Saturday, March 31, 2012

5 Step Butt Blaster at Home or Gym

All of these amazing picutres and exercises were found @ www.fitnessmagazine.com! I love this magazine it always has inspiring and motivating fitness ideas. This is an awesome way to blast your booty at home or in the gym!






Lift It: Carving Curl
Targets gluteus maximus and hamstrings
Lie facedown on floor with head on folded arms, squeezing a 1-pound dumbbell or rolled-up towel behind bent left knee, foot flexed. Tuck pelvis to flatten out low back.
Lift bent left leg a few inches off floor; lower. Do 20 reps.
Switch sides, repeat.







Trim It: Second-Position Pulse
Targets glutei maximus, medius, and minimus, and legs
Stand with feet wide, toes turned out, left hand holding chair back for support, right hand on hip.
Bend knees 90 degrees out to sides and, maintaining squat, open legs wider by pressing knees back 1 inch; then bring them back. Do 10 presses.
Lift toes off floor in squat position; do 10 more presses.
Finish with 10 presses on toes with heels lifted.



Standing Leg Curl
Targets: Hamstrings and calves
Stand with feet together and place rolled-up mat (or towel) evenly behind right knee so that it's parallel to floor. Lift right foot behind you with toes pointed, and pull heel toward butt to secure mat behind knee.
Extend arms at shoulder level in front of you and clasp hands. (Beginners, use chair for balance.)
Squeezing mat with leg throughout, lean forward slightly, keeping back flat, as you lift right knee behind you about 6 inches; lower.
Do 20 pulses up and down. Switch legs and repeat.





Single Sky Bridge
What you'll need: A sturdy chair
Targets: Lower back, butt, and hamstrings
Lie faceup on floor with legs extended and heels resting on the seat of a chair, arms by sides, palms down.
Lift right leg straight over hip, foot flexed. Slowly lift hips off floor until body forms a straight line from left heel to left shoulder; lower.
Do 20 reps, keeping leg lifted, then lower butt to floor. Switch legs; repeat.



Squat Dip
Targets: Butt, quads, and hamstrings
Stand two feet from front of chair, facing away, feet hip-width apart, hands on hips.
Lift left leg and place top of left foot on seat behind you.
Lower into a single-leg squat, keeping right knee behind right toes and dipping left knee toward the floor; straighten right leg to stand.
Do 15 reps; switch legs and repeat.



http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/butt/exercises/bootylicious-15-minute-butt-workout/
http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/butt/exercises/short-shorts-workout/
http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/butt/exercises/exercises-to-target-butt-muscles/?page=1

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Athletes Guide To Knee Injury

Beginner's Guide to Knee Pain


Knee pain is one the most common reasons for athletes to seek out physician assistance. “It can be caused by both overuse and trauma, which is what athletes do to their knees almost every day," says Jennifer Lewis, PT, ATC, a performance physical therapist at Athletes’ Performance. Structural abnormalities can make the problem worse.

How It Happens

The knee is an intricate joint consisting of multiple structures that have to distribute forces from the ground up through the body, as well as from the upper body down through the leg. As a result, there are many different reasons and causes of knee pain, and the pain can be in several different places throughout the knee.
Most knee pain results not because the knee itself, but from some other part of the body, Lewis explains. For instance, a tight iliotibial band, hip flexors, or quadriceps muscles, dominant hamstrings or quads, or weak hip rotators can all contribute to excessive stress and strain being transfered to your knees. Also, if your core is unstable, your body will try to gain that stability somewhere else—often times at the knees.

Where Does It Hurt?

Front of the knee
  1. Above the knee - pain from quadriceps muscle strain and quad tendon inflammation, often from activities where the knees come past the toes, as with poor squatting technique.
  2. Below the kneecap - the source of pain is the patellar tendon, which connects the knee cap to the top of the lower leg.
  3. Under the knee cap - pain from excessive compression of the knee cap and from arthritic changes underneath the knee cap.
Back of the knee
  1. Pain can be to the inside, middle, or outside, often due to hamstring or calf muscle tendon involvement or poor joint mobility, especially when bending the knee.
Inside of the knee
  1. Pain can be due to tendinitis from the groin muscles and where the tendon inserts. It also can be due to ligament strain of the medial collateral ligament (MCL) or irritation to the medial (inside) meniscus.
Outside of the knee 
  1. Pain can be due to tendinitis, often from a tight iliotibial (IT) band. It also can be due to ligament strain of the LCL or irritation of the lateral (outside) meniscus.

