Tag Archives: fitness

Save Money – NOT – Calories!

Hey everyone!  As we inch closer to Thanksgiving Day – one of the heaviest EATING holidays of the year – I thought that this might be an appropriate topic to cover.  Please enjoy, and as always feel free to share the link to this blog with your friends and family.

FITNESS, HEALTH AND EXERCISE FACTS

Presented by LEC Fitness, LLC

 

Save Your Money – NOT – Your Calories

SPEND-SPEND-SPEND!  That’s my advice when it comes to calories.  Creating an excess in the form of saving or storing is great when it comes to our money.  Spend less than you make is sound financial advice.  Yet, when it comes to our health, creating a deficit in our ‘calorie bank’ is one of the best ways to improve our wellness.  In my opinion, too often the message and approach espoused in the media is focused on reducing the number of calories that you eat — in other words dieting — while not enough attention is given to creating that calorie deficit through exercise.  Don’t get me wrong, there is definitely a place in most of our lives for reducing the amount that we eat.  However, there is definitely research out there that shows that taking that path without increasing our activity level may actually have the opposite effect of what we are trying to accomplish — lose weight.

I love analogies, so continuing on my spending and saving analogy, if I’m saving money in the bank and I simply reduce the amount of money that I add to my account with each deposit, while my bank account balance will increase more slowly, it doesn’t go down in value, it just goes up slower.  I can even stop making deposits altogether and while my account balance will not increase (ok I know about interest, but work with me here) it also does not go down.

Take that analogy to the eating-exercise scenario and by simply reducing my food intake/calories I may be reducing the amount of increase or weight gain that I experience, even to the point of reaching a zero sum or stabilizing my weight, but may NOT be doing much to actually lose weight.  In both scenarios, in order to reduce my balance I need to spend!  Spending calories equates to exercise.

So, keep saving your money, but please get out there and spend those calories.

ALWAYS consult with your physician or healthcare provider BEFORE you begin ANY exercise to ensure that exercise is appropriate for you!

This Fitness, Health and Exercise Facts publication is brought to you courtesy of LEC Fitness, LLC www.lecfitness.com

Join Us: November 23rd For a Fun Post-Thanksgiving Day Small Group Workout to Help You ‘Spend’ Some of Those Excess Turkey-Day Calories! Space is Limited So Register Now by Clicking Here.

 

Fitness, Health and Exercise Fact for October

Hello everyone!  Are you an athlete or would just like to train like one to help rev-up your fitness and conditioning? Here’s my latest tip on how training like an athlete can help you.  Please enjoy!  And as always, feel free to share this blog link with your friends, family and co-workers!
In Health and Fitness,

LaRue

Use Work-to-Rest Ratio Training to Rev-Up Your Fitness Level!

In the world of Sports Conditioning and Training I use work-to-rest ratio training to help athletes address their specific conditioning needs for the sport they play, and to improve their overall performance. But this type of training can be used for challenging and improving the fitness level of anyone – athlete or not. So, what exactly does this type of training involve, and how do the principles of work-to-rest training help athletes and non-athletes alike? I’m so glad that you asked!

Work-to-rest training methodology requires me to take a look at the duration of the typical work performed by the athlete that I am training and then targeting their training to those needs. For example, your typical basketball or tennis athlete will run a series of short, quick sprints, stops and starts during their competition.  Yet, all too often I see some of these same athletes who are involved in this type of high-intensity, quick movement sport, spend all or most of their cardiovascular training by performing steady-state, long distance training such as jogging. In fact, while this type of long distance training will help them with their overall endurance, it does very little to address the type of cardiovascular conditioning that they need in their actual sport. The ‘roller-coaster’ type of cardio conditioning (where they may sprint-jog-walk-sprint etc.) that their sport requires is not well suited by steady-state jogging. This is where looking at the specific work-to-rest ratio of their sport is useful.  High intensity training that simulates the action on the field of play or court will be helpful here. So, for example I will have a tennis player perform a higher intensity cardiovascular work for a shorter duration (say 15-30 seconds, similar to a tennis point) and then allow them a short recovery of say 10-20 seconds (the typical time between points). By training this way, the athlete will develop the ability to not only work at a higher intensity, but also to recover faster so that they are ready for action sooner.

