Fitness Diva Blog

Wheelchair As Weapon - Self Defense

2009-11-13T13:42:00.000-05:00

I love this article from The Toronto Star - The Wheelchair As Weapon in part because the concept of self defense when you are in a wheelchair is so empowering, and in part because the folks who put this class together are rehab experts and pilates teachers.

"Any one of us could be a target, right?" [Mimi Emery, 29] asks. "It's like being a bull's eye, almost. I'd rather feel safe than sorry."

This from a different teacher, but the same principles...

Setting Fitness Goals

2009-11-08T13:23:00.000-05:00

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I find that a lot of people do not progress as well in their fitness routines because they are not quite sure of their goals. Goal setting is important, whether your goals are cosmetic (I want to look great in a swimsuit), functional (I would like to pick up my granddaughter without hurting my back), or rehabilitative (I would like my back to stop hurting). I found a great article about this process at Rafi Bar-Lev's Passionate Fitness blog.

There are a few general concepts about fitness that you have to really have a handle on before you can really get into great shape. By getting into great shape, I mean getting strong, fast, lean and muscular. First let me tell you the first steps you have to take in order to start reaching your goals:

1) Believe you can do it. If you don't tell yourself that you WILL accomplish your goals, and you will get into great shape, then you won't. The first obstacle you have to conquer to reach your goals is yourself.

2) Know the steps to reach your goals. When I was a teenager, I used to do pull ups all the time to get a great chest. I could never understand that despite being able to do more and more, nothing was happening. That was until one day someone pointed out that my upper back was much more ripped than the rest of my body. That was my first lesson in learning that where you feel an exercise is also the muscle that's getting worked. This article will essentially elaborate on this concept.

Define Your Goals

One of the problems a lot of people run into when they want to get into shape, is that they don't define what they mean by getting into shape. Some bodybuilders might train 6 hours a day, but runners will tell you that they are in terrible shape, and vice versa. Before you even begin your journey, define exactly what your goals are. For instance:

1) Do you want to put on more muscle?

2) Do you want to lose weight?

3) Do you want to be able to run further?

4) Do you want to lower your cholestrol?

5) Do you want to get healthier overall?

Defining what you want is critical. Marathon running will not help you gain muscle (you might even lose muscle), and becoming a professional bodybuilder most likely won't lower your cholestrol. If you don't know what you're going for, then how could you possibly reach it?

Take an Account of the Tools You Have at Your Disposal

Once you've figured out what you want to accomplish, take an account of what you have at your disposal to accomplish it. That means taking a critical look at what you need and what you can afford. You might want to put on muscle, but can't currently afford to eat 5,000 calories a day and have a long term gym membership. That doesn't mean you can't work around it by finding heavy stuff to lift and buying food in mass, but understand your limitations and make sure your goals are reasonable to start. Success leads to more success, and the last thing you want is to set yourself up for failure.

Know The Steps to Take to Reach Your Goals

How many times have you seen people at the gym walk around aimlessly while tackling various machines, only to complain that they're not seeing results? In order to reach your goals, you have to know the steps to reach them. To gain muscle, you have to eat plenty of protein while lifting heavy weight for less repetitions. To be healthy overall, the most important thing is to eat a balanced, nutritious diet and make sure to do plenty of walking. To lose weight, the most important thing is to count your calories and cut down on them. Physical fitness is a science, and the better you know what needs to be done, the faster you'll reach your goals.

The Most Important Thing - There's No Shortcut

There's no shortcut for getting into great shape. It takes consistency, work, dedication, and a positive attitude. The bad news is that this means you actually need to work out and eat right to get into great shape...the good news is that anything that actually requires effort means it's worthwhile. Things that require effort are usually the only things that are worthwhile in this world.

Besides, I already know that if there's anyone who can make it happen, it's you. The only thing that's left is to find that out for yourself.

Squat Thrust (Burpee) - A Favorite Exercise

2009-11-01T14:13:00.000-05:00

I often have my guests at Parrot Cay doing burpees (also known as squat thrusts) in Cross Training class and Fitness privates. They are a great, intense, no equipment necessary way to build strength and endurance while getting your heart rate up. Enjoy!

Core Training

2009-10-22T17:20:00.000-04:00

Image via Wikipedia

Several guests whom I have worked with over the past year are going to personal trainers at home specifically for what they call "Core Training". While that is good in many ways the disturbing thing is that they all come here with no idea of how to actually engage their core muscles to assist them in every day movements or even in basic exercises.

One guest in particular just left and he is a golfer with very bad pain is his right shoulder blade, at the top. Just looking at him it was clear that he was not using his lower trapezius, serratus anterior, or teres and was overusing his upper traps for every shoulder and arm exercise (including golf!).

After one pilates private, one pilates class, one fitness private, and a couple of good massages he was just fine! And we did upper body work. It was they way he was moving that was the issue. He needed to know how to stay in a neutral pelvis, how to find his shoulder muscles, and how to stabilize his torso using his core musculature.

But it made me wonder what he has been paying a trainer for...

Top Exercise Myth

2009-10-17T16:31:00.000-04:00

I was thinking back today over my years of teaching Pilates and fitness and how many exercise myths I had come across in the last 2 decades. As you may know from seeing my work on line, I am a believer in moderation. Intense exercise, yes, but for short spurts and within a pain free zone.

Even with all the studies showing that moderate strength training (including core) combined with short bouts of intense cardio and some flexibility work does wonders in about 1-2 hours a week total time, almost everyone I see in our guest gym is still doing hours of steady state cardio.

Unless you're a marathon runner this way of training takes lots of time and is just not necessary!

Sent from my BlackBerry® device from Digicel

Book Review: So I Need To Lose 15 Pounds

2009-10-10T08:34:00.003-04:00

Before you buy this book please be forewarned that it is not an expertly written guidebook to safe weight loss. In fact, you could probably find more information on any of the weight loss plans mentioned by checking their websites or reading the book jacket. So I Need to Lose 15 Pounds is a cute Japanese manga cartoon book that will have you laughing hysterically at coffee enemas and hot yoga. Shiho Torii is a Japanese manga illustrator and author who was approached by a publisher to research and keep a running blog for five months on her attempts to lose 15 pounds using as many plans as possible. Her blog ended up being the most widely read blog among young women in Japan, and this book ended up as a very funny look at the universal topic of weight loss.

Month One is devoted to renewal and cleansing, starting with a visit to the gym, the Reset Diet, ginger tea, colon cleansing enemas, and geranium baths. In Month Two she has her first plateau in the midst of the BOOCS diet, DNA diet, shiho-style stress removing diet, and the balance ball. Month Three is natural - macrobiotics, raw foods, hot yoga, and walking. Month Four is full of gadgets - the NASA developmental equipment, spa wraps and treatments, and correction of her pelvic position. Finally in Month Five Torii looks into hot baths, massages, qiqong and taichi.

The good: Torii does in fact lose the weight and discovers a few truths along the way, such as the fact that enemas do not act the same way on every body and the joys of the stability balance ball for exercising. She pokes holes in the weight loss by sweating rituals (body wraps, saunas, etc.) as you only lose water, she shows the folly of home enemas and other cleansing programs, and at the end of the five months does the best with anything that focuses on portion control, eating healthy, and exercising. She also survives her plateaus and makes you feel like you could too.

The bad: Some of the programs are downright dangerous and really should not be undertaken without medical supervision. And some of her information, such as the fact that sitting in a hot bath burns more calories than sitting on the couch, is just plain wrong! But my biggest complaint is length; the book is simply too short to really offer much useful information. Just a few more pages (or a few less diets) would have allowed Torii to cover the ones she chose in greater depth.

So I Need to Lose 15 Pounds is cute, hysterically funny in places, and the manga is well drawn. I would have liked to see a bit more information and fact checking before the book went to print, especially since manga appeals to a younger audience and it is important to give young women correct information about weight loss and health. But all in all this book manages to bridge any cultural divides and shows the commonality of weight loss experiences and body image issues among women around the world.

Moving Like an Animal

2009-10-04T13:11:00.001-04:00

Joseph Pilates used to say that people should take their movement education from watching animals. They stretch before moving, run, walk, play, chase, rest....

Animals naturally stretch and they naturally exercise. Obesity in pets is an issue because we now keep them inside, often feed them too much, and don't let them run around enough.

For this holiday in NYC I am doing very little official exercise. I am walking everywhere, stretching, playing, carrying bags, and teaching Pilates & Reiki. I feel great and am looking forward to resuming my more intense training when I return to Parrot Cay in 2 weeks.
Sent from my BlackBerry® device from Digicel

Fitness Opportunities in NYC

2009-09-30T07:25:00.001-04:00

Something I have been noticing a lot in NYC are the daily opportunities for extra fitness that are free or inexpensive and easily available.

