Here is an interesting little video from Life Noggin on what causes cramps. 

I personally believe in stretching.  A good dynamic stretch routine prepares you for exercise, and a nice static stretching routine after exercise is a relaxing way to cool down.  According to this article from IFLS, the results are mixed.  It states stretching provides little to no effect for the recreational athlete, and has some benefit for high-level athletes who's sport requires a level of flexibility.  The results are not conclusive, but I say, if it feels good, do it!

Supplements are huge business.  According to the FDA a Dietary Supplements is defined as a product other than tobacco intended to supplement the diet, is intended for ingestion, can not be advertised  for use as a conventional food or as the sole item within a meal or diet,  and that contains one or more of the following:

- A vitamin

- A mineral

- An herb or other botanical

- An amino acid

- A dietary substance used buy humans to supplement the diet by increasing the dietary intake

- A concentrate, metabolite, constituent, extract, or combination of the ingredients listed above.

Since there is little regulation, many companies are making false claims on their effectiveness.  Wether you are an athlete or a every day citizen, it is important to if the supplements you are taking are safe and effective.  Click this WebMD link entitled The Truth Behind the Top 10 Dietary Supplements for more information.

Here is a nice little article explaining why just a cardiovascular exercise routine doesn't shed the fat like expected.  Especially when you over do the cardio and don't balance it with a strength training regimen.   Simply put, your muscles regulate your metabolism.  When you burn too many calories and don't have enough muscle mass, your body starts breaking your muscle down for energy.  For the full article from elitefts.com click HERE.

Here is some great insight into the world of a personal trainer courtesy of rateyourburn.  There is more to a career in fitness than meets the eye, but the bottom line is all good trainers do it for the love and a genuine passion for helping their clients look and feel their best.

1) They're the exact same person in and out of the classroom.

2) When they're not teaching, they're just chilling out.

3) They care about your...

4) They're single.

5) They're wearing pricey workout clothes, so they must be making good money.

6) They must remember you from a class you took a month ago.

7) The instructor is the strongest person in the room.

8) They would judge you if they knew what you ate/drank last night.

9) Waking up at 5am "comes naturally" to them.

10) This is just a hobby, right?

11) They're probably too cool to want to know you outside of the classroom.

12) They're so awesome/popular that it probably won't mean anything to them to get one more positive review.

For the full article click HERE.

Spring has finally sprung, so take your workout back outside.  Active Brooklyn is offering one-on-one personal training as well as group fitness classes in Fort Greene and Prospect Parks.  

We are offering an early bird spring special for one-on-one personal training at a flat rate of $50/hour.  Forget paying gym dues, we will come to you and give you an effective and safe workout at a location that is convenient for you, whether it is at your local park or in your home.  Get in early and book a time slot before they all fill up! 

Our group fitness class in Prospect Park is still going strong, now in its 3rd season!  Starting on May 1st we will meet every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at the Lincoln Road entrance to Prospect park at 6am.  If you are an early riser and like to work out first thing in the morning come join us.  We have a good group of various abilities, so no matter if you are a seasoned pro or just looking to get back into working out we got you covered.  Think Boot Camp without all of the yelling.  The cost is $180 for a month.  

If you are interested or want more information about one-on-one training or group fitness in the park feel free to contact us at:

activebkny@gmail.com

347-915-4586

A workout buddy is hugely helpful for keeping motivated, but it's important to find someone who will inspire, not discourage. Make a list of all your exercise-loving friends, then see who fits this criteria:  Can they meet to exercise on a regular basis? Are they supportive of your goals? And last, will your bud be able to keep up with you or even push your limits? If you've got someone that fits all three, make that phone call.

By the way, a personal trainer makes a great workout buddy, so give me a call and schedule a free session today!    347-915-4586.

I recently ran across a webpage about how resistance band training can increase power.  Band resistance is an ascending resistance which means that it gets harder the further you go in the range of motion.  This allows you to get a head start on your motion, ultimately leading to a quicker reaction time.  By the laws of physics Power = (Force x Distance) / Time, so the faster the time, the greater the power.  

For the full article from resistancebandtraining.com/ click here.

Situps are designed to strengthen your abdominals. They're one of the few exercises that'll autocorrect your posture. When you perform a situp correctly, you feel complete engagement of the abdominal muscles. However, when you perform it incorrectly, you'll feel it elsewhere but your abs or not at all...

Read the full article at: livestrong.com

So the question is, does anaerobic exercise burn more fat than aerobic exercise?

Anaerobic exercise is exercise in which oxygen is used up more quickly than the body is able to replenish it inside the working muscle. As a result, muscle fibers have to derive their contractile energy from stored substrates like Glycogen, ATP, and Creatine Phosphate. Weight training and sprinting are examples of such an activity.  Basically high intensity, short bursts of exertion.