While I use this type of training specificity with athletes, this concept can be used with general fitness clients who, for example, I want to have burn more calories, or otherwise challenge their cardiovascular system in a different way. While it’s true that not everyone is involved in a high-intensity sport, it’s also true that few things in life always occur in a steady state.  Have any doubt?  Think about the time that the elevator is broken and you have to walk up several flights of stairs, or hike up a broken escalator, or run for the bus; these are all daily life events that may challenge your steady state conditioning. By programming a few higher-intensity, short duration exercise bursts into my client’s training program I can challenge their conditioning beyond its normal steady-state capacity for just such occasions.  In addition to adding variety to your regular cardiovascular workout, this type of training can result in the burning of more calories per unit of exercise time – more work in shorter time for those of you short on time.

A WORD OF CAUTION:  Because this type of high-intensity interval training carries a higher potential risk of injury, and may not be for everyone, I highly recommend having an experienced certified personal trainer or sports conditioning specialist help you design a program that is suited for your specific needs and fitness level.

ALWAYS consult with your physician or healthcare provider BEFORE you begin ANY exercise to ensure that exercise is appropriate for you!

This Fitness, Health and Exercise Facts publication is brought to you courtesy of LEC Fitness, LLC www.lecfitness.com

Visit Us at: http://workoutspots.com/lecfitness; http://workoutspots.com/lecfitnessatsnap; and http://workoutspots.com/lecfitnessoutdoors for information and registration for our latest classes and clinics.

Tennis and Fitness Event

Hi everyone!  This past Saturday (October 13th) my company and I participated in a wonderful Tennis and Fitness event at the George Washington University Tennis Center in Washington, D.C.  It was a beautiful Fall day with temperatures in the mid-60’s with lots of sunshine!  With about 40 people participating in the tennis clinics, round-robin play, games and  my fitness clinic there was plenty to keep everyone entertained and busy!

I had a blast at the event as I pushed each participant through a series of exercises designed to improve their tennis games, as well as improve their overall health and fitness.  I think that quite honestly I had as much fun as the people attending the event! I’ve attached a couple of photos from the event.

Thanks everyone for attending!  I look forward to my next small group training session.

In Health and Fitness,

LaRue

LEC Fitness at Inova Physical Therapy and Sportsplex

Media Release

LEC Fitness, LLC is very pleased to announce that it has agreed to provide Personal Training and Sports Performance services and programs at the Inova Physical Therapy and Sportsplex clinic. The programs and services will be available to both Inova patients and to the general public on an appointment basis. In addition, LEC Fitness will be offering small group fitness classes at the Sportsplex twice a month.

LEC Fitness will be providing programs and services targeted to help clients of all ages reach their individual fitness and wellness goals. Reduction in body fat, post-rehab training following injury or surgery, sports performance and conditioning, ACL injury prevention training, fitness training for children and adolescents, fitness training for the elderly, and training for special events such as preparing for weddings and more are all fitness goals that can be addressed through this training .

LEC Fitness owner, LaRue E. Cook says “this is a wonderful opportunity for fitness clients of all ages, whether they are an Inova patient or not, to receive fitness and personal training services in a more intimate clinical setting that is not membership based. This will allow me and the client to focus more on achieving their fitness goals with fewer interruptions and no crowding as in your typical gym setting. I look forward to having the opportunity to work with local athletes, and general fitness clients in continuing to make a positive impact on their health and fitness, and in helping them achieve their individual goals.”

For more information or to make an appointment for training please contact LaRue at: larue.cook@lecfitness.com

Tennis and Fitness Fun!

Hi everyone! LEC Fitness is proud to announce its participation, in conjunction with Biz Sports, the United States Tennis Association – DC, and George Washington University Tennis Center, a great tennis event scheduled for October 13, 2012!

This fun tennis and fitness event will include lots of opportunity to hit tennis balls and get a good workout! For details, or to sign-up, please see the attached flyer. Hope to see you there!

LLCTennisEventFlyer102012

LaRue

Fitness, Health and Exercise Facts by LaRue: Think Opposites for a Great Workout!

Hey everyone! It’s been a while since my last Fitness, Health and Exercise Facts blog. Sorry for the delay, but here it is! This blog will help you develop or maintain what we all are looking for in our exercise routine – BALANCE! Please enjoy, and as always, feel free to share this link with your friends.

In Health,

LaRue

FITNESS, HEALTH AND EXERCISE FACTS

Think Opposites for a Great Workout

Presented by LEC Fitness, LLC

This Fitness, Health and Exercise Facts blog will expand upon a concept that I introduced in an earlier blog.

