Resistance band workouts are one most cost effective means when working out at home. You can do all sorts of exercises for your whole body at a minimal cost. Most resistance bands cost around $10. I would suggest buying a few bands with different tensions.

Purple and Blue are usually the strongest tensions, then red, green and yellow. Some brands might differ, so make sure you're buying the right one for your goals and needs. When you're doing resistance band workouts make sure you have adequate space. Also purchase one that has a door stopper, so you can attach the band to the door for additional exercises.

Here's and example of home workout using resistance bands.

Warm up for 5-7 minutes
All exercises 15 reps 2-3 sets

Squats or lunges with own body weight
Standing row with resistance band(rb)-attach to door belly button height, pull back until your hands reach your stomach(you want a 90 degree angle at your elbow joint)
Single arm chest fly w/rb-attach to door a little lower than shoulder height, pull across the body as far as opposite shoulder with inside hand
Side lateral raise w/rb-stand on rb with one or two feet(spread legs for additional tension) pull up until shoulder height, keeping the arms straight(you never want to the hands to lead above the elbow
Tricep pressdown-w/rb-attach top of door, pull down with elbows bent, get full extension with your forearm
Bicep curl w/rb-step on band with both feet and perform the bicep curl, elbows are best to the side
Crunches on the floor, knees are bent


Resistance band workouts should take no longer than 30 minutes to complete. Do this routine 3 times a week for best results.

What is Juice Plus? To put it simple, Juice Plus is an alternative for a multi-vitamin. Its a fruit and vegetable whole food capsule. Like most fitness professionals I'm skeptical when first Introduced to something new. We see new products all the time making all these amazing claims, when in reality its a ripoff.

Well I went to my first Juice Plus seminar around 7 years ago and saw an Olympic coach speak on nutrition and Juice Plus, but the focus was more on nutrition than selling Juice Plus. I have always had respect for company's that don't push their products down your throats with a hard sell. After the seminar I decided I would give Juice Plus a chance.

I know you may be skeptical, but everything I'm about to tell you is true first hand with myself, family or clients. After a year of taking Juice Plus, my eye sight improved. I went in for my annual eye check up. After the eye examine my Doctor asked if was doing anything different because my eye sight had actually improved by 25%. It was crazy, the only thing I could come up with, I was taking Juice Plus. She immediately wanted to buy some for herself and see the benefits first hand.

One of my friends starting taking Juice Plus and within 3 weeks his IBS(irritable Bowel Syndrome) was gone. If you know the symptoms of this disease, you know how awesome it is that the symptoms were gone.

I could go on and on, but I'm not hear to sell you, I'm here to educate. Give Juice Plus a chance or something comparable. Look for a whole food supplement. These hard multi-vitamins are not the best thing for us and sometime cause more damage than good.

Whats in Juice Plus?

2 capsules (750 mg each)
Energy 0 cal
Total fat 0
Sodium 10 mg
Total carbohydrate 1 g
Dietary fiber < 1 g
Protein < 1 g
Vitamin A 140%
Vitamin E 80%
Calcium 4%
Iron 2%
Folate 70%

Ingredients:
vegetable juice powder and pulp from carrots, parsley, beets, kale, broccoli, cabbage, spinach, and tomato; gelatin, lipase, amylase, protease, cellulase, beet fiber, barley bran, oat bran, cabbage fiber, glucomannan, plant cellulose, dried plant fiber, Lactobacillus acidophilus, vegetable-derived magnesium stearate, anthocyanins, allicin, lycopene, polyphenol catechins, Dunaliella salina (algae), and indole carbinols.

Juice Plus Garden Blend U.S. bottle label
Notes
Amounts vary with other brands, such as Orchard Blend

Not listed, the Fruit Blend. If you would like more information please let me know.

A softball weight training program is imperative in today's games if one wants to advance and compete. Pitching in softball is a challenging and complex movement that must be practiced in order to improve its velocity. THE WINDMILL SOFTBALL PITCH is one of 2 major styles of pitching used in fastpitch softball. It has several advantages over the slingshot method and therefore is more widely used. However, it also places greater stress on the muscles and joints involved in the execution of the pitch, making it imperative that a sound conditioning regimen be followed.

