Total Gym

Total Gym Weekly Workout – The Plank

Did you over do it during the holiday weekend? Never fear – the Plank is here!

While you begin to de-Christmas your diet, check out ALL the ways you can work your core with Total Gym Plank exercises. GRAVITY Master Trainer Michael Steel demos how to add an extra upper body challenge while you’re at it!

Plank

Total Gym Weekly Workout: “Roly-Poly” Blast!

Happy Holidays TG Team!

The holidays can put a time crunch on everything, including our workouts. So here’s a little combo I love to do and teach.  I call it “Roly-Poly!”

Benefits you ask?

*Multi-tasking/time management at it’s best

*Easy to remember

*Hits all the major muscles quickly and effectively

*It’s FUN!

For instance, if I’m in a time crunch, I’ll do three 5-minute Cardio Blasts to torch some calories interspersed with 3 Roly-Polys. A full body workout in less than 22 minutes! Then I’m ready to hit the holiday goodies with a clear conscience.

I also threw in a new Plyometric move that I love … man, did it get my calves nice and sore!

Click here to watch the video on YouTube.

I hope Santa is good to you all!

JayDee

JayDee Cutting is a GRAVITY Master Trainer, certified personal trainer, Pilates instructor and creator of the “Core Golf Fitness” program. JayDee’s Core Golf Fitness DVD offers on-course and warm-up exercises proven to help advance your golf game and is available for purchase at http://coregolffitness.com.

In PT with Jessie Carter – Holiday Shop But Don’t Drop!

By:  Physical Therapy Contributor Jessie Carter, PT

Low back pain has been a common theme around the clinic lately. Every year around this time, there seems to be an increase in patients complaining of back pain – aches and pains from shoveling snow, back strain from carrying shopping bags and packing gifts, and chronic pain patients want to address before the holidays.

I was out with the best of them on Black Friday braving the crowds. What started as a quick trip to snag some deals, however, turned into an all-night, exhausting event.

Consider these tips to keep your body from wearing down before you do:

• Wear comfortable shoes such as walking or running shoes when shopping. When it comes to walking the mall, comfort should win out over your cutest pair of heels to prevent stress to your ankles and feet.
• Lighten your load when you can. If you are shopping for a lot of items or for a long period of time, consider making frequent trips to your car to drop off packages. This provides extra exercise while reducing the stress on your back muscles.
• Distribute the weight of packages and shopping bags evenly on both sides of your body.  This means that you have to avoid holding all your bags in one hand to sip your favorite drink or fumble for your keys. This also means avoiding what I call “attitude standing” – propping all your weight through one hip (often times to hold a child propped on that same hip). Standing in this position can create undesirable forces through the hip joints, pelvis and spine.
• Women, keep your suitcase (I mean purse) weight to a minimum to avoid undue stress and fatigue. Only carry necessary items such as your wallet and keys. When carrying your purse, consider strapping that makes your body work the least or requires large joints over smaller joints to carry. For example, use a bag that has a shoulder strap or can be worn as a backpack instead of a purse with smaller handles.
• Plan ahead if possible. Whether you are going to campout to get the best deals or do a marathon shopping spree, you can ease physical and mental stress by making a list and avoiding prime shopping times. Remember that long lines and busy parking lots increase your time standing and walking.

While most back pain is mild and resolves on its own, some pain persists or comes back repeatedly over time. A lot of my patients, who have experienced low back pain for years, tell me they have tried multiple treatment options without success. They also report that each time the pain returns, it seems to get worse.

When you experience low back pain, one of the best things to do is to stay active and continue with your normal routine as much as possible, without the risk of further injury. This seems to contradict the old approach of “putting someone to bed” when they are down on their back. Bed rest for more than a day has been shown to actually slow recovery.

If your pain worsens or lasts more than a few days, then it is time to see a medical professional.  Immediate medical attention should be sought if you experience loss of bowel or bladder control, numbness in the groin or inner thigh and/or pain that does not change with rest.

Continue your Total Gym routine over the holidays to maintain optimal strength and tone. Try these “Cable Core Work” exercises to target your snow shoveling and shopping muscles: the shoulders, back, arms and chest in conjunction with the core.

Arm Cable Exercises; Recruiting the Core

The mad rush of the holidays is here…following these simple tips and taking care of your body will allow you to enjoy the season and shop without the drop.

Happy rehabbing!

