple, yet really effective core strength exercise to strengthen your abdominal muscles immediately and reduce hip and knee pain.

Try it out and leave me a comment here and tell me how it worked for you.

photo credit: Johan Larsson

Just a quick link to an article I found this morning that might be helpful to some of you out there, its top 10 free Iphone Apps to help you lose weight!  From the website:

Even if you didn’t make a resolution to lose weight this year, you probably have some fitness goals you would like to achieve in the new year. To help, we’ve put together a list of the top 10 free iPhone apps to help you lose weight and get into shape.

Top 10 Iphone Apps To Help You Lose Weight

Enjoy!

photo credit: jontunn

When working out and trying to lose weight, one struggle that many often run into is that they aren’t able to get themselves properly motivated, and they just don’t have all the information they need.  You know you want to get fit, and you’re ok with exercising and eating right to make that happen, but you just don’t know where to start!

Many people find that using a personal trainer is a good way to keep themselves accountable and to make sure they’re doing things that will further their goals.  The problem is that a lot of the time getting a personal trainer can be prohibitively expensive.

In the last few years finding a personal trainer over the internet or getting training sessions over the phone has become more popular.  From the LA Times:

Now there’s training via Internet and the phone. Such coaching has become enormously popular in the last few years, spawning a mini-industry of tailored but flexible workouts. Some programs offer customized, downloadable regimens based on an online questionnaire, with little or no trainer interaction; others provide extensive one-on-one phone coaching.

Finding a personal trainer may still not be an option, but things like getting small group fitness training are now options as well.

Another option is small-group training, in which two to five people work with a trainer at once. It’s less expensive than one-on-one workouts and a good way to learn how to strength train properly.

When choosing a program, the key is to know thyself, says Margaret Moore, chief executive of the online coaching site Wellcoaches: “Some people want more of a relationship, while others are more into technology.”

So there are more options than ever to find a trainer, or training regimen that is perfect for you.  Just remember:

• Make sure the trainer has current certification from a reputable organization such as the American College of Sports Medicine, the American Council on Exercise, the National Academy of Sports Medicine or the National Strength and Conditioning Assn.
• Make sure your trainer is a good fit for you.   If you don’t click personally, you may want to work with someone else.
• Make sure you know what you’re getting for your money.

Fitness Sites That Tailor Workouts For You

There are a ton of sites out there that offer some good options in tailored workout plans, or personal training.  Here are a few:

• Workoutsforyou.com:  One appealing feature of this site is the varying levels of training programs, from the bare-bones “Access for You” plan with non-customized workouts and the exercise demo library, to the “Extras for You” program, with custom cardio and strength-training workouts and weekly trainer e-mails.
• Wellcoaches: Clients are matched to coaches who will best meet their needs, and counseling via phone and Internet is done with a holistic approach, tackling other issues such as stress and goal planning; has a partnership with the American College of Sports Medicine.
• Global Health & Fitness: Members are assigned to their own trainer, plus get personalized training and nutrition programs, fitness videos, podcasts and 24-hour access to the site’s experts.
• Plus One Active: The site offers workout plans, goal tracking and access to trainers. Trainer bios are online, allowing potential members to see their backgrounds and qualifications.

Have you ever worked with a personal trainer?  Was it a beneficial experience for you?  Tell us about it in the comments.

photo credit: ? AnA oMeLeTe ?

These last few months have been tough ones on my diet, and on my exercise regimen.  It seems like every time I get motivated and start working out, something will blindside me and I  get short circuited.   This year it has mostly been because I’ve been sick off and on for a good part of the year.  In fact, right now I’m coming off of being sick for over a week with an ear infection, pink eye and a sinus infection.  Not fun!

The Center For Disease Control estimates that during flu season up to 20 percent of Americans will suffer from the flu. That’s a lot of people getting sick!

One thing I’ve been curious about through all this sickness was whether or not it’s a good idea to work out when you’re sick, or whether you should  put a hold on exercise until your body has recuperated.

An article on CNN.com gives one expert’s opinion on whether or not you should exercise during illness:

At least one expert says that if you think you’re coming down with a cold or the flu you should probably skip your daily workout.

“I tell people to listen to their bodies. If they are sick, their body is telling them something is wrong.” said Dr. Rick Kellerman of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Even though it may be tempting to not break an exercise routine, working out may actually prolong the illness,” Kellerman said. And, in rare cases “viruses can damage heart muscles,” he added.

Kellerman said it is a myth that you can sweat out germs and toxins. He acknowledges that “low levels of exercise increase endorphins and benefit the body, but an intense workout that creates high levels of endorphins can wear down the immune system.”

