If people thought the Ultimate Grind would take a long weekend for Memorial Day, they were wrong!
The Ultimate Grind shows it's respcet to our fallen heros by continuing to workout on Cambridge Common....20 feet away from the site where George Washington first rallied his troops!
Monday, May 31, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Exercise Form Over Exercise Glory
Every day I see people risk injury, throwing their form out the window in order to do a more impressive exercise or lift more weight. If you’re reading this article, I urge you…”Don’t try to be a hero! Treat your body right!”
Exercise form is always more important than exercise glory. I respect your competitive drive that inspires you to do that difficult exercise with too much weight. I just think you should use that competitive drive to dedicate yourself to using perfect form on all of your exercises.
So what do I mean by “perfect form?” The word “form” is thrown around the gym all the time, but most people don’t even know what it means. In my opinion form means that 2 things are going one, no matter what exercise you are doing. Number one, you have perfect posture. And number two; you are activating the right muscle groups.
Perfect posture means that your body is lined up the way it should be. You’re not bending your back and you’re not rounding your shoulders. If you want to do a quick “posture check” ask yourself if your head, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles are all in line. Obviously, if you’re doing an exercise that requires you to bend your knees you won’t have your ankles lined up, but in most cases the other four “kinetic chain checkpoints” should be.
Muscle activation is the element of perfect form that most people don’t know about….because you often can’t see it! With every exercise you need to train your body to activate the muscle groups that will allow you to do the exercise most effectively. I’ll use the squat as an example. If you’re performing a squat, your glutes should be “activated.” In other words, your glutes should be doing more work than any other muscle group. If your glutes are “underactive” you will likely be putting a lot of stress on your knees or lower back and your chances of getting injured will go through the roof!
If you’re doing an exercise and you’re not sure what the “perfect form” is, ask a trainer. That’s what they’re there for!
Exercise form is always more important than exercise glory. I respect your competitive drive that inspires you to do that difficult exercise with too much weight. I just think you should use that competitive drive to dedicate yourself to using perfect form on all of your exercises.
So what do I mean by “perfect form?” The word “form” is thrown around the gym all the time, but most people don’t even know what it means. In my opinion form means that 2 things are going one, no matter what exercise you are doing. Number one, you have perfect posture. And number two; you are activating the right muscle groups.
Perfect posture means that your body is lined up the way it should be. You’re not bending your back and you’re not rounding your shoulders. If you want to do a quick “posture check” ask yourself if your head, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles are all in line. Obviously, if you’re doing an exercise that requires you to bend your knees you won’t have your ankles lined up, but in most cases the other four “kinetic chain checkpoints” should be.
Muscle activation is the element of perfect form that most people don’t know about….because you often can’t see it! With every exercise you need to train your body to activate the muscle groups that will allow you to do the exercise most effectively. I’ll use the squat as an example. If you’re performing a squat, your glutes should be “activated.” In other words, your glutes should be doing more work than any other muscle group. If your glutes are “underactive” you will likely be putting a lot of stress on your knees or lower back and your chances of getting injured will go through the roof!
If you’re doing an exercise and you’re not sure what the “perfect form” is, ask a trainer. That’s what they’re there for!
Monday, May 24, 2010
New Season...Familiar Faces
It might be a new season of the Ultimate Grind, but there are some familiar faces in the line-up!
The first couple of weeks will focus on stabilization exercises, but as many of you know from experience...with a few modifications...stabilization exercises can be as tough as any exercise out there!
The first couple of weeks will focus on stabilization exercises, but as many of you know from experience...with a few modifications...stabilization exercises can be as tough as any exercise out there!
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Customized Group Fitness
You’re probably thinking, “How can group fitness be customized?”
You’ve come to know group fitness as “one-size-fits all” exercise classes where you either “sink or swim.”
When discussing group fitness classes people say things like, “That was a good workout, I was really sore the next day!”
In my opinion, there is more to an effective group fitness class than making sure everybody leaves the room tired….not only that, I believe that it is possible to customize group fitness programs to every participant in the group….assuming they are all healthy enough to be exercising in the first place. In fact, I do this with every one of my own group fitness classes. I do this by implementing an effective assessments, modifications, and progressions.