For the pitcher, the rotator cuff, chest and shoulder should be the focus of any weight training program. Here's an example of a softball weight training program routine for the chest and shoulder complex. You should perform up to 3 sets of each exercise and 10 -15 reps per exercise. Beginners in this program should start out with 1 set of each exercise 2-3 times a week and progress from there. When starting a softball weight training program please consult a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist for proper technique.

Shoulder press
Side lateral raise
Lateral rotation tubing
Medial rotation
Reverse pec dec
Pullovers
Cable crossovers
Shoulder extension/flexion
Front raises

If anyone needs pictures of these exercises please let me know, I'll post in the future. Train hard and smart.

With more than 21 million recreational golfers of all ages and fitness levels playing golf, the chances of these golfers developing lower back pain if they are not in sound physical condition will increase. Unfortunately, many golfers continue to play without a proper warm-up, and are in poor physical condition, increasing their risk for injury.

Golf requires a player to be both flexible and strong; two health-related components of physical fitness that can be emphasized in a proper conditioning program. An integral step in reducing a golfer's risk for injury is to strengthen the muscles that are most frequently used in swinging a golf club. The erector spinae and abdominal oblique muscles play a vital role and are utilized most in the golf swing. It is not surprising therefore that the majority of golf injuries occur at the location of these 2 large muscle groups.

These muscle groups function to initiate and control the body while the golfer is performing the swinging motion. The repetitive swinging of the golf club can lead to fatigue in these muscles, perhaps increasing the risk for injury not only to the back, but also to secondary muscles as well. Strength and conditioning specialists must implement conditioning programs that focus on strengthening these 2 large muscle groups.

It has been hypothesized that strong back muscles may reduce the risk for golf-related injuries. Lower back pain associated with frequent swinging of a golf club may be reduced if proper steps are taken to stretch and strengthen the muscles most frequently used.

By strengthening the erector spinae and abdominal muscles a golfer can possibly play for longer periods of time, and lessen the likelihood of fatigue that contributes to lower back pain, discomfort, and possible injury.

Hit them far and straight.

I was recently asked the question, "Why do muscles fatigue?" I was kind of stumped, I knew it had something to do with the generation of ATP, but didn't know specifically why muscles fatigue. Well I had to do some digging in my old exercise physiology text book to find the answer.

Why muscles fatigues, depends on a few factors. First of all, what activity is the muscle trying to accomplish. Is it aerobic or anaerobic? Is it a short burst or a marathon? These are questions that must be asked first. For the sake of this discussion we will focus on anaerobic exercise(resistance training).

Fatigue is directly associated with the mismatch between the rate at which the muscles uses ATP and the rate at which ATP can be supplied. What is ATP? ATP stands for Adenosine Triphosphate. To put it simple ATP is our major energy source. When we workout ATP is used for our muscles to contract. During our workouts our ATP is depleted. This is where fatigue sets in. Fatigue is a protective measure for ours cells not to get severely damaged. When we take that rest is when more ATP is created giving us the energy to go at it again.

This is just one explanation of why muscles fatigue. Many factors and chemical reactions take place in our bodies all the time. Our body is one complex system. The more you understand, the more you'll be amazed at what you body does for you. Hope that helps.

Fitness training for the obese is an up and coming topic. First of all you just need to start some kind of program and get off your butt. Set small goals and work your way up. For example, just by cutting down your intake of sodas can have dramatic effect on your body and health. Instead of drinking soda try water, we are made of 80% water, so doesn't it make sense to supply our bodies with more water. To function properly we need to consume half our body weight in ounces of water per day. Example if I'm 200 lbs, I need 100 ounces per day.

Many of my clients tell me that their sodas or coffees has the caffeine they need to give them the energy they need throughout the day. Did you know the biggest cause of fatigue, its dehydration. Guess what caffeine is a diuretic. Diuretic depletes water out of our bodies. So, your completely defeating the purpose of increasing your energy by consuming caffeine.

Knowledge is the best way to defeat this epidemic of obesity. Check out these statics below. If we don't start attacking this problem now, we could be setting future generations up for failure.

"The prevalence of overweight and obesity in the United States makes obesity a leading public health problem. The United States has the highest rates of obesity in the developed world. From 1980 to 2002, obesity has doubled in adults and overweight prevalence has tripled in children and adolescents. From 2003-2004, "children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 years, 17.1% were overweight...and 32.2% of adults aged 20 years or older were obese." -Wikipedia

Start now, you have nothing to lose except weight.

