FitSugar

Lifting Tip: Keep Your Neck Straight

FitSugar — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 14:45:00 -0800

I admit it. I love to watch myself when using weights. It's not because I love staring at my toned muscles; it's because I'm checking my form.

It's great to make sure you're doing strength-training moves correctly, but if you turn your head to take a peek, you could strain your neck or upper back. So instead of glaring over at your deltoid, stand in front of a mirror to watch yourself, making sure to keep your neck in line with your spine. You can also have a session with a fitness trainer so he or she can watch you do your moves and give you pointers on how to perfect your form.

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5 Things: Ways to Hurt Yourself While Working Out

FitSugar — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 13:30:00 -0800

Regardless of whether you're a gym newbie or have been working out for years, there's a variety of common mistakes that can lead to injury. Nobody wants that right? Here are five ways to hurt yourself at the gym, with advice on how to stay injury free.

Skipping the warm up. Even if your schedule is tight, don't skimp on the very important warmup. Easing your way into your workout will gradually increase your heart rate and get the blood flowing into your muscles. Not only does it help make your body feel more prepared to work hard, but it can also prevent pulling a muscle.
Doing the same thing every time. While it's good to get into a routine, this is a great way to get a repetitive stress injury. So alternate between cardio machines, try out different fitness classes and weight machines, and work on cross-training. Not only will you help give overused muscles a break, but you'll have more fun working out too.

Want to see the rest? Then read more

Doing too much. Ease into new exercise routines. When strength training, if you're increasing to a heavier weight, shoot for eight reps instead of 20. If bike riding is new to you, ride at a moderate pace first, and as your body gets used to it, gradually increase your speed. You won't be able to go to the gym if you end up really sore or with a pulled muscle, so ease up on the gung-ho mindset and increase intensity as you feel ready.
Holding onto the treadmill. This can put your body in an unnatural running position, which could end up straining your shoulders or back. If you're holding on because you're worried about falling off, then slow down the pace and speed it up as you feel comfortable.
Bouncing while stretching. This is a big no-no since you could be causing microtrauma to your muscles. As these injuries heal and scar, they can actually make you less flexible, undoing all the work you've done. So get into a stretch and stay there to reap the benefits. Stretch to a point where you feel your muscles opening, but you shouldn't feel any pain.

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Fit Tip: Avoid Injury by Mixing It Up

FitSugar — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 08:45:00 -0800

Exercising isn't always fun, so if you find some kind of physical activity that you love, it's easy to stick with it. It's great to fully immerse yourself in one thing like running, but you may be putting yourself at risk by overusing certain muscles groups, leaving others weak and overtaxing your joints. You can also become bored and careless when doing the same thing over and over again, and when you're not paying attention, you could end up hurting yourself.

So mix it up. Don't do the same thing all the time when it comes to your exercise routine. Try to include a mix of cardio, flexibility and strength training each week. I'm not saying you should give up what you love to do, but add some new things in. If you're spending a lot of time using cardio machines, then try taking a class or using the pool. If you love relaxing or low-impact exercise like Pilates or weight training, then step it up and hop on a treadmill or take a spinning class. You'll work new muscles and give old ones a rest, which is important to your body's overall strength and health.

Tell me how you mix it up in the comments section below.
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How to Avoid Sports Injuries

FitSugar — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 02:30:00 -0700

I think it is safe to say that no one enjoys being sidelined by an injury. If you have ever sat on the sidelines and watched your team play, you know how sitting out can hurt almost as much as the injury. On that sad note, here are a few ideas on how to avoid those sports related injuries that put you off your fitness track.

Warm up: Take 10 minutes to bring your heart rate up to your target zone while gradually priming your muscles and connective tissue for action. Warming up improves your overall mobility and coordination.
Cool down: Cooling down works like your warm up, but in reverse. By taking 10 minutes to bring your heart rate safely back to normal, you also help your muscles flush any build up of waste products from your muscles. This helps decrease post workout stiff joints and sore muscles.
Stretch: You should definitely stretch after every workout; just include it in your cool down (see number two). Keeping flexible reduces your chances of pulling a muscle or straining a ligament.
Good Technique: There is often a reason for "technique" and it is not usually an aesthetic one. No! Good technique helps to protect the body. Form is very important when it comes to working with weights. If you find that you are lifting sloppily, stop and evaluate the weight you're lifting and your form. Using control is always a good idea when strength training.
Good Shoes: Good shoes go a long way. Most athletics shoes are highly engineered to protect your feet and your body from the impact often associated with running. Plus, sneakers are designed to handle the specific demands of different sports. Playing tennis in running shoes is practically a twisted ankle waiting to happen.

Hopefully these tips will keep you playing all season, no matter if your sport is soccer, running, or step aerobics!

