Tag Archives: Rehabilitation

Exercise, Rehabilitation, Sports

POSTERIOR PERFECT

Sculpting a high, tight rear is a precise science. Our pro translates the most compelling research into 8 streamlined moves.

The backside has always been a statement piece, treasured by the ancient Dogos people in Mali, Renaissance painters, and rappers alike. And though consistently considered a key asset of the female — and at times male (Details magazine deemed the ass, the new abs in 2011) — physique, its desired proportions have shifted throughout history. Unfortunately, the elusive, sculpted posterior of 2013 takes work, but fortunately our experts have discovered the precise formula that delivers the tight, lifted, perfectly carved posterior of which international uproars are made.

Our equation starts with the five moves scientifically proven (by studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse) to target the glutes most effectively: lunges, single-leg squats, hip extensions, step-ups and side leg lifts. We then added a little complexity and dimension to each move by incorporating the principles of mobility and stability characteristic of all Equinox programming. Finally, we applied the trusted NASM training philosophy that mandates a combination of strength and power-based exercises. Together, it’s a plan that just screams results.

“I wanted to build on the classic moves from the research, so each exercise in our workout is rooted in the biomechanical principles that make it effective,” says Lisa Wheeler, senior national creative manager for group fitness at Equinox who developed the program. “I just turned up the intensity a few notches by creating four pairs of one controlled, purely strength-based move with a more dynamic, power-based exercise, which is a much more efficient way to train.”

Watch Wheeler’s workout in the video above, modeled by LA-based group fitness and Pilates instructor Christine Bullock at the rooftop pool at The London Hotel in West Hollywood. Then, click through the slide show below for step-by-step instructions. Your circuit: Do 10-12 reps of each strength move, and 45 seconds of each power move resting for 30 seconds between each pair. Repeat 3 times.

 

Bring the moves with you. Download pdf instructions.

For original article please visit: http://furthermore.equinox.com/articles/2013/02/butt-workout?emmcid=emm-newsletter&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email-member&utm_campaign=0411&cid=-Furthermore0411_v014112016
Chiropractic, Exercise, Personal Injury, Rehabilitation, Sports

THE FUNCTION OF A RUNNING SHOE

The function of a running shoe is to protect the foot from the stress of running, while permitting you to achieve your maximum potential. Selecting the right shoe for your foot can be confusing without the proper knowledge.

People with low arches, called pronators, will need a shoe that provides stability. A shoe with good cushioning is important for people with high arches, called supinators.

There are three main features that you need to consider when selecting a running shoe: shape, construction, and midsole.

Shape

To determine the shape of the shoe, look at the sole. Draw a straight line from the middle of the heel to the top of the shoe. In a curve-shaped shoe, most comfortable for supinators, the line will pass through the outer half of the toes. A straight-shaped shoe will have a line that passes through the middle of the toes. These shoes are built to give pronators added stability.

Construction

Take out the insole and look at what type of stitching is used on the bottom. In board construction shoes, built specifically for pronators, the bottom of the shoe will not have any visible stitching. Combination shoes, appropriate for mild pronators or supinators, will have stitching that begins halfway. On slip-constructed shoes, you will see stitching running the entire length of the shoe providing the flexibility supinators need.

Midsole

Most of the cushioning and stability of a running shoe is determined by the midsole. A dual-density midsole provides shock absorption as well as some stability, perfect for pronators. Single density midsoles offer good cushioning but are not great at providing stability, making them better for supinators.

Keep in mind that a chiropractor can help you prevent running-related problems by assessing your gait, as well as the mobility of the joints in your feet, legs, pelvis and spine.

Exercise, Rehabilitation, Sports

THE POWER LUNCH WORKOUT

Build strength and stamina in less time than a three-martini lunch.

Maximize a 30-minute session with this multitasking cardio/strength circuit. “Moving quickly through total body movements keeps your heart rate up throughout the session, so you’re burning calories and toning in the most efficient way possible,” says Equinox instructor Mark Hendricks, who created the workout and stars in the video, above. Move through the circuit 3 times, resting for 30 seconds between each move and for one minute between each set. Do this routine 3-4 times per week on nonconsecutive days for best results.

