Recent email question: “What are you talking about when you say, ‘zip it up’?” – Brenda
Let me preface this by saying, I have no idea who Brenda is or where she has heard me say, “zip it up.” I tell clients to “zip it up,” all the time…perhaps word is getting around. I dunno, but to answer Brenda’s question, “Zip it up” means to draw in the lower abdominal muscles, as if you are zipping up a pair of pants. Try it.See what I mean?
Now, knowing this little trick, whenever you are standing, driving a car, cooking dinner, or, gee, I don’t know, working out, simply “zip it up.” Keeping the abdominal muscles engaged throughout the day serves several purposes:
1) It brings awareness to your body’s energy center, or your Chi. Sadly, it took me awhile to realize this is what Chi Running means. Quick to learn most things, but obviously not Chi. When the body is in a proper state of balance, Chi apparently flows.
2) Engaging the lower abdominal muscles also gives added power to, well, just about anything you do. Are you a sprinter? Chances are, you draw much of your force from your core. When you brace yourself to catch a running toddler…same thing -Â you engage the abdominals to stabilize the spine, brace the skeleton for the impact and distribute the force, then keep them engaged as you pick the toddler up (or, at least, you should.) Power lifters, cyclists, rock climbers, NFL football players, yada yada…they all use their core. Alas, they are “zipping it up.”
Give it a try tomorrow and let me know what you think!
This is one of my favorite workouts…two, twenty minute runs with strength training sandwiched in the middle. I purposely selected strength exercises that don’t require equipment so that this workout can be done outdoors. You could easily tie a resistance tube around your waist and use that during the strength training segment as well. For optimal effect (i.e., if you want to up the “challenge” a bit), use a hill for the strength training too (you’ll see what a I mean below).
Split Run workout
5-10 minute warm up of light jogging or fast-paced walking
20 min jog/run at a moderate pace (6-7 on RPE scale)
10 mins:Â Strength Training using stairs/hill (there’s the hill part I was referring to 
12-15 push-ups from knees on the hill (facing uphill)
12-15 tricep dips on the hill (feet pointing downhill)
10-12 side-squat steps up hill; walk down and perform10-12 with opposite leg leading
15 squats on the hill, with back toward top of the hill (when facing down hill, the squats are MUCH harder. You’ll see
Stairs: run up 1x, single steps
Run up 1x, two steps at a time
Walk up 1x, single steps
Run up 1x, two steps at a time
2 mins:Â Active recovery, walking, allowing heart rate to nearly return to normal
10 mins: jog/ run at more intense pace (7-8 on RPE scale)
5 mins: cooldown
5-10 mins: stretching, focus on hamstrings and hip flexors
* Note: Blue Sky Gym and the author disclaim any liability for any injury, physical or emotional, suffered during or as a result of exercise or activities recommended. As always, you should use common sense and consult your health professional before beginning any exercise routine or program.
I receive a lot of emails regarding strength training, and specifically, how to design your own program so that you continually improve. Because I don’t always know the person asking, it is difficult to give a one-size-fits-all answer. What works for someone else may not work for you, and that goes both ways. Your current level of fitness, exercise history, body type, metabolism, muscle composition, and so on, all help determine how your body will respond to strength training. That said, there are a few basic rules that generally work for most people, and because when I receive questions from strangers I have to assume there are other fitness enthusiasts out there who would like to ask the same question, but are afraid to, I like to share my answers. So, I will now end my long-winded introduction to today’s post, “building strength” in 3 easy steps.
Just as doing the same routine over and over, with little variation, will not progress your cardiovascular fitness and endurance, the same ho-hum routine you do for strength training won’t continue to make you stronger (and get you those sculpted muscles you’re after)…unless something changes.
Here are 3 simple ways to building a better stronger bod
1. Pick one of your strength training days (preferably a day you train all body parts) and increase the weight you lift by 2-5%. This may not seem like a huge boost, but if you continue to do this every week for 3-4 weeks, taper off for a week, then continue to build again for another 3-4 weeks, believe me – you’ll see changes.
