Stretching is Not Enough

If you feel like you've been stretching a tight muscle forever and not making progress, you're not alone.  Most people do static stretches and some myofascial release (foam rolling), either on their own or in stretching or yoga classes.  These are valuable techniques but they may not be enough to get the results you want and may not target you individualized needs.

Muscles become tight from extended periods of sitting and repetitive motion.  Remember isometric exercises?  Exercises where you hold a muscle in a contracted position to strengthen it?

Sit in front of a computer for extended periods of time and you're doing isometrics.  Literally strengthening and shortening the hip flexors, upper trapezius, chest lats, and anterior shoulder muscles.  At the same time, you're stretching and lengthening the glutes, middle trapezius and rhomboids and shoulder external rotators.

If a muscle is tight and short, the antagonist or opposite muscle is extended and relatively weaker.  That's why static stretching and myofascial release is not enough.  A flexibility programs needs to include active stretches and eccentric (negative phase) strengthening of the tight muscles and strengthening of the antagonist muscles .

The charts below show some examples of complete flexibility programs for common complaints.  Additional illustrated programs are available on my website at programs.caryraffle.com. 

Unlike classes which take a one-size-fits-all approach, when we work together, we can personalize a program to your specific problem muscles, needs and goals.  We also will ensure proper form and exercise selection.

Contact me if you have any questions or want to set up some sessions to develop your personalized program.

Tight Calves - Plantar Fascitis - Achilles Tendinitis
Myofascial Release	Calf with foam roller, medicine ball, barbell, other implements Bottom of foot with lacrosse ball or frozen water bottle
Static Stretch	Calf
Active Stretch - Eccentric Strengthening	“Reverse calf raises” or heel drops - emphasize the “eccentric” or negative phase and isometric contraction
Reciprocal - Antagonist Strengthening	Heel raises to strengthen the anterior tibialis (opposite or antagonist muscle to the calf)

Tight Hip Flexors - Often with Arched Back and Knee Pain
Myofascial Release	Quads and hip flexors foam roller and medicine ball especially at the inguinal crease (hip)
Static Stretch	Quadriceps and Psoas, kneel with raised arm to lengthen Psoas
Active Stretch - Eccentric Strengthening	“Butt Raises” on floor or stability ball -  emphasize the “eccentric” or negative phase and isometric contraction
Reciprocal - Antagonist Strengthening	“Butt Raises” Glute strengthening exercises including single leg press and squats, hip extension, lunges

Rounded Shoulders - Often with Shoulder or Neck Pain
Myofascial Release	Chest/pectorals, anterior (front) of shoulders and lats with foam roller or medicine ball
Static Stretch	Chest stretches
Active Stretch - Eccentric Strengthening	Unweighted reverse fly, weighted reverse fly -  emphasize  “eccentric” or negative phase and isometric contraction
Reciprocal - Antagonist Strengthening	Scaption and Reverse fly - ensure shoulders are retracted, on reverse fly emphasize the negative phase when retracted Shoulder external rotation Close grip row, emphasize the “eccentric” or negative phase and isometric contraction when retracted At least a 3:2 ratio of back to chest exercises

Elevated Shoulders - Often with Shoulder or Neck Pain
Myofascial Release	Upper Trapezius, Lats, Rhomboids with Roller or medicine ball
Static Stretch	Neck Stretch - Sternocleidomastoid, Levator Scapula
Active Stretch - Eccentric Strengthening	Scapular Depression - “Reverse Shrugs” on a seated dip machine or dip bar.  Keep elbows straight, raise and slowly lower the shoulder carriage.  emphasize the “eccentric” or negative phase and isometric contraction at the bottom
Reciprocal - Antagonist Strengthening

Tight Low Back - Often with Arched Back
Myofascial Release	Hip flexors, quadriceps, lower back, lats, piriformis
Static Stretch	Lats, cobra for abdominals, piriformis
Active Stretch - Eccentric Strengthening	“Butt Raises” on floor or stability ball -  emphasize the “eccentric” or negative phase and isometric contraction
Reciprocal - Antagonist Strengthening	“Butt Raises” Glute strengthening exercises including single leg press and squats, hip extension, lunges Reduce “Crunches” instead incorporate planks, single leg exercises and other deep core strengthening exercises

Add Horsepower to Your Cardio: Increase Your Cardiac Output

QUESTION: True or false:  to improve your cardiovascular conditioning,  get your heart rate as high as possible in aerobic exercise?

