Steven Rice Fitness

What Functional Is and Isn't

2011-12-26T08:21:00.000-08:00

This is NOT what I mean when I say I do 'functional training.'

First, those exercises are dangerous. Getting injured will be a major setback in your training program, and of course make the rest of your life miserable.

Second, working on an unstable surface decreases the weight you can move, so you develop less strength.

Third, balance and complex movements are very sport and activity-specific, so standing on a physio ball swinging and shaking only makes you good at standing on a physio ball swinging and shaking.

Develop mobility and stability, train fundamental movements like stepping and lifting, then build strength. Skip the circus acts.

Here's a great article on the Functional Movement Screen, I method I offer. This is the foundation of functional training.

Falcons Have Had a Winning Strategy for Fitness

    By MIKE TIERNEY
    Published: December 25, 2011
    The New York Times

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — When Coy Wire signed with the Atlanta Falcons in 2008, he considered himself in the vanguard regarding fitness techniques.

Wire, a linebacker, felt an instant affinity with his latest team. The Falcons’ meshing of newfangled training concepts with old-fashioned equipment broadened the scope of possibilities for the way Wire honed himself for the rigors of football.
“Every single person benefits with this,” said Wire, a modestly talented player who attributes his nine-year career, which probably ended in September when Atlanta waived him, to superb conditioning. “The players who come into the system see this is what they should be doing.”

Ski and Snowboard Conditioning Classes

2011-10-10T12:19:00.000-07:00

Ski and Snowboard Conditioning Classes

GET READY for a fun and safe snow season in a small group class. Develop the fitness to ski or snowboard at your best.

The class will improve your performance and make injury less likely by addressing:

Mobility- This is similar to flexibility, but is movement based and dynamic

Balance and Stability- Maintaining control of your body while in an unstable and changing environment

Strength- Focus on lower body and core

Endurance- Build the energy to enjoy long runs without tiring

Contact me for details.

Workouts will be challenging and fun, and the payoff is how much more you'll enjoy your skiing and snowboarding by being in shape

Fitness links from the past month

2011-10-06T13:53:00.000-07:00

Roundup of recent links from my Facebook page. Typically I post here, then it is automatically sent to Facebook, but lately I've been putting links there first.

Here's a great example of pre-season training combined with FMS. For those wanting the training without becoming a ski bum, I have a Palo Alto ski and snowboard conditioning class that I'll announce soon:

Ski Bums Wanted: Northstar Job Fairs

"Due to previous years’ success, the Northstar Resort Ski & Snowboard School will again offer training opportunities including dry-land, pre-season training for ski and snowboard instructor candidates. This training includes aerobic and anaerobic conditioning, functional movement screen analysis and corrective exercise, and PSIA and AASI pre-certification prep and clinics."

Vegan Calisthenics : Featured Athlete Frank Lalanne

Full Vegan. Been Vegan for about four months now and loving it. I have a plant based diet so I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, beans and whole grains. I feel a lot stronger and faster now and my workouts are simply amazing. My muscle recovery has also increased tremendously and I have noticed increased energy. My training is mostly consisting of bodyweight training in which I incorporate some calisthenics.

No, wobbly shoes don't work. Try squats and deadlifts instead.

Reebok Agrees to Pay Out $25M Over "Better Butt" Claims

Shoemaker will offer refunds to EasyTone customers to settle FTC's false advertising claims.

This is a version of the Functional Movement Screen from an article by Gray Cook in the October issue of Men's Health

I talk about this a lot, here's another perspective to reinforce the lesson.

Forward Head Posture Correction (Anti-Ageing Must)

Reverse the anti-ageing affects of forward head posture

"Golf Digest Combine" , Gray Cook, Functional Movement and TPI Screen

In the September 2011 "Athlete's Issue" of Golf Digest, readers found a combine. TPItv's Lance Gill ran down TPI Senior Advisory Board member Gray Cook to discuss the article in which, "Staff Writer Max Adler and Functional Movements Cook test your fitness with basic competency, core stability and balance exercises."

From the magazine article:

"'Equating strength or flexibility with such stunts[eg. swinging a golf club standing on a physio ball] is all well and good, but with golfers I'm most interested in coordination,' says Gray Cook, founder of Functional Movement Systems and a leading author and lecturer on physical therapy. As evidenced by the myriad of body types that have succeeded in professional golf, swinging a club correctly and consistently requires harmony of movement, not necessarily brawn."

And even when having brawn is important, movement quality(harmony) improves performance and reduces the chance of injury. Which is why I use the Functional Movement Screen and exercises.

Another look at how mental state affects physical performance.

A Little Deception Helps Push Athletes to the Limit
www.nytimes.com
A look at why most people run or ride or swim faster in a race than they can ever manage to do in practice.

Ongoing news about vitamin D.

Vitamin D lower in NFL football players who suffered muscled injuries, study suggests

www.sciencedaily.com

Vitamin D deficiency has been known to cause an assortment of health problems. Now, a new study suggests that lack of the vitamin might also increase the chance of muscle injuries in athletes, specifically NFL football players.

It takes more effort, but here's evidence of the health benefit of more intense levels of exercise. It's also more fun!

Sprint, Not Saunter, Is Key to Longer Life: Study

www.bloomberg.com

Intense exercise adds more years to your life than more moderate activity, researchers said after studying the bicycle commuters who fill Copenhagen’s streets.

Women and Strength Training

2011-09-29T07:09:00.000-07:00

Marilou Dozois-Prevost

Lately the topic of strength training for women has had a lot of discussion on the web. Rather than repeat it all, I'll make just a couple comments and then point my readers to some other more in-depth articles and websites.

First, lifting weights will NOT make a woman look bulky. Developing large muscles takes a sustained, deliberate effort and won't happen for a woman by accident. Second, there is a definite sense of empowerment gained from doing really hard exercise and feeling the increase in strength not available from the light weights and undemanding training typically marketed to women.

Some great articles

Strong AND Feminine

Why weight training is the beauty prescription Women need the most.

Strong is the new Black…or have you not heard?

Weight Training / Kettlebell Workouts for Women & Six Pack Abs Secrets Revealed by Neghar Fonooni

Skinny Fat (a guy wrote this one, and it shows, but the information is very good)

Websites of more awesome women

Neghar Fonooni

Jen Comas Keck

Melody Schoenfeld

Marianne Kane

Kellie Davis

As a trainer, I'm proud to help women discover they can be physically strong, and don't need the limits placed on them by the mainstream "fitness" industry and many trainers.

New T-Shirts

2011-08-28T09:49:00.000-07:00

Here's the new "Steven Rice Fitness" T-shirt, guaranteed to make you stronger. The shirt is grey, not white. In the future I may have optional colors available.

I'll give free shirt to the next two people booking a training session in a Palo Alto park.

Now Offering The Functional Movement Screen

2011-08-13T14:28:00.000-07:00

Continuing my approach of safely developing strength and movement ability for my clients, I have become certified in the Functional Movement Screen(FMS) and begun incorporating it into my practice

FMS takes a high level look at quality of execution in selective athletic movement patterns, identifying asymmetries or functional limitations that could lead to injury or impair performance. As the exerciser performs the simple movements, the ability to do the movement without pain, complete the movement with good form, and utilize both sides of the body equally is noted.

An example is the ability to step over a hurdle adjusted to the height of the athlete's knee. For a perfect score the athlete must step over and back while the body stays balanced and aligned(stability), with sufficient hip flexibility and control(mobility) to clear the top without deviating. Traditional range of motion tests isolate particular joints and don't require balance and movement, and performance tests may rate quantity over quality of execution.

The score of each test indicates whether referral to a physician or other medical professional is needed(a test caused pain), corrective exercise and soft tissue work(stretching and massage) are needed, or the athlete can proceed to training and sports.

FMS isn't the final word in determining injury risk or assessing athletic capabilities, but it does give a quick and effective initial evaluation and way to monitor progress. Learn more at Functional Movement Systems and read some of the many articles there about the screen. For another look, watch the first minute of this Nike video about FMS being used at an NFL training camp.

The Functional Movement Screen will be given to all my new clients, and I will be offering a screen and corrective exercise package together with NoXcuses Fitness especially for people beginning a new exercise or sports program.

Gravity, and the Ups and Downs of Weight Training

2011-07-14T19:27:00.000-07:00

Being a strong advocate of body weight and free weight training, it seems appropriate to discuss gravity- the force of attraction between matter and the Earth we feel as "weight". Thinking about gravity can help with choosing an exercise program and is central to my ideas on "Functional Strength Training."

A plumb bob points down

Gravity pulls all matter toward the center of the Earth, defining the direction "down", and vertical is either down or the opposite, "up". (My engineering background is coming out in this post.) Gravity pulls our bodies down our entire lives, and all our stuff. If you want to move your body, and if you want to move your stuff, dealing with gravity is required.

At the same time that everything is being pulled down, the floor, bench, or pull-up bar supporting you is pushing up with, as we say, an equal and opposite reaction, assuming there's no acceleration. (Acceleration means that something is moving and the rate of movement is changing.) Your feet press on the floor, and the floor presses up with equal force. If you jump, there is momentarily no ground force and the Earth accelerates you down at 1 "G". At the moment of impact when you hit the ground there is a very rapid deceleration(decrease in rate of movement) and correspondingly higher force from the ground pushing up. Landing on a rubber mat feels softer than concrete because the mat compresses more when you land, so the deceleration takes longer and the impact force is lower. Good exercise accounts for these properties of the natural world.

Hands and feet teamwork

So much for physics. The next connection is to biology. Humans have evolved with gravity, and the arrangement of the skeleton shows this. More so than any other form of life, our skeletons hold us vertically oriented. Our bodies adapt, as best they can, by increasing the size and density of muscles and bones used to resist gravity's pull- or decreasing(including osteoporosis) without the stimulus of resisting gravity. Incidentally, our upright, two-legged posture is very energy efficient compared to quadrupeds, which may be faster but lack our ability to run long distances. Bipedalism also allows the hands to do useful things beyond basic locomotion, and requiring the hands and feet to work together is an important part of functional training(Don't Sit Down to exercise.) I will briefly mention that obesity both makes gravity much more problematic and discourages the sort of training discussed here.

Shot putting

In sports, typically athletes are on their feet and dynamically moving their own bodies, often plus some implement, eg. a ball. The more capable the athlete is at balancing and overcoming gravity the better his or her performance will be.

An important fitness consideration is injury prevention. Falls are a common source of injury and are what happens when we lose control of our bodies and gravity suddenly pulls us down to the Earth. Also people are often hurt while moving an unusually heavy object, especially in an awkward position, such as reaching into the backseat of a car. Training with weights in stability challenging positions or movements develops the strength and neuromuscular control needed to prevent harmful falls and strains. One helpful exercise is doing walking lunges while shifting a weight from side to side, another is doing single leg deadlifts(sldl video).

The implication of all this is that improving our ability to manage gravity is essential to life in the physical world. How well we cope, or excel, with the effects of gravity is a major indicator of both fitness and athletic performance.

Turkish Get Up with kettlebell

Given the importance of gravity in training, is it difficult to find ways to do this? No, the opposite is true. First are exercises using just the weight of your body- running, jumping, pushups and pullups are familiar examples. The most next most fundamental type of exercise is simply lifting something heavy. Pick it up, move it around, put it down, repeat. Squats and deadlifts are excellent for building prime mover(the big muscles) strength, and asymmetric or unilateral stances and movements, such as lunges and single leg deadlifts, should be included to emphasize balance and the smaller stabilizing muscles. The wonderfully named Turkish Get Up is the perfect example of an anti-gravity exercise.

Bret demonstrates what not to do

What doesn't work is exercises involving sitting or lying down, or in water. Those types of exercise can be good in some ways, but they don't provide the holistic benefits of training against gravity. Elastic bands, inflatable balls, and machines can't simulate how gravity creates resistance, so free weights are always preferred*. Even when the force is the same at a particular moment, the action is different and the brain and nervous system don't get the same movement training. The fad for trying to exercise on unstable surfaces such as a Bosu is also counter-productive for developing the strength and control for the normal situation of standing on steady ground and moving ourselves and heavy objects. Don't do this unless you live in a bounce house. There is no substitute for weight-bearing exercise.