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The Skinny On: Your Lower Back

FitSugar — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 15:30:00 -0800

The common expression is "pain in the neck" but it seems like it should be "pain in my low back" since about 80% of Americans complain about low back pain at some point in their life. The low back supports everything above it - the torso and the head. It is also involved in almost every action we do - standing, sitting, twisting and lifting.
So if you have a pain in your low back it pretty much affects everything you do. And let me tell you, back pain is a huge bummer. To get the skinny on the low back and some easy ways to avoid the inevitable, read more
The low back is also known as the lumbar spine and the small of the back. It consists of 5 vertebra between your rib cage and pelvis. It naturally has a convex shape to it which can get exaggerated by wearing really high heels or flattened from squeezing the glutes too much (tucking the pelvis).

Here's a few tips on how to avoid low back pain and injury.

Don't lift by bending over and rounding your back with straight knees. Lift , especially heavy stuff, by bending at your hips and knees, sticking your booty out. Squat, keeping your back straight to lift. Use the power of your legs.
Push rather than pull when you must move heavy objects, this way you can put all of your body weight into the effort.
If you must sit at a desk or drive for long periods of time sit up straight without slouching. And by all means break up the time and stretch.
Exercise regularly - walking is great for the low back and often relieves low back pain. It is not a shocker that an inactive lifestyle contributes to lower back pain.
Keep your abs and back strong and use your deep abdominals and your core muscles when exerting effort when lifting and exercising.

How to Avoid Foot Pain Caused by Running

FitSugar — Tue, 15 May 2007 09:30:00 -0700

According to the website Cool Running your feet pound the ground some 800 times when running just a mile. That's a lot of pounding!!! So you want to be sure to take care of your feet, especially if you are new to running. Rookies tend to experience more shin splints, blisters ankle sprains and other injuries than veteran runners (but those veterans had to start somewhere, right?).

Here are some ways to help you protect your feet and ankles that will hopefully help you stay injury and blister free.

Warm up: A few Sun Salutations will get your blood flowing before a run. Or try walking briskly or running slowly for 5 minutes, followed by gently stretching your leg muscles.
Buy good running shoes: Look for good shock absorption and construction that will provide stability and cushioning to the foot. Buy shoes at the end of the day when the foot is the largest. Here's a list of running sneaks that podiatrists recommend.
Keep your feet friction free: To avoid blisters, make sure your shoes fit well and try Thorlo's "blister-proof" socks. Give these socks a try, and in general keep in mind that nylon socks tend to be more abrasive than cotton. Try lubricating the friction prone spots with vaseline, and if that just sounds too icky try powder.

There's more, so read more

Strengthen your ankles: Weak ankles make you unstable on uneven surfaces, like trail running, and more prone to sprains. Try writing the ankle alphabet daily 3 to 5 times. This movement will strengthen your ankle joint through a wide range of motion.
Stretch your calves: Tight calves can really disrupt the foot's ability to function properly. Make sure to stretch your calves out after you run. I love holding the downward facing dog pose for 10 slow breaths to get this done.
Listen to your body: If you are experiencing pain in your feet, ankles or knees, slow it down a bit or take a couple of days off. Remember, ice can be your friend in these occasions and can help decrease inflammation and promote healing.

Hope these tips help keep your feet happy, because if your feet aren't happy you're going to be miserable.

How You Can Avoid Tom Brady's ACL Injury

FitSugar — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 13:00:00 -0700

You may or may not be a football fan, but chances are high you've heard of Tom Brady, the boyfriend of supermodel Gisele Bundchen. In his first game of the season, Brady, the quarterback for the New England Patriots, limped off the field, and folks are speculating that he's torn his ACL. An MRI will help determine the diagnosis and extent of his injury.

One of the most commonly injured ligaments, ACL stands for anterior cruciate ligament. It's one of the four major ligaments that connect the bones in the knee joint. A torn ACL is a serious injury that often requires surgery followed by a lengthy recovery period. While accidents happen, like random tackles, there are some preventative measures you can take to avoid this injury:

Before moving right into an intense workout, always warm up your muscles first for at least 5 to 10 minutes. Low impact activity like walking is a great way to warm up.
When exercising, try to keep your motions smooth. Turning directions quickly or coming to an abrupt stop can result in a torn ACL.
Spend time strengthening the muscles surrounding your knees including your quads, shins, calves, and hamstrings. This will increase stability in your knee. Lunges, squats, walking up stairs, or doing exercises with dumbbells are great to work into your routine.

For other helpful hints and to see a video showing how Tom Brady suffered his injury read more.

