QUESTION; Can children start a strength training program?

 QUESTION;

Can children start a strength training program?

I’m often asked to give advice on the safety of strength training for children and adolescents.

Strength training, the use of resistance methods to increase a person’s ability to exert force, can include weights, resistance bands—or just one’s own body weight.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, strength training by kids 7 years and older has been shown to help improve cardiovascular fitness, bone density and mental health. Children as young as 7 can embark on a strength-training program, as long as they do all exercises with good form. Though this may sound young, strength training can consist of push-ups, sit-ups, handstands and squats—all of which a 6-year-old gymnast would think of as a normal part of the sport.

Studies have also shown that strength training by preadolescents and adolescents can result in an increase in strength, though children who haven’t gone through puberty aren’t likely to see much visible muscle gain.  

Puberty and the associated hormones allow muscle hypertrophy, which is when muscles get bigger. A 10-year-old won’t get bulky with resistance training, but at the microscopic level, the neurons will learn to ‘fire’ the muscle more quickly. By the time the child has gone through puberty, he or she could build muscle with as little as 8 weeks of strength training, though a lot of a person’s ability to get big muscles is genetic.

It is discouraged for young, skeletally immature children from participating in power lifting, body building or single-repetition lifts of very heavy weights. But  it’s great for a 7-year-old to build core strength: That is the No. 1 way to prevent injury for anyone, and core strengthening could be sit-ups or Pilates and not involve weight-lifting at all.

I would encourage children to learn the basics and good form before adding weights. I have seen coaches teach kids as young as 6 years to do overhead presses, deadlifting and bench-pressing with a broomstick to teach good form, They don’t need to add weight until around the age of 12 or after puberty, and then should have a coach or knowledgeable adult present. There are many cases where young patients who are still growing, try to deadlift heavy weight on their own at the gym. Now they have stress fractures in their backs because they were never taught to lift correctly.

Children under the age of 7 should focus on balance and posture control. If they do want to use weights, they should avoid adult-size machines and instead use free weights of 3 pounds or less, with supervision. Those 12 and older can build slowly to heavier weights as long as they are able to complete, with ease, 2 to 3 sets of exercises that include 8 to 10 repetitions during workouts of 20 to 30 minutes. Then they can increase the weight by 10% increments over weeks or months as those weights start to feel easier.

Injury can result from overuse, so adolescent athletes should use strength training to balance out their physiques. Once adolescents do start gaining muscle mass through a healthy form of strength training, they’ll need to stick with their regimen. You can decondition really easily, in as little as six weeks. Strength gains are not permanent. You use it or you lose it.”

Cathy- Licensed Sports Muscle Therapist

Can Walking Provide As Good A Workout As Running?

Can Walking Provide As Good A Workout As Running?

Running can keep your heart healthy, improve your mood, stave off sickness, and aid in weight loss.
Regular cardio (at any speed) is part of a healthy lifestyle. Lap for lap, running burns about 2.5 times more calories than walking.
Running may also help control appetite- this may have to do with runners’ increased levels of the hormone peptide YY, which may suppress appetite, so runners may lose more weight than walkers no matter how far the walkers go.

But running does have downsides: It puts more stress on the body and increases the risk for injuries like runner’s knee, hamstring strains, and shin splits (which plague even the most consistent runners).

So what’s the bottom line?

Move!!!!  I tell my clients you’re
wasting your time and my time coming to work out if you’re sedentary the rest of the time. We’re the most sedentary civilization in the history of humanity. As a result, we’re more unhealthy than we’ve ever been. It’s primarily tied to a lack of movement. And as we become more technologically savvy with every innovation, we move less and less.

So, how much do you really need to walk each day? Twelve thousand steps is the minimum for the average person, if you want to be in good shape and 14,000 if you want to get ripped (Twelve thousand steps is the equivalent of about 5.6 miles and 14,000 steps clocks in around 6.6 miles, FYI.)

So when running isn’t in the cards, walking with added weight might be your next best bet for an effective workout. Walking on the treadmill while wearing a weighted vest can increase the metabolic costs and relative exercise intensity. Similarly, increasing the incline on the treadmill makes for a more effective walking workout.

Ultimately, listening to your body and completing a proper warm-up and cool-down are all ways to prevent injuries. So in the long “run” you can spend more time running on the treadmill—and less time running to the doctor.

 
-Cathy

Healthy Living For The New Year!!! RECOVERY AND RESTORATION

Healthy Living For The New Year!!!