In other words, “Don’t count on endorphins to heal you,” he said.

So working out when you’re sick can actually be bad for you in some cases, and may even prolong the illness.    Some low level of exercise is probbably ok, and may benefit the body, but intense workouts probably aren’t a good idea.

So when should you, and when shouldn’t you exercise?

Kellerman advises his patients to skip their workout if they have a fever. It puts too much stress on the heart, which already is beating faster because of the higher body temperature. If you’re suffering from chest congestion, coughing and shortness of breath, he said, you also shouldn’t work out. And exercising with a stomach ache will probably make you feel worse, he added.

But if you have the sniffles and milder symptoms of a cold, moderate exercise is probably OK, Kellerman said.

Only have the sniffles and a head cold?  You’re probably alright for some moderate exercise.   More severe?  Hit the sheets and rest up!

So a couple of things to remember:

• Have the flu, a fever or coughing or shortness of breath?  You’re probably better off not exercising
• Have  a slight cold or a runny nose?  You’re probably fine with some light cardio.  It may even help a little.  Don’t overdo it though!

Have you ever exercised while sick?  How did it affect you? Let us know in the comments.

Check out this post at CrunchGear, and then go to itunes to download the pro version of this program for free.  RunKeeper helps you to track your runs using the built in GPS in the Iphone. A very cool app, and today only it’s free!

Hurry, free today only!

RunKeeper and the problem of free.

After today you can download an ad supported version of the software for free.

Over the Christmas holiday I got a new Ipod Touch through some work I did for another website.  Since my old classic Ipod was stolen a few months back I had forgotten how much I loved having an Ipod.   It was useful in so many ways,  but then again it was limited for some applications.  It was mostly just a music/movie/game machine.

Now that I have an Ipod touch, I’ve realized that it can be oh so much more.  It can do email, surf the web, play games, and use custom apps that can help you do anything from keep a shopping list to track your workouts.  I realized that the touch can help me fulfill my workout and weight loss goals I’ve set for the new year! What is my fitness goal for the new year? I’ve set a goal of losing 35 pounds by July 1st. Wish me luck!

Helpful Health and Fitness Apps

I’ve downloaded some useful health and fitness apps, and I thought I’d give a quick review of some of my favorites.

• Weightbot from Tapbots:  The weight tracking app is one of my favorite new apps.   The app is extremely simple, but has a beautiful design.  What does it do for you?  You can enter your weight daily through a simple interface, and watch as your weight decreases (hopefully) over time.   It’ll show you your BMI, and after you enter your goal weight it will show you a beautiful graph showing your progress, or lack thereof.  Basically, it is a great way to motivate yourself.  You can also make backups of the data through your wi-fi connection, and in the future you’ll be able to export your weight data.   Also, if you want to make sure that no one else views your data, you can lock it with a passcode!  Not bad for .99 cents!
• Gym Buddy: This app provides a nice way to keep track of your workouts. Define your own exercises, set up your own workouts. Allows you to keep track of your workouts by time, repititions, weight and notes. Also includes a way of tracking your cardio after a recent update. Only $2.99, and a good replacement for a workout notebook.
• PushupFu: A while back i was doing the 100 pushups challenge. I’m not doing that right now, but if you enjoy pushups, here’s a fun little pushups app. The application allows you to do pushup training, compete against others, and get scores for your pushups. Hard, but fun! $2.99
• Run Chart: This little app allows you to time your run workouts, as well as gives you audible cues as to how long you’ve been running. Set up specific routes in the software and setup goal split times to reach. The software will give you audible cues when those times are reached. Nice little piece of software for $2.99.
• Ifitness: A nice fitness app that shows you over 115 different exercises that you can perform, categorized by body region. Also allows you to log your workouts. Affordable as well at only $1.99
• Ipump Free Workout: Try out a free workout from Pump One, created by fitness professionals. They’d like to you to buy one of their paid apps, but give the free one a try first. Includes pictures of exercises, logs, exports via email. Can’t go wrong with free.
• Fit Phone: Another workout log that helps you keep track of your workouts, and then has some nice graphs to help you see how you’ve been progressing. $4.99
• Ishape: Calorie, nutrition and exercise diary. Set weight loss goals, and use the app to help you achieve them. Currently on sale for .99 cents!

So there you go, there’s a handful of good fitness apps for your Iphone or Ipod. They are certainly only a few of the apps that you can use to work towards your goals, and there a ton more waiting for you to discover them at the Apple Apps Store.

Do you have any Ipod or Iphone apps that you’re using to help further your fitness goals? What are they?

photo credit: Abdullah AL-Naser

Time to get back on the wagon!