1. Power Jump: Begin in a deep lunge, left foot forward, right fingertips on floor, left arm extended behind you. Push off left leg and jump to stand, driving right knee forward, foot flexed, as you swing left arm forward and right arm back. Go for 30 seconds. Switch sides; repeat for another 30 seconds.

2. Renegade Row: Start in push-up position, weight in left hand. Engage abs to stabilize and lift left hand, bending elbow to 90 degrees, then extend left arm back. Bend elbow, then return to start for one rep. Go for 30 seconds. Switch sides; repeat for another 30 seconds.

3. Lateral Skaters: Stand with feet together, knees bent, holding weight at either end at chest level, elbows bent. Push off right foot and jump to left, bringing right foot slightly behind left and lowering weight toward floor. Push off left foot to return to start for one rep. Go for 30 seconds. Switch sides; repeat for another 30 seconds.

4. Bear Squat: From plank position with elbows bent and tight to sides (Chaturanga), push body back toward heels, bending and rotating knees to right. In one fluid motion, drive body forward back to start, then push body back toward heels bending and rotating knees to left for one rep. Go for 30 seconds.

5. Swing Release: Start with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, arms extended overhead, palms facing. Bending at waist, release arms behind you as you bend knees and jump. Return to start, then squat, keeping arms straight overhead for one rep. Go for one minute.

6. Dumbbell Rotation: Begin on knees holding a weight at either end in front of you at waist-height, elbows slightly bent. Rotate torso bringing weight towards left hip, allowing head to follow, then rotate right, then left, then step right foot forward on slight diagonal, knee bent 90 degrees and swing weight overhead for one rep. Go for 30 seconds. Switch sides; repeat for another 30 seconds.

Bring the moves with you. Download pdf instructions.

Exercise, Rehabilitation, Sports

WORKOUT: BUILD ENDURANCE

endurance, training, cardio, workout, fitness,

David Siik’s science-backed routine combines incline, speed, plyometrics and core-strengthening moves.

If you ask David Siik, every body—not just those lacing up for a road race—should prioritize endurance, and there’s no better way to do that than with running. “We as a society have spent the last 20 to 30 years trying to find every shortcut, every gimmick, every flashy, fun way to smile your way through a workout,” he says. “But if you really want to make a change—you can put this on my tombstone—there’s nothing in this world that will affect your body more quickly or more naturally than running.”

Below, Siik outlines the elements of an endurance-building routine, the benefits of which extend beyond a half-marathon personal best. “When you put yourself in that environment where you force yourself to endure, the changes are so dramatic for people,” he says. “The ability to breathe better, the ability to handle other kinds of workouts. And, of course, the greatest benefit is that your stomach gets very flat, it’s the cherry on top of running.” 

Use this six-element session to get your best body ever: 

(1) WARM-UP: Dynamic Stretches 
Start with some jogging. “The running community believes in jogging first, which is why in track practice you always run a lap, and then you do your dynamic warm-up,” says Siik. Focus on dynamic movements such as side-to-side lunges, hip rotations, side shuffles, and leg swings. 

(2) INCLINE INTERVALS
Sprint 1 minute (6-9 mph) at 0% incline
Rest 1 minute (slow jog)
Repeat at inclines of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5%, respectively

Then, reduce speed by 2-3 points and repeat series at inclines of 7, 8, 9 and 10%
*Do not sprint above a 5% incline. 

(3) SPRINT INTERVALS
Sprint for 10 to 20 seconds
Do 10 plyometric movements such as jump squats or jumping lunges
Rest 10 seconds
Repeat 10 times 

(4) CORE MOVES

a. Side Plank Dips
Place left hand on treadmill and extend legs out to side on ground, feet stacked and reach right arm to sky (as shown). Keep from sinking into your shoulder. Slowly dip left hip towards treadmill, then return to start. Do 10-12 reps. 

(b) Sprint-Kicks 
Lie on treadmill with arms braced on railing, knees bent into chest (as shown), and explode legs straight out in front of you; return to start, lifting butt as legs come in toward chest. Do 10-12 reps.