Assessment
Everyone’s body is different, and almost everybody has muscle imbalances. This goes for couch potatoes, and it goes for competitive athletes. If you begin a rigorous exercise program without correcting these imbalances, you will only make them worse. That’s why I always begin a session with a “corrective exercise movement assessment.” My favorite is the overhead squat test. By having each participant do a few squats with their arms over their heads, I can see which muscles are “overactive” and need to be stretched as well as which muscles are “underactive” and need to be strengthened. I believe that the 5 minutes we spend doing this assessment is the most important 5 minutes of my entire program! That way, each participant gets their own-personalized warm-up routine specifically designed for their unique body.
Modifications
My classes consist of participants who haven’t exercised in years, and participants who have been in my class for the past 3 seasons. Yet they all get workouts that are perfectly suited for their ability levels. This is because every exercise we do has modifications. Take the classic pushup for example. It’s still one of the best exercises for arm, chest, and core strength and stabilization. Some people in my classes cannot do a full pushup while others can do over a hundred. That’s OK. If you can’t do a pushup, you can do modified pushups, on your knees or using the wall. On the other hand, if pushups are easy for you, try one of my “off center pushups.” They will have your arms and chest burning in 30 seconds flat…guaranteed!
Progressive Program
It is important that a group exercise program builds on itself. For example, I like to do full-body, explosive exercises. They get your heart pounding , build muscle, burn a ton of calories, and make you look like a swimsuit model (whether your male or female). That being said, I would never encourage a new participant to do one of these exercises. It would not only be discouraging, but dangerous! It is important to first build a strong foundation, by developing balance, posture, core strength, and training your body to activate the correct muscle groups.
So there you have it…the secrets to customized group exercise. It’s not all about getting the hardest workout; it’s about getting the best workout….for your particular body!
You’ve come to know group fitness as “one-size-fits all” exercise classes where you either “sink or swim.”
When discussing group fitness classes people say things like, “That was a good workout, I was really sore the next day!”
In my opinion, there is more to an effective group fitness class than making sure everybody leaves the room tired….not only that, I believe that it is possible to customize group fitness programs to every participant in the group….assuming they are all healthy enough to be exercising in the first place. In fact, I do this with every one of my own group fitness classes. I do this by implementing an effective assessments, modifications, and progressions.
Assessment
Everyone’s body is different, and almost everybody has muscle imbalances. This goes for couch potatoes, and it goes for competitive athletes. If you begin a rigorous exercise program without correcting these imbalances, you will only make them worse. That’s why I always begin a session with a “corrective exercise movement assessment.” My favorite is the overhead squat test. By having each participant do a few squats with their arms over their heads, I can see which muscles are “overactive” and need to be stretched as well as which muscles are “underactive” and need to be strengthened. I believe that the 5 minutes we spend doing this assessment is the most important 5 minutes of my entire program! That way, each participant gets their own-personalized warm-up routine specifically designed for their unique body.
Modifications
My classes consist of participants who haven’t exercised in years, and participants who have been in my class for the past 3 seasons. Yet they all get workouts that are perfectly suited for their ability levels. This is because every exercise we do has modifications. Take the classic pushup for example. It’s still one of the best exercises for arm, chest, and core strength and stabilization. Some people in my classes cannot do a full pushup while others can do over a hundred. That’s OK. If you can’t do a pushup, you can do modified pushups, on your knees or using the wall. On the other hand, if pushups are easy for you, try one of my “off center pushups.” They will have your arms and chest burning in 30 seconds flat…guaranteed!
Progressive Program
It is important that a group exercise program builds on itself. For example, I like to do full-body, explosive exercises. They get your heart pounding , build muscle, burn a ton of calories, and make you look like a swimsuit model (whether your male or female). That being said, I would never encourage a new participant to do one of these exercises. It would not only be discouraging, but dangerous! It is important to first build a strong foundation, by developing balance, posture, core strength, and training your body to activate the correct muscle groups.
So there you have it…the secrets to customized group exercise. It’s not all about getting the hardest workout; it’s about getting the best workout….for your particular body!