Aerobic exercise, also called cardiovascular exercise, is physical activity which raises the heart rate to around 60 to 85 percent of the heart's maximum heart rate for an extended period of time, usually twenty minutes or longer. Basically medium to medium/high sustained exertion.

A study a few years back had athletes doing six-second bursts of all-out cycling. After 10 to 15 sets of this, it was found that an unheard of amount of free fatty acids were broken down from fat stores within the muscle. It begs the question why, during an anaerobic activity that clearly utilizes glucose as a fuel, why is so much fat being broken down?

The answer appears to be that the exercise component which is six seconds long is using glucose, and however long the recovery component is, that’s when you’re burning fat. If you add all these intermittent periods together you are primarily burning lactate and fatty acids.  If you want to lose weight, lose body fat, and get ripped, it appears that intermittent bursts of high-intensity activity followed by rest periods is a better way to go than aerobic exercise. Traditional thinking is that if you wanted to burn fat you would have to do long, slow, distance activity.  People are now starting to think that in fact it’s the other way around and that during really brief, intense intermittent bouts of strength, speed and power-related exercise, you can burn even more fat.

Read more at builtlean.com.

If you want to perform at your best in sport or exercise, you've got to keep your body adequately hydrated throughout your activity. Sweating away even just 1 percent of your body weight (a pound and a half for a 150-pound person) can place added stress on your cardiovascular system. Losing 2-3 percent of your weight can impair your physical performance. Dehydration can also affect your mental sharpness and hand-eye coordination putting you at a disadvantage on the court, playing field or other competitive arena. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends the following guidelines for keeping the body hydrated: 

* BEFORE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY: Drink at least 16 ounces of fluid about two hours beforehand. 

* DURING ACTIVITY: Drink 5 to 10 ounces every 15 to 20 minutes. 

* AFTER ACTIVITY: Drink 16 ounces for each pound of body weight lost during activity
Taken from Bally Fitness

Boot Camp is still going strong.  May was a wet one, but we still had a good crowd and made great strides.  It's not too late to join for the month of June. The first June session is this Friday. The cost is $200 for the month and we meet every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday in Prospect Park.  Come give it a try for free on the 1st, and I guarantee you'll want to come back.  Email me for more details at activebkny@gmail.com.  See you in the park!  

1. Exercise Boosts Brainpower
2. Movement Melts Away Stress
3. Exercise Gives You Energy
4. It's Not That Hard to Find Time for Fitness
5. Fitness Can Help Build Relationships
6. Exercise Helps Ward Off Disease
7. Fitness Pumps Up Your Heart
8. Exercise Lets You Eat More
9. Exercise Boosts Performance
10. Weight Loss Is Not the Most Important Goal

For full article click HERE.

Boot Camp will be coming back for the 2012 season starting April 30th.  The cost will be $200/month (just under $17/class) and we will meet every Monday, Wednesday, & Friday @ 6am in Prospect Park at the Lincoln Road entrance on the east side of the park.  Booty Camp is open to all fitness levels and abilities and focuses on general strength and cardiovascular exercises.  Fun, safety, and variety are our key to success.  If you are looking to lose a few pounds or just maintain, this is the place for you.  Last year was a blast, this year will be better.

Still not convinced?  Give us a try for free on April 23rd, 25th, & 27th!!!   See you in the park.

You deserve true happiness. In fact, your emotional and physical health depends on it. Positive emotions not only feel good, they also reduce stress-related risks for heart disease, cancer, and more. Follow these 7 steps to happiness and good health:

1. Use positive self-talk. Trade self-put-downs (e.g., What an idiot I am!) for encouraging words (e.g.,Nice going! I'll do better next time! I'm great at learning from my mistakes!).
2. Connect with friends. Really talk with people you care about. Get physical, too. Hugs stimulate oxytocin, the "cuddle hormone," spreading a feel-good boost among friends. 
3. Keep a daily gratitude journal. Writing down what you're thankful for makes you healthier and more optimistic.
4. Exercise your way to a better mood. Being active at least 30 minutes a day increases happiness and makes your body's RealAge 2.8 years younger. 
5. Meditate to stay happy. Meditation eases stress, strengthens immunity, and increases happiness -- big time. 
6. Understand unhappiness. When it happens (it will), learn from it. It's a chance for you to make positive changes. 
7. Pay it forward. The real secret to being happy is to realize that true peace comes when you recognize the gifts you have -- gifts you can pass along to others.

Take these stay-happy steps and you'll cope better with pain and stress, and reduce your risk for colds, flu, heart disease, and even cancer.

Read the full article from realage.com here.

Try this weird little tip when doing crunches: put your tongue on the roof of your mouth.  It will help you align your head properly which will in turn help to reduce neck strain.  Give it a shot, it can't hurt!

This article is mostly about how a lack of sleep effect work performance, but you can see how this also relates to exercise.  Not only is sleep important to stay sharp and focused, but it is also when your body regenerates.

