September Exercise of the Month - Barbell Military Press

Contributed by Brien A. McMurray, CSCS, M.A., Personal Trainer SPORT FIT Severna Park

The Military Press is performed by standing with the barbell held in both hands in front of you with the bar resting on your upper chest right underneath the clavicle (collar bone). The bar is pressed upwards until the elbows are completely locked out with the weight directly overhead. The bar should be lowered back under control and brought back to the upper chest. Many people decrease the range of motion by bringing it back to the chin. When beginning any weight training program it is recommended by the National Strength and Conditioning Program to keep the reps in the 8 – 12 reps range. The last 2-3 reps should be challenging. If it is not challenging then the weight should be increased. On the other hand, if you can not perform at least 8 reps with good technique and full range of motion then the weight should be decreased.

If I have to pick my favorite upper body exercise, it is the Barbell Military Press. This is far superior exercise than the popular Bench Press. Many athletes enjoy doing the Bench Press and, quite frankly, over emphasize it. How functional is the bench press when are we on our backs and pushing the weight up ?? The Barbell Military Press is a far superior exercise than the Bench Press.

First, it is “ground base” exercise. We are standing up and supporting the weight. As in most athletic events and in everyday chores we are on our feet supporting weight. As you are pushing the weight up over your head, your intra-abdominal pressure rises thus increasing your core strength. In addition, since your vertebrae is bearing the weight, this activates “bone mineralization.” This helps prevent Osteoporosis. In fact, any ground base exercise where you are bearing the weight is far superior to any exercise where you are seated or lying down. This is the main reason why free weight exercises that are ground based are far superior to any machine exercise.

September Fitness Tip of the Month

Contributed by Brien A. McMurray, CSCS, M.A., Personal Trainer SPORT FIT Severna Park

When involved in a weight training program, to reach maximum benefits, an individual should train 3 times per week with a 48 hour period of rest in between each session. Research has found this to be the ideal method of weight training. Satisfactory results also can be made by training twice per week. Even training once per week on a regular basis can make positive results.

When designing your workout plan, it is very important that you change your workout program every 4, 5, or 6 weeks. No matter what type of resistance training one does, we all go through what is known as the General Adaption Syndrome. At the beginning of any type of weight training program, your body reacts, initially, by experiencing muscle soreness. Quite often, our strength actually decreases. After a few days or even a week, we go through “super compensation.” The body actually begins to adapt to the exercises and the individual begins to handle more weight and can perform more reps or repetitions. This period usually occurs between weeks 2-5. Right around week 4-6, the body plateaus and little to no improvement occurs.

At this point in the cycle, it is critical to change the program entirely. A new resistance program with a whole new set of exercises needs to be started. By setting up a new program, it will prevent plateauing and as a result steady progress will be made in improving overall strength.

When most adults train, they tend to perform exercises that were introduced to them when they were younger. Quite often the variety of exercises is limited. Over time, progress becomes limited and quite boring. In addition, adults can experience “overuse injuries.”

If you find that you have experienced any of these problems and you would like to see positive and steady improvement in your resistance program, consider hiring a Personal Trainer to reach your goals. A Personal Trainer will also make certain that you address all the critical areas of strength. Quite often, people neglect critical areas and over emphasize other areas. Common areas neglected are upper body pulling exercises, lower back strength, abdominal strength, and core strength.

Give Me An Alternative

Contributed by Joe Bocek, Fitness Director SPORT FIT Severna Park

Not too long ago I was attending a “destination wedding” for a friend of mine in Bermuda. When the wedding ended around 11 p.m., a few of us migrated over to the hotel bar. There we met a cargo pilot who regularly traveled all over the world and whose daughter, coincidentally enough, was also a personal trainer. I agreed with him when he said, “What a great job, helping people live a healthier life!”

Apparently Mr. Cargo Pilot had several medical considerations which led to him taking many pills to manage and help control his ailments. High blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol were just a few. “Give me an alternative,” he said. You see, Mr. Cargo Pilot is like so many other Americans with health-related ailments that are also life-threatening. In order to try to prevent these diseases from claiming his life, his doctor prescribes many different drugs. Why drugs? Because they are easier. For so many, good diet and exercise seem hard, so plan B is often taking multiple prescriptions. I am certain many of you reading this article right now are either on (or at one time was on) a prescription like these or you are close to someone who is.

