A muscle cramp is a strong, painful contraction or tightening of a muscle that comes on suddenly and lasts from a few seconds to several minutes. It often occurs in the legs. A muscle cramp is also called a

charley horse.

Nighttime leg cramps are usually sudden spasms, or tightening, of muscles in the calf. The muscle cramps can sometimes happen in the thigh or the foot. They often occur just as you are falling asleep or waking up.

What causes muscle cramps?

The cause of muscle cramps isn’t always known. Muscle cramps may be brought on by many conditions or activities, such as:

• Exercising, injury, or overuse of muscles.
• Pregnancy. Cramps may occur because of decreased amounts of minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, especially in the later months of pregnancy.
• Exposure to cold temperatures, especially to cold water.
• Other medical conditions, such as blood flow problems (peripheral arterial disease), kidney disease, thyroid disease, and multiple sclerosis.
• Standing on a hard surface for a long time, sitting for a long time, or putting your legs in awkward positions while you sleep.
• Not having enough potassium, calcium, and other minerals in your blood.
• Being dehydrated, which means that your body has lost too much fluid.
• Taking certain medicines, such as antipsychotics, birth control pills, diuretics, statins, and steroids.

How can you stop a muscle cramp when it happens?

You may need to try several different ways to stop a muscle cramp before you find what works best for you. Here are some things you can try:

• Stretch and massage the muscle.
• Take a warm shower or bath to relax the muscle. A heating pad placed on the muscle can also help.
• Try using an ice or cold pack. Always keep a cloth between your skin and the ice pack.
• Take an over-the-counter pain medicine, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), or naproxen (Aleve). Read and follow all instructions on the label.
• If your doctor prescribes medicines for muscle cramps, take them exactly as prescribed. Call your doctor if you have any problems with your medicine.
• Drink plenty of fluids. Sports drinks, such as Gatorade, will often help leg cramps.

Here are some things you can try for a leg cramp:

• Walk around, or jiggle your leg.
• Stretch your calf muscles. You can do this stretch while you sit or stand:
• While sitting, straighten your leg and flex your foot up toward your knee. It may help to place a rolled towel under the ball of your foot and, while holding the towel at both ends, gently pull the towel toward you while keeping your knee
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  straight.

• While standing about 2 ft (0.6 m) from a wall, lean forward against the wall. Keep the knee of the affected leg straight and the heel on the ground. Do this while you bend the knee of the other leg.

If you think a medicine is causing muscle cramps:

• Before you take another dose, call the doctor who prescribed the medicine. The medicine may need to be stopped or changed, or the dose may need to be adjusted.
• If you are taking any medicine not prescribed by a doctor, stop taking it. Talk to your doctor if you think you need to continue taking the medicine.

How can you prevent muscle cramps?

These tips may help prevent muscle cramps:

• Drink plenty of water and other fluids, enough so that your urine is light yellow or clear like water.
• Limit or avoid drinks with alcohol or caffeine. These can make you dehydrated, which means your body has lost too much fluid.
• Make sure you are eating healthy foods (especially if you are pregnant) that are rich in calcium, potassium, and magnesium.
• Ride a bike or stationary bike to condition and stretch your muscles.
• Stretch your muscles every day, especially before and after exercise and at bedtime.
• Don’t suddenly increase the amount of exercise you get. Increase your exercise a little each week.
• Take a daily multivitamin supplement.
• If you are taking medicines that are known to cause leg cramps, your doctor may prescribe different medicines.

What if muscle cramps keep coming back?

Talk with your doctor if you have muscle cramps that keep coming back or are severe. These may be symptoms of another problem, such as restless legs syndrome.

If cramps keep coming back, bother you a lot, or interfere with your sleep, your doctor may prescribe medicine that relaxes your muscles.

TCF Personal Training, serving Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, and Phoenix, will help you reach your fitness goals. For more information, visit our website at www.teamcanefitness.com.

Why It’s Important To Use Proper Form:

Prevents injuries

One of the most important reasons for maintaining proper form is to prevent injuries. If you are lifting a lot of weight, your body is likely to become slightly misaligned, which can place your muscles, joints and tendons in awkward positions that could potentially cause strains or tears. It is best to ease up on the weight if it means you are better able to maintain proper form.