RECOVERY AND RESTORATION

You know you’re gonna be hitting the gym hard, spending hours lifting, day in and day out,,,, but do you know you might actually be stalling your progress??  Recovery and rest are essential parts of any strength and conditioning program. Recovery must occur before progress can be made. It’s important for staying injury free during your training.
In order to adapt to the stress placed on the body during intense workout sessions and competitions, it is recommended doing activities that help prevent and overcome injuries to the soft tissue. These include:

1)  Myofascial Release & Foam Rolling:
One of my favorite activities to release tight fascia is foam rolling. Foam rolling is a form of self-myofascial release that is commonly used by fitness and medical professionals. A myofascial release technique is intended to address localized tightness in the fascia. This localized tightness may be impairing proper movement by causing pain or limiting range of motion – or both.

2) Sports Massage:
To reduce muscle stiffness, promote circulation and induce a state of relaxation in the muscle It can be performed the night of a hard workout to remove scar tissue, adhesions in the muscle and restrictions in the fascia (a type of connective tissue that wraps around the whole body).

3) Corrective Exercise
Used to normalize human movement before increasing training or exercise demands.

4)  RockTape
A special kinesiology/sports tape that provides support while allowing full range of motion. Tape is used to decrease pain, unload tissue via decompression, and provide a novel stimulus that improves body awareness.

5)  HydrO2-infused Massage
SolaJet™ DRYWAVE™ Massage System delivers a full body, high pressure wave of water, intended to help flush and condition muscles while stimulating the lymphatic system, all while you remain clothed and dry. SolaJet is an effective form of massage due to its deep tissue penetration and soothing waves of warm water.
Recommendation :
10-15 minutes
1-2 times per week
Should be done 3-6 hours after the workout, if possible

*Studies have proven that 15 minutes on  a SolaJet™ DRYWAVE™ Massage System can provide physiological effects that would take 2 hours of rest to achieve. 

Don’t wait!!!
Book a Recovery and Restoration session- Contact Cathy by clicking here
Members receive a complimentary Movement Assessment & 15 minute SolaJet™ DRYWAVE™ Massage Session

 

Here’s a challenge…….don’t do a challenge!

Here’s a challenge…….don’t do a challenge!

I know it’s popular in the fitness game- 30 day challenge, 14 day challenge etc.  Well, here’s my challenge. Don’t do a challenge!!!  I’ll explain.

Over the years, well ok, over the decades that I’ve helped people lose weight, I always tell them that the smartest way for permanent weight loss is to go on a program that is sustainable.  I understand that when people are anxious to start, they may want to “start strong” to get their head in the game.  Be careful.  If a method of dieting is used, or if an amount of increased exercise that is outside your normal realistic lifestyle is used to help you hit your goal, you will put weight back on once you go back to the more realistic, sustainable program. Maybe not right away, but over time you will.  So, here’s the “challenge”……don’t do a “challenge” but instead make a realistic lifestyle change.  I’ve seen countless people put it in over-drive during their “challenge” period. Often during these short challenge windows, I see an unrealistic and often unhealthy alteration to their nutrition that can result in quick (but not permanent) weight loss. (I’ll go more into detail about nutrition tricks in another article).  I also see extreme exercise programs that cannot be sustained due to work and family obligations.

It is so much smarter to make realistic changes to your eating and fitness regimen that you can do for the long haul.  Something that fits your lifestyle vs doing a short-term challenge program.  You may not have “quick-fast” weight loss.  But here’s the news flash. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS QUICK, FAST, PERMANENT WEIGHT LOSS. Weight loss should be slow and steady to assure you lose as little muscle as possible. Muscle tissue needs calories and keeps your metabolism cooking.

If you don’t eat enough calories, you lose muscle and make your body lower its calorie requirement.  If you over exercise, you lose muscle and make your body lower its calorie requirement.

Once you lower your body’s calorie requirement and start eating a little more or start exercising a little less, you will put the weight back on that you lost.  Welcome to the world of yo-yo dieting. So stop with challenges, stop with needing motivation to start a program.  If you really want it, do it! If it’s not that important to you, then don’t do it.  But don’t do it because you think in 14 to 30 days you’re going to find the secret or change your metabolism to get you to your goal for the long haul.  I often say don’t just do it…..do it right.

Where do you start?  Start with a smart program.  Get your FREE personal training sessions and learn how to structure your long-term program.  CLICK HERE

Meet with our nutrition coach that will not focus on short term methods to move the scale, but will focus on a smart eating plan that you can maintain.  For your FREE consultation   CLICK HERE

Let’s start your 2018 fitness program by being smart.  More articles to come!

