We all know by now that strength training is good, right? It’s great for boosting metabolism, maintaining a strong core and increasing bone density, amongst many other reasons.
We do, however, get some people coming through our door who started with all the right intentions but ended up doing more harm than good though lifting weights. Here’s our short guide to what to avoid the next time you hit the gym to make sure you’re getting the best from your workout.
I know the mirrors in gyms can be a massive distraction (who wants to see themselves a sweaty, grunting mess, right?) but the reason they are there goes beyond vanity. Use the mirrors to check your technique, making sure your spine is neutral with no over-arching or bending as you lift.
Particularly important if you’re doing free weights, you need to activate and engage your core muscles as you lift to protect your spine and avoid back pain.
It’s easy to ignore niggles when you’re warmed up and in the zone (I know this from experience) or to take painkillers if you have an injury and ‘train through it’ but pain is a warning sign that we mustn’t ever ignore. It’s our body’s way of telling us that something’s up, so listen, take a rest and come back stronger when you’re fully recovered.
It’s so common – especially as summer approaches – to only want to train the parts of your body which are on show, or which respond best to training. An imbalance of strength can lead to poor posture and leave you vulnerable to injury. Train your body as a whole unit, making time to include every muscle group (especially the core which is often forgotten) and you’ll reap the rewards with a strong, balanced body.
If you go too heavy without the strength to handle it, your form will suffer. Choose a weight which challenges you, but one at which you can also maintain a full range of movement without using momentum to follow it through.
If you’ve ever had back pain, you may be familiar with that ‘rusty hinge’ feeling. You know when you feel as if your muscles are conspiring against you to stiffen you up and not let you bend Further than a few degrees? Or when the thought of being stretched on one of those medieval racks becomes ever more enticing.
Finding the right stretch to to ease this stiffness can be tricky, you end up contorting your body into all kinds of weird and wonderful positions just to find the sweet spot.
Here are a few of our favourites which we recommend to clients (and use ourselves) This combination of exercises will help stretch out your back, but also the muscles of your legs and hips which, if tight, can contribute to back pain.
Stretch to a point where you can feel it, but are not in pain. Hold for 30 seconds and then as you feel your muscles relax, increase the stretch a bit further for another 30 seconds or so.
Kneel on one leg, raise the opposite arm and rotate slightly towards the side of your supporting leg. For a greater stretch, bend to the side.
Sit tall with one leg outstretched. Bend the other and cross it over the other leg, keeping your foot on the floor. Use your arm to gently pull the bent keg into your body until you feel the stretch in your buttock.
Lie face up with one foot on the floor and use a band or towel around your other foot to gently pull your leg in towards your body, keeping your leg straight and hips on the floor.
Often, when people decide to embark on an exercise regime, whether for fitness, fat loss or rehabilitation, the first place they think of going is the gym (or pool, or their bike but you get the idea – sweaty exercise, grr). However, there is one form of exercise which is often overlooked in favour of its higher-octane counterparts.
Yep, I’m talking about walking. We do it pretty much every day without thinking about it, but it could hold the secret to achieving your health goals, and here are 5 reasons we should do more of it:
Making it the perfect exercise choice if you have joint injuries or pain. The weight-bearing element also means that it helps maintain muscle strength and bone density, leaving you less vulnerable to breaks.
Did you know that a brisk 60-minute walk (around 4.6 mph) can burn as many calories as a 30-minute jog? (around 6 mph) Walking is the underdog of the fat-loss scene and is much underrated. A brisk 60-minute walk 3 times a week can leave you just over 800 calories down, burning almost 1lb of fat in just a month (everything else being equal).
If you have cool clothing (I’m guessing you do) and a comfy pair of shoes (again, pretty much a given) then you’re good to go. No membership fees, fancy kit or expensive equipment necessary.
It’s very easy to fit walking into your daily routine. Consider getting up earlier and walking to work if you live close enough, walking the kids to school instead of driving, or setting aside some time each day for a stroll.