Ensures correct muscle targeting

Since many weightlifting exercises are targeted toward specific muscle groups, a lack of good form can cause you to work out a completely different muscle or to strain the muscle you were targeting. Proper form, on the other hand, ensures optimal results in the correct muscle group.

Helps maintain proper breathing

Proper breathing is essential in resistance training exercises because it helps you generate more force and reduces the chance of heart problems or severe increases in blood pressure. When you use correct form, you will find it easier to move the air in and out of your lungs, which will also help you focus your attention on the task at hand.

Enables you to lift more weight

In order for you to lift the maximum possible weight, your muscles need to be in the ideal position to generate force. When you begin to move out of alignment, you place your muscles at unnatural angles, decreasing their functional capability. By maintain proper form, you will be able to lift a larger amount of weight, which will translate into more visible results in a shorter period of time.

Reduces unnecessary stabilizing actions

When you use bad form, a number of muscles — predominately those in your core — must work overtime to stabilize your body and try to prevent an injury from occurring. All these actions eat up available energy and significantly reduce the effectiveness of your exercises. That means more work with less results — not and ideal situation.

Common Form Mistakes and Solutions:

Arching your back during a military press

How to fix this: Think of squeezing your glute muscles while you are lifting the weight over your head. This should help bring your back into alignment and prevent what is commonly called a “sway back” position.

Not aligning your feet over your knees during squats

How to fix this: This is a problem that can result in serious knee issues. A good way to prevent this is to always perform your squats in front of a mirror to ensure that you are placing your knees directly over your toes. You must only go down as far as is comfortable for you; if you try to go lower than your joints will allow you, your knees will move out of alignment.

Lifting your back off the bench during a bench press

How

to fix this: Whenever you lift a large amount of weight, it is a natural action to arch your back, as it feels like it helps you generate more force. While you may feel like you’re stronger, the increased risk of injury is significant. To prevent this from occurring, think of pressing the small of your back against the bench. If you can fit more than the width of your flat hand under your back, you need to lighten the weight. In addition, it is always a good idea to use a

spotter for safety precautions during this exercise.

Arching your back during bent-over rows

How to fix this: Look up while performing the exercise; this will help keep your spine in alignment. Also, if you perform it in front of a mirror, you can ensure that a “hump “doesn’t form in your back. Instead, it should resemble a tabletop.

Using momentum during bicep curls

How to fix this: This is a very common mistake. Many people try to use the momentum generated by swaying their bodies to help hoist the weights up toward their shoulders. This creates a lot of stress on the shoulder girdle, and if the weight is heavy enough, it can even knock you off balance. You will benefit more if you lift a lighter weight and isolate the bicep muscle. To reduce your chances of using momentum, perform the exercise while sitting on a bench or standing with your back against a wall.

If you have been experiencing any unusual pain lately, you might want to take a good look at your form during your weightlifting exercises; there is a good chance that you are falling out of proper alignment.

To ensure proper form, hire a personal trainer for guidance.  TCF Personal Training serving Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, & Phoenix, will help you reach your goals and make sure you are lifting correctly.  Visit www.teamcanefitness.com for more information.

It’s the easiest thing in the world to find a good reason not to go to the gym or go for a run, even when your shape and weight clearly say that y

ou need to be doing regular exercise. One of the best ways to get and crucially stay, motivated is to work with a personal trainer.

No longer the preserve of Hollywood stars; personal trainers are very much an established part of the fitness industry and the key to success for many clients.

Whether it’s a post-Christmas tummy, a pre summer holiday tone up or just a general need to get fit and healthy, motivation is one of the most important factors in starting and maintaining a successful fitness regime.

Exercise is no different from any other discipline, one-to-one tuition is nearly always going to be the best way to help you achieve the best results.

Sometimes the obvious physical need to shed some pounds and improve fitness levels just isn’t enough on its own to provide the incentive to head to the gym or out for a run two or three times a week. Alternatively you may have got stuck in a bit of a rut and stopped making any real progress towards your goals. Working with a personal trainer can help in lots of different ways.

First, using their expertise your personal trainer can work with you to create a fitness program that tackles all the issues you want to sort out and set you clear and realistic goals for achieving them.

Whether it’s a program at the gym, or running round the park, your trainer is with you every step of the way to provide you with the encouragement to ensure you complete the sessions. If you feel like stepping off the cross trainer a bit too soon, or finishing your run early, then having someone to encourage you to keep going is likely to mean the difference between giving up and continuing to the end.

