Core Training: Move with Purpose

The powerhouse of all movement is your core. Now what is the core? Many of us are quick to answer that our Abdomen is our core. What many of us don't know is that the Abs. are just a part of a grouping of muscles making up the Core. What is included with the Abs are the hips and low to mid-back, to put it simply. The Core makes up the grouping of muscles that take care of all stabilization while in motion or while keeping posture in the seated position. If you have poor posture, it is more likely you will have imbalances, if left unattended. In today's world most people do a lot of sitting, this is terrible for posture. The longer you sit, the more your core becomes fatigued from keeping an upright position, resulting in compensation and leaning, which usually brings about muscle imbalances and continues into pain and/or injury. What can we do?

Our lifestyles are unique and usually consists of filled schedules making it difficult to take 2hrs. from our day and head to the gym at least 3 times a week. Those of us who make the effort and engage in a routine at least twice a week notice the benefits, but still fall to injuries and stiffness that make us doubt our decision of considering an active lifestyle. The truth is that most of us are doing it all wrong. What should be the primary focus during any exercise is FORM and POSTURE. When focused on these primary principles, your muscles that align your body, the Core, will increase strength and help you in preventing injuries while improving overall strength. Some of us love to lift as heavy as possible. I know I fall into this category, but we should avoid the heavy weight if we know our backs are not straight and if we see in the mirror, any unnatural curvature while performing the exercise. If you want to be healthy, training of the core is optimal for every lifestyle as it improves the maintenance of postured alignment, directly correlating with lifting of confidence, mood and well-being.

As a professional boxing strength and conditioning coach, my primary focus is directed to the core throughout any exercise with my athletes. To increase performance levels means to increase capability in dynamic stabilization during movement, as is required while a boxer jabs and follows with a powerful hook. All movement begins at the core. It is the bridge connecting the strongest part of your body, your legs, with the smaller muscle groups, your upper body. When the core is strong and fit it can endure long bouts of synchronizing opposing muscle groups, as it brings together the strength and power of the legs and transfers all the way through the fist. Whether you're a boxer or an accountant going through your 6th hour of sitting, your postural endurance is detrimental to physical well-being. Here are a few basic exercises that target the stabilization of the core:

Plank:
While performing these exercises, make them count by drawing your navel or bellybutton in towards your spine to engage internal core musculature.

Shoulders, elbows and palms should be aligned. Keep your butt up but not higher than your back and your knees should be nice and straight. Perform an isometric hold from 15-60sec for 3 sets. ADVANCED TIP: try lifting one leg, keeping both knees straight and hold for 5 sec. Switch to lift other leg. 

Side Plank (beginner):

This is a modified side plank that will make it easy to develop strength and move into a full side plank. Straight line through knee, hip and shoulder. Neck is neutral and shoulder should sit right above the planted elbow.  20-60sec hold, with 30-60sec rest and repeat.

Side Plank:

Straight line form heel to shoulder, maintaining the neck neutral as you sit shoulder right above planted elbow. You can also fully extend the planted arm to have the palm as platform instead of the elbow. When doing this version, shoulder elbow and palm should be aligned as neck remains neutral.  10-60sec hold, with 30-60sec rest and repeat once more. 

Bird- Dog:

Awesome exercise. Planted knee should be at a 90 degree and planted palm should be aligned with shoulder and elbow. As you lift draw your navel in. Extend Arm, keeping elbow straight with thumb up, and extend opposite leg while keeping knee, hip and heel aligned with toes pointed. Hold for 20-60sec, rest for 30-60sec and repeat once more.

Back Extensions:

Laying face down completely straight, extend your arms forward with your thumbs up and elbows straight, as you raise your chest off the floor. Don't hyper-extend as it can cause discomfort. Make sure you draw your navel in as you lift as this will encourage proper alignment. Hold 10-60sec, rest for 30-60 sec and repeat once more. 

Isometric Crunch:

This is a regular crunch but instead of repeating up and down movement, hold the up position as long as you can. Keep your neck as neutral as possible. Hold for 10-30sec, rest for 30-60sec and repeat twice more.

Tabletop: (Advanced exercise)

This is a really great exercise as it improves flexibility of your chest, shoulders and arms as you strengthen your rear chain. Heels should be right below your knees as you hold a natural width in your stance. Toes should point forward. Knees hips and shoulders are in alignment and have your neck extend away from your shoulders. Shoulders elbows and palms are completely aligned. Hold for a comfortable amount of time rest 30-60sec and repeat the same length of the hold.   

