Winston Salem Gyms : Side-Stitch Prevention?
August 4th, 2010 by Winston Salem, under winston salem gyms. No Comments
Almost all people experience a side-stitch, which is a sharp pain in the side of the abdomen, when they exercise. the accurate cause of these side-stitches can vary from person to person.
This condition, technically referred to as exercise-related transient abdominal pain, is often associated with a muscle spasm in the diaphragm.
A number of research indicates that the amount of food eaten before exercising may influence the occurrence of side-stitches.
Side-stitches can occur with any type of exercise, but seem to be most commonly associated with running and jogging.
Some of the following tips may to help lower the frequency at which side-stitches occur
• Delaying exercise or activity for a longer time after consuming, when your side stitches occur when you exercise after consuming.
• Sticking to long, low intensity workouts, in lieu of quick, high intensity ones.
• Warming-up and slowly and gradually selecting up workout pace may help prevent side stitches, regardless of exercise intensity
• Building stretches of speed intervals into your workout in order to strengthen your abdominal muscles and diaphragm. A few believe weak abdominals and diaphragms cause side stitches so making them stronger may help to prevent side stitch occurrences.
• Continuing to workout at an even pace; some researchers found that people with better aerobic fitness tend to get fewer side-stitches. Hence, the more you build up your endurance and cardiovascular fitness, the less likely you are to wind up with a side-stitch.
• Avoiding shallow breathing; instead taking slow, deep breaths during exercise.
When these prevention strategies fail to help, and you do get a side-stitch, slowing down and breathing deeply is one way to alleviate the pain.
Two other things you can try are – (1) bending over while tightening your stomach muscles several times; and, (2) applying pressure to the area with your fingers, giving yourself a sort of “pressure massage” where the pain is.
For this, attempt pushing your fingers deeply into your stomach in a spot just below your right ribs, while pursing your lips and exhaling as hard as you can.
Simply grunting loudly while breathing out might also help, as could slowing down until the pain is gone.
Occasionally, side stitches might come from an allergy or intolerance to wheat or dairy products. Side stitches may occur up to 24 hours after consuming or drinking something that contains this product.
To see when this applies to you, you could want to keep record of your meals, snacks and physical activities and see when your side stitches occur after consuming a specific food or food group.
Side stitches might also be mistaken for pain in the heart caused by lack of oxygen.
If the pain comes from underneath the breastbone, or radiates down your left arm, makes you out of breath and comes from exercise or strenuous exercise, your best bet would be to see a health care provider as soon as possible.
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Tags: exercise, Fitness, Fitness Tips
Winston Salem Gyms : Is soreness a good indicator of a good workout?
August 3rd, 2010 by Winston Salem, under winston salem gyms. No Comments
The old axiom, “no pain, no gain,” is just that… old and outdated. Pain and soreness are not precise measures of the benefits of exercise.
Muscle soreness can occur with anyone who exercises, from a beginning exerciser embarking on a new program to a conditioned veteran who is working at a greater intensity, frequency, and/or duration than she / he is used to.
It frequently happens to well-trained people as they begin a new activity.
Muscle soreness may also be a result of overuse, which may eventually lead to injury. It is important to listen to your body and seek treatment for injuries.
Meeting objectives respecting developing strength or endurance needs to be the focus of any exercise program. Well-defined objectives guide results that you’re able to attain through gradual behavior change.
Examples – I want to be able to do 20 push-ups; I want to be able to run a 10K by the end of the year, etc. Objectives are specific and measurable and could be useful in guiding any exercise program.
Soreness can be a consequence of working toward a training goal, but shouldn’t be a goal in and of itself.
Your development and achievement ought to be the trainer’s first concern.
A number of trainers feel the way a client looks or how much he / she can lift is a direct reflection of her or his ability. Does it make sense for you to have a conversation with your trainer about your concerns?
You could want to reference Picking and Effectively Using a Personal Trainer, developed by the ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine).
Tags: exercise, Fitness, Fitness Tips
Winston Salem Gyms : Dizzy after exercise
August 2nd, 2010 by Winston Salem, under winston salem gyms. No Comments
Feeling lightheaded and/or dizzy, as if you’re about to pass out, aren’t normal reactions to exercise.
After an aerobic exercise session, you ought to feel invigorated, not totally wiped out.