(c) Starfish 
Lie on treadmill with feet flat on ground, knees bent, arms extended overhead. Inhale, then exhale as you kick right leg and left arm up, tapping right toe with left hand. Repeat on opposite side for one rep, moving slowly and with control. Do 10-12 reps.

(d) Jumping Jack Plank
Start in plank position, hands on ground and feet on treadmill (as shown). Engage abs and keep hips lifted as you slowly step the right foot out to the right, then back to start, then the left foot to the left and back to start for one rep. Do 10-12 reps. For a more advanced move, jump feet out and in for 10-12 reps.

(5) RECOVERY: Foam Rolling 
Says Siik: “A roll-out at the end of the session will help you recover so much more quickly for the next run, but it will also help you from developing some of the nagging issues people worry about, like tendonitis. You can’t build endurance if you’re not taking care of yourself in between endurance workouts.” Grab a roller and use these 7 rolling patterns. 

For full article please visit: http://furthermore.equinox.com/articles/2015/06/endurance-workout?emmcid=emm-newsletter&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email-member&utm_campaign=0411&cid=-Furthermore0411_v014112016
Exercise, Rehabilitation, Sports

3 BODY-CHANGING PLANKS

Make this move a total-body tool with Master Trainer Josh Stolz’s multi-planar routine.

Gone are the days when we used to force ourselves into a position and then hold it for an indefinite amount of time (one one-thousand, two one-thousand…), especially right before a workout. We now know that it’s better to ease your way into exercise with more dynamic movements, like the ones in this 3-plank core-strengthening series, which will help warm all of your muscles up safely in just a few minutes. “These are like planks on steroids. They have you working in three different directions, or planes of motion, so that you automatically get more muscle activation than you do with a normal plank,” says master trainer Josh Stolz, a Tier 4 coach in New York City. “Plus, adding in a resistance band helps activate your rotator cuff, lats, serratus anterior and pecs, making this a much more difficult upper body workout as well.”

These amped-up planks not only target your shoulders and work as entire abdominal exercises—internal/external obliques, rectus abdominis, transversus abdominis and back—but they also improve your posture and teach your body to move together more functionally, as you do in everyday life. “Your shoulder blades, hips and pelvis are working in synergy with each other throughout this workout routine indipill.com. The key is to let your hips drive the movement and keep your spine aligned,” says Stolz. So you’re really getting a true full-body workout every time you hit the floor.

Perform two sets of these moves, in the order listed, as a pre-workout routine to your normal cardio and/or strength sessions. As you progress, work your way up to four sets, and then drop back down to two, but increase your total number of reps for each exercise by one.

(1) Sagittal Plane Plank

Wrap a super-light resistance band loop* around your wrists, and get into modified plank position (elbows under shoulders, legs extended behind you, toes tucked under, back flat), with palms facing up and thumbs out to sides. Drive hips up, toward the ceiling, so your head points downwards and hands move out to sides a couple of inches, forming an upside down V (Downward Dog) with your body, pressing back with heels. Lower hips and move hands back to start. Do 5 reps.

 

(2) Frontal Plane Plank

In modified plank position with resistance band looped around your wrists (palms up, thumbs out to sides), keep your head stationary and back flat as you drive hips from left to right, moving opposite hand a couple of inches out to the side with each push. Do 10 total reps (5 each side).

 

(3) Transverse Plane Plank

In modified plank position with resistance band looped around your wrists (palms up, thumbs out to sides) and feet about shoulder-width apart, rotate your shoulders and torso to the right, rolling from your toes onto the sides of your feet, in order to bring right hip down toward floor, moving right hand a couple of inches out to the side as you do. Immediately switch sides and repeat. Continue rotating from left to right for 10 total reps (5 each side).

*Start with the lightest resistance band possible. If you don’t have a loop, use a regular band: Grip band with hands about shoulder-width apart (there should be a little tension), thumbs out to sides. Beginners: Perform moves without the band until you become more comfortable, and then add it in.