It’s that time of year again where people are making resolutions, vowing that they’re going to lose that 10-20 pounds that they’ve gained during the year.

If you don’t already have a home gym, or a membership at a local club, you’ll probably be looking into joining a club where you can work off the extra pounds.   The problem is that most of these clubs aren’t cheap.

According to the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), the median annual cost for a new gym member is a whopping $775 (This amount is based on a sample of IHRSA gyms.)

Tips for keeping gym costs down

An article I found on smartmoney.com offers some tips to getting a gym membership and keeping it more affordable.

• Negotiate: Even if the gym is having a “New Member Drive” with specially-discounted rates, don’t settle for the first offer they give you, says Cedric Bryant, who develops education certification and training materials for the American Council on Exercise. That’s because gyms are eager to get new members.  “Many gyms are much more open to negotiating because there’s fierce competition for acquiring new members,” says Bryant. Ask the gym to eliminate its initiation fee or reduce the monthly payments. Or request that they include programs you’d otherwise have to pay extra for.  Current members can also try haggling for a lower price. Use more attractive offers from other gyms as leverage to renegotiate your dues, for example. Or ask for any special deals they’re offering to new members.
• Tap Into Employer and Insurer Discounts: Even after you’ve haggled your way into an affordable gym membership, you may be able to reap even more savings through special employer- or insurer-sponsored discounts.  Often, large companies or unions will offer discounts at a certain gym or reimburse employees for a portion of their membership expenses. To see what’s available to you, contact your company’s human relations department. Insurance companies often offer discounts through their health and wellness programs
• Make Sure the Gym Fits: Just because the price is right doesn’t mean the gym is. If the gym isn’t conveniently located to your home or office, has hours that don’t fit yours or is just too crowded, the likelihood of actually using your membership drops dramatically, says Rofling. Before you commit, ask to use the gym on a trial basis to test out its equipment and classes. Most gyms will allow first-time members to do so for around two weeks. (Be wary of gyms that don’t.) Visit the gym during the hours that you’ll be there most. For example, while most gym equipment tends to be free on weekday mornings, it’s common to see lines of people waiting to use the treadmill in the evening. Also, check to see if the gym plan offers the services you want. Prefer to work out in groups? Make sure the membership includes classes and you don’t have to pay extra. Each gym has a different policy, says Rosemary Lavery, spokeswoman for IHRSA.
• Track Down Affordable Alternatives): Working out in a state-of-the-art gym isn’t the only way to stay fit. For those strapped for cash, look to local parks and recreation programs for low-cost fitness programs. Also, some local colleges and universities open their gyms to the general public for a small cost, says Bryant.  Another option: Try a 24-hour workout center like Anytime Fitness and Snap Fitness that aren’t staffed with personal trainers or much staff for that matter. (You can, however, bring your own personal trainer or the fitness centers can supply one at an additional cost.) Each member has a key card that gives them 24-hour access to the facilities. Membership is cheaper than commercial gyms, but this option is only well-suited for those who know the proper way to work out on their own.
• Sign Up for a PassBook: For yoga, Pilates and other fitness enthusiasts, one inexpensive way to gain access to a host of fitness clubs and classes in your area is to buy a PassBook. Sold by the American Health and Fitness Alliance, PassBooks allow consumers to use gyms, yoga, Pilates and dance studios and other fitness facilities without signing up for a membership. PassBooks are available for New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston, and are valid throughout the calendar year. (The number of times you can visit a specific facility will vary.) One book costs $75 plus $4 postage and handling and can be found on the AHFA’s web site or call 212-808-0765.

So there you have it, it’s time to get fit. Now you have no reason not to do it becaues you should be able to fit it into any budget.  Want to workout at home? Check out my article talking about building an inexpensive home gym!

photo credit: patrick dentler

Have you ever noticed how you don’t feel as hungry after you’ve worked out, or your appetite doesn’t seem as ravenous when you’re exercising regularly? There’s a reason for it! From sciencedaily.com

A vigorous 60-minute workout on a treadmill affects the release of two key appetite hormones, ghrelin and peptide YY, while 90 minutes of weight lifting affects the level of only ghrelin, according to a new study. Taken together, the research shows that aerobic exercise is better at suppressing appetite than non-aerobic exercise and provides a possible explanation for how that happens.

The article goes on to talk about how their study showed both types of exercise suppressed appetite, but aerobic exercise to a greater degree:

In this experiment, 11 male university students did three eight-hour sessions. During one session they ran for 60 minutes on a treadmill, and then rested for seven hours. During another session they did 90 minutes of weight lifting, and then rested for six hours and 30 minutes. During another session, the participants did not exercise at all.