ANSWER: False.  You improve your cardio condition by increasing cardiac output at lower heart rates.   Here's the mathematical equation used by doctors and exercise physiologists:

Q = HR x SV

Your cardiac output, Q,  is the product of your heart rate times your stroke volume - that's the amount of blood exiting the heart from the left ventricle every time it beats.   A strong heart pumps more blood with every beat.

Read more about how you can increase your cardiac output at caryraffle.com.

Are you happy with the results of last year's  fitness program? Regardless of whether or not you're pleased with last year's results - or even had a progam last year - most people are thinking about making changes and recommitting themselves to their health and fitness. January is a great time to take benchmark measurements, define goals, and set your plan in motion for the year- maybe for the rest of your life.

The first step is to stop and assess your overall health and physical condition, considering your goals, interests, the time available for exercise, and what you've been doing before. If you're new or returning after a long break - When I meet new clients, I first observe their posture and movements. If your body isn't properly aligned you cannot get the full benefit of exercises and may risk an injury.

You'll generally want to begin slowly, learning how to perform basic movements before advancing. Machine circuits like ExpressLine at NYSC can be a good place to start. After a few sessions, however, you'll want to step out of the machines and do exercises where your body isn't supported by a chair. Look at it this way: you sit all day, and when you sit, your core is relaxed because the chair is supporting it...so the last thing you want to do is sit some more when you come to the gym. At least not exclusively.

If you've been working out for a while - We'd probably need to have a more in depth conversation of your history and goals to get you into the right program. However, the basic principle of periodization applies: change your program every 4-6 weeks to keep your body challenged. This change should involve more than changing the equipment you're using. You can change the number of sets and repetitions, the tempo or time spent in each phase of the exercise (ie, try a 4-second negative or a 3-second isometric contraction), and/or vary the level of stability. Try compound exercises where you incorporate total body movements. The latter, shown in last newsletter as Holiday Survival Workout, not only burns calories quickly - it helps your train to stabilize the body through dynamic movements.

Here are the links to a few programs that I've shown in varying form before. I don't include a magic muscle building program because that's one of the easier ones to create. You've just got to do the work!. Try one or more of these, and feel free to let me know if you need any help or direction.
Program 1 - XpressLine
Program 2 - Introductory Strength Training
Program 3 - Unstable Exercises (incorporates Core Training)
Program 4 - Advanced Unstable Exercises
Program 5 - Total Body/Compound Exercises (the Holiday workout)

Six Free Fitness Newsletters

The following newsletters are currently available by request. 

• Prehab Post-Rehab - Prevent Injuries Before They Happen 
• Top Ten Exercise & Stretches for the Office Worker
• Dirty Secrets of Personalized Training
• Deep Core Training
• Ultimate Flexibility
• Body Fat. Define it, Measure it. Lose it.

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Training by the Numbers: Exercise Guidelines to Reach Your Goals

How much do I have to exercise? A minimum of 20-30 minutes a day or 150 per week, double that to see real change

How quickly can I lose weight? Figure on 1-2 pounds per week for safe, effective weight loss

How often can I do cardio? Every day, as often as you like - as long as you're not in pain

How often can I strength train? Give your muscles a day off to recover and grow; you can do a total body workout every other day or split the routine and alternate the muscles that work and rest

How long does it take to see muscle growth? It takes about 16 strength training sessions over several weeks to see an increase in size

How do I increase muscle size? 3-5 sets with weighs that you can lift in a range of 8-12 repetitions

What if I just want to tone? Try 1-3 sets with weights that you can lift in a range of 12-20 repetitions

How about getting really strong, like increasing my bench press? Usually you'll want to be doing 3-6 sets with a weight that you can lift in a range of 1-8 repetitions, with long rests in between

How often should I change my routine? At least every 4-6 weeks, because your body adapts and you'll hit a plateau

Which is the best form of cardio? For most people, the one you enjoy most

What should my heart rate be while exercising? The simple answer for most pregnant, healthy people is this formula: (220-age)x70-75%. Higher or lower levels may not produce optimal results

Measure, Track and Burn Body Fat.

