Strength Training: Increase your Metabolic Rate
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Recent research by a Duke University medical researcher in the US has uncovered that many of us like to pig out after we exercise, often consuming the same amount of kilojoules we just burnt….isn’t that a little counter productive?
Don’t worry, we’re all guilty of it.
Also alarming was that we didn’t exactly feel like doing much after we exercised, with many of us crashing in front of the TV…..and we all know that TV = chocolate ice-cream.
While it has never been more important to have a healthy diet to accompany an exercise program (This article highlights the importance of a healthy diet and exercise) perhaps a more efficient way to burn kilojoules is through “Strength Training”
Longevity and Quality of Life
April 23, 2008 by Liz Harper · 6 Comments
In November 2006 I was fortunate enough to be able to attend a lecture called “The Secrets of Longevity and Quality of Life” given by Paul Taylor who is an Accredited Exercise Physiologist and practicing Nutritionist. (Paul has a Masters Degree in both fields plus he is a part-time University Lecturer in Exercise Science and frequent corporate speaker.) Paul is also the Director of the Melbourne-based, PT Academy, which provides Personal Training Courses and Certification. He has kindly given me permission to share with you, what I learned from that lecture…
As I mentioned, Paul’s lecture was about “The Secrets of Longevity and Quality of Life”. The lecture covered longevity theories, mechanisms of aging, chronic disease, the impact of exercise on chronic disease, muscle wasting with age, the best forms of exercise, the impact of stress on aging, importance of sleep and the role of nutrition and calorie restriction. I have summarized the key points from this lecture below…
Can Strength Training help with weight loss?
April 16, 2008 by Kel · Leave a Comment
It all begins with cardio….need to lose weight? You need to do Cardio.
So why do Personal Trainers add Strength Training or weight sessions to your workout card if all you want to do is lose weight?
I asked my Personal Trainer and wife Liz Harper why…and as usual things got a little technical, but I eventually got the answer I was looking for.
Exercise: Where to Find Motivation
April 14, 2008 by Kel · Comments Off
Where do people find the motivation to workout week in week out?
I have to say that I really do envy the early morning walkers and joggers I see every Sunday as I drive to the radio station to do my weekly show. It’s the same fitness fanatics every weekend….man,you’ve gotta be keen to be out training at 5am?
Push ups - Correct Technique Video
April 1, 2008 by Kel · 2 Comments
What exercise sculpts sexy arms and carves out a beautiful firm chest at a great speed of knots? Push ups.
Ok, but here’s the problem….unless you’re performing these body changing exercises correctly, you’re not only setting yourself up for an injury….but you won’t get the results you desire either…which means all that sweat and hard work has gone to waste. Read more
What can I do for Chronic Pain?
March 2, 2008 by Liz Harper · 2 Comments
Question - Hi Liz, I’m just wondering if you can help me out with a question about “Chronic Pain”? I’m a 46 year old female with chronic pain in my right shoulder. I’ve tried both Physio and chiro, but nothing seems to work…Is there anything I can do myself to help? Are there any exercises or stretches?
Answer - To help answer this question I have called upon the expertise of my colleague Madeleine Edgar, Physiotherapist & Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner MAFG
Why do you Exercise?
February 28, 2008 by Liz Harper · 1 Comment
Reading in a magazine today (WomensHealth) about what drives people to exercise. It’s an interesting topic, because it’s different for everybody. In this particular case study around 1000 people were quizzed and the results were quite diverse.
- 88% of women exercised to lose weight compared to 71% of men.
- 65% exercised because they were gym junkies addicted to fitness.
- 36% exercised to attract a partner. I must admit when I was younger I fell into this category…nothing like feeling good and looking good in a pair of jeans and tight t-shirt at the bar on a Friday night.
- 4% went to the gym to find a date compared to 17% who went to the gym to make new friends.
Getting to know Your Body—One muscle at a time
February 25, 2008 by Liz Harper · 1 Comment
The Pectoralis Major muscle is your largest chest muscle. It’s origin is Your clavicle (collar bone) and Sternum (Chest bone) and its insertion point is the humerus (upper arm bone).
The Pectoralis Major is used in Horizontal Flexion, Adduction and Internal Rotation.
The exercises that work this muscle are:
- Pushups
- Bench Press or Chest Press
- Flys
- Pec Deck (exercise No-No)
Pec Deck Exercise - It’s an exercise No - No
This is a machine exercise found in most gyms. You sit in the machine placing your feet in front of you, sometimes on a foot rest that can double as a mechanism of moving the arm pads forward. The arms then are placed behind a pad on each side of your body with the arms in a right angled position with your hands usually level with your eyes.
What Happens During Stretching?
February 22, 2008 by Liz Harper · 2 Comments
When we stretch , there is a sensory organ called a muscle spindle that sends impulses to our spinal cord. If we stretch too rapidly or overstretch, the impulse will initiate a reflex contraction of the muscle that is being overstretched or stretched too rapidly –this is known as a stretch reflex. It protects the muscle from strain or tearing.
Health & Fitness Tip # 1
February 20, 2008 by Liz Harper · Leave a Comment
Little bits add up to a lot when it comes to exercise.
How many times have you decided that it was pointless exercising because you’ve only got 5 or 10 minutes spare? Well 5 - 10 minutes, 3 times a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year is equal to 120 - 180 hours per year that could’ve been spent burning calories.
Walk up some stairs for 5 or 10 minutes or use that time to walk between business meetings (if you work in the city). Or walk to the shops. Drop down for some pushups of do some squats. It all adds up… the incidentals do make a difference.
So many people fail on their exercise goals because they run out of time, or set unrealistic goals.
