Featured Exercise - Shoulder
Dumbbell Side Raise
Target Area:
Top and Side of the shoulder (deltoid muscle).
Benefits: This exercise will help to tighten and strengthen the shoulder, a must to improve posture, decrease neck injuries, and look good in a sleeveless shirt.
Starting Position:
Stand holding your weights by your side. Feet should be positioned under the hips. knees slightly bent. Stomach is pulled in and tightened. Chest is held out and shoulders are held down (away from the ears). Head rests on the shoulders like a soldier (chin tucked in slightly)
The movement:
Focus on keeping your shoulder blades still on your back (don't let them slide around). Slowly raise the dumbbells out to the side. Keep a slight bend in the elbow so you don't create extra pressure.
Top Position:
At the top of the movement your hands should be slightly lower than your shoulders. All the posture check points should be held strong (knees bent, stomach tight, chest out, shoulder blades down, and eyes front, chin tucked slightly).
Do's and do not's...
Do Not!!!!
- Rock your body through the movement
- Stick your head out (it will hurt your neck)
- Move the weight fast (it can lead to injury)
- Slouch or in anyway break perfect posture.
Do
- Keep your body absolutely still except for the arms. This will take a lot of effort everywhere to stay so still.
- Move the weight slowly with control. You might even try pausing at the top of the range of motion for an extra challenge.
- Keep Perfect Posure - Perfect posture prevents injury and it helps you to have better posture when you are not exercising.
Weight Recommendation:
- 3 pounds is good for a beginner who sees their shoulder strength as poor. (more for older populations)
- If you think your shoulders are stronger, try the 5 pound dumbbells. (good starting place for women)
- When you are looking for a challenge, reach for 8-10 pounds.
- When I do this exercise I use 15 pounds and on a rare occasion 20 pounds. Anyone doing that weight or more has to decide if they really are stronger than me or are they off on their technique.
- If all you have is light weights you can do the top half of the range of motion to get some results. So raise the weight to the top position but only lower it halfway before lifting it back up. (I love these, they can get you feeling the work quickly!!)
How many times?
10-15 repetitions is enough on this exercise. If you find them too easy check your technique first. If you are performing the exercise perfectly either try it with more weight or try the pause at the top or the top half range of motion that were mentioned earlier.
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**As always consult your doctor before
starting an exercise program. This exercise may not be for you. I
share them to spread information, please be careful while
exercising. Know your abilities and your limits. If you have any
questions, please ask anytime.
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Crosswinds 5k Recap
I want to take a quick moment and thank everyone who came out and ran/walked the 5k (you know who you are). I was very proud of all of your efforts. Many first time accomplishments were achieved that day. See you next year?
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Jeremy's Kayakathon
What could you do to have your own adventure?
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Win 8 weeks of Personal Training!!!
I can't believe I'm doing this...
Rita, one of my clients and owner of primadonna bridals, has convinced me to participate in a bridal show she is organizing. To add incentive to those considering attendance, I am donating 8 weeks of personal training to the grand prize drawing at the show!!!
You can only win if you pre-register and are present at the time of the drawing. That's all!! Even if you aren't getting married it will still be a great event to see formal dresses, sample chocolates (just a couple), and even take a balloon ride. My mother and Cherie (extreme makeover) will be modeling evening gowns at the show. You should see how great they look.
I will also be giving a 30 minute presentation on fitness. If you want to get in shape, the information I share at this event will be more valuable than if gold was pouring out of my mouth. You should NOT miss it.
Visit Primadonna Bridals for more information and to register.
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TRANS FAT
Don't Forget The Real Issue Here 
Health!!!
Isn't all the commotion about health?
New York restaurants are being forced to eliminate Trans Fat from their menus by 2008. Starbucks has announced that their baked goods will be trans-fat free. Even Panera Bread has made a move and most of their products are trans fat free. While this is wonderful, do you think these foods are now "healthy?"
We are making these big moves because of concerns about heart disease. As a Fitness Professional, I agree with everyone on the fact that Trans Fats should be avoided. It has been proven to raise overall cholesterol and even lower HDL concentration (HDL is known as the "good" cholesterol). Eating foods high in trans fat is unhealthy. If you cut the transfat out of your diet, are you now a healthy eater?
That's like driving around like a maniac but always remembering to wear your seatbelt.
Is the seatbelt a good idea? You bet your life it is.
Are you a safe driver now that you put it on? You won't really be safer until you stop driving like a maniac.
Look at the kinds of foods that have trans fats in them: Chips, Crackers, Pastries, French Fries, etc. Let's fast forward to a future where all trans fats will be eliminated. Will those foods be healthy now? Will we have eliminated heart disease? Will we even make a dent in the issue?
I don't think so. I bet regular fats can still help us gain weight and find their way into our arteries causing build up and eventually leading to the same result.
How many thin and active people are dying of heart attacks? Sure there are a couple now and then. However, what does the typical heart attack victim look like? Fairly out of shape and large waisted. You might consider them a food lover. As humans we feel that most issues, health or otherwise, must be caused by someone or something outside of us (something truly devious that is secretly ruining everything for us). It can feel good to know that it can't possibly be our fault.
The phrase you are what you eat seems to fit at this moment. If you mindlessly eat you will mindlessly gain weight and health risks. If you eat twice as many potato chips because they are trans fat free you will be in a worse state than if you ate the trans fat chips. Please, monitor yourself. Just because a food no longer has trans fat does not make it any healthier or better for weight loss. Food companies will be taking advantage of this so make sure you are a smart consumer. Don't blindly buy a food because of the HUGE trans fat free label.
Eat smart. Eat balanced. And Eat Less.
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