Now is the perfect time to get into peak shape. The weather is cooling and the holiday eating season hasn't yet begun. This issue will give you the tools you need.

Measure and Track Body Fat

Start by visiting bodyfat.caryraffle.com for a simple online app that measures body fat. All you need is a tape measure and internet access, and you can see where you're at today and easily track progress in the future. This app is reasonably reliable, and can be more accurate than the handheld bio-impedance monitors. Do it with a friend, and track your progress together. Do it in your office and have a competition! If you'd like to learn more about measuring body fat, I've got an in-depth review of bodyfat measurement techniques.

When is a Deficit is Good Thing?

Calories are a measure of energy. A pound of body fat is equivalent to about 3500 calories. Take in 3500 more calories than you burn, and your body will store the excess energy as a pound of fat. Burn 3500 more calories than you take in and a pound of fat will disappear. If you want to lose 10 pounds, you need to burn 35,000 more calories than you take in.  An energy deficit is a good thing when it comes to burning fat.

For safe, effective weight loss, plan on losing about 1-2 pounds per week. Reduce your weekly caloric intake by 7000 calories, or increase your weekly caloric expenditures by 7000. Or split the difference and go for 3500 of each. You should lose about 2 pounds of fat per week following this simple formula.

Don't skip meals or reduce calories below 2000 without seeking medical advice. These approaches are not safe and usually don't work. The body goes into "survival mode" when it is deprived of needed calories and may actually reduce the amount of fat that is burned. You also may not be able to exercise as hard if you don't have the energy.

Maximize Your Cardio

Did you know that there is a scientifically proven way for most people to burn an extra 500-1000 calories a week without spending any more time working out? With Interval Training, your body continues to burn calories at a higher level for 1-3 hours after you exercise, so you'll burn an extra 100-200 calories per session. If you're doing 45-60 minutes of cardio 5 days a week, it adds up quickly.

An effective interval training program will typically involve 2 minutes of cardio at 65% of your maximum heart rate alternating with 2 minutes at 80%. You'll want to see your doctor before beginning a challenging new program, and it may help to meet with a fitness professional to set the heart rate targets and review cardio programming.

The publishers of Men's Health and Prevention magazine recently interviewed me for a web article about Interval Training, which goes into more detail on the subject.

Build Muscle to Burn Fat

A pound of muscle burns 40-50 calories a day, a pound of fat burns about 5 calories. Strength training is to build "lean muscle" is effective in two ways. You burn calories while doing the exercises, and your body will burn more fat while at rest. And you don't have to bulk up to do it - training in a range of 15-20 repetitions will give you that lean toned look without the added bulk. Focus on the larger muscles like legs, back and chest for maximum effectiveness, because the bigger the muscle the more calories it burns at work or rest. For a variety of fitness programs at every level, visit trainingprograms.caryraffle.com

Deep Core Training

PUBLIC ENEMY #1 - THE CHAIR 


The problem with most People's Cores?


Sit all day and the inner Public Enemy #1abdominal muscles and glutes get stretched out and weak, hip flexors and low back get short and tight...leading to low back pain, poor balance and other potential problems. Then you come into the gym and sit, or you try to get active and things really fall apart.

The problem with most people's core training programs?

1) too much emphasis on exercises that work the external abdominals (crunches) and hip flexors (knee and leg raises);
 2) not enough work on inner abdominals, glutes and stabilization while performing movement;
 3) too many seated or lying exercise and machines, especially after sitting all day at work;
4 )inadequate or poorly targeted stretching;
5) lack of progression beyond a few basic exercises, and failure to integrate movements with core stabilization.

Poor exercise selection can actually cause or exacerbate low back pain. However, an effectively designed fitness program can help protect you from injury and may speed your recovery. Some of the principles of these programs come from yoga and pilates, but you can actually incorporate them into a more traditional strength and conditioning program and progress them to provide continued improvement. Pregnancy. Abdominal Surgery. Hernias. If you're post-partum, post surgery, or have had herniation of the abdominal wall, you'll benefit from training your deep-down abdominal core muscles.

 Here is a four step program that you can start to take to improve and train your innermost core:

Step 1- Flexibility: You can't properly work a muscle when either the opposing muscles or synergists are tight and overactive, because your joints are in poor alignment and you tend to do some of the work with the wrong muscle. You become more susceptible to injury.  Most readers will benefit from a program like the one presented in the Ultimate Flexibility article.

Step 2-Static Core Activation & Strengthening: Before you begin, wake up the muscles that have been asleep all day long! These exercises focus on activating and strengthening the core in a stationary position, good examples include the 'plank' and quadruped with raised arm and leg. Static strengthening is a good start, but you'll also want to include exercises that train your core to stabilize your body as you perform movements.

Step 3-Integrated Core Training: Activate your core as you perform strength exercises for chest, back, arms, legs, shoulders - any muscle at all. Examples include single leg versions of standing chest press, rows, biceps curls, triceps extensions, as well as lunges and exercises performed on balance boards and stability balls. It is more challenging to stabilize as your perform the exercises, and these exercises train your core to stabilize in different ways that static core training. Once you've mastered this phase with good form, add more complex, dynamic movements that require core stabilization throughout.

Step 4-Dynamic Core Training: Here, we stabilize as we move multiple muscle groups together or move in multiple planes of motion, requiring constant effort to stabilize. A few examples include walking lunges with rotation and a step to balance, or a single arm row with a reverse lunge and step to balance, or multi-planar step ups onto a bench with balance and a biceps curl. Sound complicated? They can be graceful to watch, and help you stay balanced and on your feet when - for example - you have a near miss on the ball field or crossing the street. A list of sample exercises in each phase is available at programs.caryraffle.com

URBAN LEGENDS: Two of the Great Myths of Fitness

"No Pain, No Gain" - Pain, especially that lingering sensation that you feel for days, is not necessarily the sign of a great workout. It is actually a sign that your body is adapting to new stimulus. If you continue with a similar exercise program at similar intensity, the soreness shouldn't return. You can minimize the soreness by starting light and gradually working into new routines. To read more about this subject, click here for an article from the American Council on Exercise. 

"The Fat Burning Zone" - The idea here is that you burn a higher percentage of calories from stored fat in the fat burning zone compared to the cardio zone. True, but you burn more total calories in the cardio zone - think of it as getting a smaller piece of a much bigger pie. You actually get about 100% of your calories from stored fat when you are sleeping, but the total calories burned is very low. Focus on total calories, once you've established an aerobic base, and train in the cardio zone for best results reducing weight and burning fat. To read more about this subject, click here for an article from the American Council on Exercise.

Dirty Secrets of Personalized Training

When you walk into a gym like NYSCs Bay Ridge location, you've got over 1500 pieces of exercise equipment (really!) and dozens of classes per month. How do you know which are right for you? And which may be wrong. 

Whether you train on your own, with a friend or group or with a professional trainer, personalized training is about getting the right program for you. This article will share the "secret process" a personal trainer uses to personalize your exercise program.  Try it on your own, or let me know if you need some help.

IT IS NOT WHAT YOU SEE ON TELEVISION
What's with the frightening picture of personal training presented on television?  Trainers behave like screaming drill sergeants who push and whip their clients through extreme workout programs that produce amazing results. It's like some secret dark art practiced by a cult of Adonises.

It usually doesn't work that way. Most of us in the real world of personal training follow a different approach. We design programs with careful consideration to avoiding injury, ensuring consistency and helping our clients meet their goals. And many of the best trainers aren't nearly pretty enough for TV.

ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL
Some people are on a mission to do every single exercise in the gym. Others do a very small list of the same exercises over and over again, sometimes for years and years. Then, there are those who follow a "one-size-fits-all program," a program that they've bought or pulled from the latest issue of a magazine or gotten from a friend.

