By Ryan Unverzagt September is one of my favorite months because college and pro football are in full swing. Athletes have been grinding it out for the past month and a half in training camps and the weight room. Now is their opportunity to showcase their talents to the world. I can only hope that you can find that same type of motivation to keep working hard on your health. Think of how exercise makes you feel better. You have more energy, sleep soundly, stress less, and think clearer, but more importantly, you have more confidence and happiness in your life. If these benefits don’t get you going, I’m not sure what will! This month’s exercise is called the Bosu Balance Single-Leg Abduction. A great challenge for balance and concentration. You want to get comfortable standing on top with both feet before attempting just one. This exercise can be included in your warm-up and performed at the beginning of your routine. To start, step on top of the Bosu with a single foot directly in the center of the rings. I think of it as a bulls-eye. Line the opposite foot next to the planted one (Figure 1). Keep only one foot in contact with the Bosu before moving the leg out to the side (abduction) and away from the center (Figure 2). This movement should be slow and under control. Pause for a few seconds once your leg is abducted before bringing it back to the start position. If your balance gets thrown off (and it will), simply touch the non-planted foot back on the Bosu to regain balance. It’s also ok if you just step off completely and start over. I suggest using a mirror for feedback, but the goal is to maintain balance without looking down at…
By Ryan Unverzagt I decided to give you a break from the FitBall last month but I also want you to get your money’s worth out of the one you have so let’s add another exercise using it to your regime. This month we are adding the FitBall Abdominal (Ab) Exchange. This is a great exercise for the rectus abdominus. The start position is shown in Figure 1. The FitBall is held off the floor with your arms extended straight above the head. Notice how the feet are also held above the floor about a foot or two. This position elicits muscular tension through your core. Next, bring the ball overtop of your body while simultaneously raising your legs to “meet in the middle”. Obviously, the leg and arm muscles will be doing some work during this motion, but focus on contracting the abs to help bring the back of the shoulders off the floor to really make the repetition count. So now that the FitBall is at the top, switch it from the hands to the feet by placing it between the inside of your ankles (Figure 2). It might take some practice before this transition becomes smooth. Squeeze the ball with your legs to secure it for the ride down. Slowly lower the ball, back of the shoulders, and your arms toward the floor. Notice again how the arms and ball never touch the floor because you want to keep tension on the abs the whole time during the exercise (Figure 3). Try at least ten reps if you’ve never attempted the FitBall Ab Exchange. This is an advanced abdominal exercise that requires significant core strength to perform multiple sets and reps. I hope that I have given you another solid core exercise that you can add to…
By Ryan Unverzagt Welcome to another edition of From the Trainer. July’s exercise of the month is the Barbell Lunge. This particular exercise challenges your balance, core, and leg strength. The starting position is shown in Figure 1. The barbell will rest on the upper back as you take a long stride forward. Lower your body toward the floor by bending your front knee and hip to about 90 degrees. As this happens, shift your body weight to the front leg (Figure 2). Avoid leaning forward at the waist but make sure your knee stays over the toes and aligned with the front foot. Without pausing at the bottom, push forcefully up and backward. Body weight will then shift back to the “trail leg” to bring you back to start position. Try at least 10 reps on each leg. Variations to this lunge include alternating legs on each repetition or stepping backward to perform a reverse lunge. If you choose to reverse the lunge, make sure you shift your weight to the front leg first, and then step backward. Keep body weight on the front leg while the trail leg is used for balance. Another variation is the walking lunge in which you keep moving forward with each lunge. You could also hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides instead of using the barbell on the upper back. Either way you choose to do the lunge, it will provide the challenge and intensity you’ve been looking for! Until next month…..enjoy the Barbell Lunge. About the Author: Unverzagt holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Wellness Management from Black Hills State University. He is a certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength & Conditioning Association and a Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer through the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical…
By Ryan Unverzagt Last month we covered the FitBall Crossover Crunch so since you already have the fitball on hand, this month’s exercise is the FitBall Pushup. There are two ways to start. The first way is to lie over top of the ball face down and walk out on your hands to the desired start position. The second way is to place the hands on the floor with one leg on top of the ball, and then bring the other leg up after establishing balance. Figure 1 shows the start position. I have the ball under the shins and my hands are slightly wider than shoulder width. The next step is to perform pushups while maintaining balance and control. Key points of the FitBall pushup include: -Do not let the hips drop toward the floor because this can cause unwanted stress to the low back. -A wide hand placement will provide more stability. Narrow placement will be harder. -Slow and controlled descent and ascent will be more challenging than a faster pace. -Ball placement will also alter difficulty level. Closer to the hips is easier and closer to the feet is harder, especially when the ball is under the toes (weight on the balls of the feet). For an advanced move, you can also roll the ball toward the hands by tucking the knees to the chest and lifting the hips upward. Perform this move in between pushups when your arms are extended. About the Author: Unverzagt holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Wellness Management from Black Hills State University. He is a certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength & Conditioning Association and a Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer through the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography.