First is taking at least some of the stairs in your apartment or office building, followed by taking the stairs in the subway (not the elevator or escalator). Then there is simply walking - get off the subway or bus a stop or two early and walk a few blocks!

Sent from my BlackBerry® device from Digicel

Walking Everywhere

2009-09-13T14:13:00.000-04:00

I had forgotten how much walking we do when we are in NYC. We are renting a studio in Greenwich Village and can walk everywhere - Union Square, Astor Place, East Village...

Yesterday we started on the Upper East side in the 70s and walked to 84th and Broadway. Of course, the bagels from H & H and the smoked salmon from Zabar's didn't hurt - it's a good reward system.

Learn Reiki in NYC with Lynda Lippin

2009-09-03T09:42:00.000-04:00

Learn Reiki with Reiki Master & Pilates Teacher Lynda Lippin
as featured in Pilates Style Magazine

What?
Training & attunement in tradional Usui Shiki Ryoho Reiki for self healing and to heal others. Reiki is a gentle, non-invasive, highly effective method of healing & relaxation that works with all other medical & healing treatments for the greater good of all. Reiki is easy to learn, easy to practice, and most importantly, Reiki Works!

Where?
ZenGirl Fitness & Grasshopper Pilates, 515 Broadway #2AR (Soho), 212-413-5225
Pilates on Fifth, 501 5th Avenue #2200 (Bryant Park), 212-687-8885

When?
Soho:
Reiki Level I Wed. Sept. 23 5:30-8:30pm $150 (no prerequisite)
Reiki Level II Wed. Oct. 7 5:30-8:30pm $150 (must have Reiki I)

Bryant Park:
Reiki Level I Thurs. Oct. 1 5:30-8:30pm $150 (no prerequisite)
Reiki Level II Thurs. Oct 15 5:30-8:30pm $150 (must have Reiki I)

How?
* Tuition includes manual, training, attunement, practice, certificate, & unlimited email support from Lynda
* Contact the studios directly to register.
* Class size is limited to 8 people.

Websites for $350 Today Only!

2009-08-29T14:21:00.003-04:00

If anyone is interested, my friend and fabulous web designer Dawud Miracle is launching a new site and for today only is offering beautifully designed, customized, easy to use websites for only $350 (a savings of over $800).

His work is awesome and this is a great deal! If you have been considering launching a website for your fitness business I would jump on this offer.

The sale ends tonight! Go to: Website Habitat

Seriously, this is a great deal as he will be charging $1200 for these starting tomorrow.

My Pilates Audio for Golfers

2009-08-23T16:14:00.000-04:00

My fabulous Twitter pal @golferpaul, aka Class A PGA Golf Professional Paul Hobart, recently won my Pilates for Neck & Shoulder Pain audio and Ebook in a Twitter contest. Here is his feedback, which I just love!

I recently had the opportunity to try Lynda's Pilates program for neck and shoulders, and I was little skeptical. As a PGA Golf Professional, instructor, and competitive player, I figured that my quick pre-round stretches and practice swings were getting me ready to play. I wasn't real sure what "Pilates" was, and what it had to do with my golf game.

2 minutes into the program, I knew that I had found something great. As I listened to Lynda's simple instructions, I worked my way through the movements. I found a few sore spots, and a couple tight areas, but they quickly melted away as I combined the movements, relaxation, and breathing. My entire upper body had a feeling of being released and relaxed into a light and energized state.

After the program ended, (which seemed really fast!) I grabbed a club and began making some swings. I felt an unusual amount of freedom in my swing, and it felt as though the club was actually swinging faster without much effort. Some of the restrictions I have typically felt in my swing had disappeared.

Can't wait to share this with my golf students...

Paul Hobart

Check it out!

Diamond Earrings - Nice!

2009-08-16T13:31:00.002-04:00

As I type this I am thinking about the earrings I have on right now, which are (for work) small ear hugging white gold hoops with diamonds in the front. Small, simple, but just elegant enough with the diamonds that I don't feel like I am wearing just my plain old work appropriate earrings.

Diamond earrings can make a woman feel special and a little dressed up no matter how plainly she may be dresses. Lots of jewelry looks alike, so if you are buying for someone else make sure to really look for unique diamond earrings so your friend will not see the same pair on somebody else.