I am a firm believer in PNF stretching for athletes. All my clients love this kind of stretch and we usually increase their range of motion within weeks. Here's a brief explanation of PNF.

PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) stretching, sometimes also known as isometric stretching, is a combination of passive stretching and isometrics in which a muscle is alternatingly stretched passively and contracted. The technique targets nerve receptors in the muscles to extend the muscle length.

First, the relaxed muscle is stretched by an external force, such as an exercise partner, or by ones own body weight against the floor, a wall, or similar resistance. At the point, where no further stretching seems possible, the stretch is held for up to 30 seconds. However, during this period, the muscle should be contracted as much as possible. (In the drawing on the right, this is done by trying to press the feet into the floor.) Finally, when the muscle gets relaxed again, it should be immediately stretched farther, which is then easily possible again.


This technique of alternating stretching and contracting can be repeated several times, in order to stretch a bit further each time. Advocates suggest that PNF stretching is typically more effective and more comfortable than conventional stretching, based on the theory that it exploits the body's own neural mechanisms. It is also suggested that PNF stretches should be performed for a given muscle group no more than once per day.

If you need some examples please let me know.

Due to numerous requests I will share more about the sports training that I do for junior athletes. When I first meet an athlete I need to determine their strength. I do this through a couple of tests. The first one is the push-up test(how many can they accomplish within one minute). The second test is the full sit-up test(how many can they do in a minute). It's not all about how many, but their form as well. Most the time I need to correct their form and make them understand why its important to have correct form.

Flexibility is another important factor when assessing an athlete. Many athletes may not think about injuries too much, until it happens. We as professionals need to educate why the stretching part of an exercise program is just as important as the strength part. Stretching and keeping our joints at optimum mobility is so important. Restrictions that they may not see could cause injuries in the future. I take all athletes through a series of stretching routines, which may include static, PNF and/or dynamic flexibility techniques.

If your really serious about taking your game to next level and want to beat your competitors, find a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist in your area to show the best exercises for your specific sport. No one wants to be second.

I mentioned in a previous post that I get massages frequently. Well today was my day to have my weekly massage. This one was much needed. Working out hard and playing racquetball has had its toll on my body. It seems I can't train as hard as I once used to. This is hard to except, since I love being active and working out. So having a massage once a week had given more of a realization what is needed for my body to stay healthy.

My Massage therapist focused on my upper body today and boy did i feel it, in a good way. The reason she massaged that area exclusively was because of my recent pain in my shoulder, back and upper arm area. Playing racquetball all out every time probably hasn't helped with healing my shoulder and lifting weights like I'm 21 yr again I'm sure has contributed to my pain.

What I'm trying to say is get in tune with your body and know when too much is enough. The pain and injuries aren't worth it. I recommend to anyone who has injuries, pains, or just needs to relax, try a massage. It's the only way to go. Learn how to mediate and visualize during your massage. You'll be surprised at what you see.

Being a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, my job is to challenge my clients every session. Tonight I'm here in the studio and I just got done training one my junior athletes, TJ. Hes a 12 yr old hockey player. Hes one the top in his age bracket here in San Diego. Are sessions focus on functional training and many exercises that work his core strength.

TJ is a fun athlete to train. He likes the challenge of our sessions. We do many exercise that use the stability ball. Like everyone we had to start at the beginning. For example, right now he can stand on the stability ball for 37 seconds, that's his record. This is the type of challenges we do in your sessions. I don't recommend this exercise unless a professional is present.

In hockey, balance is huge part of the game. It just makes sense to challenge him in this fashion. Its sometimes hard to keep him focused on the exercise at hand, that's why we have some sort of goal per exercise. Whether its time or reps, this is the best way to see the progress and also keeping him focused on the task.

I believe training junior athletes will become the norm. If you want that edge over your competitors, you must do what they are not. Good luck with your workouts.

Learning what health foods for muscle building to promote growth isn't rocket science, although its the frequency of eating that's the hard part. Eating health foods for muscle building is a full-time job. I personally try to eat health foods that are usually high in protein.

In order for you to build muscle you must be working out hard enough to create a change in your body. What's most important to promote growth is the consumption of food and the source. You must be eating more than your burning off per day if your really looking to put on muscle size. This was my biggest mistake when I first starting working out. I wasn't eating right for my goal.