So, get on your feet and pick up something heavy!

*Back to physics: The force of gravity is expressed as F=ma, ie. weight equals mass times the acceleration of gravity. Bands and springs are F=kx, ie force equals the spring constant times the change of length of the spring. Gravity is always pulling down, bands and springs pull toward the attachment point. Machines vary, but are generally unnatural in how the resistance acts on your body.

Yet Another Article on Sitting and Back Pain

2011-06-24T08:57:00.000-07:00

One more article from the NYT about how injurious sitting is for health to add to my list on the topic

Great advice is given, although I would mention that physical therapists aren't the only people who can teach exercises to improve your posture and prevent potential back pain. Likewise with Pilates, which is mentioned as good form of training to build core strength. Pilates is excellent for that but I believe has the limitation of being based on exercises done while lying down.

A good training program includes exercises to compensate for the clients habits and problems. It should also go beyond that to enable the client to excel at all of life's physical challenges, and reap all the rewards of excellent fitness.

Sit Up Straight. Your Back Will Thank You.
By LESLEY ALDERMAN
Published: June 24, 2011

Maintaining good posture not only helps you look better (there’s a reason inept people are called slouches), it improves muscle tone, makes breathing easier and is one of the best ways to stave off back and neck pain, not to mention the dreaded dowager’s hump of old age

P90X Creator and Veganism

2011-05-29T10:59:00.000-07:00

Read something interesting about the creator of P90X, Tony Horton, in the NYT article The Fitness Revolution Will Be Televised (After Leno): The buff fitness guru "rarely eats meat or drinks liquor or coffee."

On his blog Tony states "I was vegan for years and recently I added free range chicken and wild salmon." So at least he's not a gung-ho Paleo fanatic. He also has a post by his vegan chef Missy Costello about nutrition.

Tony's main point is to "eat HEALTHY FOOD!" and I completely agree with that. Too many diets start with a narrow philosophy and then ignore good nutrition.

High Intensity Interval Training Outdoors

2011-04-25T10:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was HIIT, High Intensity Interval Training, day for me at Cubberly Fields in Palo Alto. I attached my camera to my bicycle and got lots of snaps.

The idea of HIIT is alternating short bursts of very strenuous exercise with rest in order to create overall more energy consumption than steady exercise. It is really a cardio protocol. The exercises don't have to be traditional cardio ones, and I like alternating sprints and a rowing machine with other more strength oriented lifting and moving.

I'm doing 45 seconds of work and 45 seconds of rest now. Whatever exercises are used need to be done continuously for the entire work interval, so moderate weights will be needed. I've also found it is important to know in advance what exercises you'll do and have any equipment ready and in place. Once you get started thinking gets difficult.

Because the exercise is so intense, HIIT has the advantage of allowing a shorter workout. The real magic however is something called EPOC- Extra Calories Burned After Exercise. This means that even after you've crawled home, watched a DVD, and finished your third kale smoothy, you're STILL burning more calories because the workout has elevated your metabolism to superhuman levels.

Sprint Interval

Sprints are the foundation of my HIIT workouts, especially outdoors. It is easy to do them for time, they are incredible for developing leg and hip strength, and very much a real, natural movement for the body.

Kettlebell Row

Here I'm doing rows supported by a medicine ball. Two bells would have been better so the sides could alternate, but I rode my bike to the field and carrying a single small bell was hard enough. This exercise is known as a renegade row, and completely shreds your abs.

Gymboss Digital Timer

Having a Gymboss timer is a big help in doing interval training. It can be set for two intervals of different lengths and a total number of intervals. It beeps, vibrates, and does CPR(next release.) The best thing about it is that when I'm training someone I blame it for working the client so hard- the Gymboss knows no mercy.

Articles on Exercise and Aging, Treating Tendonopathy, Vitamin D, and Training Like a Niner

2011-03-04T13:59:00.000-08:00

Another roundup of topics broadly concerning fitness.

Two from the New York Times on the value of exercise, from living longer to healing injury:

Can Exercise Keep You Young?
By GRETCHEN REYNOLDS

"We all know that physical activity is beneficial in countless ways, but even so, Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky, a professor of pediatrics at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, was startled to discover that exercise kept a strain of mice from becoming gray prematurely.

But shiny fur was the least of its benefits. Indeed, in heartening new research published last week in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, exercise reduced or eliminated almost every detrimental effect of aging in mice that had been genetically programmed to grow old at an accelerated pace."

For Tendon Pain, Think Beyond the Needle
By JANE E. BRODY

Two time-honored remedies for injured tendons seem to be falling on their faces in well-designed clinical trials.

The first, corticosteroid injections into the injured tendon, has been shown to provide only short-term relief, sometimes with poorer long-term results than doing nothing at all.

The second, resting the injured joint, is supposed to prevent matters from getting worse. But it may also fail to make them any better.

Rather, working the joint in a way that doesn’t aggravate the injury but strengthens supporting tissues and stimulates blood flow to the painful area may promote healing faster than “a tincture of time.”

I'm fascinated by vitamin D. As a hormone regulator it has a huge influence on health. The cool part though is that our bodies can manufacture it from sunlight, showing a connection to the natural world way beyond what we eat. Some previous posts are here and here, this is a new bit of research:

Markedly Higher Vitamin D Intake Needed to Reduce Cancer Risk
ScienceDaily (Feb. 28, 2011)
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha have reported that markedly higher intake of vitamin D is needed to reach blood levels that can prevent or markedly cut the incidence of breast cancer and several other major diseases than had been originally thought.

How do the San Francisco 49ers train? Here's a tour of their weight room with some ideas that my clients also hear from me.

Notable moments:
0.25 Woodway treadmills rule!
2:32 Notice the player working his abs isn't rolling forward, he's lifting the shoulders and chest up up.
3:22 OK, this guy is curling forward, but if you look like him, go ahead.
3:09,4:39 Close your eyes! These players are sitting down, using single plane of movement machines. They will get cut from the team soon.
3:29 "We train movements, not muscles"
3:51 Dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells... Ignore the bosu's, they never get used.
4:43 Freemotion machine. My favorite too! Notice the rotation/anti-rotation exercises, and the face-pulls.
6:43 "The whole goal here[this device] is to maintain a stable core while moving the limbs."
7:55 Hip thrusts, great glute exercise, but you need a barbell for serious weight.
8:39 Kettlebells again! Even though the video shows a few single plane of motion machines, what the head strength coach Duane Carlisle talks about is the opposite- full body, multi-planar movements.

New training gig, and articles on fat, orthotics, sitting, old muscles, and health and beauty sports drink

2011-02-02T11:19:00.000-08:00

I am now available at NoXcuses Fitness in Palo Alto for personal training. Great facility, room to move instead of wall to wall machines, and very oriented to personal and small group training. I'm very happy to be on staff, and I'm doing most of my own exercise there as well. Contact me for a tour and complimentary training session.

Fitness article roundup, including bone marrow stem cell conversion to bone or fat, orthotic doubts, more on the danger of sitting too much, strength training in old age, ginger for muscle pain, and vegetable consumption and attractiveness.

Phys Ed: More Bone (and Less Fat) Through Exercise
By GRETCHEN REYNOLDS

For those requiring additional reasons to show up at the running path or at the gym in the dreary heart of winter, science has come up with a compelling new motivation. Exercise can, it appears, keep your bone marrow from becoming too flabby.

Yet another compelling argument to exercise. This makes me think about how I can add more short workouts into my week.

Close Look at Orthotics Raises a Welter of Doubts
By GINA KOLATA

Benno M. Nigg has become a leading researcher on orthotics — those shoe inserts that many athletes use to try to prevent injuries. And what he has found is not very reassuring.
...
His overall conclusion: Shoe inserts or orthotics may be helpful as a short-term solution, preventing injuries in some athletes. But it is not clear how to make inserts that work. The idea that they are supposed to correct mechanical-alignment problems does not hold up.

Bracing an area causes it to weaken. There may be anatomical necessities in some instances, but movement and strength training will be far most of the time.

Couch Potatoes Beware: Too Much Time Spent Watching TV Is Harmful to Heart Health
ScienceDaily (Jan. 11, 2011)

Spending too much leisure time in front of a TV or computer screen appears to dramatically increase the risk for heart disease and premature death from any cause, perhaps regardless of how much exercise one gets, according to a new study published in the January 18, 2011, issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Yes, sitting is definitely bad.

Strengthening Older Muscles
By KAREN STABINER

“Resistance exercise like weight lifting and increased protein are the best tools to adjust to the loss of muscle with aging,” Dr. Heber said. “Exercise combined with adequate protein intake can lead to increases in muscle mass and performance, even in the very old.”

I have a 78 year old client who is clearly getting stronger, and a lot of fun to work with.

The Claim: Eating Ginger Helps Reduce Muscle Pain and Soreness
By ANAHAD O’CONNOR

"Ultimately, the ginger groups experienced roughly 25 percent reductions in exercise-induced muscle pain 24 hours after a workout. "
...

"...it was associated with less soreness the following day, leading the researchers to conclude that ginger may help “attenuate the day-to-day progression of muscle pain.”

This will make a great addition to my cherry-beet sports drink!

Eating Vegetables Gives Skin a More Healthy Glow Than the Sun, Study Shows
ScienceDaily (Jan. 12, 2011)

New research suggests eating vegetables gives you a healthy tan. The study, led by Dr Ian Stephen at The University of Nottingham, showed that eating a healthy diet rich in fruit and vegetables gives you a more healthy golden glow than the sun.

Dr Stephen said: "We found that, given the choice between skin colour caused by suntan and skin colour caused by carotenoids, people preferred the carotenoid skin colour, so if you want a healthier and more attractive skin colour, you are better off eating a healthy diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables than lying in the sun."

My future sports drink will not only be good for your health, it will make you better looking!

Good Posture Makes You More Powerful

2011-01-05T20:31:00.000-08:00

Posture article shows a connection to perceived and actual power:
How You Can Become More Powerful by Literally Standing Tall

Posture can affect how powerful you feel--and how powerful you are
More impressively, expansive postures also altered the participants’ hormone levels. Using salivary samples, Carney and colleagues found that expansive postures led individuals to experience elevated testosterone (T) and decreased cortisol (C). This neuroendocrine profile of High T and Low C has been consistently linked to such outcomes as disease resistance and leadership abilities. Although past research has found that occupying a powerful role leads to expansive postures, Carney et al.’s paper is the first to investigate the reciprocal relationship – the causal effect of posture on the mental experience of power.
Scientific American, By Adam D. Galinsky and Li Huang | January 4, 2011

Testosterone(good) and cortisol(bad) have other significant roles in health, including promoting muscular growth(testosterone) and stress(cortisol), plus the link to disease resistance mentioned.

Poor posture can cause or exacerbate many musculoskeletal problems, including excessive compression and friction with joints and connective tissue, and muscles overworked from supporting the body in an inefficient alignment.

Posture improvement begins with awareness, and continues with stretching and strengthening the appropriate areas to make holding good alignment easier and automatic.

EPOC- Extra Calories Burned After Exercise

2010-12-22T20:16:00.000-08:00

For many people burning calories is the main reason for exercising. Besides the calories burned during the workout itself, you may have heard that the metabolism stays elevated afterwards, continuing to burn more calories than it would have otherwise.

Important to note though is that how the exercise is done and the type of exercise matter quite a lot. Any exercise will have some effect, but instensity is the key to getting a high EPOC(excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, a measure of calories burned.)

A 30 minute cardio session at 60% of a typical VO2 max(volume of oxygen, a measure of intensity) has a modest "afterburn" of about 16 calories, but at 70% VO2 max an extra 34 calories are burned after the exercise. The extra intensity more than doubles the calories burned afterward. However with HIIT(high intensity interval training, aka HIT for short) in approximately the same amount of time the extra calories burned is 73, more than double again.