Your description sounds as though you’re working extraordinarily hard.
Do you eat anything before your exercise? Are you drinking during your run or bicycle ride? How’s your overall fluid intake?
Although an precise diagnosis based on your description cannot be given here, these few suggestions may help avoid these feelings
• Make certain to eat a snack before exercise. When you have less than one hour before your session, fewer than 200 calories is advised. A piece of fruit and a couple of crackers work well for numerous individuals .
Your snack could be a bit bigger when you have two hours or so until your workout starts – one small plain bagel with jam, a piece of fruit and a yogurt, or two or three fig bars and a cup of milk or juice.
• Drink 16 oz. of fluid 2 hours before an event. This promotes hydration and authorizes enough time to excrete any excess liquid.
• Drink fluids during exercise. Weighing yourself before and after exercise can help determine your sweat rate, and how much you’ll need to drink.
o If you lose 1 lb. per hour – drink 4 oz. every 15 min
o If you lose 2 lbs. per hour – drink 8 oz. every 15 min
o When you lose 3 lbs. per hour – drink 8 oz. every 10 min.
o When you lose 4 lbs. per hour – drink 10 oz. every 10 min.
• When you’re exercising for longer than 60 minutes, add some fuel to your water with a sports drink.
These fluid replacement drinks include glucose and electrolytes (sodium and potassium) to help with fluid intake and absorption.
Talking with your healthcare provider is a good idea when these strategies do not help.
Being properly fed and hydrated, as well as getting enough rest and watching your breathing as your exercise, should help make your workouts more productive.
Tags: exercise, Fitness, Fitness Tips
Winston Salem Gyms : Achilles tendon injury
August 1st, 2010 by Winston Salem, under winston salem gyms. No Comments
The Achilles tendon attaches to the calf muscle and to the heel bone. the calf muscles and the muscles along the shin are needed to protect against shock in high-impact exercises. This muscle group is very strong and is used constantly.
Because of this, your Achilles tendon is put under a lot of pressure. the Achilles tendon handles forces that range from two to three times the body weight in walking, to four to six times the body weight in running and jumping.
When it is overused, or if you continue to use it when it is injured, inflammation of the Achilles tendon could lead to local degeneration and recurrent injury, which can result in a partial, or even a complete, rupture. It was very wise of you to take a break before gradually resuming exercise.
As you get back into an exercise routine, make certain that you follow up with your health care provider and/or a physical therapist to make certain that you aren’t doing any more damage to your Achilles tendon.
Stretching and strengthening exercises can definitely play a role in taking care of your body.
Remember that all stretching should be slow and static and that you ought to listen to your body – feel your muscles stretching, but stop when you feel pain.
Specific to the Achilles tendon and surrounding muscles, consider the following
Stretch #1 – Calf Stretch
1. Stand about a foot from a wall, extend one leg behind you, keeping both feet flat on the floor, toes pointed straight ahead, and your rear knee straight and your front knee bent.
2. Move your hips forward, keeping your lower back flat.
3. Lean into the wall until you feel tension in the calf muscle of the extended leg.
4. Hold for 10 seconds, then stretch the other leg.
5. Repeat at least two more times.
Stretch #2 – Calf Stretch
1. Stand arm’s-length distance from a wall (or tree, or lamppost – no matter what is handy and gives you support).
2. Be certain to put your hands on the wall, keep your back and your legs straight, and be certain your heels are flat on the floor.
3. Bend your arms and lean forward, attempting to touch your chest to the wall.
4. Feel the stretch in your calf muscles.
5. Hold it for a few seconds.
6. Relax and repeat at least two more times.
Stretch #3 – Achilles Tendon Stretch
1. Stand with one leg in front of you, slightly bent, and the other leg extended back.
2. Lower your hips downward as you slightly bend the knee of the extended leg.
3. Make certain to keep both heels flat on the floor and toes straight ahead.
4. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds, and then stretch the other leg.
5. Repeat at least two more times.
Note – This Achilles tendon stretch requires only a slight feeling of tension at the back of your ankle.
Additionally, be sure that you don’t bounce, and that you stretch gently and completely.
Besides jogging and running, the Achilles tendon may be injured from any activity that has an impact component.
To help prevent injury to the Achilles tendon, consider exercises that put less stress on the Achilles tendon, such as bicycle riding and swimming.