Stu Rosenstein

Gym owner/trainer since 1983

 

How to build big legs

I have a secret to tell you guys. If you train legs more frequently they will grow! The common training routine for legs is 1x per week. With one compound movement (squat, leg press, etc..) followed by isolation moments (leg curl, leg extension, etc..). Leg day can always seem like an intense workout. You may also feel very sore days after training legs and not want to come close to training them again for at least another 5-7 days. The strange thing is if you were to train them more frequently it would actually make them feel less sore. Training legs 2-4x per week is ideal for growth. Here’s what you should focus on. Lower body compound movements such as back squat , front squat, leg press, Bulgarian split squat and deadlifts. Make it your goal to add 30-50lbs to each lift by next year. Each time you train legs do a different rep range and add variety such as pauses, chains, bands, and tempo. One day you can do volume (5×5,4×10 etc). The next can be more heavy and intense (work up to 1 rep max, 5×3). This does not mean you’re neglecting your upper body. You can squat in the beginning of a workout and follow them up with an upper body workout. Give this a try and make sure you’re eating right, drinking plenty of water and stretching post workout. Recovery is very important when training muscles more frequently. 

-Dan, OVOX Trainer

To read more about Dan, click here

Move or die, it’s that simple. by Cathy

Move or die, it’s that simple.

How important is movement? If you can’t move, you will die. 

Whether tending to crops or hunting our next meal, humans have lived most of our time on our feet. Unfortunately, as a society we are tending to move less and less, and as a result we are getting sicker and sicker.

With the advent of the desk job, smartphone, TV, and computer, we’re sitting down more than ever before. It is estimated that Americans sit 9.3 hours a day, which is even more time than we spend sleeping (7.7 hours). Our bodies weren’t built for that, and it’s starting to take a toll.

Sitting 6 or more hours per day makes you up-to 40% more likely to die within 15 years than someone who sits less than three.

Unfortunately, as we exercise we also tend to get injuries to the muscles, joints, and tendons. Normally when we see our health care provider while injured, the recommendation includes rest. Too much rest, in my opinion!!!

The abrupt cessation of physical training destroys any previous muscle strength gains in both older and younger individuals. In addition, studies have shown that 6–10 days of inactivity are associated with reduced glucose tolerance, insulin action, and GLUT-4 transporter levels. Others have reported reductions in total aerobic capacity, deltoid muscle respiratory capacity and muscle glycogen content compared with levels during peak season training.

Still others have reported significant increases in body weight and body fat after two months of detraining.

In order to avoid this detraining effect due to forced rest from injuries, It is suggested doing activities that help prevent and overcome injuries to the soft tissue.

Kinesiology tape – helps athletes of every level go stronger, longer.

I am a certified RockTape specialist and Functional Movement Therapist. I use RockTape kinesiology tape on my clients based on the obvious yet largely overlooked concept of muscles acting as a chain. RockTape is a special kinesiology/sports tape that provides support while allowing full range of motion. Tape is used to decrease pain, unload tissue via decompression, and provide a novel stimulus that improves body awareness. RockTape microscopically lifts the skin away from the muscle and fascia, which decompresses the area which reduces swelling. RockTape also signals the central nervous system through the skin’s nerves, which provides powerful feedback to minimize pain and cue form.

More functional movement is my goal. When you move better, you move more ! 

Book your functional movement assessment today with the RocDoc and start moving better with RockTape/Kinesiology sports taping.

-by Cathy

Martial Arts vs Kickboxing Fitness

Martial Arts vs Kickboxing Fitness

Hi everyone.  I received an email asking about martial arts in regard to our Kickboxing Fitness Classes.  I guess I should start by introducing myself.  My name is Stu Rosenstein, and I oversee the class schedule and content.  Along with my father Harry, we opened our first gym over 30 years ago.  However, we have been martial artists much longer than that.  My father started in Martial Arts beginning in 1959, myself in 1974. 

Though my love is in martial arts, when I started designing Kickboxing Fitness classes, I had to make a very conscience decision not to make them Martial Arts classes.  The reason is simple.  You cannot grasp Martial Arts in 5 minutes.  The goal for a Kickboxing Fitness class is to give the participant an engaging, high calorie burning workout through the use of various hand and leg strikes on a punching bag.  Besides the great workout, most find it to be a lot of fun!

