Blast Fitness: Mashpee

01/08/2017

Winter woes... to cuddle and build fat or to workout and burn fat.

http://www.menshealth.co.uk/fitness/cardio-exercise/the-ice-edge

You might want to hibernate all winter, but research shows that training in cold weather increases your performance. Use these training tips and win the cold war today.

01/08/2017

Don't let winter bring you down and prevent you from achieving your fitness goals.

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/workout-in-the-cold

No need to let dipping temperatures force you indoors. Discover how chilly-weather workouts can amp energy, burn more calories, and improve your mood.

10/27/2016

What Kind of Exercises Can You Do to Make Your Calves Thinner?

Spot reducing any one area of the body by diet or exercise is impossible since you cannot dictate where your body stores or loses fat. If the size of your calves is bothersome to you, however, there are some exercises you can try to make them thinner. Depending on whether you need to reduce fat deposits in the lower legs or reduce bulky calf muscles, your approach may differ.

Fat Loss
If you are overweight, chances are your calves are larger because your body stores excess fat cells in that area. People store fat differently depending on their body type, and you may simply be someone who stores more fat in the lower body and legs. Reduce body fat by limiting portion size in addition to choosing vegetables and lean protein like chicken and fish. Eliminate sugar, fatty foods and prepackaged meals and snacks. Use a calorie counter like the one at freedieting.com to ensure you are meeting your body's caloric needs, and make time for cardiovascular exercise at least three times a week to help burn stored body fat.

Low-Impact Exercise
To slim the calves, it's effective to practice low-impact exercise like walking, which calls more heavily on the thigh muscles than the calves. Walking will help tone and tighten all the muscles of your lower body without causing significant muscle growth to the calf area. Swimming is a good option to tone the entire body and burn calories without beefing up the lower leg muscles. Yoga or Pilates can help lengthen and stretch all the muscles throughout the leg area, making them appear leaner and longer.

Exercises to Avoid
While a healthy diet and exercise regimen is crucial for overall fitness, you may want to avoid certain types of exercise that could hinder your calf-slimming efforts. This is especially true if your calves are larger due to muscle bulk. Avoid movements like jumping and climbing, as these motions can strengthen your calf muscles and make them appear larger. Weight training this area should also be avoided if you do not wish to encourage further muscle development.

Footwear
Think about the shoes you wear and how they may affect the appearance of your calf muscles. If you wear high heels on a regular basis, you may be inadvertently beefing up your calves without even trying. High heels not only shift the position of the legs and rear, but by raising the ankles, heels can actually cause the calf muscles to contract. This flexing of the muscle can make the calves appear larger than if you were to wear a low-heeled or flat shoe.

10/24/2016

Which Is Better, Running Before Lifting Weights or Vice Versa?

Whether you run before you lift weights or afterward depends upon your fitness goals and personal preference. If your goal is to lose weight, you should run first. If your goal is to gain muscle, you should lift weights first. For people who aren't exercising to gain muscle mass or for extreme athleticism, the order is more about personal preference.

Benefits of Running Before Lifting Weights
When you run first, you ensure you have the energy to complete your run. Glycogen is a type of carbohydrate that is stored in your muscles for use during intense or endurance activity. When you lift weights or run, you use this glycogen. By running first, you guarantee you have enough glycogen for the run. Also, by depleting the store of glycogen with running, your body will begin to use stored fat for energy, increasing weight loss.

Benefits of Lifting Weights Before Running
By lifting weights first, you ensure your muscles have energy for your entire lifting routine. This allows your muscles to exert their maximum or near-maximum effort, which will help you build muscle mass quicker than if you ran first. Also, you are more likely to maintain proper form which could avoid injury.

Other Considerations
If you have Type 2 diabetes or hypertension it is better to run before lifting weights. "Some diseases are better managed with cardio first, then introducing resistance training later," explains Fabio Comana, director of Continuing Education for the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Also, consider whether you find lifting weights intimidating. Many people are more comfortable with running, so it builds their confidence to run before lifting weights.

