10-minute Medicine Ball Workout

Workout Wednesday: 10-minute Medicine Ball Workout

November 27, 2013, 12:00AM

Fitness doesn’t take a holiday, even if you do. Your biology and your body don’t care how much you have to do to get ready for the holidays—you’re either sticking with fitness or not. Fortunately, it’s not as tough as you may think to stick with it.

First, just embrace the concept that you will be busy no matter what. If you skip workouts, you’ll still be busy and have a lot to do. Do you want to be “busy and fit,” or “busy and unfit?” Busy and fit, of course!

With a small investment of time, this 10-minute medicine ball workout can help you give your body a challenge that results in a large investment in yourself. This workout features some never-before-seen exercises I created just for this workout!

How to Do It:

• Use a 6- to 8-pound medicine ball (4- to 10-pound balls will work, too, if that’s what you have), and preferably one that bounces.
• Perform each exercise for 40 seconds, and take 15 seconds to transition between exercises.
• Repeat the five exercises two times.

The Exercises

• Plank Pinball
• Alternating Step Back Lunge With Spinning Toss
• Glute Bridge (with medicine ball under neck)
• Power Slam With Run-Under (or Run-Around)
• Alternating V-Up

Plank Pinball

From a plank position, start with the medicine ball under your hand and roll the ball to your opposite foot. Use the foot to pass the ball to the hand on the same side. Repeat until 40 seconds is up.

For example: L-Hand >> R-Foot >> R-Hand >> L-Foot >> L-Hand >> repeat pattern

Alternating Step-back Lunge With Spinning Toss

Gently spin and toss the medicine ball at the same time. In general, each time you catch the ball you will be looking at the back of your left hand and then your right hand. The ball will not move side-to-side, but will instead spin like a globe. As you spin the ball, perform an alternating step-back lunge. The spinning of the ball provides a strength challenge to the forearm and hand muscles; integrating it with the lunge provides a coordination challenge to smoothly integrate the upper- and lower-body movements.

Glute Bridge (with medicine ball under neck)

Place the medicine ball at the base of your neck so that the curve of your neck matches the curve of the ball. From this position keep your head relaxed and resting on the ball. Perform a glute bridge by first rolling up the hips and then the spine. By focusing on rolling the hips and spine up and down, you are more likely to use the glutes for the exercise and less likely to have the low back work harder than it should.

Power Slam With Run-Around Or Run-Under

Perform the “run-under” version if you: (1) do not have a ball that bounces, or (2) cannot get your slam high enough to give you time to run under it.

Run-Under Version: Perform a power slam and while the medicine ball is in the air, quickly run under it, turn around, catch the ball and perform the next slam.

Run-Around Version: Perform a power slam and laterally shuffle around the ball until you are standing opposite from where you started. Catch or pick up the ball, and perform the next slam, reversing the direction of your lateral shuffle to return to where you started.

Alternating V-Up

Lay on your back and hold the medicine ball in your hands with arms and legs extended. Using the abs, lift your arms and legs simultaneously. As you get to the top and start to lower the legs, gently place the ball on your shins and lower the arms and legs. As you raise up for the next rep, either catch the ball or pick up the ball with your hands and keep alternating from there.

This exercise is challenging to both body and mind, as it requires big energy and considerable coordination. It will take some practice, but you will be so excited when you master it—and that’s part of the fun!

Final Thoughts

Celebrate this time of year by making your body better with both movement and good-tasting, high-quality food. Too often, there is a mindset of using exercise to work off all the desserts we will consume at the holidays. On behalf of your body, your health and your future enjoyment of physical activity, I’m challenging you to adopt a different mindset. One that has exercise and the food choices you make pointing in the same direction—a better you.

Exercise will never work as punishment for bad food choices. Your body’s ability to respond to exercise the way you want it to is directly affected—for better or worse—by the foods you give it.

The trick is to avoid denying yourself foods that you want to eat (that’s miserable), and instead learning to develop a desire and want for healthier food so there is no sense of deprivation. Learning to enjoy positive, health-promoting foods and activities, even during times of celebration, will transform the way you live and the way you spend the holidays.

