Pull Up City

I can't tell you how many women have told me they want to be able to do a pull up.  Listen up ladies, they are tough but they can be done...just have to be consistent and know that there are many different ways to train your body to get stronger to be able to do one.  Plus, having the ability to do a pull up really looks good on your resume when you're applying to be a certified badass.

 

The main muscle group used to perform a pull up is the latissimus dorsi or commonly called the lats. There are many upper body muscles that aid the lats during the exercise as well. I won't get all anatomy class on you but if you do want more detailed information on an exercise exrx.net is a great resource for fitness enthusiasts and curious exercisers.

 

So let's get into it and start at the beginning.  I have five different pull up variations so that any fitness level can perform one at some degree. 

 

Jump Pull Up - I used an underhand grip for most of my examples but you can also use an overhand grip if you'd like.  Start with your feet on a box or bench and hands placed on the bar shoulder width apart.  The exercise is performed exactly how it's named.  Jump up and try to use as much upper body strength as possible.  Your chin should be above the bar at the height of your exercise.  Control your body back down and repeat.

 

Negative Pull Up - This type of pull up is performed by exerting the most energy on the way down rather than on the way up.  Jump yourself up so your chin is above the bar and then fight the resistance as much as possible on the way back down to the box.  I always give a goal of five to six seconds on the down phase.  As your muscles fatigue, your hang time might decrease but try to do five really good ones rather than 10 mediocre reps.

 

 

 

Seated Pull Up - I performed this type of modified pull up on some suspended rings but you can use a straight bar or a TRX if you have one handy. Sit with your legs crossed and the TRX or bar should be high enough that your arms are almost fully extended before you begin.  Using as much upper body strength as possible, pull yourself up while pushing through the outsides of your feet as much as necessary to perform the repetition.  Control your body as much as you can on the way back down to the ground.

 

Band Pull Ups - More than likely you will need assistance getting your foot in the band.  Most gyms have thicker resistance bands you can use, you just may have to ask a trainer or the front desk.  Place the band on the ball of one foot and straight up your leg so the band is nice and tight.  The band is going to be your assistance for the exercise.  The thicker the band, the less work you have to do.  The motion will be the same as the last examples, pull up until your chin is above the bar and control your body back down.  Have someone help you place your foot in the band and take it out just so it doesn't snap up at you.

 

It's important to know that you won't become hulk overnight and baby steps towards success are important to note.  I would rather do less great reps than more not so great reps.  You want to get the most out of your workouts so make sure you're focusing on form and being consistent.  Variety is also a great way to change it up for your body and keep it guessing.

 

Have a happy sweaty day and get those lat muscles burning.

A Week In The Life..

I have come to the conclusion that many people have a misperception of a personal trainer.  I don't say that in a sassy or condescending way at all.  It just seems that people tend to assume that because I do what I do for a living, that it all just comes naturally to me without even trying.  I've had a number of clients act surprised when they see me working out on my own time. The reality is my only option is finding time for myself when I'm not training others.

This got me thinking, I've given you a day in the life of what I typically eat and I've talked about the exercises I enjoy but I've never talked about a week in the life of me when it comes to my workout routine.  I work hard to achieve my goals and it's very important to me that I consistently practice what I preach.  I want my clients to always know that there's nothing I make them do that I haven't done before myself.  For me it's crucial they know that I take care of myself and that I'm real and genuine.  I am passionate about helping people and incorporating exercise into their lives in a fun and never boring way.

So here goes a typical week in the life of me:

Monday: Typically I'll have a 60 minute weight training workout with one of my trainers before I have clients starting at 7.  I used to box and kickbox later at night for my interval cardio but will have to wait until summer to add that back in.  Sometimes two workouts in a day is easier because of the amount of time I have.  I actually like splitting up my lifting and cardio so I can rest up a bit in between.

Tuesday: I usually take the day off because of work and class at night.  I realize it's a pretty random day to take off but it just seems to work best for me.