When someone says to me "I've just joined and need someone to show me how to work the machines," my response is always the same: "Let's talk about the most important  machine in the gym. Your body. Let's find the right exercises for YOU."

"80% OF LIFE IS JUST SHOWING UP"
You can't succeed until you figure out what it takes to get yourself to exercise on a regular basis. Will you make an appointment with yourself and keep it? Do you need an appointment with a friend so you don't cancel? Maybe a class? Or a written program to follow and log? Can you keep the commitment to exercise on your own? Do you get bored easily? Will you push yourself hard enough? If two weeks or more pass by and you've skipped your exercise appointment, your plan isn't working.

One surprising thing I've learned since becoming a trainer: most clients train because they just will not show up on their own without the threat of being charged for cancellation. Recently a few clients even told me how good they felt after buying a personal training package: "Now I know I will workout 2-3x a week for the next few months."

The same is true of those advertised programs. The logs and variation keep you coming back and keep it interesting. No wonder people get results.

THEN WHY DO I NEED A PERSONALIZED PROGRAM?
In some cases the answer is obvious. Maybe you have a medical condition, are coming back to the gym after physical therapy, or participate in a competitive sport and need to improve performance and/or reduce risk of injuries.  For the rest of the world, a truly personalized exercise program can improve your physical condition, strength, posture, movement and athletic abilities. Incorrec exercise selection can exacerbate problems with posture and movement and will not produce the desired results, while sticking with the same program for too long will lead to you to plateau and stop improving. In some cases, this can lead to the same kind of repetitive stress injuries that you might associate with factory workers.

WHO ARE YOU?
Your personalized program starts with an inventory of YOU, including goals, medical background, and issues that affect exercise.

1. What is your age and weight?
2. What are your goals?
3. What is your current program and exercise experience? If you've taken classes or worked with trainers before, what were the results, what did you like and dislike?
4. Do you have any current or past injuries, medical conditions, pain or sensitive areas?
5. What is your lifestyle: what do you do at work and for recreation?
6. How often can you work out and how much time can you spend?
7. Which exercises do you like and which do you dislike?
8. Do you have any problems with posture and movement?



THE MISSING LINK
The single most important part of any personalized fitness program - and the oneso often missing - is a Fitness Assessment. This is the one thing that allows the program to be personalized to YOU.

- your fitness goals
- your answers to the above questions
- your posture and movement
- your current performance level and abilities

Sometimes the assessment is based on testing; often it is based on your history and a simple "visual inspection." Many times, I've already taken note of a client's issues and have them perform tests to demonstrate and explain the issue and program rationale to them.

Among people I meet in NYC, the assessment usually reveals one or more of the following issues: Rounded Shoulders; Externally Rotated Feet; Knock Knees; Arched Lower Back.  If you've got these issues, there are certain exercises that are recommended to correct them, and other exercises that should absolutely be avoided.  Learn more about assessment and try assessing yourself with themini self assessment guide.

CAN YOU GIVE A RATIONALE FOR YOUR OVERALL PROGRAM AND EVERY EXERCISE IN IT?
Once you've answered the above questions and completed your assessment, you should be able to explain why your personalized program and each exercise is right or wrong for you - right down to the number of sets, repetitions and tempo. This knowledge will transform your program and exercise selection into a carefully considered and highly personalized process.

Here are some brief examples of rationales that I might use:

The client is deconditioned and his goal is weight loss, so the program will focus on a) maximizing calories burned through cardiovascular training and working the large muscle groups (legs, back, and chest). It will also include stretches and exercises to minimize the risk that an injury will interrupt the program.

The client is a competitive runner who has been experiencing plantar fasciitis and pain in the iliotibial bands. The program will target the lower extremity postural distortion syndrome and include stretches for the calves and hip muscles (including the IT band and tensor fascia latae) along with strengthening of the gluteus medius, gluteus maximus and anterior tibialis.

2 sets of 15 single leg biceps curl with dumbbells was selected because the goals include core strengthening and building lean muscle, and the client has a shoulder imbalance that makes barbell curls or preacher curls somewhat risky and less effective.

