Monday (Fitness)Massacre - Trainers Behaving Badly Vol. 6 (12/2/13)

Monday (Fitness)Massacre - Trainers Behaving Badly Vol. 6

Spending as many hours in the gym as I do on a daily basis, I'm afforded no shortage in sights of things that just make you shake your head. Unfortunately, quite often these sights ...are complete with a fitness 'professional' standing right there supervising the whole ordeal. I've decided the instead of standing silent and shaking my head, it would be better to call attention to said sights in order to educate my peeps.

This Week's Winner: Having your orthopedically healthy client - though substantially overweight and weak- stand on a BOSU repeatedly waving a BODYBLADE (it's such a popular item at Wal-Mart that the page won't load as I type this if that gives you any indication how 'useful' one of these might be).

Monday (Fitness)Massacre - Trainers Behaving Badly Vol. 5 (11/12/13)

Monday (Fitness)Massacre - Trainers Behaving Badly Vol. 5
Spending as many hours in the gym as I do on a daily basis, I'm afforded no shortage in sights of things that just make you shake your head. Unfortunately, quite often these sights are complete with a fitness 'professional' standing right there supervising the whole ordeal. I've decided the instead of standing silent and shaking my head, i...t would be better to call attention to said sights in order to educate my peeps.

This Week's Winner: (Cutting)cookies is suitable for Christmas, but not for training.

Merguez Madness Volume 1

On my recent trip to San Diego I was able to source some merguez sausage from my (new) good friend Hanni at the Mid-East Market.

For those not familiar, merguez sausage is a fresh sausage made with lamb, beef, or... a mixture stuffed into a lamb-intestine casing popular in North African cuisine. It is also popular in the Middle East, and Europe, having become particularly popular in France by the closing decades of the twentieth century.

It is heavily spiced with cumin and chili pepper or Harissa, which gives it its characteristic piquancy and red color, as well as other spices such as sumac, fennel, and garlic. (SOURCE: Wiki)

Over the coming weeks I'll be experimenting with various methods of preparing and enjoying this fine delicacy. Up first, a (severe) adaption from the following recipe in the NYT:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/20/dining/201prex.html?_r=0

Two-For-Tuesday Double Kettlebell Workout of the Week (W.O.W.) Volume 3:

As the title implies, you'll need 2 kettlebells (of equal weight) for the following routine.

Guys will use anywhere from 2 16kg's - 2 24kg's, and gals will use anywhere from 2 8kg's - 2 16kg's. Start on the low end and adjust from there....

"Not enough time" is a frequent excuse given as to why people are unable to train. This week, I put the proverbial nail in that coffin while simultaneously showing you what REAL 'cardio' and 'core' training is.

While not something you'd want to do on a regular basis, give this a try whenever you are really pressed for time, or as a 'finisher' to your regularly planned training session.

WARNING: This is not for the faint of heart.

Post-Gazette 1/12/2014

My latest appearance in the Post-Gazette. Hey PG, with as many times as a grace your pages per year, how about appointing me as Health & Fitness Editor/Reporter?!?!

It's an opportunity for you to step up your game and offer the same high-quality and up-to-date health & fitness coverage as the New York Times.

Just sayin'.

Before the clock even struck midnight on Jan. 1, we had our first obligatory fitness resolution-related article (“Fitter Faster,” Dec. 30). While the article made a few great points — namely the importance of intensity, less is more when it comes to time spent, fancy equipment is unnecessary, etc. — the numerous egregious errors present in the program, and form demonstrated in the pictures within, yet again demonstrates the need for qualified fitness professionals.

Many trainees — particularly the unconditioned ones — lack sufficient mobility and/​or stability to properly perform many of the movements listed. With no regressions suggested, this leaves the door wide open for injury.

Speaking of injury, repeated spinal flexion as demonstrated on No. 4 (abdominal crunches) is precisely how world-renowned back specialist Dr. Stuart McGill states most lower back injuries occur. Similarly, No. 7 (triceps dip) is also a known way to irritate the shoulder through impingement resulting from anterior glide of the humerus in the shoulder socket.

Lastly, the elbows-flared/​scarecrow like posture demonstrated on No. 3 (pushups) places undue stress on the shoulder and surrounding rotator cuff. These are just a few of the common errors I see daily in my practice that I correct to prevent unnecessary pain and injury.

The good news is potential trainees will be glad to know that setting up a successful exercise program is even simpler than the article suggests, as a good number of the exercises are redundant. Truthfully, all a successful and sound bodyweight strength program needs is one hip-hinge, squat, upper-body push and upper-body pull movement each. Just remember it’s still worth investing in a lesson or two from a qualified professional on form/​technique to get the most of your time invested as well as to prevent injury.

RUSSELL DEMCZAK
Pittsburgh Kettlebells
Ohio Township
The writer is a personal trainer and a certified strength and conditioning specialist.

Exercise Correctly - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Two-For-Tuesday Double Kettlebell Workout of the Week (W.O.W.) Volume 2:

As the title implies, you'll need 2 kettlebells (of equal weight) for the following routine.

Guys will use anywhere from 2 16kg's - 2 24kg's, and gals will use anywhere from 2 8kg's - 2 16kg's. Start on the low end and adjust from there. Perform each movement back-to-back without setting the bells down:

4 'dead' cleans
4 ...1/2 kneeling see-saw or alternating overhead presses
4 reverse lunges
4 double kb bent-over row*
4 sldls's
4 spiderman pushups off the kb handles**

Rest 1-2 minutes

Repeat 4x

Note: split the work equally(2 sets each) when performing the reverse lunges and sldl's

* substitute single-arm supported bent over rows if you are unable to maintain good posture

** substitute walking planks if you are unable to perform spiderman pushups. aim for 4 'steps' per leg

#wow #kettlebells #training #workout

Two-For-Tuesday Double Kettlebell Workout of the Week (W.O.W.) Volume 1:

As the title implies, you'll need 2 kettlebells (of equal weight) for the following routine.

Guys will use anywhere from 2 16kg's - 2 24kg's, and gals will use anywhere from 2 8kg's - 2 16kg's. Start on the low end and adjust from there. Perform each movement back-to-back without setting the bells down:

5 double snatches*

5 double overhead press
5 double front squats
5 double bent over row**
5 push-ups on the bell handles***

Rest 2 minutes. Repeat 5x.

Done.

* substitute double swings or cleans if you are unable to snatch
** substitute 1-arm KB rows if you are unable to maintain neutral spine
*** substitute a 20-30s plank off the handles if you are unable to perform a push-up.

#wow #kettlebells #training #workout