Training Aspects, Personal Trainer, Personal Training, Foam Rolling, Reduce Pain

Personal Trainer Discusses Foam Rolling! What It Is, Its Benefits, and How to Use It?

 

Personal Trainer Discusses Foam Rolling!

What It Is, Its Benefits, and How to Use It?

Training Aspects, Personal Trainer, Personal Training, Foam Rolling, Reduce Pain

Foam Rolling has been gaining popularity in the fitness community as well as the general public.  This is for a good reason.  Foam rolling can provide many great benefits for the body.  The benefits vary from increases in range of motion to reductions in muscle soreness.  Today we will discuss what foam rolling is, the benefits of rolling, and how to use a roller efficiently.

What Is Foam Rolling?

Foam rolling is a self-myofascial release (SMR) stretching technique.  Essentially, a self-massage.  This is a very simple, yet effective stretching technique.  This method is used to release muscle tightness or trigger points.  By applying pressure to the trigger points (very tight areas) via the foam roller, you can release the knots that have built up in your muscles over time.  Releasing these knots and tightness can improve many aspects of your exercise routine and sports performance.

Benefits of Foam Rolling!

Foam rolling can provide a host of benefits to your body and performance.

¸ Correction of muscle imbalances

¸ Muscle relaxation

¸ Improved joint range of motion

¸ Reduced soreness and improved muscle tissue recovery

¸ Improved neuromuscular efficiency

¸ Reduction in trigger point sensitivity and pain

¸ Decreased neuromuscular hypertonicity (muscle tension)

¸ Promotes optimal length-tension relationships in the muscles

How To Use a Foam Roller?

If you have never seen or used a foam roller before, getting started can be tricky.  Once you get started, though, it is a simple piece of equipment to use.  The most common way of foam rolling is by placing the roller on the ground and laying the tight muscles overtop of the roller.  You roll back and forth over the muscle feeling for trigger points.  You want to focus on the trigger points by continuously rolling over these points.  You want to spend at least 30 to 90 seconds on each muscle.  The best times to use a foam roller is before static or dynamic stretching to warm the muscles and improve flexibility.  Also, it can be done as a cool down post-workout.  This can reduce muscle soreness in the following days.

Common Foam Rolling Techniques!

back rollerMid to Upper Back

Training Aspects, Fitness, Personal Trainer, Sore Muscles, Muscle PainCalves

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Training Aspects, Personal Trainer, Fitness, Post Workout Drink, Nutrients, Post Workout

Personal Trainer Quick Tip: The Importance of Post-Workout Nutrient Timing

 

Personal Trainer Quick Tip

Importance of Post-Workout Nutrient Timing!

Training Aspects, Personal Trainer, Fitness, Post Workout Drink, Nutrients, Post Workout

Last week we discussed the importance of what to consume post workout. The results showed a high glycemic carbohydrate, like sugar, and whey protein combined in a shake spiked insulin and increased protein synthesis, best.  But when should you have the drink? The timing is just as important as what you’re consuming. A study was conducted with two groups. One group had the carb/protein drink 3 hours after exercise and the other group immediately after exercise. The results were astounding. The group who consumed the drink immediately after exercise had three times the protein synthesis as the other group! Also, net protein balance (protein synthesis minus protein breakdown) stayed positive in the immediate group and actually went negative in the 3 hour group! Basically the 3 hour group wasn’t building new lean muscle, whereas the immediate group saw increases in lean muscle.

Now don’t freak out if you can’t get your post workout shake in immediately. The general rule is within 45 minutes and you’ll be fine. You will still see all the benefits shown above!

Written By: Robert Jost NSCA-cpt, ACE-cpt

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Training Aspects, Personal Trainer, Gluten Free, Sports Performance, Weight Loss

Cherry Hill Personal Trainer’s Quick Tip! Gluten Free Diets and Weight Loss

Personal Trainer Quick Tip:

Is a Gluten Free Diet Best For Weight Loss?

Training Aspects, Personal Trainer, Gluten Free, Sports Performance, Weight Loss

Although many people have been losing weight on gluten free diets, is it really because of the gluten? Most likely not. People rave about how gluten is bad for you, but do they actually know what it is? Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. So more than likely it’s not the gluten that has been holding you back, but the unhealthy foods that contain gluten. These include: cookies, cakes, pizza, pancakes, burgers, and beer. Obviously over consuming foods like these that are high in saturated fats and carbohydrates would lead to weight gain. Just as obvious, eliminating these foods would lead to less calories consumed and weight loss. 

