Archive for the ‘Training and Exercise’ Category
Posted by terrepruitt on December 1, 2011
Wet, slimy, noisy, some say even tasty. No, I am not talking about frogs the amphibians. There is an exercise I learned in PilatesI know as Frogs. I can’t think of a move we do in Nia that is comparable. You lie on your back with your legs in the air. Your heels touch, toes out, feet flexed like in first position, your thighs are squeezing. Then you bend your knees, then straighten them as if you are jumping like a frog. This can be a somewhat big bend or a little pulse-type movement. Concentrate on keeping the heels together, your feet flexed, and your thigh muscles tight. Make sure you squeeze really tight when your legs are straight. This is one of those exercises where bigger is not necessarily better. The little pulses really compel you to squeeze your legs.
You can add another element to the exercise if you would like, by lowering your legs to any degree. Another way to adjust this exercise besides lowering your legs is by making it more challenging by adding resistance tubing or a resistance band. You would hold the resistance band in both hands and secure the band around your heels/feet then do the same frog leg jumping motion.
This exercise is a great workout for the legs. With your feet flexed and heels touching you might sense your gastrocnemius and soleus, the muscles of the calves. You will probably sense the stretch. The lower leg muscles that are on the front of your legs are the ones you will probably sense most. These are the ones really working to keep your foot flexed. The anterior tibial is the main muscle used in dorsiflexion, which is flexing your foot towards your shin. Another muscles used in dorsiflexion is the extensor hallucis longus. So these muscles will get a great workout.
Really pushing through your heels and straightening your legs stretches the calves as well as the hamstrings. People with tight hamstrings might have to practice a bit in order to get their legs straight. Even though it is not the hamstrings that straighten the leg, when they are tight, the legs cannot always straighten. The hamstrings are the muscles that will work to bend the knee.
Now the main muscles that you will sense in this exercise are the quadriceps. These large muscles in your upper leg will be the ones that are helping you to keep your legs together. While you are doing this exercise you really want to concentrate on keeping your thighs together. squeeze them together. This squeezing is ONE of the ways this exercise works the thighs. It also works the thighs when you straighten the legs. The quadriceps are the ones that will also straighten the leg.
Since you are going to be flexing the knees and hips and rotating the thigh outward you are going to be working the sartorius. This muscle starts at the outside of the hip and crosses over the thigh bone and inserts in at the inner part of the tibia, the bone below the knee. This muscles crosses over two joints.
If you are really squeezing your legs this will also work your glutes. This exercise can even allow the abs to get in on the fun.
This is a great lower body exercise. It allows for so many muscles to be worked. As with many exercises it can be done a variety of ways to increase the challenge. So did you get down on the floor and try it in the middle of reading this? I am sure that your co-workers would understand. 
Posted in Training and Exercise | Tagged: amphibians, calves, exercies, first position, glutes, great exercise, Hamstrings, Nia, Nia Moves, Nia workout, Pilates, Quadriceps, slimy frogs, workout | 10 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on October 27, 2011
How do you relax? Or de-stress? There are a lot of different things to do. There is probably almost as many things to do as there are people who can do them. There is eating. Some people use food to release stress and tension. They might eat comfort foods or just eat to eat. There is drinking. Some people drink to “calm their nerves” and relax. Both eating and drinking can be abused and used in this way to excess. There is also meditation. Some people might find some sort of relief in a form of meditation. There are many different ways to meditate. At a basic level it is just a silencing of the mind to help calm the mind. In many practices the person meditating can consciously affect the body after much practice, but others just affect the body through the act of slowing down and being calm. Meditation can take the form of drumming, chanting, sitting, moving in a particular pattern . . . there are many forms. There is also exercise to release stress and relax, either resistance training or aerobic exercise.
Exercise is a great way to relieve stress. Exercise has physical effects that in turn help the body clam down. Aerobic exercise produces endorphins. Endorphins help to relieve pain. Endorphins are also contributed with bringing on a state of euphoria. The state produced by aerobic exercise can help relieve depression. These little protein molecules release stress. Exercise can relieve muscle tension through the simple act of contraction and release.
