Overdoing it?

not getting the results that you have been working hard for?

chances are that you might be overdoing it...if the body does not get adequate recovery time then it will not grow and become stronger. it will in stead be in a constant state of fatigue. if you are also lethargic, tired or depressed, then you should consider a break from training for a week or so to let your body recover completely.

if you're worried that this will be detrimental to your training, look no further than professional body builders, who take regular breaks every few months to allow their bodies proper rest. when the body is resting, it has a chance to regenerate mucle and connective tissue cells...have a break every few months, and have at least one or two days every week were you only do light intensity training.

this will leave you feeling energized and healthy, and best of all, a lot stronger than you were previously!

Chronic Compartment syndrome

Normally a throbbing pain in the lower extremeties, felt after a few minutes continuous exercise and causing the sufferer to stop exercise. The lower leg is divided into four compartments; anterior compartment, deep posterior compartment, superficial posterior compartment and the lateral compartment.

If the amount of blood entering the compartment exceeds the amount being transported away, then compertment syndrome occurs. It is merely a build up of pressure inside one of the compartments, due to a collapse in the blood vessels that take blood away from the muscles and back to the heart.

If you are suffering from this, see a myotherapist to have it treated asap, as it will continue to interupt your training.

Did you know...?

That plyometric training can help improve your vertical leap? Plyometrics is where the muscle is placed under load whilst stretching out, then contracts rapidly to perform a fast and powerful movement. A common exercise of this type is skipping. Plyometric or jumping lunges are also a great exercise for improving the response of your leg muscles.

Exercise of the week: isometric squat against wall

Awesome for toning the thighs and creating definition, the isometric squat against a wall is a very good exercise. The quadriceps and gluteus muscles have to contract to hold your body weight in a seated position with nothing other than a wall to lean on. This means that these muscles are placed under a lot of tension, burning a lot of calories and toning up at the same time. Leaning against a wall, slide down until you are in a squat position. Make sure your whole back is against the wall and that both your knees and your hips are bent to 90' to each other. It is as though you are about to take a seat, except obviously no chair to rest on! Give this exercise a go even though it is hard...the rewards of great toned thighs are well worth the effort!!

Tennis elbow

Tennis elbow (or lateral epicondylitis as it is technically known), is a chronic condition that can take from months to years to resolve fully, and is not necesarily limited to tennis players. If you are a carpenter, builder or any other job where you use a lot of repititious movements, and have a dull achy pain in/around your elbow, the chances are you may have lateral epicondylitis.

Lateral epicondylitis is a condition whereby the tendon that attaches your wrist muscles to the bone in your elbow becomes inflammed and irritated due to overuse. This happens at the attachment sight of the tendon onto the humerous. The bone has an outer layer called the periosteum (the periosteum is to the bone what the skin is to our body) which becomes inflammed as the muscle pulls excessively on it.

Myotherapy treatment is great for this condition and can drastically aid in the body's natural healing process, reducing recovery time. Eccentric (negative) exercises can be beneficial in the regeneration of the tendon, as can stretching out of the muscles. Consult your myotherapist for treatment and strategies to improve your chances at recovery.

Benefits of eccentric (negative) training

The eccentric part of an exercise is the part when the muscle is lengthening while under tension (contracting). The benefits of this are twofold:

1. much better for muscle hypertrophy, and
2. improves tendon strength and helps injured tendons to heal.

During the eccentric part of the exercise, the muscle is trying to contract at the same time as it is lengthening...this causes more significant muscle tearing, hence bigger muscles as the muscles rebuild and adapt to the excessive stress placed upon them.

There has also been significant research to suggest that negative reps will help with tendon strength and also with repair of injured tendons. If you have an achilles tendinopathy, tennis elbow or any other chronic or acute injuries that involve the tendon attaching muscle to bone, you should definately explore the possibilty of doing eccentric work ie. heel drops for achilles etc.

Great ab exercises; V-snaps

• V-snaps; lie on your back with your arms stretched out above your head. Squeeze your abs together to lift your legs and torso off the ground simultaneously, so that from side on your body makes a V shape. Slap your hands on the ground when your body and legs are in the air (making the V shape), then return to the starting point. Alternatively, you can reach for your toes in stead of slapping the ground with your hands, if this is too hard.

