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Running Tip: Strengthen Quads With Wall Squats

FitSugar — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 08:00:00 -0700

If you're a runner and you want to increase your speed, build your endurance, and have the ability to tackle hills with a breeze, you need to have strong quads. Strengthening your thighs can also prevent injuries such as runner's knee. This common injury, which often happens to new runners, is tied to a combination of weak quads and tight hamstrings and calves. Wall squats (also called wall sits) are the perfect exercise to strengthen your upper legs.

To find out how to do this essential move for runners, read more.

Stand with your back against a wall, placing your feet about two feet out in front of you. Feet should be hip-distance apart.
Bending your knees, slide your back down the wall until your knees are at 90 degree angles. Your knee joints should be over your ankle joints, so you may need to inch your feet further from the wall to create proper alignment. Your thighs should remain parallel.
Hold for 30 to 60 seconds, and then stand up. Repeat for a total of three reps.
To make this move more challenging, alternate between lifting your left heel for a few seconds and then your right. This helps to target your calves.

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Get Ready for Snow Sports in the Gym

FitSugar — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 04:00:00 -0700

Before we know it, the ski slopes will be open and it will be time to bust out your best moves on the snow. If you've ever had a first day on the mountain, unless you've been training, you know that it's a humbling experience that can make anyone feel quite out of shape. This year, before hitting the slopes, hit the gym in order to improve endurance, strengthen your legs and enhance balance.

Try adding this little pre-season routine onto your regular workout to have your snow legs ready in time for opening day at your favorite slopes:

Cycling: Hop on the stationary bike at the gym for at least 30 minutes of endurance training that works your legs.
Wall Sits: Wall sits are a great way to improve leg strength. Start by standing with your back to the wall. Then slide down until your knees are in line with your hips. Keep your shoulders back against the wall for one minute (or as long as you can possible hold it). Be sure to keep your abs contracted for the entire minute. Rest 30 seconds. Repeat three times.
Squats on Bosu: Do a regular squat on the uneven surface of the bosu. Not only will you be strengthening your legs, but you'll also be working on your balance too. Do three sets of 20.

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Is Running Slowly Bad For Your Knees?

FitSugar — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 05:50:32 -0700

For some, running leaves them with aching knees. It would seem logical that if you slowed down your speed, your knees would hurt less, reducing your risk for injury. But according to Runners World, the opposite is true: running at a pace of 10 minutes per mile or slower puts you at more risk for pain around the kneecap. That's because a slower pace means your knees move through a smaller range of motion, putting more demand on the joint.

If running at a faster pace isn't an option, it doesn't mean you have to give up on your runs altogether. You can prevent knee pain by strengthening the muscles around your knees - your quads, hamstrings, and glutes. If you suffer from achy knees or want to prevent knee pain before it starts, include these exercises in your routine:

How to Strength Train With a Balance Board

FitSugar — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 08:00:05 -0700

If you belong to a gym, you may have seen this weird UFO-looking piece of equipment lying around. It's known as a balance board. When used for strength training exercises, it's a great tool for runners, skiers, tennis players, and yogis because it helps improve coordination and balancing abilities. It can also help target weak areas such as wrists and ankles that are often overlooked. There's no way around it - a balance board will work your core as well.

Also called wobble boards, they can be circular in shape, like the one shown, or rectangular. Since the platform is a lot larger than the base that touches the ground, once you place any body part on the board, the rest of your body is forced to engage in order to hold yourself up. That means you end up using multiple muscle groups at once.

To learn some basic exercises you can do that utilize the balance board keep reading.

Class Act: Pilates Boot Camp

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 04:30:00 -0700

Most people think of Pilates as a mind/body exercise, and they think Pilates is a slow, nit-picky form of exercise. Now that boot camps and circuit training are big trends in the fitness world, Pilates studios and gyms are creating boot camps of their own. I was lucky enough to participate in a Pilates-style boot camp yesterday morning sponsored by Balanced Body at the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association convention happening here in SF this week.

The class was super fun, quick paced, and worked me from the big toe to the top of my head. This class was broken into four 12-minute circuits, with each circuit utilizing a different piece of Pilates equipment: Cadillac wall unit, chair, Reformer, and the Arc. Pilates equipment is so versatile, so the variety of exercises you could do in a circuit-style class is endless. Plus it is easy to incorporate classic gym moves like squats and lunges using the Cadillac wall unit springs for added resistance and/or assistance, depending on the exercise. Alternating backward lunges holding onto arm springs is an excellent challenge.

To hear more about the class, just read more.

The class was fast-paced and my heart rate was highest for the standing leg section combining squats with arm exercises with springs. The most challenging section was on the chair, and if I didn't know Pilates this circuit might seem confusing. But chair work is great for the core since you have to support your torso no matter the position of your body. The Arc section was mostly abs and core work, while the Reformer section managed to work arms, abs, glutes, legs, and stability in 12 minutes. If you have a chance to try a Pilates boot camp, I think you should. While it helps to have Pilates experience, you could definitely follow along without any. Due to the fast-paced group situation, these classes are not about the precision often associated with the Pilates method. But a Pilates boot camp will get you strong, centered, and work your abs without you even knowing it - until the next day, of course.

Get on the Ball: Single Leg Squats

FitSugar — Thu, 29 May 2008 08:00:00 -0700

Squats are so much fun. OK, maybe you don't love squats but you must admit they get the job done. If you have a stronger leg, or a dominant leg, chances are high you are not working your legs evenly and your weak leg is getting short changed. The answer is, of course, single leg squats. Doing them with an exercise ball is a great way to tone your booty, challenge your core as well as your sense of balance, and strengthen your legs independently.

Stand at a wall with your exercise ball at your low back with a considerable portion of the ball on your pelvis.
Walk your feet out away from you as far as they need to be so you can bend your knees to a 90 degree angle keeping your knees over your ankles.
Lift your right leg off the floor inhale as you bend your left knee to 90 degrees. The ball will roll up your back as you bend your knee. Don't tuck your pelvis – keep your sits bones pointed straight down.
Exhale and pull your abs toward your spine and straighten the left knee, coming to standing. Keep your right leg off the floor.
Do: 10 reps on each leg for two to three sets.

Single leg squats are a great corrective exercise and great for injury prevention if you are a runner. It is important to have balanced legs and single leg squats will help strengthen your weak leg.

Ready to SKI?

FitSugar — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 08:00:00 -0800

For me, fall ends with Thanksgiving and winter officially begins. I don't like winter that much so I focus on skiing. It is one of the joys of the season. If you are headed to the slopes soon, it is time to start some conditioning so you can fully enjoy your downhill time.

Squatting and cycling are great ways to get the legs ready for the slopes. Try our at your desk squats if you are anxious to get started right away. It is also a good idea to challenge the legs individually. So after working both legs together, try the one legged squat by lifting one foot off the ground and squatting on your standing leg. This works your strength and balance simultaneously, and balance is essential to skiing. Get your deep abs fired up (by pulling your navel to your spine) while you do this - they'll help you balance. Hold the position for 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Think about your ideal skiing position while you hold the position (this will also keep your mind occupied while your quads scream for mercy).

Although you might be tempted, do avoid the wall squat where you stand with your back against a wall and slowly slide down to a squatting position, using the wall as your support. This exercise puts your body in a bad position for skiing placing your weight and pelvis way behind the knees. It can also be hard on the knee joints too.

Stay tuned for more thoughts on skiing. Have fun prepping your legs for the slopes.

Delivery Positions

FitSugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:34:54 -0700

HEALTH GUIDE REFERENCE FROM A.D.A.M

Delivery Positions

There is no right or wrong, best or worst position to give birth. It depends on where you're comfortable and what's happening. Most women do well lying on their side during labor. Others may feel better walking around, taking a shower, and pacing the hospital's hallways. Listen to your body to find the position that works best for you and helps labor progress. Always remember that whatever position you're in there are options:

Flat on your back: Generally uncomfortable. It can cause your uterus to press against the inferior vena cava blood vessel, decreasing the placenta blood supply, and it can push against your diaphragm making it hard to breathe. For extra comfort and support, put a pillow under your knees and bend them slightly, or sit in a semi-reclining position with your head and shoulders elevated and resting on a bunch of pillows.
On Your Side: Takes pressure off your perineum and keeps the weight of your uterus off the blood vessel called the vena cava, maximizing blood flow to your uterus and your baby. Have your partner hold your upper leg to widen the pelvic outlet and support the weight of the baby.
On your hands and knees: May ease back pains and give a poorly positioned baby a chance to turn around. May help a baby who appears to be stressed because it maximizes blood flow to the uterus and the placenta. This position can be difficult if you have an epidural, as you may not be able to move your legs well enough to support yourself.

Upright Positions

Sitting during early labor: Makes your uterus move forward, taking pressure off your diaphragm and improving the blood supply to the contracting muscles. Try a birthing chair or stool if there is one handy, or a birthing ball.
Standing or walking during labor: Helps widen your pelvic opening and lets gravity do its job by pressing the baby's head against your cervix. Use a wall or ask to lean on your labor coach during contractions.
Squatting during delivery: Opens your pelvis even wider so the baby has more room to move down into the birth canal. Use a bed with a squatting bar or two extra bodies to help support you and sustain this position.
Kneeling during delivery: Lets you maintain an upright position without straining your back. Just kneel on a pillow, lean forward against your bed, a chair, or a wall, and rest your arms and upper body on or against the prop.

It’s important to realize that upright positions can be difficult if you have an epidural, because your legs may be too numb to support you or balance in an upright position.

It's important to breathe through each contraction and keep an open mind. If you have to be restricted to bed because of medical equipment, anesthesia or fetal monitoring, stay focused on your goal: your baby. And whether you're lying down or standing up, changing positions is key.

Review Date:
1/16/2007
Reviewed By:
Douglas A. Levine, MD, Gynecology Service, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

A.D.A.M. Copyright

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997-2009 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

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Pregnancy Center Links

Newsletter - Week 38

FitSugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:34:53 -0700

HEALTH GUIDE REFERENCE FROM A.D.A.M

Welcome To Week 38

Your Baby: Reaching Full-term

During the last couple weeks of pregnancy, your baby might gain a very small amount of weight or may stop gaining at all. Now considered full-term, your little one may weigh anywhere from 6 to 9 pounds and measures about 21 inches long.

Your Body: Getting Into Position

On Your Side: Takes pressure off your perineum and keeps the weight of your uterus off the blood vessel called the inferior vena cava, maximizing blood flow to your uterus and your baby. Have your partner hold your upper leg to widen the pelvic outlet and support the weight of the baby.
Flat on your back: Generally uncomfortable. It can cause your uterus to press against the inferior vena cava blood vessel, decreasing the placenta blood supply, and it can push against your diaphragm, making it hard to breathe. For extra comfort and support, put a pillow under your knees and bend them slightly, or sit in a semi-reclining position with your head and shoulders elevated and resting on a bunch of pillows.
On your hands and knees: May ease back pains and give a poorly positioned baby a chance to turn around. May help a baby who appears to be stressed because it maximizes blood flow to the uterus and the placenta. This position can be difficult if you have an epidural, as you may not be able to move your legs well enough to support yourself.

Upright Positions

Sitting during early labor: Makes your uterus move forward, taking pressure off your diaphragm and improving the blood supply to the contracting muscles. Try a birthing chair or stool if there is one handy, or a birthing ball.
Standing or walking during labor: Helps widen your pelvic opening and lets gravity do its job by pressing the baby's head against your cervix. Use a wall or ask to lean on your labor coach during contractions.
Squatting during delivery: Opens your pelvis even wider so the baby has more room to move down into the birth canal. Use a bed with a squatting bar or two extra bodies to help support you and sustain this position.
Kneeling during delivery: Lets you maintain an upright position without straining your back. Just kneel on a pillow, lean forward against your bed, a chair, or a wall, and rest your arms and upper body on or against the prop.