By the Numbers

2
Number of menisci that act as shock absorbers within the knee and help distribute forces evenly throughout the knee joint.

4
Number of major ligaments that support the knee joint (two are inside the joint capsule (ACL and PCL) and two are outside the joint capsule (MCL and LCL)

11
Number of muscles that cross the knee joint and attach above and below it.

Who’s At Risk

Endurance athletes (runners, cyclists), explosive athletes (basketball players, cyclists, skiers), and anyone who participates in repetitive, movement-based activities is at risk. In addition, adolescents, females and taller people may be more susceptible to knee pain, as well as people who have poor strength and neuromuscular control through their glute muscles.

Symptoms

  • Intense pain, inflammation, or bruising at the site of the injury
  • Pain when walking or getting up and down, and with stairs
  • Reduced and/or painful range of motion
  • Feeling of locking, catching, giving out or buckling with weight-bearing

Initial Treatment

  • Apply ice applications for 15-20 minutes, 3-4 times a day.
  • Aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen and naproxen may relieve pain and reduce inflammation.
  • Compress the knee joint with an elastic wrap if inflammation and swelling are present.
  • Use a pillow to elevate the knee while at rest and during the night.
  • Rest until symptoms diminish, which could take several days or several weeks.
  • See a doctor if the pain is severe or if the pain persists for two weeks.

Comeback Strategy

Gradually increase the intensity, duration, and frequency of training. Coming back too early might force you to compensate for the injury by changing the way you move or the technique necessary to perform well in your sport. So go through all the movements required in your sport without pain before returning to action. And apply ice packs for 15-20 minutes after an exercise session.

Prehab

Incorporate these prehab exercises into your comeback workouts:
  1. Side-Lying Abduction
  2. Side-Lying Adduction
  3. Glute Bridge
  4. Glute Bridge - 1 Leg
  5. Face-down, Glute Activation With Knee Flexion (for quad lengthening)
  6. 1/2 Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch

How to Avoid This Injury

Do not increase the intensity, frequency, or duration of your exercise routine more than 10 percent each week. Wear pads or other protective devices (braces, wraps) to cushion blows taken in volleyball and basketball, and protect the knees.

Movement Prep

Incorporate these movement prep exercises into your warm-up routine:
  1. Mini Band Walking - Forward, Bent Knees
  2. Mini Band Walking - Lateral, Bent Knees
  3. Mini Band Walking - Forward, Straight Leg
  4. Mini Band Walking - Lateral, Straight Leg
  5. Lateral Squat
  6. Knee Hug - In Place
  7. Leg Cradle
  8. Bounding - Forward (focus on "sticking" the landing to improve single-leg stability)
  9. Bounding - Lateral (focus on "sticking" the landing to improve single-leg stability)


Monday, March 19, 2012

Burpee Variations


Once you can successfully complete the beginner burpee workout pain-free, we can safely get a little nasty with it. The great thing about the burpee is it offers an endless number of challenging exercise variations that keep your training fun and fresh. You can perform on one-arm or one-leg, integrate dumbbells, or even add jumps. The video below shows some great high-intensity exercise examples:
Choose one of the variations shown in the video above (or alternate between each of them from round to round) using a 60 seconds on, 30 seconds off interval sequence for up to 6 total rounds. The combination of a more advanced exercise selection plus reduced rest periods will drastically increase the calorie burn and will blow-torch belly fat fast.

8 tips for beginners in the gym!!


