Leg's and Core exercises you can perform at home.

Hi all,

Mark here form Alltone  group personal training studio and BNG Boot Camp Greensborough.

Winter has finally set in and staying motivating can be a challenge for some over the coming months.  Getting up early and heading out for a run or to the gym becomes a real struggle. So I thought I would put together a few exercises which target the lower body and core muscles. They can be performed easily in the comfort of your own home and will only take 10-15 minute's to complete.  If you have never performed the exercises below, have a serious medical condition, injuries or any other health issue then I highly recommend seeking advice from a medical professional before commencing any exercise program.  Enjoy! 

SQUAT 

 3 SETS 

10 REPETITIONS 

30 SECONDS REST BETWEEN SETS

INSTRUCTIONS: 

Stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder width apart and your toes slightly turned out. Have your arm directly out in front of you parallel to the floor. Keep your abdominal muscles tight, begin by pushing your hips back and bending at the knees. (Similar to sitting back onto a chair.) Keep the weight in your heels. While squatting, keep your knees tracking in line with your feet. Ideally you want to lower yourself so your hip joint is slightly lower than your knees. Push up through the heels extending your knees and hips until you are back to a standing position.  

 Tip: Keep your chest high while performing the squat. Knees should not pass the toes.   

Reduce the rest between sets to 30 sec to increase the intensity.  

BIRD DOG 

3 SETS 

16 REPETITONS  

1 MIN REST BETWEEN SETS 

INSTRUCTIONS: 

Start with on your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips, while keeping your head, neck, and back straight.  Raise your right arm and reach it forward until it’s in line with your torso. As you bring your arm forward, kick your left leg backwards until it’s straight and in line with your torso, hold for 1 second. Slowly bring your arm and leg back to the ground and repeat with the opposite arm and leg.  

PLANK 

3 SETS 

MAX HOLD  

30 - 45 SEC REST BETWEEN SETS 

INSTRUCTIONS: 

Resting on your forearms, lift your body into a straight line. Feet should be hip width apart and arm bent at 90 degrees with elbows directly beneath your shoulders. Activate your core muscles by pulling your belly button in towards your spine and squeeze your glutes.  Hold this position for as long as you can. This is one set. 

Tip: Avoid sagging or elevating your hips throughout the exercise. If you have not performed this exercise before, you can start by resting both knees on the floor.  

MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS 

3 SETS 

MAX REPETITIONS   

30 SEC REST BETWEEN SETS 

INSTRUCTIONS: 

Commence in a plank position on your hands. Ensure your hands are directly beneath your shoulders and feet are hip width apart. Step your left knee in towards your left elbow. Do not let your left foot touch the ground, then step the left foot back out into a plank position. Repeat on the right hand side. Do as many as possible.  

Tip: Avoid lifting your hips in the air, keep your abdominal muscles tight.  

So there you go, I hope that was helpful. Perform this 3 times per week with 2 additional days of 30min cardiovascular exercise like swimming, jogging or cycling . If you require further help or would like information on a more advanced exercise program feel free to contact me. At Alltone Fitness we offer personal training, small group personal training, boot camp and yoga in the Greenborough, Bundoora, Watsonia and Mill Park area. For more info get in touch at info@alltonefitness.com.au or head to our website www.alltonefitness.com.au

Stay Warm  

Mark 

Live A Longer Life By Doing Strength Training.

Hi All, 

Mark here from Alltone Fitness and BNG Boot Camp & Personal Training Greensborugh. Any of you that know me, have heard me constantly going on about the health benefits of strength training. Its great for fat loss, joint health, and the list just goes on and on. Well here's a fantastic one, strength training can actually help you live longer! Wow! That's great news!  Enjoy this nice little article I came across in regards to strength training and living longer. Courtesy of Health.com and written by Don Rauf. 

By Don Rauf

HealthDay Reporter

You probably already know that strength training, such as lifting weights or doing pushups, is good for you, but now new research suggests it may help you live longer, too.

When people 65 and older did strength training twice a week, they lowered their odds of dying from any cause by almost half during a 15-year study.

“The secret to a longer and healthier life may not be available in pill form, but it may look like a barbell,” said lead study author Dr. Jennifer Kraschnewski. She’s an assistant professor of medicine and public health sciences at Penn State College of Medicine, in Hershey, Pa.

“Strength training can substantially decrease mortality risk, and more importantly, some of our other work demonstrates the impact of strength training on improving functional limitations [in older people],” she added.