By Jonathan Ross
Jonathan Ross

Jonathan Ross is the two-time recipient of Personal Trainer of the Year awards (2010 IDEA & 2006 ACE), has served as Discovery Health Fitness Expert and hosted the Discovery Health series “Everyday Fitness.” His book, Abs Revealed, delivers a modern, intelligent approach to ab training, and his business, Aion Fitness, delivers exceptional fitness training,speaking, and writing services. Ross is a master trainer for TRX and has shared his renowned thought-leadership philosophy at many conferences and in the media.

Trimming Off the Fat

Are you satisfied with your general physique, or would you like to get rid of a few extra pounds? If your answer is the latter, quit looking for that magic pill and just follow several general guidelines that will help you work toward a healthier body.

Calorie Deficit

Atkins™, South Beach™, The Zone Diet™ and countless other types of diets have each been hyped as the perfect diet strategy to shed those unwanted pounds. While they may have shown initial results, most have failed to demonstrate long-term success in keeping the weight off. Here’s an important tip to remember: Your body must burn more calories than it is taking in to lose weight. One pound of fat equals 3,500 calories, so if you want to lose 1 pound per week you need to average a caloric deficit of 500 calories per day.

Don’t worry—that doesn’t mean you have to get on the treadmill and run until you have burned 3,500 calories to lose a pound. Your goal is to combine increased activity with some cutbacks in your diet.

Basal Metabolic Rate and Calories Burned in a Day

To manage weight, you need to determine the number of calories you eat and the number of calories you burn. Your body has something called the basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the amount of calories you burn at rest in order to survive. It accounts for roughly 60 to 75% of all the calories you burn in a given day. That’s right—you are actually burning a small amount of calories while you are sleeping.

Use the following website to determine your BMR and daily calorie needs: www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/.

Now that you’ve determined your daily caloric needs, you need to set a realistic goal of 1 to 2 pounds per week and determine how many calories you’ll need to forgo to lose those pesky pounds.

What to Eat

As surprising as it might sound, managing your weight is easier than you might imagine. There is no need to spend hours planning your diet. Just follow several simple guidelines and keep the calorie deficit in mind.

• Reduce your portion sizes by 10 to 15% each time you prepare or order a meal.
• Eat smaller meals more frequently throughout the day and avoid skipping breakfast.
• Consume a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and non-fat or low-fat dairy products to get the nutrients your body needs.
• Aim for two or three servings of dairy products daily (e.g., milk, cheeses, yogurt).
• Select low-fat foods and avoid trans fats. Limit your total fat intake to 20 to 35% of daily calories, with no more than 7% of your total calories coming from saturated fats.
• Avoid eating too many salty foods.
• Limit alcohol beverage intake.

Cardio: Burn the Right Fuel

Research shows that lower-intensity exercise uses a larger percentage of fat as fuel compared to higher-intensity exercise. However, it does not burn as many calories as higher-intensity exercise and, consequently will not result in as much body weight or fat loss. Gradually increase the intensity to increase your caloric deficit while continuing to burn fats. Higher-intensity exercise also has a greater impact on keeping your metabolism elevated after your workout, which adds a few more calories to your deficit. Remember, always check with your doctor before starting an exercise program and choose the intensity that is appropriate for you.

Burn Fat With Muscle

Strength training offers many health benefits, including an increase in the number of calories burned. Muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue, and building muscles costs a lot of energy. As you increase the amount of muscle you have, you will also increase your resting metabolic rate. To prevent injury and develop consistency, start off with one to two sets of 12 to 15 repetitions for all major muscle groups.

Additional Resources

MyPyramid: www.MyPyramid.gov
About.com: www.exercise.about.com/cs/weightloss/a/howtoloseweight.htm
About.com: www.weightloss.about.com/od/eatsmart/a/blcalintake.htm

Weight Loss: Diet vs. Exercise

The two major players in the weight-loss battle are diet and exercise. But can the battle be won using only one of these tools? Many people opt for the easier route, which they believe is dieting. But when you consider how poor the statistics are for long-term weight loss through diets, you need to consider a combination of both. Normally, only about 5% of dieters are successful in keeping weight off, and weight cycling is very common. Usually one-third of weight lost is regained within one year and almost all is regained within three to five years.