Another big tick is that the usual barriers don’t apply. No childcare? Take the kids with you (in a buggy or on a bike/scooter if they’re too little or reluctant walkers) No time? Go on your lunch break or talk your friends into a walk instead of meeting at a cafe/bar. Funds tight? It’s free – that excuse has no place here.
If you can recruit friends, a partner or kids, it can also help build your relationships. People find it easier to talk openly when they’re away from distraction and not in a face-to-face situation.
It’s very difficult to find a reason not to do it, and it’s fun and gives you headspace, making you less likely to want to make excuses in the first place.
Stating the obvious, right? But a recent study found that compared to people using the same amount of energy running, walkers experienced greater health benefits including reduced risk of heart disease, first-time high blood pressure and first-time high cholesterol. If that’s not enough encouragement to lace up your trainers and get out for a stride, then I don’t know what is.
I’ve long been an advocate of the ‘baby steps’ approach to health and fitness. Unless you are super-motivated and have cast-iron willpower, overhauling your diet or exercise regime will probably give you 2 weeks or so of smug, but I can almost guarantee that soon you’ll be right back where you started, possibly even a few steps behind, back on the ‘quit and start over’ train.
So, what to do – you want to improve your health, but where do you start? Try making smaller changes which don’t dramatically change your life to start off with. These 5 things will help you make the first steps. Bit by bit, you can implement tiny changes and before you know it you’ll be in the smug-zone for good, without feeling like you’ve sacrificed your life to get there.
Now, my eyebags tell me that sometimes caffeine is necessary, but if you are a steadfast coffee lover, try cutting down by a cup a day. Once you’ve cut down by one, and are used to it, try another one, then another (if you really do love your caffeine fix) until you reach a recommended level
Note that I don’t say ‘go to the gym’. The best type of exercise is an activity you enjoy. There’s loads you can do – use your lunch break for a brisk stroll, get on your bike and commute to work, try an at-home workout or go to a group fitness class.
We all know pre-packaged and processed foods aren’t the best in terms of delivering nutritional value, but if they feature heavily in your life, going cold-turkey might be one step too far. Try switching one item a day for starters, so a handful of nuts or piece of fruit instead of a packet of crisps or chocolate, water instead of squash or lean meat/fish instead of ham or cheese in your sandwich.
I’m talking the likes of rice, pasta and bread. Do this for long enough and you’ll probably start to prefer the more wholesome option.
If you don’t already do so, having a protein-rich breakfast will keep you fuller longer and stabilise your blood sugars. Tricky if you have breakfast on the go, but you can give overnight oats a shot (also nice cold, or baked as biscuits), or if you can have breakfast at home, go for super-quick scrambled or boiled eggs.
Ok, we’ve all been there. You visit your back-pain professional, skip off with your list of exercises to do at home and what happens next is common of probably 90% of clients. Yep, that’s right, the list stays stuck to the fridge/pinned to the notice board/shoved at the bottom of a bag never to be looked at again.
And we get it, we’re busy folk. With all those balls we have to juggle, it’s amazing we remember to brush our teeth every day, let alone spend 10 minutes stretching, rolling and bending our body into unnatural positions.
So, when we work with clients on our programmes, we incorporate exercises into their daily lives, so they don’t have to take time out to do their homework and can strengthen their core whilst going about their business. Exercise without thinking about it – sounds good, right?
Try working these 5 simple hacks into your life to strengthen your core and reduce back pain
As you lift the kettle, fire up your core (scroll down to see Andy explaining how to do this) and keep the muscles engaged as you lift. Regular tea drinkers rejoice – look forward to a core of steel
When carrying bags, focus on standing tall and not leaning to one side. Again, engage your core and as you walk, try your hardest to right your body as it tries to lean towards the heaviest side.
Stand tall and swing your arms gently to change your centre of gravity. As you do so, engage your core and keep your shoulders back and down.
