exercise

Keeping Up With The Speed of the Game

Weight training and tennis haven’t always gone hand in hand. From the start of competitive tennis, there was a fear of becoming too bulky and having to sacrifice speed. No one wants to see their stroke ruined just for the sake of bulk! Of course, as history has shown, that’s not how the body works. Throughout the 20^th century, the more professional tennis players incorporated sport-specific weight training-combined with lighter, wider-bodied rackets-the more the speed of the sport began to accelerate … and by all accounts continues to.

So, what’s the trouble? The faster the game, the better, right?

The trouble is that, by and large, training regimes are still struggling to keep up with the sport’s accelerating pace. Injury is never something a player means to risk, but that’s exactly what’s at stake with improper off-court training. No tennis player can play themselves into shape. It’s not enough to just run out onto the court and get some exercise-not if you want to keep up with the speed of the game: You need to be strong. And at the same time, it’s not going to help your performance if you pump iron every day because to be a competitive tennis player: You also need to be lean.

Be careful not to fall for style over substance in the sports training industry. It’s one thing to appear more athletic, it’s another thing to win more matches, diminish the risk of injury, and play with all your heart.

Are doing what it takes to keep up with the speed of the game?

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3 Dietery Do’s & Dont’s for Active People

1. Do: Sweet Potatoes. Believe it or not, sweet potatoes have been ranked one of the most nutritionally balanced vegetables in the world. The complex carbs and B vitamins make them a perfect food for anyone active.

Don’t Buy Into the Latest Diet Craze. No effective workout could ever be fueled with a low carb, high protein diet. When the body is fed an unbalanced diet, everything from organ function to clarity of mind can undergo stress. Forget about hype. Think health.

2. Do: Cottage Cheese. For many, cottage cheese is an acquired taste, but it remains one of the best sources of casein (a slow-digesting protein) in the world.

Don’t Forget to Eat After Exercising. You may be home from the gym and relaxing, but your body is struggling to make muscle repairs. It needs a small, post-workout meal of protein and carbs within two hours, like cottage cheese with fruits, berries and nuts.

3. Do: Apples. Nutrient dense, packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber and water, apples are a perfect snack to eat everyday. They may not keep the doctor away if you catch the flu, but they can certainly help keep the pounds off.

Don’t Skip Out On Breakfast. Skipping breakfast will only make the mind less sharp and leave the body craving nutrients. Try to make time for a light, balanced breakfast. And if you never seem to have the time, remember: You can always throw an apple in your bag!

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Set Your Mind To Fitness!

Have you ever been concerned that you aren’t getting the results at the gym you desire?

We’ve all been there. Between long hours at work and making time for the family, it can be nearly impossible to find the time it takes to stay fit. And too often when we do find the time, we drag our bodies to the gym while our minds remain elsewhere.

Your legs may be pumping away on the treadmill, but your thoughts are caught up on the past or anticipating the future. The truth of the matter is that if for any reason you can’t set your mind to fitness and focus on the present moment, you might as well not show up to the gym.

Setting your mind to fitness can make the difference between a great workout and a grueling one. Here are some tips to on how to focus and mentally prepare for a workout:

-Go over your goals

-Think about your accomplishments

-Prepare a mix of music

-Remember to have fun

-Talk to people at your gym about your goals

-Discover a personal trainer

The simple truth is that upholding a positive mindset about your personal fitness and health can dramatically increase the effectiveness of your workout. A personal trainer is someone who can help make all your distractions go away for a while; someone who can set your mind to fitness so you can start to see the results you desire.

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Fitness Setup Before Class

Here’s some quick footage that shows my fitness setup before a session I was hosting!

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Fitness Is A Lifestyle Decision!

Being fit is a personal decision long before it is a physical reality. Time and time again I’m asked the question, “What’s the trick to getting fit? How do I start?” You start with a commitment to your goal. We all make commitments in our lives, all sorts of commitments for our finances and relationships. Our day to day decisions reflect our level of commitment to any given goal, and too often our decisions about personal health and fitness fall short. You may decide to grab fast-food on your lunch break because it saves you time. You may decide to skip the gym before work because you got to sleep too late the night before; because you were out too late; because you made the decision to stay out.

One of the greatest challenges in getting fit is overcoming habits of instant gratification. Television commercials and billboards fill our minds with false expectations about what it means to be fit. Whether you want to drop ten pounds, tighten your abs, strengthen your biceps, or improve cardio to name only a few, a fitness goal cannot be accomplished in an hour, or a day, or a month. It takes a change in lifestyle and a complete shift in priorities. While there are certain immediate bonuses to working out, getting fit and staying fit is primarily about prevention (from illness, obesity, back pain, and so on). If you’re used to making decisions based on instant gratification, getting fit and staying fit will be a struggle no matter your intentions. We see this when weight loss and gain fluctuate dramatically.

Sometimes the most important decision is admitting to yourself that you need someone else to help keep you on track, something more than a commercial or billboard that feeds on your longing for a quick fix. When it comes to being fit, there is no quick fix. Sometimes you need to be inspired. If you still struggle following through with your intentions, taking the step to pursue a personal trainer invested in your mental and physical well-being, who can serve as an example towards which to aspire, and who understands the hardships of breaking unhealthy habits, may be the most important decision you will ever make!

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Fitness In A Busy Work Industry

You are busy. You work full-time. You commute. You are working yourself to the bone in order to invest in your future, and the security of your family. Your life is a schedule from one hour to the next. Your meals are often limited to business lunches and dinners. Finding time to reach your fitness goals and stay fit may seem impossible, but rest assured, it can be done. The key is to start with small, doable changes.

