CategoriesLive Fit.

How will you recover?

Summer is around the corner (hopefully).  A time to get outdoors, and push the limits of what your body and mind can do.   As athletes, and we are all athletes, it’s important to make time for recovery.  If you don’t, you are begging for injury.

Begin to plan your recovery, as you would your work out.  Here are five suggestions ~ some familiar, and others not so much – to aid in supporting you and your body.

1) Fuel:  ” What the heck do I eat after I have a tough training session or event ?” is the million dollar recovery question on everybody’s mind. Unfortunately there is lots of information (both good and bad) that leaves many of us confused . However, most of  the information out there has a few things in common. First, is that you should ingest something within 30 minutes following exercise and then again about 60-90 minutes later. Secondly what you ingest  should have a good mix of carbohydrates and proteins.  Finally, your ingestion immediately  post workout should be in the liquid form to ensure proper digestion and absorption in the body as well help in rehydration   (see #2) while the second post workout meal will come in the form of a hardy meal. 

A great “meal” that fits the above profile  is about 8-16 oz. of chocolate milk immediately post exercise and followed by a hardy meal of grilled salmon, vegetables and  sweet potatoes for your meal about 60-90 minutes later! 

2) Hydrate.  If you’re not hydrated, your body can’t perform at it’s highest level.  Therefore, drinking water is important before, during and after exercise.  An easy way to ensure that you’re properly hydrated is to check your urine.  If your urine is colorless or light yellow, you are most likely well hydrated. For most people, water is all that is needed to stay hydrated. However, if you will be exercising at a high intensity for longer than an hour, a sports drink may be helpful – be sure to check the label for one low in sugar, and with electrolytes.

3)  Restorative Yoga.  As a driven culture, most people go to yoga to work out.  Expand your practice from the hot and sweaty, to the slow and steady.  Try some yin or restorative yoga. These practices involve holding poses for a longer period of time, allowing you to receive the benefits of deep passive stretching.  Restorative yoga not only quiets the mind, but also allows you to seek out and release tension.  (try Natalie’s Restorative class on Friday at 5:30pm)

4)  Foam Rolling.  Regularly using a Foam Roller results in many benefits including reduced inflammation, improved circulation and improved flexibility. Regularly foam rolling pre- and post- workout will not only help prepare your muscles for the workout ahead, it can also help with post muscle recovery. Rolling out your feet is a good every day practice for those that walk. (read: EVERYONE).  Plus, Foam Rolling can relieve the pain of working at a desk. If you sit for extended periods of time, break up your day (and your fascia) with a foam rolling break.

5)  FLOAT!  After a long run, floating is hands down the best thing that I have ever done for my body, and I’ve done a lot of things.  Floating in a pool of Epsom salts creates a buoyant floating bed that fully supports you, effortlessly releasing your body of it’s own weight from head to toe. Free of any physical duties, your body can truly rest, producing lasting physical benefits, including lowering of blood pressure, lowering cortisol levels, relieving joint and chronic pain, improving sleep patterns and calming of the nervous system. Plus, as a member of Flow you get your first float for $25.  Check out Life Float today.

Move your body well, and make sure to find some time to rest and recover.

CategoriesBlog

Seattle Reign FC Partners with Flow Fitness

Seattle Reign FC have announced their partnership with Flow Fitness through the 2019 National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) season. Flow Fitness will be the Official Training Gym of Seattle Reign FC.

“Our partnership with Flow Fitness is key to our success on the pitch,” said Reign FC vice president of partnerships Kaylynn Kelley.

“Flow Fitness is an extremely important step for our club in providing our players with the facilities they need to succeed,” said Reign FC director of high performance Nick Leman. “Flow is a great fit for Reign FC with its convenient location to Memorial Stadium, great facilities, and like-minded staff.”

Flow Fitness values innovation, community, and service. They offer many community-based programs and events, while constantly looking to be a source of inspiration and motivation to the surrounding South Lake Union area and beyond.