Working with a personal trainer means you are in good hands as they will be able to ensure you are working with equipment effectively and safely, or using the correct technique for your running and floor-based exercises and stretches. They will also be able to judge when it’s right to push you onto the next level therefore helping you to increase your strength, stamina and fitness, while toning up and losing weight. They will also keep your program interesting so you don’t get bored with the same activities.

Of course it isn’t just about cardiovascular exercise, diet is important too and your trainer can advise on the best foods to eat to give you an all-round approach to achieving the best results.

Another good motivating factor is money. Putting it bluntly, if you know you’ve booked and paid for a personal trainer it can make all the difference between deciding to stay at

home or getting your trainers on and getting active. No one likes to waste his or her hard-earned cash, so paying in advance for a course of sessions can be a real incentive to turning up for every meeting and ensuring you stay on track and maintain your health and fitness or weight loss program.

TCF Personal Training serving Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, and Phoenix, will help you achieve your goals. For more information on how TCF can help you, please contact us at 480 855 5623.Rich Text AreaToolbarBold (Ctrl + B)Italic (Ctrl + I)Strikethrough (Alt + Shift + D)Unordered list (Alt + Shift + U)Ordered list (Alt + Shift + O)Blockquote (Alt + Shift + Q)Align Left (Alt + Shift + L)Align Center (Alt + Shift + C)Align Right (Alt + Shift + R)Insert/edit link (Alt + Shift + A)Unlink (Alt + Shift + S)Insert More Tag (Alt + Shift + T)Proofread WritingToggle fullscreen mode (Alt + Shift + G)Show/Hide Kitchen Sink (Alt + Shift + Z)Add ET Learn more blockAdd ET BoxAdd ET ButtonAdd ET TabsAdd Author Bio
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TCF Fitness in Gilbert AZ Says Personal Trainers are a Perfect Source of Motivation. Here’s Why:
It’s the easiest thing in the world to find a good reason not to go to the gym or go for a run, even when your shape and weight clearly say that you need to be doing regular exercise. One of the best ways to get and crucially stay, motivated is to work with a personal trainer.
No longer the preserve of Hollywood stars; personal trainers are very much an established part of the fitness industry and the key to success for many clients.
Whether it’s a post-Christmas tummy, a pre summer holiday tone up or just a general need to get fit and healthy, motivation is one of the most important factors in starting and maintaining a successful fitness regime.
Exercise is no different from any other discipline, one-to-one tuition is nearly always going to be the best way to help you achieve the best results.
Sometimes the obvious physical need to shed some pounds and improve fitness levels just isn’t enough on its own to provide the incentive to head to the gym or out for a run two or three times a week. Alternatively you may have got stuck in a bit of a rut and stopped making any real progress towards your goals. Working with a personal trainer can help in lots of different ways.
First, using their expertise your personal trainer can work with you to create a fitness program that tackles all the issues you want to sort out and set you clear and realistic goals for achieving them.
Whether it’s a program at the gym, or running round the park, your trainer is with you every step of the way to provide you with the encouragement to ensure you complete the sessions. If you feel like stepping off the cross trainer a bit too soon, or finishing your run early, then having someone to encourage you to keep going is likely to mean the difference between giving up and continuing to the end.
Working with a personal trainer means you are in good hands as they will be able to ensure you are working with equipment effectively and safely, or using the correct technique for your running and floor-based exercises and stretches. They will also be able to judge when it’s right to push you onto the next level therefore helping you to increase your strength, stamina and fitness, while toning up and losing weight. They will also keep your program interesting so you don’t get bored with the same activities.
Of course it isn’t just about cardiovascular exercise, diet is important too and your trainer can advise on the best foods to eat to give you an all-round approach to achieving the best results.
Another good motivating factor is money. Putting it bluntly, if you know you’ve booked and paid for a personal trainer it can make all the difference between deciding to stay at home or getting your trainers on and getting active. No one likes to waste his or her hard-earned cash, so paying in advance for a course of sessions can be a real incentive to turning up for every meeting and ensuring you stay on track and maintain your health and fitness or weight loss program.
TCF Personal Training serving Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, and Phoenix, will help you achieve your goals. For more information on how TCF can help you, please contact us at 480 855 5623.
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s and brains.

