Functional Exercise

I have just started following this Functional Patterns channel and have found this man to be very knowledgeable. I like his exercises as they don't conflict with natural movement- rather, they encourage better strength and mobility around the joints which is imperative for gaining more overall strength and flexibility and avoiding chronic injuries. More importantly for me, it's not about building bulky muscles which conflict with karate practice

Try this routine

Great Reasons To Start Lifting

Here are ten of them-  and despite the title of the attached blog...these are great reasons for men as well.

Great Reasons To Lift- click here

Push-up Variations

Push-ups can be boring - but they're excellent for strength and conditioning. The great thing about push-ups is that you can take them wherever you go - no equipment (other than you ) is necessary.

The following video from Strength Camp features some variations of the old standard exercise.

With the holidays coming, perhaps we should call December push-up month at

London Shido-kan Karate Dojo

Own Your Health

Good Morning

Today's blog is focused not on specific exercises - but on busy lifestyles and making the time in our schedules to fit an exercise program into our day.

Recently there was a photo posted by a woman named Maria Kang captioned "What's Your Excuse?"

Unfortunately many working mothers took exception to the photo and accused Maria of "fat-shaming" and showing off. I'm not one of those that is bashing Maria for her post or for being proud of her own accomplishment. My wife Joanne raised four children (three of them triplets) and juggled work, home-making, driving to sports activities and everything else that comes up during the day. She knows as well as anyone that a work-out doesn't hold much appeal when one falls asleep in utter exhaustion before your head barely hits the pillow.
And yes before you jump on me- I helped too!
It wasn't until the kids were close to twelve years of age that Jo joined a gym and started an exercise program. I'm sure if she could go back in time she would have done it sooner because of all the benefits she started to realize through working out. Looking great is only one result in choosing a healthier lifestyle. The more important long-term benefits are things like reduced stress, lower blood pressure, increased metabolism, improvements in bone-density, reduced pain in joints, better posture due to decreased back pain, and the list goes on.

Vanity

So back to the photo of Maria. Her image outraged people because of the suggestion that a woman had to look like that in order be happy, healthy and fit. Whether she intended that or not- that's how many took it. This is not a new perception of course. The media and corporations have been doing it for years to sell products. They use models - male and female -  to suggest what the ideal body-type is and that if we use a particular product we have a better chance of assimilating. Perhaps a high percentage of people do start an exercise program to look better, but whatever the motivation is- if done properly-  the other benefits will follow. The trouble with the images models or competitive body-builders portray is that it's not usually a realistic goal for most "average" people. There is that all or nothing mentality. There is no point in striving to look a certain way if one is just going to fail (again) That's where people are mistaken - you don't need to have dramatic changes in your body composition just to improve your overall health and increase your chances of longevity.

Get Started

"I don't have the time" is likely the most common reason that people use. While there may be validity to that, there are still plenty of benefits to allotting 20 minutes a day for exercise. The other major issue is diet. When one is constantly running on a tight schedule, it's easy to get into the habit of grabbing fast or processed foods. High carbs, fats, sodium and processed sugar are the enemy, and quickly add pounds on the scale and do nasty things to the internal mechanisms of your body. There are many fitness and dietary experts available to help design a program. There are endless tutorial online workouts and websites. Joanne got started with bodyrock.tv for example. You don't have to spend thousands of dollars on gym memberships and personal trainers every single week. Once you establish goals and learn a few exercises you can go on your own. And you seriously only need 20 -30 minutes 3 or 4 times a week. If you think that you can't afford the time think again and be totally honest with yourself. How much time is spent on the computer or watching television? How long is a typical hockey or football game televised? Your health is so important so stop procrastinating. 

What to do then?

Not everyone can commit to attending a karate dojo 3 times a week (but I strongly recommend it ;-) ) It doesn't have to be all or nothing. Start to do something. There are some evenings where I don't particularly feel like doing "a whole workout" so I set a smaller goal for myself for that time. I will decide for example to choose 4 different exercises and perform a total of just 50 repetitions of each one. For example: push-ups, leg-raises, body-weight squats and inverted rows. Once I get into it and feeling good I will often end up doing more and before I know it a half hour has gone by and I feel 100% better- physically and mentally. 

The best way to start is moderately. Jumping into something that is too intense will likely just result in burn-out and even worse - an injury. You can enrol in a yoga program or a boot camp for beginners. Many community programs are available through schools or the city recreation department. You could join London Shido-kan Karate. :-)

Again if you're not sure how to get started or what to do- call someone who can help you. You could even call me.

Don't wait

The longer you put it off- the harder it gets. David Patchell Evans- the CEO and founder of Goodlife Fitness Centres has a great line that goes something like this. "Exercising is easy -living life unfit is hard" I apologize if that's not the exact wording but the message is clear. As well, the older we get, the longer it takes to heal. Don't let those minor aches and pains become chronic and debilitating for life. I see so many people in their  40's and even their late 30's who have just given up and it's sad to see. 

Have a great day and  be good to yourself - you're worth it!

Larry

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Stop Stressing...enjoy!

Good Morning

What I am referring to in the title of this post is our tendency as individuals, and as a society, to be goal-driven to the point that we can become so focused and driven in our activities, that we forget to enjoy the process of "getting there"- or we forget why we even started a particular activity in the first place.

Karate Belts

Obviously my first point of reference would be in karate training, but is certainly not limited to one particular martial art, sport or activity. Anyone who endeavours to learn a martial art, may do so for a number of reasons - to get in shape, learn self-defence, or even to appreciate the art. The potential for set-backs starts when one compares themself to others and begins focusing on one's shortcomings rather than feeling positive about learning new things and experiencing positive, measurable results (even small ones). In karate training-as in many martial arts- it's the pursuit of that next belt or black belt level that can cloud one's perspective- especially when someone who started at the same time as you seems to be progressing faster. ie getting a belt before you. When a student obsesses about belt testing, he or she may try to rush through material quickly to try to meet requirements and as a result lose focus on proper execution of technique -which is a more important  point of practising in the first place. It's self-defeating in the long run.

Gauging Progress

There are so many factors that can govern so-called progress including attendance in class, natural athletic ability, learning disabilities, short-term memory, pre-existing injuries, and of course attitude. With children it's the same as adults. There are kids that take to karate or other sports like a fish to water- while others struggle to assimilate. As an instructor, although it's rewarding and enjoyable to teach a "phenom", we can't be so focused on them that we forsake the rest of the class. The sharp kids make us look good as instructors, but we need to take responsibility for each member's progress. As an instructor I want to hear how a child may have improved in areas such as being more confident among his or her peers, or an improvement in concentrating in school, or a general improvement in over-all health and physical coordination. This is why I don't practice and teach a competition oriented style of karate - a child does not need to win a medal in a tournament to grow, and by avoiding these situations as much as possible, we avoid the confusion for  those young people who never make the podium.
I want to be clear here- I am not criticizing competition and those who enjoy it. I simply prefer to be more inclusive in my focus.

Intrinsic Value

So whether one is learning to play a musical instrument, practice yoga or tai-chi, to dance or learn a martial art -it's my belief that we need to stop and appreciate the activity for what it is- something that can bring joy to our lives and add value to our leisure time. Our activities should be a mental vacation from those daily stress triggers that we deal with like work, finances and family responsibilities. From time to time, remind yourself why you started the activity in the first place,and try to come back to that initial excitement of just doing something for yourself that you enjoy. Something that makes your life better.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Larry

Safe Ab Crunch

Here is a link that was shared by Elliott Hulse today and I thought I would pass it along. It's a beneficial abdominal exercise for those people that suffer from lower back pain or injury.

If you are someone who has experienced an injury or low back discomfort, you should consult with a physician or qualified physiotherapist before attempting this or any other exercise that is new to you or that you're unfamiliar with.

Here is the link to the exercise

Safe Abdominal Crunch

Have a great day!

Benefits of Martial Arts for Kids

Good Evening

I hope that everyone had a pleasant Thanksgiving long weekend. I stumbled  onto this article on the benefits of martial arts for children and thought that- although fairly general- it was worth reading. The author brought up some good points regarding choosing the right school and style for you and/or your child.

Here is the link:  Benefits of martial arts for kids

Check back for more posts this week

Larry

Happy Friday! Roll into the weekend

Good Day - yes...it's Friday! 

Friday's have long been my favourite day of the week - even more than Saturday's. It's that feeling one has knowing that there are two whole days of freedom ahead. Even though I have retired from the post office, that Friday feeling hasn't diminished. It means that it's the weekend for my wife Joanne and we can do things together. I am so fortunate to be able to practice and teach karate full-time now and develop my personal training endeavour at the same time.

The great thing about not having a day job is that  feeling of Sunday evening gloom is gone!