The max EPOC is from weight lifting though. That means weights near your capacity, and lifts like squats that engage the entire body(same as functional strength training.) Twenty bicep curls won't do it, it's got to be as many muscles as possible engaged at once, and loads heavy enough you can't possibly do more than 10 in a row. Here the equivalent post-workout calories burned can exceed 700! The duration of the raised metabolism lasts much longer as well. More moderate weight training will still be superior to traditional cardio, but lift heavy if EPOC is your goal.

Here I'll point to my source for these numbers- Scott Stevenson, who wrote this excellent article on the topic: Discover the Afterburn

The summary: Steady cardio exercise burns calories while you do it and only a little after, HIT is much better, and hardcore weight training burns the most post-exercise calories.

Weightlifting After Breast Cancer Treatment Reduces Lymphedema

2010-12-09T13:16:00.000-08:00

Good news for breast cancer survivors. This is part of the trend over the past few decades of using exercise for treatment and recovery from illness and injury. The generic advice of rest and inactivity is being overturned. Note too that weight lifting is the specific exercise studied. Of course this should be with your doctor's approval.

Weightlifting Slashes Lymphedema Risk After Breast Cancer Treatment, Study Suggests

ScienceDaily (Dec. 8, 2010) — Weightlifting may play a key role in the prevention of the painful limb-swelling condition lymphedema following breast cancer treatment, according to new research from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Combined with the team's previous findings that the exercise limits a worsening of symptoms among women who already have lymphedema, the new data cements the reversal of long-running advice that breast cancer survivors should avoid lifting anything heavier than five pounds after they finish treatment.

Combining Massage and Personal Training

2010-12-03T12:26:00.000-08:00

Two great ways to care for your body are massage and exercise. The importance of each is familiar, but less well known is how the two complement each other. In fact they are often both required to resolve common pain, posture, and movement issues. NB: First check with a medical professional to diagnose the problem.

Massage and other forms of soft tissue bodywork have benefits including reducing tension in muscles and fascia, and breaking down undesirable adhesions which can form within the tissues. This release can help restore mobility and range of motion. The body and mind relax and feel at ease.

Exercise serves to strengthen and build new efficient muscle and connective tissue by using controlled deliberate stress. The body is energized, and the capacity to deal with unintentional stress is increased. Together with the physical changes, good exercise develops new motor patterns- neurological conditioning of how the muscles work together to create movement and stability.

Often muscular pain and dysfunction are caused by a combination of over-active, shortened muscles in one area and weakened, over-stretched opposing muscles. Resolving the problem in these cases requires treating both sets of muscles with a combination of massage and exercise.

It is also essential that as flexibility in an area increases, the ability to support and protect the body in that area is also developed. Increasing the range of motion without increasing strength and control in that range can cause susceptibility to injury and joint dysfunction.

A commonly successful strategy is to begin with focused soft tissue work, including massage and facilitated stretching, at the beginning of the treatment program. This is to alleviate pain and release tissue. Specific corrective exercises are then added to address muscle imbalances and deficiencies. As progress is made the program transitions to more general "maintenance" massage and integrated, functional strength training.

By combining the release of massage with structured growth from personal training, soft tissue is remodeled and the body becomes less painful and restricted, stronger and more mobile, and less likely to be injured.

Kids Benefit from Strength Training

2010-11-27T12:13:00.000-08:00

An NYT article on kids and weight training:
The Benefits of Weight Training for Children

...a major new review just published in Pediatrics, together with a growing body of other scientific reports, suggest that, in fact, weight training can be not only safe for young people, it can also be beneficial, even essential.

Other research has shown that exercise helps children with cognitive development and preventing obesity. Usually weight lifting isn't considered appropriate, but this study shows that idea to be false.

The Tennis Ball Roller

2010-11-16T13:02:00.000-08:00

An excellent way to apply some self massage to the low back is with a tennis ball roller. Here's how to make one from two tennis balls, a sock, and a wire tie wrap:

This is great for easing tension in the muscles running along the spine. The spinal processes(the bony bits you can feel) go into the notch between the two balls and keep the roller aligned. To use it, lean against a wall in a partial squat with the roller between the wall and your back. Now squat deeper and stand taller to roll over the muscles. This is especially effective for the low back(lumbar) muscles, which need the pressure without moving the vertebrae underneath. It will also feel good on the upper(thoracic) spinal muscles, but they don't benefit as much and don't really need relaxing. In general for most people, the lumbar area needs muscles relaxed but joints steady, the thoracic area needs the joints loosened but muscles strengthened.

To address mobility limits in the upper spine, try this. Lie on the floor on top of the roller, starting at the mid-back. Please note that this requires good core strength to do safely. Keep the roller still as you raise one shoulder diagonally up and over toward the opposite hip, with a slight abdominal crunch, about 5 times. Bend toward the other side, then roll the ball an inch or two closer to your head and repeat. The point here is to get the spine moving, just a bit, where the tennis balls are pressing.

Worth mentioning is the more familiar "foam rolling" for self massage, using a long cylindrical piece of foam.

My opinion is that, yes, it can be helpful. It just isn't quite as essential as some folks say, and not always for the reasons assumed. There may be some benefit from the pressure, but I think the real benefit is from mobilization. You put your body in unusual positions and move around in a strange ways, and that means bending joints and using muscles in ways that they don't usually get. The pressure of the roller is just a plus. If you think it helps, go for it.

Fixing One Problem & Cure for Colds

2010-11-02T12:22:00.000-07:00

A common thing I encounter is people seeking to improve just one thing with their body. In my massage practice, someone will ask me to work on the one spot they feel pain. With personal training, someone will have one set of muscles they want stronger/bigger/less flabby, or one type of fitness such as cardiovascular, or even one type of exercise or equipment they think is best. It could be the one goal of weight loss or it's the one place they want to have less fat.

The truth is all these things are important- and they are all needed together to create optimum health and fitness. There may be priorities, but ultimately a balanced and long term approach will not only be the best overall, but do the most for the individual goals as well. Massage and other soft-tissue work needs to address not just the spot the hurts, but the areas that may be causing the pain. Exercise should work all the muscles, and, critically, train all the muscles to work together. A healthy diet will not only help maintain moderate weight, but help build strength, plus reduce the risk of many diseases(just about all actually.)

Here's an exercise example: A guy want to build up his chest muscles. However working the chest without also strengthening the back can cause the shoulders and head to pull forward, diminishing the apparent chest size. He looks contracted instead of expanded, and may develop more serious problems than appearance, such as back pain, less shoulder range of motion, and decreased lung capacity.

Training for and participating in only one sport can cause problems too, especially for young athletes:
Young Tennis Players Who Play Only One Sport Are More Prone To Injuries
ScienceDaily (Nov. 10, 2009)

Researchers who analyzed 3,366 matches in United States Tennis Association junior competition found that players who specialized in only tennis were more likely to withdraw from tournaments for medical reasons, typically injuries.

Cross training with a general fitness program or having more than one sport can lead to more success by reducing injuries, and can develop a more rounded athlete.

Why else is general fitness important? How about fewer and less severe colds:
Physical Fitness Curbs Frequency and Severity of Colds, Study Finds
ScienceDaily (Nov. 1, 2010)

People who are physically fit and active have fewer and milder colds, indicates research published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Working on just one bit of fitness is a great first step, now consider the advantages of a balanced, holistic approach.

Organic Exercise, a Gray Cook Perspective

2010-10-11T09:51:00.000-07:00

The importance of exercising the entire body at once, in natural ways, over isolating body parts with machines and artificial movements, is a major focus of my personal training. The term functional fitness incorporates this concept.

Here's an article with an excellent analogy to food from the most influential person in functional movement today, Gray Cook:

Organic Exercise?

Is there such a thing as organic exercise? The word organic is often associated with concepts like natural, whole, unrefined and authentic. The term that was once only applied to our food is now being applied to our other lifestyle choices as well.

Some other good quotes:

Our dissection and analysis of the body has produced isolated exercises that assume movement patterns will spontaneously reset themselves.
...
Our movement learning system rarely benefits from isolated exercises or focus on single body parts. Just like highly processed fortified food, the isolated exercises seem more scientifically complex, and therefore in the public eye, are assumed to be better.
...
The takeaway—Eat a balanced variety of clean whole foods and exercise in a balanced variety of clean whole movement patterns.

Most people have become aware of these facts about our food. The next step is realizing the same concepts apply to how we exercise.

Vitamin D and Orthopedic Surgery

2010-10-07T12:02:00.000-07:00

Yet again, vitamin D is linked to health, especially bone and muscle healing:
Vitamin D Deficiency Rampant in Patients Undergoing Orthopedic Surgery, Damaging Patient Recovery

ScienceDaily (Oct. 6, 2010) — Almost 50 percent of patients undergoing orthopedic surgery have vitamin D deficiency that should be corrected before surgery to improve patient outcomes, according to a study by researchers at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York City. Vitamin D is essential for bone healing and muscle function and is critical for a patient's recovery.

The amazing vitamin D has been mentioned several times here, especially the post Vitamin D, Sunlight, and Health. It isn't just in the extreme case of surgery that it helps your muscles, bones, and many other important bits.

Have I mentioned that I offer personal training in parks? Outdoors and in the sun...

Exercise and Vitamin Supplements

2010-10-06T07:23:00.000-07:00

Exercise creates free radicals, charged molecules that can damage our cells, and anti-oxidant vitamins neutralize free radicals. Therefore we should take vitamins after exercise, right? Well, maybe not:

October 6, 2010, 12:01 am
Phys Ed: Free the Free Radicals
By GRETCHEN REYNOLDS

‘‘The evidence suggests that antioxidants are not needed’’ by most athletes, even those training strenuously, said Li Li Ji, a professor of exercise physiology and nutritional science at the University of Wisconsin and one of the authors of the rat study. ‘‘The body adapts,’’ he said, a process that can, it seems, be altered by antioxidant supplements.
Another lesson: ‘‘Eat well,’’ he said. Although this is not yet proved, it seems likely, he continued, that antioxidants from foods, like blueberries, green tea and carrots, may work in tandem with the body’s natural antioxidant defenses better than those from supplements.

My suggestion is to eat a piece of fruit after a workout to get anti-oxidants in their natural state together with other phyto(plant) nutrients. The immediate calorie intake can also help replenish your glycogen, your muscles' preferred form of stored energy, and that helps enable protein synthesis- otherwise known as building muscle.

I'll note that there is a lot of debate on post-exercise nutrition, which is another good reason to stick to simple, natural foods and not be too analytical about your body. Science changes, nature does not.

Inflamation Helps Wounds Heal

2010-10-05T12:47:00.000-07:00

Inflammation is usually considered bad, and to be reduced at all times. New research shows that it can actually help a wound to heal faster:

Surprise: Scientists Discover That Inflammation Helps to Heal Wounds

ScienceDaily (Oct. 5, 2010) — A new research study published in The FASEB Journal may change how sports injuries involving muscle tissue are treated, as well as how much patient monitoring is necessary when potent anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed for a long time. That's because the study shows for the first time that inflammation actually helps to heal damaged muscle tissue, turning conventional wisdom on its head that inflammation must be largely controlled to encourage healing.

The right balance needs to be found, but this suggests another instance where allowing the body's natural systems to function is better than impeding them.

New Research on Massage Benefits

2010-09-23T09:35:00.000-07:00

A study was just published measuring stress and immune system hormones before and after a massage session, with very good results. From the New York Times:
Regimens: Massage Benefits Are More Than Skin Deep

"Volunteers who received Swedish massage experienced significant decreases in levels of the stress hormone cortisol in blood and saliva, and in arginine vasopressin, a hormone that can lead to increases in cortisol. They also had increases in the number of lymphocytes, white blood cells that are part of the immune system.