These fast paced times require us to be fit both mentally and physically. When you don’t take good care of yourself, it leads to issues related to the heart and diabetes. These problems occur because people are overweight. This is why the best thing you can do is to follow the advice of a professional fitness trainer.

Personal fitness trainers maintain excellent business relationships with physicians, physiotherapists, dietitians and other related health professionals. Therefore, they are always aware of the latest health programs and the new trends in work out rehabilitation, energy, nutrition and exercise for weight loss, and analysis for motivation.

When you first start a fitness program, it is wise to set realistic goals and keep in mind that it can take as long as a year to reach

fitness goals that becomes a part of your lifestyle. Don’t seek out a fast solution. Drastic methods may help in shedding some fat, but they always have serious consequences on your health in the long run. Exercising regularly for some time under the guidance of a personal trainer is a far better option than engaging in strict dieting.

To find out how TCF Personal Training serving Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, and Phoenix can help you reach your goals, go to www.teamcanefitness.com.

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ze-full wp-image-2760″ title=”jamie eason abs” src=”http://www.teamcanefitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/jamie-eason-abs.jpg” alt=”The Jamie Eason” width=”259″ height=”195″ /> Jamie Eason’s Abs

Click on the link below to view Jamie’s ab workout video:

Jamie Eason Ab Workout Video!!!

Try two to four sets for each exercise in the video.

Reps

• Slow motion straight-legged sit-up: 10 to 12 reps
• V-up: 12 to 15 reps
• Bicycle: 15 to 20 reps (counting one rotation on each side as a single rep)

Rest
Do each move as described, resting for 30 seconds to one minute between sets. They can be done in succession (finishing all sets of one exercise before moving on to the next), or perform one set of each move then begin at top.

TCF Personal Training, serving Chandler and Gilbert, will help you get the abs you desire! Contact us at www.teamcanefitness.com

for your FREE consultation!

No Inferiority Complex

Let’s face it: It’s hard

to focus on your fitness routine when you’re surrounded by dozens of sculpted would-be fitness models throwing their physiques in your face. The average retail gym is full of such people whose presence may wind up throwing you off your game. Private gyms and studios, by contrast, are less likely to wreak havoc on your self-confidence (not to mention the fact that they’re less crowded to begin with). Studies have shown that people are more likely to stick to their fitness programs when they work out in a comfortable environment, so if you’re really committed to your new routine, a private space is the ideal solution.

Price

One common advantage of choosing personal training in an exercise studio versus a gym is that many times the price is lower. An exercise studio owner, who is usually a personal trainer, has less overhead

than an owner of a gym. Plus, most gym owners take a cut of the cost of the training package, so your trainer gets less and you pay more. If your trainer has an exercise studio in his/her own home, their overhead is much lower, meaning their training prices will be correspondingly lower.

Fewer Distractions

When working out in an exercise studio, trainers are usually better able to give you their undivided attention because

there are fewer distractions. In a gym setting, there are other people, music, televisions, loud machines and many potential interruptions. Exercise studios are generally smaller and quieter, which allows your trainer to focus on you. When you spend quality, focused time with a trainer, your chances of getting in shape are improved.

Considerations

Exercise studios may not have all the amenities, like tons of equipment, child care, showers and steam rooms, but that’s not what gets you in shape. Getting in shape with a personal trainer in an exercise studio only requires some space and a few tools, like a couple of dumbbells, a few machines, some bands and an exercise ball.

Private

Many people prefer working out in private and may be uncomfortable being seen exercising. Personal training facilities are limited to servicing only paying clients and not the general public providing more privacy for the client. Also, the facility and equipment are less likely to be abused as a result of the trainer always monitoring the activity of their client. Moreover, equipment that stays in good usable condition is more appealing to potential clients, but also makes the training experience enjoyable for the trainer as well.

Specialized Personal Training

Personal training facilities can offer training to meet the needs of athletes and fitness competitors, or anyone with special needs. Facilities that provide personal training services can house a variety of nontraditional equipment in addition to standard weight machines, free weights and cardio equipment. Personal training facilities may also have open floor space for performing sports-related exercises, drills and techniques with the use of cones, hurdles, agility ladders, kettlebells, ropes, plyometric boxes and several other pieces of equipment that most health clubs don’t have available for use.