 

For full article by Lindsey Emery please visit http://q.equinox.com/articles/2014/04/planks?emmcid=emm-newsletter&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email%20member&utm_campaign=1109&emmcid=EMM-1109QWeekly1192015
Exercise, Rehabilitation, Sports

WHY TRAINERS LOVE THE LANDMINE

Personal training manager David Otey demonstrates the total-body prowess of this simple tool.

The benefits of this set-up go far beyond convenience. “The landmine utilizes torque,” says Otey. “Due to the space between your grip and the loaded plate, the intensity and muscular demand increases.” And as he explains, the design also ups the challenge on your core: “We often train our midsections to rotate, but the primary responsibility of the abs is resisting rotation; many of the exercises you can do with a landmine improve that skill.”

Otey proves his points with a challenging total-body workout (below). If it’s your first time using a landmine, he has one warning: “It’s deceptively difficult to keep the bar straight, so start conservatively.” (In other words, consider grabbing a lighter plate.)

For a strength-building session, perform 2 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps of each exercise in order, resting briefly between sets. To increase the calorie burn, complete the moves as a circuit.

 

 

(1) Front Squat: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and hold the end of the bar with both hands in front of your chest, fingers clasped and thumbs on tip of bar. Take a few steps back so your body is tilted forward slightly. Bend knees, squatting down low, then rise up to the starting position and repeat.

 

 


(2) Single-Leg Deadlift: Stand with feet together and hold the end of the bar with your right hand in front of your thigh, arm extended and palm facing left. Bend left knee slightly as you bend forward from your hips, extending right leg to hip height behind you as you lower bar toward the floor. Rise up to the starting position and repeat. Switch sides to complete set.

 


(3) Rear Lunge: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and hold the end of the bar with both hands in front of your chest, fingers clasped and thumbs on tip of bar. Take a few steps back so your body is tilted forward slightly. Take a big step back with your right foot and bend knees into a lunge. Step forward to starting position and repeat. Switch sides to complete set.

 


(4) Single-Arm Chest Press: Place the bar on the floor and lie to the left of it with right leg extended and left knee bent, foot on the floor. Grasp the end of the bar with right hand, palm facing left, and extend your left arm on the floor beside you, palm facing down. Extend right arm straight up, pushing bar toward the ceiling. Bend elbow to return to starting position and repeat. Switch sides to complete set.

 


(5) Kneeling Shoulder Press: Kneel on right knee with right foot on the floor in front of you. (Place a folded towel or yoga mat under your knee for comfort.) Hold the end of the bar with right hand in front of right shoulder, palm facing left. Extend right arm at a slight diagonal in front of you, then bend elbow and repeat. Switch sides to complete set.

 


(6) Landmine Anti-Rotation: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and hold the end of the bar with both hands, fingers clasped, at chest height in front of you. (Take a few steps back, if necessary, so arms are extended.) Keeping shoulders and hips squared forward, bring weight across your body to the right, then immediately bring it the left to complete 1 rep. Continue, rotating from side to side.

 


(7) Lunge to Standing Pivot Press: Stand facing the landmine with feet wide apart, toes pointing out, and hold the end of the bar with both hands in front of your chest, elbows bent. Bend knees and pivot right foot to the left as you rotate body and transfer bar to right hand; lunge to the left as you extend right arm. Reverse motion to return to starting position, then repeat sequence in the opposite direction (hold bar with left hand and lunge to the right) to complete 1 rep. Continue, pivoting from side to side.

 

For full article by Jeanine Detz please visit http://q.equinox.com/articles/2015/11/landmine-workout?emmcid=emm-newsletter&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email%20member&utm_campaign=1111&emmcid=EMM-1111QWeekly11112015
Chiropractic, Health Assessments, Personal Injury, Rehabilitation, Sports

Chiropractic care for pain relief

Chiropractic is a health care system that holds that the structure of the body, particularly the spine, affects the function of every part of the body. Chiropractors try to correct the body’s alignment to relieve pain and improve function and to help the body heal itself.