Case in point: Let me tell you about one of my clients – I’ll call him “Ralph” – who came to me several years ago at the urging of his wife. Ralph, and his family, wanted an alternative. They wanted an alternative to the diabetes, the high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. They wanted an alternative to all the pills he was consuming on a daily basis. And most importantly, they wanted an alternative to putting all their hopes of this man’s life in a bottle of pills. Ralph was an average guy. He worked out consistently, not necessarily any harder than the next guy, just consistently. I’m pleased to say that during our time together, Ralph lost 75 pounds and more importantly had his doctor take him off his medication for his diabetes, blood pressure, and cholesterol. Ralph is a success story because he found an alternative, a healthier lifestyle.

The benefits of exercise are well stated. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) tell us those “benefits include a reduction in cardiovascular mortality, a reduction in symptoms, improvement in exercise tolerance and functional capacity, and improvement in psychologic well-being and quality of life. Exercise training programs significantly reduce overall mortality, as well as death due to myocardial infarction.” The well-known Internet website About.com explains, “Exercise is an important part of a healthy life, but when you have diabetes, exercise is essential for helping you manage the disease. Regular exercise helps you lose weight and keep it off. It also can help you lower your blood glucose levels and prevent serious complications, such as foot and lower extremity problems, eye disease and kidney disease.”

Now, I am not saying that starting an exercise routine or having a salad for lunch today will solve all your problems, but it’s definitely a start in the right direction. While some people do need medication no matter what changes they make to their lifestyle, choosing to lead a healthier lifestyle makes these diseases much more manageable.

For those of you ready for another option, a choice other than a life limited by health related illness and medical prescriptions, talk to your doctor about starting a healthy diet and exercise process. Tell him to “Give you an alternative!”

A Little Encouragement from a Professional Can Help Everyone

Contributed by Joe Bocek, Fitness Director SPORT FIT Severna Park

This warm spring weather is just the thing to get us moving and more active. I found myself going for a walk with my mom the other day to encourage her to incorporate more exercise into her daily routine. Too often we underestimate the benefits of a little encouragement - we all need some motivation and exercise is no different. It is for these same reasons you can benefit from hiring a personal trainer.

There are dozens of reasons to work with a personal trainer, and the fact that I am a trainer is not one of them. You see, there is a misconception that personal training is for people who do not know a lot about fitness or are just starting out. While these two groups can benefit from personal training, so can the most advanced athlete or the retired 60 something looking to just feel better and be healthier. Personal training in many situations is really about two major elements: accountability and reaching a higher level of health, or optimal fitness.

We all need accountability in our lives to help us finish on time or just improve the way we do things. It’s why we have managers and CEOs (and why CEOs have a board to answer to) at work and, whether we want it or not sometimes, benefit from our “other halves” at home. It’s the same reason why personal training continues to help more and more people every year: it holds you accountable. There is a set time and appointment you cannot miss. There is also someone who charts your progress, checks how you’re doing, and cheers you on. We all want someone to take an interest in us, and we can get this from having a good personal trainer.

The other benefit of personal training is just being healthier and maybe even reaching a level of optimal fitness for us. There’s always room for improvement, and when we have a professional guide us, we can get that much better. For example: LaDainian Tomlinson is a running back for the NFL’s San Diego Chargers, a former league MVP, and one of the best football players playing today. He has a team conditioning program offered by one of the country’s best strength coaches that he doesn’t need to pay extra for, but he chooses to work on his own with a private personal trainer. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting his trainer, Todd Durkin, who has been training Tomlinson for a few years now and Tomlinson sings his praises. Durkin is a very good trainer with more exercises and ideas than you can fit on a DVD video (he has several) and a great ability to motivate. His personal attention takes his clients to the next level. There are stories like this for just about every great athlete: Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Mia Hamm, Ray Lewis, Serena and Venus Williams, etc. I personally have my best workouts when I train with another trainer. It is not because they have better ideas necessarily, it is that I believe they can get the most out of me just as I try to do for everyone one of my clients.

Most importantly, personal training should be convenient. It needs to fit with your goals, personality, and schedule. You may want to meet with your trainer for 30-45 minutes or one hour every week or two. It should be all about you!
Whether you are a new exerciser or seasoned workout warrior, think about what more you can get out of life and healthier living by working with a personal trainer. Or maybe you’ll luck out like my mother, and one of your children will become a certified personal trainer themselves. Just don’t miss the chance to take that first step and go for a stroll these fine July evenings!

Special Offer For Current Merritt Athletic Club Members!