The personal and fun environment makes exercising fun for everyone. Your challenging and changing routine reduces boredom so you never feel you have reached a plateau in your workout. At TCF Personal Training, we believe… “No Plateau – No Boredom – No Quitting!”

For your personal training needs and free assessment, Check out TCF Personal Training serving Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, and Phoenix. You can view our services, prices, and contact us for more information at teamcanefitness.com.

‘s advice -instruction, the list is pretty extensive. And so, hiring a personal trainer becomes popular. It means clients get regular, dedicated time with their trainer, and are completely focused on their own personal health and fitness objectives. Most people are aware of the importance of personal trainers and do not hesitate to hire them!

But for those that do not know the importance of personal trainers, here are a few vital points highlighted for you to take notice of. Motivation is a big issue with exercise and over 95% of gym memberships eventually lapse because of the lack of this vital element! By hiring a personal trainer you can be assured of, scheduled appointments for motivation, personalized programs, confidence of knowing

progression is professionally monitored-advanced accordingly and dedicated personal attention for all your needs! And, since you will be motivated to be consistent in training, you will reach the results you desire at a faster pace. Another vital point in hiring a personal trainer is that the trainer will help you prevent injuries. Many people are not aware of proper form and technique when performing exercises and often hurt themselves by lifting too much weight or not using proper form.

Most people think that having a personal trainer may be too expensive, but this is not entirely true. At TCF Personal Training in Chander, Gilbert, Mesa, the rates are very reasonable with the different packages offered. Check out our website at www.teamcanefitmess.com. With a trainer, a unique program is designed especially for you. Your program is made to fit your goals, ability and health conditions. Your weights are set up for you. The trainer demonstrates each exercise and refreshes your memory when necessary. Your progress, reps and weights are monitored and are increased according to your strength and ability. You can be assured that there is no guess work, on your part.

If you are interested in a free consultation at TCF Gilbert Personal Training, contact us at www.teamcanefitness.com. We will help you reach your goals!

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People have a personal trainer for many reasons, maybe to lose weight, firm and tone body shape, prepare for an event such as a wedding or competition, rehabilitation from illness or injury, participation in a marathon, post-pregnancy or on doctor’s advice -instruction, the list is pretty extensive. And so, hiring a personal trainer becomes popular. It means clients get regular, dedicated time with their trainer, and are completely focused on their own personal health and how to save money on car repairs fitness objectives. Most people are aware of the importance of personal trainers and do not hesitate to hire them!
But for those that do not know the importance of personal trainers, here are a few vital points highlighted for you to take notice of. Motivation is a big issue with exercise and over 95% of gym memberships eventually lapse because of the lack of this vital element! By hiring a personal trainer you can be assured of, scheduled appointments for motivation, personalized programs, confidence of knowing progression is professionally monitored-advanced accordingly and dedicated personal attention for all your needs! And, since you will be motivated to be consistent in training, you will reach the results you desire at a faster pace. Another vital point in hiring a personal trainer is that the trainer will help you prevent injuries. Many people are not aware of proper form and technique when performing exercises and often hurt themselves by lifting too much weight or not using proper form.
Most people think that having a personal trainer may be too expensive, but this is not entirely true. At TCF Personal Training in Chander, Gilbert, Mesa, the rates are very reasonable with the different packages offered. Check out our website at www.teamcanefitmess.com. With a trainer, a unique program is designed especially for you. Your program is made to fit your goals, ability and health conditions. Your weights are set up for you. The trainer demonstrates each exercise and refreshes your memory when necessary. Your progress, reps and weights are monitored and are increased according to your strength and ability. You can be assured that there is no guess work, on your part.
If you are interested in a free consultation at TCF Gilbert Personal Training, contact us at www.teamcanefitness.com. We will help you reach your goals!

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d argue that getting repetitive exercise in is better than doing nothing, you might be doing yourself a disservice. Why? Your body is smart. If you make it do something repetitively, over time it will get used to it and become so good at it that you don’t have to work that hard anymore.

When it comes

to exercise, the idea is to challenge your body…to make it stronger…to keep it on its toes. You’ve probably seen people who make great strides at the beginning of an exercise program and then hit a point where they can’t progress anymore. This happens because once your body gets used to an exercise, it starts to not respond as much and your results (i.e., fat loss, increased muscle tone, etc.) start to slow down and maybe even stop. This is called ‘hitting a plateau’. How do you overcome this? TCF says Variation. And from a mental perspective, variation will keep you from getting bored.