In addition to releasing endorphins exercise helps slow the production of stress hormones, like corticotrophin, cortisol, and catecholamines. Stress hormones a can raise blood pressure and increase both heart rate and respiratory rate.
By the simple act of doing the exercise you are freeing up the brain from any problem you might have been concentrating on. Having to think about the exercise you are doing is a great way to help get your mind off of anything that might be causing you stress. So in that way alone exercise is a great way to relieve stress. In addition to allowing you to get your mind off any issues that might be bothering you, exercise can also help you work off any frustration. Negative emotions and frustrations can begin to melt away.
Blood pressure is lowered through exercise. This has a very large effect on stress in the body. If the body is functioning better the stress on the body itself is less. Some people get headaches when they blood pressure is high. It is difficult to relax when you have a headache. Lower blood pressure can help in keeping the body calm.
Stress reduction is very important in this busy life that we lead. There is so much to do and so much going on people need something to allow for just being. They need time and space to allow for relaxing and de-stressing.
Nia is one of the unique exercises (like Yoga) because it is an aerobic exercise and it can be a bit of a meditation. It is a great way to relieve stress and relax. I couldn’t post about relaxing and aerobic exercise without mentioning Nia. :-)
How do you relax? Do you light candles and devour a cheesecake? Do you fill the tub and drink a glass of wine? Do you sit out in nature and enjoy the view? Do you meditate? Do you put on your exercise clothes and workout or go running? I am curious to learn of what you do. There are so many things and ways to relax and reduce stress, I would like to know what you do.
Posted in Training and Exercise | Tagged: aerobic exercise, endorphins, lower blood pressure, meditation, Nia, relax, stress hormones, stress reduction, tension, Yoga | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 30, 2011
So you have a list of ten exercises you can do ten times in ten minutes. You might be able to do the whole thing more than once. If not, you will be able to if you keep at it. Try doing the workout for ten days and see what happens. Also, there will be days that you can do it twice and then the next day maybe not. That is always ok. Everyday our bodies are different. If you do it you WILL see improvement. When an exercise gets to easy, try it fast or with more weight, or do more reps. The ten of ten in ten is really just to get you motivated to do more, help keep you exercising when you are really pressed for time, or add to something you are already doing. Yes, I have said these things at LEAST twice before, but I want people to understand I do not believe this is an all-emcompassing-this-is-all-I-have-to-do-for-the-rest-of-my-life-kind-of-workout. But the ten minute workout can work for everyone.
There are many modifications and variations that can be done with these exercises. Some modifications I have presented already in my Without a ball, a band, and a BOSU post. Here are some more.
(#1) Lunges – You can do walking lunges. Instead of bringing the leg you stepped out with back to “center”, bring your other leg out in a step. Keep going.
(#2) Bicep curls – You can do the curls at the same time you walk. Try it. You might be surprised at the different sensation you have. The walking adds an entirely different element.
(#3) Squats – You can try these with weights in both hands. If you have the band and the BOSU as with the original “gym” design use that. Since you are already going to stand on the band on the BOSU, use the band while you do the squats.
(#4) Triceps kick backs – Standing on the ground with weights and just doing one arm at a time. If you can get through the workout twice then you can do ten one round and then ten the next. If you can’t do five then switch. Or you could always do ten and ten. Whatever works for YOU. Remember, this is YOUR workout. You have your own goals to accomplish.
(#5) Hamstring curls – Do one leg at a time.
(#6) Sit-ups – Do them on the rounded side of the BOSU or the stability ball.
(#7) Triceps extensions – Use the band or heavier weights
(#8) Push up – Put your feet on the BOSU and push up from the ground.
(#9) Bent over lateral raise – Cross the band holding the left end in your right hand and the right end in your left hand.
(#10) Stability ball pass – When your legs come up with the ball grab it and before rolling back downput it past your legs on one side then the other (or alternate on each pass), then roll down. Then when you come back up before you “give your legs the ball” put it past one side or both, then give the ball to your legs and roll down.
These modifications and variations aren’t necessarily more difficult or easier. They could be different for each and every one of you. The level of difficulty could be exactly the same but it is just something different to do. Or one day it could be easy and the next maybe not. I just know that for me, when I have more than ten minutes after doing my ten minutes I am ready to do more.