Also, abnormal pronation and muscle imbalances could be a problem for a recurring inflammation of the Achilles tendon.
If you decide to get back into running, you need to have a physical therapist check out your running shoes to make sure they are not causing extra stress on your Achilles tendon and calf muscles.
Be sure that you always wear running shoes that are not worn out, and try to avoid uneven or hard running surfaces.
You may want to run on soft surfaces, like running tracks, or soft trails without holes or ditches.
Tags: exercise, Fitness, Fitness Tips
Winston Salem Gyms : Muscle cramps
July 31st, 2010 by Winston Salem, under winston salem gyms. No Comments
Cramping may be so frustrating, and as you said, uncomfortable. Regretfully, no one fully understands what causes muscle cramps.
Factors that contribute to cramping include dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, overexertion, and/or inadequate fitness/conditioning.
Is it possible that the sort of exercise you are doing is a cause? Think about your exercise routine and examine your patterns.
Are you doing specific exercises that stretch the muscles in the buttocks? When so, how often and for how long do you participate in these exercises?
Could you change your programs to see if it is the type or amount of exercise that may be causing your muscle distress? You might also try adding stretching routines before and after you exercise.
It’s intriguing that your nighttime calf cramps disappeared when you introduced a sports drink as a post workout strategy.
That could lend a possible explanation – perhaps you are dehydrated and/or have an electrolyte imbalance, particularly of sodium, potassium, and calcium.
A low sodium eating plan, coupled with high perspiration losses or with persistent vomiting/diarrhea, can deplete your body of sodium.
Potassium deficiency isn’t likely to be the result of sweat loss; however, the result of both a sodium and potassium deficiency may be muscle cramping.
Some sports nutritionists will also cite a lack of calcium as a contributor to cramping.
Another approach may be to experiment with your eating plan – perhaps increase your salt (pretzels, olives, nuts, salami), potassium (bananas, oatmeal, potatoes), and calcium (milk, yogurt, fortified orange juice) intake to see if you notice any changes.
Also attempt to stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water, especially in the hours leading up to a workout.
An easy way to check hydration is to notice the color of your urine. Clear, light urine reveals a more hydrated body than dark, orange urine. .
When these suggestions do not work, your condition gets worse, or it is severe enough to interfere with your daily life, it is probably time to consult your healthcare provider.
Tags: exercise, Fitness, Fitness Tips
Winston Salem Gyms : Back-strengthening and stretching exercises
July 30th, 2010 by Winston Salem, under winston salem gyms. No Comments
The lower back is an area that’s often ignored but frequently causes problems, particularly as the years go by. Strengthening exercises, as well as stretching, help prevent injury and pain.
It’s important to focus on the lower back muscles in addition to those in areas that support the lower back. These include the stomach, hip flexors, and hamstrings (back of the thigh).
Let’s first concentrate on your lower back muscles. Start by performing a front lying chest lift, a body weight exercise that involves no equipment at all
• Lying face down, place your hands (palms down on the floor) next to and even with your chest.
• Keeping your hips and thighs on the floor, lift your chest off the floor. Assisted slightly by your arms as you lift, your lower back muscles ought to be contracting.
• Be certain the back of your head is in an even line with your spine – do not tilt your head up or down.
• Pause briefly when your arms are straight and then return to beginning position.
• Build up to three sets of eight to twelve repetitions, taking short breaks between each set.
When you have access to a gym the low back machine permits you to increase resistance as you become stronger.
Try resistance exercises two or three times each week on non-consecutive days
• Sit on the seat with your legs secured and upper back in contact with the roller pad.
• Push the roller pad down towards the floor, contracting your lower back muscles. Your range of motion must be comfortable.
• Pause briefly and return to beginning position slowly. Be sure to keep your arms relaxed and your head in a neutral position.
• Be sure to use a weight that allows you to complete two or three sets of eight to twelve repetitions.
You might stretch every day once you’ve warmed up your muscles. Stretch smoothly, as opposed to bouncing, which could cause injury.
For maximum effectiveness, each stretch needs to be held for at least fifteen to thirty seconds.
Excellent lower back stretching exercises include
Double knee to chest stretch
• Lying on your back with knees bent, pull both knees off the floor toward your chest, holding legs behind the knees on the bottom part of your hamstrings. This stretch could be done with both legs together or one at a time.