As with all diamond jewelry bigger is not necessarily better, so be careful when you shop and really consider the woman's style, size, and what you have seen her wearing. If you are shopping for yourself just have fun!

Pilates & Fitness in Your 50s

2009-08-12T12:29:00.002-04:00

Image via Wikipedia

I received an interesting question this morning that I thought I would share with you.

Hi Lynda

I am a 50 year old guy. In spite of lifting weights and running, I am starting to sag. Is this genetic? I see guys older than me in the locker room that look pretty young (from the neck down!)

Is Pilates the way to go?

I am kind of old school macho so I cant see myself in a class full of gals. Any videos you would recommend?

Also, I am thinking about playing recreational sports this winter, maybe indoor soccer or ice hockey.

Would Pilates benefit this or should I do something else. I know from having played as a younger guy that after having good 'wind', flexibilty and agility is important.

Thanks!

Dear Van,

It sounds like your main concern is "sagging". You say that you are lifting weights and running but I wonder at what intensity and how your form and program are. Are you doing any agility training? Core work? Flexibility training?

While there can be a genetic predisposition to some sag, good diet and exercise can usually counter that. How is your diet?

Pilates is great and will definitely help your flexibility and core strength, but I recommend a class or private instead of a video to make sure you are doing the exercises correctly. Look, there are lots of men taking Pilates now and many studios/gyms are even offering pilates classes for men. This is something to get over and just try!

That said, let me know what your current routine is and I can help tweak it for you.

Best,

Lynda

When Exercise Just Hurts

2009-08-08T16:08:00.003-04:00

I recently received a very interesting question from a 32 year old woman who wants to get in shape but has injured herself stretching and doing Pilates.

Hi Lynda,

I'm a 32 y.o. female that wants to get in shape badly. I weigh 125 and am 5'1' tall. I don't know what's wrong but even simple stretching will leave me injured. Last time stretched I got a sprained neck, but my collarbone and shoulder blade was in a lot of pain too.

When I do pilates 100, I get horrible cramping on the upper right side that takes my breath away.

I'm so frustrated. Anything I do to try to get in shape either injures me or causes me a lot of pain. I feel much older than my age. I am not fat but really out of shape and my belly is big and flabby. I don't know what to do.

My answer may surprise you...

OK, I think you are making fitness out to be more complicated than it needs to be, and even though I am a Pilates teacher I am also a fitness trainer, so will give you some recommendations.

First, if you can afford to see a personal trainer for even 1 session it will help you immensely to find better form and avoid injury. If you are willing to let me know where you live I can make a recommendation.

Second, I would begin with basics. Start by walking in good sneakers at the fastest pace you can sustain for 20 minutes every day. Do this for 1 week.

Then add the following every other day after your walk:

1. Shoulder Bridge Prep (hold for 5-10 seconds & repeat 2-4 times)

2. Opposite arm and leg Lift (hold for 5-10 seconds & repeat 2-4 times each side)

3. Plank (hold for 5-10 seconds & repeat 2-4 times)

This should take all of 3 minutes total

Keep your abs pulled in, your shoulders away from your ears, and your butt muscles squeezing for each of these. Don't forget to breathe!

Do this routine for 2 weeks.

DO NOT STRETCH! DO NOT DO CRUNCHES or 100s!

In 3 weeks when you have finished this basic routine write me back and tell me how you feel. My bet is you will feel stronger.

Hope this helps.

What Is Fitness?

2009-07-31T14:03:00.000-04:00

Image via Wikipedia

Joseph Pilates defined fitness as "the attainment and maintenance of a uniformly developed body with a sound mind fully capable of naturally, easily and satisfactorily performing our many and varied daily tasks with spontaneous zest and pleasure." Basically, what we would call today "functional fitness".

Whether your many and varied daily tasks consist of shopping, cooking, and cleaning; of working in an office during the week with tennis on the weekends; of working in a home office; of writing and reading; of driving around; or of physical labor... can you do everything without concern about energy or injury?

If you stop yourself from doing things because of neck pain, back pain, lack of stamina, or tiredness, then you are not fit. If you can do an hour on the treadmill and 500 crunches but you through your back out picking up the trash, you are not fit. If you lift heavy weights every other day but hurt your shoulder opening your windows in the spring, you are not fit.

