Hershfitness Blog

Push-Up with Rotatio

2009-12-13T14:51:00.001-08:00

Oh! I am referring back to an exercise that I posted previously! Go back and review the 'Push-Up' blog post, and then refer back here to understand Push-Ups with Rotation.

Push-Ups are hard, and adding rotation makes them even harder. You're probably wondering, "What is that Nick?"...good question. A Push-Up with Rotation is where you perform the PUsh-Up motion, and then at the top of the motion you rotate your body to one side and lift the opposite arm off the ground pointing it straight up in the air. Here is how it would work:

Start with arms straight and hands flat and spread out directly beneath the shoulder, meaning that ones head should be past their hands on the floor. Draw in your belly button slightly and lightly contract your gluteus muscles (butt) while making sure feet are hip-width apart. Slowly bend elbows keeping them close to the body, leading with the chest and ensuring the abdomen stays steady and does not allow the lower back to slouch. Stop once arms are bent at 90 degrees while not allowing the head to shoot forward, pause for a moment then push back up with arms still close to body and not arching the lower back or bringing the head forward. Once ascending back up, rotate to one side and bring the opposite arm off the ground aiming it straight towards the ceiling while extending the opposite arm straight. Hold with body perfectly perpendicular to floor, then slowly bring arm back down to beginning push-up position. Perform as many reps as desired.

This exercise is made more difficult as one hold the arm up in the air longer. You will feel the entirety of the arm that is holding you up become mightily stressed, which will give you a great workout for the entire arm, shoulder chest and back. Oh yes even the back, for since you are stabilizing your back muscles will have to join the workout party. After every 2 or 4 reps check your posture, for it is easy to get out of alignment with all the rotation going on. Though this is mainly a workout for your chest, this is a great 'total body' exercise. This is a very difficult exercise, so for those beginning with this may instead just want to do the rotation part (starting from beginning Push-Up posture) and stay away from the Push-Up portion until they get used to rotating.

Cardio Vs. Weight Training - Round 3

2009-12-06T10:00:00.001-08:00

Well now that we have looked at the benefits of both Cardio and Weight Training, who is the winner? Well, it's a tough call. Too bad there's not a way to get both at the same time...Yeah, it really is too bad. Wish there was some way....Hhmmm....OH YEAH, there is! It's what I like to refer to as 'Total Body Exercise'. "I wonder what that could be?" You might be thinking; well, i'm going to tell you.

Most of the time in the gym, you see guys/ladies who have been working out for years and they generally do the same thing. As the body gets accustomed to exercise, the body gets stressed less, minimizing the results that can be seen. It's similar to picking up a heavy book - if I go to pick one up with my right hand, no problem. But if I try and lift it with my left hand, it is much more difficult. Why? Well my right arm is used to grabbing the heavier objects, not my left. I feel silly trying to grab it and picking it up is even weirder. But the more often I try picking up awkward heavy objects with my left hand, the more comfortable my left arm will become at performing the necessary motion, making my brain work as well as the muscles in my arm. This is the same for exercise, for if we don't stress our bodies to do new things, we won't see as much change as we might like to. Let's se how this really looks in an exercise setting.

As people, we generally like to stay to the same thing. We like what is comfortable, for it can sometimes be awkward or embarassing to try new things. Get over it though! When you exercise your entire body during a workout, the results will come much quicker. For example, a 'Squat to Press' (in which one would squat then go into a shoulder press at the top) is a great example: Not only are you exercising your legs, but you are forcing you upper body to do work in the same exercise - your muscles are going to get tired from the repetitions and your heart and lungs are going to have to work hard since you are using so many muscles. You will be breathing hard, pumping more blood and giving your muscles a great workout!

So, the winner is 'Cardio Weight Bearing Exercise'...make sense? To really see the results you want (unless you just want to be gigantic buff or mega skinny) perform more exercises that stress your entire body. The more repetitions you do with not as heavy weight, the better workout for your muscles, heart and lungs you will get. Now it may feel awkward at first, but soon you will feel great and be comfortable with this type of exercise. Always switch up your routine, and stress the entirety of your body.

Remember, Hershfitness.com is your home for all your exercise ball, heart rate monitor, pedometer and kickboxing equipment needs.

Cardio Vs. Weight Training - Round 2

2009-11-30T08:36:00.000-08:00

We have viewed the benefit of traditional 'Cardio' exercise, seeing how it is great for your heart and lung function. Now we must give 'Weight Training' a chance to fight back. Weight Training has some ammo to fire back ahout why it might be better for you to perform rather than traditional 'Cardio' exercise.