What about you? How does doing ten minutes of exercise make you feel?
Posted in Ten Minute Workout (Posts) | Tagged: bicep curls, hamstrings curls, lunges, push up bent over lateral raise, sit ups, squats, stability ball pass, ten minute exercise, ten minute workout, ten minutes of working out, triceps, triceps kick back | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 28, 2011
If you are going to embark on doing the Ten Minute Workout, you can do it without a ball, a band, and/or a BOSU. You definitely don’t need those things. I would think if you were planning on exercising at home you would have at least one set of dumbbells. The issue might be that your dumbbells are too light. Since I do not know your fitness level or your goals, please keep in mind that I am speaking in general and that YOU are responsible for your health and well-being. With your goals established you need to use the proper weight. The following information is to give you ideas on how to do things differently than originally proposed in the Ten Minute Workout, but you are responsible for doing things safely. If you have questions on what to do to help you reach your goals let me know. Listed are the exercises of the ten that required either a stability ball, a resistance band, and/or a BOSU.
Keep in mind it all depends on what you want the results to be.
(#3) – Squats: You can do squats standing on the ground. The BOSU added the extra element of having to balance. If you don’t have a BOSU and you still want to work on balance while you do squats, you could try doing them on an inflatable pool float. Be careful! But you will notice that standing on something with air in it makes you have to balance more than just standing on the ground. If you think about it that is what a BOSU is. It is just plastic filled with air. If you don’t have something inflatable you can stand on, you can still get a little balance work in by holding something somewhat heavy in one hand. Or even try a bottle of water and let the water slosh around. Do five, then switch hands. Or you could just close your eyes. You would be amazed at how much that throws off people’s balance.
(#4) – Triceps kickbacks: For this you don’t want the weight to be too heavy. You should be able to complete the ten, but not necessarily too fast or easy. And don’t have the weight be too heavy that you have to swing it to get the movement done.
(#5) – Hamstring curls: With this you can either lay on your stomach and put a weight between your feet/ankles and pull your feet back to your butt. Down to the ground and back to your butt. Or you can stand and “Kick” your butt, one leg at a time. (Yeah, the same move we used to do in Jazzercise.)
(#8) – Push ups: Use the ground instead of the BOSU. Or something higher (STABLE coffee table, stair, whatever works and can be incorporated into your “gym”) than the ground if you prefer
(#9) – Bent over lateral raises: I actually like these better with a dumbbell. Remember that the details about your shoulders still apply. Hold a weight in each hand, bent over slightly and with a straight back, and open and close your arms. This weight will probably need to be less than the one you are using for your biceps curls. But again, it depends on YOU and your goals. That is not a definitive statement, just a general one.
(#10) – Stability ball pass: Well, without the ball it is really just a V Sit-up. Lay down raise your legs while rising up with shoulders and arms to meet your legs. You body forms a V. Arms over your head while you lower upper body and legs to the ground. If you don’t have a stability ball you would always try using a different ball, but that is up to you. Either way it is a V sit-up.
Does that help? Remember the basic form of the exercise still applies; straight back, only forearms moving, etc. or whatever applied to the original exercise. I am not aware of what equipment you have but there is always something to do without any equipment at all. Even without dumbbells. Body weight exercise are great. If you have any questions let me know. ALSO, please feel free to SHARE what you do use or what you workout with.
Posted in Ten Minute Workout (Posts) | Tagged: 10 minute exercise, 10 minute workout, BOSU, crunch. weights, dumbbell, exercise ball, exercise band, hamstring, hamstring curls, Jazzercise, resistance, resistance band, sit ups, Sit-up, specificity, stability ball sit up, ten exercises in 10 minutes, ten minute workout, ten reps, ten/ten/ten, tricep, triceps, Triceps kick backs, twenty exercises in ten minutes, workout for 10 minutes | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 25, 2011
This is number 10 in the Ten Minute Workout or number one if you are doing the set from number 10 to number 1. The Stability Ball Pass is basically a sit up, but you are adding your legs into the mix. So it is a V sit up. You move your body to form a V.