Wednesday: Usually Wednesday is similar to Monday.  I have early clients starting at 5am and a break around 7:30 for an hour or 90 minutes.  Today I did sprint intervals on the treadmill for 20 minutes (1 minute sprint, 30 second jog rest x 10) and then did a lower body lift until my client at 9.  I box on Wednesday nights to get some more interval work in and relieve some stress at the end of the day.

Thursday: I have a weekly 60 minute training session on Thursday afternoons with my other trainer.  Ideally I would like to do some cardio beforehand but that doesn't happen often.  Thursdays are one of the days where I feel a little bit on the tired side so that's where my trainer helps out and holds me accountable instead of taking the day off. Trainers need trainers too sometimes :)

Friday: Fridays have been on the busier side for me so I tend to take the day off. I want to start getting a run in once it gets nicer out or at least tolerable running conditions.

Saturday: 6am boxing is on the agenda bright and early for me.  If I didn't workout before I started working, I may end up just going home instead of doing something.  I enjoy getting my workout in early and not having to worry about it the rest of the day.

Sunday: Yoga is one of my Sunday goals.  Ideally I would get yoga in twice a week but I'll probably have to wait until my class is over and summer is here before I'll have a little extra time on my hands.

Some people may call me crazy after reading my routine, I call it fun and enjoyable and just a every day priority. I will say this, if I'm having an off day or my body is telling me absolutely not, I will take the day off to recover a little.  Listen to your body and check in with it often to make sure it's up to the task at hand that day.  It's important to push yourself but it's also important to take care of yourself. 

So there you have it, what I do behind the scenes each week to practice what I preach.  That is why fueling my body properly is so important and I focus on eating right...most of the time.  Take a look at your routine...are you consistent? Do you take a couple days off for recovery? Do you change up your workouts? All these are good questions to ask yourself when getting a weekly routine of your own.  Schedule some time each day to invest in yourself, you only get one chance to live a healthy and happy life...so take action and go for it!

Sets That Are Super.

 

In order to keep your workouts interesting and be efficient with your time, there is nothing better than supersets. There is not a workout that goes by that doesn't include them for me. What are these sets that are supposedly super you ask?  They are two exercises that you do one right after another that typically include two exercises of the same muscle group or two exercises of opposing muscle groups.  There are a million different combinations you can do that would be considered a superset but I came up with a few basics to give you an idea of what I may do in a typical lifting workout.

I incorporate them in my workouts and my client's sessions as well for a few reasons...

1. We are able to get through more exercises because of the short length of time needed to rest.  When you are doing a chest exercise followed by a back exercise, the rest time doesn't have to be as long since you are contracting different muscle groups.  If you are doing a chest exercise followed by  another chest exercise, you may need a little more rest time in between but not much if the weight is manageable but challenging.  The goal is to do both exercises before resting and repeating another set.

2. Everyone loves variety.  I would not be successful as a personal trainer if I did the same thing week after week with my clients.  Supersets give me the opportunity to spice things up and make my clients' workouts fun.

3. There's never enough time in the day so with supersets you can easily be in and out of the gym without feeling like you need to spend hours there to have success. 


Here's the workout plan:

*Two Upper body exercises paired*

Bench Press - Line your eyes up with the bar before you begin the exercise.  Bring the bar to your chest and back up in a controlled manner and repeat.  Inhale on the down motion and exhale on the up motion.

Pull Ups - There are ways to modify pull ups if you can't do an actual pull up.  Start with a jump pull up.  Jump up and pull yourself up at the same time and come back down to the ground to repeat.  Another way to perform a pull up is by jumping up and controlling your body on the way back down.  I only got good at pull ups by practicing and doing them consistently.  It's a pretty rad exercise if you ask me.










*Opposing Muscle Group*

Chest Flies - Lay on a flat bench with a pair of dumbbells.  Start with palms facing each other.  Fly the weights out to the sides with a slight bend in your elbows.  The dumbbells shouldn't go any lower than in line with your body then just bring them back up to the starting point and repeat. 













Dumbbell Bent Over Rows - Start with one knee up on the bench and a flat back.  Your hand should be stacked below your shoulder.  The dumbbell should be in the hand with the leg that isn't up on the bench.  Row the dumbbell up towards your rib cage keeping your back flat.  Lower the weight back down slowly and repeat.