“Supporting and building community is a large component of Flow’s mission,” said Flow Fitness owner Justin Young. “We have been very impressed with the management of the Reign and are excited to partner with them. We welcome the Seattle Reign to our community, and are proud to support another successful professional sports team in the greater Seattle area.”

Along with state of the art cardio and strength equipment, Flow Fitness offers over 10 different group classes, group training, and individualized personal training. Their amenities also include locker rooms and saunas.

“We’re excited and honored to have world class athletes from the Seattle Reign train at Flow Fitness,” said Young. “Being selected as their facility of choice is a testament to the quality of our facilities and equipment.”

For more information on Flow Fitness, visit them online at flowfitnessseattle.com.

Seattle Reign FC season tickets and half-season match packages for 2017 are now available. To purchase tickets, visit reignfc.com/tickets or call the Reign FC ticket office at (855) REIGN-FC.

Syndicated from TheBold.net

CategoriesBlog Live Fit.

The Smart, Injury-Free Way to Plank

This post was written by Flow Personal Trainer, Mack Klink

Take away points:

* The Plank is a simple exercise that’s often performed wrong by over extending the duration with terrible form.

* Do not allow your body to creep into lordosis or excessive kyphosis.

* Focus on maintaining the three points of contact over plank duration – quality over quantity.
The Plank, the exercise that everyone does and thinks they knows how to do. It’s easy, right? Place your elbows on the ground, straighten out, hold on for dear life and in no time you’ll have the six-pack you always wanted. What more is there to know about planking?

Quite a bit actually.

The plank started out with noble intentions, however, the problem is most people aren’t correctly activating the right muscles.  The emphasis is placed on time, rather than strengthening the deep core. This is a problem because overextending the set too long can potentially cause postural dysfunction. The core isn’t designed to fire for extended periods of time in isolation.

Postural dysfunction

While planking, individuals are usually not paying attention to both form and technique. Instead, they’re scrolling through their Facebook or putting together their workout playlist. In short, their focus and attention is elsewhere. The plank was never meant to be a half-ass engaged hold with large curves in the back, and belly sagging towards the ground. While in this position, your body creates a large lumbar lordosis* while the upper back is compensating with an exaggerated thoracic kyphosis*. After reading that last line, I bet you are like “lord who it’s with an exaggerated what its?”

So, what’s wrong with being in this position? According to Mike Robertson, owner of Indianapolis Fitness and Sports Training (IFAST),

“You are literally hammering your lumbar spinous process together to create stability.” In short, this is NOT carving out that six pack (the main purpose) and instead hurting your overall posture with the lumbar lordosis and excessive kyphosis and causing lower back pain!”

The correct way to plank

Luckily, there is a quick and easy way to prevent your body from creeping into these postural aliments and all you need is a stick.

Go ahead and assume the elbow plank position with the stick on your back. The goal is to have three points of contact with the stick: head, upper back, and glutes with minimal space between the stick and lower back.

By being in this position, the exercise is completely changed. First, your body is in the correct position with optimal posture and minimizes lower back issues. Second, you will get your transverse abdominals, external and internal oblique muscles engaged for maximum muscle contraction.
More muscles working = better results.

It may be difficult to hold the plank position while maintaining the three points of contact at first, but don’t worry. Keep working on it. Focus on holding this position for as long as you can, even if it’s only for 15-30 seconds. Focus on quality, not quantity and progress slowly.

The Plank’s Step by Step Coaching Points:

* Use a stick to keep yourself honest.

* Place elbows underneath your shoulders and flatten forearms against the ground.

* Lift your torso off the ground

* Place the stick on your back. Remember to maintain the three points of contact on the stick.

* The lower back should have a small dig, just large enough for a coach or friend to slide their fingertips between your back and stick.

* Focus on squeezing your glutes, brace your core, and pressing your hands into the ground.

Give it a try. Focus on maintaining the three points of contact throughout the entire plank duration and you may discover a new appreciation for this exercise.

Some quick definitions.