Volunteers who had the light massage experienced greater increases in oxytocin, a hormone associated with contentment, than the Swedish massage group, and bigger decreases in adrenal corticotropin hormone, which stimulates the adrenal glands to release cortisol. "

By RONI CARYN RABIN
Published: September 20, 2010

The abstract is here:
A Preliminary Study of the Effects of a Single Session of Swedish Massage on Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Adrenal and Immune Function in Normal Individuals
Mark Hyman Rapaport, Pamela Schettler, Catherine Bresee. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. -Not available-, ahead of print. doi:10.1089/acm.2009.0634.

It's well established that the presence of stress hormones causes or exacerbates many health problems, and that the presence of oxytocin is associated with improved health and happiness. This study doesn't prove that massage will make you healthier and happier, but we're making progress.

The Times article uses unusual wording for massage; typically Swedish implies light pressure and deep tissue implies stronger pressure. Neither term is exactly defined or used the same between different professionals or with the public though. In an actual massage the techniques are usually blended together, and I ask people what their treatment goal is rather than what type of massage they want.

Testing My New Climbing Rope

2010-09-16T12:47:00.000-07:00

In the park playing around:

Rope climbing is an awesome upper body workout, with extra grip emphasis those of us who are also massage therapists appreciate.

I made the rope from an old 11mm rock climbing rope, with three long pieces folded in the center to form a bight at the top. I spent a long time trying to twist the strands, then figured out it would work just fine to braid them. Come train in the park and we'll put the "fun" in functional!

Tennis Shoulder, and Exercise Without Electricity

2010-09-10T12:38:00.000-07:00

A good fitness article from the NYT:
Phys Ed: How to Fix a Bad Tennis Shoulder
By GRETCHEN REYNOLDS

"...the authors... concluded that years of “intensive tennis practice may be a predisposing factor for the development of mild degenerative articular changes in the dominant shoulder.”"

The injury, the reason it can occur, and how to prevent it are discussed. The readers' comments are quite informative as well.

Tennis is an example of an activity with great health benefits, and also some limitations. First, it's a fun, social way to get exercise and keep moving. I like that you are on your feet, coordinating footwork and the racket, and reacting quickly to the other player. Moving in all directions, especially side-to-side is a big plus.

The downside is that one arm gets used far more than the other, making similar movements constantly. Particularly bad as discussed in the article is that the primary arm movement involves pullling the anterior shoulder forward- exactly the position that is the most common postural deviation in our society. A person sits at a desk with the arms reaching forward, then plays a sport that involves more reaching forward.

"It may behoove anyone who plays competitive tennis to consider adopting the rotator-cuff strengthening routines long common in the pro ranks."

This is where Functional Strength Training comes in. One aspect of functional training is to emphasize full range of motion exercise, and exercises that balance overuse from sports or life activities. A sport like tennis, together with a complementary strength training program, is an ideal fitness solution.

A couple of days ago I was exercising at the gym when the power went out. It was funny to see all the cardio machines instantly stop, but my dumbbells weren't affected at all. Low tech exercise wins again!

Exercise and Upper Spine Alignment

2010-09-01T15:49:00.000-07:00

Recently I observed someone at the gym I've advised before on improving his head-forward, rounded upper back posture(thoracic hyper-kyphosis). My exercise advice was briefly to exercise the upper back and do much less exercise for the front of the torso but to stretch there instead.

What I saw was a commendable emphasis on working the posterior shoulders, but unfortunately always done with the spine rounded forward. The loads were actually pulling the spine more forward as the arms pulled back, for instance doing a row. And if I had to choose, for most people I'd say that improving the spinal curvature is more important than improving the shoulder position.

Generally exercise should be done "spine neutral," meaning the spine keeps its slight natural curves but isn't allowed to bend more. Indeed, the spine musculature's primary role is in preventing movement(which should be in the hips, shoulders, and limbs), although the thoracic spine does contribute to rotation(transverse plane), and maintaining mobility is good for all the joints. A rigid spine isn't the goal.

As you work out, first try to keep the spine neutral, then if you tend to round forward, extend the upper spine backwards. This includes the head, which should pull straight back and not jut forward or tilt upward.

Taking It to the Park

These are rows on a suspension device. Note the good alignment of shoulders and upper back. This shows how an exercise that focuses on one movement also works the rest of the body to provide stability.

Medicine ball slams are great for shoulders and core, dynamic stretching, and fun. The start has the shoulders fully retracted and flexed, opening up the chest.

On Sports Injuries, and Foods for Sun

2010-08-19T08:11:00.000-07:00

This article discusses serious amateur athletes with injuries considered career ending, from the New York Times:
When Repeat Injuries Can’t Dim an Athlete’s Passion
By GINA KOLATA
Published: August 16, 2010
I have to admire the dedication shown by these people. I also have to comment that constantly straining the body in a single way often does lead to injury. One of the major benefits of functional training is to help athletes avoid injury by building strength and stability outside the typical demands of their sport.

SPF on Your Plate: Researcher Connects the Mediterranean Diet With Skin Cancer Prevention
ScienceDaily (Aug. 17, 2010)
This study shows that a antioxidant rich diet helps protect the skin from excessive sun. Sunlight enables our skin to make vitamin D, which is essential for health, and of course a nutritious diet has many other benefits. These things all go together...

Peppers May Increase Energy Expenditure in People Trying to Lose Weight
ScienceDaily (Apr. 28, 2010)

Sunday at the California Street Farmers Market in Palo Alto my jalapeño supplier was selling by the basket, so instead of 2 or 3 I got at least a dozen. Then because she's nice, she tossed in a handful of cayenne peppers for me(something which will never happen at a supermarket). Then that evening, I friend I trade sprouts to gave me more jalapeños. ¡Ay, caramba! It's a hot and spicy week here! If I were trying to lose weight, this would help. Plus, jalapeños are a good source of antioxidants vitamin C and vitamin A...

Core Stability- Rotation

2010-07-26T09:54:00.000-07:00

Leave the Twist to Chubby Checker
The core is a critical link in rotational movement, and perhaps more often, resisting rotational movement. Previously I defined the core and discussed its role in bending. As a quick refresher, the core refers to the area between the ribs and pelvis, including the lumbar spine, and its primary role is to provide a stable connection to transmit force between the upper and lower halves of the body.

The less obvious role of the core is to twist and resist twisting the spine, technically called transverse plane movement or rotation. Resisting rotation is more important than creating it- this is called anti-rotation, and is a form of stability. Anti-rotation stability is critical for functional strength and athletic performance, and for avoiding injury to the low spine. The internal and external obliques are the primary muscles involved, but as always it's a team effort.

Twisting the spine means that the hips, ribcage, and head point in different directions. The head isn't part of the core of course, so it's the change in orientation between the ribcage and pelvis we're talking about and trying to build strength to resist. Being able to twist is good, but heavy exertion while twisted is definitely bad, and trying to twist the low spine as a stretch is also not advised, although maintaining existing range of motion is appropriate.

Anti-Rotation Examples
As always, I advocate compound, full body exercises, and discourage using machines. The one machine that is OK though is the adjustable cable column, usually seen as a cable crossover machine or the fancy Free Motion machine. These machines will serve well to learn about anti-rotation.

Stand facing a cable column with the pulley at shoulder height. Grasp the handle and pull it toward you. Physics tells us that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. As you pull the handle, it pulls you, and the pull is a combination of rotating your spine toward the pulley and bending it forward. Do the exercise, called a row, with the hips and chest facing straight toward the machine the whole time, and those anti-rotation muscles will get used nicely. Do both sides, then face away from the machine and push. Again, use the core muscles to keep the torso in line.

The progression from this to really work at anti-rotation is to stand in the middle of two cable columns and push one while pulling the other. This will really, really, work those anti-rotation muscles, without including the bending muscles, plus give you some nice shoulder exercise.

These show how to keep the torso stable motionless while working the upper extremities, but more fun is to move the whole body while keeping the core in a strong, stable alignment.

It's All in the Hips
Here's the absolutely critical part: We do need to twist, but not the lower spine. Twisting should come from the hips. Too much sitting down and general lack of movement causes tight hips. Since the hips are tight when you do try to twist, extra stress is put on the spine. This means that equally important to strengthening the core in order to protect the spine from this stress is gaining hip mobility and movement patterns to avoid the stress in the first place.

When the body needs to turn to the side, the pelvis and ribcage should both turn, and at the same time the legs should be turning in the hip sockets. This gets a bit difficult to explain in writing, so I'm going to include a couple of videos from great coaches that further explain this idea. These are my first embedded videos, so let me know if they don't look right. The first is Rotary / AntiRotation Core Training from Nick Tumminello, a huge name in the training world with a blog well worth following:

Second is from TCU coach Zach Dechant from his blog post Rotational Movement Series, which gives details on an example exercise and other excellent rotational training information:

I'll discuss this more in the future and give more exercise examples that integrate anti-rotation with other movement.

First, Move, Then Improve

2010-07-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

After spending a long time at a gym, you become familiar with how some of the other regulars work out. You may notice that most do the same exercises every time. If you are a bodyworker, trainer or coach you may notice even more. You may notice not only that the routine is the same, but may have other shortcomings such as over emphasizing some movements and ignoring others, never improving and worst, doing things which may be harmful.

So, what to do? Well, mostly nothing. It isn't my, or your, responsibility to correct someone. And face it- no matter how well intentioned and non-judgmental the advice is it probably won't be welcome. Still, if I know the person at least a little and they somehow seem like they might be receptive, I look for ways and times to make a suggestion that won't sound like criticism. I think, at least hope, that people in this business want to help others, and never offering advice would be overly chary of our knowledge. Of course as a professional trainer in our place of employment, offering advice may actually be part of the job.

What I try to keep in mind is that for most people at the gym the comparison shouldn't be between a poor workout and a good one, but between working out and not working out at all. Being inactive is far worse than repeating an ineffective routine every gym visit, and far be it from me to discourage someone from trying.

The first thing the body must do is move.

Then, if there's interest in going beyond maintaining the status quo, and spending the same amount of time getting stronger, leaner, and moving better, I'm available to help.

In the meantime, I'll try to stand back, shut up, and (mostly) mind my own business.

Reaching a Fitness Goal

2010-07-06T10:48:00.000-07:00

A personal goal, with an asterisk, met
One year ago I started doing dumbbell snatches. Like most new things, progress was rapid at first then slower and slower. In May I set a specific weight I would lift by July, and last week I did it with one day to spare- from the floor, a clean lift, and a steady pause overhead before setting the weight down. The asterisk is because I did it with one hand and not the other.

The snatch is shown here, and I'll mention that it is notable for its complexity, requiring coordination between different parts of the body doing more than one thing each. Almost every body part is involved, and power and stability are critical. Naturally I use a dumbbell because it's harder, meaning you get fitter, than a barbell.

The weight was 70 lbs., which happens to be the heaviest dumbbell at my gym.

I began with 25 lbs. That amount I could put over my head any way I wanted, but I spent a month with it practicing the proper form. And even as I slowly started adding weight, I found improvements in technique I could make. A year later, and I still need to improve my form and timing. I reached my my goal, with asterisk, not because I have any inherent physical talent or experience in sports(I was a nerd) but because I put in the work to gain a skill I didn't have.

As a Personal Trainer, my job is to give you guidance and encouragement to help you develop the skill and strength to meet your fitness goals. Whether short term and arbitrary like lifting the heaviest dumbbell in the gym, or long term like improved health and athleticism, personal training can help you.

New Blog Home- Welcome!

2010-07-01T09:58:00.001-07:00

This is both a "so long!" to my old blog address and a "welcome!" to my new blog address and new blog name. As my business has evolved to include personal training, I thought it appropriate to make the name change.

The new name is Steven Rice Fitness at the address http://stevenricefitness.com/

The existing content has been moved, and all new content will be on Steven Rice Fitness. I'll be writing about the same topics, including massage, but I think massage is part of fitness more than fitness is part of massage.

Cheers,
Steven

Now a Personal Trainer

2010-06-23T13:42:00.000-07:00

It's official- I'm now a Certified Personal Trainer! The last few months have been busy with studying, but I have very happily passed my certification exam. I suspect that no one reading this blog will be surprised by this.