Personal Preference
If you are in good health and are exercising to stay fit, a lot of the decision should be based on your personal preference. Try both ways and see what feels best for you. If you lift weights first, is it too hard to complete your run? If you run first, are you able to maintain proper form while lifting? Pay attention to how you feel during and after both activities to determine the order that is best for you.

10/17/2016

Lateral Tennis Elbow and Eccentric Physical Therapy Exercises

Tennis elbow doesn't affect only tennis players. Overuse of the tendon on the outside of the elbow -- the lateral side -- often occurs with other racquet sports and occupations that require repetitive use of hand tools. Physical therapy exercises are often prescribed to treat tennis elbow.

Overview
Tennis elbow -- also called lateral epicondylitis -- is a painful condition caused by tiny tendon tears. The muscles that bend the wrist backward run along the back of the forearm. These muscles come together to form one tendon that attaches to the pointed bone on the outside of the elbow. Tennis elbow typically causes pain just below this bone. Physical therapy uses treatments such as heat, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, ice and massage to decrease pain from tennis elbow. Eccentric exercises are prescribed to target healing of the damaged tendon.

Eccentric Strengthening
Traditional exercise programs focus on concentric strengthening, meaning the muscle shortens as it contracts. The muscle is stronger than the resistance being applied against it during this "lifting" phase of movement. Eccentric exercises, in contrast, strengthen the muscle as it lengthens, during the "lowering" phase of an exercise. According to a study published in 2008 by "Canadian Family Physician," eccentric exercises improve strength more than concentric exercises. Eccentric exercises are often used to treat tennis elbow. New scar tissue forms as stress is put on the tendon as it lengthens in the lowering movement. This new tissue strengthens the tendon, compensating for the damage from the tiny tears caused by tendinitis.

Resistance Band Exercise
Tennis elbow exercises target the wrist extensors -- the muscles that bend the wrist backward. These exercises can be performed in a sitting position with an elastic resistance band. The band is knotted together at the ends to form a large loop. With the knot firmly under one foot, the band is brought up over the back of the hand, holding the fingers out straight while the forearm rests along the thigh. The opposite hand lifts the exercising hand with the band to bring it into a backward bent position. From this position, the exercising hand slowly lowers back down against the resistance of the band. The exercise is typically repeated 15 times, 3 sets in a row with 1 minute of rest between each set.

Variation
Tennis elbow programs may combine concentric and eccentric exercises. Holding a free weight in the hand, the wrist is supported on the thigh in a palm-down position. With the elbow bent to 90 degrees, the wrist is slowly bent forward as far as possible, then backward. Movement in each direction should last 5 to 10 seconds. The exercise is repeated with the elbow straight. The weight should be heavy enough to allow each exercise to be performed only 10 times -- the arm should be too tired to do more repetitions. These exercises are performed once daily for 4 to 6 weeks. Pain from tennis elbow should diminish with these exercises.

10/12/2016

Why Pulse Rates Go Up During Exercise

The discomfort you feel when you begin your workout -- deep breathing, heart beating faster, breaking a sweat -- signals your heart is doing its job to help you power through your exercise session. Your pulse rate tells you how hard your heart is working and indicates whether you are pushing yourself too hard or not hard enough.

Pulse Rate and Exercise
Your pulse measures your heart rate, which is the number of times your heart beats per minute. The American Heart Association notes that at rest, the average heart rate is between 60 and 100 beats per minute. However, when you begin aerobic exercise, your heart beats faster to meet the demand of more blood and oxygen to the muscles. You can measure your pulse rate as you exercise to determine whether you are working hard enough to achieve your fitness goals. Consistent exercise strengthens your heart muscle and allows you to complete daily activities without feeling winded.

