Exercise and HDL

One of the things that I have recommended to my patients for a long time is that exerecise can actually help increase your good cholesterol. For those of you who are concerned about cholesterol levels, look at your HDL - that is the most protective lipid in the body.

And yes exercise does help raise the HDL levels. The higher these levels the better.

Posture and Back Pain Part #5

Another method used to help you move better and easier is the Feldenkrais Method. This method focuses on you learning to move with greater ease, skill, and awareness. This particular method is about self discovery rather than teaching you a specific way to move.

The person working with you on the Feldenkrais method will look at the larger picture. They will look for patterns which create stress to a particular place. The focus is to improve movement through the whole system. These classes are often taught as Awareness Through Movement or Functional Integration. By clarifying your own self image you will be able to inform your body mentally regarding movement.

Posture and Back Pain Part #4

Often times the cause of back pain is from habits and tensions that individuals carry in their body from day to day. This can include things like hunching over a computer, tensing the neck and jaw when driving, or tensing the back when driving with the position of the foot on the gas.

The Alexander method helps people learn how to use their bodies with more ease and less tension. These exercises are designed to go through the simple movements of sitting, standing, walking or bending and to make these movements simple and easy so that you expend minimal effort and improve the use of your body.

Posture and Back Pain Part #3

An exercise regime that is fairly new to the US but has been used a lot in Asia and Europe is the Franklin Method. This is a science based approach that uses imagery, touch and movement.

This method facilitates ease and comfort in the body and helps to maximize the body's potential for movement. It combines movement with imagery exercises, since the mind's awareness of function can improve the function. A Franklin method practitioner works with you to determine how you move. The using anatomical knowledge, imagery, and direct physical awareness the practitioner will determine the pattern that causes the pain. They will then teach you how to use the mind and the body to move the body in the way in which it was designed.

Posture and Back Pain Part #2

One of the things to know about back pain is that the body will do whatever it has to do to keep you moving. This may result in you not actually moving as you were intended to move which results in pain.

Another form of exercise which is often helpful in back pain is tai chi. This is sometimes described as meditation in motion. The gentle movements work on balance and include deep breathing. These movements help balance the body and free up movement.

You can start by taking a few lessons from a tai chi master and then you can work at home with a DVD once you know the basic movements.

Posture and Back Pain

Since back pain seems to be a common problem in our society, I thought it woul be a good idea to talk about some methods that can help chronic back. The first thing to know about back pain is that it is usually telling you something is out of alignment. This does not necessarily mean that you need to see a chiropractor, but it does mean something is not exactly lined up correctly.

There is a group of exercises that can be designed for you specifically based on posture photos and a comparison with symptoms. These exercises are simple movements that are specifically designed to put you back in line. This method is called the Egoscue Method and was developed by Pete Egoscue who suffered from chronic back pain. This method is utilized by many clinics nationally and internationally.

Exercises for Running Part 3

Today's exercise mimics and strengthens the runner's line which includes the backside, core, and upper back. It's called the one leg opposite dumbbell reach. To begin, stand with one leg 4-6 inches in front of the other in a comfortable stance. Hold a dumbbell in the hand on the side of the back leg. Bend your knees slightly and stand tall in your posture. Now put most of your weight on the front leg. Tilt from the hips and drop the weight forward as if reaching out to touch the ground in front of your front toe. Keep the back straight, and breathe out as you reach forward. As you rise return to the tall standing position. After you 10-12 reps, switch legs and the dumbbell to the other hand.

What this will do is help you integrate the normal muscle movements of running with the right leg forward and the left arm and the the left leg forward with the right arm.

Exercises for Running Part 2

Today's running exercise is one that works the legs and the core. It's the lunge with a twist. First start with the lunge - toes facing straight ahead. Once you're in the lunge position, the slowly twist to a 90 degree rotation. Maintain good posture throughout so you don't injure the back. If you're turning to the right, the left shoulder should end up pointing in the same direction as the feet.

The lunge with a twist actually mimics the running posture. As you run and your left foot is forward, the right arm is forward which twists the torso just slightly.

Exercises for Running

Over the next couple days I'm going to talk about exercises you can do if you're looking at doing a long run like the Bolder Boulder which takes place here in Colorado tomorrow. Of course you would want to start this long before the day before the race!!!

An exercise called the step up can help stenghten the thighs, glutes, balance and single leg strength. This is a fairly simple one. standing in front of a step, step up and then step down. Keep the chest high and toes pointed straight ahead. For a little harder work out cross your arms in front of your body as you step.

The step up provides you with the ability to strengthen those parts which as necessary for you to go up hills. Trust me, any race worth it's salt will have a hill or too for you to climb. The step up prepares you to climb those hills.

Easing Arthritis Part 5

I eluded to this a couple of days ago, but did not go into very much when I was talking about breathing. Exercise is essential if you have arthritis. Many people think that exercise will actually make the problem worse. This is just not true.

In fact simple exercise is essential for proper functioning of an arthritic joint. Start with stretches to the joints affected and work up slow and easy.

Some of the more helpful exercises for arthritic joints are swimming and walking. Again start out slow and only walk for 5 minutes. Increase your time each day by a minute or two. This slow process will find you moving with less pain and better function of the joints. Many people get a lot of relief from water aerobics.