My certification is from the National Academy of Sports Medicine(NASM). I choose NASM because they have one of the best reputations, and they seem to be the best complement to my sports massage work. The individual practitioner is always more important than the certification, but it certainly helps to have a good one.

Of course this is just another step in the never ending journey of learning about how to help people with their health goals. Personal training is a natural extension of my current bodywork. It will give me a way to better understand and advise my massage clients, make it possible for someone to receive both massage and training from me, or be a training only client. The body is the same after all, and there's a lot of synergy possible by having both perspectives and approaches available.

It hasn't surprised me to see how much the most cutting edge exercise thinking has in common with bodywork. More and more the top fitness experts are training for balance, symmetry, and mobility in addition to strength, speed, and endurance. The idea of isolating one part of the body, either to treat or to train, is well discredited. (All part of functional fitness, already a favorite topic on this blog.)

Over the last week I've been giving practice sessions to experienced trainers. The workouts have been going quite well, and I've been getting very positive feedback. The main challenge I've had is finding the equipment or floor space I intend to use unavailable. In my own workouts I adapt pretty easily, but I'm trying to make each session I give perfect, and the alternate exercises aren't necessarily as good as the one I want to offer. In general, it's all the things other than choosing, demonstrating, and guiding the exercises that are challenging me.

A fascinating thing is observing the differences in everyone's abilities. My practice clients have all been trainers, except for one yoga teacher. They are in good physical condition and very knowledgeable about workout programming. Yet for each person some exercise that would seem easy has been very difficult, either in strength or balance(or both, because the stabilizing muscles are weak compared to the prime movers.) Incidentally, the yoga teacher was the best at doing all the exercises with good form except for a jumping movement- not much jumping in yoga!

This observation convinces me even more of the value of working with a trainer. It is too hard to watch yourself, or sense your alignment proprioceptively, while doing an exercise(not that you shouldn't try.) Even more, picking exercises to continuously challenge yourself needs an outside perspective. Habits and opinions may be so well ingrained that a person is completely oblivious that their exercise routine is lacking. I include myself here, and I'm sure that any of the pros I've trained would find things I don't do well.

Finally I'll mention that as a business, I'm not quite certain how I will represent myself yet, particularly in all things Web. Positive Massage Therapy is very well established, but I want to have an identity that reflects both aspects of my professional practice. More to come...

Runners' Knee Pain and Seeking Exercise Variety

2010-06-08T13:00:00.000-07:00

News supporting exercise variety: Hip Exercises Found Effective at Reducing, Eliminating Common Knee Pain in Runners, Study Suggests

ScienceDaily (June 7, 2010) — A twice weekly hip strengthening regimen performed for six weeks proved surprisingly effective at reducing -- and in some cases eliminating -- knee pain referred to as patellofemoral pain (PFP) in female runners.

Beyond the direct evidence of hip-strengthening for treatment of PFP in runners in this study, to me there are wider implications for training. The body needs to be used and exercised with a wide variety of challenges for optimum fitness and injury avoidance. This variety should include a number of ways.

First, no single exercise is so good that it's all you need. Second, movement should occur in multiple directions, not just the predominant front-to-back(sagittal plane) motion. Third, for a particular exercise use a variety of implements(dumbbells, medicine balls, etc.) or for running, a variety in environment, such as trail running. Finally, do exercises involving the entire body, not just one part. Your body will adapt to the tasks you give it, either with increased strength and mobility, or loosing muscle mass and flexibility where it isn't used. Don't let this happen.

These concepts are part of Functional Fitness, one of my numerous posts about it is Functional Fitness and Vitamin D in NYT. For a simple home hip exercise see my post Just Standing- Back Health and Weight Loss

Sprouts and Sports

2010-06-04T13:59:00.000-07:00

My best food discovery lately is growing my own sprouts. The process is simple, takes only a few days for results, and the product is both great tasting and great for you. Plus a sprouted seed is about as fresh as it gets.

The very complete and informative Sprout People states that alfalfa sprouts are 35% protein and a source of vitamins A, B, C, E, K plus calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, and zinc. From nutritiondata.com it looks more like 50% protein. Pretty good for a green plant in any case, and they're low fat. The seeds of many different plants are available for sprouting with similar healthful qualities. My favorite is the "spicy mix" mix of alfalfa, clover, radish, fenugreek, which has a delicious blend of sharp and mild flavors.

I use a half-gallon canning jars from Palo Alto Hardware for growing. On top of the jar goes a metal screen and a plastic ring to hold it in place. I got my first seeds from Common Ground in Palo Alto, then the rest of the seeds and the other supplies from Sprout People.

The growing procedure is simple. In brief, put some seeds into the jar, put on the screen lid, and add water to soak. Then for a few days rinse and drain- the screen lid makes this is very easy. Sprout People sells sprouters that make it even easier, although I like the glass jar so I can watch the seeds grow.

From a small amount of seeds a huge amount of fresh sprouts emerge ready for sandwiches and salads. Once they're grown I put them in the refrigerator and just grab a ready-to-eat handful to use.

The photos are at 24 hours, 5 days, and 6 days. Two spoonfuls grew that much sprouts.

Summer sports season is here, so a few words about sports massage. I recommend that massage be between events or workouts to help with recovery and to prepare for the next time. Massage immediately after heavy exercise can help with muscles that are tightening, but should be fairly light to not add any extra stress to the muscle tissue. Note that "flushing lactic acid" is a myth. A body that's tight and unbalanced doesn't perform well, and that's where skilled massage can make the most difference.

From the New York Times, Diet and Exercise to the Extremes is an article about an elite vegan marathon runner. I'll bet he eats a lot of sprouts!

Bike to Work 2010

2010-05-11T18:33:00.000-07:00

Thursday it is again Bike to Work Day here in Silicon Valley, a time to celebrate and promote bicycle commuting and all things bike!

I love riding to work, for shopping, and for fun. It provides good cardio-vascular benefit and just being outside is very healthful. Then there's the whole 'green' thing- no oil consumed and no pollution created. As a final benefit, a bike rider doesn't have to worry about paying for parking, or here in Palo Alto, exceeding the free two hour time limit in one space.

Bicycling does have limitations as a fitness method though. For a commuter or casual rider these probably won't matter, but consider them if you ride extensively.

First is that bent-over posture most bikes put you into exacerbates the harmful position of sitting at a desk or in a car. I wrote about that last year in Happy Bike to Work Day Next, cycling works a limited number of large muscles in a single constrained pattern. The synergists, or muscles that assist and stabilize the large prime mover muscles, don't get engaged, and neither does the rest of the body.

Finally there is the lack of weight-bearing stimulation(except for your butt.) It is natural and essential for the body to support its own weight and be able to pick up and move other things against gravity. Not only do the muscles and coordination needed for this get neglected on a bicycle, but the bones will not be strengthened the way they would if you were exercising while on your feet. In the extreme, professional cyclists actually show decreased bone density from their sport.

These problems are even worse for stationary bikes.

I'm all for bicycling for commuting, pleasure, and exercise. Just make sure that the exercise benefits of cycling are combined with the benefits of other weight-bearing and full-body challenging work.

Mothers Day and Massage

2010-05-08T09:04:00.000-07:00

Happy Mothers Day everyone!

I'm a bit behind keeping up with blogging, so this will be brief, but I want to bring up two great things about massage today.

First is that massage is a wonderful and much appreciated gift. Nothing says "relaxation" more than a massage. On the practical side for late gift-givers, on my main business website Positive Massage Therapy a gift certificate can be purchased with Paypal, and I can even email the certificate as a PDF file for speedy response. I can also print it on nice paper at Kinkos, but that takes a couple of days. I'll put a custom message on it as well.

Second is that massage is even more appreciated and beneficial for a Mom-to-be. Pregnancy puts a lot of strain on a woman's body with which a massage can help. There are a lot of health benefits too, but I don't quite have time to list and explain. For today, what matters is that women love it!

While my main professional focus is sports and orthopedic work, it's nice to do some relaxation work, and helping an expectant mother with a prenatal massage is always a privilege.

Chair Massage at Palo Alto's Vivre Fitness This Week

2010-05-04T08:05:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow and Friday(5/5 & 7) mornings I'll be doing complimentary chair massage at Vivre Fitness and Wellness in downtown Palo Alto for club members. Vivre is celebrating its anniversary this week with this and other perks.

If you're not a member, this is a great time to join a very friendly gym. In any case, stop by and say hello.

Just Standing- Back Health and Weight Loss

2010-04-27T08:05:00.000-07:00

More articles on why standing is better than sitting, plus an exercise that will help:

Stand Up While You Read This!

Your chair is your enemy.

It doesn’t matter if you go running every morning, or you’re a regular at the gym. If you spend most of the rest of the day sitting — in your car, your office chair, on your sofa at home — you are putting yourself at increased risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, a variety of cancers and an early death. In other words, irrespective of whether you exercise vigorously, sitting for long periods is bad for you.

The always interesting and thorough New York Times writer Olivia Judson gives this lively overview on the topic of not sitting.

Can’t Stand to Sit Too Long? There’s a Desk for That

Although standing up all day seemed better for his back than sitting down, the real pleasure was in being able to change positions over the course of the day. A moveable desk lets him do that; whenever his body threatens to stiffen into a single aching pose, he switches to another.

The chair is the chair, what can be done? You can compensate, by occasionally sitting on a stability ball, or, purchasing an adjustable height desk. My favorite part is the mention that it is the ability to change the method of using the desk, not just finding a single perfect position and holding it, that provides the benefit. That's why sitting on a stability ball is good- they make you move around a bit.

Weighing the Evidence on Exercise

"In a completed but unpublished study conducted in his energy-metabolism lab, Braun and his colleagues had a group of volunteers spend an entire day sitting. If they needed to visit the bathroom or any other location, they spun over in a wheelchair. Meanwhile, in a second session, the same volunteers stood all day, “not doing anything in particular,” Braun says, “just standing.” The difference in energy expenditure was remarkable, representing “hundreds of calories,” Braun says, but with no increase among the upright in their blood levels of ghrelin or other appetite hormones. Standing, for both men and women, burned multiple calories but did not ignite hunger. One thing is going to become clear in the coming years, Braun says: if you want to lose weight, you don’t necessarily have to go for a long run. “Just get rid of your chair.” "

This article is primarily about how exercise helps, or doesn't, with controlling body weight. The gist is that exercise isn't so good for losing weight, but is great for keeping it off. At the end was the paragraph I quote above, offering yet more evidence for my Don't Sit Down campaign.

A Simple Standing Exercise
Sometimes the exercises I describe are advanced and require gym equipment. The one leg step down is an easier one that can be done at home and that works those standing muscles, including the ones needed for lateral(side to side) stability and movement. Plus, it improves balance.

Stand on the bottom step of a stairway, facing sideways, with one foot on the step and the other hanging above the floor. Hold the rail at first, but work on balancing without using your hands. Lower the unsupported foot to the floor, lightly tap, and raise it. Try to get the hips tilting up and down to work the abductors. Keep your weight back and torso upright. Do up to 20 repetitions, then turn around and do the other side

This exercise works the muscles needed for leg and hip extension- glutes and quads primarily, but the unusual part is the emphasis on leg abduction. The abductors are the muscles on the side of the hip connecting the pelvis to the leg. Stand with your arms akimbo* and your hands are on them. Even people who know what the abductors are often think of them only in terms of moving the leg sideways, and they do. Their primary role however is to stabilize and control the lateral angle between the leg and the pelvis(frontal plane) while the leg is pressing on the ground. Stand on your right leg, and the right abductors prevent or allow the hips to tilt sideways.

As you get stronger, try 3 taps on the floor- to the front, out to the side, and then to the back. Imagine that straight down is the center of a clock dial and tap at 12, 9, and 6. Also really work at elevating the side of the hip when you raise your foot. For fun, kick the leg out to the side as it is raised, and bouncing up on the front of the standing foot. If you can still do more than 20 reps, bravo! you're ready to buy some iron(weights) or start going to the gym.