* Lordosis – Greek word meaning “bent backwards,” refers to the inward curve of the lower back and cervical spine (neck). Too much of a low back curve is called lumbar hyperlordosis or hollow back.

* Kyphosis – Greek word meaning “hump.” There should naturally be kyphosis in your thoracic spine (upper back). However, too much hump in your back can lead to you becoming the next Humpback of Notre Dame.

CategoriesBlog Live Fit.

How to Get the Most Out of Your Personal Training Sessions

In recent years, the popularity of personal trainers has skyrocketed as people have started recognizing that some educated personal attention can go a long way to achieving your fitness goals. However, picking a personal trainer is more than just walking into your local gym and asking for the first available trainer. Much like teaching methods in school, different people are going to benefit from different approaches.

You want to make sure that your personal trainer not only has a fitting personality, but the skills to help you reach your individual goals. Here are some tips at getting the most from your personal training sessions.

  1. Choose Wisely: Much like when you’re hiring anyone else, it’s important to shop around first to find the person that best fits your needs. A good trainer will have up-to-date national level credentials, or have a degree in exercise science. Additionally, they’ll likely work at a top of the line gym. To be even more positive about your choice, make contact with them. This is someone you’re going to be spending a lot of one on one time with, so you should meet with them, or at the very least speak on the phone, to get a sense of who they are and how they will fit with your personality. Some good questions for them range anywhere from payment, to references, to motivation style.
  1. What Do You Want to Achieve? Personal trainers have different specialties. If you are trying to achieve a very specific goal, such as a competition or better yourself for a specific sport, it’s best to find someone that has previous experience with those skillsets. If your goals are more general, then you have a wider pool to choose from. Share your objectives and concerns with your trainer previous to the first session, so that they can plan a way to achieve them.
  1. Bonding: You’re going to respond better to someone that you feel can sync up with your learning style and push you in a manner that you find beneficial. Find someone that is open to hearing your preferences, questions and concerns, and responds to them. Ultimately, they’re supposed to be teaching you how to make exercise a natural part of your life, and must adapt to the manner which most benefits you. If that is not the case at any point, be sure to bring this up with your trainer right away.
  1. Know When to Quit: If you can afford to constantly have a personal trainer and feel that it continually benefits you, then by all means continue. However, that is not the case for most people. For most people, these relationships end in one of three ways. The first is that you have achieved your objectives or simply feel that you don’t need a personal trainer anymore. The second is that you can only afford a limited amount of sessions, to which your trainer should have been made aware. Hopefully you gained the knowledge to continue training on your own, as cost is also an important consideration when choosing whether or not to keep a personal trainer. Lastly however, you may choose to leave your trainer. Personal trainers should make you feel better, and energize you to want to come to their sessions. If you’re consistently dreading going to your sessions, feeling beat up, or not achieving your goals (and you’re doing everything you’re supposed to), then maybe it’s time to walk away and find someone else to help you.

Personal trainers can be that stepping stone in order to get over your physical or mental hurdles, and can help educate you to make exercise a natural part of your life. Look into a personal trainer today to get that extra push to achieve your goals.

Featured photo source: Pixabay.com

CategoriesBlog Move.

5 Important Exercises You’re Forgetting to Do at the Gym

You probably have a routine that you use for exercises. Maybe you work on your back, shoulders and arms one day and your legs, butt, and core the next. Maybe you alternate strength training with aerobic exercise. Whatever your typical workout regimen, there are probably important exercises that you aren’t performing.

Adding a few small exercises to appropriate points in your workout routine can improve the effectiveness of your regimen and reduce the likelihood of incurring a serious injury while you’re trying to improve your health and fitness.

  1. Leg lifts on your side. Surely you remember these as a staple of the Jazzercise era. While it’s been a while since side-lying leg lifts have been popular, their health benefits have never disappeared. Performing leg lifts while lying on your side engages and strengthens the glute medius, critical muscles which lift the leg to the side, help your leg rotate, and stabilize your pelvis and lower extremities. Add these to your lower body regimen and reduce the risk of a hip injury.
  2. Rowing. There’s a reason there’s always someone on the rowing machine: Rowing is a great exercise. It doesn’t just work your arms and shoulders. Rowing actually works nine major muscle groups, making it an incredibly efficient workout exercise. If you want to strengthen your glutes, lats, biceps, quads, hamstrings, core, shoulders, triceps and back, then rowing should be part of your regular exercise routine. Consider rowing as part of your aerobic routine each week.
  3. Side plank. You’re probably already doing a standard plank to help strengthen your core. You should also be including side planks at least once a week in your routine. These exercises help better strengthen your core and lead to better overall stabilization. Side planks help strengthen and stretch your obliques, your hips, and your shoulders. Make sure to do each side! Consider adding them every other time you work on core strength exercises.
  4. Resisted dorsiflexion. You want strong ankles and feet to support your legs as you get stronger. This exercise uses a rubber resistance band, attached to something stable in front of you as you sit. Wrap the band around your foot and flex your foot and ankle with the band providing resistance. Add these exercises to the days in your exercise regimen that are dedicated to strengthening your legs and lower body.
  5. Internal and external shoulder rotations. Like the resisted dorsiflexion exercise, these strength-building exercises require the use of a band. Performing these exercises can help strengthen muscles that are critical to safely using your shoulders and arms during workouts. You should be tending to your rotator cuff muscles at least two times a week.

Featured photo source: Pixabay.com

CategoriesBlog Move.

Workouts That Bust Stress and Anxiety

Professionals from many disciplines will attest to the fact that physical exercise has long been established as a key factor in reducing stress, anxiety, and battling depression. Stress affects not only the brain, but the rest of our bodies. When our bodies are physically challenged on a regular basis and in good health, our minds feel better as well. The endorphins produced from physical activity improves your sleep cycles which in turn, reduce stress.

The act of exercise itself produces important neurotransmitters such as serotonin, that are important for preventing depression and anxiety disorders. What forms of exercise are best for busting stress and keeping serotonin levels in balance? The answer to that is as varied as each person and their comfort levels.

Experts agree that regular exercise 3-5 times a week is as important as what types of workouts you choose. Hard bouts of cardio as well as weight training and deep stretching from yoga are all effective stress busters. Finding a form that works best for your personality and lifestyle is important so that you will stick with it.

If you are a social person, consider a group class to keep you in the game. If you are struggling with anger or over the top work stress, a kickboxing class may be just what the doctor ordered. The intensity inherently releases endorphins leaving you with a feeling of achievement.

If focusing at work is a struggle, perhaps a yoga class to help you center and learn mind-body control and controlled breathing. One session will leave you with a sense of calm and positive outlook. Regular yoga proponents have significantly higher levels of the amino acid GABA, which is associated with depression and anxiety for people with lower levels.

Running has been shown to promote healthier moods because of the repetitive and rhythmic effects on the brain. The same is said of hiking to lower stress hormones. There is something about getting off the pavement, and smelling the outdoors with a break from urban surroundings that calms the mind. If you live too far from hiking trails, you will be surprised to find many “urban hikes” in the middle of Seattle.

Intense cardo 3-5 times a week for 30 minutes a session is recommended for optimal health. However, if it has been a while for you, don’t let that hold you back. Just get out there and do an interval approach that challenges you for a minute at a time, with rest intervals of 30-60 seconds. Continue this cycle for a total of 15 minutes, working up to 30 minutes and you will see improvement in your moods, as well as your fitness level improve within 2-3 weeks.

Remember, it is less important what form of exercise that you choose than it is to just get out there and DO IT!

Featured photo source: Pixabay.com

CategoriesBlog Live Fit.

Get More Out of Your Gym Time: Here’s How!

You’re dedicated to your health and well-being. You make a point of visiting the gym several times a week to ensure you engage in enough strength-training exercise, as well as aerobic exercise to promote your overall health. Did you know there are some simple tricks and tips that can help you make the most of your time at the gym?

  1. Eat before you exercise. Eating some protein and carbohydrates can help your body energize for your workout. Additionally, having adequate protein available can help fuel your body as you need in order to get the most out of exercising. It is also important that you have enough water to drink before and during your workout. Adequate hydration is critical to your body’s optimal performance.
  2. Visit the gym at slower times. If you only have an hour for exercise, you don’t want to waste fifteen minutes hanging around, waiting for the rowing machine or elliptical to become available. If you plan your exercise time when there are fewer people at the gym, you can skip the long waits, as well as the potential distraction of socialization.
  3. Start your gym time with something fun. Whether you love strength-training, running or yoga, opening your exercise time with something that you enjoy doing will get you pumped up for the entire experience. If you’re looking forward to starting your time at the gym, you’re more likely to prioritize your time there instead of hunting for excuses to skip a day.
  4. Practice interval training. You may think that going as hard as you can for as long as you can is the ideal for exercise. In reality, moderate levels of exertion punctuated with brief, intense intervals of exercise is the ideal for burning fat and calories. These exercises can be intense, but you only need to perform them for a minute or two, followed by a short rest and recovery period between intervals.
  5. Work with a personal trainer. Working with a trainer can help you get the most out of your exercise time. If you are nervous about one-on-one engagement with a trainer, consider sharing a trainer with a friend. That way, you can lower your costs and increase your motivation to perform to your best ability at the same time. Your personal trainer can help you (and your exercise buddy) reach your goals and avoid injuries that will slow your path to improved health.
  6. Be sure to stretch. Stretching at the beginning of your exercise is important, as is stretching at the end to maximize the increases in your flexibility. What you may not realize, however, is that you should also be stretching while you exercise. Stretching between training exercises uses those break times productively and helps your tired muscles recover from the exertion.
CategoriesBlog Live Fit.

Enhance Your Fitness: Reasons to Consider Personal Training Opportunities at Flow Fitness

Getting in better shape is a common goal among Americans, and one we are typically not very good at reaching. Every year, millions of Americans attempt diets and exercise regimens, only to fail within days of starting. Working with a personal trainer is one of the best options for individuals who are serious about enhancing their fitness and improving their overall health.

At Flow Fitness, we have an amazing team of personal trainers who can help you achieve the body and degree of fitness you’ve always wanted. Here are some reasons to consider a personal trainer through Flow Fitness.

  1. Personal Trainers Help Keep You Motivated. Exercise burnout is less likely if you’re working with someone who encourages you and helps you see the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. Your trainer will develop a personal relationship with you and will learn how to motivate you to really push yourself while exercising. We have a diverse group of trainers at Flow Fitness, ensuring that one of them will be a great fit for your personality, needs and exercise preferences.
  2. Personal Trainers Encourage Accountability. If you’re just working out on your own, it’s easy to give a less than full effort or skip days without feeling much remorse. Canceling with a personal trainer, however, requires that you explain why you aren’t showing up. Additionally, if you try to glide through your sessions without giving it everything you have, your trainer will notice and call you on this behavior.
  3. Personal Trainers Help You Achieve Goals Safely. There’s a minimum amount of calories you need to eat daily, and safer ways to perform common exercises. Your trainer can help you avoid and prepare for food-related temptation by coaching you about your diet and nutrition. They can also help you improve your form when you’re exercising, reducing the potential for serious injuries and improving your overall results. The staff at Flow Fitness are all educated or accredited in the fields of Exercise Science, Kinesiology and Physical Education. We pride ourselves on helping you safely meet your fitness goals.
  4. Personal Trainers Keep It Fresh. Your trainer will create a highly individualized workout program based on your level of fitness and your goals. Your trainer will make sure those exercises change regularly, allowing for the maximum rest, recovery, and later performance of the muscle groups you target. Those rotating exercises will also help ensure you continue to feel engaged by your exercise regimen. The more interesting and engaging each training session is, the more likely you are to stay motivated and involved in your physical fitness goals.
CategoriesBlog Live Fit. Move.