Engage your core (am I getting across how important this is yet?) and bend your legs and let all the strength come from your midsection. If you hold your child on your hip, really try not to bend your hip to the side – hard I know – but instead, maintain your neutral spine position and a strong stance.
If you have back pain or a weak core, this is the one which can get you. Really concentrate on the engagement and contraction as you load the machine and try as hard as you can not to bend and twist at the same time. Kneel, engage and then load the clothes.
Good posture is about more than keeping a straight back. It’s about reducing the strain on your body and placing it in a position which places the least stress on your muscles, joints and ligaments. It’s not just about how you stand either, it’s about things like your driving position, how you hold yourself when you walk and how you position yourself when you’re working.
Because of imbalances in our body when we’re not holding ourselves correctly, we tend to fall into a cycle of pain-poor posture-worse pain-worse posture, which is why it’s important to nip it in the bud and reduce posture-related pain from the outset.
In a standing position, your joints should be ‘stacked’. That is ears over the shoulders, ribs over the hips and hips over the heels. Take a look side-on in a mirror to check your alignment. Front-on, your shoulders should be level, head straight and hips should sit level with your feet pointing forwards.
If you notice you are out of alignment on any of the above, you may have an imbalance in your muscles which can cause pain, tension and loss of strength.
Most imbalances are possible to correct, with the right treatment. Take a look at some common problems and how they can be improved.
Probably the most common posture-related problem we see, thanks to modern life. If you stand side-on and your upper-back is rounded and your shoulders sit in front of your ears, STRETCH the muscles in your chest and front of your shoulders and STRENGTHEN the muscles in your upper back (seated row, reverse flyes and external rotation exercises) MOBILISE your shoulders (shoulder rolls, squeezing your shoulder blades together as you roll back and down).
This is when your head is tilted forward or down, and your ears are in front of your shoulders (did you know ‘text neck’ is a thing, by the way?) another by-product of our technology-driven lives. STRETCH the neck (gentle rotations side-to-side) STRENGTHEN the muscles in your upper back (see above) and MOBILISE your neck (chin-tucks).
When your pelvis tilts forward and you have an over-exaggerated curve in your low back with your bottom pushed out. STRETCH your low back (lie face down on a gym ball, curl your body over it) and psoas muscle at the front of your hip (kneel on one knee and push your hips forward) STRENGTHEN your core (concentrate on exercises with a forward-tilting pelvis such as pelvic tilt to bridge and plank, making sure you have a slight forward tilt in your hips). MOBILISE the low back (hug your knees into your chest and rock gently from side-to-side. Roll downs are also a great mobiliser).
Where your toes point out to the sides. STRETCH your glutes (lying leg crossover) and IT band (foam roll the outside of your thigh). STRENGTHEN hip flexors (exercise ball pull-in) and MOBILISE your hips and ankles (hip/ankle rotations)
It goes without saying that prevention is better than cure so, as much as possible, try to reduce the activity which is causing the posture, or improve your positioning whilst doing it. I should also add that sports massage is also great for treating most posture-related issues, as it works to release and stretch tight and overused tissues.
2 years ago, I did my back in. Ironic, right, given that I co-own a studio where we help people reduce back pain?
It happened because my core weakened after having babies and I stopped doing enough strength work to protect myself over a very busy few months in my life. In my case, I was very lucky as I’m surrounded by expert back-fixers so was back on my feet (literally) in no time and now am very strict with my core work.
It made me appreciate the pain – no pun intended – of your back going though. From having to ease myself out of bed and taking about 2 minutes to actually get up, to not being able to put my socks and shoes on myself – my kids LOVED me for that.
If it happens to you and you get struck down with back pain – however severe – there are several things you can do to help yourself:
Or use a hot water bottle on the affected area. The warmth will help your muscles relax and ease any spasms you may be experiencing. Try to avoid icing your back as you’ll find that you tense up against the chill which may make the spasms worse.
Take it easy if you’re really locked up but try to avoid extended periods of inactivity. Moving helps lubricate the joints and promote circulation to the area, which brings with it all the nutrients your body needs to heal. I found gentle walks worked wonders for loosening my back off.