Jessie Carter is the owner of High Pointe Rehab in Clarksville, TN, where she utilizes Total Gym for physical therapy and fitness training to offer the full continuum of patient care. Jessie is a 2001 graduate of the University of Evansville (UE) in Evansville, IN, where she earned both her BS and Master’s degrees in physical therapy. Contact Jessie at jessie@highpointetn.com with your questions or ideas for future topics.

Total Gym Weekly Workout – Kiss Your Gut Goodbye!

Healthy New Posts From “Fytness Fanatik” Amanda Lynn Hare!

New Total Gym Inside blog contributor Amanda Lynn Hare is a Total Gym user since 1998. Amanda Lynn is here to share her enthusiasm for healthy, fit and fun living.

Keep your gut in check this holiday season with Amanda’s favorite core strengthening exercises! Benefits include: a tighter midsection, stronger core (trunk and back) and improved posture!

Amanda suggests completing 10-15 reps of each exercise below (depending on your fitness level):

* Pullover crunch with legs in table top position

* Ab crunch with SCRUNCH (Now 50% Off! Click here)

* Crunch with hamstring curl using the Folding Foot Holder (standard on Total Gym Sport, GTS and PowerTower) or the Wing Attachment for XLS

* Crunch at higher incline (no hamstring curl)

Total Gym “Fit Before Feasting” Workout

You know you’re going to do it. The turkey, stuffing, candy-coated yams and butter drenched rolls – it’s all too decadent to avoid! You’re going to indulge on Thanksgiving; it’s tradition!

To help counteract the calorie-laden Thanksgiving meal, we’ve put together a full-body Total Gym “Fit Before Feasting” workout! Warning:  Feeling this good may cause you to make healthier food choices come turkey time!

Try to complete 10-15 reps of each exercise demonstrated below in 2-3 sets.

Cardio Pull - A great compound exercise to warm up the upper and lower body.
Cardio Pull

[Unhook cable pulleys from glideboard]

Squat Progressions - From single to double leg, to plyometric squats. You’ll feel the burn! Squat Progressions

[Attach cable pulleys to glideboard]

Flys and Curls - Sit laterally to perform single art chest flys and bicep curls.
Seated Lateral_Single Arm Chest Fly-Lateral Biceps CurlsAdvanced Cable Work – High-level progressions for shoulders, arms, chest and back, with recruitment of core stabilizers. Advanced Upper Body Cable Sequence

[Detach cable pulleys from glideboard and add/engage foot holder]

Hamstrings and Abdominals - Get an optimal stretch and flexion for hamstrings, while maximizing abdominal involvement
Upper Extremity Progressions

[Remove/disengage foot holder]

Sprinter Start – Explosive leg exercises that mimic a sprinter’s start to torch calories!
Sprinter Start

Back by Popular Demand! Fun & Fit with Plyometrics: Part II

Hey Total Gym Team!

Plyometrics. I love em’ …  my clients love em’ … and you should integrate them into your training as well.

This month’s blog is a follow up to my “Fun & Fit with Plyometrics” post in September. Try adding these upper body Plyo moves to your Total Gym routine to increase the challenge, intensity and body-shaping results of your workouts:

Your challenge is to try these exercises unilaterally!

Stay tuned as I will play more with Plyos in upcoming blog posts. Don’t worry golfers, I will be back with more golf-specific Total Gym tips in January when the tour kicks off it’s 2012 season in Hawaii.

Enjoy and hit em’ straight!

JayDee Cutting is a GRAVITY Master Trainer, certified personal trainer, Pilates instructor and creator of the “Core Golf Fitness” program. JayDee’s Core Golf Fitness DVD offers on-course and warm-up exercises proven to help advance your golf game and is available for purchase at http://coregolffitness.com.

NEW Fun with Fitness – Upper Body Blast

Healthy New Posts From “Fytness Fanatik” Amanda Lynn Hare!

New Total Gym Inside blog contributor Amanda Lynn Hare is a true “Fytness Fanatik” (as you’ll see on her website) and a Total Gym user since 1998. Amanda Lynn is here to share her enthusiasm for healthy, fit and fun living.

This month, Amanda Lynn demos the creative and fun ways she’s spicing up her upper body training routine. Watch this “Fun with Fitness – Upper Body Blast” video to see Amanda’s favorite arm, chest and back exercises on the NEW Total Gym Sport to improve posture, prevent injury and develop lean muscle to burn more calories!