Protein is essential for muscle growth and eating health foods for muscle building is the only way to reach your goal. I used to eat anything I wanted and never saw the results I was looking for. As soon as I learned nutrition everything changed.

Dietary sources of protein include meats, eggs, dairy products such as milk and cheese, grains and legumes. Different protein sources have differing proportions of essential amino acids; therefore a variety of protein sources provides a full complement of the essential amino acids. Gaining all of one's protein from a single source (such as meat or soy) reduces the opportunity to gain a full complement of amino acids.

Recommendations suggest 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight while some extreme sources suggest that higher intakes of 1–2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight are desirable. Higher levels of protein intake have not been proven to be necessary and may be harmful due to increased stress on the kidneys and liver.

Good luck with your muscle building:)

I'm offering a free workout log for your exercise program. This free workout log is for anyone wanting a workout log to write down all your sets, reps, & weights. It gives you a good idea on what exercises are the best for each body part. I recommend hiring a personal trainer if you don't know some of the exercises. Remember form is everything, its not how much you can lift, but the form you do the exercise. If you have any questions please let me know.

Taking muscle building before and after pictures are highly recommend. Looking at yourself everyday its hard to see the changes your body is going through. But taking pictures every 4-5 months will really help you see if your making the progress you're looking for. As you can see my pictures really show a big difference and helps keep me motivated.

In my first years of muscle building, I knew I had to learn everything I could to build muscle fast. Since I only weighed 155 lb right out of high school, I was determined to get big.

Learning all I could about body building was exciting. I began watching all the fitness shows I could including every episode with Cory Everson from Body Shaping on ESPN. I also absorbed every article I could get my hands on from just about every Muscle and Fitness magazine you could imagine.

During the first three years of weight training I only gained a total of 12 lbs and quickly realized that gaining muscle and bulk was not that easy. It wasn't until college that I really started to change and understand what to do. Nutrition was the key I was missing.

I came a long way from that 155 lb senior in high school to a 215 lb certified personal trainer with solid muscle. My muscle building before and after pictures are a motivation for me everyday. I believe in complete health, no illegal drugs for muscle enhancement were ever taken. A lot of hard work and hours of training were my passion. Eating was a full time job, but as you can see I accomplished my goal. These pictures were taken when I was 21 years old and again at 26 years old. I gained a total of 60 lbs in 5 years.

Why is healthy eating with 5 a day of fruits and vegetables so important? That means at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables consumed each day. That's not hard at all and we should all start today.

The “5 A Day for Better Health Program” is a national program to encourage all Americans to eat 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables every day for good health.

5 Great Reasons to eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day.

They're full of vitamins and minerals.
They can help you maintain a healthy weight.
They're an excellent source of fiber, phytochemicals, and antioxidants.
They help reduce the risk of heart disease, hypertension, stroke and some cancers.

Healthy eating with 5 a day is one the best ways to increase your quality of life. Your mom was right, eat your veggies!:)

Strength and conditioning for golf is beneficial for everyone. Now that I have demonstrated a few stretches for your golf game, I'm sure your want a few strength exercises. Here are a few simple exercises that you can do in the comfort of your home.
Prone Bridge/Core exercise
Draw your abs in toward your spine. Make sure your posture is aligned, tighten buttocks and lift body up onto forearms. Hold your body in alignment for 30 SECONDS. Work your way up to 1 minute in future sessions. Your spine should be in a neutral position from cervical to lumbar and your glutes should remain tight. At first have someone watch your form to make sure your body is aligned. Repeat 2-3 times. Do this exercise every other day. This exercise works the core, abs
Prone Cobra
Lift chest off the floor, lift arms up and back towards the hips rotating thumbs towards the ceiling. At all times keeping the chin tucked into the chest. Don't over emphasize arching of the back to lift the chest off the floor. Only lift to where your comfortable-no lower back pain should be felt. Hold each pose for 15 seconds. Repeat 3 times. Work yourself up to in future sessions where you can hold each pose for 1 minute. This exercise should be done every other day.

I hope you all are enjoying this strength and conditioning for golf. As you can see you can do these exercises almost anywhere. I would recommend doing these exercise 's on days you don't golf. Remember, if your body is fatigued that's where injuries can happen. Always be careful with any exercise program. If you feel faint, sick, or/and pain, stop immediately.