How Weight Loss Works

The mechanism of weight loss is simple. It is encompassed in a concept called energy balance. When you burn more calories than you consume, you lose weight. Therefore, to lose weight you need to burn more calories and/or consume fewer calories. The combination of both of these methods is the best way to lose weight and improve your health.

How the Pros Do It

Members of the National Weight Control Registry are people who have lost weight and kept it off successfully for a minimum of one year. Of these people, 89% use a combination of diet and exercise, although 10% have had success using diet alone and 1% used exercise alone. However, research shows that the combination of exercise and diet is more effective than diet alone. Furthermore, while diet alone helps you lose weight, it is exercise that improves your physical fitness.

Getting Started

Combining diet and exercise can be tricky when you’re trying to cut calories. It is important to make sure that you eat enough so that you have energy to get through your workout, but not so much that you tilt your energy balance back to the weight-gain side.

While guidelines suggest 1 to 2 pounds of weight loss a week, you should set a goal that is both realistic and manageable for your lifestyle and fitness level. Overly aggressive goals often lead to attrition and failure.

Your diet should consist of low-fat food choices and a modest reduction in the total number of calories. Without overwhelming yourself with odd foods and food labels, try simply reduce your food portions by about 10 to 15%. Try to be consistent across the week, instead of dieting more strictly on certain days of the week.

With exercise and activity, people who successfully maintained weight loss exercised an average of an hour or more per day. Longer-duration exercise is usually needed to lose weight and prevent weight re-gain. However, this may be too much for you to begin with, so start small and gradually progress the duration of your activity by 10% each week. For example, increase the duration of your walks from 20 minutes during week one to 22 minutes the following week.

Staying Motivated

Changing your diet and exercise habits involves lifestyle modifications, but maintaining these lifestyle changes can be the real challenge. Many people can lose weight, but only a few can maintain that weight loss. Much of this is due to the fact that the lifestyle modifications made to lose weight need to be permanent. It is normal to regain a few pounds after your initial weight loss. The key is to not get discouraged and stay motivated. The smaller the amount of weight that you regain, the easier it is to lose again, permanently. So frequent monitoring of your weight is necessary to catch yourself when you start to regain weight. Keep in mind that the longer you keep weight off, the easier it becomes. For weight loss to be sustainable, it must be a slow process of 1 to 2 pounds of weight loss per week. Stay focused and goal-oriented and know that successful weight loss is possible!

Additional Resources

The National Weight Control Registry: www.nwcr.ws
About.com: www.exercise.about.com/od/weightloss/a/shortcuts.htm

Strength Training 101

You do not need to be a bodybuilder to benefit from strength training. A well-designed strength-training program can provide the following benefits:

• Increased strength of bones, muscles and connective tissues (the tendons and ligaments)—This increased strength decreases the risk of injury.
• Increased muscle mass—Most adults lose about one-half pound of muscle per year after the age of 30, largely due to decreased activity. Muscle tissue is partly responsible for the number of calories burned at rest (the basal metabolic rate, or BMR). As muscle mass increases, BMR increases, making it easier to maintain a healthy body weight.
• Enhanced quality of life—As general strength increases, the performance of daily routines (carrying groceries, working in the garden) will be less taxing.

The Core Curriculum

Many exercises can be combined into a program that works all the major muscle groups. Neglecting certain groups can lead to strength imbalances and postural difficulties. A certified fitness professional can help you develop a safe, effective program.

You may also wish to consult with a certified fitness professional to learn safe technique before beginning a strength-training program. One set of eight to 12 repetitions, working the muscles to the point of fatigue, is usually sufficient. Breathe normally throughout the exercise. Lower the resistance with a slow, controlled cadence throughout the full range of motion. Lifting the weight to a count of 2 and lowering it to a count of 3 or 4 is effective.

When you are able to perform 12 repetitions of an exercise correctly (without cheating), increase the amount of resistance by 5 to 10% to continue making safe progress.