By Ryan Unverzagt May is the perfect month to initiate an exercise program if you have slacked lately. The weather starts to cooperate better which favors more outdoor activities. Walking, bike riding, hiking, jogging, or even rollerblading are fun things to do this month. I encourage you to get outside but if not, I have a great exercise for your core. This one’s called the FitBall Crossover Crunch. I find it helpful to use a ball that is a size smaller than the one you normally would use. A 65cm ball is my usual size, however, I’m using a 55cm for this exercise because a smaller ball will keep you closer to the ground for stability. You need your opposite hand and foot touching the floor while performing this exercise. If a bigger ball is used, you might not be able to reach the ground and there’s a good chance you’ll fall off! To start, lay on top of the ball with it placed on your mid-to-low back. The ball should curve along the lumbar and lower thoracic vertebrae. Keep your opposite foot and hand in contact with the floor while the other leg is straight and parallel to the ground (figure 1). You should have your other elbow bent with the hand behind your head. Bring your elbow toward the opposite knee (from the straight leg) to “crossover” to the middle. Focus on contracting your abdominals to help bring your shoulder toward the center for a slight rotation (figure 2). During this movement, the ball should not roll. To finish, slowly release tension on the abs to bring your elbow and leg back to the start position. Finish 20 reps with the same side before you switch to the opposite arm/leg combo. Don’t try to alternate sides, this can…
By Ryan Unverzagt Welcome back to another edition of From the Trainer! April is one of my favorites since I celebrate my birthday and I still have a few years to go before I hit the big 5-0! Staying in shape has always been my goal as I get older and it should be a priority for you as well. This month’s exercise is the Single-Leg (SL) Dumb Bell (DB) Squat. It will challenge your balance, posture, and legs. The set up for this one is important because the wrong foot position can cause you problems. Let’s take it from the bottom up. First, you need a place to put your uninvolved (back) foot. I used a 12-inch plyometric box, but a flat bench or an aerobic step works great too. Grab a pair of light DBs to hold at your sides. With the box or bench behind you, take a long stride forward to give yourself space to work. I have my right foot back on top of the box with the left leg supporting all of my body weight. Use your back foot for balance only (figure 1). Lower yourself by bending at the hip and knee until you reach about 90 degrees. If your knee passes over your toes, widen your stance if necessary. You can hop your foot forward if you trust your balance, but I recommend taking your back foot off the bench or box to line it up with the front foot and then take a small step forward to increase your distance. Keep your torso upright with good posture as you control the decent. Once you have reached the bottom (figure 2), push yourself back up by contracting the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps to extend your hip and knee of the front leg….