The study included data on more than 30,000 adults, all 65 and older. Information was collected from 1997 through 2001 through the U.S. National Health Interview Survey.

Nearly 10 percent of the adults in the study reported strength training at least twice a week. That’s consistent with guidelines from the American College of Sports Medicine/American Heart Association (ACSM/AHA). Kraschnewski said this training included muscle-strengthening activities for the legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms.

While the study didn’t prove cause-and-effect, it found that people who did strength training at least two days a week were 46 percent less likely to die from any cause. And they were 41 percent less likely to die from heart disease, Kraschnewski said. She added that seniors who did at least two days of strength training were also 19 percent less likely to die from cancer compared to those who didn’t do the training.

Responding to the study findings, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Brad Thomas said, “Strength training has been well identified as a means to strengthen our bones and joints, but with this study we have a new benefit of longevity.” Thomas, who was not involved with the study, is an associate professor at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine.

Previous studies have shown that strength training may improve muscle mass and chronic conditions such as diabetes, osteoporosis, lower back pain and obesity. Stronger muscles may also result in better stamina, physical function, and balance, according to background information in the study.

ACSM/AHA guidelines also recommend that adults participate in moderate-intensity (such as brisk walking) aerobic activity for 150 minutes each week. That’s 30 minutes a day, five days a week. If you are performing vigorous-intensity aerobic activity (such as jogging or running), the guidelines suggest 75 minutes each week.

Kraschnewski urged older adults who have not been active to talk with a doctor before starting an exercise program.

“In general, there are safe exercises for everyone, but it may require tailoring for your specific conditions,” she said. “Strength training can be done at home and many exercises don’t actually require equipment.”

A few of her suggestions include doing pushups, abdominal crunches and leg squats, all of which use one’s own body weight.

Kraschnewski said resistance bands are another great option for home-based programs. These inexpensive bands or tubes provide resistance when stretched and can be used for strength training exercises in all major muscle groups, she said.

If you feel that you could benefit from additional help, consider joining a gym that offers coaches to help create an exercise regimen, she suggested.

“Typically, two to three exercise sessions a week for 20 to 30 minutes are enough for most people to develop results,” said Kraschnewski. “Our studies have demonstrated older adults can double their strength in just 12 weeks.”

Both Kraschnewski and Thomas said there’s no age cutoff when it comes to getting benefits from aerobic exercise and strength training.

“Older adults have the ability to achieve strength similar to those decades younger by engaging in simple strength training routines,” Kraschnewski said.

The study findings were published recently in the journal Preventive Medicine

Have a Great Week  - Mark Frangiosa 

Alltone Fitness April Newsletter 2016

Hi all, Mark here with our April Newsletter. This month has seen BNG Boot Camp move indoors at Watsonia Primary School Hall. With winter fast approaching it can become a struggle staying motivated and keeping fit. Put this together with having to exercise out in the cold and it usually results staying in bed or on the couch instead of staying active.  Well, no more excuses as our fantastic newly built  indoor venue comes with full amenities and ample parking just outside the main entrance. Our Boot Camp is guaranteed to help you with weight loss and to get fit fast. Sessions all tailored to all fitness levels so everyone can participate. Best of all, its only $2 to try! For more info or to book your $2 session then head to www.bngbootcamp.com.au 

JOIN US FOR THE MCG STADUIM STOMP ON SUNDAY 26TH JUNE 

 I have decided to put a team together for the stadium stomp held at the MCG on Sunday June 26th. The stadium stomp is a stair climbing challenge designed to take you around the bay's of the MCG containing the longest rows. The two options with this stair climb are - The half course, which  is approximately 1,890 steps and should take between 20-30mins ( great for beginners ) The full course, approximately 7,343 steps and can take anywhere from 45min to 2 hours to complete depending on your fitness level. What a great way to stay fit and motivated over winter! For more info head to www.stadiumstomp.com 

please note - this is note a race and everyone is encouraged to go at their own pace.  If you would like to register then head to the stadium stomp website, choose venue as the MCG, and then register under the BNG Boot Camp team. The paasword you will need is alltone fitness. 

START YOU YOGIC JOURNEY TODAY!  

What to expect 

Yoga classes run for 60 minutes and are based on traditional Hatha Yoga Teachings. Most classes incorporate Vinyasa or flowing from posture to posture with the breath.

