by Cori Lefkowith | Apr 28, 2015 | Blog
As a trainer and gym owner, I was excited and obsessed with getting the Apple Watch because of all the health and fitness related apps and abilities it had.
I love testing out any new product that has the potential to make people move more and be more conscious of their health.
And I must say while it is a great motivational tool to get people moving more and hold them accountable, I was super disappointed to find out that all I am is “Other.” Here is my Fitness Review of the Apple Watch…
(more…)
by Cori Lefkowith | Apr 27, 2015 | Blog, Pain Relief, Runner's
Running – It’s an exercise almost everyone thinks they can do, but very few actually do well.
It is also a repetitive exercise that can put lots of strain on our body and lead to injury, especially if we are already tight and suffering from imbalances and poor movement patterns because we sit at a desk hunched over a computer all day.
However, this doesn’t mean that you should just stop running, especially sprinting, if you love it.
It does mean though that you need to make sure to have a proper rehab/prehab program in place to include before and after your runs or even on days when you hit the gym.
By including certain foam rolling, stretching, activation and strength training moves in your workout routine, you can keep your body injury free and prevent and alleviate those annoying running injuries!
Follow our 4 Step Injury Prevention Program below to learn how to prevent and alleviate common running injuries.
(more…)
by Cori Lefkowith | Apr 14, 2015 | Blog, Pain Relief
Do you sit at a computer for 9 hours a day and your wrists and elbows can get achy and sore? Or maybe you’ve noticed that doing moves such as push ups or handstands cause wrist or elbow pain?
That is because most of us spend lots of time with our wrists and elbows in flexion (actually basically our entire upper body is in flexion hunched over a computer screen), which can cause the muscles of our forearms and even our upper arms and upper back to get sore and tight.
This tightness in our forearms and our upper back can cause wrist and elbow pain and lead to injuries when we workout. When we go to the gym and do moves like push ups and handstands, we ask our wrists to be in extension, which they may be too tight to comfortably do.
Plus the tightness caused by sitting in flexion can also cause the extensors in our forearms and the muscles of our upper backs to be weak, which can also lead to injury when we lift because we may not be engaging the correct muscles and may be instead overusing weak muscles that can’t handle the load.
Below are 10 Tips to help you prevent and alleviate wrist and elbow pain at your desk and loosen up your upper body after sitting in flexion hunched over a computer. Any time you need a little break from typing, try one of these moves!
(more…)
by Cori Lefkowith | Apr 4, 2015 | Blog, Butt, Exercises
Functional Training is all the rage right now, but do you even know what “functional training” means?
While Functional Training is now being used to describe way too many different crazy fads, including doing ridiculous balance moves on yoga balls and Bosus, what it should mean is training that makes our bodies and minds stronger so we can function better in every day life.
What Functional Training should be is training that replicates movements we do in everyday life to help us develop balance and improve our stability and mobility so that we can move better and more efficiently without injury.
Functional Training is training that uses compound exercises and moves your body in every plane of motion.
Below are 10 Functional Training Leg Exercises to help you move better in every day life by correcting your imbalance and improving your mobility and stability in every plane of motion.
(more…)
by Cori Lefkowith | Mar 30, 2015 | Blog, Bodyweight, Core, Exercises
Isometric Exercises are moves where you hold in a position under tension. And often when we think of “core” isometric moves, we think of Planks. And while Planks are great isometric core moves, they aren’t the only great Isometric Core Exercises.
These 10 Isometric Core Exercises are a great way to build your core stability and strength so that your core works properly during heavy lifts. All of these moves also work your entire core – they work everything from your shoulders to your knees not just your abs.
Because these moves improve your core stability, they can help you not only get a stronger, more toned middle, but they can also help you prevent and alleviate injury.
All of these moves are great for everyone from the beginner to the advanced lifter just pick the variation right for you. Also, to get the most out of these moves, you have to make sure to hold with proper form.
Isometric Core Moves are the perfect chance to build your mind-body connection and focus on the correct muscles engaging and working. By building your mind-body connection, you will teach your body to recruit the correct muscles quickly when you do other lifts, helping you to not only lift more but also lift properly to prevent injury.
Because you are holding in an uncomfortable position, these moves will also help you build mental toughness and learn to become comfortable being uncomfortable, which is essential for achieving results.
If your form breaks down, rest and reset. Do not simply hold these moves to hold for longer. Make sure the correct muscles are engaging when you hold even if it means you can’t hold as long.
Check out these 10 Isometric Core Exercises to work and strengthen your entire core.
(more…)
by Cori Lefkowith | Mar 25, 2015 | Blog, Bodyweight, Exercises, Push Ups
The Push Up – It is a bodyweight exercise that we should all be able to do. And while it seems so easy, it can be a very challenging move.
Because, while the Push Up seems like it is only an upper body exercise, a Perfect Push Up works more than just your chest, shoulders and triceps – it works your entire core.
The Push Up is basically a moving plank. And for many, just holding a plank is hard enough. Yet with a Push Up, you are being asked to hold that perfect plank as you move.
To do the Perfect Push Up, everything from your shoulders to your heels must be engaged and working together.
Below we will teach you how to do the Perfect Push Up and get all the correct muscles engaged and working. Plus, we will show you how to strengthen your weak points with Push Up Variations and supplemental exercise to help you do more Push Ups
(more…)