Lie down on your back holding the ball between your lower legs more toward your ankles and feet, raise your legs with the ball still between them, at the same time bring your head, shoulders, upper chest and arms up to meet your legs with the ball. Grab the ball and lower your upper body back down to the ground as your legs go down too. While you are lowering your upper body down you are still holding the ball in your hands, your arms go over your head so the ball lands on the floor. In this ten minute workout that is designed to be “one”. Then lifting upper body while holding the ball to meet you legs, giving the ball to your legs and laying down again is two. When you get comfortable and feel ready you can always call this whole thing “one” and do ten that way.
The ball and bringing you legs up might distract you from your upper body, but don’t let it. Think of doing a regular sit up so your upper body is doing the correct movement, then add the legs with the goal of grabbing the ball.
As with all exercises squeezing all your muscles will help them work to their full potential. If you want when you exchange the ball from legs to hands or hands to legs hold it for a moment with an extra squeeze.
So . . . does this make sense? You got it?
Ok . . . .now you have details of all ten exercises. What questions do you have? Do you want some explanation on how to do any of these with alternate equipment? Or with no equipment? Have you been doing the exercises? Have you had any revelations or challenges? Let me know.
Thank you.
Posted in Ten Minute Workout (Posts) | Tagged: exercise, exercise ball, exercise program, regular sit up, sit ups, Sit-up, stability ball sit up, ten exercises in 10 minutes, ten minute workout, V sit up | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 23, 2011
For the Ten Minute Workout we are doing the bent over lateral raise on the BOSU with a resistance band. Because we are doing a timed workout, I feel it works best to have the band already on the BOSU. If you are doing the workout from 1 to 10 as originally written then this exercise is after the push up. (I have actually done it from number 10 to 1 a few times. Just depends on how I feel.)
Stand on the BOSU on the resistance band with your feet about shoulder distance apart. Grasp each end of the resistance band in each hand with an overhand grip. Sink down, as if you are going to sit in a chair, bend over slightly. You end up with your butt sticking out, but keep your back straight and shoulders down. It is a somewhat like a high crouch. Bring the band in front of you a bit, you might have to adjust your grip on the band as in grabbing handfuls. I like to keep the band taunt so I have resistance all the way through the exercise. Open your arms, then bring them back in front of you. Elbows are slightly bent throughout the move.
With the first opening of your arms squeeze your shoulder blades together (still keeping them down), then keep them together as you move your arms to the front. Keep your shoulder blades together through all 10 repetitions. Keeping your shoulder blades together will allow you to keep the muscles engaged.
One way to help with keeping your shoulder blades together is to practice with someone touching your back between your shoulder blades. Or imagine you are holding a piece of paper in between your shoulder blades. To familiarize yourself with the sensation of your shoulder blades being together it helps to practice. That way when you are doing an exercise that gets better results with your shoulder blades together you will know when you are doing achieving that and when you are not. This is one way to connect the mind and the body while working with resistance. For me, I cannot just get on the BOSU and grab the band and do this correctly automatically. I can get on the BOSU and move the band with my arms open and closing, but in order to really work it, I have to concentrate on my shoulder blades.
What do you have to add?
Posted in Ten Minute Workout (Posts) | Tagged: bent over lateral raise, BOSU, mind body, push up, resistance band, ten minute workout, timed workout | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 21, 2011
Would you believe me if I told we do push ups in Nia? Ha! We do a lot of exercises in Nia, but we do them to music. We are dancing and flowing from one move to the next. We allow for the individual to do them their own way. People might not even realize they are doing a push up, just like the sit ups they are disguised. It is not a disguise of deception, not at all. It is that we are in the moment and it is truly a dance so one just doesn’t realize it is a push up. Sometimes it is a military push up, but sometimes not. Sometimes it is from the knees, or sitting down or even standing and using a wall. But there is pushing involved and the upper body is utilized.
For this Ten Minute Workout we are using the BOSU. The round side is on the ground. So we are using the flat side to hold onto. Push ups have never been my favorite exercise to do because I have never been really good at the military ones. But I could do them, but now I am sticking to the on-the-knees version to stay off my toe. You do with your legs what is comfortable. Even though my execution of a push up can be improved upon I love the push up because it is a multi muscle working exercise.