*A chance to use the word "akimbo" is not to be wasted!

Play Soccer, Have a Cherry-Beet Sports Drink, and then a Massage

2010-04-22T12:35:00.000-07:00

Cherries for Recovery

Here are a few recent articles on interesting fitness topics:

Marathon Runners Should Pick Cherries for Speedy Recovery

Cherry Juice May Prevent Muscle Damage Pain

Tart cherry juice is a well known folk remedy for arthritis and other aches and pains, and it's good to see science supporting and exploring its use.

Beetroot Juice Boosts Stamina, New Study Shows

Will this be the new acai? Will it be banned from the Olympics? How do beet juice and cherry juice taste together?

Soccer Reduces Risk of Falls and Bone Fractures, Study Finds

An extensive research project has studied the effects of soccer on muscle strength, postural balance, bone mineral density and reflex response to a sudden push in the back among adult women and men. Five scientific articles are now being published in Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports showing that regular participation in soccer increases both bone mass and bone density, causes a significant improvement in standing postural balance and improves muscle strength. Together, these effects reduce the risk of falls and bone fractures.

Soccer is a great example of exercising the entire body in a wide variety of movements. It doesn't just require moving quickly, but changing speed and direction quickly, shifting weight, coordinating moving the body and reacting to external stimuli (the ball and other players). This is very much like the ideas of functional fitness, including exercising while standing, and doing exercises involving the entire body. Plus, it's fun and social, which is very motivational.

Note this one bit in comparison to running:

Interestingly the short- and long-term training effects on bone mineral density were greater for the soccer players than for a similar group of runners and an inactive control group.

While running is great in many ways, it does lack variety. Do some cross-training if you run, especially weight training. Through the rainy season here in Palo Alto I've been using a treadmill on days too soggy for bicycling(I loathe riding in rain) and have fun tossing around a medicine ball and pulling resistance bands as I move.

Shopping for Happiness? Get a Massage, Forget the Flat-Screen TV
This isn't strictly about massage, but it does support the value of the experience beyond the direct health benefit.

Image by Sujit Kumar

Bodywork and Statins

2010-04-10T12:54:00.000-07:00

From the excellent blog Happy Healthy Long Life I have learned that the common statin Crestor has been approved for use in healthy people for prevention. Statins are a class of drug used for treatment of high cholesterol. This new ruling may substantially raise the number of people who take this already very common type of medication.

Where this matters in the realm of bodywork and fitness is that possible side-effects of statins include muscle aches and pains, muscle injury, and peripheral neuropathy. If you have, or your client presents, non-specific muscular complaints then statin use should be considered a possible cause. Inform your doctor, and get approval for massage or exercise. Your doctor should be informed immediately especially if there is severe pain, swelling, or dark urine. In the extreme, a life-threatening condition known as rhabdomyolysis may exist and emergency care is needed immediately.

With minor symptoms, massage and exercise seem to be safe if not done too strongly. In severe cases, either may exacerbate a dangerous condition and should be avoided. In all circumstances, the information offered here is neither expert nor complete- it is just to increase your awareness.

Pain, Habits, and Our Favorite Exercises

2010-03-27T12:55:00.000-07:00

Which would you prefer- to stand or walk in a way that hurts or doesn't hurt? How about doing an exercise where you're clumsy or weak, or one you can do really well? Finally, would you rather do a tedious chore while you think about something else, or one that requires constant mental focus?

For most of us the answers are avoid pain, do what we do best, and ignore tedium. When it comes to improving our bodies though, more work and deliberate action are needed.

Injury and Pain
Avoiding pain is called antalgia. Specifically this means adopting a gait(walk) or posture(how we stand or sit) that reduces or eliminates a particular pain. For example, if the bottom of a foot hurts we take very short steps with that leg and put as little weight on it as possible.

The pain is an important signal from our body that something is wrong, and may mean that you should consult with a doctor(and remember, massage therapists and personal trainers usually aren't MDs.) When there is trauma to the body, such as closing a garage door on your foot or dropping a kettlebell on your knee, as this therapist has done, it is important to let the injury heal and to consider medical attention.

While the injury is healing, antalgia will discourage you from stressing the damaged tissue. It is hardly necessary to mention how powerful the reflex to avoid pain can be. Here's the problem: Avoiding pain can be so reflexive and constant that an entire new method of moving(ie antalgic gait) or standing(ie antalgic posture) becomes habitual and unconscious. The body's urge to avoid pain can be so strong that even after the injury has healed the new dysfunctional habit remains. Most insidiously, the new habit can actually feel "normal."

To the Gym
If you're really good at the bench press, you haven't been paying attention to this blog! (Sorry, that was humor.) OK, so if you're really good at the bench press, but lousy at deadlifts, that indicates that the deadlift and other posterior chain exercises are where you should focus. Instead of continuing to develop what is already strong, for fitness and health everyone should be focusing on where they're weak. Even for sports where particular actions are dominant, balanced strength is important. Sure, we have more fun doing our favorite exercises, but it's the difficult ones that bring improvement. Do both!

Next, when we lift a weight, do we use exactly the same amount of force with both hands or legs? Not likely, although doing so is an important goal. Either the load is lifted a bit off center if it is a bilateral exercise, or one side lifts less or with worse form if it is a unilateral exercise. Perhaps the handle on one side of the chest press machine is pushed harder, or your body tilts more while doing dumbbell curls with one hand than the other. This is where I mention the importance of awareness when exercising, and scold again not to use most machines because they conceal imbalances(some machines don't though, and rehabbing an injury is where they may be valuable.)

Exercises that are done often, maybe for years, become grooved into our neuromuscular system so they feel natural, and we enjoy the feeling of competence from performing an act we think we do well. And if we can pick up 50 pounds our usual way, but only 40 pounds in similar but "abnormal" feeling way, there is a strong tendency prefer the way where more weight gets lifted

Back to antalgia for a moment. When there is an injury, what do you suppose happens to the muscles that would normally act on the injured site? They do less work to avoid causing it to hurt, and for a muscle, doing less work means getting weaker. To paraphrase, "The weak get weaker and the strong get stronger." Some movements and exercises get easier, some get harder.

Two Plus Two Equals Three
Putting these tendencies together, we get "compensation." An injury leads to pain, which leads to faulty movement, which leads to weakness, which leads to compensating with another part of the body. Sometimes by favoring a different limb, sometimes by using synergists(muscles which would normally assist the movement) instead of agonists(the stronger primary muscle for the movement.)

The sequence works the other direction too- An area of weakness, a reliance on synergists, or loading a joint in a dysfunctional way can lead to further injury, and the cycle continues.

What to Do
First, to repeat myself, consider consulting with a doctor. Next, rehabilitating injuries is the realm of physical therapists, so treatment from a PT may be needed depending on the severity of the problem and your commitment to overcoming it.

If there isn't an acute problem or very apparent dysfunction with your body, working with a personal trainer, yoga instructor, or other movement and posture specialist will be helpful in finding and correcting these problems. A massage therapist or other bodyworker skilled in orthopedics can be very valuable in finding and loosening tight areas, and promoting proper healing after the acute stage of injury.

Finally, exercise and move fully aware of your body. Look, with the eyes and with internal senses, for asymmetry in movement and strength. Think about your workout and notice if you are doing the same old exercises or challenging yourself with new ones. Make sure that you work your body equally front and back, pulling and pushing, left side and right side. (Note that to overcome existing imbalances, more work in one area may be needed.) Choose exercises that reveal and require good form, skip those that conceal bad form, and don't cheat.

The result will be more and functional strength, better mobility, and less chance of further injury. Best of all, a better appreciation and enjoyment of using our bodies.

The Anatomy Trains Myofascial Approach and Functional Fitness

2010-03-04T06:19:00.000-08:00

A great book for bodyworkers I just finished reading is Anatomy Trains by Thomas Myers. Myers, who originally studied under pioneer bodyworker Ida Rolf of Rolfing fame, explains how the body is comprised of an interconnected system of myofascia. Myofascia means the combination of muscle(myo) and connective tissue(fascia). The exciting theme is to consider and treat the body in terms of myofascial lines which include various individual muscles and cross various joints. It turns out that under the skin, there isn't such a distinct and separate collection of components as traditional anatomy teaches.

For example, the rhombodieus connects from the upper spine to the medial border of the scapula(that's the edge of the shoulder blade nearest the spine). On another page of the anatomy book would be listed the serratus anterior, a muscle connecting to the same part of the scapula, wrapping underneath it and attaching to the ribs on the side of the body. Examining the two at once, a single structure is seen- a muscle which starts at the upper spine and sweeps down to the lateral ribcage, with the edge of the scapula attached across the middle. The two are antagonists, pulling in opposition, but the tissues are physically interconnected and functionally working together to position the scapula.

Where this gets really interesting is comparing the concept of continuous "trains" of muscles and fascia to the concepts of Functional Fitness.

Functional Fitness, or Functional Strength, is the idea of training the body in ways that are usable outside the gym in sports and everyday life. One of the main precepts of Functional Fitness is to exercise the entire body in multiple directions simultaneously. This is contrary to many common exercises and especially exercise machines. Many exercises are designed to isolate individual muscles and to specifically not use the rest of the body. This is fine for a competitive bodybuilder concerned only with appearance, but not very useful and potentially harmful for everyone else.

Anatomy Trains and similar myofascial techniques teach us not to isolate muscles in bodywork, just as Functional Fitness teaches us not to isolate muscles in our workouts. It's how we're built.

I have some bananas ripening for banana walnut cookies I'll make soon. Clients coming to my Los Altos office Friday and for a few days after will get one with their massage. To put cookies into perspective, read this article from The New York Times: In Obesity Epidemic, What’s One Cookie? Apparently considering one food item in isolation is less important than looking at the entire diet.

Variety, Napping, and Fitness

2010-02-23T09:43:00.000-08:00

Previously discussed have been the benefits of exercise on mental abilities, so for contrast here's a study showing the benefit of napping on the brain. The exercise research is much more thorough, so if there's time for only one I suggest exercise- just be sure to get adequate sleep at night.

Behavior: Napping Can Prime the Brain for Learning

The New York Times, February 22, 2010

I think the napping study supports the idea that the body and mind need variety for optimal functioning. Just as it is important to get up from your chair and move occasionally, even if you sit with excellent posture, breaking up a day of working the brain with an afternoon nap intuitively makes sense.

Exercise simillarly needs variety. This can be expressed as doing different routines instead of the same exercises every workout, and as doing exercises that use your body in a variety of ways simultaneously. Consider variations on the pushup. Alternate workouts of putting your hands on different unstable surfaces such as a bosu one day and a suspension device(such as TRX) the next gym day, and hands on the floor and feet on something wobbly still other times. Of course my readers know that all machines except for the cable-pulley type should be skipped, and one reason is that they completely eliminate variety in how you move.

It seems safe to speculate that variety in exercising will challenge and boost the brain, just as it benefits the body. Exercise with awareness, changing and improving your workouts, and build brains and brawn at once.

Massage protocol and dressed up dishes

2010-02-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

Here's a bit of massage protocol advice: Please don't get undressed or on the table before meeting with your therapist. In my office this has never been a problem, but it can happen in more "high volume" environments.

Therapists want to meet you before they start in order to ask some health questions and the reason for your massage. Some of us want to observe things like posture and gait to get an idea about your condition. Most of all, we want to make a personal connection before beginning treatment. And to be frank, it is a bit insulting for a client to assume they are getting some generic massage and generic massage therapist so there's no need to actually talk with them before they start.

If the establishment tells you to get on the table without meeting your therapist, take your business elsewhere.

There are also some logistical snafus that can be avoided. Several times I've seen or heard about people lying undressed on the table waiting for an absent therapist. In a gym spa where I once worked there a was a woman who considerately took a shower before her massage, and then stood around wrapped in a towel cold and wet while her therapist finished another treatment. It is possible there is a reason why you cannot receive a massage. A receptionist should prevent these sorts of problems but don't always, and many massage businesses are too small to have a front desk person.

Wait for your therapist and chat for a moment, and you'll have a much better massage.

On my balcony the peas have finally begun to produce pods. The plants grew quickly and blossomed but have taken their time making vegetables for me. I was about to start eating the leaves and stalks, which I've had from the farmers market and know to be good(tastes like snow peas, surprise).

My two calendula plants are looking good and are giving me large if not abundant blossoms. They are welcome guests at my winter dinner table.

New nasturtium seeds have been planted, and I've kept the best looking plants from last year to see if they will continue to thrive. Some plants are from seeds I've bought, others are seeds shared from a neighbor. Nasturtium blossoms are quite tasty, and if I get an exceptional crop I'll pickle the buds.

Chefs and junk food manufactures know the value of making food visually interesting. For someone such as myself who eats a lot of grains, legumes, and other plain foods, tossing some edible flowers on top is a great way to liven up a meal. From what I've researched flowers don't have any significant nutritional value, but nutrients aren't the only reason to eat. For someone with limited growing space they are an efficient garden option compared to vegetables.

More Science Supports Barefoot Running

2010-02-03T19:33:00.000-08:00

The latest study on running barefoot or with minimal footwear is a compelling argument against wearing standard running shoes:
Barefoot Running: How Humans Ran Comfortably and Safely Before the Invention of Shoes

"People who don't wear shoes when they run have an astonishingly different strike," says Daniel E. Lieberman, professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University and co-author of a paper appearing this week in the journal Nature. "By landing on the middle or front of the foot, barefoot runners have almost no impact collision, much less than most shod runners generate when they heel-strike. Most people today think barefoot running is dangerous and hurts, but actually you can run barefoot on the world's hardest surfaces without the slightest discomfort and pain. All you need is a few calluses to avoid roughing up the skin of the foot. Further, it might be less injurious than the way some people run in shoes." Harvard University. "Barefoot Running: How Humans Ran Comfortably and Safely Before the Invention of Shoes." ScienceDaily 1 February 2010."

My skepticism about barefoot running has been based on the fact that although shoes aren't natural, neither is pavement, and one might be needed to compensate for the other. This study completely refutes that objection.

The authors have an extremely informative and readable website on the topic, with lots of details and suggestions. I haven't run for many years because it was too hard on my body. Maybe it is time to start- at least I won't need to buy shoes.

Being a massage therapist, I'll add one more perspective to the mix- If you start barefoot running, please take extra time to clean and care for your feet before you get a massage or any other service where someone may be handling them. The reason is obvious. On the plus side, it also occurs to me that with the feet getting aired out instead of being stuffed into shoes, plus getting a good exfoliation from the sidewalk, feet which might otherwise smell will actually improve in the hygiene department.

More Exercise is Better

2010-02-01T11:19:00.000-08:00

Excelsior!

The San Francisco Chronicle today has the article More exercise better in long run, study finds.

"A scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Williams has put together the world's largest study on runners, and the evidence found over 20 years of research points to an important conclusion: When it comes to exercise, more is almost always better."

Public Health messages are designed to maximize the benefit for the largest number of people, and primarily those at low end of the health curve. They are presented as minimums and simple rules, and try to not be so challenging that people will ignore them and do nothing. Thus we have house cleaning considered exercise.

"But Williams' findings haven't exactly caught on with the mainstream public health gurus.

It's not that they disagree with Williams' findings. But doctors and public health officials worry that with half the country not meeting the current guidelines, even talking about running 50 miles a week will intimidate folks who aren't doing anything."

OK, if you're completely sedentary, set a goal of taking a 30 minute walk 3 times a week. And then make it a brisk walk, then do it for 45 minutes, then add a cardio class at the gym... Rather than trying to meet the minimum amount of exercise, keep pushing yourself. What Williams shows that there isn't an amount of "enough" exercise, but that there is constant improvement in health available. And everyone, even if you already exercise regularly and at a high level, can benefit from the same approach.

The other point brought up is that running is studied because it is easily quantifiable and a large number of people do it.

"He decided to focus on runners because they're an easy group to follow - they usually know exactly how much exercise they get, in terms of miles run, and they can gauge their fitness based on race times."

Weight lifting, kickboxing, power yoga, and many other forms of exercise will serve, but make sure the intensity level is high enough to provide a workout. (Or do them in addition to deliberate cardio exercise. More is better!)

Opinions from Other Professionals, and More Reason to Not Sit

2010-01-21T08:49:00.000-08:00

Frequently my clients are receiving, or have received, advice and treatment from other health and fitness professionals about an issue also presented to me. The other professional could be anyone from a pilates instructor to an orthopedic surgeon. This is great- we all have different perspectives and the client gets a broad range of advice.

It is always a pleasure to hear "That's just what my doctor/chiropractor/physical therapist/personal trainer/yoga teacher said!" Despite the differences in our education and roles, we often say the same thing. It's nice to know that we're all in sync, and hopefully this motivates the client to follow our advice. By no coincidence the proper form for lifting a barbell, holding common yoga poses, or sitting in a chair is quite similar. After all, you are using the same body.

A yoga teacher may tell a student to "open your heart" in a pose, and a strength coach may say "make your chest big" while doing a lift. Both are describing good posture. Both are also making a suggestion about an emotional outlook, although different ones(but complementary, yin and yang.) A physical therapist or I might say to keep the shoulders in line with the torso, not in front because that could over stretch the muscles of the upper back and impinge nerves in the shoulder. The client ends up getting the same alignment recommendation in very different contexts.

Occasionally my opinion differs from another expert's. The difference may be because of what the client has told us, goals we are given, or it could be an actual disagreement. In those cases I try to show some humility and make sure that the client understands that what I say is just my opinion, albeit an opinion based on my training and experience in bodywork. I explain my reasoning, and I always make sure to explain that my opinion is not medical advice. Further, if there is ever a conflict between what I say and what a doctor or other more highly trained professional says, then the other's counsel takes precedence.

Still, when a client told me that he had been diagnosed with plantar fasciitis by a podiatrist and asked for my advice, after I gave him a long explanation and treatment plan for the the condition I had to smile a bit when he exclaimed "I should have come to you first!" Even when I know less, because I may have more time to speak with the client I can end up looking smart.

Whether there is agreement, disagreement, or, most often, different areas of focus, we're all working toward improving your health.

The essential distillation of my fitness advice is Don't Sit Down. This simple rule both guides selection of useful exercises, and reminds to get up and stretch frequently at work, keeping you functionally fit and flexible. From the New York Times, the article Too Much Sitting Shortens Lives, Study Suggests gives another reason.

Think about being at the gym, and consider this quote from the article: “For many people, on a daily basis, they simply shift from one chair to another — from the chair in the car to the chair in the office to the chair in front of the television” Don't add "the chair on the exercise machine" to the list. Instead stand, jump, hang, or roll around to work out.

Famed Strongman and Vegetarian is gone

2010-01-12T07:41:00.000-08:00

A famed strongman died yesterday after being hit by a van.

At a Mighty 104, Gone While Still Going Strong
"Joe Rollino once lifted 475 pounds. He used neither his arms nor his legs but, reportedly, his teeth. With just one finger he raised up 635 pounds; with his back he moved 3,200. He bit down on quarters to bend them with his thumb."
The New York Times, by MANNY FERNANDEZ and MICHAEL S. SCHMIDT

Joe was also a professional boxer. A more complete profile of this amazing man from his 103rd birthday.

Joe was a vegetarian his entire life. So much for any suggestion that eating meat is needed to be either strong or tough.

News on Shoes, Sun, and Fitness

2010-01-09T08:49:00.000-08:00

Here are some recent articles on topics of interest at Positive Massage. There's a common theme: Less artificial and more natural is more healthful for us.

Vitamin D deficiency increasingly common
Erin Allday, San Francisco Chronicle, January 9, 2010
"Today, research suggests that vitamin D does much more than help build strong bones, and the findings come at a time when a high number of people are no longer getting enough of the nutrient, doctors say." "Aside from its well-known reputation for building and maintaining strong bones, vitamin D could be tied to cancer prevention and cardiovascular health... 'It helps boost your ability to fight infection, and it also reduces some destructive inflammation in your body, including inflammation with periodontal disease...'"

I'm fascinated by vitamin D because it seems to show such a strong confirmation that being outdoors is good for us. The article mentions both supplements and sunshine, but of course I prefer the more natural sunlight method. The subject is more extensively blogged in my post Vitamin D, Sunlight, and Health and is mentioned in a few other places in this blog.

The Vita Myth Do supplements really do any good?
By Emily Anthes, Slate

"During the past few years, study after study has raised doubts about what, if any, good vitamins actually do a body. They could even pose some real medical risks."

Popping pills doesn't seem to be a good way to get healthy. This article does mentions vitamin D as something which some(postmenopausal women) may need to supplement. I guess that means I can stick with sunshine.

Running Shoes May Cause Damage to Knees, Hips and Ankles, New Study Suggests
Elsevier Health Sciences (2010, January 6). Running shoes may cause damage to knees, hips and ankles, new study suggests. ScienceDaily

It seems that in the quest to protect the feet, more stress is being put on the rest of the leg. Although support, bracing, padding, etc may be needed to recover from trauma, long term they can cause weakening and dependency, and possibly increase the chance of future injury, and, as the study shows, just move a problem somewhere else.

Going barefoot or using footwear that closely emulates being barefoot is a hot topic in fitness right now. To be fair though, there's nothing natural about a concrete sidewalk, so I think there's a lot more to learn about when shoes and what kind are appropriate.

I've heard the same thing(but not seen any research) about shoes for weightlifting. I do regret springing for a fancy pair of sneaks last year.

Long-Term Physical Activity Has an Anti-Aging Effect
American Heart Association (2009, December 2). Long-term physical activity has an anti-aging effect at the cellular level. ScienceDaily.

Stay fit, live longer! Bodies are made to move!

Holiday Health

2009-12-24T16:29:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays Everyone!

While most people have vacation time during the holiday season, the massage business is busy(and that's great, thanks!) People treat themselves or a friend, try a new therapist, or maybe spend the last of their HSA funds. The New Year finds many people resolving to take better care of their health as well, and I'm here to help.

This morning I had the inspiration for today's topic: Getting out of bed. Since lots of you don't have to rush to work for the next week or so, this is a great time to add a new morning habit(after sleeping in, of course.) Don't worry- it's easy, quick, and feels good.

While you sleep, the joints and muscles get a little stiffer, with less lubricating(synovial) fluid between the bones, various bits of new collagen healing points of micro-trauma in muscles and fascia, and extra fluid swelling the inter-vertebral disks in the spine making it more prone to strain. All this means the body needs to ease into action gradually to help avoid causing, or delaying the healing, of an injury. In fact, I have both heard from clients and read that early morning is the most frequent time for back injury.

To get started with less risk, do some gentle back mobilization before jumping out of bed. Note that mobilizing doesn't mean stretching, it means moving within a comfortable range without force. While still lying down, tilt the hips side to side and forward and back a few times in each direction. Raise one knee at a time and do a few small circles with the leg bent. Roll onto your side and push yourself to sitting- don't do a sit-up. Do a few circles with the spine in each direction, shifting your weight from side to side.

At this point, if you have pain on the bottom of the foot caused by plantar fasciitis, firmly roll a small ball under the foot(I'll give more details later, or on request.)

Stand, do a few hip circles, and start walking. Many people like to stretch immediately when they get up, but it is much better to move around for 30 minutes or more first. (For those with plantar fasciitis, do stretch the calves before walking.) I like to make coffee and go onto my balcony and water the plants, or give it a good sweeping, then do my deeper morning stretches.

Going out to the garden may not be possible for many people, but the point is to walk around before stretching. And before starting to doing that walking, do some mobilizing while still in bed. The whole routine takes only a minute or two.

Enjoy your time off, and sleeping in, and mellow that harsh wake-up with a healthful mobilizing routine.