Now there are certain cases were a gluten free diet would be beneficial. Those with celiac disease, a gluten intolerance, (about 1% of population) would see improvements in their digestive health and limit sickness. 

Using a gluten free diet strictly for weight loss isn’t the smartest approach. You may see some weight loss but at a potential cost of vitamin deficiencies. Many gluten free dieters are often deficient in iron, calcium, zinc, and B vitamins like folate and niacin. They also miss out on many other nutrients including fiber. 

The best approach is still a balanced diet of lean meats, nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, and whole wheat breads and pastas in moderation!

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Training Aspects, Personal Trainer, Personal Training, Carbs and Protein, Fitness

Cherry Hill Personal Trainer Asks “Are Carbs Equally as Important as Protein?”

 

Personal Trainer Quick Tip

Are Carbohydrates Equally as Important as Protein?

Training Aspects, Personal Trainer, Personal Training, Carbs and Protein, Fitness

Yes! Especially post workout. Consuming high glycemic carbohydrates, like sugar, in combination with protein immediately after exercise can greatly enhance the proteins effectiveness. A study has shown that the combination of a protein/carbohydrate drink post workout was 38% more effective in stimulating protein synthesis (amount of protein absorbed) than a protein only drink. This occurs because the high glycemic carbohydrates spike insulin levels, insulin is one of the most important regulators of protein synthesis. An increase in protein synthesis leads to an increase in lean muscle tissue.

Not only does post workout carbs enhance the effectiveness of the protein it also reduces cortisol levels. Cortisol is a catabolic hormone in the body that breaks down protein and muscle tissue. Again it’s because of the spike of insulin from the carbohydrates that will prevent protein degradation (muscle breakdown) from occurring.

Carbs get a bad rep from the media but carbohydrates are an essential part of the lean muscle building process. So next time you are thinking about what to have post workout a whey protein and high glycemic carb, like sugar, is the perfect combination to spike insulin and optimize protein synthesis!

Written By: Robert Jost NSCA-cpt, ACE-cpt 

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Training Aspects, Personal Trainer, Insulin, Insulin Sensitivity, Exercise and Insulin Effects

Cherry Hill Personal Trainer Gives 6 Tips on Improving Insulin Sensitivity and Increasing Fat Loss

6 Tips for Improving Insulin Sensitivity and Increasing Fat Loss

Training Aspects, Personal Trainer, Insulin, Insulin Sensitivity, Exercise and Insulin Effects

If insulin sensitivity is of concern, it’s not hard to get it tested, just ask a doctor for a fasting plasma glucose test.  Maximizing insulin sensitivity should be a priority for anyone interested in improving their health and minimizing their diabetes risk.  Here are 6 tips to make that happen.

 

Personal Trainer Tip #1

Exercise Regularly:  Exercising 3-4 times a week can improve nearly every health marker there is, and insulin sensitivity is no exception.  

 

Personal Trainer Tip #2

Get Plenty of Sleep:  Getting adequate sleep is crucial to keep the body functioning smoothly, and that includes hormone production

 

Personal Trainer Tip #3

Eat Fewer Carbohydrates, especially simple carbs:  Eating lots of carbs makes us produce a lot of insulin, so it’s best to follow a diet that’s low in simple and processed carbs.

 

Personal Trainer Tip #4

Eat Slow-Digesting Foods:  When foods digest slowly, the sugars take longer to hit the bloodstream, and insulin is released more gradually.  Healthy fats, fiber, and protein are all great examples and should make up a significant portion of our diets.

 

Personal Trainer Tip #5

Drink Green Tea: Drinking plenty of green tea has been shown to significantly reduce blood sugar concentrations, but ditch the milk.  It can undermine tea’s circulatory benefits.

 

Personal Trainer Tip #6

Keep Body Fat Low: However it’s achieved, simply being lean can improve insulin sensitivity.  There’s never been a better reason to train for fat loss!

Written By: Shannon ACSM-cpt

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Training Aspects, Personal Training, Personal Trainer, Fitness, Insulin, Exercise, Fat Loss, Weight Loss

Cherry Hill Personal Trainer Explains Insulin and How it Affects Blood Sugar and Fat Loss

What is Insulin and How does it Affect Blood Sugar and Fat Loss?

Training Aspects, Personal Training, Personal Trainer, Fitness, Insulin, Exercise, Fat Loss, Weight Loss

Importance of Hormones in personal training

 

It seems everyone concentrates on the role diet and exercise play in our health and wellbeing, but forget the importance of hormones in the team effort.  In this article I’m going to be discussing the hormone insulin, what it is, how it relates to diabetes, and how it can be manipulated to help us lose fat and live longer.