During each of the sessions, the participants filled out surveys in which they rated how hungry they felt at various points. They also received two meals during each session. The researchers measured ghrelin and peptide YY levels at multiple points along the way.

They found that the treadmill (aerobic) session caused ghrelin levels to drop and peptide YY levels to increase, indicating the hormones were suppressing appetite. However, a weight-lifting (non-aerobic) session produced a mixed result. Ghrelin levels dropped, indicating appetite suppression, but peptide YY levels did not change significantly.

Based on the hunger ratings the participants filled out, both aerobic and resistance exercise suppressed hunger, but aerobic exercise produced a greater suppression of hunger. The changes the researchers observed were short term for both types of exercise, lasting about two hours, including the time spent exercising, Stensel reported.

The article concludes:

This line of research may eventually lead to more effective ways to use exercise to help control weight, according to the senior author, David J. Stensel of Loughborough University in the United Kingdom

No matter what, regular aerobic and resistance exercise are still a good thing.  If you have a hard time suppressing your appetite – a few laps around the block might do you some good!

Last night I did my upper body weight workout for the first time in a couple of months. Whenever I go that long without doing a weight workout, the first time I lift again I get really sore. This morning, I am really sore – I can barely lift my arms above my head!

a
photo credit: Gio JL

Today, since I am alternating between cardio and weights days, I am once again back to a cardio workout. Today I’ll be doing some interval training, or better known as high intensity interval training (HIIT). Here’s an explanation of what it is from Wikipedia:

Interval training is broadly defined as repetitions of high-speed/intensity work followed by periods of rest or low activity.

This training technique is often practiced by long distance runners (800 metres and above) although some sprinters are known to train using this technique as well.

Distance runners often practice intervals on tracks, running hard at a certain pace for a specified distance (or, less often, time) and jogging, walking, or resting between (for a set distance/time.) An example could be 12 repetitions of 400 meters with a 200-meter jog between each. Distances can also vary; one example would be a “ladder” workout consisting of a 1600-meter, two 1200-meter, three 800-meter, and four 400-meter repetitions, each at an appropriate speed and with an appropriate amount of recovery.

Interval training is a favorite of coaches because of its effectiveness in cardiovascular buildup and also its ability to make more well-rounded runners.

More generally, it can refer to any cardiovascular workout (e.g. stationary biking, running, rowing, etc.) that involves brief bouts at near-maximum exertion interspersed with periods of lower-intensity activity. One popular workout that incorporates this methodology is so-called “walk-back sprinting,” in which one sprints a short distance (anywhere from 100 to 800 meters), then changes directions and walks back to the starting point (the recovery period) to do it again. To add challenge to the workout, each of these sprints may start at a predetermined time interval, e.g. 200 meter sprint, walk back, and sprint again every 3 minutes. The time interval provides just enough recovery.

It is believed by many in the fitness industry that this method of training is more effective at inducing fat loss than simply training at a moderate intensity level for the same duration. This has been confirmed in at least two studies

As mentioned above, HIIT is an excellent way to maximize your workout if you are limited on time as I often am.   I know it works from experience. Last year I lost almost 40 pounds using a combination of weight training and HIIT.  Unfortunately I stopped doing it and I’ve gained 15 back. But now I’m back on course and looking to lose that last 25 or so pounds.

Wish me luck!

Tonight I’ll be doing my upper body weight workout. I recently signed up for a site that allows me to post video of different exercises on my blog, so I thought I’d use some of those exercise videos here to show you my routine that I’ll be doing tonight.

How do I do the routine

When workout out with weights I have a pretty simple routine that I follow. I lift weights 2 to 3 times a week, alternating every other day with upper body and lower body workouts. For each body muscle group that I’m working out I’ll do 6 sets, with varying weights and with reps of 12, 10, 8, 6 and two sets of 12 (but different exercises). For example, for my shoulders tonight I might do something like this:

Dumbell Shoulder Press
Set 1: 12 reps with 15 pounds
1 minute rest
Set 2: 10 reps with 20 pounds
1 minute rest
Set 3: 8 reps with 20 pounds
1 minute rest
Set 4: 6 reps with 25 pounds
1 minute rest
Set 5: 12 reps with 20 pounds
no reset
Set 6: 12 reps with 20 pounds, but a new exercise.

Upper Body Weight Workout

So here are the exercises I’ll be doing tonight.

Chest:

Shoulders:

Back/Shoulders:

Triceps:

Biceps:

What are you doing for a weight routine? How often do you lift?