With the announced closing of the Merritt Athletic Club Facility in Annapolis, MD, Sport Fit Severna Park is proud to announce a very special membership offer for all current and former members of Merritt Athletic Club, Annapolis.

Contact a Membership Advisor at Sport Fit Severna Park for complete details, and be sure to let us know you're a member of Merritt, Annapolis.

Membership advisors can be reached 7 days a week at 410-432-6140.

Sport Fit Severna Park Hosts Personal Training Client Appreciation Party

On any given day you can walk into SPORT FIT Severna Park and see one of our amazing personal training clients working out with their personal trainer. You will notice that our trainers work hard and our clients work even harder. For all of our clients’ hard work and dedication to being healthier through personal training, we were proud to offer them a Client Appreciation Party. The party was a huge success and everyone who came had wonderful things to say about it.

It was held on a Thursday Evening in both our group exercise room and outside on our patio. Personal trainers and clients had a chance to see each in something other than gym apparel. There was food, drink, a raffle, and auction for personal training sessions. All decorations were spectacularly done by Nick Codd, a long time SPORT FIT Severna Park member. Nick was able to transform our available space into a picturesque party platform.

Talk to a SPORT FIT Severna Park personal trainer today to see all you can gain from our personal training program.

(pictures, from top: Chris Volker talking with client Leah, Brien “Mac” McMurray sporting his “Don Ho” shirt, three pictures of our transformed group exercise room)

Trainers Stay on Top of Their Game

Each year Sport Fit Severna Park personal trainers attend conferences to learn new ideas and bring their clients the latest in the fitness industry. Here (from left to right) Chris Volker, Tiffany Parker, and Brien McMurray pause for a quick picture (taken by Joe Bocek) after a workshop at this year's AFPA Fitness Conference in Ocean City, MD. To give your current workout program a boost or fresh make-over, contact your Fitness Director, Joe Bocek, for a free consultation with one of our certified personal trainers.

Don't Get Sucked Into the "ProtoHYPE"

The “Prototype” is simply a cross training shoe that is no different than any other cross trainer that Nike, Adidas, New Balance, or any of the other major shoe companies produces. It is going to be over-priced because Under Armour has a tendency to add value to their products by setting a higher price (It makes you think the product has higher quality). In my opinion, most of the cross training shoes on the market right now are junk except for one shoe, the Nike Free Trainer. It is a true training shoe in every way possible.

The Nike Free Trainer, in terms of fitness, is revolutionary and has the potential to change the way people look at shoes and their feet forever. Let's think of it this way: most of us train our biceps, triceps, pectorals, lats, quadriceps, hamstrings, etc. But do most of us train our feet? The answer is no. The majority of people do not train their feet and the idea sounds silly. However, this is quite an important topic to consider. As a trainer, I personally believe that everything in our bodies is connected somehow or someway. A pain in our left big toe could eventually cause a pain in your right hip or lower back. Why? Because over time the pain in your toe is going to cause you to compensate one way or another to alleviate the pain, thus causing a pain in another area. Therefore, if we have weak feet, we have weak legs, abs, back, shoulders, etc. What kind of shoe do you wear? Here is a test for you. Take off your shoes. Now, attempt to bend your shoe in half and notice how the shoe bends. I will guess that just the toe of your shoe has flexibility. Was I right? This shoe inflexibility is generally the case with all makes of shoes on the market today. We have been fooled into believing that our shoes should be sturdy and protective. All this does is create a brace for an uninjured part of our body that eventually will cause a weakness if it hasn't already. Say you have never had problems with your knees -- they feel great and you could run a good distance without any pain in them. Then one day someone comes up to you and says, “here you need this knee brace, put it on your right knee to protect it.” So why are you training in shoes that act as a brace that does not allow the muscles of the feet to strengthen?

I'm guessing you probably think I work for Nike now or have some sort of contract to help sell their shoes. Not the case at all, I just think people need to be educated on the benefits of a good training shoe. Optimal Fitness should be the goal of every individual with an active lifestyle. I believe you should always be thinking of ways to improve yourself and advance. Maybe you are standing on the answer. Nike Free Trainer's can be purchased on Nike's website or at most Nike Outlets, including the new Nike Outlet in Queenstown on the Maryland Eastern Shore. They will run you about $50 at the outlets and $85 to $100 on the website. It's more than worth the investment. I own three pair of Free's and it's the best shoe I have ever owned.
The shoe is not designed for running long distance, it is simply a shoe for training. Running can be done in the shoe but you must progress yourself properly and strengthen the muscles in your feet until you have reached a point where you can run without injury.