 

What is Insulin?

 

Insulin is a hormone that helps us absorb nutrients from our food.  Whenever we eat carbs (and a little bit when we eat protein) the amount of sugar in our blood increases, and the pancreas releases insulin to help take the sugar out of the bloodstream and into our organs (mostly the liver and muscle cells) where it can be used for energy.  

 

What is Insulin Sensitivity?

 

Doing a lot of something can make you less sensitive to its effects, right?  Drinking coffee all the time can dull the caffeine, regular drinkers need more alcohol to get a buz. Eating carbs too often (especially simple ones, like sugars), can make us less sensitive to insulin (or more “insulin resistant”) When that happens, we need to produce more insulin than we should need to in order to keep blood sugar stable. BAD!  If insulin sensitivity becomes poor, we have trouble digesting carbs and absorbing nutrients. The result, weight gain. The pancreas needs to create more and more insulin because of the increased sensitivity.  Eventually, it’s unable to release the hormone properly, which leads to type 2 diabetes


Stay tuned for  next week: 6 tips for improving insulin sensitivity and increasing fat loss

Written By: Shannon ACSM-cpt

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Training Aspects, Personal Training, Health, Fitness, Grape Seed Benefits, Nutrition, Personal Trainer

Personal Trainer Quick Tip! The Surprising Health Benefits of Grape Seeds

Personal Trainer Quick Tip

Should You Be Eating the Seeds of Grapes?

Training Aspects, Personal Training, Health, Fitness, Grape Seed Benefits, Nutrition, Personal Trainer

The answer is yes! You could be missing a lot of the nutrients found in grapes if you are spitting out the seeds. The seeds contain many nutrients that boast great health benefits.

Grape Seed Nutrients Include: Vitamin E, flavonoids, linoleic acid, and OPC’s (oligomeric proanthocyanidin complexes). Now what can these nutrients do for my health?

Health Benefits from Grape Seeds Include:  Help treat chronic venous insufficiency (poor circulation) and edema. Antioxidants found in the seeds can help fight and destroy free radicals, which can damage DNA, cause cell death, increase aging, and could contribute to health problems like heart disease and cancer.

So next time you’re snacking on some grapes, try consuming the seeds and reap all the great health benefits!

Written By: Robert Jost NSCA-cpt, ACE-cpt

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Training Aspects, Personal Training, Personal Trainer, Battle Ropes, Fitness, Exercise, Workout, Battle Rope Benefits

Personal Trainer’s Top 5 Reasons to Start Using Battle Ropes Today!

Top 5 Reasons to Start Using Battle Ropes Today!

Training Aspects, Personal Training, Personal Trainer, Battle Ropes, Fitness, Exercise, Workout, Battle Rope Benefits

Battle ropes are a hot topic these days in the training and personal training field. It’s not a fad, battle ropes are a very effective way of training. Here are the top 5 reasons you should consider adding battle ropes to your workout regimen.

 

Personal Trainer reason #1: 

Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption – Battle ropes are a form of high intensity interval training. With high intensity training comes an “afterburn” effect. After intense exercise your body consumes higher amounts of oxygen than normal. This leads to an increase in metabolism and burned calories!

Personal Trainer Reason #2:

Increase full body power and cardiovascular endurance – Battle ropes are great for increasing full body power as well as cardiovascular endurance. The quick powerful movements increase power and strength throughout the whole body. The intense intervals with shorter rest periods will increase cardiac output and endurance.

Personal Trainer Reason #3

They are low impact – Even though battle ropes can be very intense the impact on the joints are minimal if any at all! This is great for anyone with joints problems that wants to increase their intensity without putting extra wear and tear on their joints.

Personal Trainer Reason #4

Can benefit sport specific athletes – Many of the battle rope exercises can be translated into sport specific movements to increase performance. Some athletes that can benefit from battle rope training are hockey players, football players, and MMA fighters.

Personal Trainer Reason #5

You need a change up in your workout – If you dread going to the gym, using the same old weights and machines then battle ropes could be the perfect change up you’re looking for. Not only are they very fun to use but are also a great way to blow off some steam after a tough day at work!

If you are looking to try out battle ropes you can purchase them at most sporting good stores, they can get a bit pricey though. Another option is to check out a local training studio that specializes in battle rope training and have a professional show you the ropes!