Another great exercise for arthritis is bicycling. Just don't overdo and start slow and easy.

Get Moving To Stay Young

You all know that exercise is important to good health. But did you know that exercise may actually slow the aging process? There was a study published in 2008 that found that exercise may actually protect the body against the aging process.

So no matter what age you are, start moving, walking, swimming, or whatever exercise is your favorite. You can start taking control of your health by moving!

Workout Questions #4

Does weight training always result in bulking up of the muscles?

If you're not looking to bulk up the muscles, but rather firm and tone the muscles, then use the weights 2-3 times a week. The other 3-4 days do stretching, aerobics, or core conditioning. The result will firming and toning of the muscles without forming a lot of bulk.

Workout Questions #3

How often should I be lifting weights?

Most people need to give their muscles a break, so a day of rest between workouts is good. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't workout on that day. What I'm saying is to do something aerobic on the day between, or do some stretching, or work on the core (abs). This day between weight training days gives your muscles a chance to repair and rest.

Workout Questions #2

Are more reps with lighter weights better than fewer reps with heavier weights?

Both of these are good, but here is the difference. Heavier weights with fewer reps will build more strength in the muscle. Lighter weights with more reps will build up endurance. Both of these are essential for strengthening and toning muscles, so mix it up a little. This will give you the best result.

Workout Questions

Over the next several days, I'm going to be answering some questions about workouts, specifically related to strength training.

What weight should you use when you first start strength training?

You should start with a weight that you begin to feel challenged at about 10 reps. You want to be doing about 12 reps with a weight and then take a 1 minute period of rest. If you feel that you would not be able to do the last two reps well, then go to a slightly lighter weight until you can do all 12 reps well. I usually recommend that you do 12 reps, 1 minute rest, 12 reps, 1 minute rest and then 24 reps with 2 minutes of rest. You should be able to do this sequence comfortably.

Strength Training

After mentioning in the last week about picking up a book or some weights, I got some questions about weight training. Here are a few simple things to help you move forward. If you are already weight training, consider changing your routine and using different weight training exercises, this will help the muscles really continue to stay strong.

As you start, you can begin with one area like the upper arms or the legs. But keep adding in other areas and alternate areas. All of the major muscle groups should be included. These major muscle groups are the arms, calves, hamstrings, quads, chest, back, shoulders, abdominals, and the gluteals.

Once you have a routine for each of these areas, start with little or no weight. The first thing to do as that becomes easy is to add weight. Then you can alternate with adding to the number of reps you do for each exercise. For myself, if I can do 4 sets of 12 easily, then I add weight. As that becomes easy, I may increase the number of reps to 16. I just keep alternating between the reps and the weight increases. This can go on for a while before it is easy with however many reps you are doing. Go slow and gradual.

Little Things That Can Imporve Heart Health #2

Yesterday you started walking - just 10 minutes. Today I want you to lift a 2 pound weight or a heavy book 5-10 times. Do this a couple of times. This will begin to tone up muscles. If you already lift weights or use free weights 2-3 times a week, then you're already doing this one.

If you work, when you need to take a break, lift the weight, do it during your lunch hour or whenever you have a few minutes. You can even do this while you're watching TV.

When it becomes easy for you to lift whatever it is that you are using, then increase the weight.

More tomorrow.

Inflammation and Other Helpful Things

While food is the first things to look at, there are other things you can do to help with inflammation. Exercise is extremely helpful. What I hear most often from patients is that they can't exercise because they have arthritis. Not true.

Use your joints so that they don't stiffen up. Simple exercises work to keep joints functioning. begin with stretches especially of the affected joints. Start walking if your knees or hips are affected. Start slow and work up the time to 20-30 minutes. The biggest obstacle to overcome is starting. You don't have to go to the gym and work on 10 machines or get a trainer. Start simple and build upon that.

Lastly, breathe! Breathing can shift you mind's attention from the area of pain to breathing. This is often a great pain relieving technique. Mild forms of stretching such as tai chi, yoga, and beginning pilates which emphasize breathing can also relieve arthritis pain.

Starting Exercise Over 40 Continued #10

When you start an exercise program, know that it will likely help you with weight loss, but don't obsess over the weight. Weight loss may be very slow and if that is the primary reason you are exercising, you are setting yourself up for failure. When the weight loss is slow or nonexistent, you sill stop exercising.

Here's the bottom line, there are 3,500 calories in a pound of fat. If you walk for 30 minutes and burn 200 calories, it will take you about 18 days to burn off that 1 pound of fat. This is why people get discouraged and stop exercising.

Think about the health benefits not in terms of weight, but in terms of decreasing your risk for Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

In addition, exercise helps you sleep better and fell healthier and stong.

Starting Exercise Over 40 Continued #9

Keep in mind your health. If you have old injuries, be aware of those so that you don't reinjure yourself or cause another injury. If you blew out your knees playing football as a teenager, then running may not be your best exercise.

Look for activities that you like that your body can tolerate. If you really want to get back on the tennis court, do it with people in your age group and about the same level of fitness. Play less often and cross-train with something that is easier for your body to manage.