Classes are suitable for all experience levels, from beginner to the experienced Yogi.

All classes begin with either a short 5 minute practice of Pranayama breathing exercise or a Dharana single focused concentration and meditation. Majority of the class is Asana (postures) based and there is an opportunity to move into stronger variations of the postures, if the body wants to. The class is then finished with a guided relaxation, also known as Savasana practice.

 

 

Benefits of Yoga

Increases strength and flexibility

Helps reduce stress and anxiety

Improves energy levels

Better mental clarity, concentration and memory

Improved cardiovascular fitness and circulation

Increased self-awareness and connectedness

Improved balance and body awareness

Increased blood flow to internal organs, which may improve function e.g. digestive system

For more info and class times head to www.yogicjourney.com.au 

Hope to see all soon at either Boot Camp or Yoga. Wishing you all a fit and healthy April.

Mark :)

Cardiovascular Disease - How to reduce your risks.

Hi all, Mark here from Alltone Fitness & BNG Boot Camp in Watsonia. In this week’s blog I have decided to tackle the topic of cardiovascular disease and how we can all reduce our risk factors.

Cardiovascular disease (cvd) is the term used for heart, stroke and blood vessel diseases. CVD is the leading cause of death in Australia, accounting for 38% of all deaths in 2002 claiming the lives of more than one in three Australians. There are a number of different conditions associated with this which include.

Coronary Heart Disease

Coronary Heart Disease, (CHD) is caused by the slow build-up over many years of fatty cholesterol containing deposits in the inner wall of one or more of the hearts arteries.

Heart Attack

Heart Attack occurs when a coronary artery is suddenly blocked by a blood clot and the part of the heart muscle supplied by that artery is damaged because it is starved of oxygen.

Heart failure

Heart failure occurs when the heart muscle has become too weak to pump blood through the body as effectively as normal. This causes blood to dam up behind the heart and fluid to collect in the lunges and other body tissues.

Angina

Angina is temporary chest pain or discomfort, resulting from a reduced blood supply to the heart muscle. It occurs because part of the chest muscle is temporally unable to get enough blood and oxygen to meet its demands

High Blood Pressure

Also known as hypertension, simply means that your blood is pumping with more blood force than normal through your arteries.

Stroke

A stroke occurs when an artery supplying blood to a part of the brain becomes blocked or bursts. As a result, that part of the brain is damaged because it is deprived of its blood supply.

Exercise Considerations and reducing your risks of cardiovascular disease.

If diagnosed with one of the above conditions, it is extremely important you acquire medical clearance from your doctor before commencing personal training,group fitness, boot camp or any fitness related activity.   A recent American Heart Association consensus statement on preventing heart attack and death in patients with coronary disease suggested a minimum of 30 to 60 minutes of moderate-intensity activity 3 or 4 times weekly along with an increase in daily lifestyle activities (e.g., walk breaks at work, using stairs, gardening, household activities); 5 to 6 hours a week was suggested for maximum benefits. Increasing physical activity in daily living can be helpful in this regard. Both aerobic and resistance exercises are encouraged at a moderate intensity level.

Sudden stop-and-go or extremely strenuous activities may be beneficial, but are more likely to place undue stress on the heart, especially for those who are normally sedentary. It is recommended to commence with a low intensity program and slowly increase when appropriate. 

 If in doubt about exercising, seek the advice of a fitness professional like a personal trainer in your local area. At Alltone Fitness we offer personal training, boot camp andyoga in the Bundoora, Watsonia, Mill Park and Greensborough area, so feel free to get in touch.

Reducing your risks of CVD.

It goes without saying that being active can significantly reduce the risk of developing CVD. Joining a gym, going for a brisk walk, swimming, group fitness classes, boot camp, or hiring a personal trainer are all fantastic ways to stay fit and active. If there is a history of heart disease in your family, having regular checkups with your doctor is a must. Keeping cholesterol and blood pressure levels in check with your doctor can help pick up early signs of CVD. Diet plays an extremely important role, cut out highly processed foods and include whole foods which are high in fiber and nutrients like fruit and vegetables.

Take a look at your lifestyle factors that could increase your risks, the obvious ones being smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. Lastly, high stress levels could be a problem. Take time out and don’t sweat the small stuff. Schedule time out during the day the switch your brain off. A simple 5 minute meditation or breathing exercise could do wanders in reducing stress levels.