In this workout we have just gone from sit up (on the ground), to overhead triceps extensions (on our knees), and now we are doing the push ups. I think having done the triceps extensions on the ground is one way to help you make it through the 10 exercises in the 10 minutes.
With the round side of the BOSU on the ground, I grip the edges of it. Mine has “handles” and I use them. I stay on my knees and use my arms to push me up and allow me to come down. Even on your knees there are different ways to do it. You can keep your legs down, using your shins and the top of your feet for additional stability or your can lift your shins and feet off the ground. Remember no matter how you choose to do the exercise you are not stuck doing it that way for the entire 10 or the second pass through. So experiment. Listen to your body and decide what works best for you at that moment. Remember your goals and adjust your movements to help you to achieve them.
Only go as low to the BOSU as you can and still be able to push back up. Using the BOSU requires you to use equal strength in each arm because you have to work to keep the BOSU level.
One of the key things to do to get the most out of a push up is to keep the body straight and move the entire body down and entire body up. Even if you just go down a little, the straight body is working arms and core. If you just let your upper body down and push it up you are missing out on the exciting portion of a push up. It works soooo many more muscles if you engage your torso and have it move with your arms.
You see what I am saying? (As I am typing this I imagined you getting on the floor and trying it. I am sure you sense the difference. Even if you don’t go down that far.)
As I share with my students in Nia class all the time, there are technical ways to do an exercise or a movement, but not everyone can do it that way — the body’s way. It could be a matter of needing to learn it or work up to that or it could be that our body is not physically able to do it. Whatever the reason, I believe it is important to know how to do it properly and then be aware of how we are doing it. Then we can listen to our body. When we try to do it the technical way our body might say, “Oh yeah, that is just not going to happen.” Then we can adjust. We can learn, is it not going to happen because it is painful or is it because I need to work a little bit to get to that level? Then we can make a decision and a conscious choice.
Know how to do a push up, then decide how you are going to do it. Don’t just let the pattern of your movement dictate how you execute an exercise, decide for yourself make a choice then do it. As I said before, it could be that you do five with your whole torso then need to give your arms a break . . . . but that doesn’t mean you have to stop, just do the push up with your arms and not bring the whole body down and up. Or you do three on your toes then decide that you really want to have a straight back so you switch to your knees. Then on your next set you do all knees. Whatever you decide, make sure it is something you are aware of and then do your push ups your way.
What do you have to add? Share? Comment? Question?
Posted in Ten Minute Workout (Posts) | Tagged: 10 minute exercise, 10 minute workout, arms, body's way, BOSU, BOSU with handles, exercise, exercise flow, knee push up, military push up, Nia, Nia class, Nia Dance, Nia flow, Nia Music, Nia push up, Nia students, push up, push up on knees, pushup, Sit-up, strong core, strong torso, ten exercises in 10 minutes, ten minute workout, ten reps, ten/ten/ten, toe push up, tricep, triceps, triceps extension, twenty exercises in ten minutes, workout for 10 minutes | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 18, 2011
For this Ten Minute Workout, our triceps extension is going over the head with dumbbells. I have posted in the past a way to use a weighted bar lying down. For this exercise use the amount of weight that is appropriate for your own individual goals, so that could mean you use two dumbbells or one. Hold the weights behind your head. Your neck is comfortable and relaxed, it is NOT being pushed forward. Your elbows are pointing up at the sky, which for me puts my forearms right at my ears. Keeping your upper arms still, “push”/move the weights toward the sky. Don’t swing the weights, just bring them up, only your elbow joints move. Your shoulder joints don’t move, your upper arms are still. You are also concentrating on keeping your shoulders down**. They should not rise up to the ears or become scrunched. They stay down. The movement is not a swing. Momentum is not used to complete this exercise. Please be very, very careful of your head and neck.
Since this exercise is right after the sit ups and right before the push ups in the ten minute workout. I do it from a kneeling position. Since I am kneeling, I position myself up right with a straight back. Your torso does not need to move in this exercise. Remember, the triceps are doing the work, so no swing and no momentum and that includes your body.
