Strong and Sleek Shoulders

I once overheard an aerobic instructor comment to her class that “…shoulders are the cleavage of the 90’s.”  That comment stayed with me because it placed the emphasis on improving an area of a woman’s body that she could control.  What a concept!

For men and women, the most important reason to exercise the shoulder (deltoid) muscles is to protect the shoulder joint.  This joint is very mobile and susceptible to injury, so strengthening it is a top priority.  The side benefit is that of a toned or muscular look (depending on your goals).  Let’s explore a couple of exercises to help you reach these goals:

Rear Deltoid Fly – This exercise works the rear (posterior) deltoids and muscles of the upper back (I like exercises that serve double duty).  You can sit on a chair, weight bench, or for extra challenge, on a balance ball.  Keep your abdominal muscles contracted and your neck in a neutral position (not looking down at the ground or straining to look up).  Your elbows should maintain a slight bend.

Shoulder Press – Once again, you can achieve double duty with this exercise, working both the deltoids and the triceps (the muscles of the back of your arm).  You can also sit on a balance ball for this exercise, or stand up.  For a greater challenge (once you’ve thoroughly mastered the basics), perform this exercise standing while lifting one foot a few inches off the ground.  You will likely need to reduce the amount of weight you are pressing to compensate for the use of new muscles while needing to balance.

As with all strength training exercises, use a slow, controlled motion and be sure to breathe.  If you need support in designing a safe and effective workout, please call our office.

Message From The President:

Wow, I can't believe it, June is flying by like a rocket and what a beautiful rocket it is. As you might have noticed I have missed a couple of months of sending out my newsletters and I apologize. However there is a reason. I have been working diligently on a new project that has been a dream of mine for years and I am happy to announce it has become a reality. We launched June 5th-Living Your Personal Best internet radio show. Check out our website www.livingyourpersonalbest.com to see what this one of a kind show is all about and how you can listen in on Monday's 3:00CST!

We all have dreams we want to accomplish and we (myself included) may put the dreams on the back burner for "some day." Continue to think about your dreams and look for opportunities to go after them because if you have been given the idea you have been given the ability to make them come true. Believe in yourself and don't worry on how it is going to happen, just know and trust that it will!

To creating dreams,

            Amy Lundberg
            Aim For It, President

Did You Know?

Did you know that aerobic exercise can raise your HDL (“good”) cholesterol, but weight training will not?  Researchers at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale found overweight subjects who worked out aerobically for ten weeks had a 29 – 34% increase in HDL cholesterol. Ten weeks of weight training had no effect.  In addition to aerobic exercise, you can raise your HDL cholesterol (and lower your heart disease risk as a result) by quitting smoking, eating monounsaturated fats, and losing weight.

Did you know that eating at night does not make you gain weight?  Despite what you have heard for years, researchers have shown that night eating does not cause any more weight gain than eating most of your food during the day.  But, weight gain will happen if you eat more calories than you burn in a day, no matter when you eat them.  Many people come home from work and snack before dinner, then eat dinner, and then snack in front of the television before going to bed.  Avoiding mindless eating in the evening, by eating throughout the day when you are hungry, is the key to keeping the weight off.

Did you know that women often experience different symptoms of a heart attack than men? Until recently, most heart disease research has been conducted on men.  Because of this, many emergency room doctors do not immediately recognize when a woman is having a heart attack.  Women may feel out of breath, very tired, nauseated, or they may even be vomiting.  Pain in the chest may feel like squeezing, as opposed to crushing for men.  Pain will sometimes radiate down the right arm and women are more likely to have neck and jaw pain with a heart attack.  For more information, check out http://familydoctor.org/287.xml.

Six Rules of Gym Etiquette

• Honor set limits: When it is crowded and people are lined up for treadmills, elliptical trainers, and all of the various pieces of cardiovascular equipment, most gyms have a time limit, say 20 or 30 minutes.  While you may have planned a longer workout, be polite and follow the time limit.  If you did plan a longer cardio workout, search for another type of equipment that does not have a wait – this is a good way to cross train.  If you can predict ahead of time that your workout will be limited, you can exercise more intensely, say with longer intervals.  I know that not everyone follows this rule, and it is irritating.  Let’s set a good example in hope others will follow.

• Offer to work in: Crowds also affect the availability of weight equipment.  The gym term “work in” means that you work in sets with another person.  If you see someone waiting for the equipment you are using, offer to let them work in.  Others will often do the same for you.  If someone doesn’t notice you waiting, don’t be shy – ask to work in yourself.

• Keep it dry: Use a towel to wipe down the equipment that you use.  If your club does not provide them, bring one from home.  Exercising on equipment dripping in someone else’s perspiration is no treat.

• Pick up: When using free weights, put them back in their place, even if that is not where you found them (and often, it isn’t).  Others will appreciate easily finding the weights they need and it will reduce the risk of someone tripping over weights on the floor.

• If you can lift it, please set it down: I often see someone performing an exercise with heavy weights and rather than setting them back on the floor, the person drops them to the ground.  Not only is there a risk of injury to the person dropping the weight(s) (or potentially someone walking by), it can be annoying to others nearby.  If the weight is so heavy that you feel the need to drop it, you likely need a spotter, someone to make sure you perform the exercise safely and can help set down the weights.

• Use a locker: It seems easier to carry around your “stuff” with you, but gym etiquette says to use a locker.  While your bag may seem small or your pile of a sweatshirt, book, and car keys do not seem to take up that much room, everyone’s “stuff” all together takes up a lot a space and gets in the way.  Invest a few dollars in a lock and experience the freedom of not lugging your “stuff” around the gym from one exercise to the next.