From Inc. Magazine:

The reason sleep is so important is because fatigue isn't simple. When we are tired, our performance doesn't degrade equally. Instead, when you lose a night's sleep, the parietal and occipital lobes in your brain become less active. The parietal lobe integrates information from the senses and is involved in our knowledge of numbers and manipulation of objects. The occipital lobe is involved in visual processing. So the parts of our mind responsible for understanding the world and the data around us start to slow down. This is because the brain is prioritizing the thalamus—the part of your brain responsible for keeping you awake. In evolutionary terms, this makes sense. If you're driven to find food, you need to stay awake and search, not compare recipes.

After 24 hours of sleep deprivation, there is an overall reduction of six percent in glucose reaching the brain. (That's why you crave donuts and candy.) But the loss isn't shared equally; the parietal lobe and the prefrontal cortex lose 12 percent to 14 percent of their glucose. And those are the areas we most need for thinking: for distinguishing between ideas, for social control, and to be able to tell the difference between good and bad.

Full article here.

Your recovery meal or snack should have just the right mix of carbohydrate and protein. This is easily attainable with a smoothie or shake, but not everyone has a smoothie bar around the corner or a blender in their backpack.

Fortunately, you don’t need a fancy drink to meet your nutritional needs. A simple and economical option is low-fat chocolate milk.

Your body absorbs animal protein most efficiently. And milk contains all of the essential amino acids needed to facilitate protein synthesis, reduce muscle breakdown and promote muscle growth. Its natural protein works with the carbs to restore glycogen, essential for muscle function. Chocolate milk, which has more carbs than plain milk, provides just the right ratio of carbohydrates to protein (about 3-4:1).

Milk is also renowned for having lots of calcium and vitamin D, both needed to keep bones strong. Another bonus is vitamin B, which helps keep your energy levels up. And don’t forget electrolytes—imperative for re-hydrating.  Milk contains sodium, potassium and magnesium, among other elements.

So next time you finish an intense workout or a tough game, try a cool glass of low-fat chocolate milk.

A muscle strain typically involves inflammation or swelling.   When an injury first occurs remember R.I.C.E. - Rest, Ice, Compression (with an elastic bandage – not too tight or left on for more than four hours at a time) and Elevation of the body part.  Then, once inflammation goes away and you’re on the mend (about 48-72 hours after the injury) heat can be applied to speed healing.  Heat can also be soothing if you’re just sore from your workout but don’t have an injury.  A hot bath makes you feel better by increasing blood flow and relaxing your muscles.

ASSESS THEIR TRAINING STYLE
The first, most obvious thing to evaluate is physical appearance. A trainer who stands at 6'2", 200 lbs. with 5% body fat is impressive—but is that what you want for yourself? Worse, of course, is if he’s out of shape. Make sure any trainer you size up can articulate the differences in his regimen from what he envisions for yours, and make sure to ask if he practices what he preaches.

Also, how are you best motivated? Do you require fatherly encouragement and gradual progress or does your inner fire come from being called a weak and worthless maggot? Know whether a trainer is Sergeant Slaughter or Dick Sergeant.

GET PERSONAL

Can you still be motivated to train if you hate your trainer? Get to know him by asking about his personal motivations for getting into fitness. Can he relate to you? Does his disposition and general outlook align with yours? Don’t be afraid to get personal and see if this is someone you wouldn't mind knocking you around.

SET GOALS AND EXPECTATIONS
Losing five pounds in a week is a goal; losing 20 pounds in a week is an amputation. Have a realistic idea of what you want from your training and know how your trainer plans to monitor your progress. How will he test you? What are his daily, weekly and monthly goals for you? Asking these questions will hold him accountable to deliver on his promises.

GAUGE HIS COMMITMENT
A training session may only last an hour, but the challenges of leading a healthy lifestyle are 24/7. Ask if you can reach him by phone, text or e-mail after hours. You never know when you might need some quick advice on what to eat at a restaurant or a tough decision between breads at the supermarket. How about a motivational email or message? A great trainer might be busy with other clients, but most will put forth the extra effort to be on hand in a pinch.

DEMAND A PORTFOLIO
Remember: you're hiring someone for a job. Solid, tangible evidence immediately increases a trainer’s credibility. So ask if he has a website, any published articles (only those appearing in reputable outlets apply) and/or testimonials from clients, which should be accompanied by before and after photos, details on how long it took to accomplish goals and the type of diet and training plan used to achieve them.

GET A TRIAL
Seeing him in action is the best way to know how well you work together. During this trial period observe:

• Does he use his cell phone while training? If so, cut.
• Does he engage in distracting conversations? If so, cut.
• Is he actively by your side for every rep, set and stride on the treadmill? Protein brownie points.

There are a lot of good trainers on the market, but the great ones go the extra rep. If you want to be really bold, make them put their money where their muscles are and request a money-back guarantee.