HIIT It!

There is an exercise method for everything you could think of. But really! For those of you looking for a workout that doesn’t take up a lot of time or if you want to switch up your routine, try a high intensity interval workout.

Commonly called HIIT for short, High Intensity Interval Training is exactly what it sounds like- intervals of high intensity work with periods of rest. Research shows that HIIT can improve blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, and improve both aerobic and anaerobic fitness. HIIT is a great cardiovascular workout that can also help you lose body fat while still working your muscles hard. Most of the intervals are determined by a percent heart rate max, typically 80% or more. The rest time- which can also be an active rest period- is different depending on fitness levels and the amount of recovery needed for that given effort. The basic rule is the higher the intensity, the shorter the speed interval.

So why does HIIT work? Working at a high intensity causes your body to need more oxygen and more energy. Typically, HIIT sessions are about 20 minutes in length. Because this method of training demands more energy and oxygen, it takes longer for your body to recover and your body can still be burning calories at a higher rate than normal even after you stop exercising. This is called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, or EPOC, and can help you lose body fat or even help maintain a healthy body composition. Working a HIIT session into your routine regularly can help you feel more energetic.

If you have never tried a HIIT session before, make sure you find a fitness professional to help guide you and build a training regimen that works best for you. This type of training isn’t for everyone since it is done at such a high intensity. There are many different types of HIIT programs as well, so find the one that meets your needs and make sure your program is safe and effective!

Blog post by Nikki Courtney.

3 Glute Exercises to Improve your Golf Game

The Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) calls the glutes the “King of the Golf Swing.”  Why?

Your glutes play a very important role in the golf swing.  Two words:  Power and consistency.

One of the main roles of the glutes is to stabilize the hips.  In the golf swing you generate power from the ground up.  To maintain power throughout the backswing, your glutes must maintain pelvic stability as you internally rotate on the back leg and your upper body rotates.  Stability is also important to allow rotation in the downstwing and the follow through.  If you’re lacking stability, your consistency will suffer and it could even lead to some swaying and sliding swing characteristics.

If your glutes are not firing properly, other muscles may compensate and could also lead to overuse injuries of the hamstrings and lower back.

Strengthen your glutes for more power and consistency!  Here are 3 glute exercises to try…

Clamshell

What: Glute Medius, Hip External Rotation

How: Lay on your side with your knees bent and your legs stacked on top of each other.  Keep your feet together and lift your top knee as far as possible without rocking.  I like to suggest putting your hand on your hip so you can feel any rocking.  Try 2 sets of 10 repetitions then repeat on the other side.

Reverse Clamshell

What: Hip Internal Rotation

How: Lay on your side with your knees bent and your legs stacked on top of each other.  Keep your knees together and lift your top foot as far as possible.  Try 2 sets of 10 repetitions then repeat on the other side.

Bridge

What: Glutes

How: Lay on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground.  Lift your hips off the ground.  Hold for 1-2 seconds then lower.  Try 2 sets of 10 repetitions and focus on using your glutes.  If you feel your hamstrings, your glutes are not firing correctly!

Blog post by Jen Skiba.

Balance & Stability Training for Golfers

Balance is the ability to maintain center of gravity when external forces are placed on it. 

Stability is the ability of any system to remain unchanged or aligned in the presence of change or outside forces. 

In golf one must have good balance to maintain posture while moving through the golf swing and remain stable on uneven surfaces or even in windy situations.  The golf swing is a complex movement pattern combining mobility and stability.  It requires the ankles, hips and spine to be mobile while your feet, knees and pelvis must be stable.  You can create stability by combining balance, strength, and muscle endurance. 

As a Certified Burdenko Method instructor, we learn the six essential qualities of life and sport are balance, coordination, flexibility, endurance, speed and strength.  We must start at the bottom of the pyramid and master balance, coordination and flexibility before moving on to developing endurance, speed and strength.  While many people feel that balance and stability training is more appropriate for a senior exercise program, it is very important to work on balance to maintain postural alignment and control while developing power in younger athletes.