**(Shoulders “down” tip) I was once told by a Pilates instructor – to assist with keeping my shoulders down – imagine putting my shoulder blades in my back pockets. Which really just means to pull your shoulder blades down. I used to habitually bring my shoulders up to my ears, by using the thought of my shoulder BLADES instead of actually concentrating on my shoulders I keep my shoulders down without feeling as if I am be pushed down. To me, the body sensation is different. I feel it improves my posture because it is bringing my shoulders down AND back no matter when I employ the method. But, yes, I still have to remember to do it.
With all that there is to do in this exercise, this is not necessarily one that you do fast. Sometimes fast might mean hitting yourself in the head with the weight. (I would imagine. I mean, of course, I’ve NEVER done that. ) So take your time and don’t rush. You have ten whole minutes to do ten reps of ten exercises.
Got it? Let me know what questions you have. Or how this works for you.
Posted in Ten Minute Workout (Posts) | Tagged: elbow joint, Pilates, Pilates exercise, Pilates instructor, posture improvement, push-ups, sit ups, Sit-up, ten minute workout, ten minutes of exercise, Tricep exercise, triceps, triceps extention | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 16, 2011
As with most exercises there are many modifications that can be made to a sit-up. But for now, in this Ten Minute Workout this is a basic sit-up. Probably would be called more of a crunch than a sit up, but YOU can put the amount of movement in it that you want.
Lie on the floor on your back. Knees up, feet on the floor, slight tilt of the pelvis toward your chest. Keeping an imaginary apple or orange under your chin lift your head and shoulders off the ground towards your knees. The purpose of the imaginary fruit is to keep you from collapsing your chin to your chest, especially if you are using the hands-supporting-head/neck method. With that form sometimes there is a tendency to actually push the head to the chest. But the idea is to keep space between the chin and chest and just lift your head, shoulders, and upper chest upwards and towards your knees. Squeeze your abdominal muscles on the lift and at the top. Pause for a second. Allow the movement to be smooth and fluid. If you find yourself jerking up or using momentum to do the movement, try LESS movement or fewer reps. (Yes, yes, the idea is ten of ten in ten, but it is ok to learn a move. It’s a journey we are on.)
This is one of the exercises that most of us are familiar with. This is an exercise most of us have done in our life. So this is one that is easy to play with and modify. So many ways to do it.
People might not realize or even notice but we do sit ups and or abdominal work often in Nia. But the way we do them is as a dance so I think people don’t realize what we are doing is even an abdominal exercise until the next day when they have that nice feeling of a muscle that had some attention paid to it. Nia makes it more like play than work.
Ok . . . . comment away . . . . . . 
Posted in Ten Minute Workout (Posts) | Tagged: abdominal exercises, abdominal squeezes, basic sit up, Nia, Nia Dance, Nia exercises, Nia workout, sit ups, Sit-up, ten minute workout | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on June 14, 2011
In putting together the exercises for a Ten Minute Workout, I wanted to get a quick “full body” workout. I understand that this ten minutes might not target the ENTIRE body, but it gets most of it. Plus I was trying to use the exercise equipment that I have. I was bothered by the fact that I had these toys and I didn’t use them. So I was thinking of exercises that utilized them. Although, all of these exercises can be modified to be done without the equipment. This Hamstring curl uses the stability ball.
Lie on your back with your calves/ankles on the stability ball. Push your hips up into a bridge. Pull the ball, rolling it towards your butt so your feet end up on it and your knees are up. Then roll it out. Your arms can be wherever they are most comfortable. Arms can be used to help stabilize your body. It could be at first that your body has a tendency to roll to one side or you feel as if you are going to tip over. That is part of the exercise. You are using your hamstrings to pull the ball back, but you might be engaging your arms a lot to stabilize your body as you learn this exercise. Eventually your legs will be able to control the ball AND your balance without really USING your arms.
Each time the ball rolls towards your butt count that as one.
How is that for you? What questions come up?
Posted in Ten Minute Workout (Posts) | Tagged: 10 minute exercises, 10 minute workout, exercise, exercise ball, exercise equipment, exercise program, full body workout, Hamstrings, phsyio ball, stability ball, ten exercises in 10 minutes, ten minute workout, ten reps, ten/ten/ten | 4 Comments »
Terre Pruitt