Incline chest press and overhead shoulder exercises are not included in this program due to the client's rounded shoulders and/or history of rotator cuff injury, common upper extremity postural distortions.

2 sets of 15 repetitions with :03 isometric contraction of rear flies and shoulder external rotation will strengthen the muscles that pull the shoulder back along with shoulder internal rotation with a :04 negative to help improve range of motion.

Side-Lying leg lifts (hip abduction) is included in this program because the clients knees tend  to move inward, i.e., they excessively adduct; the hip Adductor machine is avoided because the clients adductors are extremely tight and short; the hip abduction machine is avoided because it also works the piriformis (muscles that externally rotate the hip).

YOU CAN'T PROGRESS WITHOUT PROGRESSION
As you develop your own personalized training program, think about how you will progress the exercises over the next month, and over the longer term. Our bodies adapt to a program after about 4-6 weeks at which time the program produces diminishing results. Most people think of progression as simply increasing the weight or changing the specific machines or exercises, and overlook the opportunity of varying the training modality.

If you've been focused on stable training such as machines, lying on benches and/or sitting through your workout, try standing to increase core activation and target a greater cross section of muscle fibers. Once you've mastered that, progress to exercises on a single leg, with balance boards and balls. Then come back to a more intensive stable strength training routine. Or try plyometrics to increase power.

I've got some examples of progressions here.

I know that not everyone shares my passion for exercise, but try to make the workouts as interesting as possible.  Develop a few good personalized programs and progressions that you can change at 4-6 weeks intervals or use "undulating periodization," where you vary the workout more frequently. This is the "muscle memory" secret of that popular "one-size-fits-all program" that you see advertised on television. Only better, because the program and progression is personalized for YOU.

So there you have it, the dirty secrets of personalized training. I guess they aren't so dirty after all though.

Get The Results You Want from Your Exercise Program

Whether you're new to the gym, returning after a break, or resolved to bust through a plateau and take your fitness to a new level in 2013, this newsletter has you covered.  In this issue,  the tools you need including  help Setting Exercise Goals, Assessing Your Current Fitness, Scheduling and Commitment, Exercise Program Design and Measurement, and sample fitness programs that you can adopt or adapt.

Effective Fitness Goals are measurable, achievable, yet challenging.  Break big goals up into smaller goals so that you can track progress and be motivated by little successes along the way.  Choose the right measurements of success:  Some goals like strength and athletic performance and weight loss are easily measured in pounds, or with a ruler or stopwatch. For toning, body measurements, clothes size and subjective assessments of how you look and feel and move are often a better indication of change in body composition.  Ensure success by incorporating the following into your plan: ·          ·     Burn 3500 calories (or eat 3500 fewer) to lose a pound of fat. ·      Exercise at least 150 minutes per week to maintain health and body composition, and 300 minutes weekly significantly improve body composition according to the American College of Sports Medicine. ·       To ensure safe, effective long term weight loss, make lifestyle changes that lead you to drop 1-2 pounds per week, according to ACSM and the American Dieticians Association.  ·        It takes about 16 exercise sessions over several weeks to increase the size of muscle according to the National Strength and Conditioning Association.  ·       You cannot spot reduce, according to the American Council on Exercise. Combine aerobic and strength training to burn calories so that the body draws on stored fat from all areas.  Once you've established your goals, assess your posture, movement and any problem areas using this mini-self-assessment.  Incorporate exercises that improve your posture and movement. Common problems like rounded and elevated shoulders, knock knees, out-turned feet and hips that are tilted can lead to injury, prevent you from working muscles at the optimum angle, and interfere with balance and force production. You'll perform better when working out or in sports and reduce risk of finding yourself on the disabled list.