Fitness starts with your feet. So get out there and pick up a pair of Free's and begin to strengthen your feet! It sounds crazy but you have nothing to lose (besides $50-$100). Let's see some Free's in the gym!!

Optimal Fitness Group Training Begins!!

This past Saturday, April, 26th, Optimal Fitness Group Training, kicked off its summer long schedule. I was extremely excited to see people take advantage of the opportunity to workout in an effort to achieve their optimal fitness. Each week the group training session will focus on a different style workout. Saturday began with a short run coupled with Fartlek Training. Other than being a weird word, Fartlek Training is similar to interval training where the intensity is high for a brief period of time and then low for a brief period of time. Our Fartlek training consisted of sprinting the distance between light poles on the bike trail and then jogging slowly to the next light pole and continuing this process down the bike trail for a short period of time. It was a great workout (And I offered anyone who beat me in a sprint a free group training session).
Next, we grabbed our kettelbells and got to work. Since kettelbells are not as widely used as other forms of resistance, the proper technique and form of completing kettelbell lifts were taught. The class caught on quick and we progressed into some challenging lifts. I was very impressed by the brief period of time it took to master the proper technique and form. The class then concluded with some core and abdominal training (everyone’s favorite).
Optimal Fitness Group Training will take a two week hiatus, but will pick back up May 17th. Everyone and anyone who is interested in challenging themselves and learning new ways to workout is strongly encouraged to come out. It’s a great opportunity to get a great workout with a certified personal trainer at a fraction of the cost. I hope to see you May 17th. Any questions about signing up, dates, times, etc. call me at 443-618-2941 or shoot me an e-mail at cav2887@yahoo.com, I’d love to answer any questions.

Fitness Will Help You Swing Into Spring

Contributed by Joe Bocek, Fitness Director SPORT FIT Severna Park

At last, spring is here! It seems every year the cold weather sneaks up on us. The bustle of fall and winter holidays distract us just enough that all of the sudden, POW! It’s February and COLD!!! So we bundle up and try to stay inside. For some, the short days can even be depressing. But, fear not, it is now spring! The days are longer, the sun sets later and the temperatures are rising. For many of us that means outdoor activities.

Whether your spring and summer fix is running, tennis, biking, golf, walking, gardening, water sports, hiking or any other activity, chances are you are doing it much more often now. This is fantastic because all these fun activities can keep us fit. What is surprising is how a little exercise or a little strength training and conditioning can make us better at all the activities we love to do.

We can make this as simple as: walking on a treadmill or even doing some cross training (doing two or more different activities) can increase our endurance for a hike. Or we can take it to the extreme and go for proper sport conditioning that can help us do everything from swimming better to qualifying for the Boston Marathon to lowering our score in a round of golf.

Keith Kleven, Tiger Woods’ trainer, told ESPN in an interview that Tiger’s routine“ is built around stretching up to 40 minutes before each session, core exercises, endurance runs of 7 miles and speed runs of 3 miles, along with weight training.” Wow! Sounds like a lot for just a round of golf. But keep in mind that Tiger is the greatest. The casual player, like most of us, would benefit from just a little of that. Elizabeth Quinn, an exercise physiologist writing for the Sports Medicine section of About.com says, “Golfers need to focus on technique to see improvement, but two basic components of conditioning can improve your golf fitness and reduce your risk of injury. The two areas to focus on include core strength/stability and flexibility exercises.”

The same can be said for tennis. The United States Tennis Association tells us on their website that “A properly designed strength and conditioning program can help any player elevate his or her game to a new level.” No matter if you are looking to have more left in your tank at the end of games or add a little spring to your step, exercise can help.

The list of benefits for different sports and activities ranges from doing moderate exercise to sport-specific strength and conditioning - the full list is too long for this article! Physical activity is vitally important to our health and well-being, and sports are a large part of everyday life. However, we often miss the importance of conditioning and regular strength training.

If you are looking for properly designed strength and conditioning workouts, I strongly recommend meeting with a Certified Personal Trainer to ensure reduced risk of injury and effective workouts. However, anyone can start down the path to a better year outdoors by just adding a little exercise. Many people are surprised to find how just a little extra, whether it’s in the gym or not, can go a long way.