Written By: Robert Jost, NSCA-cpt, ACE-cpt

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Training Aspects, Personal Training, Personal Trainer, Weight Loss, Fat Loss, Fitness, Losing Weight, Fitness Trainer

Cherry Hill Personal Trainer Quick Tip: How Do You Know If You’re Losing Fat?

 

Cherry Hill Personal Trainer Quick Tip

How Do You Know If You’re Losing Fat?

Training Aspects, Personal Training, Personal Trainer, Weight Loss, Fat Loss, Fitness, Losing Weight, Fitness Trainer

Almost everyone would like to lose some weight, but is it the number on the scale you want to lose or body fat?

How do you know if you’re actually losing body fat?

Cherry Hill Personal Trainer Tip #1

You’re consistently losing a pound or two a week – It’s physically impossible to lose or gain 5 pounds of fat or muscle in a day. To lose one pound of fat you should be in a 3500 calories deficit each week. This will ensure optimal fat burning without sacrificing lean muscle.

Cherry Hill Personal Trainer Tip #2

Take Measurements – taking body girth measurements each month can really show your fat burning progress. If your biggest losses are in the areas with the most body fat (ex. Abdomen, hips, waist, thighs) then you know you’re on the right track.

Cherry Hill Personal Trainer Tip #3

Electronic Body Fat or Caliper Testing – the best way to ensure your primarily losing body fat is testing electronically or with calipers. These tools will give you the most cost effective body fat readings and keep you on the right track. If you’re unfamiliar with these tools your best choice is to have a professional personal trainer test your body fat for you and ensure the readings are accurate!

Written By: Robert Jost, NSCA-cpt, ACE-cpt

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Training Aspects, Sports Performance, Weight Loss, Personal Training, Personal Trainer, Fitness, Healthy, Lifestyle Change, Healthy Tips

Cherry Hill Personal Trainer’s 5 Tips For Leading a Healthier Lifestyle

 

5 Small Changes You Can Make to Lead a Healthier Lifestyle

Training Aspects, Sports Performance, Weight Loss, Personal Training, Personal Trainer, Fitness, Healthy, Lifestyle Change, Healthy Tips

 

Have you ever sat and thought–I can’t lose weight or get fit or change my life because it’s too hard or takes too much time? We’ve all had those thoughts, but did you know, small changes do make a difference! Small changes slowly add up to big changes over time. Here’s a list of some small changes you can implement in your life that will make a huge impact on your journey to live healthier:

 

Cherry Hill personal trainer tip #1.

Get Enough Sleep- Adults optimally need 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night. Most of us are lucky if we get the low end of that range. Proper amounts of sleep help reduce stress, helps keep your heart healthy, reduces inflammation, makes you more alert during the day, bolsters your memory, helps you lose weight, and reduces your risk for depression. You will feel better, think better, and look better with a good night’s sleep.

 

Cherry Hill personal trainer tip #2.

Drink Enough Water- water is essential for the body to function – Do you know over 60% of our body is made up of water? Water is needed to carry out body functions, such as waste removal, and delivery of nutrients and oxygen throughout our body. We lose water every day through urine, bowel movements, perspiration and breathing, thus, water replenishment is essential.

 

Cherry Hill personal trainer tip #3.

Exercise-. The human body is a machine that is designed to be used! It adapts to meet the demands that you put on it. That means that the harder you push it, within reason, the stronger it will get. This is particularly important for your heart, exercise will increase its ability to pump blood to the various parts of the body and allow optimal oxygen exchange.

 

Cherry Hill personal trainer tip #4

Pick Brightly Colored Food- Fruits and vegetables with bright colors are usually high in anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants remove free radicals in our body that damage our cells. Get your fill of colorful fruits/vegetables: White (Bananas, Mushroom), Yellow (Pineapples, Mango), Orange (Orange, Papaya), Red (Apple, Strawberries, Tomatoes, Watermelon), Green (Guava, Avocados,  Cucumber, Lettuce, Celery), Purple/Blue (Blackberries, Eggplant, Prunes).

 

Cherry Hill personal trainer tip #5.

Breathe. Deeply. Proper deep breathing through the abdomen has a myriad of health benefits including improving digestion, the quality of your blood, nervous system function, and the respiratory system. It’s easy to learn correct, slow breathing to enjoy the health benefits. When you feel yourself breathing shallowly or too rapidly, correct your breathing style. It will do wonders for your health as well as your workout!

 Written By: Shannon Benedetto ACSM-cpt

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