In the same way that moving increases circulation, massage can do the same. Plus, you get the added benefits of relaxing the muscles. And it feels nice
This kind of goes without saying but take it easy and don’t overwork your back. Know your limits and listen to your body. Especially avoid movements where you’re bending and twisting at the same time under load.
Depending on the severity of your pain, this could be as simple as engaging your core muscles when you lift the kettle or open a door, to going to a Pilates class or doing some core exercises at the gym (or at home)
If you do start an exercise class though, remember point 4 above. Let the instructor know you have a back issue and they can help you with alternative exercises if any feel uncomfortable and never push yourself beyond your limits.
If you would like a massage, we offer 30-minute, 45-minute and hour-long sports massages in our studio, just email, call (0117 9299555) or visit us to book an appointment!
Not just for sadists (if you’ve used one, you’ll know what I mean), our cylindrical, sometimes knobbly little friends which you find in the stretching area of the gym are fast becoming a firm favourite of ours.
We first came across them at a fitness convention way back in 2013 when we were subject to quite possibly one of the best core workouts we’ve ever done – you know the type when you’re afraid to cough, sneeze or err, get up out of bed.
Never ones to get sucked in by a sales pitch (okay, okay. It was 7pm on a Sunday night after a VERY intense 3 days of exercise and heavy learning. We were so exhausted we’d have bought anything – they certainly knew how to time it right) we headed home with our new toy under our arms.
Fast forward 5 years and what we thought might fall into the ‘fitness fad’ hole, along with slender tone belts and ab cradles (remember them?) are well and truly here to stay and we for one, couldn’t be happier. This is one bandwagon we were more than happy to jump on.
Here are our 3 reasons why we won’t be rolling off ours any time soon…
By rolling and applying pressure to your muscles and fascia (connective tissue), you can simulate the same effect as a deep tissue massage.
If you’re feeling tight, or have niggles or ‘knots’, the pressure helps to release trigger points and break down any knots or tightness you feel.
Anything which makes you unstable will fire up your core muscles and get them working. What better way to add instability than putting your feet/body/arms on a giant rolling pin?
There are loads of things you can do to combine the muscle rolling (above) with core work, so you get more bang for your buck. For starters, take a look at this page which has 5 great moves to get you going.
By applying pressure to damaged tissues, you will boost your blood flow and circulation to the tissues. As your blood carries all the goodies your body needs to recover (oxygen, nutrients) you will flood it with goodness.
Another significant effect of increased circulation is the removal of the harmful stuff. Think of flushing out toxins and lactic acid, the latter being the stuff which causes the pain the next day, so the better you roll, the less sore you’ll feel afterwards. You’re welcome.
Oh, and a bonus fourth thing – it’s portable and (after a small initial investment, they’re not expensive) free! If you buy your own you can use it anywhere, any time.
So, there you have it. Now that you also love foam rollers, why not get one of your own? We have plenty in stock and much more equipment (and even clothes) for you to choose from!
There’s a bit of a buzz word going around at the moment – ‘Future Proof’. Basically, it means something which can still be used in the future, so lots of people talk about upskilling and future-proofing their career, or future-proofing their business to increase its longevity.
But can we future-proof our greatest asset – our health?
Well, exercise – specifically strength training – can certainly help ward off many conditions which tend to make an unwelcome appearance as we age.
When we’re young, our cells break down bone tissue and regenerate new. This process slows as we get older, and we lose bone faster than new bone is created. As a result, bones become weaker, less dense and more brittle, leading to an increased risk of breakages and vulnerability to conditions such as osteoporosis and arthritis.
We reach peak bone density around the age of 30. This means that throughout our 20’s and early 30’s, we can capitalise on our bones being rebuilt and bank some bone density to help protect us later in life.
Do this by performing a regular weight-bearing exercise. Think jogging, lifting weights (particularly squats, lunges and overhead moves) and brisk walking.