Why is balance so important in golf?

Just like Burdenko, balance is the first fundamental in golf.  You must maintain posture throughout your swing while at the same time generating speed/power and stretching/contracting adjacent segments.  You a need to be able to load on the back leg before transitioning into the downswing.  Better balance means better control of the club which means better accuracy.  Maintaining balance and posture throughout the entire swing will also help with consistency.  Isn’t that what we all strive for?

You must also consider the surfaces you are playing on.  Golf courses are typically not flat!  You may be hitting on a hill, one foot in a bunker, or even strange foot positions to avoid trees or other obstacles.  It’s important to stay on your feet and practicing your balance can help.

How do you test balance?

We test balance with TPI’s Single Leg Balance Test.  According to TPI, “It highlights any ankle mobility or proprioceptive imbalance from left to right as well as overall stability in the core.”

Do not attempt this test without a Certified TPI Professional.  The Single Leg Balance Test begins by standing with your arms by your sides.  Lift one leg to 90 degrees so that your thigh is parallel to the ground.  When you’re stable and feel balanced, close your eyes.  How long can you maintain balance?  Any movement or repositioning of the leg/foot would be considered a loss of balance.  

The PGA Tour standard is at least 25 seconds on each foot with your eyes closed.

What can I do to improve my balance?

There are a variety of exercises you can do to improve your balance.  Balance starts to decline when we reach a certain age so it’s important to keep working on your balance every day.

Here are 3 balance exercises to try:

1.  Half Roll Tandem Stance

-Begin by standing with both feet on a half roll with one foot in front of the other.

-Maintain balance as long as you can then repeat with the leg in front.

-You can also challenge yourself by closing your eyes.

2.  Half Roll Leg Swings

-Begin by standing with one foot on a half roll.

-Swing your leg forwards and backwards.

-Keep your back straight and add in your arms swinging opposite arm/leg.

-You can also challenge yourself by closing your eyes.

3.  Single Leg Stance with Torso Turns

-Begin in golf posture.

-Cross your arms and lift one leg off the ground.

-Practice maintaining balance and lower body stability while rotating your torso side to side. Remember: slow and controlled!

Blog post by Jen Skiba.

Coconut Water vs Sports Drinks for Rehydration and Electrolytes

What’s in your drink?

Everyone knows that water is important to drink throughout the day, especially if you are active. Physical activity requires an increased fluid intake because we sweat- which contains not only water but also salts and other compounds and helps regulate body temperature. This loss of salts can lead to an electrolyte imbalance. It is important to replace these electrolytes, especially after vigorous activity. Electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and calcium are essential for the body to function and plain water typically does not contain these vital electrolytes. Coconut water and sports drinks are often looked to after physical activity to restore hydration levels as well as electrolyte levels. But which is better?

Coconut Water

Coconut water is the clear liquid inside young, green coconuts. Coconut water is different from coconut milk which is squeezed from the white, freshly outer layer.² It is packed with naturally occurring potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus- all very important electrolytes. Coconut water also contains natural sugars and protein.

Sports Drinks

Sports drinks are specifically made with added electrolytes, carbohydrates, or protein, depending on the brand. Many now have a “low calorie” version, but typically contain calories in the form of carbohydrates to help restore energy levels during or after physical activity. Sports drinks sometimes contain protein to help aid muscle recovery, adding to the calorie count.

Which is Better?

There are only a few research studies comparing coconut water, sports drinks, and plain water directly. In regards to rehydrating, Harvard Medical School recommends drinking plain water if you are not doing vigorous physical activity. “Drink when you are thirsty and don’t waste your money or calories on sports drinks- choose water instead…  Athletes who have had a muscle cramps may need to drink extra, and may need more electrolytes.”^{4 While} it is better to drink either coconut water or a sports drink to replace electrolytes, the studies that have been done found no significant difference between rehydrating with either one. Both will replace the electrolytes lost, help refuel you with energy, and contain protein.^1,2,3 However, it was found that both coconut water and sports drinks will lead to more gastrointestinal bloating compared to plain water.³ Interestingly, those participants drinking sports drinks felt that their thirst was quenched better than those drinking plain water or coconut water.¹

Overall, all agreed to rehydrate! Save the coconut water and sports drinks for moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity. Drink plain water throughout the day. If you are not sure how much water you should be drinking, check with your doctor.