While the mainstay of chiropractic is spinal manipulation, chiropractic care now includes a wide variety of other treatments, including manual or manipulative therapies, postural and exercise education, ergonomic training (how to walk, sit, and stand to limit back strain), nutritional consultation, and even ultrasound and laser therapies. In addition, chiropractors today often work in conjunction with primary care doctors, pain experts, and surgeons to treat patients with pain.

Most research on chiropractic has focused on spinal manipulation for back pain. Chiropractic treatment for many other problems—including other musculoskeletal pain, headaches, asthma, carpal tunnel syndrome, and fibromyalgia—has also been studied. A recent review concluded that chiropractic spinal manipulation may be helpful for back pain, migraine, neck pain, and whiplash.

There have been reports of serious complications, including stroke, following spinal manipulation of the neck, although this is very rare and some studies suggest this may not be directly caused by the treatment.

“Spinal manipulation” is a generic term used for any kind of therapeutic movement of the spine, but used more precisely it is the application of quick but strong pressure on a joint between two vertebrae of the spine. That pressure twists or rotates the joint beyond its normal range of motion and causes a sharp cracking noise. That distinctive noise is believed to be caused by the breaking of a vacuum or the release of a bubble into the synovial fluid, the clear, thick fluid that lubricates the spinal and other joints. Spinal manipulation can be done either directly by pushing on the vertebrae or indirectly by twisting the neck or upper part of the body. It should be done to only one spinal joint at a time. Chiropractors and other practitioners accomplish this by positioning the body so the force they exert is focused on one joint while parts of the spine above and below it are held very still. Most spinal manipulation treatments take somewhere between 10 and 20 minutes and are scheduled two or three times a week initially. Look for improvements in your symptoms after a couple of weeks.

In addition, a chiropractor may advise you about changing your biomechanics and posture and suggest other treatments and techniques. The ultimate goal of chiropractic is to help relieve pain and help patients better manage their condition at home.

For full article please visit:  http://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/chiropractic-care-for-pain-relief
Chiropractic, Exercise, Health Assessments, Personal Injury, Rehabilitation, Sports

IT DOES A BODY GOOD

Massage

New research finds that even a 10-minute massage soothes more than just the soul.

A dimly lit room. Calming, muted music. Sixty minutes of pure “me time” while stress melts away. There’s no question that a massage is the ultimate good-for-you indulgence; but according to a new study, attacking those knots may pay off even more than researchers initially thought.

The tension-relieving benefits of massage therapy are well-documented, but the new findings suggest that a mere 10-minute massage can also help reduce inflammation in muscles, an underlying factor in chronic diseases like arthritis. The research, which appeared in the journalScience Translational Medicine, showed that when muscles are stretched they receive a signal to build more mitochondria, which are vital for healing — making massages potentially helpful for injury recovery.

After assessing the fitness level of 11 men in their twenties, the study’s researchers at McManus University asked each participant to cycle to the point of exhaustion (more than 70 minutes). The subjects were then allowed to rest while a massage therapist performed a 10-minute massage on one leg. While the massage didn’t help clear lactic acid from the tired muscles — a widely spread exercise myth — noticeably reduced inflammation was observed in the massaged leg.

When muscles are stretched they receive a signal to build more mitochondria, which are vital for healing.

Why? “Anytime we stimulate the nerves we send messages to the brain about the area,” explains Equinox trainer and master therapist Susan Stanley, RKC, FMS, LMT, “the brain then responds in a variety of ways, including nervous and chemical.”

She adds that massage techniques have an effect on more than just muscle. “In fact,” says Stanley, “fascia, a layer of fibrous tissue that surrounds muscles, is probably the most affected tissue and it contains far more nervous tissue than muscle.”

The almost-immediate effects of massage found in the study don’t surprise Stanley. “The inflammation process begins at the moment of insult to the tissue, so the moment that tissue is given a different stimulus, the brain can change its response instantaneously, too,” she says. That said, she underscores that the study was conducted on a small, specialized group.

A typical relaxation massage triggers the parasympathetic nervous system — or relax response — in the body, which stimulates healing and immunity. Lymphatic Drainage massage, an example of very light work, is designed specifically to address inflammation and edema (potentially damaging fluid accumulation), and stimulate the lymph system, which is the body’s mechanism to rid the body of toxins and waste.

Soul-soothing properties aside, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the body-benefits of massage therapy are not to be taken lightly. Something to remember the next time you’re debating whether or not to hit the table.

For full article by Sharon Feiereisen please visit http://q.equinox.com/articles/2012/03/it-does-a-body-good?emmcid=emm-newsletter-1012&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email%20member&utm_campaign=1012&emmcid=EMM-1012QWeekly10122015
Nutrition, Rehabilitation

5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MILK

Dairy has its fair share of detractors. But does it still have a place in your diet?

Once a refrigerator staple, milk sits squarely in the middle of opposing camps: For some, it’s verboten, while others (endurance athletes, for the most part) champion milk as an essential part of their recovery. Even more recently, legions of health fanatics have come out in favor of the unpasteurized kind. So, should dairy be demonized, or does it (actually) do a body good? We went to the experts to find out.

1

If I’m not lactose intolerant or lactose sensitive, is there a good reason to cut out milk?

No.“Cow’s milk gets a bad rap, but it’s actually an excellent source of calcium and vitamin D, nutrients most Americans lack,” says Torey Armul, RD, a Chicago-based dietitian, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics and ultramarathoner. And it has 8 grams of protein per cup, which helps you feel full and can control appetite. Skeptics say that we’re the only species that drinks the milk from another species, yet humans have a much more diverse diet than probably any other species, Armul says.

2

Even if I drink milk, should I make non-dairy milk part of my diet?

Probably. Non-dairy milks come in lots of forms: soy, nut, rice, hemp, quinoa and more. The key is to determine the nutritional need it fills. For instance, almond and cashew are low in calories, but also lack protein, while soy milk has as much protein as cow’s milk but may be higher in calories, Armul says. Hemp milk falls somewhere in the middle, with about 70 calories per serving, along with some protein and fiber. No matter what, go for the unsweetened kind.

3

Some athletes tout milk for post-workout recovery. Should I try it?

Yes. There are a few reasons milk’s a go-to. For one it’s a truly all-natural alternative to protein bars and powders. And research suggests it’s great for building muscle after a strength training session. It may even help stave off post-workout hunger: Researchers at Northumbria University in the UK found that women who drank 2½ cups of skim milk after 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous cycling ate significantly less during lunch an hour later compared with women who drank the same amount of orange juice. Go organic, which research suggests contains more omega-3 fatty acids, which is important for staving off heart disease.

4

Raw milk is trendy—but is it dangerous?

Yes. This is milk that skips pasteurization—a process that kills bacteria through heating. Proponents say that heating kills immune-boosting compounds, but there’s no science-based evidence that raw milk has any health benefits, says Lloyd Metzger, PhD, a professor in the Dairy Science Department at South Dakota State University. Milk is the most highly regulated food in the U.S. because it’s so widely consumed and one of the few sources of several essential nutrients—calcium, and vitamins A and D. Left unpasteurized, you’re 150 times likelier to contract a foodborne illness such as E. coli, salmonella and listeria, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Not to mention raw milk is illegal or restricted in most states. Bottom line: Don’t risk it.

5

Is ultra-filtered milk worth the price tag?

Up to you. “Ultrafiltration basically takes out some of the small molecules and water, thereby concentrating the proteins,” says Douglas Dalgleish, PhD, professor emeritus in the Department of Food Science at the University of Guelph in Canada. Fairlife—the type you’ve probable seen on shelves—“is correct in saying that its milk has more protein per unit volume and less sugar (lactose) than regular milk.” At the end of the day, do you need it? “Ultrafiltered milk is nutritious, but you pay a price for those extra nutrients,” Armul says. “Regular cow’s milk is significantly cheaper and still provides an excellent amount of protein and calcium.”

For full article by Marjorie Korn please visit:  http://q.equinox.com/articles/2015/09/5-things-you-need-to-know-about-milk?emmcid=emm-newsletter-0902&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email%20member&utm_campaign=0902&emmcid=EMM-0902QWeekly922015