Maximum Heart Rate
Your maximum heart rate determines how hard you should be working during physical activity. Your heart is responsible for pumping blood, which carries oxygen and nutrients, to your body’s tissues. During exercise, your muscles need more oxygen and nutrients to meet the demand of your work, so your heart beats faster to deliver fuel to your muscles. The harder you work, the faster your pulse rate will elevate while working out. To calculate your maximum heart rate during exercise, subtract your age from 220. Healthy individuals should exercise at a level between 50 and 80 percent of their maximum heart rate, says the American Council on Exercise. Beginners should stay on the lower end of this spectrum, and more advanced exercisers can reach for the higher end.

Taking Your Pulse to Measure Progress
As your fitness level improves, it requires more effort and takes longer to elevate your heart rate. Taking your pulse during your exercise session will tell you if your exercise intensity is too high or too low. Your pulse can be found on your wrists, inside of your elbow, on the side of your neck or on top of your foot. Place two fingers on the artery and count the number of beats for 15 seconds. Multiply that number by four to get your pulse rate. A 15-second pulse with a count of 25 means your heart rate is at 100 beats per minute. This would put a 50-year-old beginner exerciser in his target heart rate zone. However, a 20-year-old active individual with this same heart rate would need to take the intensity up a notch to reap the most aerobic benefits of his workout.

Safety
Pushing yourself too hard during exercise will do more harm than good. Use your maximum heart rate as a guideline. Everyone responds differently to physical activity. You should feel some discomfort during exercise, but if you’re in pain, lower your intensity to bring your heart rate down a notch. As you continue with an exercise program, you will be able sustain working at a higher intensity for a longer period of time.

10/07/2016

Head to Toe Workout

Getting a head to toe workout doesn’t have to take hours. If you use compound exercises to work multiple muscle groups, you can tone your entire body with just a few moves. To define and strengthen your muscles head to toe, incorporate two to three full-body workouts into your weekly routine, leaving at least one day of recovery between workouts.

Maximize Your Warm-Up
Warming up is essential to any strength workout. To maximize your time, perform five to 10 minutes of full-body cardio as your warm-up. By using your arms and legs together, you’ll boost your calorie burn while preparing all of your muscles for the strength session. If you prefer to use cardio machines at the gym, try the elliptical or rowing machine. To get your whole body involved in the warm-up without machines, try jump rope, jumping jacks or mountain climbers. To do mountain climbers, start in pushup position on the floor. Keeping your upper body stable, jump your right foot forward under your chest. Continue by jumping your right foot back to the starting position while bringing your left foot under your chest. Continue alternating your feet, moving quickly to increase your heart rate.

Three-Move Combo
The dumbbell squat to curl to press targets your butt, thighs, calves, biceps and shoulders. To perform this exercise, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your thighs. Lower into a squat until your thighs are parallel to the ground. As you straighten your legs to stand, bend your elbows and rotate your forearms to perform a biceps curl. Just before the weights touch your shoulders, rotate your forearms so your palms face straight in front of you and push the weights up into a shoulder press. Return the weights to your sides and repeat the entire sequence 10 to 15 times. Do two to three sets, resting for 30 to 60 seconds between sets.

Back and Legs Together
Tone your hamstrings and back with straight leg deadlifts. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell or two dumbbells in front of you with your palms facing your thighs. Keeping your back flat and knees straight, bend forward at the waist, lowering the weights toward your feet. When your torso is parallel to the floor, return to the standing position without rounding your back or bending your knees. Complete two to three sets of 10 to 15 repetitions.

Ab-Working Pushups
Strengthen your abs, chest and triceps – the muscles at the back of your upper arm – with inchworm pushups. Start by completing a standard pushup with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. When you return to the starting position, walk your feet toward your hands, keeping your legs straight as you go. When you’ve walked your feet forward as far as you can without bending your knees, walk your hands out until you are back in the starting pushup position. Repeat the entire sequence eight to 12 times. Complete two to three sets.