Change Your Plane…

…plane of motion that is. Have no idea what I’m talking about?

There are three planes of motion: sagittal, frontal, and transverse.

At it’s most basic:

Sagittal = forward or backward (think lunges, running or cycling)
Frontal = side to side (side lunges or jumping jacks)
Transverse = rotational (twists of any sort, swinging a bat)

To picture the three planes, imagine slicing through the body, (like in the picture):

First through the center, dividing the body from the left to the right for the Sagittal plane.
Next through the body from the left side to the right, separating the front and back halves to create the frontal plane (front side and back side).
Finally cutting straight through the hips to divide the top of the body from the bottom, the transverse plane.

The body moves in three dimensions and an ideal training program would reflect that. However, most of us hang out in the sagittal plane all the time, moving forward or back doing pushups, crunches, squats, lunges or simply hanging out on the elliptical, treadmill or stationary bike.

People that are in excellent shape as runners or cyclists are often shocked upon changing up their programs and learning how weak they are in the frontal and transverse planes.  Building in exercises in other planes helps your body naturally prevent injury, increase your range of motion, and ensure good balance.

Plus, activities in sports and daily life require movement in all three planes simultaneously. A forehand in tennis, , squatting to lift and carry a toddler, a spike in volleyball, grocery shopping, and a golf swing are all multi-plane movements.

When you come to the gym or workout in any way, aim to involve all three planes of motion. Work in some side lunges, or a twist.  Do some jumping jacks or oblique crunches.  Develop a yoga practice or go to training camp.  This will ensure that your exercise routine has a better carry-over to sport and to life.

CategoriesBlog Live Fit. Move.

Three Simple Solutions to Keep the Fire Burning

We are now six weeks into 2017. Most consistent gym enthusiasts have noticed a major influx of new faces running on treadmills, attending classes or lifting weights. The consistent gym enthusiasts have seen this play out before: crowded gym for the first 6-8 weeks of the new year, then a drop off as March approaches. Sadly, a stunning 80% of individuals embarking on their health and wellness resolutions are not seen after six weeks into the new year. Here are three simple solutions to ensure you won’t be on the wrong side of statistics:

1. SCHEDULE YOUR GYM TIME AS IF IT WERE A WORK MEETING:

Imagine this scenario: It’s been a busy day at the office and time is flying by. You planned  a Noon workout, yet  all of a sudden you get a notification that your 1 pm meeting is about to begin. You realized you were so focused on work that you completely missed your “designated” workout time. This is an all-to-common scenario. When many people do not put their workouts into their schedule, it becomes very easy to let time slip away and another workout is lost. A workout lost=lost momentum. Lost momentum= lost consistency. And thus the vicious cycle begins. Put it in your calendar at the beginning of the week and as soon that notification alerts you, GET UP AND GO!

2. PRINT OUT A CALENDAR AND CROSS OFF EVERY DAY YOU SUCCESSFULLY MAKE IT TO THE GYM:

There is something truly powerful about visually writing goals down and “checking the boxes”. Simply setting a goal of “X” amount of days a week to get to the gym and crossing those days off on a physical calendar helps to reinforce the habit of making it to the gym, while giving you the visual perspective of how much momentum you have truly built.

3. SWITCHING UP YOUR WORKOUT TO KEEP SEEING RESULTS:

The reality is most people embarking on New Year’s health and wellness goals gravitate to simply running on the treadmill. The first couple weeks these individuals see weight coming off, yet as each week goes on, results drop off more and more. Reason being, the body adapts to consistent stimulus. Try this: Warm up with a five minute run, then perform 10 Rounds of a :30 Sprint followed by a one minute walk. Not only is this type of intensity going to yield much better results, this should also take you much less time. Who doesn’t want to spend less time in the gym and see better results?

post written by Flow Fitness Personal Trainer, Drew Ridge