Everyone has their favorite exercises or their favorite body parts that they like to exercise. Whether it’s an area of our bodies that we think is weaker, or needs more work cosmetically, the truth is that we often fall into the habit of working on the same areas workout after workout.  But, the secret to a great workout is to pay attention to those ‘other areas’ as well! Here’s a simple way how to do this and to help ensure that your body is getting a complete workout. Work opposites!

Just take a look around your gym the next time you’re working out. Chances are that you’ll see someone working feverishly on, for example, chest press, leg extensions, or bicep curls, and then move on to something else working those same muscle groups, leaving their poor ‘opposite’ untouched. So, what I recommend is an occasional technique known as ‘Super-Setting.’ This technique entails your exercising a muscle and then its opposing muscle in successive exercises. By exercising in this way, you ensure yourself that both sets of muscles will get some attention – thereby helping to ensure a complete workout, and helping to maintain or develop muscle strength symmetry (i.e. helping our body to maintain its proper relative strength).

One word of caution:  Super-setting can lead to faster muscular fatigue since you are essentially working the same body part in successive exercises, so take it slow!  See how your body reacts to this form of exercise, and if you find it too difficult, simply perform exercise for these opposites later in your workout but not necessarily in succession as described above.  Ok, that’s it!  Go forth and exercise, and of course Have Fun!

As always, check with your physician before undertaking the exercises described in this Fit Fact, or any other exercise to help ensure that it’s proper for you.

As a certified personal trainer I strongly recommend that you meet with a certified trainer or other fitness professional to help you plan your program so that you can make safe and effective changes to your exercise program.

This Fitness, Health and Exercise Facts blog is brought to you courtesy of LEC Fitness, LLC http://www.lecfitness.com

Fitness, Health and Exercise Facts: Teachable Moments – Look For a Trainer Who Will Teach, Not Just Train

Hi everyone! This latest Fitness, Health and Exercise Facts blog will hopefully help you take charge and become proactive in improving your own health and fitness. Enjoy!

FITNESS, HEALTH AND EXERCISE FACTS

Teachable Moments: Look For a Trainer Who Will Teach, Not Just Train

Presented by LEC Fitness, LLC

“If I train my client, I’m in control I have “THE POWER!”  If I teach my client, I have transformed them into a person of action, someone who can take ownership of their own health and well-being.” (LaRue Cook)

One of the things that I love about what I do is having the opportunity to help others by serving as a source of useful fitness, health and wellness information. One of the ways that I do this is by serving as a contributor to several fitness professional list serves and blogs – counseling and advising other trainers and fitness professionals.  I recently responded to one trainer’s question about the role of a personal trainer. I responded that I see a major part of what we as trainer do (or should do) is to teach.  I truly see this as way that I can have a positive influence on my clients’ health and well-being now, and in the future.

After answering the trainer’s question I started to think about this a bit.  My answer and the quote above goes to the core principles of how I work with my clients – I view a major part of what I do as TEACHING.  Early on in my career I realized that the true value of what I can provide to my clients is the art of designing effective exercise programs for them, and the science of helping them understand how the human body functions.   After all, clients don’t need me – or any trainer for that matter – to simply stand there and COUNT 1, 2, 3, 4… as they perform one of the many exercises that I prescribe for them that day. What a waste of my time and their money.  You can pick-up a book or magazine with photos of exercises and count to 10 or 12 by yourself.  The real value lies in teaching the WHY – the science – and not just the how.

I LOVE my role as a teacher! I LOVE my role as a motivator!  I LOVE my role as a trainer!  So, I thought that I’d devote this Fit Fact to a couple of  basic facts about how our bodies work – the kind of basic teaching that I like to give to my clients to help empower them to take some ownership of their own workouts and exercise.

Make no mistake about it there is tremendous value to your having a trainer.  Exercise programs that are designed specifically for you, that are scientifically based, that are effective, and perhaps most important – that are safe, are all great reasons for using the services of a trainer.  But, I think that the real value of your trainer, beyond the art of programming – is using the science of exercise science to teach, to empower and to create a level of independence.  This is what is lacking from some client-trainer relationships, and is definitely lacking when you get your exercise advice from a generic workout or list of exercises that you might find in a magazine or book!

