February 26, 2009 by spartantraining
Posted by Amy Kistler, certified personal trainer at Athlon Elite.
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.
-Aristotle
Studies show that it takes 21 days to create a new habit… okay ladies, convince your man to cook dinner for the next 21 days and you’ll have dinner ever night!
Hey it’s worth a try!
On that note, how are you doing with those New Year’s resolution goals? Falling off the "band wagon" yet? Making a resolution for a whole year is very challenging and can be extremely overwhelming. But what if I said you only had to stick with something for 21 days???
That seems doable right?
Well, that’s exactly what you should do! Studies show that if you stick with something for 21 days, it will become a habit.
And, what’s a habit?…. it’s a lifestyle change, right?
When something becomes part of your life then you cannot go about your day without it? Whether you want to fit into that swim suit for spring break, gain five pounds of muscle, or just have more energy. The only way to accomplish these goals is to start now!
Pick something in your life that you want to change and stick with it for 21 days. After you complete 21 days, you can then re-commit to another 21 days to reinforce your new habit.
Good luck and reward yourself along the way to stay motivated… but not with sweets!!
Yours in health,
Amy
February 18, 2009 by spartantraining
Do your first few steps out of bed in the morning cause severe pain in your heel? Or does the bottom of your foot or heel hurt after running or climbing stairs?
Foot pain is a very common problem in both athletes and non-athletes, often caused by inflammation of the plantar fascia—the tissue along the bottom of your foot that connects your heel bone to your toes, helping to maintain the stability of your foot and support the longitudinal arch. Plantar fasciitis causes burning, stabbing or aching pain that’s usually worse in the morning as the fascia of the foot often tightens overnight. Once your foot limbers up, the symptoms normally decrease but may return after exercise, after long periods of standing, or after getting up from sitting.
Your plantar fascia normally supports the arch in your foot, acting like a shock-absorbing bowstring. If the tension on the bowstring is too great, small tears in the fascia can occur which may become irritated or inflamed, with swelling, local tenderness, and pain with standing or walking. Plantar fasciitis usually develops gradually in only one foot, but symptoms can also be sudden and severe, and sometimes affect both feet.
It is estimated that there are nearly 2 million newly diagnosed cases of plantar fasciitis each year in the U.S. Common causes include an overload of physical activity such as long distance running or starting an aggressive training program, faulty foot mechanics that create an abnormal pattern of walking, and improper shoes that don’t support or absorb shock to protect your feet. Some types of arthritis can cause inflammation of the tendons underneath your foot, and people with diabetes seem more susceptible to plantar fasciitis. About 5-10% of all running injuries are inflammations of the fascia, with accompanying problems that include leg length
discrepancy, inflexibility of the longitudinal arch, tightness of the gastroc-soleus, wearing shoes without sufficient arch support, a lengthened stride during running, and running on soft surfaces.
Stretching, strengthening, and massage programs play important roles in the treatment of plantar fasciitis and can correct functional risk factors such as tightness of the gastrocsoleus and weakness of the intrinsic foot muscles. Increasing flexibility of the calf muscles is particularly important. If you begin specific stretches soon after the onset of your pain or diagnosis, you have an excellent chance of full recovery and can prevent plantar fasciitis from recurring.
In one study, 83% of patients involved in stretching programs were successfully treated. 29% of patients in the study cited stretching as the treatment that had helped the most compared with the use of orthotics, ice, heat, heel cups, night splints, walking and shoe changes. (Young, Rutherford, Niedfeldt, et al, 2001. Treatment of Plantar Fasciitis.)
The above picture is the most common (and obvious stretch for your calf muscles). If you’re having a problem with plantar fascitis there are four things that you should be doing to help it heel quickly. Come into Athlon Elite and we’ll show you these things and a few more advanced stretches that will speed your recovery.
Call (805) 440-0215 or Click Here
February 10, 2009 by spartantraining
Posted by Travis Harwood, Lead Trainer at Athlon Elite
By DAVID DERBYSHIRE
Yesterday we were warned of the health dangers associated with alcohol – not to mention bacon, ham and sausages.
Today there is more cheering news from a different set of scientists.
They have come up with the perfect excuse for heading to the pub after a game of football or rugby. Their research has shown that a glass of beer is far better at rehydrating the body after exercise than water.
Beer benefits: Researchers suspect that the sugars, salts and bubbles in a pint may help people absorb fluids more quickly.
