Better Bodies In Training

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Medial Rotation (Internal Rotation)

The internal or medial rotation of the hip is a rotary movement around the longitudinal axis of the bone toward the center of the body; that is turning the thigh or pelvis inward. The movement is very critical to the health and stability of the lower back and pelvis. In this posting, we will look at the muscles involved; we will also look at increasing the mobility the  flexibility, the strength and relaxation of the primary muscles involved in medial/internal hip rotation..........

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While doing some research on some great ways to stretch the hip/but tmuscles, I came across this video by a physical therapist. I believe she has a practice in Santa Monica, CA. While she does not seem to be too thrilled to be on camera (see looks bored), the hip/but stretching exercise is a great one for increasing flexibility and range of motion in the Piriformis muscles and the other hip lateral rotators.

The piriformis muscle is part of the lateral rotators of the femur along with, the quadratus femoris, gemellus inferior, gemellus superior, obturator externus, and obturator internus. The piriformis laterally rotates the extended thigh and abducts the flexed thigh.

We recommended that this stretch be held for 15-30 seconds on each side. As you get better and are able to relax more, the duration of the stretch may be lengthen.

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According to the Encarta Webster’s Dictionary of the English Language 2^nd Edition, “nutrition is defined as the science of food, the science that deals with foods and their effect on health”.  My own independent study and understanding of nutrition leads me to define it as the process by which living organisms acquire all the things that are necessary for them to survive and thrive.

Nutrition deals with both diet (ingestion) and metabolism (digestion).  To help understand this concept, think of it this way. What do I eat? How much do I eat? And how often do I eat?  From a personal development standpoint,  having intelligent answers to these questions and fully understanding nutrition and how foods positively or negatively affect our health are supremely important. What we put in our bodies, in what quantity amount, in what quality, and at what frequency rate, determine not just whether we survive as a living organism, but also the quality of that survival. In other words, whether we also thrive.

It has been stated in various ways,  but simply put eating well requires making good food selection and having good eating habits. In the ACE Personal Training Manual, 3^rd edition, Jacquline R. Berning, states that eating well is not difficult in principle. All that is needed is to eat a selection of foods that supplies appropriate amounts of essential nutrients and energy (p. 115).  Making appropriate food choices should be done with an eye on eating for good health.  It is this inability or unwillingness  that leads many of use to suffer from a lack of essential nutrients.

In the pursuit of our mission of inspiring and motivating you to achieve a better you, we are always striving to provide you with the resources and tools that you can use to make better nutritional decisions.  One such resource is the very insightful and sometimes controversial book by Dr. Earl Mindell entitled “Vitamin Bible”. Originally published in 1985 and having been updated and revised 3-4 times, this book is a treasure of researched back information on nutrients as a whole with a strong emphasis on  vitamins and minerals. It also includes other aspects like on deficiencies and toxicity of vitamins, minerals and how to treat certain abnormalities, sicknesses and diseases.

Because of its wealth of information and the ease of readable of its formatting, we highly recommend this book as a resources to assist you in better understanding nutrients and nutrition and in helping you make better nutritional decisions.

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1. without weight for toning;
2. with moderate weight for body building;
3. with lots of weight for maximum strength development.

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Nutrients are life-giving and life-sustaining substances found in food. The work together to supply the body with energy. Of the six major category of nutrients, 3 are macro-nutrients or caloric nutrients (protein, carbs and fats);  that is they provide calories (energy) for the body and its bodily functions. The other three are micro-nutrients or non-caloric nutrients (vitamins, minerals and water). While they do not provide calories per se, they assist in the releasing of calories/ energy from the caloric nutrients.

Most of the clients we train and some of the people we speak with do not have a good understanding of these six nutrients. Moreover, they do not have a fundamental idea of each nutrient's primary function. Below is a brief description of the six nutrients and their major functions. This information can be found in the ACE Personal Training Manual 3rd Edition. There are six classes of nutrients:

1. Proteins:

Builds and repairs body tissue;

Is a major component of enzymes, hormones and antibodies;

2. Carbs:

Provide the main/major source of fuel for the body;

Provides dietary fibers;

3. Lipids/Fats:

Chief storage from of energy in the body;

Insulates and protects vital organs;

Assist in the metabolism of fat-soluble vitamins;

4. Vitamins:

Help promote and regulate various chemical reactions and body processes;

Does not provide energy, but participates in releasing energy from foods;

5. Minerals:

Enable enzymes to function;

Constitutes a component of hormones;

Is a part of bone and nerve impulses;

6: Water:

Enables chemical reactions to occur:

Aids in the metabolism of water-soluble vitamins:

It is believed that the average American does not get the recommended daily amount of these six nutrients. The best source for these nutrients can be found in natural foods, the less processed and the less chemically grown the better. However, this is a topic for a later discussion. The key is to ensure that you have a working understand of the nutrients, their major functions and which ones provide energy and which ones aids in the releasing of energy for the body's use.Our discussion next week will be about the proper amounts of each nutrient. Until then, we wish you well in your quest to achieve a better you in 2010!