Each Kickboxing Fitness class starts with a warm up, followed by an instructional segment.  There are 2 goals during the instructional segment: 1. We want the participant to know what to do when a strike command is given 2. We want the participant to not get hurt.  That’s it; know what to do and not get hurt.  We have some people take our classes that have boxing experience.  The way a boxer holds their hands up in a guard position is 100% different than how I, as a traditional martial artist, holds my hands.  The way a boxer jabs, hooks and punches is different than the way I jab, hook and punch.  So, during the instructional segment, if we can get the participant to know that a “jab” is done with the front hand, and they do not over extend their elbow, that’s perfect. It would be impossible to teach proper Martial Arts hand and leg techniques in 5 minutes.  I have been doing traditional Martial Arts for close to 45 years and my punch is “ok”, I still have a lot to learn. 

If anyone ever needs more instruction on the techniques that are used in our kickboxing fitness classes, please do not hesitate to contact me and I will make sure you receive some extra help.  If anyone ever has an interest to learn Martial Arts, we do provide one on one private instruction.

See you class!!

Fitness and Philosophical Topics for a Successful, Happy, and Healthy Lifestyle

Jonny Tsunami

“RIDE THE WAVE”

                  Picture yourself in this situation, you are amidst a grueling one-hour workout with your trainer.  You glance up at the clock on the wall and are struck with the very real fact that only 23 minutes have passed since start time.  It is in this moment, when you decide that you are either going to give up and BS through your workout, or push yourself to reach new limits. 

                  We have all been there before, and unfortunately many of us decide at that moment to take a break.  Whether it’s stopping to check your phone, to turn to a familiar face and strike up a useless conversation, make a joke to make light of the fact that you are dying, or simply to just gaze off drifting into a world of your own thoughts (usually the most damaging for any workout), it is in that moment when you decide to make the most out of your workout, or the least.

                  Mental mindset is essential for a positive workout session.  Oddly enough many of my clients come into the workout session with the wrong mindset.  They have already put themselves into the machine and hit auto pilot before they walk through the door.  That is when I slap them with something new, something that challenges them and forces them to wake the fuck up and focus.  It is also at this point in the workout that I like to motivate my clients by reiterating very basic universal facts about having a successful workout. 

The workout is symbolic for everything we experience in our everyday lives

  1. “Get comfortable with being uncomfortable” Too many times I have witnessed people leaving the gym with absolutely no change occurring in the process. They drift in, get lost in their world, and drift out.  The change never occurs because the challenge is never there.  When my clients experience a new skill set or unlock a new move they tap into a deeper understanding of their self-worth.  “I didn’t believe I could do that” believe me you can, and you will from now on.  All of this stems from the simple truth, if you don’t challenge yourself you will never move further towards your goals.  Outside of injuring an actual joint, ligament, or bone, the burning sensation you feel when working out a muscle or muscles is something you need to accept, not deflect.  Pain is temporary, and pain is proof that you are alive.  Remind yourself every day to prevent yourself from becoming stagnant and comfortable with being just par.

REAL WORLD CONNECTION – When was the last time you challenged yourself in your personal life?  How did it benefit you?  What did you learn through the process?  What did you gain, what did you lose?  Chances are the risks you took in life lead to growth, and that growth made you the person you are today.

  1. “Don’t think, feel” When I receive a new client I always notice that apprehension and over analysis gets in the way of their workout. They spend too much time thinking about the move or wondering if it is working, instead of listening to their own body.  Many times, we lose focus in our workout and when this happens our mind body connection drastically decreases.  If we up our focus levels during the workout our results will increase drastically.  But how does one lose focus, and more importantly how does one gain it back?  The answer is simple, leave your frustrations, fears, thoughts, inner dialogue, and ego at the door, the rest will fall into place.

REAL WORLD CONNECTION – We have always had that moment in life where we realized that we should have gone with our gut instinct.  Life is usually best traveled when we follow our intuition, and the same goes for the workout.  Don’t worry about the numbers, the time, the reps, the minuscule details.  Focus on the moment, not the rep count, but the single rep, the one individual rep that matters in that moment alone.  If you focus on nothing but the present moment your body will reach fatigue and you would have accomplished your purpose for stepping into the gym.

  1. “Less breaks! More work!” While I love all of my clients and are genuinely interested in their lives and well-being, I do not let it get in the way of their workouts. Yes, it is important to vent and let your frustrations out so that it doesn’t distract your workout, but if we are talking in-between every set, there is a problem.