1. Write down your fitness goals and hang the list at work. A busy work schedule can be mentally and physically consuming. It is all too easy to lose focus on your goals and let your health fall by the wayside. Keeping a list of your goals close to you can help keep you focused and prioritize your thoughts. Your list should be as specific as possible so that you don’t become overwhelmed. Instead of writing “lose weight” or “eat healthy,” write a weight loss goal that is practical, and try to list healthy foods that you wouldn’t mind incorporating into your diet. Once these goals are met and become integrated into your hectic schedule, reward yourself with a new list of doable goals.

2. Discover how your fit coworkers stay fit. Chances are you know of at least a few coworkers who manage to find the time to make it to the gym. One of the greatest challenges in overcoming unhealthy habits is apathy, a feeling of helplessness, or a lack of motivation. Your closest friends may share a similar sentiment, making it all the more difficult to make changes. Reaching out to those who have succeeded in meeting their fitness goals, and who can sympathize with your stress and fears, will remind you of your potential. If your company has a fitness center or nearby gym, try integrating your health and occupation by working out with a coworker. Issues of business can be discussed, you won’t feel alone, and you can keep each other accountable.

3. Separate yourself from work. The more busy you are, the more you need a break, and the harder it may seem to do so. No matter how much you love your job, your health and well-being should come first. Even something small like a 10 minute walk around the parking lot can go a long way. Treating yourself to a calm, silent walk improves blood circulation, clears out your thoughts, reduces stress, and if it’s sunny out helps to up your daily intake of vitamin D.

At the end of the day, however, getting the ball rolling towards being fit in spite of your schedule can become a vicious cycle. One week you’re on-you’re bagging your lunch, going for walks, making time to go to the gym-the next week you’re back to your old habits. A certified fitness trainer who can offer continuous support, who is fully invested in helping you to reach your potential, and who can craft a plan of action tailored to your individual challenges, may be just what you need to get the ball rolling, and keep it rolling. Remember, no matter how busy your schedule, no matter how many financial goals you have for yourself, investing in the well-being of your mind and body is the real key to security and longevity.

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How To Plan Your Diet Around Your Workout

There are several common misconceptions about what to eat before and after a workout, leaving many assumptions in need of clarification. A certified nutritionist and fitness trainer is uniquely qualified to offer advice tailored to each individual’s tastes and busy schedules. However, there are some basic guidelines everyone should consider when deciding exactly what to eat, when to eat, and what to avoid.

Most importantly, no matter what you eat and when, you need plenty of water. This cannot be understated. Water with fresh lemon is even better, as lemon has been found to relieve heartburn, bloating, and gas.

Aside from hydration, exercising on an empty stomach means low blood sugar, a light-headed sensation, and a weaker body. Doing this defeats the very purpose of working out: our health, both physical and mental. Whatever your fitness goal, your body needs constant nourishment. At the same time, exercising too soon after a large meal can make you nauseous, sluggish, and decrease blood flow, making your muscles cramp up. The body needs energy to digest food, and there’s only so much energy to go around. Listening to your body is key. A high protein, fried, or fatty meal requires a good four hours to digest. A high fiber meal, such as beans or low-fat yogurt and granola, should be given a few hours to digest as well.

The body prefers carbohydrates for fuel-ideally complex carbs-so the best before-workout foods are fruits, vegetables, and multi-grain pastas and breads. Energy bars can do the trick, just make sure to check the label and avoid carbohydrates from high fructose corn syrup. The same goes for sports drinks and fruit juice.

If you workout in the morning, try to get up early enough to eat something light and easy to digest at least half an hour before. If you workout at night, try to eat a lighter dinner and make lunch your heavier meal. After workout, the most important food is water, as fluids need to be replenished right away. Your body will also be craving protein for muscle rebuilding, unsaturated fats, and complex carbohydrates for glycogen restoration. It is recommended not to eat more than one gram of protein for every four grams of carbohydrates, as this will slow down rehydration.

You want to get the most out of the time you spend training, so it is essential you get in the habit of timing your meals, thinking your diet through, listening to your body, and drinking plenty of water. A personal trainer can help make the difference.

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The Importance Of Core Training

Your core is the link between upper body strength and lower body strength. Consisting of three primary muscle groups (abdominals, hip musculature, and spinal musculature), all of the muscles work together to stabilize the spine and pelvis, allowing for the fluidity of movement. For athletes, the strength of the body is held down by the weakest link, and what good is strength without stability? Unfortunately, due to the tendency to focus a disproportionate amount of energy on working out the arms and the legs, the core muscles are one of the most neglected areas of strength training; even though as infants this is the first motor control we acquire. Babies figure out how to stabilize their core prior to branching out into other motor control challenges.

In tennis, we swing the racket with our arms and run down the ball with our legs, but all the while our core muscles remain the center of power, keeping us balanced, agile in-motion; our center of gravity low to the ground. An experienced personal trainer who understands the symptoms of a disproportionate fitness program can help to insure that you are getting the most strength and mobility out of your body, on and off the court. Even if you are not an athlete, a weak core will force the body to redirect weight and pressure to the spine, causing bad posture, limited mobility, and back pain.

The importance of core training is compounded further by the fact that back pain is one of the most common causes of insomnia. This will be discussed in a future “Ryan’s Insights” article, as a good night’s rest is essential for the body’s 24-hour biorhythms to remain in synch, allowing for muscles all throughout the body to repair themselves.

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