*Same Muscle Group*

Dumbbell Shoulder Press - Start with your palms facing each other and the dumbbells at your shoulders.  Press straight up and back down to the starting point.  Remember to relax your shoulders so they aren't hugging your ears.












Dumbbell Lateral Raises - Start with the dumbbells at your sides or in front of you and raise them up until they are parallel with the ground. Lower them back down and repeat.
 
 
 
 
 





Supersets can be used in all kinds of different workouts whether it be a cardiovascular exercise paired with a strength exercise or a strength exercise paired with a stretch of the same muscle group.  There are a million different ways to do it.   Give it a try, they are super (pun intended)!

 

The Shoe That Fits.

Up until about two years ago, picking out running shoes was simply finding some that looked great and also had my favorite colors on them.  I didn't take into account what kind of support they would give me.  That thought actually didn't even cross my mind only because I figured if they were new they had to be decent, right?  Nowadays, I realize that's not always the case. 

I'm on my feet more often than not throughout the day.  I spend most of my time in a typical work week standing, walking, running and demonstrating exercises more often than I find myself sitting and relaxing. Don't get me wrong, I would not be very productive or happy sitting at a desk all day but the years of playing sports and being active has taken a toll on my body even at the young age of 28.  This is what led me to the conclusion that finding the right shoes is very important and crucial to keeping my body healthy and supported.

Every six months or so my knees start to ache and hurt when I walk upstairs.  They crack and crunch when I bend down and though it sounds awful, it's not painful...yet.  When all of this starts to wear on me, I know it's time to visit the shoe store for a new pair or two. 

I recently had a great experience at Performance Running Outfitters a couple weeks ago.  Were my shoes expensive? Yes.  Were they worth every penny? Absolutely.  I recommend anyone who is active, in shape or trying to get in shape to go to a store that can check out your gait, watch you run or walk and put you in the shoe that best fits you.  There are a lot of places that have more affordable prices but I guarantee the quality just won't be there.

So I went to the store and told the employee there exactly what I use my shoes for.  I think it's important to get shoes based on the activities you plan on doing in them.  I wanted a pair that I would be able to workout and run in but I also wanted some that I could be on my feet all day and feel comfortable when I'm training. 

I think the best part of my experience was actually getting taped on a treadmill while running.  It made it clear what my feet do when they strike the ground.  It was very obvious that I pronate (when I run my feet strike the ground and go inward)...some people supinate, which is where they ground strike and their feet go outward.  Look at the bottom of your shoe and see where the tread is the most worn.  This will give you a vague idea of what your feet do each time they hit the ground.  

The way you walk and run is just what it is.  It's nearly impossible to try to correct your gait by yourself especially as you get fatigued. With that said, there are ways to correct your gait and decrease your likelihood of getting injured.  I could see just by watching my own running gait why people get hurt so often.  My left foot would pronate as I stepped and it would naturally correct itself which is common.  The right foot on the other hand would pronate as I stepped and wouldn't correct itself.  Eventually, the inability to correct the pronation would catch up to me and I'd probably suffer from some kind of injury.

This is where inserts come into play.  I was fitted for an insert that would correct the issues in my right foot but not overcorrect the non issues in my left.  I could tell in a day or two of wearing them that I made the right decision in going to that store.  I feel confident that I am supported from the bottom up.  I even got a small selection of colors and picked out some neon green ones to encourage the spring weather to get here.  I realize they aren't as awesome as the shoes I used to get but they are thankfully awesome in a different way.  They are functional, prevent injuries extremely comfortable. 

So when looking for shoes, here are some questions to ask yourself:

• What am I primarily going to use them for?
• What is my budget?
• Do I have any past or present injuries that would affect how I run or walk?
• Do I have any joint pain during physical activity?

These are all topics to talk about with when inquiring about new shoes.  It's important that if you're going to invest in something, you get exactly what you want.  Like I said before, there's nothing more important than being supported from the bottom up.  Think about a tree without sturdy roots...it would eventually fall or crack over time.  Take care of your roots and make your feet happy.