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One of the most overlooked methods of training for individuals seeking to get back into shape or just beginning a fitness program is Circuit Training.  In it simplest understanding, circuit training is a combination of resistance training and aerobic exercises designed to be easy to follow and target fat loss, muscle building and heart-lung fitness. Typically it may include 3-4 resistance exercises and 1 aerobic exercise conducted in a sequential fashion; that is, one after the other, with little to no rest in between each exercise. Typically the duration of each exercise ranges from 30-60 minutes.

A good circuit will train the entire body; for example:

1. Push ups (chest and shoulder);
2. Front lunges (legs);
3. Bent over rows (lats);
4. Sit ups ( frontal core);
5. Good mornings (lower back);
6. Jumping jack (cardio).

A special note, for those looking for maximum strength or maximum muscle size, circuit training is not the best work-out methodology. Other methods that emphasize load and intensity variations with maximum effort and more rest between sets should be explored.

The above video, sourced from YouTube, gives some good examples of circuit training sets. As with any exercise, be sure that you train at a level that is appropriate for your current fitness level and be sure that you modify any exercise to accommodate any limitation you might have.

If you would like more information about specific circuit training sets, or if you would like to participate in either our bootcamps or 1-on-1 personal training sessions, feel free to contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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Muscle Soreness

If you are just beginning to workout, or if you have been working out for some time, it is natural  for your muscles to feel sore from time to time.  This has to do with the fact that any moderate to heavy training pushes the body to train above a level it is not used to; consequently, the after-effect is muscle soreness.

There are two basic types of exercise-related muscles soreness ( ACE Personal Trainer Manual 3^rd Edition). The first type is felt immediately after exercising. The first type is generally referred to as immediate muscle soreness. According to exercise physiology, this immediate soreness is a result of lactic acid build up in the muscles.

The other type of soreness persists for 1-3 days following exercise.  This type of soreness is referred to as latent muscle soreness.  Latent muscle soreness is not noticeable immediately after exercise, but instead appears 1-3 days following an exercise session. Generally, this delayed soreness is the result of very small muscle tears in the connective fibers, which generally occur during intense training.

There are many remedies for treating both types of soreness; these would include:

1. Warming up for about 5 -10 minutes, or until you feel a light perspiration before the core part of your workout;
2. Doing static passive stretching after workout;
3. Sitting in a hot tub or Jacuzzi;
4. Getting a therapeutic massage;
5. If soreness is slightly painful, a few days of rest followed by light walking to aid circulation will help.

Muscle soreness is a sign that your workout is effective; that is, that you are developing a healthier, stronger body. Be mindful however, that soreness is much different than pain. If you are experiencing any pain, then you should stop working our immediately, rest and/or seek medical or professional assistance to help diagnosis and treat the pain.

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Success Stories, these are stories of people, some average, some not so average, who despite the obstacles, despite the challenges, despite the odds, succeeded in achieving some worthy goal.  For many people struggling to maintain the courage, the strength and the motivation to continue the pursuit of their goals, the success stories of others can serve as that powerful source of motivation that is needed to continue on.The process of weight loss and fitness is such that many who begin, or have yet to begin, can benefit tremendously from the stories of others who were in similar situations, and who ultimately stuck with it and achieved the seemingly impossible.

While browsing the Internet today, I came across a few such success stories posted at http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/10/29/obesity.ireport/index.html . In this article, there are about 5-6 average individuals who struggled with weight,  food, and exercising.  Sometimes this battled lasted for 30 plus years; however, these same individuals somehow, somewhere, found the inspiration to make a transformational change towards a better, healthier life. What is truly remarkable is that they persisted despite the situations,  circumstances, conditions or negative people that they confronted along the way.

To all those who are thinking about starting this journey or who are already traveling it, I strongly recommend that you read these powerfully moving stories. Afterwards, I do hope that you find the strength, the courage and the determination to live a much healthier life in 2010.

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Planks are great exercises for strengthen and stabilizing the entire core area. While it primarily and directly works the frontal core (abdominal), it also works the lower back, glutes, obliques and hip flexors very effectively.

As the video shows, there are many variations of the frontal plank exercise: 4 point plank (where all both feet and both arms are in contact with the ground); 3 point plank; and the more advanced 2 point plank.  When doing any variation, keep these points in mind:

• 1. keep the spine in alignment and parallel to the ground;
• 2. keep the head erect by looking forward, this helsp to reduce spinal curvature;
• 3. breathe deeply and easily, do not hold your breathe;
• 4. do not let the hips dip toward the ground nor elevate in the air;
• 5. hold it between 30-60 seconds, risk straining to maintain the position.

We always recommended that when working the core that all sides of the core be worked during the same workout to prevent muscular imbalances developing and to give the core a great symmetrical look.

If you have any questions about this or any other aspect of health, weight management, fitness and nutrition, contact us directly at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .