Restored Fitness

It’s good to see mainstream magazines finally picking up on this thought process.  Your traditional static stretching isn’t really doing what you think it’s doing.   If you’re stretching because you have tight muscles, you’re addressing a symptom.  Let’s flip it and start addressing the weak muscles which are usually the root cause of your symptoms.   For more info on imbalances and asymmetries you might be having and how to properly address them check out Muscle Activation Techniques.

http://www.menshealth.com/fitness/stretching-exercises

Just a little MAT plug and some helpful info for those running into barriers with their exercise routines.

http://www.fitcommerce.com/Blueprint/If–You-ve-slipped-up-on-your-January-Resolution-to-Exercise-More—Here-are-Some-Ideas-for-a-Mid-Course-Correction_page.aspx?pageId=276&announcementId=1341&portalId=2&cid=631

A great article from Men’s Health that will make you think twice about sitting at your desk for extended periods of time. 

http://www.menshealth.com/men/health/other-diseases-ailments/staying-active/article/b0d9ab07b5cd9210vgnvcm10000030281eac

Have some tension in your back and shoulders…Try Muscle Activation Techniques.  Those tight muscles might be due to weak surrounding ones.  Instead of trying to address the symptom, go to the cause!

Has anyone been diagnosed with tendonitis–which sometimes manifests as that nagging shoulder or elbow pain that just doesn’t seem to go away?  Have you ever wondered what’s really going on?  We often don’t think about how muscles help stabilize our joints.  In fact, muscles not working properly may cause tendonitis.  Muscular imbalances may lead to abnormal joint wear and tear, resulting in pain and potential injuries.  Next time your shoulder or elbow begins to hurt, don’t just ice it down–get to the root of the problem.  Muscle Activation Techniques can help with this.  It helps identify and correct muscular imbalances that may lead to sore joints.

A couple of weeks ago, I was a vendor at the GW Classic 10 miler in Old Town Alexandria.  We had a really great turnout and I  talked to a bunch of runners about Muscle Activation Techniques™ .  After conducting range of motion evaluations  and performing muscle testing, it was amazing to see how quickly the runners responded to MAT.  Check out the photos from the race–hope to see you next year.

This Sunday, Restored Fitness will be sponsoring the 25^th annual GW Parkway Classic in Old Town Alexandria. I will be providing complimentary on-site demonstrations using Muscle Activation Techniques™ and offering post race treats. If you’re looking to become stronger and more efficient during your training and improve your athletic performance, be sure to stop by to learn more about MAT.

Restored Fitness is also sponsoring the Junior League of Northern Virginia’s Stride for Success 5K Run and Children’s 1K Fun Run/Walk this Sunday in Fairfax, Va.

It looks like there will be good running weather this weekend—good luck to all you racers!

As far as I can remember, athletic coaches, gym teachers and my parents have always told me to stretch. I was very active growing up, playing basketball, soccer, baseball and swimming so I just thought this was the right thing to do.

Now that I work in the fitness industry and have taken classes addressing these questions (Muscle Activation Techniques™ (MAT) and Resistance Training Specialist), I have reconsidered my position on stretching. In The New York Times article, Stretching: The Truth, the author takes a look at stretching and proper warm-up techniques. Below is an excerpt from the article:

“You may feel as if you’re able to stretch farther after holding a stretch for 30 seconds,” stated Malachy McHugh, the director of research at the Nicholas Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. “So you think you’ve increased that muscle’s readiness.” However, typically you’ve increased only your mental tolerance for the discomfort of the stretch. The muscle is actually weaker.

I’ve experimented with this in my office using MAT and the results are quite surprising.

For warming up, I recommend simulating the activity you’re about to do. For example, on the treadmill, start with a walk, move into a medium paced walk, a fast walk, a slow jog, medium jog, fast jog, slow run, medium run and finally a fast run.

With weights, I see a lot of folks stretch their chest muscles before bench pressing. They put their arm up against the wall. Although many people think stretching will relax their muscle and increase range of motion, it doesn’t make sense to relax the muscle right before contracting it. Next time you are bench pressing, try beginning with a light weight and gradually getting heavier.

Another thing to remember: jogging for 10 minutes doesn’t prepare you for the bench press; it prepares you to jog for another 10 minutes. Remember to simulate the activity you’re about to do.

Seriously people: no pain no gain? After a quick Wikipedia search, I learned we can thank Jane Fonda and her exercise videos for that phrase. Even though it should be as outdated as the big hair and spandex of the 1980s, I still hear this phrase at least once per week. Simply put, pain indicates dysfunction—your muscles aren’t working right.

I hear so many people say they just “work through the pain.” If you’re running and begin to experience knee pain after the first few minutes, do you stop? Or, do you just work through it, and figure it will go away?

Even if your knee stops hurting, does the problem really go away? In a word: no.

You may think you can alleviate knee pain by adjusting your stride, but it’s likely that your body just compensates for the muscular instability causing the discomfort. The human body is incredibly smart, and will do whatever it takes to get from point A to B. So, other muscles that are firing properly will pick up the slack for those that aren’t working as well.

Let’s say, for example, you use 20 muscles to run on the treadmill (which really isn’t even close). Don’t you want all 20 muscles working properly? I sure would. Could you run with only 15 muscles firing? Sure, but you might have a little hitch in your giddy up. 10 muscles? You could give it a try. Five? You might be safer staying home on the couch.

Have you experienced pain while running—such as plantar fasciitis, low- back pain or knee pain—and wondered what was really going on? Shoot me an e-mail and maybe I can offer up some thoughts.

Remember, the best way to prevent pain and injury while exercising is to make sure your muscles work properly.

After graduating from James Madison University with a Computer Information Systems degree and two jobs in software sales, I knew the cube farm was not for me. I needed a career change. Caity Davis, my sister and co-owner of FitOne, suggested I try personal training part time to see if it might be a good fit. Since joining her team, I’ve enjoyed working with clients to achieve their health and fitness goals. Like poker, I went all in—and never looked back.

Since becoming a certified personal trainer in 2003, I’ve watched many of my clients experience pain—before, during and/or after working out. Although I knew many people deal with achy shoulders or sore backs, I began to contemplate the most safe, effective ways to train these folks. For those with bum shoulders, was I just supposed to avoid overhead presses? Altering workouts to avoid pain seemed simplistic and more like a short-term solution.

Just as I began to seriously grapple with these questions, my friend enrolled in a Muscle Activation Techniques™ (MAT) internship and raved about it. After explaining MAT and taking me through a hands-on demonstration, I was hooked and enrolled in the internship. After just one class, I saw how valuable MAT would be for my clients both inside and outside of the gym. It was just the tool I needed to help them maximize their training sessions and everyday lives.

After several years of practicing MAT, I’ve opened Restored Fitness LLC to continue helping clients prepare their bodies for exercise and a healthy life. I’m looking forward to beginning a dialogue with you on health and fitness. Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments you may have—and welcome to my blog!