Staying Motivated

An encouraging aspect of strength training is the fact that you’ll likely experience rapid improvements in strength and muscle tone right from the start of your program. Don’t be discouraged, however, if visible improvements begin to taper off after a few weeks.

It’s only natural that, as your fitness level improves, improvements in strength and appearance will come at a slightly slower pace. To help keep your motivation up, find a partner to train with you.

Aim to exercise each muscle group at least two times per week, with a minimum of two days of rest between workouts. Training more frequently or adding more sets may lead to slightly greater gains, but the minimal added benefit may not be worth the extra time and effort (not to mention the added risk of injury).

Vary Your Program

Machines and free weights are effective tools for strength training, and a combination of the two is generally recommended. Utilizing both machines and free weights provides exercise variety, which is important for both psychological and physiological reasons. Variety not only reduces boredom, but also provides subtle exercise differences that will enhance progress.
The benefits of strength training are no longer in question. Research continues to demonstrate that strength training increases both muscle and bone strength and reduces the risk of osteoporosis. A safe strength-training program combined with cardiovascular and flexibility training will give you the benefits of a total fitness program.

Additional Resource

About.com: www.exercise.about.com/cs/exerciseworkouts/a/weight101.htm

Resistance Tubing Workout

For those times when you just can’t make it to the gym, resistance tubing offers an inexpensive and portable way to get a full-body strength-training workout at home or on the road.

As with all exercise, it is important to warm up for five to 10 minutes and gently stretch the muscles you will be working. For beginners, it is best to do one set of 12 to 15 repetitions of each exercise. Intermediate exercisers (those that have been lifting weights for up to three months) can perform one to two sets of each exercise. More advanced strength trainers (those who have been lifting weights or using tubing for more than three months) should try to complete two or three sets of 12 to 15 repetitions. Stretch each muscle group after each set and at the end of the entire workout to improve flexibility.

Perform the following exercises for a quick full-body workout:

Seated row (lats)—Sit on the floor and grasp one handle. Wrap the tubing around a bedpost or some type of anchor close to the ground and grab the other handle. Sit back so that there is tension on the elastic when your arms are extended forward. Extend your legs in front of you with your knees slightly bent. Pull the handles so that your elbows form right angles as you squeeze your shoulder blades together.
Bring your elbows back as far as you can, keeping your spine neutral. Slowly let your arms extend back to the starting position and begin your second repetition. Be sure not to slouch.

Bench press (pecs)—Secure the center of the tubing at chest level and face away from the anchor, grabbing the handles in each hand. Begin with your thumbs at your armpits and step far enough away from the anchor that the tube is not gapping at this starting position. Fully extend your arms in front of your body. Slowly release to the starting position and repeat.

Military press (deltoids)—Stand on the center of the band with your feet shoulder-width apart. With your palms facing forward and hands by your shoulders, extend your arms straight up while keeping your back straight (do not arch your back) and abdominal muscles tight. Slowly lower and repeat.

Triceps extension (triceps)—Step on the tubing and pull one handle up behind your head. Bring your elbow up close to your ear and, beginning with your arm bent behind you, extend straight up until your arm is straight. You may use your other arm to hold your elbow in close to your head. Slowly lower back to the starting position and switch arms.

Biceps curl (biceps)—Step on one end of the exercise band and grab the handle with the same hand. Be sure that there is some tension on the tubing when your arm is extended down by your side. With your palm facing forward, bend your elbow, bringing your hand up toward your shoulder. Keep your wrist straight and bend only at the elbow. Slowly release and repeat. If you are using light resistance, you may be able to stand on the center of the tube and work both arms simultaneously.

Squats (quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes)—Stand on the tubing so that you are centered. Grab the handles with both hands and stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Hold the handles up by your shoulders and bend as if you are going to sit in a chair. Return to standing and repeat. Be sure to keep a flat back and contract your abdominal muscles.

Kneeling crunches (abdominals)—Anchor the tubing above your head and let the handles drop down. Kneel on the floor with the anchor behind you. Hold the handles with your hands up by your ears and elbows in. Bending from the waist, curl down, bringing your head toward your knees and keeping the handles locked by your ears. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat.

