Tag Archives: tips

Exercising while injured, my personal story.

Jeff Roux B.S. Exercise Science 11/23/11

 

I recently and unfortunately suffered a laceration on my dominant hand requiring 9 stitches.  The ER doctor asked me what I do for a living and when I told him he kind of laughed and said, “Well, you won’t be working out for a couple of weeks.”  Little did he know who he was dealing with and what I was capable of trying?  In actuality, I believe that he should have suggested continuing to do lower body exercises and cardiovascular work, ensuring to keep the wound clean and dry, but that is another story in itself.

 

My injured hand

Needless to say within 3 days of the injury I was back in the gym.  I was able to complete a full lower body workout using plate loaded machines, crunches on the ball and two shoulder exercises.  I thought I would still able to palm a shoulder press machine and not affect the stitches and while griping a dumbbell with my left and use my right hand to support and perform a modified DB front raise.  I also ran 2 miles.  2 days after that I returned to do more core, and plate loaded chest machine and used the resistance bands to perform Lat pull downs, back rows, chest fly’s, bicep curls and overhead db triceps extensions.  Through only slight modification in placing the band around my wrist instead of in my palm I was able to complete many of the traditional exercises one would normally complete in the gym.  One week after the injury I was playing tennis with my left hand and actually beat the person I was playing with.  My point is, whatever you’ve hurt there is usually a way to exercise around that injury.  UBE’s (upper body ergo meters, hand bikes) are great for people who have injured their lower body.  The question remains if an injury occurs does this take away from the fact that you still have a health goal?  Are you going to sit at home and wait, or are you going to explore the alternatives?  Everyone knows exercising has positive effects on mood; many people get depressed when they cannot exercise, so why stop exercising?  Find a way, your mind and your body will thank you.

For more information on modifying your exercise program to fit your needs contact the fitness professionals at Excel Fitness, you’ll be glad you did.

Matthew Knight’s Marathon Training Update

Marathon Update

by: Matthew Knight– B.S Exercise Science CSCS Personal Trainer at Excel Fitness

As many of you know I am currently training for a marathon in the Fall Season.  I have been training for about two months and my joints have definitely been taking a pounding running on the hard surface.  I have worked up to my longest run of 16 miles, running that distance I have found it to be more of a mental battle.  But I have pushed myself by running 8 miles out which leaves me no choice but to run 8 miles back.  I recently timed myself in the half marathon and completed it in 1 hour and 37 minutes which is about a 7 minute mile pace.  I figure that isn’t too bad considering 2 months ago I never ran more than a 5k.

In the past month I have also had a battle with maintaining my weight and muscular strength.  By completing a 16 mile run I am burning well over 2000 calories which is the average person’s calorie intake in a whole day.  Therefore I have increased my calorie and protein intake dramatically but it is still hard to keep up with my caloric expenditure.

Have any questions feel free to contact info@excelfitnessct.com or continue following my marathon progression on Excel Fitness’s Blog

Easy Ways to Burn those Pesky Fat Pounds

Here are a few tips from the professionals on how to make burning fat and calories a little easier and tastier.

1) CALORIE BURN:

  • Simple formula – 6-3-3 Do this over a week’s time. 6 small meals a day, 3- 40min weight training workouts and 3- 30 minute workouts.  In as little as 2 months, you will see changes you really like.
  • Multi-Set – Do a series of back to back exercises instead of one at a time.  Keeps the heart rate higher for longer resulting in more calories burned.
  • Park Walking – Ask a friend to get lunch and then go for a walk after you are done.  Good company and good productivity later.
  • Push-up and sit-ups Do three sets of each to fatigue every other day when you get home from work.  You will not only get better at them, you will get stronger and look better.  Translation the more you do the more calories you burn!!!

2) EASY BURN:

  • Offer to carry more in your bag if you hike with a group.
  • Add a few levels to your incline on the treadmill.
  • Walk around and actually talk to some of your co-workers you would normally email.
  • Take nice walk to local dinner/lunch spot instead of driving.

3) SNACKS UNDER 200 CALORIES:

Yoplait Thick and Creamy

  • 3.5 Fat, 32 Carbs, 7 Prot and 190 Calories

Smucker’s Natural Creamy Peanut Butter with an Apple

  • 8 Fat, 20 Carbs, 3.5 Proteain and 165 Calories

Designer Protein Shake (1 Scoop) and a Lundberg Rice Cake

  • 2 Fat, 16 Carbs, 19 Protein and 170 Calories.
Shawn O’Brien
Excel Fitness, Co-Owner
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Knowing the facts: Muscle is good for you!

In my 15 years of training experience, I’ve come in contact with a number of women who swear off weights out of fear they will create bulky muscle mass.

Time to change our minds!

The key that women should keep in mind with an exercise routine is to start off slow so as not to exhaust yourself right out of the gate. Doing more reps at a lower rate will help you build lean, long muscles. And muscle is critical for osteoporosis prevention later in life.

Something additional to keep in mind is to have your body fat percentage measured before you workout every so often (we can help you out with this at Excel Fitness). Many women don’t see the pounds shed right off when adding weight lifting to their routine, but in fact gain muscle mass which in turn incinerates calories.

Shawn O’Brien
@shawnexcelfit