Becoming Aware: Facebook and The Turkish Get Up

2009-11-29T13:32:00.000-08:00

Hello, Facebook!

I now have a business page on Facebook to reach out to that community, and I encourage readers to use the "fan" function to share it with their friends.

I've been trying a new exercise which is proving very educational. It has the amusing name "Turkish Get Up(TGU)" and is great for breaking up a routine and building full body strength, coordination, and balance. Here's a detailed description from Palo Alto kettlebell master Jordan Vizina and a shorter one here, but briefly, you lie on the floor with a weight in one hand, and stand up. A very simple, fundamental act, but doing it while holding up a kettlebell or dumbbell creates a surprising challenge.

The weight has to be balanced straight overhead while you move underneath it, and getting out of the supine position takes a lot more strength and agility than you might think. Combining movements in multiple directions is required, and suddenly you discover that almost all weight lifting exercises you know work the body in very, very, limited ways. The TGU is done slowly, giving you time to observe yourself. You become more aware of your body's capabilities, and you become aware of the difference between training for functional strength, and bodybuilding to enlarge a few favorite muscles.

Awareness is a central theme of all the various health and fitness topics of this blog. Exercising while conscious of what your body is doing, choosing exercises that require focus such as Olympic lifts or balancing on an unstable surface, and not mindlessly using the same simple machines and movements every workout are aspects of awareness. Yoga is fantastic for developing awareness of your body and the fine details of how each part is aligned and connected and learning to control them. Receiving massage makes a person aware of areas that may be tight or holding stress, but have been a problem for so long they seem normal. (And the best therapists are those who develop a facility for being aware of their clients' condition.)

Being aware of what it is you eat leads to eating healthful food. Many people deliberately ignore what they are eating, consuming marketing instead of food. Growing and cooking for yourself, buying produce not products, and considering how what is on your plate got there will all inspire more healthful eating. Awareness of nutrition also helps of course.

Posture is another realm where awareness- of your body, of what are good ways to stand and sit and move -is critical. You always have a posture, 24/7, unlike exercise or eating which happen only for brief periods, so improvement requires a ready and habitual awareness.

Good therapists, trainers, and teachers provide an external perspective, and bring to your awareness things that aren't obvious from within. Mediocre ones correct without teaching, and poor ones just go through the routine.

So now I work on making the Facebook community aware of me, and I hope I can bring a bit of health awareness to them.

Fit Brain addendum -Obesity

2009-11-22T13:58:00.000-08:00

Obesity isn't a normal topic for this blog, but this latest research showing its negative influence on the brain coincides with my last post so well I'm including it.

More Obesity Blues: Obese People Are At Greater Risk For Developing Alzheimer's, Study Finds

...
They found that obese people had 8 percent less brain tissue than people with normal weight, while overweight people had 4 percent less tissue. According to Thompson, who is also a member of UCLA's Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, this is the first time anyone has established a link between being overweight and having what he describes as "severe brain degeneration."
University of California - Los Angeles. "More Obesity Blues: Obese People Are At Greater Risk For Developing Alzheimer's, Study Finds." ScienceDaily 25 August 2009

There is a long list of health problems caused or exacerbated by being overweight, to which brain degeneration can be added. The good thing, the really great thing, is that the treatment for obesity- better diet and more exercise, is good for the other aspects of your health at the same time. Isn't the body amazing?

The Fit Brain

2009-11-19T08:14:00.000-08:00

Everyone reading this blog is already convinced of the importance of exercise and good nutrition to maintain a strong, healthy body. But what about your brain? And what about those people who think of themselves as beings of pure intellect, unconcerned with their physical bodies? Do they have a logical reason to exercise and eat right?

Phys Ed: What Sort of Exercise Can Make You Smarter?

...
For some time, researchers have known that exercise changes the structure of the brain and affects thinking. Ten years ago scientists at the Salk Institute in California published the groundbreaking finding that exercise stimulates the creation of new brain cells...
...elderly people were assigned a six-month program of either stretching exercises or brisk walking. The stretchers increased their flexibility but did not improve on tests of cognition. The brisk walkers did.
The New York Times, September 16, 2009

Aerobic Activity May Keep The Brain Young

ScienceDaily (June 30, 2009) — New research from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine finds that aerobic activity may keep the brain young.
University of North Carolina School of Medicine. "Aerobic Activity May Keep The Brain Young."

Exercise Increases Brain Growth Factor And Receptors, Prevents Stem Cell Drop In Middle Age

ScienceDaily (Nov. 27, 2008) — A new study confirms that exercise can reverse the age-related decline in the production of neural stem cells in the hippocampus of the mouse brain, and suggests that this happens because exercise restores a brain chemical which promotes the production and maturation of new stem cells.
American Physiological Society (2008, November 27). Exercise Increases Brain Growth

Exercise helps brains bounce back

CHICAGO — A toned, buff bod isn’t the only thing a workout is good for. Exercise protects special brain cells in monkeys’ brains and improves motor function, a new study finds. The data, presented at a news briefing October 18 in Chicago at the Society for Neuroscience’s annual meeting, adds to a growing body of evidence that shows exercise is good for the brain, too.

Exercise Helps Prevent Age-related Brain Changes In Older Adults

ScienceDaily (Dec. 2, 2008) — Older adults who exercise regularly show increased cerebral blood flow and a greater number of small blood vessels in the brain, according to findings presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
Radiological Society of North America (2008, December 2). Exercise Helps Prevent Age-related Brain Changes In Older Adults.

Fitness And Childhood IQ Indicators Of Cognitive Ability In Old Age

ScienceDaily (Oct. 12, 2006) — How well your mind works in old age depends on physical fitness and your IQ score as a child...
"...the study found physical fitness has a greater impact on cognitive ability in old age than childhood IQ."
"The important result of the study is that fitness contributes to better cognitive ability in old age," says Deary. "Thus, two people starting out with the same IQ at age 11, the fitter person at age 79 will, on average, have better cognitive function."
American Academy of Neurology. "Fitness And Childhood IQ Indicators Of Cognitive Ability In Old Age."

Alzheimer's Researchers Find High Protein Diet Shrinks Brain

ScienceDaily (Oct. 21, 2009) — One of the many reasons to pick a low-calorie, low-fat diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and fish is that a host of epidemiological studies have suggested that such a diet may delay the onset or slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Now a study published in BioMed Central's open access journal Molecular Neurodegeneration tests the effects of several diets, head-to-head, for their effects on AD pathology in a mouse model of the disease. Although the researchers were focused on triggers for brain plaque formation, they also found that, unexpectedly, a high protein diet apparently led to a smaller brain.
BioMed Central (2009, October 21). Alzheimer's Researchers Find High Protein Diet Shrinks Brain.

Low-carb Diets Can Affect Dieters' Cognition Skills

ScienceDaily (Dec. 15, 2008) — A new study from the psychology department at Tufts University shows that when dieters eliminate carbohydrates from their meals, they performed more poorly on memory-based tasks than when they reduce calories, but maintain carbohydrates. When carbohydrates were reintroduced, cognition skills returned to normal.
Tufts University (2008, December 15). Low-carb Diets Can Affect Dieters' Cognition Skills.

Let's review: Physical exercise makes you smarter, and for longer in life. It's best when started young, but helpful at any age. Plenty of carbs boosts the brain, and too much meat shrinks it.

Here's the best part: The same exercises that improve your brain will make you fit below the neck at the same time. There is no duality, no reductionism, no body part isolation, and no being of pure intellect.

A hat tip to the brilliant Chip Conrad at Bodytribe Fitness for leading me to the book Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain which I haven't read yet, but promises to inspire more posts on the topic.

For the curious, the Man From Tomorrow image is from the original Outer Limits TV show. I couldn't find a proper attribution to give, but the show was awesome.

In other news, more from the NYT about my favorite vitamin(actually a hormone), previously blogged about here and here:

Vitamin D Shows Heart Benefits in Study

Got vitamin D? It may protect you from heart disease.

Vitamin D, of milk fame, is known for helping with calcium absorption and for building strong bones, which is why it’s routinely added to milk. But there is more and more evidence that vitamin D is a critical player in numerous other aspects of metabolism. A new study suggests many Americans aren’t getting anywhere nearly enough of
the vitamin, and it may be affecting their heart health.
The New York Times, September 16, 2009

I like to think of vitamin D as being of sunshine, not milk, fame though.

Disturbing Massage News

2009-11-13T07:57:00.000-08:00

The San Francisco Chronicle ran a story Tuesday about massage in casinos:
Reno casinos offer massages to lure gamblers

"Gil's youthful and licensed therapists provide back, neck and shoulder massages to tired, cranky or worn-out gamblers while they sit and play. Casino executives see the massages as a way to keep the players playing with a strategy that experts called a unique way of boosting business in a recession."

Normally massage has two general purposes- To improve health, or for enjoyment. Both contribute to the well being of the receiver. Here instead massage is being used to enable unhealthy behavior.

"A lot of people will play at a table game or the slots for hours and hours," said George Owens, director of slot operations at the Silver Legacy. "But sometimes they want to take a break, maybe their shoulders hurt and they'll want to walk around. But they can't walk around sometimes because they don't want to lose their machine."

This is completely contrary to the professional ethics instilled in me during my massage training. Relieving pain, improving athletic performance, helping someone deal with stress or feel blissful, yes. Making it possible to sit for hours at a slot machine, no.

Another critical ethical concern for a massage therapist is to respect the physical and emotional vulnerability of the client during and after the massage. Massage works very well at relaxing not only physical stress, but the normal emotional caution a client may have. On a casino floor this could mean, no doubt intentionally, that a gambler's judgment on when to quit is impaired. Does this sound like a healing act?

"I don't want to leave," said Joe LeBel of Ione, Calif., as he sat at a poker table and enjoyed a massage. "We were going to go to dinner but I have forgotten about that, too."

Massage is a tough business. There is a lot of competition, and the downturn in the economy has many people cutting back on what they consider a luxury. The work is physically very difficult, and the pay often low. I have sympathy for therapists who may need to work in what has to be a terribly unpleasant environment for providing massage. Doing it is still wrong.

On a positive note(as it were) I've got a new big band swing mix for background massage music ready to go. Seventy plus minutes from Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Les Brown and more, picked for being not too peppy. Think "Sentimental Journey" but not "In the Mood." Bach and New Age still available.

Thoughts on Stretching

2009-11-07T12:42:00.000-08:00

This week I added another stretch to the Self Care page of my business website Positive Massage Therapy. The stretch targets the hip flexors and the front of the torso. I won't repeat the details here, instead I will give some background explanation on my stretching recommendations.

My suggestions are made in the context of my massage practice, with many clients who suffer from long hours sitting at a computer but have limited time or inclination for stretching at their workplace. The principles generally apply to everyone though.

Some important considerations are:

Compliance is everything. Stretches not done don't help
Do therapeutically beneficial stretches, not just any stretches, or stretches because they feel good
The greatest need to stretch is to counteract the position of sitting at a desk and reaching forward
The most important time to stretch is as a break from a period of immobility
Frequency of stretching is more important than duration, i.e. many short breaks are better than the same amount of time in fewer breaks
People, their employers, and the work culture discourage too much deviation from doing work

In summary, the idea is to recommend the stretches that will help the most and have the best chance of being implemented.

Nota Bene:
Sitting and reaching forward shortens certain muscles- those are the ones that need stretched. Sitting and reaching forward lengthens certain muscles- those should NOT be stretched.

To achieve better compliance by fitting into the work culture I try to suggest stretches that can be done in office attire, without lying down or requiring any special space or equipment. Stretches that can be done next to the desk are best. This is not because moving around wouldn't be very healthful, but that simplicity and brevity make compliance more likely. Also the emphasis on frequency includes more movement out of the sitting position as well as setting up a particular stretch.

An additional factor helping with compliancy(remember, compliancy is everything) is to approach stretching as a habit integrated into existing routine instead of as an exception.

In future posts I'll elaborate on the types of stretching and stretching in an athletic context.