Tubing Safety Tips

• Pulling on exercise tubing isn’t exactly a risky activity. Still, to keep the tube from snapping into your face—and to give your muscles the best challenge—follow these important guidelines.
• Check for holes or worn spots in the tubing. Replace the tube if you see any tears.
• Do your workout on carpeting, wood floors or grass—anywhere but asphalt or cement. Abrasive surfaces can tear your tube.
• Wear comfortable, supportive athletic shoes, not sandals or dress shoes.
• Make sure the tubing is secured underfoot or on an anchor before you begin each exercise.
• Maintain good posture throughout each exercise: Keep your knees slightly bent, your abdominal muscles pulled in and your chest expanded.
• Perform the exercises in a slow and controlled manner, to work against resistance both when you pull on the tube and when your return to the starting position.

Excerpted from Fitness for Travelers: The Ultimate Workout Guide for the Road, by Suzanne Schlosberg (Houghton Mifflin, 2002), available at www.acefitness.org.

Additional Resources

Page, P.  Ellenbecker, T.S. (2003). The Scientific and Clinical Application of Elastic Resistance. Champaign, Ill.: Human Kinetics.
About.com: www.exercise.about.com/cs/exerciseworkouts/l/blbandworkout.htm

How to Design Your Own Home Gym

Exercising at home is a good alternative for people who are short on time or enjoy the convenience of working out at home, can’t afford or don’t want to spend their disposable income on a club membership, or just can’t seem to make it across town to the local gym.
Many people are interested in setting up home gyms, but are intimidated by the many available choices. Before you invest time and money in designing a gym of your own, take a minute to consider your fitness needs, available space, budget and other factors that will determine how much time and money you are able to devote to home fitness.

Quality Matters

Home gym equipment is of higher quality and more space-efficient than ever before. The real challenge is choosing from the many options. Before purchasing a piece of equipment, make sure you test it out yourself. The following factors should be considered when creating a home gym.

What is your budget?

You get what you pay for. Expensive equipment is usually priced that way for a reason. High-quality equipment that is reliable and will work for years to come can’t be made cheaply. However, there are options for every budget.
For example, if you really want a $1500 stair stepper, but it’s not in your budget, some quality step-training DVDs and a set of benches with risers for around $150 is a good alternative. This would be a better choice than spending $300 on a low-quality machine that will quickly wear out. You may also want to consider purchasing used commercial equipment from a reputable dealer who offers a warranty.
A home gym represents a significant investment. Trimming the budget on cardiovascular equipment is a false savings. Any equipment in this category should suit your interests and fitness level and should be able to maintain at least 20 minutes of smooth continuous motion. The activity you choose should be enjoyable as well as challenging and you should be able to increase the resistance, incline or duration.

Who will be using the equipment?

Will other people in your household be using the gym? If so, keep in mind that a treadmill may need enough programming features and a long enough deck to accommodate the different body shapes and fitness goals of multiple users. Similarly, weight machines and free weights should adjust to safely accommodate a range of sizes and abilities.

Other Issues to Consider

• Strength equipment for any budget—Choosing strength-training tools is a matter of budget and safety. Novice exercisers may be better off with a multigym, which is safer to use unsupervised than free weights. The key with any home gym is to make sure it’s easy to adjust. If a multigym isn’t in your budget, a set of free-weights is an affordable alternative, as is resistance tubing.
• Think about the space—Even equipment designed for home use can be a space hog, especially treadmills and multigyms. Space limitations may mean you have to opt for a space-saving rack of dumbbells instead of a multigym. Also look at ceiling height, since some equipment sits high off the ground.
• Equipment design and features—Before purchasing a piece of equipment, inspect it for safety, serviceability, design and appropriate features. The equipment should be adjustable and easy to learn, and your body should move in a correct and safe manner. Parts should be easily removed and replaced, and moving parts should lattice well. There shouldn’t be any design flaws or weaknesses that could increase the risk of injury.

Finally, be honest with yourself about how motivated you will be to exercise at home before you make the investment. It is also important that you understand how to exercise safely and that your doctor has cleared you to exercise. Once you have made the decision to design your own home gym, your next step could be on a new treadmill or elliptical trainer.