10 Benefits of Strength Training (weights)

Benefits include:

1. Protects against bone diseases-arthritis, osteoporosis-by increasing bone mineral density
   
2. Decreases blood pressure
   
3. Decreases your risk of type II diabetes
   
4. Increases your metabolism
   
5. Increases your energy levels
   
6. Increase power and sporting performance
   
7. Increase functional strength
   
8. Increase joint strength and stability
   
9. Improve posture
   
10. Decreased risk of degenerative joint disease

Lymphatic and Immune System

The immune system has a large array of tools at its disposal in the fight against infection and disease. The skin is the first mechanical defence against foreign substances such as bacteria, radiation and harmful chemicals. The tear glands in your eyes contain antibacterial enzymes, and the saliva which is produced in your mouth contains antibacterial agents as well; both serving to catch and destroy foriegn particles. To protect against airborn assaults, nostril hair, mucus and cilia in the lining of the nose and airways catch and dispose of dust, microrganisms and debris. Further into the body, in the digestive system, very strong acids, enzymes and juices are produced in the stomach and intestines that attack any foreign invaders that have managed to slip past the body's outer defences.

However, this only accounts for the systems protecting and fighting against infection/disease from the outside. What about the ones fighting against infection, cancer cells and allergies that have already invaded the body?

This is where the lymphatic system is integral. Once the white blood cells (formed in bone marrow) have fought and destroyed the invading microbes (whether it be infection, an allegic reaction etc.), it's the lymphatic glands and ducts that transport the toxic waste and by products out of the body (kind of like a sewerage system in a house). Lymphatic glands are concentrated behind the ears, in the arm pits, down along the spine and in the groin area. The amazing thing is that, unlike the blood being pumped by the heart, the lymphatic fluid relies on muscle contraction and gravity to propell it through the body. Obviously this creates some problems: especailly in sedentary individuals!

This fluid carrying toxic waste out of the body can and will stay stagnant in the body unless, either by the muscles around it or gravity carrying it, it finds its way to the subclavian veins and from there is transported to the urinary system, and subsequently is ejected from the body in the form of urine or feces. This is one of the reasons why sedentary people are more likely to get sick-they do not move enough so their muscles dont compress on the lymph nodes-therefore this toxic fluid stays around and is not passed from the body!

I have heard of a study where they found that orchastra conductors as a profession had the lowest percentage of breast cancer cases compared to any other job! They explained that because a conductor is always waving their arms above their head, muscle contraction and gravity combined effectively flushed the arms and chest of any toxicity-hence the lower case of cancer.

Something to think about when you're next reaching for the corn chips whilst watching TV on the couch...

Systems of the body

The different systems of the body, broken down...I'll expand on these individually soon

Skeletal-bones
Muscular-muscles
Cardio Vascular-heart and blood vessles
Respiratory-lungs and airways
Urinary-bladder etc
Reproductive-sex organs
Endocrine-hormone systems
Nervous-nerves, brain, spinal cord
Lymphatic (immune)-drainage of waste products out of the body
Digestive-food
Integumentary-skin, nails, hair

Exercise of the week: bent over rows

Great for targeting the rhomboids, lats and rear deltoids, this is an excellent exercise for building up/toning the back muscles, whilst also helping your posture. A lot of the activities we do in day to day life is with our hands in front of us ie. pushing shopping trolley, driving etc. This can lead to very strong, over active chest muscles (pec major). Hence people who walk around with shoulders slumped forward in a slight hump back of notra damus look. Targeting the back muscles will counteract this, balancing the body: bent over row-see above.

With a barbell, bent over 45' at hips, keeping back in natural curves, bring weight up to your navel whilst squeezing your shoulder blades together tight. Engage your core the whole time.

Some tips for healthy eating...

Struggling to keep your eating habits under control? Try these helpful tips.

• Start with a good breakfast; this will kick start your metabolism


• Eat more meals per day but cut back on the amount of food at each meal (say 6 smaller meals in stead of 3 larger ones), as this will keep your metabolism working for longer


• Drinking 1-2 L of water each day will also help. A good way to do this is have a jug of water on the bench/at work and fill up a glass each time you walk past


• Don't skip meals-starving yourself will not help


• Try to make your own lunch at home to take to work as much as possible: take a shopping list to supermarket and buy all necessary ingreadients there, make lunch the night before


• Cut back on soft drinks, or anything else full of sugar


• Stay away from processed foods and high GI snacks-the more natural the food, the better

And remember, a balanced diet that you can actually stick to is a much better option to fad diets!!

Lower back pain

One of the causes of lower back pain is weak core muscles. The lumbar spine in supported by the core muscles around it, consisting of the abdominal muscles, lower back muscles and pelvic floor muscles. These muscles stabilise and support: therefore if they are not functioning properly there is a high chance of lower back pain, especially in runners. If you dont have a disc bulge but have chronic lower back pain, the chances are you have a weak core which needs strengthening. Strengthening your core can alleviate symptoms and help to prevent any forther damage to your lower back. Another cause is hypertonicity (tightness) of the hamstring muscle group and the hip flexors (front of the hip), so stretching them on a regular basis can be beneficial.