Fitness is about strength, flexibility, and stamina. It is about working, playing, and living without worry about injury and pain. And that's what your exercise should be preparing you for!

Her Abs Saved Her Life

2009-07-25T15:04:00.003-04:00

Image via Wikipedia

OK, you hear Pilates teachers and personal trainers discussing the abdominal muscles as a true internal "girdle of strength" that can support your back and torso, but do you really believe that? I do, and recently came a cross a news story that confirmed this concept.

Peggy Williams almost died in a freak paragliding accident, and was told by recuers and physicians that it was her strong abs that saved her life.

Thrown about like a rag doll, she plunged 5m and was dragged across a rocky outcrop on her stomach.

Ms Williams suffered a torn liver and almost severed her pancreas but was ultimately saved by her stomach muscles which acted as a “girdle” to protect her other vital organs.

So what did she do, hours at the gym? Thousands of crunches? Nope, actually, she does about 1 minute of ab exercises a day!

Ms Williams, who has no children, said she kept to a simple exercise regime to keep fit.

“I do 15 sit-ups and 30 bicycle sit-ups, or lateral crunches, every day — it’s

just a one-minute regime,” she said.

“I also run two or three times a week, and together that keeps me fit.

“More than one doctor has said that being so fit is what saved my life.”

More About Sprinting-the Quick Way to Fitness

2009-07-19T14:40:00.000-04:00

Image via Wikipedia

I have written before about the joys of sprinting - basically breaking up a short cardiovascular workout into short extremely intense all out sprints with short breaks in between. For example, we have a big hill at Parrot Cay between the hotel road near the gym and beach and the spa road. It's maybe 1500 feet and all uphill. So for my cardio when it's not sauna hot outside I run up the hill as fast as I can and jog down, repeating until I simply can't do any more (maybe 2-4 times depending on my energy that day). I also do this on the bike, and even on the treadmill with the incline at 15.

So when I saw the NY Times article Can You Get Fit In Six Minutes a Week? I knew the answer was Yes.

A few years ago, researchers at the National Institute of Health and Nutrition in Japan put rats through a series of swim tests with surprising results. They had one group of rodents paddle in a small pool for six hours, this long workout broken into two sessions of three hours each. A second group of rats were made to stroke furiously through short, intense bouts of swimming, while carrying ballast to increase their workload. After 20 seconds, the weighted rats were scooped out of the water and allowed to rest for 10 seconds, before being placed back in the pool for another 20 seconds of exertion. The scientists had the rats repeat these brief, strenuous swims 14 times, for a total of about four-and-a-half minutes of swimming. Afterward, the researchers tested each rat’s muscle fibers and found that, as expected, the rats that had gone for the six-hour swim showed preliminary molecular changes that would increase endurance. But the second rodent group, which exercised for less than five minutes also showed the same molecular changes.

The question then became whether this also held true for humans based on new research from Martin Gibala, PhD, chairman of the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada.

In one of the group’s recent studies, Gibala and his colleagues had a group of college students, who were healthy but not athletes, ride a stationary bike at a sustainable pace for between 90 and 120 minutes. Another set of students grunted through a series of short, strenuous intervals: 20 to 30 seconds of cycling at the highest intensity the riders could stand. After resting for four minutes, the students pedaled hard again for another 20 to 30 seconds, repeating the cycle four to six times (depending on how much each person could stand), “for a total of two to three minutes of very intense exercise per training session,” Gibala says.

Each of the two groups exercised three times a week. After two weeks, both groups showed almost identical increases in their endurance (as measured in a stationary bicycle time trial), even though the one group had exercised for six to nine minutes per week, and the other about five hours. Additionally, molecular changes that signal increased fitness were evident equally in both groups.

So if you avoid exercise because you don't have the time or because the thought of spending half an hour on the bike or treadmill bores you to tears, this means you have no more excuses! Surely you can do a few minutes a week ;-).

No Equipment Necessary

2009-07-14T15:48:00.003-04:00

Many of our guests at Parrot Cay are surprised when they sign up for personal training or attend my Cross Training class to discover that I do not use any of the gym equipment. Maybe a dumbbell every once in a while for a Turkish Get Up or a squat, but generally I find that body weight is plenty.

We stretch, we skip, we lunge, we squat, we bridge, we plank, we side plank, we do push ups, we do agility drills, we do burpees (squat thrusts), we sprint up the hill from the gym to the spa road a couple of times. We do exercises that you can do anywhere at almost anytime that will keep you strong, flexible, and "functionally fit".

It works!

Define Exercise Science

2009-07-09T15:35:00.000-04:00

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Here is an interesting question and answer session I had recently...

Hello Ms Lynda!

Mr X is a professor in exercise science at University in California.

--- I have to translate the phrase "exercise science" into my 1st language and I'm not sure what it means. Is it possible that "exercise science" means either "scientific bases of exercises/exercising" or a "movement recreation"?

So maybe Mr X was a professor of scientific bases of exercises or of a movement recreation?

What do you think?

Thanks

Luke

Hi Luke

Exercise science is the study of the anatomy, biomechanics, and chemical changes in the body as it is affected by exercise. It is basically the study of human movement.

Here is a good Exercise Science definition page.

If you have any more questions or need more explanation just let me know!

Best,

Lynda

Hi

Thanks for the reply.

So, neither of my definitions is correct, i.e.,"scientific bases of exercises" or "a movement recreation"? Can't I translate it this way?

Thanks a lot!

Hi Luke

If your definition is wrong than no, you cannot translate it that way. Think more about the scientific exploration or study of human movement.

Best,

Lynda

Turkish Get Ups

2009-07-02T09:36:00.002-04:00

Cover via Amazon

These are one of my favorite exercises to do and teach. Guests who work with me in Standing Pilates and Cross Training Fitness at Parrot Cay know this exercise well. You can start with no weight and then progress from there. Great full body strength and coordination!

TRX Suspension Training

2009-06-26T15:08:00.003-04:00

In a recent post on one of my other blogs I wrote about an ActivCore Red Cord functional training session I took with the fabulous Katherine Corp of NYC's Pilates on Fifth. I found this suspension system body weight workout to be extremely effective and difficult (in a good way!).

A lot of my Fitness & Pilates loving guests at Parrot Cay have told me that they do TRX suspension training, which is a portable inexpensive way to do suspension training on your own. In a recent article about TRX training, clients have wonderful things to say.

"You're exercising every part of your body, and I love that," Goality client Barb Masciola of Bloomingdale said. "It's addicting."

The variety also appeals to TRX users like Debbie Cryer of Hoffman Estates.

"It's always varied," she said. "Eric mixes it up so you don't get bored. I've lost quite a few pounds and inches using it. I've tried all kinds of things - walking two miles a day, aerobics - and never got results like this."

And the simple system has a Hollywood and military pedigree, as well as great press.

The TRX helped sculpt J-Lo's butt, and helped San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson set a record for touchdowns. The U.S. military, Chicago Cubs, White Sox and Blackhawks train on it.

Men's Health gave it an award for best total body tool, Outside Magazine called it "about the most effective portable gym," and publications from Golf magazine to TapOut, for ultimate fighters, have praised it.

Like most really effective functional exercise systems, TRX is deceptively simple, literally consisting of two straps with handles dangling from the ceiling (or the top of your closet door frame at home). But by playing with balance, leverage, and relationship to gravity you can do many exercises.

If you have never experienced this kind of work I encourage you to check it out.

Short Intense Cardio Sprints

2009-06-21T14:53:00.003-04:00

Image via Wikipedia

I have a confession. I have always hated to do cardiovascular exercise and especially the cardio machines. If something is so boring and monotonous that reading and watching TV while doing it are seen as necessary, what's the point? The thought of staying in one place on one of those treadmills for 60 minutes just sickens me!

But I do know and often expound on the benefits of cardio exercise - the boost to your metabolism, the heart strengthening, the increase in oxygen levels, the lower cholesterol and blood sugar.

What is a girl like me to do?

Sprint! Yes, sprint. As in run or bike or row as fast and hard as you can for 20 seconds and then rest for a minute or two, repeating until you simply can't do anymore. Really fit people can do about 4 or 5 of these. I get to 3 or 4. And even 1 or 2 will help you fitness levels. This is also known as interval training.

Even Dr. Mehmet Oz finds this interesting.

"In one study, men who worked out really hard on a stationary bike for just a few minutes each week (30-second intervals four to six times a day, every other day) saw the same gains in muscle fitness as guys who cycled at a moderate pace for 90 to 120 minutes daily.