Figure-4 stretch
• Lying on your back, with your head on the floor or mat and right knee bent, pull your right knee towards your chest.
• Then draw your knee across your body towards your left shoulder. Try to keep both shoulders on the floor or mat.
• Repeat with your left leg.
Cat/Cow stretch
• On your hands and knees, sag your back while lifting up your head.
• Alternate with arching your back and keeping your head down.
• Lean back onto your heels and hold, keeping your head down and arms extended.
Abdominal muscle-strengthening stretch
Correct form is the most important aspect of this exercise, which will support your lower back
• Lie face up with your knees bent and your hands placed loosely behind your head.
• Slowly curl your upper back off the floor while pressing your lower back against the floor. You ought to feel your abdominal muscles contracting.
• Pause briefly before returning to beginning position. Attempt your best not to put pressure on, or pull, your head with your hands.
• Make certain to keep your breathing coordinated – exhale on the way up, inhale on the way down.
• Don’t rush – do this exercise slowly.
Hip flexor stretch (a.k.a. Runner’s stretch)
Stretching your hip flexors can help alleviate stress to the lower spine
• Assume a lunge position, making sure your front knee is directly over your foot and ankle (your knee will be in the form of a right angle).
• With your weight supported by both hands touching the floor, press your hips towards the floor.
• Repeat on both legs.
Hamstring stretch (Straight leg raise)
This exercise will also help reduce stress to the lower spine
• Lying on your back, bend your knees and keep both feet flat on the floor.
• Raise and straighten your right leg without lifting your hips from the floor.
• Support your leg and increase your range of motion by placing your hands below your knee, around the back of your leg, and gently drawing your leg towards your chest while keeping it straight.
• Repeat with your left leg.
Hope these exercises and stretches keep you in tip-top shape and pain-free.
You can also pick structured exercises for strengthening your back. Yoga, for instance, is an great form of back strengthening exercise.
Many of the suggested stretches listed above are a part of poses and movements performed during a yoga session. Swimming is another great exercise for your back because the buoyancy of the water offers some support.
Also, notice your posture. What position do you spend most of your time in when you’re sitting, standing, and walking?
For example, does your job require you to sit at a desk throughout the day? If so, be aware of your posture.
Be sure the ergonomics of your work set up are optimal for your body.
If you have freedom to play with your workspace, consider using a balance ball as a desk chair even for part of the day.
Sitting on a ball demands your posture to be proper and numerous of your torso muscles to stay active.
Tags: exercise, Fitness, Fitness Tips
Winston Salem Gyms : Is it okay to stretch when I am still sore?
July 29th, 2010 by Winston Salem, under winston salem gyms. No Comments
Almost all of us become sore when we start exercising. Common causes for the discomfort that results immediately or a day or two after exercise can include
• tiny tears in the muscle tissue and/or connective tissue surrounding the muscle
• fluid retention surrounding the muscle tissue
• muscle spasms
• overstretching
You certainly do not want to cause more harm than good. Without an in-person analysis, the accurate reason behind your soreness cannot be determined.
As your soreness cannot be safely analyzed via the internet, specific recommendations cannot be made as to whether stretching would be appropriate under your present conditions.
It is safe to say some soreness could be due to the new way you are using some of the muscles, though if any action causes sever pain you ought to stop the activity and seek guidance from your health care provider.
Permitting a day of rest between stretching and yoga activities can help your muscles recover and support your overall goals. When you have only minor muscle soreness, consider using static stretching.
Static stretching is a kind of stretch that is advised to alleviate muscle soreness. It involves holding a stretch for 2 minutes, resting for a minute, and then holding another 2-minute stretch.
To do this, position your body so that the joint involved is stabilized, placing the muscle at its greatest possible length.
For example, your knee needs to be straight, not bent, when you are stretching your hamstring muscles (located at the back of the upper leg).
Whether you carry out the stretch in a standing position, sitting upright, or lying on your back depends on your flexibility and how the stretch feels to you.
If you are going to stretch, always warm up in advance – such as by walking for at least 5 minutes. (You can do this in place, if you do not feel like walking around the block.)
Static stretching causes little to no muscle contraction, and definitely no pain. Prevent bouncing motions – they cause the muscle to contract, inflicting pain.
Since subtle changes in your body positioning may make a world of difference in the benefit you derive from a stretch, seeking specialist assistance on stretching is a good idea.
You can work with a knowledgeable Qualified Personal Trainer or Physical Therapist.
To find a qualified personal trainer in the area, visit the American Council on Exercise web site. Talk with your primary health care provider about getting a referral to a physical therapist.
Tags: exercise, Fitness, Fitness Tips
Winston Salem Gyms : Build muscle mass?
July 28th, 2010 by Winston Salem, under winston salem gyms. No Comments
Muscle powders have been around for years and the ads are no longer in just muscle mags. the ads can now be seen during sports shows, especially televised body building competitions.
They’re so convincing that it’s hard to believe they don’t help build muscle any faster — but they don’t.
Although extra calories are needed whenever you markedly increase your exercise routine, the increase does not need to come from only protein, which is what a lot of the labels on the muscle powders imply.
The actual need for protein only goes up about 10 to 15 grams per day (and that is for a serious five to six day split routine!).
The calories should actually come from complex carbohydrates, such as beans, potatoes, and whole grains. Don’t forget, the calories that you don’t use will be converted and stored as fat.
Tags: exercise, Fitness, Fitness Tips
Winston Salem Gyms : Fat to muscle?
July 27th, 2010 by Winston Salem, under winston salem gyms. No Comments
Despite what all the late night infomercials tell us, fat and muscle are two distinctly different tissues and one cannot be turned into the other.
Muscle will always be muscle and fat will always be fat. As to the second thought you mentioned, one pound of either is exactly that – one pound.
It is indeed a myth that fat cells can change into muscle. You can burn fat and build muscle, but a fat cell will never turn into a muscle cell.
Body fat is a storage place where our body puts additional energy when we consume more calories per day than we burn.
If someone continues to consume more calories than the person needs, the size of their existing fat cells increases.
When we “burn fat” we are actually shrinking the size of our fat cells by using the energy that has been stored there.
There are also have a fixed number of muscle cells so when we’re building muscle the individual muscle cells are increasing in size (bulking up).
Over time, you can gain muscle mass through a selection of activities including weight training and other forms of resistance training.
When your main goal is to bulk up, you are likely increase your muscle mass which could increase your overall weight. Don’t forget that your weight also depends on what you eat and when you are doing other kinds of exercise.
For instance, when you’re doing lots of cardio, then you might ultimately lose fat and reduce your weight.
Instead of stepping on a scale, you could want to consider measuring your body composition.
Methods to assess body composition (lean body mass versus fat body mass) can help give you a more accurate idea of what comprises your body.
You can always consult with a Dietitian or a trainer to help determine the weight and exercise plan that’s best for you.
Tags: exercise, Fitness, Fitness Tips
Winston Salem Gyms : High carb snack good after lifting?
July 26th, 2010 by Winston Salem, under winston salem gyms. No Comments
Glycogen is a carbohydrate stored in the muscles and liver and is crucial for sustaining physical activity over long periods of time.
When levels of glycogen are low, you are able to feel sluggish, weak and tired. During exercise, muscle glycogen is used as a source of energy for the specific muscle in which it is stored.
The rate at which muscle glycogen is depleted is dependent upon the type of exercise (higher intensity workouts depleting glycogen stores faster than lower intensity sessions) and the frequency of workouts. Eating complex carbohydrates before and after your workouts will increase the amount of glycogen stored, enhancing future workouts.
It could also be beneficial to add some protein to your post-workout snack, as emerging evidence suggests that protein and carbohydrates combined might actually help with glycogen replacement.
A snack after a workout will provide some carbohydrate necessary for glycogen replenishment. Different people may have different preferences on what is satisfying.
What type of food or beverage will your body tolerate after a workout?
Do you want a solid snack, a protein smoothie, or a couple pieces of fruit? Would you prefer a sports drink with electrolytes?
Whatever your option, it’s always good idea to replace the energy you’ve expended with a healthy snack while also maintaining a balanced diet throughout the day.
It might be helpful for you to spend some time with a nutritionist to determine your specific needs. A personal trainer can help you understand your entire workout from warm-up to recovery.
Recuperation of muscle fibers after an intense workout goes beyond replenishing glycogen stores. In addition to proper nutrition, a resting period in between workouts assists decrease the risk of injuries.
Tags: exercise, Fitness, Fitness Tips