So here are a couple of simple lessons in exercise science.  Stay with me here because although these facts will be basic in nature, they will be also be a useful reminder of how your body works, and instrumental in helping you create some basic exercises for yourself.

Back Muscles

Here’s a very simple, yet very effective lesson:  Our back muscles PULL.  That’s it!  So, how can you use this information?  If I’m working with one of my clients and assuming that we have worked together long enough that she now has an index of exercises at her disposal, I can give her a homework assignment of doing an at-home workout before our next session together by saying something like “do 3 back exercises at home tomorrow,” and my client can design her own workout for her back.  She immediately knows to START PULLING SOMETHING!  Not only does this allow her to workout at home and be better prepared for our next workout together, but it also gives her some basic knowledge of how her body works.

With this information, she can develop exercises as simple as tying a rope to a locked and secured door, sitting on the floor and pulling herself across the room toward the door (an exercise that you’d have to see first to fully understand, but one that I use with some of my junior athletes), or it could be performing a single arm bent-over rowing motion with a full gallon milk jug.

 

Opposites ‘Contract’

Our bodies are a wonderfully-designed machine!  We are created in a way that there is a natural symmetry (or at least most of us are born with one) to our bodies; when one muscle stretches its opposing muscle contracts.  So, for example, if I perform a bicep curl exercise (i.e. contracting my bicep), my opposing muscle (triceps) elongates or stretches.  So how can you use this information?  Use it by making sure that you understand the need for exercising and stretching a muscle AND its opposing muscle – this will help you maintain or develop symmetry.  Biceps-triceps, hamstrings-quadriceps, abdominals-lower back are all examples of this concept.

So there you have it!  You’ve just learned two simple, yet important facts about how your body works!

Good luck and have FUN!

*** As with all exercise, always check with your physician to ensure that your exercise plan is appropriate for you BEFORE undertaking any exercise. ***

This Fitness, Health and Exercise Facts blog is brought to you courtesy of LEC Fitness, LLC www.lecfitness.com

Fitness, Health and Exercise Facts: Overload

Hi everyone! Here’s our latest Fit Fact on the importance of OVERLOAD to your exercise program. Enjoy!

FITNESS, HEALTH AND EXERCISE FACTS

Presented by LEC Fitness, LLC

Have you ever reached a point in your workouts where you seemed to be stalled – seem to no longer be making progress in your fitness?  Or, you simply find yourself bored with your exercise routine?  If so, or if you want to avoid this before it happens, please READ ON.

My mantra to help you avoid these stall points or boredom in your workouts is “Overload to Avoid Plateau.”  The Overload Principle is a simple principle that allows your body to make fitness advances by working at an exercise-intensity greater than what is accustomed to.  In Plain English this translates to, for example, increasing the amount of weight that you normally lift.  But, this principle does not only apply to strength training, aside from strength, this principle can also be applied to other fitness components such as flexibility and even your cardiovascular fitness.   Here’s how this might work for you.

If you think back to when you first started exercising, certain exercises were probably more difficult than others.  For example, if you walk for your health, you may have started out walking a mile.  You may have found yourself huffing and puffing along as you walked your mile.  If you stuck with it, as you continued your walking routine throughout the days, weeks, months you may have found walking that same mile easier and easier.  Here is where – if you want to continue to challenge your cardiovascular system to improve – you may want to overload your cardiovascular workout to keep your fitness gains moving forward.  You can overload in a number of ways:  increase the distance you walk, decrease the time that you walk that same mile (i.e. walk faster), or a more advanced method such as wearing a weighted vest or carrying some external weight while walking that same mile.  The same principle applies to your strength training:  lift more weight, increase the number of repetitions you perform with the same weight, or decrease the amount of rest you take between exercises.  All of these are examples of overload, and of how you can continue to challenge yourself to make advances in your fitness.

By safely incorporating the overload principle into your workouts you will not only find yourself avoiding the dreaded plateau, but also keeping your workouts interesting and challenging!

One word of caution:  Overloading is not something that should be undertaken without planning because, if done improperly, it can lead to injury.  Generally speaking, you should NOT increase more than one exercise factor at a time (e.g. time, distance weight).  As a certified personal trainer I strongly recommend that you meet with a certified trainer or other fitness professional to help you plan your program so that you can make safe and effective changes to your exercise program.

This Fitness, Health and Exercise Facts blog is brought to you courtesy of LEC Fitness, LLC http://www.lecfitness.com

Yours in Health and Fitness