Another study revealed that four to six of those 30-second sprints also improved the guys' glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. In other words, it took down their likelihood of having off-kilter blood sugar and, eventually, diabetes.

The caveats (you knew there were some!): Intense exercise is not for the faint of heart — or body — so check with your doctor before you do it. And if you're counting on exercise to burn calories, well, you can't bank on this: The total calorie torch is about 250 a week. That's less than what's in a half-cup of Cherry Garcia (and we think we saw you eat more than a half-cup last night)."

Pilates for Tri-Athletes

2009-06-17T12:16:00.002-04:00

Image by woowoowoo via Flickr

A great article from Boulder CO's Nobo Pilates

Triathletes are notorious for searching for ways to improve their race splits. They buy the most aerodynamic bikes, run in the lightest shoes and swim in the fastest wetsuits. Yet there is always the lingering question, whether #1 world ranked Emma Snowsill or a weekend warrior on a Sunday group ride – “How can I get faster?”

If indulging in the latest technology, nutritional plans or spending more time swimming, biking or running is not improving your race, you can probably find that elusive competitive edge from a slightly less conventional source, Pilates. Many coaches and athletes are drawn to the Pilates system as it trains the body to operate at peak performance. Pilates is not the latest exercise fad used by Hollywood celebrities. It is used by elite athletes of all sports to help them enhance athletic performance, improve technique and prevent injuries.

As a triathlete, you may have heard of Pilates, but you are not quite sure what it is or why it is so important. Pilates is a mind/body exercise method that is designed to give you strong and flexible muscles without adding bulk. It focuses on strengthening the core stabilizing muscles of the body, including the pelvic floor, deep abdominals, buttock muscles and the muscles that support the shoulder girdle and rotator cuff. At the same time, it works on increasing the flexibility of the larger, tighter, major muscle groups, which are in most instances overused, to create a more balanced body.

The philosophy of Pilates is to retrain the body to use muscles more efficiently and save energy. Triathletes train many hours a week in the three disciplines. If they are not using the right muscles, an earlier onset of fatigue will cause their stroke or stride to suffer. Wes Hobson, a well-known former professional triathlete and now coach, says a number of pros use Pilates because of its core strengthening benefits. “To many triathletes, improving distance training and racing is all about core stabilization,” he says. Adding, “I always try and incorporate Pilates into my training plans. I do private sessions twice a week and I see enormous benefits to this type of training.” Other Pilates fans on the pro circuit include top athletes Emma Snowsill, Matt Reed, Chris Legh, Craig Alexander and Amanda Lovato, who all credit Pilates for helping them return to a more flexible state. Craig Alexander points out the enormous postural benefits of Pilates. “If you look at the top guys winning the race, they are the ones whose posture isn’t suffering by the end of the race. They have enough strength in their core to support their bodies even in a complete state of fatigue.” Amanda Lovato recognizes how inflexible she is from the countless hours of training and how elongated she feels after a session. You don’t have to be a world ranked triathlete to incorporate Pilates into your training week. Whatever your pace per mile or per hundred in the pool, the benefits of Pilates remain unfailing:

More power through core strength.

One of the most forgotten areas to strengthen for triathletes is their core. There are several layers of abdominal muscles, all of which are targeted by Pilates exercises. The superficial abdominal muscles are your rectus abdominus, your “six pack” muscles. Their primary role is to flex the spine rather than to stabilize it. The next layer are your obliques, which help you rotate the spine and play more of a role in spinal stabilization. The most important layer is the deepest layer, the transverses abdominus, which attach to the spine and the pelvis. They wrap around your torso like a corset and work in conjunction with your pelvic floor muscles to provide stability to the pelvis and the spine. Pilates exercises focus on strengthening all of these layers together in order to give a more global strength through your core. Pro triathlete, Kelly Reed, recognized how out of touch she was with these muscles during her first pregnancy, and looked forward to continuing Pilates to strengthen them again after she gave birth.

The buttock muscles are also very important in stabilizing the pelvis, particularly for running and cycling activities. There are also several different buttock muscles, which have different roles. The biggest buttock muscles are the gluteus maximus, which are the large powerful muscles that provide propulsion in running and cycling. The gluteus medius muscles work to stabilize the pelvis and the legs while running and cycling.