Acquired Taste

Throughout life we regard food as a beautiful experience to provide satisfaction of our sought pleasures, hyper-exciting our deep sensations that stick as a goal to reach each time we sit at the table. Now most people would view such experience as a person trying to enjoy food. What we lean away from and stay blind to is that this reaction is also experienced by addicts of any habit. Take pharmaceutical pain killers for example, they have tens of thousands of Americans addicted to the consumption of a certain high, or sensation. This is frankly similar to the mentality of a person trying to reach the same 'high' or sensation through consumption of food. Interestingly, the situation is more similar when the person consuming the food, is diabetic, knows damn sure that second glass of soda pop is not necessary, and should definitely not drink the glass of sugar water rich in calories and with empty acute satisfaction. The addicted person drinking pills or the alcoholic reach point of harm and continues the practice, negligent of consequences and self-invoked physical harm. As an adult, people know what food is healthful and what food should be limited. Problem is the majority of people rather eat on impulse and with the purpose of instant satisfaction rather than holding priority in long-term reasoning. We decide every day to cripple ourselves a tiny bit more, why?

Our children are directly influenced from our habits of eating
which should be no surprise when they take our unhealthy style
of eating. If you don't do it for yourself, do it for your children.
Limit sugar drinks, and encourage fruits and vegetable choices.

In our world of fast-food giants and advanced scientific achievements (along with advertising and other methods in persuasion tactics), majority of people are targeted by these same giants forcing participation in the strategy of profit through sales of processed goods these giants call 'food'. These products are not food, but are chemical projects designed to provide the excessive gratification the everyday person experiences when eating. These foods are manipulated products made edible but hold little-to-no nutritional value, and they are being consumed by people on a regular basis. "Ignorance is bliss". Truly so, why do we continue such habits when we very well know the information out there on these processed products, making it clear most of these foods should absolutely not be included in our diet, especially with chronically ill people (diabetes, obese, heart disease, etc.). We need to face the fact, we need more education about food and need to spread the word on the realness of our present state in the mass relationship with food. Be proactive and do your own research and reevaluate your perspective on food.

Food is sensual and is part to the reality of life and death. If you don't eat, you die. This is why it is so hard for any individual to kick the habit of holding no boundaries when deciding to fuel their bodies. The average individual goes by "cravings" when they should be looking with the priority in mind of health. Why decide to be part of this statistic, why be like everyone else? Perhaps, it is the simplest solution to the question of, "What's for dinner." Maybe because being mindless is easy and requires no effort to hold absence of values and guidelines when eating; obvious when you look in America, one of the world's worst when considering people suffering from chronic diseases, obesity, and other health problems such as depression (regarding depression, of course other factors can be in play, but it's hard to neglect the fact that nutrition is key to brain function). Whole foods are extremely flavorful, but we are not accustomed to the flavors provided by "grass-tasting" leafy greens and "dirt" taste of some other root vegetables. Chores are not fun and everyone hates doing them, but we need to have some order in our lives and so we keep our house orderly. Alike in our diet, we need to hold the same grip of order and not being so permissive with any option placed in front of us by advertisement and media. Together with our families, we need to explore the idea of preparing real food, dishes for health, and salads, lots of salads. This is the reality. We all know that whole foods are what give us the essentials of daily living. If we are aware of our mislead thinking, why decide to continue with the misguided direction? Only children act on impulse, inexperienced and oblivious to common knowledge shared by the public. As a whole, we need to bring awareness to the issues of preventable chronic illness, triggered by lack of nutrition and unhealthy diets. Start with our families and trust you will progress to the chain of events that need to form place.

quinoa tabbouleh salad

Food for enhancement. Have you ever considered the possibility? If you have, the majority of people are well aware of the power of food, but some still pretend and complain about the difficulty of discipline. Well, everything in our lives bring us to commit necessary actions that we do not want to perform, but very much need to perform in order to achieve the desired goal we definitely do want to accomplish. Pleasure seeking in food should be redirected towards unprocessed food flavors. Consider the use of minimally processed seasoning and spices that hold no additives to bring about the experience whole foods have in store for any individual. Food is without a doubt medicine and brings wellness to the mind and body. One cannot deny the clear influence physiological well-being provides to the mind. If you care of your nutrition then your mind will directly reflect and benefit from efforts to sustain a healthful habit of clean eating. Food is a sophisticated phenomena, requiring an acquired filter to explore the joys of real food flavor. If your goal is to improve health, you cannot allow a manageable barrier such as taste to hold you back. Everyone has the ability to adapt to the most incredible of environments and a childish-like expression such as, "I don't like it," should not be what stands in the way of your integrity and self-respect. The majority of people drink alcohol or coffee and the taste is remarkably irregular and pungent, yet we engage to consume on occasion regardless of the strange taste. With time you grow accustomed to this sophisticated flavor and learn to look beyond bitterness and delve yourself in the flavors of fermented grains holding subtle berry full-bodied goodness. The same is true for natural plant foods such as vegetables, grains lean cuts of meat, etc. We need to step outside our comfort and explore the idea of acquiring taste to foods with sustenance.

Macronutrients: LIPIDS (FATS)

Fat is always wrongfully blamed as a primary cause to health risks and illnesses. Animal fats especially are wrongly linked to Heart Disease and other cardiovascular illnesses. Truth is Fat is EXTREMELY ESSENTIAL in our diets. A study done by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem assures, (2012) "A carefully scheduled high-fat diet resets metabolism and prevents obesity." All cells in the body consist of fat and the brain is mainly constituted of fat, so, why should we decrease this macronutrient when even some vitamins and nutrients are found in high amounts within animal meat or high fat grains and fruits. Vitamins A, D, E, and K are all fat soluble, meaning fat is needed in order to effectively absorb these vitamins. High amounts of highly absorbable B vitamins are found in animal products.

Our bodies store this energy as fat and any over-consumed energy during feasting. This is done by the body to help with times of famine to prolong survival. The idea behind this high-fat diet is to help the body become adapted to the fat burning abilities of metabolism and therefore burning body fat (stored energy). Although, Carbohydrate deficient diets will cause the production of ketone bodies. Health Physicians are completely against the idea of pushing the deprivation to this point. On the other hand, Dr. D'Agostino, an assistant professor at the University of South Florida College of Medicine, teaches molecular pharmacology and physiology courses, promotes controlled Ketogenic Diets as they may improve performance in people as well as improve mental performance as well as the possibility of 'starving' cancer. " Depletion of any macronutrient in the diet will always be a bad idea since the body has a necessity of receiving all three in the diet (most foods contain the 3 macronutrients). Regardless of this fact, the carbohydrate sugar and simple carbohydrates alike, will be released into the bloodstream quickly equating in inflammation when consumption is continuous, as it is in the diets of most Americans. Inflammation can be directly linked to most if not all illnesses.

Almond butter and other natural (hydrogenated-free oils) nut
butters supply healthy essential fats, protein and fiber.

High-fat diets have shown clinically to improve metabolism and therefore healthy bodyweight. A diet high in animal fats and protein along with fruits, veggies and clean grains is the ideal diet for the human body. This type of diet will not only help any individual feel full but will boost body, mental function and health. When veggies and fruits are added to the diet and paired with animal sources you give the human body all the building blocks and nutrients to allow the healthiest of physiological states. Grains, veggies, fruits, and all other forms of minimally processed foods will supplement any individual to the healthiest levels to uphold the battle of the everyday life, whether athlete or not. Combine this healthy eating and a balanced exercise regimen to fulfill any physical goals from performance to weight-loss.

THE CHALLENGE

Grass-fed animal products like beef and
pork can be the absolute best food to supple-
ment any diet. CHOOSE GRASS-
FED= CLEAN, HEALTHY PROTEIN+
IRON!

In order to go through this diet the individual will need to eliminate processed and refined carbohydrates (most bread, pasta, sugar, potato chips, candy, etc.). These foods allow for sugar to be quickly introduced into the bloodstream impeding any other form of energy consumption (burning stored fat, consumed fat and consumed protein). This is why Carbohydrates should be re-evaluated as most sources will be quick fuel and should be consumed only when needed. This Fact is unknown to most of the population especially to overweight/obese persons in need. People need to realize that there is a great big and possibly lethal consequence to eating high amounts of sugar. This risk will not only provide physical and physiological problems, but for someone with emotional and mental issues the need of attention should be directed to this fact. Poor habits and irresponsible "choices" have to be tamed and attended to begin true living and loving of the self.

When you choose unhealthy sugary foods you are not always exercising your freedom of will but you are abiding to the subduing of these manipulative foods. The fight starts today.

 

Indulge in the good of grains and seeds like these
Hemp seeds!

 

Sources:

-Food Navigator: "A high fat diet increased the heart's ability to pump." Dr. Margaret Chandler; American Journal of Physiology- Heart and Circulatory Physiology Volume 299, Issue 2, doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00270.201

-Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2012, September 12). Acarfully scheduled high-fat diet resets metabolism and prevents obesity. 

-Eaminer.com article: Assistant professor at University of South Florida College of Medicine, Dr. D'Agostino, "Ketogenic Diets may improve performance in people as well as boost mental performance."

-Cardiologist Dr. Aseem Mahlotra "accuses the food industry of replacing saturated fat in products with sugar. The result: sugar actually contributes more to heart disease than fat. (Another Examiner.com article: OCT. 23, 2013 "Cardiologist champions low-carb diets: 'Saturated fat is not the enemy')

-Examiner.com article, "We've found that diet therapy can be effective in prolonging survival in mice with aggressive metastatic cancer." Dr. D'Agostino 

www.examiner.com/article/ketogenic-diet-starves-cancer-cells-says-researcher-dr-dominic-d-agostino-1