Talking, joking, slacking, socializing, phone checking, business calls, professional calls, are all unacceptable when training.  When you walk out of a session and feel like you only had a basic workout, ask yourself where you took breaks and how long they lasted.  I’ve seen too many trainers talking to their clients, it becomes nothing more than cheap therapy and a shoulder to cry on.  Focus on your fitness goals while you are in the gym and let’s catch up on life after the workout or during the recovery stretch.   Personally, I would prefer a phone call off hours when we can talk for real.  Oddly enough, people would rather spend that time talking during the workout then on their own time.  That’s not going to work for you, and it’s not going to work for me.

REAL WORLD CONNECTION – Idol time is never a good thing.  Either we make no use of it, or we get sucked into our world of thoughts, keep moving, keep adding new interests to your life, and don’t get caught in the drudgery of the everyday. 

                  Remember to remind yourself that your goals in life and in the gym, are the same.  They both require a routine, a personal belief system, and discipline to practice out what you preach on a daily level in some way shape or form.  Let the gym be therapy for you because it should be nothing else but that.  If your vanity is dragging you in, you are in the wrong mindset and will only get superficial return from it.  If you truly seek a place of solace, then let the gym be the place where it happens.  Don’t worry about what other people are doing in the gym, don’t stare at someone wishing you had their arms, legs, ass, or whatever else it is you desire.  Focus on your goals and your personal growth and change.  Drown out everyone and everything around you and focus on no one but yourself.  If you want to see the change, be the change.

                 

“I don’t feel pain in my neck and shoulders any more!”

It’s a proven fact that people feel so great when proper alignment and healthy movement patterns are encouraged.

It brings me such joy to hear:

  • “My back doesn’t hurt!”
  • “My posture is improving!”
  • “I don’t feel pain in my neck and shoulders!”
  • “I’m running faster, turning quicker, lifting heavier!”
  • “I am flexible and I am feeling AWESOME!”

Are you looking to increase range of motion?  How about decreasing muscle tightness and soreness?  Would you feel better with improved muscle flexibility and joint stability? Did you ever wonder how to achieve better core strength?  Can your balance be better?

If you said yes to any of these questions, you need to try a “MOTR” class!  “MOTR” stands for “movement on the roller.”  Working on the MOTR enables activation of multiple muscle groups.  It delivers strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular benefits.

Looking for a different time and day for MOTR?  Private lessons are available and semi-private classes are now forming! Click here to contact.

 

 

Question: “Hey, where can I box that’s not my boyfriend’s gym?” Answer: OVOX GYM AND TRAINING CENTER

If there is a key to getting in shape, it consists of finding a way to workout that doesn’t feel as if you are going to work. As a student of many self-defense disciplines since the age of 12, I trained in Boxing and Kickboxing several years starting in my early twenties. Though I never competed as a boxer, I was a sparring partner for those who did fight on the amateur circuit. It was the most intensely physical training I ever experienced.

After realizing the lack of places for women to go to learn Boxing and self defense while being emotionally empowered, I began teaching self defense/awareness classes. This led me to create “Defend “Til The End”- a women’s self defense and empowerment program created for women by a woman. I provided seminars covering women’s self defense and rape prevention/intervention programs because most self defense courses are created by men, and a lot of women are intimidated by the attitude that prevailed there-even in a place of learning. One of the most important things I’m most proud of about my training style which uses Boxing and Kickboxing fundamentals, is the comments I get from my clients about how much better they feel about themselves, how much more confident in their own skin they feel….THAT’S what it’s all about. Improving yourself and improving your skills. Never stop learning, never stop growing and you will stay strong in your heart and mind.

I currently train with professional fighters- there is no question about it-Boxing is a complete fitness program. It provides you with a holistic workout :strength, aerobic, conditioning, weight loss, and total body focus. It is no wonder why Boxers are the among the best conditioned athletes in the world!

There is no better time than now to start training!! Guaranteed to burn calories and fat, Sign up for an incredibly efficient workout-tone your ENTIRE body, learn valuable self defense moves, take out stress and aggression. Let’s face it, sometimes the best way to release stress after a hard day at work is some intense physical activity- “its an excellent release to beat up your boss on the pads-not you Stu- we love you!” 🙂

Speaking from experience, when you put yourself through a program that DOES really challenge you and you finish it that alone boosts confidence dramatically because you’ve accomplished something and that’s something to be proud of!

-Cathy

Cathy is available for one on one boxing and Cathy is one of the teachers of our OBOX classes