Five Funky Fitness Facts

Whether you’re already exercising regularly or are considering engaging in an exercise program, you may be uncertain about the best principles to apply to get the safest, most effective workout. If so, it’s worth your time and money to get some guidance from an experienced fitness professional to get you started off on the right foot. Most trainers can do that in just a few sessions.

For those of you who feel you have all the fundamentals down, check out these tips to sharpen up your game:

• The reason swimming is the ultimate efficient cardio workout is because it works all the major muscles evenly in multiple directions while minimizing load on the joints. Those effects can be recreated in the gym or at home. Examples are using an elliptical trainer, a rowing machine, curling and pressing light dumbbells while on a stationary bike and doing well-designed floor exercise circuits.
• A great way to save time on stretching when lifting weights is to add slow releases to the end of a set. For example, a set of biceps curls that get you close to fatigue point by the ninth repetition can be ended with slow drops of 5-seconds, 10-seconds and 15-seconds successively on the final three repetitions for a great stretch that continues to exhaust the muscles to near-failure while opening up the muscle tendon chain for a nice, loose feel afterward.
• A cool-down is a pleasant way to end a workout, but if you’re pressed for time, skip that, not the warm-up. Many people injure themselves because of inadequate or rushed warm-ups, but you can drive home still breathing heavily and stretch and do core work when you get home (or later that day).
• The most common and dangerous strength training form breaks I see are rounding the spine on deadlifts and trying to keep the spine vertical on squats. A flat back, hinging at the hip without dropping the shoulders is key to protecting your back on the dead lift. Keep your eyes on the horizon line as you pitch forward (between 45 and 90 degrees, based on your hamstring flexibility). A similar posture and movement is ideal for the squats, but includes bending at the knee while keeping the load slightly more on the heels than on the balls of the feet as you drop. If you try to keep the spine vertical (as opposed to flat but hinging forward moderately), the knees will push forward beyond the toes, putting the knees, shins and the low spine all more at risk than necessary.
• Unless you’re a bodybuilder or are constrained because of your schedule to strength train on consecutive days, dispense with the body part splits (back, lower body and biceps one day; chest, shoulders and triceps the next, for example). For general fitness and improved athleticism, it’s best for your muscles to both fatigue and to recover uniformly.

Want more expert guidance on optimal training? You can reach us at TriValleyTrainer.com.

Dan Taylor, ACE, NASM-CPT, is owner and head trainer at Pleasanton-based Tri Valley Trainer. They offer personal training and small group fitness solutions and an innovative, medically endorsed web-based group healthy eating coaching program.