Diversifying your exercise doesn’t always mean changing everything about every workout every time. TCF Gilbert Personal Training will list a few examples of how to change it up:

Cardio:

Different Exercises: To change up your aerobic exercise routines, find different types of exercise…biking, swimming, running, power-walking, elliptical training.

Different Activities: Break out of the mold and find activities you enjoy that are less conventional:

Roller-Blading

Jump Roping

Hiking / Mountain Climbing

Rowing

Different

Programs: If all you like to do is run, you can still incorporate variation. How? Here is a plan for a week:

Day 1: Interval training course – repetitively sprinting for 2 minutes and then jogging for 5 minutes – for a total of a 30 minute workout.

Day 2: Hills – 30 minutes.

Day 3: Flat endurance jogging at a steady pace for 45 – 50 minutes.

If you run on a treadmill, you can select the corresponding pre-programmed courses on the machine to help you. You can apply this approach to any type of cardio exercise – walking, arc trainer/elliptical trainers, biking, etc.

tter – and this debate may never get resolved. TCF decided to compare the benefits and risks of the two forms of exercise so you can make an educated choice as to how to approach either type of workout.

TCF – CARDIOVASCULAR EXERCISE

The Number 1 benefit of following an aerobic exercise plan is the change in your cardiovascular fitness that results from this kind of training regimen. Regular aerobic exercise causes your lungs to process more oxygen with less effort; your heart to pump more blood with fewer beats; and the blood supply directed to your muscles to increase. As a result, by performing cardiovascular exercises, you are increasing your body’s endurance and efficiency.

Additional Benefits

In addition to the cardiovascular benefits, other benefits of aerobic exercise include:

Weight loss: Combined with a healthy diet and appropriate strength training, aerobic exercise will help you lose weight.

Improved mental health: Regular aerobic exercise releases endorphins, your body’s natural painkillers. Endorphins also reduce stress, depression and anxiety.

Improved immune system: People who exercise regularly are less susceptible to minor viral illnesses such as colds and flu. It is possible that aerobic exercise helps activate your immune system and prepares it to fight off infection.

Increased stamina: Exercise may make you tired in the short term, i.e., during and right after the activity, but over the long term it will increase your stamina and reduce fatigue.

Disease reduction: Extra weight is a contributing factor to conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes and some forms of cancer. As you lose weight, your risk of developing these diseases decreases. In addition, weight-bearing aerobic exercise, such as walking, can reduce your risk of osteoporosis and its complications. Low-impact aerobic exercises, such as swimming, cycling and pool exercises, can help keep you fit if you have arthritis, without putting excessive stress on your joints.

Increased life span: The Harvard Alumni Health Study (1986), published in the New England

Journal of Medicine, scientifically linked exercise with increased life spans for the first time. Since then, additional research has supported this finding.

Improved muscle health: Aerobic exercise stimulates the growth of tiny blood vessels (capillaries) in your muscles. This helps your body more efficiently deliver oxygen to your muscles and remove from them irritating metabolic waste products such as lactic acid. This can lessen your discomfort if you have chronic muscle pain or chronic low-back pain.

Cardiovascular Exercise Risks

TCF would like to mention some of the common risks associated with cardiovascular exercise.

Stress fractures: This is probably the most common type of injury to aerobics instructors. Stress fractures are caused by poor shoe selection, hard surfaces and overuse. Women are more likely to develop stress fractures, usually in the lesser metatarsal bones, than men. When swelling and pain arise, be sure to see a podiatrist as soon as possible. X-ray evaluation and early treatment can prevent a disabling injury.

Plantar fasciitis: More prevalently known as arch pain, plantar fasciitis is often caused by frequent stress on the plantar aspect, or bottom of the foot, in an aerobics routine. When the plantar fascia, a supportive fibrous band of tissue running from the heel to the ball of the foot, becomes inflamed, pain on the bottom of the foot results. Forefoot and rearfoot instability with excessive pronation may result in plantar fasciitis. Shoes with proper support in

the arch often prevent plantar fasciitis; if not, see your podiatrist for a custom orthotic device or a recommendation for another shoe.