Weight Training aids in your bodies ability to gain strength and size through stressing your muscles. Too one should be able to function more properly during normal human movement if the Weight Training is done properly. Let's figure out how Weight Training stresses our muscles:

As we flex a muscle it works based upon what kind of movement we perform. Energy in our bodies comes from AdenosineTriPhosphate (ATP). This essentially means that it takes 3 Phosphate molecules to create energy in our bodies, or functionality. Our muscles have stores AdenosineDiPhosphate (ADP) in them, which does not make energy in our bodies since it only contains 2 phosphate molecules. Our muscle fibers also have Creatine Phosphate stores...when the body performs short-term exercise, such as 6-10 reps of a shoulder press, Creatine Phosphate donates its Phosphate molecule to AdenosineDiPhosphate (ADP), creating AdenosineTriPhosphate (ATP). This produces energy for the short term.

During longer term exercise, Anaerobic Oxidation, or Glycolosis, which converts one molecule of glucose (essentially food) into two molecules of pyruvate, and makes energy in the form of two net molecules of ATP. Four molecules of ATP per glucose are actually produced. This gives our body energy through ATP, while at the same time producing lactic acid. The lactic acid is the intense burn we feel in our muscles when we lift for reps higher than 12.

So, we see how muscles work, but now how do they benefit the body. Well, each time we exercise our muscles, we burn calories. Not only that, but when we exercise our bodies in new ways, our brain also has to work to make sure that we can perform the movement. ALso, the more frequently we visit the gym or just workout with weights, the stronger we can get. Weight Training can improve our bodies' overall functionality.

Weight Bearing Exercise seems to be able to do some beneficial things that traditional 'Cardio' exercise can't. Well I wonder if there is a way to get the benefits of both...

Remember, Hershfitness.com is your home for all your exercise ball, heart rate monitor, pedometer and kickboxing equipment needs.

Cardio Vs. Weight Training - Round 1

2009-11-22T14:46:00.000-08:00

Cardiorespiratory Training is defined as "of or pertaining to or affecting both the heart and the lungs and their functions". People most often see endurance sports like running, soccer, cycling and swimming are seen as what we know today to be 'Cardio' exercise. In the gym, most often people refer to the Elliptical, Treadmill, Bike and Stairclimber as 'Cardio' machines in a gym. Indeed these are. Let's look at the benefits of doing this 'Cardio', as it is so called.

Cardiorespiratory exercise, as I mentioned earlier, exercises the heart and lungs function, meaning that your heart and lungs get a workout. This would mean that your heart and lungs would have to be stressed in some way. Cardio does that by having you set aside a chunk of time to do this Cardio exercise so that your heart will work in conjunction with your lungs. Does anyone know how that works? Well for those of you that don't let's look;

When you breathe in, oxygen is breathed into your lungs. Essentially as your heart pumps blood throughout your body, the blood is 'oxygenated' through the lungs breathingin of air, which then gets sent as oxygenated blood throughout the body, dropping off oxygen to muscles and tissues that need it. Once the oxygen is dropped off, that blood becomes 'de-oxygenated', and no longer can give off any oxygen (because it's gone). The blood then travels back to the heart and gets oxygenated again by the oxygen breathed into the lungs. Make sense? Hope so.

Now, when people do Cardio exercise, their heart pumps more blood throughout the body. To do this though, the lungs must also equally inhale the similar amount of oxygen to broperly oxygenate the blood taken throughout the body. Therefore yes, when you do 'Cardio' exercise it mightily benefits your heart and lung function. Your heart keeps you alive, and if you don't exercise it you run higher risks of it failing. Through doing Cardio exercise you train your heart and lungs to work better, helping you to live a longer and healthier life.

Well this 'Cardio' sounds good right? It should, helping you to stay alive longer and live healthier. So what in the world could Weight Training offer to the body that could be that beneficial? Oh, Round 2 is coming...

Remember Hershfitness.com is your home for all your exercise ball, pedometer, heart rate monitor and kickboxing equipment needs.

Cardio Vs. Weight Training

2009-11-08T15:58:00.000-08:00

Well now that we have looked at the benefits of both Cardio and Weight Training, who is the winner? Well, it's a tough call. Too bad there's not a way to get both at the same time...Yeah, it really is too bad. Wish there was some way....Hhmmm....OH YEAH, there is! It's what I like to refer to as 'Total Body Exercise'. "I wonder what that could be?" You might be thinking; well, i'm going to tell you.

Most of the time in the gym, you see guys/ladies who have been working out for years and they generally do the same thing. As the body gets accustomed to exercise, the body gets stressed less, minimizing the results that can be seen. It's similar to picking up a heavy book - if I go to pick one up with my right hand, no problem. But if I try and lift it with my left hand, it is much more difficult. Why? Well my right arm is used to grabbing the heavier objects, not my left. I feel silly trying to grab it and picking it up is even weirder. But the more often I try picking up awkward heavy objects with my left hand, the more comfortable my left arm will become at performing the necessary motion, making my brain work as well as the muscles in my arm. This is the same for exercise, for if we don't stress our bodies to do new things, we won't see as much change as we might like to. Let's se how this really looks in an exercise setting.