Good Posture, Good Health, & Good Looks

Contributed by Joe Bocek, Fitness Director SPORT FIT Severna Park

I am finishing another day at Sport Fit Severna Park, where I am on my feet all day. I come home, sit down in front of my computer to check e-mail and I catch myself slouching. “Sit up tall!” I scream to myself. Having good posture has many benefits – among them, making us seem younger and our favorite suit or dress appear more flattering. It is important to me to have good posture, but it involves more than just standing up straight. And the benefits far outweigh just looking good in our clothes.

There was a study conducted a few years back (Cook, Burgess-Limerick and Chang 2000) which looked at 270 clerical, technical, call-centre and managerial staff in 15 Australian companies, and found that 76% had experienced neck pain and upper limb pain that they felt was due to computer use in the past year, with 46% reporting symptoms in the past week. Jessica Whidden, RMT, of Everest Therapeutics Vancouver further emphasizes this point in an article on her website, where she tells us that poor posture and poor biomechanics can contribute to chronic daily headaches. Whidden found that poor posture puts excessive stress on important back, neck, and head muscles which leads to imbalance, as well as contributing to and causing both migraine and tension headaches.

Now, posture is much more than just standing or sitting straight and may not be something that we can fix in a few seconds. Oftentimes it is a result of over-tight or weak muscles. Paula Mastboom-Bell, a Physical Therapist and Clinical Director of Chesapeake Physical and Aquatic Therapy in Severna Park, warns us that some effects of poor posture can include degeneration of joints; arthritis; back, shoulder, and hip pain; limited lung capacity, which can result in other medical problems; poor balance; and the increase of a fall risk. Warning signs range from unexplainable chronic pain, a discovered weakness of some kind (in your arms or legs) and decreased range of motion. The longer we continue habits of bad posture, the weaker our muscles get and the harder it is to correct.

However, there is hope! Your posture is something that in many cases you can control, and change. Paula reassures us that adjustments to how you regularly sit and stand will result in great benefits: decreased pain; more ease of movement; improved cardiovascular function; improved balance, mobility and ease of movement; and of course decreased risk of injury in most areas of the body.

If you feel that your posture needs improvement or if you have some pain you believe may be associated with poor posture, you should contact your doctor or a reputable physical therapist. Afterwards, you may want to transition to working with a certified personal trainer who Can help keep you on the path of good posture.

So why should the military corner the market? Stand tall, be healthy, and look good!

In 2008 Resolve to PLAN for Your Health

Contributed by Joe Bocek, Fitness Director SPORT FIT Severna Park

Here we are, it’s 2008 and once again we find ourselves making those New Year’s Resolutions. Maybe this year they will stick! You know, the usual list: Exercise, Eat Better, Clean Out the Garage, Finish that Home Improvement Project… How many of those got scratched off the list last year? If you are one of the lucky ones, maybe one or two were completed. The truth is, we just don’t stick to all our resolutions. So this year, let’s try something different: more focused and better defined goals.

In most cases, we are set up to fail by having grand yet vague resolutions. For example: “Exercise.” What does that mean? If I exercise once in 2008, does that count? How about if I take a walk once a month for the year? Or does that mean I must hit the gym for 3 hours a day 6 days a week? The problem here is that none of these will work. We must have a more detailed goal and for that we must have a plan. Resolution Number One for 2008 should be to PLAN!

How about resolving to go for a walk for 20 minutes a day, three days a week and every month increase the time about 2-5 minutes until your walks are about 35-40 minutes in length. You may also try joining a gym with a plan of going to a group exercise class two times a week. Another designed goal could be to work with a personal trainer diligently for any given time from a few sessions to as often as it takes for you to reach your desired fitness target.

You may want to try to schedule time to workout during the week - every week - and treat each workout like it is a very important doctor’s appointment, something that cannot be missed. This way, you are less likely to let excuses get in the way of gym time. Starting simple with a narrowed directive gives you something more concrete to stick to.

We can apply this same thinking to “Eating Better.” If you currently have fast food every day, eating better could be something as simple as not getting a milkshake with your value meal. While this is a good start, it may not be enough for you to see substantial change in your physical appearance or overall health. How about this: no food from fast food restaurants. That way you must either prepare your own food, or eat somewhere that has healthier options. Or you could go the extra mile and try something like avoiding fried foods or eating a salad as one of your meals every day. Again, it is just a little more focused and gives you something more tangible to abide by.

Remember, if our goals are too grand or unclear, how can we expect to stick to them? This year, let’s try creating resolutions that are better defined, simple, and clearer to follow. That way cleaning out the garage won’t be the only time you spend exercising this year.