Dehydration: Dehydration is a condition in which the body, or certain body tissues, suffers from lack of water. The results are discomfort and sometimes cracking of the skin unless it is protected by natural lubrication or lotions and increased susceptibility of the respiratory system to infections.

Heel spurs: Heel spur syndrome, related to plantar fasciitis, occurs after calcium deposits build up on the underside of the heel bone. Heel spurs form gradually over many months. Both plantar fasciitis and heel spurs can be avoided by a proper warm-up that includes stretching the band of tissue on the bottom of the foot.

Shin splints: Aside from ankle sprains, shin splints are perhaps the most common injury to the lower body, as the muscles attached to the shin bone bring the foot up and down. The pain is usually associated with inflammation of the shin muscle and tendon due to stress factors. Treat shin pain with cold compresses immediately after working out to reduce swelling. Proper stretching before the workout should prevent the onset of shin splints. Strengthening the lower leg muscles also helps reduce shin splints.

Achilles tendon and calf pain: The frequent rising on the toes that occurs during an aerobics routine often creates pain and tightness in the large muscles in the back of the legs, which can create pain and tightness in the calf and inflammation of the Achilles tendon. Again, stretching the calf muscles gently and gradually before and after the workout will ordinarily help alleviate the pain and stiffness.

What Should I Do If I Become Injured?

If you experience any of these injuries, see a physician (a podiatrist can treat most of them) who will prescribe treatments to alleviate the pain, and make recommendations to prevent recurrence of any discomfort. As foot specialists trained in all aspects of foot care, podiatrists are also qualified to perform surgery if the condition requires it.

Remember: there are good aerobics programs and bad ones. Use discretion in choosing classes to attend and/or home videos that are right for you. Always pace yourself and stop if you feel pain. Remember, foot pain is not normal so don’t ignore it. Chances are a successful aerobics regimen may bring out the bodily changes you desire, both physically and mentally.

TCF – WEIGHT TRAINING BENEFITS AND RISKS

Improving or maintaining health should be the primary goal of any exercise program. Health not only refers to the absence of disease or illness but may include the way a person feels about their body, their confidence about participating in a variety of activities and their overall attitude toward life. For many people feeling physically fit and strong is part of being a well-rounded and confident person. Resistance training (weight training) can play an important role in the development of self-confidence and body satisfaction by increasing strength, toning muscles and increasing muscular endurance. It can also help maintain lean body mass (important for individuals attempting weight loss), decrease the risk of osteoporosis, develop coordination and balance, and prevent injuries resulting from weak muscles.

By using free weights, a person will achieve greater overall muscle mass as compared to aerobic exercise. Free weights use your natural range of motion and strengthen the stabilizer muscles. If you switch from machine weights to free weights, you will notice that your muscles will shake a lot when performing the exercises. Once you become adjusted to the feel of free weights, your stabilizer muscles will get stronger and you won’t shake as much, if at all.

Performing strength training exercises with machine weights gives a person the ability to tone with the freedom of working out alone. Machine weights are nice to use when a person wants to use lighter weights and perform high numbers of repetitions. However, free weights build mass faster than machine exercises. You can only get so strong using machine weights because there is a maximum amount of weight that can be lifted. For instance, most machine exercises can only go up to roughly 200 pounds, whereas free weights can go to whatever the lifter can handle. If you can lift 500 pounds, there is no machine exercise that would be heavy enough for you.

The Advantages of Free Weights

• A wide variety of exercises can be performed.
• Results are fast and noticeable.
• The equipment is often inexpensive, and is portable.
• Free weights are suitable for all shapes and sizes.
• It creates a more natural movement compared to machines.
• Exercises that use free weights are often good for the rehabilitation of injuries.

Risks of Weight Training

• More supervision is required as the risk of injury is greater.
• Certain exercises, such as lunges or incline bench press, can be difficult to perform.
• There is a need for lower back support, or strong back and abdominal muscles, when performing certain free weight exercises such as squats and or any standing overhead barbell presses.
• There is a lot more to remember about how to do each exercise safely and correctly.
• Free weights can seem intimidating.

TCF Bottom Line

The bottom line when undertaking an aerobic or a weight training exercise program is that you must be careful and responsible. Both may provide the type of vigorous workout that you require. So listen to your body and exercise your common sense as well as your muscles.