Using your body’s entire core generates the real power in your push off, pedal stroke or pull through the water. Much of your energy comes from this area. By transferring that core energy to your extremities, you’ll get more power out of your stroke or stride. Triathletes are generally strong through their larger muscle groups and quite weak through the smaller stabilizing muscles. Just doing sit-ups and squats won’t strengthen these muscles. The larger muscles will continue to take over and get stronger and the smaller muscles will continue to get weaker. Wes Hobson and Matt Reed were surprised at their inability to fire muscles they thought were much stronger. They realized what an imbalance had been created in their bodies and what the potential was for inefficiency and injury.

Some of the common triathlon technique problems that can be improved through more uniformly developing the body through Pilates are:

Cycling:

* Movement /rocking of pelvis on seat
* Knees rolling inwards/outwards
* Increased movement through the upper body
* Incorrect neck posture

Running

* Feet/knees rolling in
* Hips dropping or twisting
* Increased movement in the lower back
* Shortened stride length

Swimming

* Legs sinking
* Sagging in the low back
* Wiggling through hips and torso
* Shortened arm stroke

Increased flexibility, range of motion and injury prevention.

Flexibility training should be an integral part of every athlete’s training program. Enhanced flexibility will reduce injuries and improve performance and technique. Most triathletes are guilty of not stretching. They will spend numerous hours training every week but somehow are not able to find a few minutes before or after a workout to stretch.

Tight muscles can have a huge detriment to your technique in all three disciplines. They are also a major cause of low back pain and injury in the joints. For example, tight quadriceps will:

* Decrease your distance per stride in running and decrease the extension at the hip
* Limit your range of motion in your freestyle kick making kicking difficult
* Increase the arch in your lower back that can lead to low back pain
* Increase the risk of knee pain with running and cycling

Tight hamstrings will:

* Cause your lower back to be more rounded on the thus increasing the risk of injury and decreasing power on the bike
* Decrease stride length in running
* Cause a higher chance of hamstring tears

Tight shoulders and chest muscles will:

* Cause rounded shoulders and poor posture
* Increase the risk of shoulder and neck pain
* Shorten your reach or stroke length

Tight calves can cause:

* Calf strains and Achilles tendon problems
* Shin splints and ankle sprains
* Eversion of the foot upon landing and poor push off

A consistent Pilates routine will ensure that proper stretching becomes an integral part of your training program. Pilates is the strengthening of your muscles in your end range of motion. A range we don’t normally take ourselves. The core muscle groups begin to work synergistically together to make the spine suppler. Tight muscles will lengthen and promote healthy blood circulation and lubrication to your joints. This will not only improve range of motion, but will also better prepare your joints to manage the repetitive stresses your joints must handle during the countless hours of training.

Mr. Pilates’ ideal vision of “Contrology,” which is what he originally named his exercise routine, was to uniformly develop the body and to make the spine more pliable so individuals could breathe better and so that the body would be able to cleanse itself. He believed that every person is an athlete and we all have a right to be strong and healthy.

Making the Case for Pilates

2009-06-10T12:01:00.003-04:00

Cover via Amazon

Brooke Siler of NYC's Re:AB Pilates and the author of The Pilates Body, wrote a wonderful article for Huffington Post recently entitled "Recession or Deprivation? What Happens When You Give Up The Very Things That May Help You Thrive?".

Siler makes the case that expenses such as fitness and Pilates classes are in fact necessary to one's continued health and well being during stressful financial times. So let me, without further ado, share Brooke Siler's top 5 reasons for continuing Pilates no matter what:

So here are my Top 5 reasons why Pilates should make the short list of "luxuries to keep" in a recession:

5. Pilates elicits gravity defying results -- knocking out the cost of cosmetic surgery from your budget altogether.

4. Pilates keeps Crackberry junkies aware of meaningful inter-personal relationships with actual human beings.

3. Pilates creates flexibility where you are stiff and toxin-ridden and strength where you are weak and wobbly.

2. Pilates reminds you to stand up straight which fixes a wealth of stress-induced problems and just looks better across a dinner table.

And my number 1 reason to keep up with Pilates even in a recession is:

1. No one cares more about making you feel great than a Pilates teacher on the day of your session. (Not even your therapist).

The moral -- any stress caused by worrying about losing money on a "luxury" like Pilates is clearly overridden by its myriad benefits -- and for all you know taking an hour out for Pilates may be just the thing that hones you at the helm when you return to work with a clearer mind and sharper reflexes.