Most of us reach peak muscle mass around our late 30s/early 40s. After this, we can lose as much as 3-5% of muscle mass every decade.
This means that not only do we lose strength, but our metabolism drops, and we may gain weight more quickly. By exercising regularly, particularly strength training, we can protect against muscle loss and help maintain our strength and muscle mass as the decades advance.
People over the age of 60 are more likely to experience back pain related to the degeneration of the joints in the spine, and the discs in between the vertebrae. Arthritis and spinal stenosis are the 2 most common causes of back pain in older adults.
Prevent your back from ageing by keeping your back strong. Exercise like Pilates and yoga are fantastic for core-strengthening. General aerobic exercise such as swimming, cycling and walking also helps keep the joints healthy.
As well as exercise, good nutrition can help keep the discs healthy, keeping them hydrated and providing them with the nutrients they need. By maintaining a healthy, well-balanced diet and not smoking, you can protect your discs against damage as you get older.
Studies show that following a back injury, 70% of people will significantly improve after 2 weeks, and 90% to 95% of people will recover within 2-3 months.
During this ‘acute’ phase, the focus should be on staying as comfortable as possible whilst the body’s natural healing process takes place. Passive treatments such as massage, manipulation (where appropriate), painkillers and heat can all help at this stage. It’s also important to be aware of posture, how to protect your back from further injury, and finding comfortable positions to ease the pain.
Staying active and avoiding excessive rest during the acute phase is also important to avoid rapid deconditioning of the back muscles.
The pain experienced by the 5%-10% who do not recover within this time is classified as chronic. Evidence shows that deconditioning because of pain and reduced activity in people who have chronic back pain can result in weakened muscles of the low back and spine.
It is possible for the body to be strong everywhere except the back. The back can only be strengthened when the lumbar spine is moving against resistance. Typically, if you have back pain, you will (unknowingly) change your body mechanics to protect your back, substituting pelvic motion for lumbar motion.
When we extend our trunk (go from a bending forwards position to leaning back), the muscles of the hamstrings and buttocks work to rotate the pelvis through the initial 110 degrees – as the spine remains fixed – with little activation from the lumbar muscles (fig.1). During the remaining 72 degrees of movement, the muscles of the low back take over to extend the spine.
When the lumbar spine is exercised in isolation, however (fig.2), with the pelvis fixed, it is the muscles of the low back (the lumbar extensors) which are working to extend the spine.
(Fig.1.) In a normal motion, as we extend, the leg muscles move the pelvis through the initial range of movement, with the lumbar muscles only taking over to extend the spine towards the end of the range.
(Fig.2.) In an isolated lumbar motion, the lumbar extensor muscles extend the spine, and the pelvis is fixed
A study at the University of Florida tested 3 groups of volunteers over 12 weeks; one group (the control group) did no exercise, the second performed standard back exercises, and the other group exercised using equipment which isolates the lumbar muscles by stabilising the pelvis.
At the end of the 12 weeks, there was no significant difference in the strength of the low-back muscles between the control group and the group who performed standard back exercises. The group who exercised with the pelvis stabilised, however, averaged a 120% increase in the strength of the low back muscles at full extension.
To exercise and strengthen the lumbar muscles, we need, therefore, to stabilise the pelvis and isolate the low back muscles.
The MedX Lumbar Extension machine we use for our programmes was developed to restore strength, flexibility and endurance of the low back, to reduce pain within 12 weeks and enable people to return to full function without the re-occurrence of pain.
The equipment has been designed to isolate the muscles of the low back through stabilising the pelvis and providing controlled training of the lumbar muscles through a set pain-free range of motion (fig.3)
(fig.3)
Through performing progressive resistance exercise to strengthen the low back muscles, you can achieve a significant reduction in pain, return to full function and get back to doing the things you love in 12-18 weeks. Once full function is restored, a simple at-home programme can be followed to maintain strength in the low back and protect against further attacks.
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