So onto the abdominal roll-outs. Most people have probably seen an ab-wheel. They are only around $10 - $15 to purchase, but are a great tool. Not only do you train your abdominal muscles when you use it, but also the lumbar and erector muscles in the back, plus the shoulders and upper trapezius. When doing the roll-out be sure to contract the abdominal muscles with a slight crunching action or upper pelvic tilt to prevent the low back from sagging - therefore keeping a neutral spine. As well - even the glutes and hamstring muscles become engaged on extension.

*This can be a difficult exercise if you've never tried it and you should be careful not to go into a full extension of the movement at first attempt. A foundation of core strength is important before attempting this exercise. Movements like leg-raises, sit-ups, crunches, and planks should be employed first. If you have any doubts about your ability to perform this or any other exercise- or if you have sustained any type of injury- particularly in the  back or neck region- contact your physician or qualified  physio-therapist beforehand to get clearance.


Click here to view exercise demo clip

So now onto the advanced version of the movement which is performed from your toes instead of using the knees as a pivot point. This obviously increases the percentage of your body-weight being supported and puts tremendous strain on the lower back. It's like having a long dowel in your closet being used to support too many heavy garments. If all the clothing is crowded into the middle, the dowel will sag and even break. By putting an extra support at the mid-point of the closet rod this is avoided. The way that we solve this problem in regards to the exercise is to employ an exercise band as we did in the supported pull-ups. The heavier the band one uses (in relation to body-weight), greater is the support that is achieved. As one becomes stronger, a lighter rubber band can be substituted until the exercise can be performed without one.
No -I'm not there yet. But you can be sure that I will post it when I am!

Again -  use caution when attempting this or any other exercise. If you can't perform at least ten repetitions of the basic roll-out do not do this one yet. Don't get hurt- it just sets you back days, weeks or even months in achieving your fitness goals

Click here for the video clip -advanced/supported version



Check in frequently for updates and exercises. The next installment will be another back exercise with a new person performing one of the movements.

Have a fantastic weekend!!

Larry

Body - Weight Exercise

Fitness is a big part of training at London Shido-kan Karate Dojo and for myself personally, I enjoy resistance training with barbells, dumbells, and kettle bells etc, but I also like to do various body - weight exercises such as push-ups, pull-ups and a variety of calisthenics like burpees and mountain climbers.  

At our dojo we have a good selection of equipment (which is constantly growing) but for variety,  I occasionally go to the gym with my wife Joanne. Even though the gym is well-equipped I seldom- if ever- implement machines. I prefer to do exercises that  employ the greatest possible degree of core stability and whole-body integration. For example, when doing a shoulder press with either a barbell or dumbell (s) - it's preferable to do so in a standing position, rather than sitting. That way the low back, hips and legs all become involved in the exercise. This is just one example of many. Of course there are traditional exercises that defy any tampering with -  dead lifts, squats, power cleans, etc.

In this installment I am going to talk about Pull- Ups (or chin-ups)

The Pull Up

An old standard for developing strength in the back (lats) and biceps, this exercise is often called chin-ups. The difference in the two exercises is the grip one uses: chin-ups use an underhand grip (supinated) or palms facing you, and pull-ups use an overhand grip (pronated) with your palms facing outwards or away from you. Slightly wider than shoulder width is a good position for your hands,  but can be varied when the movement becomes more comfortable or for the purpose of customizing the focal point. In both versions the objective is to pull your body high enough that your chin clears the bar. Chin-ups are usually easier to do for most people due to the biceps being engaged more directly in the movement. In both versions the scapula (shoulder blades) should be retracted or squeezed together to properly stabilize and engage the muscles of the back before the load is transferred to the shoulders and arms.
The purpose of this article is to discuss and demonstrate an assisted pull-up using a heavy rubber exercise band to take up a percentage of body weight so that more repetitions can be achieved. This is helpful for beginners  who may not yet be capable of lifting their own body-weight for many reps- or for the more advanced who wish to perform a large number of repetitions in sets.

In the following video clip I am using a rubber band to perform a set of wide-grip pull-ups. I would typically use the band after exhausting myself with several sets and try to accumulate at least 50 reps.The movement should be done in a steady manner, avoiding excessive swinging and lurching upwards if possible. Simply loop the band over the bar and hook one knee into it. Try to position your body as naturally as possible- meaning - no leaning backwards or forwards. You can alternate which knee is used for support each time..

Assisted Wide-Grip Pull-Ups - click to view video

Check back next installment for a demonstration of the "roll-out" using a simple abdominal wheel. I will discuss the basic and advanced versions of the exercise.

Stay healthy!

Larry