As people, we generally like to stay to the same thing. We like what is comfortable, for it can sometimes be awkward or embarassing to try new things. Get over it though! When you exercise your entire body during a workout, the results will come much quicker. For example, a 'Squat to Press' (in which one would squat then go into a shoulder press at the top) is a great example: Not only are you exercising your legs, but you are forcing you upper body to do work in the same exercise - your muscles are going to get tired from the repetitions and your heart and lungs are going to have to work hard since you are using so many muscles. You will be breathing hard, pumping more blood and giving your muscles a great workout!

So, the winner is 'Cardio Weight Bearing Exercise'...make sense? To really see the results you want (unless you just want to be gigantic buff or mega skinny) perform more exercises that stress your entire body. The more repetitions you do with not as heavy weight, the better workout for your muscles, heart and lungs you will get. Now it may feel awkward at first, but soon you will feel great and be comfortable with this type of exercise. Always switch up your routine, and stress the entirety of your body.

Remember Hershfitness.com is your home for all your exercise ball, pedometer, heart rate monitor and kickboxing equipment needs.

Bicep Curl

2009-11-02T15:51:00.000-08:00

Your 'bicep' is the muscle on the front of your upper arm that performs 'elbow flexion' (bending at the elbow). The bicep curl actually only uses your upper arm to flex at the elbow and your forearm musculature to grip the weight. This exercise is done wrong by so many people, so let's learn how to do it properly.

Stand with feet hip-width apart and weights in each hand so that the palms are facing forward. Make sure the arms are straight and at the sides of the body. Contract the abdomen and glutes lightly, making sure the head is back. Without moving the elbows forward, lift the weight up until the elbows are bent just past 90 degrees, pause. Make sure that you do not allow the hips or shoulders to sway, for you will not be properly training your biceps musculature. Ensuring the shoulders are back, bring the weight down until arms are straight again. Make sure you are in proper posture, repeat.

Most people use their shoulders to help lift the weight, and/or they will sway with their body to help swing the weight up. This does allow you to 'curl' heavier weight, but generally is detrimental to your pocture and spine, because the shoulders will round forward. A trick to ensure good posture is to push your elbows against the sides of your body, not allowing them to leave your sides. Through magic, those mighty weights being held will no longer be able to be lifted!

Use lighter weights on your biceps and go for higher reps. This way proper posture will be easier to keep and you'll do a better job at 'Sculpting Your Guns'.

Remember Hershfitness.com is your home for all your exercise ball, pedometer, heart rate monitor and kickboxing equipment needs.

Why Exercise?

2009-10-27T15:25:00.000-07:00

Physical activity is necessary for good health, and most people do not get enough in their everyday lives. Besides helping with weight control, exercise strengthens your heart, improves circulation, helps prevent many illnesses, and makes it easier to do everyday activities. If you are very active in your job, hobbies, and/or household and garden chores, and walk or bike often instead of riding in a car all the time, you may not have to do formal exercise to maintain health, but most people are not that active.

Remember Hershfitness.com is your home for all your exercise ball, pedometer, heart rate monitor and kickboxing equipment needs.

Post-Workout Consumption

2009-10-27T14:59:00.000-07:00

It seems to me that there are 2 kinds of people when it comes to eating after a workout: The 'Non-Eaters' and the 'Immediate Eaters'. The 'Non-Eaters' will not really eat anything after a workout, but instead later in the day will treat themselves (to sweets/alcohol/chips/etc.) because they feel they deserve it since they exercised. The 'Immediate Eaters' finish their workout and simultaneously consume a protein bar and a post-workout shake within 5-10 minutes after their workout. On the right track, but let's analyze how that can have more of a positive effect on your workouts.

For the first thirty minutes after a workout your body is still ready to exercise; your muscles have been innervated, they are ready to fire (workout) when you say so, and are not ready to begin repairing yet. After thirty minutes, your muscles relax and begin to repair themselves. This is when one would want to consume protein, because protein aids in the muscle rebuilding process. So, if you consume your post-workout protein beverage 30 min to 1 hour after your workout, you will be helping your muscles rebuild during their primetime rebuilding process and maximizing the benefits of the protein you're taking.

After 2-3 hours, you should consume a regular meal (with protein in it) to continue aiding in the muscle rebuilding process. Do not 'treat' yourself to sweets or alcohol or whatever, for your muscles will still be crying out for protein and you will be feeding them sugar or alcohol or heavy carbohydrates...they want protein. Remember 'You Are What You Eat'? That is especially true on the days you exercise. If you can eat properly after a workout and stay away from 'treats', your results will come faster than you expect.

Remember Hershfitness.com is your home for all your exercise ball, pedometer, heart rate monitor and kickboxing equipment needs.