It’s important to realize that upright positions can be difficult if you have an epidural, because your legs may be too numb to support you or balance in an upright position.

It is also important to realize that the doctor and nurse may have to monitor the heartbeat of the baby, which may limit some of your options during labor. It's important to breathe through each contraction and keep an open mind. If you have to be restricted to bed because of medical equipment, anesthesia or fetal monitoring, stay focused on your goal: your baby. And whether you're lying down or standing up, changing positions is key.

On A Different Note: Episiotomy Up Close

Most first-time pregnant women feel a certain sense of panic when they think about how they're going to get that huge baby out of that small vaginal opening. Miraculously enough, most women's openings stretch out to accommodate the baby. If the baby needs to come out quickly, before the skin has time to stretch, mom may end up with an episiotomy, or a surgical incision in the perineum to enlarge it. To learn more about this common procedure, click on our episiotomy article.

Weekly Tip

Whether this is your first or your fourth baby, you could give birth any moment now. So it's crucial to get the logistics in place. That means knowing your spouse's every move, wearing a pager, keeping your cell phone recharged and on, sticking close to home (and the hospital), and making plans for your other children, if you have any, for when you go into labor.

Review Date:
2/6/2007
Reviewed By:
Douglas A. Levine, MD, Gynecology Service, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M. Copyright

adam.com

Pregnancy Center Links

You Asked: What to Do For Weak Quads?

FitSugar — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 05:30:00 -0700

You're asking, and I'm answering.

Hi FitSugar,
I am working really hard to lose weight and get in shape for the first time ever. I've been working on this goal all Summer, and I've lost 21 pounds and many inches. However, I'm trying some forms of exercise for the first time and need a little help. I've heard that using the elliptical machine and spinning class are easier than running; however, I find it much easier to run three miles. After about 10 to 15 seconds of those activities, my quads can't take anymore. Is that unusual? Or am I just extremely weak? What can I do to improve?
Thanks so much!
- Not a Thigh Master

Congratulations on getting in shape and losing both pounds and inches. I think it is great you are trying to diversify your cardio workouts. To see what I have to say about your quads, just read more.

Since you are running, which tends to strengthen and tighten the hamstrings (muscles on the back of the thigh), having weak quads puts you at risk for developing runner's knee. Runner's knee is an overuse injury that causes pain around the knee, especially when going down stairs. It is a condition you want to avoid, for it can seriously derail your fitness regimen. For this reason alone I strongly recommend you strengthen your quads. Also, the quads are an important muscle for everyday activities like lifting, since you want to lift with your legs, not your back.

I would begin with basic quad strengthening exercises like the wall sit, which you can do anywhere there is a wall to lean against. I would start with three sets of 20 seconds, and do two sets during a workout. Each week add five seconds to the sits. The leg extension machine is a great quad strengthening exercise since it works the quad muscles through a large range of motion. Squats, the classic exercise many people love to hate, are a great exercise for strengthening the legs. Start with no weights, and gradually work to holding hand weights while squatting. Since you are looking to try new forms of exercise, yoga is full of many poses that work the quads. You should try Warrior One or Fierce pose.

Also, don't avoid the elliptical (press with your toes to work your quads more), the StepMill, or spin class. You need to take these classes to build endurance in your quads as well. If spin class is too intense, work on an exercise bike to build up to the class.

One last bit of advice: make sure that your hamstrings are not overly tight. Since the hamstrings and quads are opposing muscle groups, if the backs of your legs are tight, your quads won't be able to work through their full range of motion. Here are some stretches for your hamstrings. Good luck and keep up the good work!

If you have a quad exercise to share, do so in the comments section below.

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