If you've just started working out, here are some more tips that you should remember:
  1. Start Slow: Don't jump into it all too suddenly: increase workout intensity gradually and avoid hurting yourself.
  2. Do it Daily: Working out daily is the only way to stop yourself from slacking off. It may sound difficult, but it's actually easier than exercising 3 or 4 days a week. Just do it!
  3. Alternate: Just because you're working out daily doesn't mean you push yourself every day. Alternate with one day of strenuous exercising, and another easier day which will let your body recover and your muscles build up.
  4. Listen to Your Body: Working out can be difficult for a novice. Make sure you don't over-exert yourself, and always listen to your body. Feeling tired is good: feeling a sharp, jabbing pain means you need to stop at once.
  5. Ice Yourself: If you do manage to get hurt, use an icepack. Professionals swear by them.
  6. Buddy Up: If you can't afford a trainer or a great instructor, or you don’t think you’re ready for one yet, grab hold of a friend with similar goals. Push each other, and hold each other accountable for showing up and working out.
  7. Fast Music is Your Friend: One of the easiest ways to get through a grueling workout is to listen to fast, fun music. It may be corny advice, but fast music really does make it easier to slog away at whatever form of cardio you’re doing.
  8. Talk to Yourself: But do it silently, so that people don’t think you’re crazy.

    Shutting out negative thoughts, like, “Ugh, I’m so tired” or “I hate coming to the gym” helps, but replacing them with positive thoughts is better. Try to reframe your situation so that you actually enjoy what you’re doing. Tell yourself that yes, you’re tired, but that’s good, because it means you’re a lean, mean, calorie-burning machine. Self talk like “I love the gym”, “I love the post-workout high” and “I love doing these terrible crunches because I’m going to love my six-pack” might sound dumb in theory, but in practice, it really helps you to work out harder, more effectively, and more cheerfully.


5K run: 7-week training schedule for beginners




Week 1On run/walk days, walkers walk only. Runners run for 15 seconds/walk for 45 seconds.
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
Run/walk 30 minutesWalk 30 minutesRun/walk 30 minutesWalk 30 minutesRestRun/walk 3 miles (4.8 km)Rest or walk
Week 2On run/walk days, walkers walk only. Runners run for 15 seconds/walk for 45 seconds.
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
Run/walk 30 minutesWalk 30 minutesRun/walk 30 minutesWalk 30 minutesRestRun/walk 3.5 miles (5.6 km)Rest or walk
Week 3On run/walk days, walkers walk only. Runners run for 20 seconds/walk for 40 seconds.
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
Run/walk 30 minutesWalk 30 minutesRun/walk 30 minutesWalk 30 minutesRestRun/walk 2 miles (3.2 km) with Magic Mile*Rest or walk
Week 4On run/walk days, walkers walk only. Runners run for 20 seconds/walk for 40 seconds.
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
Run/walk 30 minutesWalk 30 minutesRun/walk 30 minutesWalk 30 minutesRestRun/walk 4 miles (6.4 km)Rest or walk
Week 5On run/walk days, walkers walk only. Runners run for 25 seconds/walk for 35 seconds.
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
Run/walk 30 minutesWalk 30 minutesRun/walk 30 minutesWalk 30 minutesRestRun/walk 2 miles (3.2 km) with Magic Mile*Rest or walk
Week 6On run/walk days, walkers walk only. Runners run for 25 seconds/walk for 35 seconds.
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
Run/walk 30 minutesWalk 30 minutesRun/walk 30 minutesWalk 30 minutesRestRun/walk 4.5 miles (7.2 km)Rest or walk
Week 7On run/walk days, walkers walk only. Runners run for 30 seconds/walk for 30 seconds.
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
Run/walk 30 minutesWalk 30 minutesRun/walk 30 minutesWalk 30 minutesRest5K race dayRest or walk
Source: Galloway, J. Galloway’s 5K/10K Running. 2nd. ed. Aachen, Germany: Meyer & Meyer Sport; 2008:38. Used with permission.
*The Magic Mile is a training tool designed to help you find a realistic race pace. On the first Magic Mile, warm up as usual and then run or walk one mile (1,600 meters) slightly faster than your normal pace. Time your one-mile run/walk with a stopwatch. Run or walk easily the rest of the distance assigned for the day. On each successive Magic Mile, warm up as usual and then try to beat your previous one-mile run/walk time. Your 5K race pace should be one to two minutes slower than your fastest Magic Mile time