Monday, May 17, 2010
Ultimate Grind Championships 3 Days Away!
That's right, for Ultimate Grinders that have been training hard for the past 6 weeks, it's payday! For those that haven't...it might not be!
Whether your team scores the most points or not...if you do better on the push-up test, curl-up test, or the cardio test, consider yourself a champion!
Whether your team scores the most points or not...if you do better on the push-up test, curl-up test, or the cardio test, consider yourself a champion!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Reverse Chops have nothing to do with your arms!
After today's workout you might be thinking, "Why the heck would we do reverse chops right after we did supersets with our arms and shoulders?"
It's because reverse chops have almost nothing to do with your arms if you're using proper technique. It's true....the best way to get your arms straight up over your head is to use the explosive power of your glutes...just like when you're doing a squat.
People who try to extend their arms over their heads using all arms, get buried in the Ultimate Grind. I've seen it happen time and time again...don't let it happen to you!
It's because reverse chops have almost nothing to do with your arms if you're using proper technique. It's true....the best way to get your arms straight up over your head is to use the explosive power of your glutes...just like when you're doing a squat.
People who try to extend their arms over their heads using all arms, get buried in the Ultimate Grind. I've seen it happen time and time again...don't let it happen to you!
Monday, May 10, 2010
The Best Way to Train for the Ultimate Grind Championships
I may know everything there is to know about the Ultimate Grind, but I know nothing about winning Ultimate Grind Championships! When I want to know about winning UG Championships, I ask 2-time champion Molly D!
Molly D swears by the "Muscle Marathon" workout! The Muscle Marathon involves a series of 2 minute "breakdown sets" specifically designed to train the same muscles that you'll be using in the championships.
A "breakdown set" involves doing an exercise that would be extremely difficult to sustain for a full 2-minutes. When you can no longer continue the exercise with perfect form, you begin doing a modified version of that exercise(like a knee pushup)...when that modified version gets tough, you can do a further modified exercise (like a wall-pushup).
No matter what your fitness level is, you can get a heck of a workout doing "breakdown sets." If a "Muscle Marathon" sounds like something you want to do, click the Muscle Marathon youtube link on the side of the page!
Molly D swears by the "Muscle Marathon" workout! The Muscle Marathon involves a series of 2 minute "breakdown sets" specifically designed to train the same muscles that you'll be using in the championships.
A "breakdown set" involves doing an exercise that would be extremely difficult to sustain for a full 2-minutes. When you can no longer continue the exercise with perfect form, you begin doing a modified version of that exercise(like a knee pushup)...when that modified version gets tough, you can do a further modified exercise (like a wall-pushup).
No matter what your fitness level is, you can get a heck of a workout doing "breakdown sets." If a "Muscle Marathon" sounds like something you want to do, click the Muscle Marathon youtube link on the side of the page!
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Calorie Wars
Many experts say “a calorie is a calorie.” In other words as long as you burn more calories than you eat, you’ll lose weight. Likewise, if you eat more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. Although this may be true technically, I think this way of thinking is foolish. That’s right….I said it!...Not all calories are created equal!
Juice vs. Fruit
Apple juice is a classic juice you will find in just about any grocery store. It taste pretty good and people think of it as a healthy alternative to soda. After all, it’s real juice….not just some “juice drink” loaded up with sugar. That being said, a 16 ounce glass contains 234 calories and 224 of those calories come directly from sugar.
Let’s compare that large glass of apple juice to eating apples and drinking a large glass of water. If you were to eat 3 medium sized apples you would consume 216 calories, and those calories would be loaded with nutrients, including over 10 grams of healthy, dietary fiber! So what do you think will fill you up for longer? That glass of apple juice, or those 3 apples?
Winner…..Apples!
French Fries vs. Salad
Every time you walk into McDonald’s and order a cheese burger they serve it with fries. Not only that, they give you the opportunity to “supersize it” for just a few cents extra! It’s a deal that’s tough to pass up. Those supersized fries contain 610 calories, and 261 of them come from fat.
