Posts Tagged ‘Core Strength’

Over 50’s Fitness by Glen Barnett – Core & Your Pelvic Floor

February 9, 2016

photo.JPG.a

Today I would like to give you some really simple tips on how to work your core muscles that anyone can do and no one will know you’re doing it!

Firstly, always think pelvic floor first when you are activating your core.  The pelvic floor is like a sling or hammock that runs from your public bone, between your legs and inserts up near your tail bone. Its job is to keep all your bits in place eg control the flow of your bladder and bowel movements, lift the scrotum and vaginal muscles and help stop you having a prolapse of any of the above.  Very important muscle but one that often gets forgotten.

Here are a couple of simple ways you can incorporate pelvic floor activation into your everyday life.  Firstly sit straight on a chair and it will help you if you imagine you are naked and the chair is made of cold steel.  Yep that’s right you straight away want to lift your bits don’t you!  So for men ‘lifting your bits’ is a little easier they just need to lift their scrotum and there is their pelvic floor activation!  For ladies imagine you have a full bladder or bowel and you need to hold on to it while you are sitting on that cold, cold steel.

Don’t worry about counting repetitions.   Just simply lift, pulse the lift, hold the lift even put some music on and ‘dance’ your pelvic floor lifting to the music.  Once you have the action happening, try it while you are standing in the supermarket aisle, at the traffic lights and during commercial breaks!  Now the only thing you need to do is check when you activate your pelvic floor you’re not squeezing your butt muscles. Try lifting your pelvic floor when you stand up, lift something, sneeze, cough etc. It will make a massive difference to you in more ways than one.

So next time you are at the supermarket and you see someone standing there with this faraway look in their eyes you will know what they are concentrating on ….  ☺ Give Glen or Jacqui a call at Coffs Coast Health Club on 66586222 if you need some more guidance.

Tags:, , , , , , ,
Posted in Coffs Coast Health Club, Coffs Coast Health Club Blog, Coffs Coast Health Club Boomers, Coffs Coast Health Club Moonee, Coffs Coast Health Club Seniors, Core Strength, Healthy Inspirations Coffs Harbour, Healthy Inspiratons, Pelvic Floor, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

For Women Only – The 3 Weakest Muscle Groups

February 22, 2015

1. Your Chest

One of the most common weight room stereotypes: That pecs are a “guy thing.” Women naturally have a smaller ratio of muscle-to-fat in their chests compared with men. Unfortunately, this means that many women get frustrated with chest-strengthening exercises and either forgo them entirely or do them with improper form, according to Montenegro.

Think about it: How many times have you collapsed mid push-up and thought, “I’m strong! Why can’t I do this?” It’s because most women actually have to train in order to do what, for men, may seem easy.

Strength Training For Women

Strengthen It: The Eccentric Bench Press and Push-Up

To master this move, prepare to slow down and put the emphasis on the eccentric (downward) motion rather than the press upwards. (You can even have someone else raise the barbell for you.) This actually works your chest more intensely than a standard bench press, since your muscles get stronger moving eccentrically than concentrically. Plus, it trains your underlying core muscles (more on that later), and your triceps, which are naturally small and tend to tucker out even before your larger chest muscles do.

How to: Lay flat on a bench, holding a barbell just above your chest, elbows positioned near the sides of your body. Your palms should be facing up, hands chest-width apart. Press the barbell directly upwards until arms are fully extended (or have a spotter help you lift it), and then slowly lower it back down to your chest for a count of four to five seconds. Perform three to four sets of eight to 10 reps each week.

For a bodyweight-only option, push-ups are another complex movement that will hit the chest muscles (in addition to the shoulders, arms and core). Complete the standard variation, or try incline (hands elevated) and decline (feet elevated), Montenegro suggests. That will help you train multiple areas within your pectoralis muscles. Once a week, complete three to four sets of as many reps of as you can manage with proper form.

2. Your Hamstrings

Many women are all about leg extensions, squats, lunges — and, of course, spinning —when they work out. And while they can all help strengthen your lower body, they emphasize the quadriceps more than they do the hammies, Montenegro says. “Women’s quadriceps actually tend to be about twice as strong as their hamstrings,” she says. Add in high heels and things can get more uneven; wearing pumps transfers your body weight forward, so your quadriceps work harder with every step.

This imbalance can make women vulnerable to knee injuries — especially since their knees are already under a lot of pressure. Women’s pelvises are naturally wider than men’s, meaning that the femur, which attaches to the pelvis and knee, doesn’t go straight up-and-down, but slants so that body forms an “X” shape, she explains. Add that to the fact that monthly spikes in your estrogen levels can make joints more flexible, and there’s no option but to strengthen your hammies in order to protect your knees.

Strength Training for Women

Strengthen It: The Dumbbell Single-Leg Deadlift

“One of the best exercise to work the hamstrings is the dumbbell single-leg deadlift,” Montenegro says. As you progress, you can perform barbell deadlifts to further train your hamstrings while also strengthening your lower back and glutes.

How to: Stand with feet together, knees slightly bent, holding a dumbbell in the right hand. Keeping your back flat, begin to lean forward, hinging at the hip. Squeeze your left glute and hamstring and extend your right leg straight out behind you for balance. Your right arm will be perpendicular to your right leg. Return to starting position, switch sides. Shoot for three to four sets of eight reps on each side every week.

3. Your Core

Women’s bodies are built to be able to squeeze out a baby, meaning that the ligaments and tendons in your hips are more elastic and loose than those of the average guy, Montenegro says. Plus, ladies have a larger lumbar (low back) curve. So, to maintain correct posture, you need a killer core.

Unfortunately, most women don’t have the strong midsection they need. While there may be plenty of “core-sculpting” of the (look at me!) abdominal muscles (often through crunch and crunch variations), these movements don’t give their deep, stabilizing muscles the attention they need, she says. Those internal muscles are what is going to keep you upright and help you power through everything from running to kickboxing.

Strength Training for Women

Strengthen It: The Plank (left) and the Bird-Dog (right)

Your core is so important, we’ve got two moves for you to try. Plank it up with side and front variations of the core-strengthening exercise, or try the bird-dog, which is awesome for your back, Montenegro says.

Plank How-to: For the plank, support yourself on your forearms, keeping your shoulders over your elbows, knees up, butt down and back flat. Want to hit all areas of your midsection? Add in the side plank, where you’ll support yourself on one forearm, body angled to the side and knees lifted. With your chest open, raise your other forearm raised straight above your body. Once per week, complete each plank variation three times, holding the position for 30 seconds and working up to 60.

Article including pictures sourced from: http://dailyburn.com/life/fitness/strength-training-for-women-neglected-muscles/

Tags:, , , , , ,
Posted in Chest, Coffs Coast Health Club, Core Strength, Hamstrings, Healthy Inspirations Coffs Harbour, Women's Fitness | Leave a Comment »

Handstands … the benefits of being Upside Down

October 19, 2013

Handstands are an extremely underrated exercise, for one main reason: most people think they just can’t do them.

But just because you didn’t do gymnastics when you were younger and aren’t yet an advanced yoga practitioner doesn’t mean you can’t start doing handstands starting today.

Aside from bringing out your inner kid and just being plain fun to do, there are actually several ways handstands can benefit your health, especially if you do them on a daily basis.

So whether you do them against a wall or manage to do freestanding ones, here are five reasons why you should do handstands every day:

1. They’ll make your upper body super strong.

In order to stay upside down for any length of time, you’ll need a massive amount of shoulder, arm, and upper back strength. In fact, it’s not uncommon for beginners to start shaking after just a few seconds of holding a handstand.

To build up strength, start by holding a handstand against a wall for three sets of 5-10 seconds. Work up to holding them for a minute or two at a time. Practice often, and watch as your upper body strength skyrockets.

2. They’ll increase your balance

If you’ve ever tried a handstand, you know that besides needing to be strong to do them, you’ll also need to have substantial balancing skills as well in order to be able to hold yourself up. Freestanding handstands, especially, require you to be able to have full control over your muscles and to constantly make small adjustments to avoid falling.

Practicing freestanding handstands or doing handstands against a wall and trying to take your feet off the wall for as long as possible will help increase your balancing abilities like no other exercise can.

3. They can boost your mood.

Not only will handstands make you strong and help improve your balancing abilities, handstands can also make you feel happier, since the blood flow to your brain has an energizing and calming effect, especially when you’re feeling really stressed out.

Another way handstands can help your mood is by reducing the production of the stress hormone, cortisol, which can not only de-stress you in the short-term but could also help relieve minor depression and anxiety.

4. They build core strength.

There’s no need to spend hours focusing just on your abs — you can have fun doing handstands and build core strength as well.

Since staying upside down forces you to stabilize your muscles, you’re constantly working your abs, as well as other key muscle groups such as your hip flexors, hamstrings, inner thigh muscles, obliques and lower back while in a handstand. Training handstands every day will get you a well balanced, super strong core.

5. They help with bone health, circulation and breathing.

Since handstands are technically a weight-bearing exercise, they can help strengthen your bones, making you less prone to osteoporosis. Handstands are also beneficial for your spine, and help aid bone health in your shoulders, arms and wrists.

Not only that, the upside-down nature of a handstand can increase circulation to your upper body, while relieving pressure on your feet and legs and stretching your diaphragm at the same time, which in turn can increase blood flow to your lungs.

So start building handstands into your daily routine, even if it’s just a few a day. You’ll not only be benefiting your health; you’ll have a blast while doing it!

 

Article sourced from http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-11284/5-reasons-you-should-do-handstands-every-day.html

Tags:, , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

The Truth About the Pelvic Floor

October 28, 2012

The pelvic floor muscles are tightly slung between the tailbone (coccyx) and the pubic bone, and support the bowel, bladder, uterus and vagina. Muscular bands (sphincters) encircle the urethra, vagina and anus as they pass through the pelvic floor. When the pelvic floor muscles are contracted, the internal organs are lifted and the sphincters tighten the openings of the vagina, anus and urethra. Relaxing the pelvic floor allows passage of urine and faeces.

If the muscles are weakened, the internal organs are no longer fully supported and you may not be able to control your urine. Common causes of a weakened pelvic floor include childbirth, obesity and the associated straining of chronic constipation. Pelvic floor exercises are designed to improve muscle tone and prevent the need for corrective surgery.

Symptoms

The symptoms of a weakened pelvic floor include:

  • Leaking small amounts of urine when coughing, sneezing, laughing or running
  • Failing to reach the toilet in time
  • Uncontrollably breaking wind from either the anus or vagina when bending over or lifting
  • Reduced sensation in the vagina
  • Backache
  • Tampons that dislodge or fall out
  • A distinct swelling at the vaginal opening
  • A sensation of heaviness in the vagina.

Common causes

The pelvic floor can be weakened in many ways, including:

  • The weight of the uterus during pregnancy
  • Vaginal childbirth, which overstretches the muscles
  • The pressure of obesity
  • Chronic constipation and associated straining to pass motions
  • Constant coughing
  • Some forms of surgery that require cutting the muscles
  • Lower levels of oestrogen after menopause.

Complications of a weakened pelvic floor

Loss of bladder control is a common symptom of a weakened pelvic floor. Some people experience bowel incontinence, which means they can’t always control the passage of wind or faeces. Weak pelvic floor muscles can also cause sexual difficulties such as reduced vaginal sensation. In severe cases, the internal organs supported by the pelvic floor, including the bladder and uterus, can slide down into the vagina. This is called a prolapse. A distinct bulge in the vagina and deep, persistent vaginal aching are common symptoms.

Familiarising yourself with the pelvic floor

Pelvic floor exercises are designed to strengthen the muscles. Each sphincter (vaginal, urethral, anal) should be exercised, so you need to familiarise yourself with these muscles in order to contract them at will. If the pelvic floor is especially weak, it may be difficult to detect any muscular contractions at first.

Suggestions on identifying your sphincters include:

  • Vaginal – insert one or two fingers into your vagina and try to squeeze them.
  • Urethral – when you are urinating, try stopping the flow in midstream. This should only be done to identify the sphincters. Do not do it on a regular basis.
  • Anal – pretend you are trying to stop yourself from breaking wind and squeeze tightly.

The exercises

You can perform these exercises lying down, sitting or standing. Ideally, aim for five or six sessions every day while you are learning the exercises. After you have a good understanding of how to do the exercises, three sessions each day is enough.

Before you start, direct your attention to your pelvic floor muscles. Try to relax your abdominal muscles. Don’t bear down or hold your breath. Gradually squeeze all three sphincters and increase the tension until you have contracted the muscles as hard as you can. Release gently and slowly. Then perform the exercises, which include:

  • Squeeze slowly and hold as strongly as you can for 5 to 10 seconds while breathing normally. Release slowly. Repeat 10 times. Relax for 5 to 10 seconds between each one.
  • Perform quick, short, strong squeezes. Repeat 10 times.
  • Remember to squeeze the muscles whenever you clear your throat or cough.

Professional help

It is important to perform these exercises correctly. You can consult with your doctor, physiotherapist or continence advisor to ensure proper performance. It may take weeks or months before you notice a substantial improvement. In severe cases, pelvic floor exercises aren’t enough to solve the problem and surgery may be needed. Be guided by your health care professional.

Other considerations

You can further improve the strength of your pelvic floor in many ways, including:

  • Lose excess body fat
  • Cure constipation by including more fruit, vegetables, fibre and water in your daily diet
  • Seek medical attention for a chronic cough.

Where to get help

  • Australian Physiotherapy Association Tel. (03) 9092 0888
  • National Continence Helpline Tel. 1800 33 00 66
  • Victorian Continence Resource Centre Tel. (03) 9816 8266
  • Family Planning Victoria Tel. 1800 013 952 or (03) 9257 0100 http://www.fpv.org.au
  • Family planning clinic
  • Your doctor or other health care professional

Things to remember

  • The pelvic floor muscles support the bladder, uterus and bowel.
  • The pelvic floor can be weakened by pregnancy, childbirth, obesity and the straining of chronic constipation.
  • Pelvic floor exercises are designed to improve muscle strength.

Summary

The pelvic floor muscles support the bladder, uterus and bowel. Pregnancy, childbirth, obesity and the straining of chronic constipation can weaken the pelvic floor and cause urinary incontinence. Pelvic floor exercises can help.

The Pelvic Floor & the Core

The pelvic floor muscles work as part of the ‘core’ to regulate the internal pressure in the abdominal cylinder along with the abdominal, back and breathing muscles.

During exercise the internal pressures in the abdomen are constantly changing. For example, as you lift a weight the internal pressure increases, and as you put a weight down the pressure normalises.

In most people this pressure regulation happens automatically, however if any of the muscles in the core, including the pelvic floor, are weakened or damaged, then this automatic action may be altered.

In the ideal situation the muscles of the core work together in a co-ordinated way: as load is placed on the spine, the pelvic floor muscles lift, the abdominal and back muscles draw in to support the spine and it is easy to breathe (diagram 1). Alternatively, if when a client lifts a weight they hold their breath or draw the abdomen in without engaging the pelvic floor muscles, they may place excessive pressure down on the pelvic floor (diagram 2). If repeated stress or strain is placed on the bladder and bowel (and uterus in women) this may result in a weakening of the ligaments and leakage or pelvic organ prolapse may occur.

Correct and incorrect pelvic floor muscle action
 Diagram 1. Correct action                    Diagram 2. Incorrect action

Stabilising the core

The act of drawing the belly button to backbone has been advocated to turn on the core and stabilise the spine. New research is showing however, that some people tighten their back muscles, draw in the abdomen, hold their breath and place pressure down on the pelvic floor in an attempt to stabilise the spine. It has become more common for clients to try and brace their core muscles constantly during a whole exercise session in the belief they are toning the abdomen and supporting the spine.

To work well, the core muscles need to be flexible and contract and relax. Constant bracing can lead to stiffness. Leakage may occur because the pelvic floor muscles are weak, but can also occur because people have been bracing the core too much and have made the muscles stiff.

Information sourced from: http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Pelvic_floor, http://www.pelvicfloorfirst.org.au/pages/the-pelvic-floor-and-the-core.html

Tags:, , ,
Posted in Coffs Coast Health Club, Fitness, Health | Leave a Comment »

Let’s get to the “core” of the matter

April 17, 2012

What is Core?

Core is your abs, your hips and your lower back.  Every muscle, every exercise relies on your core.  It’s 29 muscles altogether that start and end every move you make.

Core muscle abs

Core muscle abs

A good friend of mine is currently experiencing  significant’ back pain. You know… the sort of pain that stops you doing what you enjoy and makes simple things like getting dressed and tying your shoe-laces almost impossible.

While there are numerous factors why someone might experience back pain, having weak core muscles increases your risk of getting a sore back.

Typically, when the word “core” is used, it is in reference to the six-pack abdominals and lower back. However, it actually includes a large number of muscles between the abdomen and the ribs. There are many muscles that work together so you need to keep all of them strong enough to do their particular job.

The role of the abdominal and back muscles

When most people think about training their abs’ they focus on a muscle called the rectus abdominis. It’s the one that creates the six-pack look, so women love it and men crave it. Its role is to pull the shoulders towards the hips, but this is only a small proportion of what the core muscles do.

The best way to describe what the muscles of your core do is ‘posture’ and support’. They are responsible for holding the upper body in the proper posture for whatever it is you’re doing, be that standing, lifting something, riding a bike or sitting at your desk. Posture, as in pulling your shoulders back and sitting or standing up tall is the easiest to see.

Support is another major role of these muscles. Think of picking up a bag of shopping, doing squats, or putting something on the top shelf in the kitchen. Your core muscles contract to hold the body rigid and support the spine. If you don’t or can’t contract the core muscles to support your upper body, you will either falter under the weight of whatever you are lifting or put additional pressure on the spine.

The core muscles are also responsible for efficient movement. Without effective core muscles, the upper body would flop about unnecessarily creating a lot more work for other muscles and joints in the body.

Why You Need A Strong Core

The key role of the core is to support the upper body, primarily to prevent injury to the spinal column. The spine is an amazing design with each joint allowing about four degrees of movement. If the muscles are not strong enough, the body may well push the boundaries of this limited range. If the limits are exceeded too much and/or too often, it can cause damage to the ligaments, facet joints or disc between the vertebra.

How most people train their core muscles

Sit-ups, sit-ups and more sit-ups or crunches, crunches and more crunches. Because the rectus abdominis is the most visible muscle it gets all the attention. However, strengthening just this muscle and forgetting the rest is dangerous. It only strengthens the front of the abdomen so there is little support on the sides and at the back. This doesn’t mean you should never do these exercises, but activities that include all the core muscles working together are important.

Examples of how to exercise the core muscles

Just tighten everything up

Get into the habit of tightening up all the muscles around your abdomen and stomach 10 times a day. Create cues, like the phone ringing or every time you have a drink of water to contract the muscles.

Plank or Bridge

This involves holding the body rigid and parallel to the floor, keeping everything from shoulders to ankles in a straight line. Start lying on your stomach then push up onto your toes and elbows, keeping your body straight. I do this when watching TV. Instead of sitting on the couch, I’ll lie on the floor and each time an ad comes on I’ll do a plank for as long as I can. You’ll realise how long the ad breaks are when you do this!

Side plank

This is similar to the plank except you are on one elbow and the outside of one foot. Hold your body in a straight line for as long as you can and make sure you do both sides.

Working on these three is a good start to strengthening your core muscles. Just a few minutes each day can make the difference and could potentially prevent you from experiencing the sort of pain my friend is going through. It is a lot easier to do these before you get a sore back, so don’t wait until something starts to hurt.

Information sourced from – http://lifelongfitness.net

Tags:,
Posted in Coffs Coast Health Club, Coffs Harbour, Fitness, Health | 1 Comment »