Square Footage

Use these guidelines to determine approximately how much room you’ll need:

• Treadmill—30 square feet
• Elliptical trainer—30 square feet
• Single-station gym—35 square feet
• Free weights—20–50 square feet
• Stationary bike—10 square feet
• Rowing machine—20 square feet
• Stair climber—10–20 square feet
• Ski machines—25 square feet
• Multistation gym—50–200 square feet

High-Intensity Interval Training

Looking for a way to add variety to your exercise plan while taking your fitness to the next level? High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a cardiorespiratory training technique that alternates brief speed and recovery intervals to increase the overall intensity of your workout. HIIT is used by athletes and everyday exercise enthusiasts to reach performance goals and enhance fitness and well-being.

How does it work?
Most endurance workouts, such as walking, running, or stair-climbing—are performed at a moderate intensity, or an exertion level of 5-6 on a scale of 0-10. High-intensity intervals are done at an exertion level of 7 or higher, and are typically sustained for 30 seconds to 3 minutes, although they can be as short as 8-10 seconds or as long as 5 minutes; the higher the intensity, the shorter the speed interval. Recovery intervals are equal to or longer than the speed intervals.

High-intensity interval training is done at a submaximal level; around 80-95% of maximal aerobic capacity. Sprint interval training (SIT) is a type of high-intensity interval training that pushes beyond this level to 100% or more of maximal aerobic capacity, or an exertion level of 10.

What are the benefits of HIIT?
The payoffs of pushing yourself with HIIT are plentiful, and include:

• Significantly increased aerobic and anaerobic fitness
• Decreased fasting insulin and increased insulin sensitivity
• Reduced abdominal and subcutaneous (just under the skin) fat

The surprising thing about HIIT is that it involves such a small total amount of exercise. By including HIIT in your exercise plan, you can realize remarkable results in a short amount of time, which is good news for busy people.

Is HIIT safe?
High-intensity exercise of any type brings with it a higher risk of musculoskeletal injury and cardiac events. But along with healthy subjects, HIIT has been studied as a training method for people with heart disease and congestive heart failure. Under clinical supervision, subjects were able to tolerate high-intensity intervals without negative effects. Most importantly, they experienced bigger improvements in cardiovascular function compared to those undergoing continuous moderate-intensity training.

The bottom line? HIIT may or may not be safe for you. Check with your health care provider before adding it to your exercise plan.

How can I get started with HIIT?
Choose an aerobic exercise—like stationary bicycling. Warm up for 5 minutes, and perform just a few alternating speed and recovery intervals; 3-4 of each should be plenty and will give you a feel for it; finish with an easy cool down. Here’s an example:

Time	Interval	Exertion Level (0-10)
5 min.	Warm-up	3–4
1 min.	Speed	7–9
2 min.	Recovery	5–6
1 min.	Speed	7–9
2 min	Recovery	5–6
1 min.	Speed	7–9
2 min	Recovery	5–6
1 min.	Speed	7–9
5 min	Cool-down	3–4
22 min. Total Time
(4 min. total speed)

HIIT protocols vary widely. There’s no one best single way to structure them. Experiment with shorter and longer speed and recovery intervals to find what works best for you.

Gradually work up to 8-10 or more speed intervals, depending on your fitness goals. Keep in mind that the most common mistake made with interval training is making the recovery intervals too short.

Perform HIIT workouts 1-2 times a week at most to reduce your risk of injury. This high-intensity training method is best used periodically for up to 6 weeks or so to enhance regular training rather than as a year-round fitness strategy.

For best results, work with a certified fitness professional to create a personalized HIIT training plan. HIIT requires a big, sweaty effort, but if you stick with it, chances are you’ll be rewarded with impressive results.