Custom-tailor your program to focus on your goals, condition and abilities.   You probably can't wear a new suit off the rack without having it tailored to you, the same idea applies to "one-size-fits-all" exercises program, or borrowing exercises that suit another person or purpose.  If your goal is weight loss, focus on aerobic exercise, strength training large muscles (legs back chest), circuit-style training with limited rest, and multi-joint exercises to maximize calories burned.   For other goals, select the number of sets, repetitions and rest interval using the chart below. Goal Sets Repetitions Weight/ % 1 Rep Max Rest Lean/Tone (Endurance) 1 - 3  12 - 20 Moderate / 60-70% 0 - :90 Increase Size (Hypertrophy) 3 - 5  8 - 12 Moderate-High / 70-85% 0 - :60 Maximum Strength 3 - 6  1 - 12 High / 70-100% :45 - 5:00 Power (and Plyometrics) 3 - 6  1 - 10 Low / 30-45% or 10& body weight 3:00 - 5:00     Consistency/showing up takes commitment.  Schedule your workout appointments like any other important meeting. Put it right into your calendar!  Attend scheduled classes, meet a reliable friend, have an appointment with a trainer, or create your own "incentive reward" program - reward yourself for achieving a fitness goal or just for showing up. My clients often tell me that without our scheduled appointment they would find a reason to skip the gym.  I even found myself skipping my aerobic workouts or cutting them short - so I changed my schedule to alternate days of total body strength training and aerobic exercise because it made my aerobics more consistent.

500 Crunches a Day Won't Get You a Six Pack Abdominal exercises may be the most over-hyped, overdone and possibly least effective exercises.  Your abdominal muscles are covered with fat.  To see the muscles, lose the fat.  Abdominal exercises do not burn a significant amount of fat.  You cannot spot reduce.  So what's the secret?  Diet, aerobic exercises, and working the big muscle groups.

Exercise progression means continually overloading the body's system by changing the exercise stimulus. Increasing weight and/or repetitions is one way to progress, but shouldn't be the only way. Your body adapts to exercises within 4-6 weeks, you'll experience diminished return from your program as you continue doing similar exercises and a similar range of sets, repetitions, time under tension and stability.  Or in the case of aerobics, if you continue training in a steady state. You also expose yourself to the same kind of repetitive stress injuries as factory workers when you continually do the same exact movements and work at the same intensity.  Periodization is changing your exercise program at regular planned intervals.  For best results, most people should Periodize their training and cycle between 2-3 different phases of training on a 4-6 week basis. If you've been focused on stable training such as machines, lying on benches and/or sitting through your workout, try standing.  It increases core activation and targets a greater cross section of muscle fibers. Once you've mastered standing, progress to exercises on a single leg, or with balance boards and balls. Then come back to a more intensive stable strength training routine. Or try plyometrics to increase power.   I've got some examples of progressions here.  Another option is to include different types of training within each week.  Instead of splitting between muscle groups, try alternating workouts between strength, stability and power. Visit programs.caryraffle.com for a progression of programs for any fitness level.

Running the Marathon in 2013 is a realistic goal if you've been running at least 2-3 hours a week for a about a year.  Running your best time may also be possible for those who've run before, or maybe you want to get back into the marathon because an injury sidelined you?   Or run shorter distance races.  Interval training can help improve your aerobic capacity and speed, read more in this article, The Best Interval Training Technique for You. The biggest mistake people make is to assume that because they're running they don't need to do leg exercises.   In fact, a custom-tailored corrective strength and flexibility program can help prevent injury and improve athletic performance.  The steps are almost identical to those outlined above for strength training.  Assess your posture and movement, and follow the programs outlined on my website.  Has your running program been sidelined by recurring injury or pain?  It may be possible to overcome these problems with the right program.   I recently began training a new client who stopped running years ago because it hurt his knees.  After 2 weeks on a corrective program, he was able to start running without pain. My niece is one of the top divers on her Division 1 college team, but  hamstring pain and tightness has affected her ability to jump off the diving board.  She's about to begin a program to overcome this problem.  Basketball players, soccer players and other recreational and competitive athletes can often benefit from corrective programs.

Choosing the right measurement tool can be an important part of your success.  Many people want a hard objective measurement but softer measurements such as how you feel and how your clothes fit are also important.  People often rely too much on a specific measurement, or choose one that lacks positive reinforcement or accuracy.  Body fat measurements, for example, are imprecise tools, and for someone interested in losing a large number of pounds, potentially discouraging.  Changes in waist or clothing size might be a more appropriate and motivating measurement.