Cross-train with various types of exercise. Sticking to just one activity can result in an injury caused by repetitive movements. Plus mixing up your routine helps you burn more calories and strengthens different muscles.
Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight puts stress on your joints and can increase your risk for degenerative arthritis, which can result in knee pain.
Always stretch after you run, bike, hike, swim, or do anything active. Flexible muscles and ligaments are less likely to tear. Avoid stretching before an activity when you're not warmed up. Think of how cold bubble gum will rip in half if you pull it, but if it's warm, it'll stretch.
If you're experiencing pain in your knee, back off a little on the intensity of your workouts. Working through pain can make an injury worse.

Here's the video of Tom Brady (#12) from yesterday's game. Fast forward to .38 and keep an eye on his left knee just after he throws the ball.

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Run Barefoot and Avoid Running Injuries?

FitSugar — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:00:04 -0700

The idea of running barefoot seems like some new age, hippie movement to get people to be free in their bare skin. Or some eco-friendly push to persuade people to forgo sneakers so they don't end up in landfills. Although the freedom and environmental arguments for barefoot running are valid, Christopher McDougall, author of the best-selling book Born to Run, believes running without sneakers could be the answer to preventing shin splints, knee pain, and other running injuries.

After suffering many an injury himself, he set out with the question, "Why does my foot hurt?" In his journey to answer that question, he discovered the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico’s Copper Canyons. They run hundreds of miles at a time with only thin, homemade sandals on their feet, and don't suffer any of the injuries that the rest of us runners do. After running with them, he realized the secret was ditching his sneaks, and since then, he's been injury-free. McDougall believes today's high-tech sneakers "warp our natural stride, encourage bad form, and lead to injuries."

To hear more about barefoot running, keep reading

Pros and Cons of the Treadmill

FitSugar — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 07:00:36 -0700

If you enjoy walking or running, sometimes exercising outside just isn't an option, so the treadmill is your saving grace. It's one of the most common pieces of gym equipment used, so check out some of its benefits and disadvantages.

Pros	Cons
Rain, sleet, snow, blazing sun, and pitch black can't keep you from using the treadmill, so no matter what the weather or time of day, you can always get in a workout. The terrain is always free of rocks, trash, dog poo, and ice, so you don't have to worry about where you're stepping. You can count on it being smooth and safe, which can help you avoid injury.	If you don't belong to a gym, treadmills aren't cheap and you'll end up spending between $1,500 and $4,000 for a good one. Treadmills require power, so they're not exactly the greenest type of exercise. Running outdoors only burns calories, not electricity.

To see the rest of the pros and cons, read more.

Pros

Cons

The surface of a treadmill is more forgiving than pounding concrete or asphalt, so it's easier on your joints.
It's a safe way to burn calories if you're afraid to exercise outside in your neighborhood.
You can work out using an incline, which burns more calories and effectively tones your legs and booty.
Newer treadmills have a variety of programs so you can do several interval workouts that replicate outdoor terrain even though you're inside.
Since you can control the speed and duration of your workout, you can customize the intensity to meet the needs of your fitness goals. It's great if you're doing speedwork and need to run at a specific pace for a certain distance, but it's also great if you need to do an easy run for muscle recovery the day after a hard run. Just set the speed and hop on, and it'll prevent you from running too fast.
The readout keeps track of your workout data including time, speed, distance, and calories burned, so you can monitor your progress.
You can watch TV or read while on the treadmill, which is especially great for passing the time on long runs or walks.

The moving belt propels your legs, so you're not working as hard as you would running the same speed outside, which translates to fewer calories burned.
If you're training for a race, you'll be missing out on training in extreme temps, wind resistance, blaring sun, precipitation, and on an uneven surface.
The treadmill belt may be too narrow or short for your body, so you'll compensate by running with a shorter stride and not swinging your arms as freely.
The monotony of the treadmill can be so boring that you exercise for less time.
If you're not paying attention, you could misstep, fall, and get propelled backward.
The readout on the machine may not be as accurate as other devices, like specialty heart rate monitors and the Nike+ Sportband.

Moldable Moji Ice Packs

FitSugar — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:34:54 -0700

We all do what we can to prevent injuries, but if you're an active person, sometimes you can't avoid it. Chronic back and knee pain are the most common ailments. If you've seen a doctor or physical therapist, they probably recommended you ice your boo-boo regularly. Common flat ice packs can be annoying to use though, since they're slippery and don't stay where you need them to. If this is an issue for you, check out these moldable fabric ice packs from Moji.

They have ones for your back ($99) and knees ($85). They stay cold for the recommended 20 minutes, and because you can get a snug fit, the compression can also offer support and extra relief from pain. The pack is made of soft fabric that can sit next to your skin without causing stinging or irritation, so you can wear these packs under your clothes if you want to. They may be expensive, but isn't your comfort priceless?