Additional Resources
For All-Day Metabolism Boost, Try Interval Training — American College of Sports Medicine
Interval Training Advantages — IDEA Health and Fitness Association
A Healthy Mix of Rest and Motion — The New York Times

Why You Should Be Foam Rolling

Why You Should Be Foam Rolling

October 3, 2013, 12:00AM

If you have been to health clubs in recent years, you may have noticed a few people rolling and writhing around on cylindrical pieces of foam. The technique is called foam rolling and probably doesn’t look all that inviting given the grimaces on the faces of some who practice it. Despite its appearance, however, foam rolling can actually help you feel better and perform better in your workouts.

Foam rolling is also called myofascial release and is designed to work out the “knots” in your muscles. You could compare the practice to self-massage. The technical terms for “knots” are trigger points or myofascial adhesions. Fascia is a form of connective tissue that wraps and bundles muscles (myo) together. Myofascial adhesions can develop through stress, training, overuse, underuse, movement imbalances and injuries. They are essentially points of constant tension and addressing them can have a positive effect on your workouts. Ignoring them can lead to further dysfunction and may perpetuate and/or cause injury.

As you might imagine, muscles and fascia do not literally tie themselves into knots. However, the analogy isn’t too much of a stretch (no pun intended). Take an elastic band and tie a knot in the center and stretch the band. The elastic around the knot can stretch, but the knot itself will stay put and get tighter. This will result in a “speed bump” of sorts, affecting the shortening and lengthening of the affected area. This is not unlike the functionality of muscles. The area around the adhesion gets worked, but the area affected by the adhesion will not reap the same benefits. In other words, the rich part of the muscle gets richer, while the poor part stays poor.

The Bad News and the Good News

The bad news is that foam rolling is not noted for its comfort. The good news, however, is that you can and should control the amount of pressure applied and steer clear of pain. Learning how to control the amount of pressure to a mild and tolerable discomfort is important. The objective of rolling is to help the area relax, and applying too much pressure can reflexively invite the opposite response. When introducing pressure to a sensitive area, you may experience a slight knee-jerk type reflex. But if you do not go in too hard, you should experience what feels like air being slowly let out of a tire.

In highly sensitive areas, eliminating tension completely is not likely to happen following one application. However, some improvement can be noticed immediately. With consistent and diligent application applied to the peskiest areas, elimination of chronic adhesions may be possible.

Application: Ease in, Search and Eliminate

As with all things exercise related, you should ease yourself in gradually. Start with a softer roller (if available) and prioritize how to control your body on the roller and the amount of pressure you apply. It is better to be too soft than too hard, especially in the beginning. Once you feel a comfortable level of control, administer pressure to the most sensitive areas for roughly 20 to 30 seconds. As you get to know your body and how it responds to foam rolling, you may go shorter or longer as needed.  

Prioritizing

It is very possible to find several trigger points throughout your body. Spending time on each one may take a while and won’t be much fun. Therefore, you can prioritize what to focus on in two ways: 1) address the muscles you are working that day; and/or 2) address the areas that are most sensitive.

When starting out, take inventory over a couple of workouts to determine your areas of greatest need. A great way of identifying needs is to compare left and right sides. Most of the muscles rolled will be the extremities and can be rated on a sensitivity scale of 1-10 on each side. It is very common for one side to be more sensitive than the other. The more sensitive side deserves more attention and should become the higher priority. But keep comparing sides. If done well and consistently, sensitivity should decrease and left and right differences will balance out.

When to Perform

Foam rolling can be performed prior to and after your workouts. When applying prior to your workout, only focus on problematic areas. Remember, foam rolling is designed to reduce tension and relax a muscle. Doing this to a healthy muscle may relax it to the point of being less effective during your workout. But for muscles that carry excessive tension, spending time on the front end of training can help reduce poor and imbalanced movements during your workout. Post-workout rolling can focus on all of major muscles worked, with an extra emphasis on the areas that appear problematic.

Foam rolling is one strategy that can help improve symmetry in the body. By taking a few minutes during each workout (and each day if necessary) to work out adhesions, you can help prepare for, and recover from, exercise more effectively. Tension can be released from the area, while blood flow and nutrients can increase, leading to healthier muscle tissue and a more effective fitness program.

Instructions: Search the entire muscle to find one or two of the most sensitive spots. Once there, apply pressure on the spot until some tension is released. Either stay on the spot longer, or generate small movements back and forth.