Let’s compare that to a healthy salad. You would have to eat over 27 cups of salad to consume the same amount of calories. That’s almost 2 gallons of salad! If you ate that much salad your body would have enough nutrients for a week!
I know what you’re probably thinking. “What about the salad dressing?” OK…Toss that salad up with some extra virgin olive oil, some balsamic vinegar, and a few of your favorite spices….and maybe cut it down to 21 cups!
Winner….Salad!
So if you think you can get all the energy you need from a glass of juice and a big bag or fries, then maybe you’re right…a calorie is a calorie. But as far as I’m concerned, the type of calorie is much more important.
Juice vs. Fruit
Apple juice is a classic juice you will find in just about any grocery store. It taste pretty good and people think of it as a healthy alternative to soda. After all, it’s real juice….not just some “juice drink” loaded up with sugar. That being said, a 16 ounce glass contains 234 calories and 224 of those calories come directly from sugar.
Let’s compare that large glass of apple juice to eating apples and drinking a large glass of water. If you were to eat 3 medium sized apples you would consume 216 calories, and those calories would be loaded with nutrients, including over 10 grams of healthy, dietary fiber! So what do you think will fill you up for longer? That glass of apple juice, or those 3 apples?
Winner…..Apples!
French Fries vs. Salad
Every time you walk into McDonald’s and order a cheese burger they serve it with fries. Not only that, they give you the opportunity to “supersize it” for just a few cents extra! It’s a deal that’s tough to pass up. Those supersized fries contain 610 calories, and 261 of them come from fat.
Let’s compare that to a healthy salad. You would have to eat over 27 cups of salad to consume the same amount of calories. That’s almost 2 gallons of salad! If you ate that much salad your body would have enough nutrients for a week!
I know what you’re probably thinking. “What about the salad dressing?” OK…Toss that salad up with some extra virgin olive oil, some balsamic vinegar, and a few of your favorite spices….and maybe cut it down to 21 cups!
Winner….Salad!
So if you think you can get all the energy you need from a glass of juice and a big bag or fries, then maybe you’re right…a calorie is a calorie. But as far as I’m concerned, the type of calorie is much more important.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Calories Burned During an Ultimate Grind Workout
One of the Ultimate Grinders recently asked me to write a blog post discussing the number of calories participants’ burn during a typical Ultimate Grind workout. I agreed, but I also wanted to mention 2 of the Ultimate Grind’s “extra calorie burning goals.”
Here’s the breakdown:
5 minute corrective exercise warm up = 24 calories
10 minutes of Full-body cardio warm-up = 83 calories
10 minutes of mixed calisthenics = 94 calories
30 minutes of full-body circuit training = 282 calories
5 minute flexibility cool-down = 24 calories
Total calories burned during a single Ultimate Grind workout = 507 calories
2 Extra calorie burning goals of the Ultimate Grind:
#1 Building muscle -> A good goal for a 6 week season is to gain 5 pounds of muscle and lose 5 pounds of fat. This would cause you to burn an extra 175 to 250 calories everyday without exercising at all. This is because muscle in naturally active and works to burn calories.
#2 Never plateau -> When your body gets used to a particular workout, the workout no longer has the same muscle building and fat burning effects. By continuing to progress and change our Ultimate Grind workouts, you’ll never have to worry about the plateaus!
Here’s the breakdown:
5 minute corrective exercise warm up = 24 calories
10 minutes of Full-body cardio warm-up = 83 calories
10 minutes of mixed calisthenics = 94 calories
30 minutes of full-body circuit training = 282 calories
5 minute flexibility cool-down = 24 calories
Total calories burned during a single Ultimate Grind workout = 507 calories
2 Extra calorie burning goals of the Ultimate Grind:
#1 Building muscle -> A good goal for a 6 week season is to gain 5 pounds of muscle and lose 5 pounds of fat. This would cause you to burn an extra 175 to 250 calories everyday without exercising at all. This is because muscle in naturally active and works to burn calories.
#2 Never plateau -> When your body gets used to a particular workout, the workout no longer has the same muscle building and fat burning effects. By continuing to progress and change our Ultimate Grind workouts, you’ll never have to worry about the plateaus!
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