Quick example: If you lift 20 lbs for bicep curls, a 5% increase means you’d increase the weight to about 21 lbs. Using this approach, you could keep everything else constant – the number of reps, the number of sets, and number of exercises – just increase the load. The following week, you could bump another 5% to 22lbs, then to 23 lbs, etc.
2. Or, you could increase the number of repetitions you lift in any given set. For example, if you normally do 8 bicep curls, increasing to 10 or 12 reps should fatigue the muscle. If you find the 12th rep is relatively easy, it is probably time to increase the weight you’re lifting (i.e, apply the “2-5% rule”).
3. You could also increase the total volume you are lifting simply by adding a 3rd set to your exercises. Typically, if the load on the muscle is sufficient to fatigue the muscle in 8-12 repetitions, then adding a 3rd set will leave you feeling like a limp noodle when you are done. If it doesn’t, then the weight you are lifting likely isn’t heavy enough.
*If you are new to strength training, work with your trainer (or hire one) to help you find appropriate starting weights. And if you haven’t already, be sure to get your doctor’s “okidoki” before beginning a new exercise program.
To find out a bit more about strength training progression, you might also like to read, “Add stress to your strength training.”
Have a burning question about strength training? Fire away…!
I was delighted this morning to find the title, “Weights are for girls” in my newsfeed from Kat Does Diets. Yahoo! She gets it! Am I not always talking about the importance of strength training? Am I not always saying, “women won’t bulk up!”? Yes, I am, and it’s true. Lest you need to re-read all of the many benefits of strength training, go back to these posts and catch up – you’ll have a renewed enthusiasm for strength training.
The Benefits of Strength Training
W.O.W…Women on Weights
Strength Training 101
Add stress to your strength training
Also, be sure to check out Kat’s post…she hits the nail so many times. For example, she noted that she is standing taller (due to stronger abs and back, no doubt), “feels strong and capable,” and sculpted muscles that look sexy and strong. Kat also realized the “confidence and control” that regular strength training brings. Yes, the benefits of strength training extend beyond the muscles’ appearance – there are inward changes too. Check out Kat’s post…“Weights are for girls,” from Kat Does Diets.
This was actually the topic of my radio show this morning on WIMA-AM, which has a male audience, but I know shoulder problems plague both men and women, so thought it would be appropriate to share my notes with all of you…
Shoulder impingement – prevention and rehab
Shoulder surgery is rapidly becoming one of the most common fitness/sports injury surgeries, among both men and women! In fact, I can count on two hands the number of people I know who’ve had shoulder surgery within the past two years. Scary stuff.
The shoulder is a tricky joint…because it is designed to move in all of the planes of motion. Because the shoulder has such a large range of motion, it is a rather “unstable” joint, making it prone to injury. This trick is to keep this joint stabilized without comprising flexibility too much.
Here are a few shoulder injury prevention tips:
1. Be aware of prior injuries. Â Old football, tennis, gymnastics, and baseball injuries, falls, etc. can come back to haunt. If your shoulder gives you trouble from time to time, be aware that certain exercises could re-injure the shoulder: dips, push-ups done incorrectly, bench press, and overhead press are exercises known for causing torn shoulder ligaments.
2. Practice perfect form. Don’t go beyond your shoulder’s “normal” range of motion. This will be different for every person, so know your limits. And if an exercise hurts – DON’T DO IT!
3. Be aware of your sleep positions. Often, repetitive things, such as the position you sleep in, can cause problems. If you often sleep with your arm above your head, or in twisted underneath you, try varying your position so as not to cause undue harm while you sleep.
4. Progress strength training gradually. Lifting too much weight too soon is a recipe for trouble when it comes to the shoulder. If you have shoulder problems, it is best to start with light weights and progress slowly. Resistance tubes and the TRX are excellent tools for building shoulder strength or for rehab.
If you should injure your shoulder, it is important to have the injury evaluated immediately. If the injury isn’t serious, the joint can be rehabilitated through physical therapy. This will prevent further trauma and possibly future injury.
If you have chronic shoulder problems, a physical therapist can assess why, and prescribe exercises that will improve the integrity of the shoulder joint. If you suspect a tear, please seek the advice of an orthopedic physician and discontinue shoulder exercises.