The exercises below target several common areas that can benefit from foam rolling, including the calves, glutes, inner thighs, outer thighs (IT band) and lats.

Foam Rolling Exercises

1. Mid-upper Back

• Lean back against the roller, positioning it beneath your shoulder blades.
• Raise your hips slightly and maneuver your body up and down to find sensitive areas.
• Keep the roller between you shoulder-blade region. Avoid the neck and lower back, where there is little support.
• Take slow, deep breaths.

2. Calves

• In a seated position, support your body with your hands behind you to prop yourself up.
• Place one leg on the roller starting at the lower calf (above the Achilles).
• Roll your calf by moving your body slowly toward the roller.
• Search for sensitive areas along the calf.
• Turn the leg inward and outward to explore more areas.

3. Inner Thigh (Adductors)

• Begin in a face-down position and place the roller parallel to your body.
• Work your way slowly to the upper groin area until you identify the most sensitive area.

4. Lats (Latisimus Dorsi)

• Rest the roller at a slight angle toward the back side of your armpit.
• Rock your body forward and backward and up and down to search for sensitive areas.

5. Gluteus Maximus/Piriformis

• For the glutes (Figure A), rest your weight your left elbow with the roller above the hipbone. Find the sensitive area and switch sides and compare.
• For the piriformis (Figure B), which is often a sensitive area, sit on the roller and support your body with your left hand on the floor. Cross your left ankle onto the right knee and search for sensitive area. Switch sides and compare.
• Use contact points on the floor to control the amount of pressure.

6. Outer Thigh (IT Band and Lateral Quadriceps)

• The outer thigh is highly sensitive. Use caution and ease in.
• From a side-plank position, place your right elbow on the floor and your left hand and left foot on the floor in front of your body. (Note: These are your main contact points to control the amount of weight you rest on the roller.)
• Use contact points on the floor to control the amount of pressure.
• Start above the outside of the knee and slowly maneuver your body over the roller toward your hip.

By Christopher McGrath


Chris McGrath, M.S., is the founder of Movement First, a New York City-based, health and fitness education, consulting and training organization. With more than 20 years of fitness and coaching experience, McGrath specializes in a variety of training modalities including sports performance, injury prevention, post-rehabilitation and lifestyle/wellness coaching. McGrath is a Senior Fitness Consultant to the American Council on Exercise and has established himself as an international fitness expert.

Fit Tip: Workout at Work

Fit Tip: Workout at Work

by Life Fitness

October 08, 2013 // Category: Fitness Advisor

If you think you can’t get your workout into your day because of work—think again. If you are skipping your workouts due to a busy job and sitting in an office all day, that’s a double sedentary whammy. Sitting too much is detrimental to your health and can increase your risk for a cascade of health ills including obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, and depression. Even a little is better than nothing. Here’s how to get a workout at work. Try one of these ideas:

Move at your desk. If you have to sit for your desk job, stand up when you take phone calls. Pace if you can. Stretch your legs under the desk. Do calf raises while you wait for your document to print. Reach up and stretch your arms or back once in a while. Walk to talk to a coworker instead of sending an email.

Plan a walking meeting. If your business or boss doesn’t mind, get coworkers and have your meeting on your feet. Walk and talk. Walking outside is thought to spark more creative thinking anyway. 

Do a noon workout. Head off to the gym or go for a run during your lunch hour. Always keep a stocked gym bag in your car or office so you can workout at lunch when you have the time. A lunchtime workout can give you an energy boost for the rest of your afternoon and improve your mental clarity. Your boss will thank you!

Rally your coworkers. Have a walking lunch break with coworkers. Spend a short time eating and more of your time moving. As the saying goes, “You won’t get the butt you want by sitting on it.”  Get some fresh air and burn some calories while you get in lots of steps during lunch hour. 

Move more throughout your day.  Creatively sneak movement into your day.  Park far away from your office and log some extra steps. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or walk the stairwell repeatedly on a break. Do some squats just above your office chair. Do pushups into your desk. 

Don’t let work kill your workouts. Take control and get your workout while at work. Your body and mind will work better with those workouts!

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