The finding, which comes from a study at Granada University in Spain, will be welcome news for the legions of evening and weekend sports enthusiasts who enjoy a postmatch pint. It will also ease the worries of those still digesting the report from the cancer experts who linked alcohol and other products to an increased risk of some forms of the disease.
Professor Manuel Garzon, of Granada’s medical faculty, made his discovery after tests on 25 students over several months. They were asked to run on a treadmill under stifling temperatures of 40C (104F) until they were close to exhaustion. Once they were on the point of giving up, researchers measured their hydration levels, concentrationability and motor skills. Half were then given two half pints of Spanish lager to drink, while the rest were given water. Both groups were then allowed to drink as much water as they wanted.
Professor Garzon said the rehydration effect in the students who were given beer was "slightly better" than among those given only water. He believes the carbon dioxide in beer helps quench the thirst more quickly, while beer’s carbohydrates replace calories lost during physical exertion.
Based on the studies, the researchers have recommended moderate consumption of beer – 500ml a day for men or 250ml for women – as part of an athlete’s diet. A typical person loses around a litre of water for every hour of exercise in sweat. People who fail to rehydrate after exercise are more likely to feel tired, fuzzyheaded and suffer headaches.
A spokesman for the Campaign for Real Ale said "moderate levels" of beer had beneficial health effects. Past studies have shown that sensible drinking of one or two units a day can reduce the risk of heart disease, dementia, diabetes and Parkinson’s disease, he said.
The ingredients of beer – which include malted barley, hops and yeast – are rich sources of vitamins and minerals. Dr James Betts, an expert in post-exercise rehydration at Bath University, said: "People think of alcohol as being a diuretic, but if you are already hydrated, a small amount of beer could be a way of getting the fluid in." However, he added that the best way of rehydrating after exercise was with a sports drink containing sugars, water and salt. Which is why we recommend using Fluid immediately after each workout…
then have yourself a pint, mate!
February 5, 2009 by spartantraining
Posted by Travis Harwood, (who makes his dog do squats!)
I was doing a little bit of research this morning when I came across a picture of a toddler doing a squat with perfect form. I was intrigued so then I took another look and found another picture that reinforces the message that your trainers at Athlon Elite completely believe in. Your body is designed so squat all the way down, and I mean ALL THE WAY DOWN.
Myth: SQUATTING THIS DEEP IS BAD FOR MY KNEES AND BACK.
Fact: YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT… If you perform this motion with improper coaching, poor form, and too heavy, too soon.
HOWEVER. If the squat is performed WITH the proper instruction and form then it is in fact one of the most effective and natural multi-joint movements the human body can perform. We were built to do this and benefit tremendously when we maintain that ability.
Benefits: The squat is a multi-joint motion that involves the human body’s largest and most powerful muscle groups (Glutes, Hamstrings, and Quads). The large eccentric load (resisting the weight on the way down into the FULL squat position) puts an enormous amount of stress on these muscles, the deeper you can take the squat the more efficient your body will be at handling impact. Whether that impact be tripping and falling or slowing down from a sprint you will be less susceptible to injury.
On the way up from the bottom of the squat the body co-contracts the glutes, quads and hamstrings to bring itself back to a standing position. Having equally strong muscles surrounding a joint will cause that joint to be optimally stable. So squatting all the way down will actually make your knees safer in the long run! Also there some good evidence that the cartilage in the knees will realign and become stronger too.
During all portions of the squat the muscles in our upper body remain contracted to maintain stability; specifically the muscles in the abdomen and the lower back. And as you could guess, the more muscles you use the more calories you burn and the more health benefits you receive!
I was at a conference about a year ago where we did extensive work and evaluation of different exercise techniques, an attendee raised his hand and asked the main instructor what the best exercise for the “core” was. The instructor didn’t even look up from what he was doing and said “a deep squat” and got right back to what he was doing. The attendee was baffled at the answer but didn’t realize the nature of what the “core” actually is (and what we believe at Athlon Elite). The “core” is all of the muscles that revolve around your hip joints and how those muscles work together to neutralize and stabilize your pelvis. Using those stability muscles will cause your pelvis to naturally align, your hips will gain more range of motion and you will decrease low back pain, rather than cause it. (This does not account for certain imbalances that require specific corrective prescription from a professional before you start squatting deep.)
The proper squat is not at all a dangerous motion, but with time and without practice, that instinctive squat that we knew as a toddler is lost.
Come in to Athlon Elite to get the proper coaching to reunite your body with one of its most efficient, natural, and fun, total body activities. Call today, (805) 440-0215!