By Ryan Unverzagt Welcome once again to another missive From the Trainer…..This month will begin with a new look as I explain and show the techniques of some of your favorite exercises. Keep in mind that every exercise has some sort of variation to it, so I will mention a few of them along the way. If you’ve been reading my column for any amount of time, you might remember that I suggested buying a kettle bell for a fitness gift. However, I did not explain anything about how to use one. This is my chance to explain the most basic exercise to master with the kettle bell – the swing. The starting position begins by straddling the kettle bell with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width. Squat down keeping your back aligned and dropping the hips. Grab the kettle bell handle with an overhand grip with both hands. I like to start the swing with a “counter movement,” just like what you do before jumping. Lift the kettle bell by squatting upwards, keeping the arms straight so it hangs between the legs. This is your true starting position. Next, slowly lower the kettle bell toward the ground while keeping good back posture. As soon as your knees bend about 90 degrees, explode back up using the power in your legs as if you wanted to jump. This will develop enough momentum for you to swing the kettle bell out away from you using the arms. There are many ways to finish the swing, but I suggest swinging it about 135 degrees or ¾ of the way up, not all the way over your head. There is a good chance of falling backwards if you do this! You’re not done just yet. Let gravity take the kettle bell back…
By Ryan Unverzagt I hope everyone had a successful January. It takes some time and discipline getting used to a new habit (I’m talking about exercise), so don’t give up. This month’s exercise is the bench press. It targets the pectoralis majors & minors, anterior deltoids, serratus anterior, and triceps. There are many variations to the bench press. However this one is performed on a flat bench using a free-weight bar. Standard Olympic bars weigh 45lbs without any weight plates on them. If you are trying this exercise for the first time, you now have a reference point when deciding how much resistance to use. It’s also a good idea to have a spotter ready in case you need assistance. Lie on your back with the hips, shoulder blades & head in contact with the bench. Knees are bent 90 degrees with feet flat on the floor. Grab the bar on the rack with a slightly wider than shoulder-width grip. The bar should be directly above eye level. Lift the bar off the rack and position it over your upper chest (Figure 1). Slowly lower the bar toward the bottom portion of your chest (Figure 2). You can either touch the bar to your chest or stop a few inches above, but do not bounce it off the chest! Without pausing at the bottom, push the bar up and slightly back toward the rack to finish with the arms straight. The bar should be directly above the upper chest and shoulders. Remember to keep your hips in contact with the bench during the upward phase. If you find that you need to arch your back to lift the bar, you have too much weight on it! Try 3-4 sets of 7-12 reps with moderately heavy weight if you want to…
By Ryan Unverzagt I hope all of you had a memorable holiday season and happy new year! After all of the hustle and bustle that the holidays bring (gift returns, credit card bills, writing thank you notes, tolerating shopping crowds), it’s very easy to accumulate stress. Everyone has their own unique way of handling stress, but I would like you to consider these healthy ways to cope with it all. Stretch Your Muscles: Flexibility is one of the most neglected aspects of staying healthy. It’s not only good for your muscles, tendons, and joints, but it also can have a calming effect. Take a few minutes each day to gently stretch the major muscle groups of your body (Neck, shoulders, chest, torso, low-back, hips & legs). Hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds several times a day. Your local health professional can show you safe, effective stretching techniques to help relieve that stress. Practice Progressive Relaxation: This is a relaxation technique that you can do sitting in a chair at work or lying in a bed. It involves tensing particular muscle groups for 10 seconds, and then releasing that tension for 20 seconds to help reduce anxiety. It will take some time and practice before you really notice the benefits. For example, clench your fist firmly for 10 seconds then slowly release that tension and remain relaxed for 20 seconds. Do not hold your breath during any of these exercises (flexibility too). Progress your way to other muscle groups and focus on releasing the tension completely. A quiet place is helpful to practice progressive relaxation. Ease in To the New Year: Approach the New Year slowly. Give yourself time to get back into a new routine or return to your pre-holiday mode. Listen to Your Favorite Music: Music is…
By Ryan Unverzagt December is a great time to exercise because exercise is a great way to relieve some holiday stress. This month’s exercise is the Cable Row. This is a machine resistance exercise which targets the back and spinal muscles, mainly the rhomboids, trapezius, latissimus dorsi, rear deltoids, and biceps. Many variations of the cable row exist because of the numerous cable handle attachments that you can use. In this example, I chose to use a narrow-grip handle. Before you begin, select an appropriate weight in which you can pull through a full range of motion without the need to lean backwards. Most cable row machines will have a flat bench to sit on with an angled foot-plate to position the legs and feet. Others might have an adjustable seat and chest-pad to lean against without a foot-plate. The start position for this exercise is shown in Figure 1. What I do first is grab the handle with both hands and then place one foot on the plate to help scoot back on the seat. The handle will be too far forward to reach if you sit down in position and then try to grab it. Once you secure the handle and pull it away from the machine, both feet should be placed on the foot-plate, knees slightly bent, arms extended straight in front of you, and seated in a good, tall posture without leaning backwards. Now you’re ready to begin. Pull the handle toward your abdomen using your upper back muscles (not just your arms) until the shoulder blades come together and your elbows are slightly behind the torso. Stay in the upright position (Figure 2) throughout the row. You can pause for a moment before controlling the weight stack back to the start position by…
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