Reference

1. Kalman, D. S., Feldman, S., Krieger, D. R., & Bloomer, R. J. (2012). Comparison of coconut water and a carbohydrate-electrolyte sport drink on measures of hydration and physical performance in exercise-trained men. J Int Soc Sports Nutr Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 9(1), 1. Retrieved March 9, 2016, from http://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1550-2783-9-1
2. Levers, K. (n.d.). NATURE'S GATORADE: Effectiveness of Coconut Water on Electrolyte and Carbohydrate Replacement. Retrieved March 09, 2016, from http://huffinesinstitute.org/resources/articles/articletype/articleview/articleid/446/natures-gatorade-effectiveness-of-coconut-water-on-electrolyte-and-carbohydrate-replacement
3. Saat, M., Singh, R., Sirisinghe, R. G., & Nawawi, M. (2002). Rehydration after Exercise with Fresh Young Coconut Water, Carbohydrate-Electrolyte Beverage and Plain Water. [Abstract].J. Physiol. Anthropol. Journal of PHYSIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY and Applied Human Science, 21(2), 93-104. Retrieved March 9, 2016, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12056182
4. Skerrett, P. J. (2012, July 30). Trade sports drinks for water [Web log post]. Retrieved March 9, 2016, from http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/trade-sports-drinks-for-water-201207305079

Blog post by Nikki Courtney.

The Magic of Seltzer Water

The human body needs water for a number of reasons. We need water for not only vital functions like digestion, temperature regulation, and blood pressure, but a lack of adequate water intake can lead to a multitude of health concerns. Water makes up about 60% of the body weight of an average adult. There are many ways to ingest water including from the foods we eat. Drinking plain water can get boring and with options like soda and fruit juices, it’s hard to get enough. Carbonated water, also known as seltzer, is a great alternative for soda drinkers to drink more water. But is seltzer just as healthy as plain “still” water?

Seltzer is water that is infused with carbon dioxide, giving seltzer and soda their signature fizz. The carbonation in seltzer water causes it to be slightly acidic, around 5 or 6 on the pH scale. Plain water has a pH of 7, making it neutral (neither basic or acidic). Most soda has a pH as high as 2.5, making it acidic. Acidic drinks can sometimes soften tooth enamel, especially if they contain citrus fruits. Seltzer is a better choice than soda because it does not contain sugar and is less acidic.

Besides having no sugar and a low acidity, seltzer water can also help you with your diet. The carbonation in seltzer can help you feel more full. This can be beneficial to help control portion sizes and help you lose weight. However, drinking too much seltzer water can cause some gastrointestinal discomfort, especially if you have a preexisting condition. 

It's important to note that there are many different types of seltzer water, each with its own benefits. Plain seltzer water is just water infused with carbonation. Mineral water comes from natural springs and contains minerals. Club soda, on the other hand, is seltzer water with added minerals. That means it's not from a natural spring and is essentially “artificial” mineral water. Lastly, tonic water is really in a class of its own. Tonic water is carbonated water infused with quinine, a bitter tasting alkaloid extracted from the bark of a cinchona tree. Tonic water is the only seltzer water that generally does contain calories. Mineral water, club soda, and plain seltzer water generally have ZERO calories!

Plain water is almost always the best choice but if you want to change it up or try something new, try seltzer water! You should always consult your doctor or nutritionist before making a drastic change in eating habits. If you are looking for a healthier choice with less calories and sugar, or if you’re looking for a less acidic drink that won’t wear on your tooth enamel as much as soda, try seltzer water.

Blog post by Nikki Courtney.