This 4 day split by natural bodybuilding champion Sean Sullivan relies heavily on 6×6 training to encourage rapid strength and muscle gains.

Sean Sullivan Mass Building Workout

Workout Summary

Main Goal:

Build Muscle Mass

Workout Type:

Split

Training Level:

Intermediate

Days Per Week:

4

Equipment Required: Barbell, Cables, Dumbbells, Machines, Other

Target Gender: Male & Female

Workout Description

Calf and ab work can be done twice a week and just pick one exercise and do 5-6 sets of as many reps as you can do. The rest between sets is 60-90 seconds and do a few warm-up sets. Try to keep the same weight all 6 sets, but you may lose a rep or two at the end. For example set 1-4 you get the 6 reps, set five 5 reps and the last set 4. Just try to pick a good weight and don’t lower it even if it means 2-3 reps total.

Day 1 – Chest, Shoulders and Triceps

Chest

Exercise Sets Reps

Incline Bench Press 6 6

Dumbbell Bench Press 6 6

Shoulders

Exercise Sets Reps

High Pulls (Wide grip, pull to forehead) 4 4

Heavy Dumbbell Lateral Raise (One arm at a time) 3 8

Triceps

Exercise Sets Reps

Cable Tricep Extension 4 10

Day 2 – Legs

Quads

Exercise Sets Reps

Leg Press 6 6

Squats 6 6

Hack Squats 6 6

Hamstrings

Exercise Sets Reps

Leg Curls 5 8

Quads

Exercise Sets Reps

Leg Extensions 4 10

Day 3 – Back and Biceps

Back

Exercise Sets Reps

Reverse Grip Barbell Row 6 6

Medium Grip Lat Pull Down 6 6

Deadlift 6 6

Biceps

Exercise Sets Reps

Barbell Curl 6 6

Preacher Curl 6 6

Day 4 – Legs

Legs

Exercise Sets Reps

Barbell Lunge 6 6

Seated Leg Curls 6 6

Wide Stance Squats (Toes pointed out) 6 6

Dumbbell Stiff Leg Deadlift 6 6

Step Ups (High bench or aerobic step) 6 6

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Are you trying to build some mass? TCF found this workout to help you achieve your goals!
This 4 day split by natural bodybuilding champion Sean Sullivan relies heavily on 6×6 training to encourage rapid strength and muscle gains.

Sean Sullivan Mass Building WorkoutWorkout Summary
Main Goal:
Build Muscle Mass

Workout Type:
Split
Training Level:
Intermediate
Days Per Week:
4
Equipment Required: Barbell, Cables, Dumbbells, Machines, Other
Target Gender: Male & Female

Workout Description
Calf and ab work can be done twice a week and just pick one exercise and do 5-6 sets of as many reps as you can do. The rest between sets is 60-90 seconds and do a few warm-up sets. Try to keep the same weight all 6 sets, but you may lose a rep or two at the end. For example set 1-4 you get the 6 reps, set five 5 reps and the last set 4. Just try to pick a good weight and don’t lower it even if it means 2-3 reps total.
Day 1 – Chest, Shoulders and Triceps
Chest
Exercise Sets Reps
Incline Bench Press 6 6
Dumbbell Bench Press 6 6
Shoulders
Exercise Sets Reps
High Pulls (Wide grip, pull to forehead) 4 4
Heavy Dumbbell Lateral Raise (One arm at a time) 3 8
Triceps
Exercise Sets Reps
Cable Tricep Extension 4 10
Day 2 – Legs
Quads
Exercise Sets Reps
Leg Press 6 6
Squats 6 6
Hack Squats 6 6
Hamstrings
Exercise Sets Reps
Leg Curls 5 8
Quads
Exercise

Sets Reps
Leg Extensions 4 10
Day 3 – Back and Biceps
Back
Exercise

Sets Reps
Reverse Grip Barbell Row 6 6
Medium Grip Lat Pull Down 6 6
Deadlift 6 6
Biceps
Exercise Sets Reps
Barbell Curl 6 6
Preacher Curl 6 6
Day 4 – Legs
Legs
Exercise Sets Reps
Barbell Lunge 6 6
Seated Leg Curls 6 6
Wide Stance Squats (Toes pointed out) 6 6
Dumbbell Stiff Leg Deadlift 6 6
Step Ups (High bench or aerobic step) 6 6

Path: