Be Broncho Fit!

Author: Buddy Broncho – Page 5

Getting Back at It (Exercise)!

By Faith Stewart

Labor Day is behind us, football season has started, and soon it will start getting cooler (maybe, you never know in Oklahoma), all of these are signs that summer is nearing the end. During the summer, many of our schedules were chaotic and unpredictable, but now things are finally getting back into a routine.

One of the hardest areas of our lives to get back on track can be our exercise schedule – how can we fit a workout in our new, often busy, routine?

Here are some tips that I’ve found helpful on getting back in the swing of things:

1.  Make a set schedule for physical activity.

If you can’t find an open hour in your schedule to visit the gym, try to incorporate a quick, in home workout into your day. Try jumping jacks and crunches before hopping in the shower, plank holds and leg lifts while watching TV, or lunges and squats while making dinner. These activities may not seem like much, but it allows you to get a small workout in without interfering with your day.

2.  Don’t skip a planned exercise.

If you let yourself to miss one exercise before you are really back into the routine, it becomes much easier to continue to skip until you stop altogether. Make it a point to do some sort of physical activity every day, even when you don’t feel like it.

3.  Set ATTAINABLE goals.

Most people, (myself included) can get burned out rather quickly when they set goals that can be difficult to reach in a short amount of time (ex: lose 15lbs in six weeks). If you start out with smaller goals (ex: workout three times a week for thirty minutes) it will be easier to stick with it and then reach your long term goal.

4.  Have an accountability partner.

This person can be your partner, your child, your best friend, or a coworker, but it needs to be someone that you are in contact with regularly. Tell this person what your goals are and ask them to check in with you on a daily or weekly basis (whichever fits your goals best). Having someone to check in on your workout can be a huge motivating factor to stick with the plan.

5.  Download an app on your phone.

Having a good app on your phone can help track your workouts for you and show you improvements over time. Some good choices are RunKeeper or Sworkit. These allow you to set goals in the app and can provide workout tips or exercises for you, as well as monitor your progress.

Remember, change doesn’t occur immediately, so don’t give up when you don’t see instant results. Stick with it and changes will come!

Happy exercising!

Posted on September 17, 2015 by Buddy Broncho

Working Out When Sick

By George Whittaker

One of the most common questions that fitness professionals get asked is whether it is ok to workout when someone is sick. The answer isn’t an easy “yes” or “no”. Different people deal with sickness and injury very differently. What may be disabling to one might feel like nothing but a minor setback to another. That said, there are some general guidelines to follow when you’re sick to tell whether or not it’s a good idea to skip your workout or try and battle through and get it done.

If your symptoms are generally located from the neck up, including a headache, sore throat, stuffy nose, runny nose, or earache…then it is commonly accepted that you can still perform your strength training workout without much fear of causing more harm than good. Now that said, each of these symptoms can be generated from a much more complex underlying illness that would definitely preclude you from training. For instance, if your headaches are coming from viral meningitis, then by all means skip the workout and head to the hospital!

If your symptoms are from the neck down, including a fever, body aches, muscle aches, respiratory illness, etc then you likely will want to skip the workout all together and rest. When your body’s immune system is compromised, adding a catabolic workout process or stress in addition is not likely to be too productive. In fact, with such limited resources available for recovery, you might even be wasting your hard work since the priority will be illness recovery rather than piling up the lean muscle gains at times like these.

Sick 1

The groups of symptoms above requires some clarifications as well. For instance, if you feel good enough to go to the gym but your runny nose is causing you to wipe your snot all over the dumbbells between sets, consider staying home! There are some great home workouts you can be doing without having to subject the other gym members to your germs.

Same thing goes with the concept of sweating out your illness. If you want to take a hot shower or even take a quick jog, do it close to home. Only one thing grosser than a guy that sweats all over the equipment at the gym is a guy that sweats germ bullets all over the equipment at the gym.

One final note about this topic. I’m referring to weight training workouts. You may be able to get away with a very low intensity walk or jog or even yoga to try and help your body get back moving again without enduring the stress of overload from a heavy weight workout. Use your judgement when deciding whether it’s time for you to attempt these other workouts.

Posted on April 7, 2015 by Buddy Broncho

Tips for Exercising in the Heat

By Alex Myers

Its almost time for Oklahoma to heat up again and that means everyone is ready to shed off those winter clothes and head back outdoors to do all the activities we love. Whether it be running, biking, hiking, or just playing some basketball with friends at the park, its always good to know a few basic tips for staying safe and keeping cool. Some of these tips may seem like common sense, but get overlooked everyday by someone somewhere.

• Choose your activity time wisely. While this may seem like a no brainer to some, the time of day in which you are outside exercising can have a huge impact on your hydration as well as protecting yourself from the sun. I’ve found that the best time to get that exercise for the day is early in the morning if at all possible and if not wait until after 4 pm. The suns rays are at their peak between 10 am and 4pm.
• Choose your attire accordingly. One of the things that I see while out exercising in the summer months is people don’t usually pay attention to what they are wearing. In the summer months it’s always a good idea to wear loose fitting light colored clothing. The lighter colors will help to reflect some of that Oklahoma heat and keep you cool.
• Always wear sunscreen. This tends to be more of problem with the men than with women, but sunscreen in a must if you’re going to be out in the sun for any amount of time. Even if it’s a cloudy day out you can still get burned and damage your skin from the sun.
• Staying hydrated. Probably the most important aspect of being out in the summer months while exercising. Try and drink a glass of water before your go out and always be sure to have water with you while you are out.

These are just a few simple tips to try and help you stay cool and healthy while out getting your exercise during the summer months. Take these tips and get out there and try something new this summer, you might just find something you love!

Heat 2

Posted on April 6, 2015 by Buddy Broncho

Importance of Footwear

By Scott Blankenship

Wearing proper footwear is one aspect of daily life that people tend to pay very little attention to. Most of the pain that people have throughout the day such as back pain and shin splints may start at the feet. Yes, everyone has 10 toes but not every foot is the same. Feet run narrow and wide. Some people’s feet pronate and some peoples supinate. If your foot pronates it means your ankle roles toward the inside of your foot. If your foot supinates it means that your ankle roles toward the outside of your foot. This has to do with having high or low arches in your foot. Shoes are made in all different types but some shoes are made to correct that slight tilt inward or outward. These shoes balance out your feet and align them with the rest of your body. If your feet are thrown off, the rest of your body will be as well. So know your feet before you go buy a shoe.

How do you tell if your foot pronates or supinates? There are two simple ways to check. You can wet your foot and step on a piece of cardboard to see the outline of your foot, or simply just take the insole out of one of your older shoes. With either method, look at how your footprint is outlined on you imprint. If your insole is worn down more on the inside of your shoe, then you most likely pronate. If your insole is worn down on the outside of the foot then you most likely supinate. If the wear is even, than you have a neutral foot. Once you know your wear pattern, go to the shoe store with a purpose. Ask for shoes that fix a pronation or supination. Also go to the store later in the day. Feet swell as the day goes by, so a shoe that fits before physical activity might not fit after running a mile. Remember that walking shoes are not the same as running shoes. Walking shows are made stiffer and have less cushioning, running shoes are more lightweight and flexible with more cushioning to absorb more shock. 69% of people with stress fractures in their foot came from not having enough cushions in their shoes. If you don’t want to go buy a whole new shoe but need more cushioning, get an after-market insole such as a total support or a preform, either will give you that little extra support and cushioning. If you know you have problems with your feet and they bother you, go to a specialty store. The level of employee knowledge will be more advanced than a normal shoe store.

Posted on March 31, 2015 by Buddy Broncho

Proper Static Stretching

By Garrett Dunagan

What is static stretching?

Static stretching involves stretching muscles while the body is at rest. It is considered the most common used method to increase flexibility. It consists of slow movements into positions that cause slight to moderate discomfort (peak tension), and holding the position anywhere from 10 to 30 seconds. Static stretching has been largely used as a warm-up or pre warm-up for exercise. Research however has shown that while static stretching will still prepare you for exercise, it decreases the muscles ability to fire off, and promotes instability in the joints which can increase risk of injury during exercise. Static stretching routines should always take place post-workout. This is because the body’s tension receptors are less sensitive allowing the muscles to be more relaxed, and stretched to further lengths.

Benefits of static stretching (Post exercise)

Static stretches tend to be very simple and can be used for almost everyone. It allows you to target muscles that may need more stretching than others. It can be peaceful and decrease levels of stress and tension. It’s probably the best way overall to increase flexibility which leads to lower risk of injury, larger range of motion (ROM), and increase performance of daily activity skills.

Post-workout static stretches:
Lower Body
-Hamstring stretch (10-30 seconds for each leg); see picture 1 below
-Butterfly Groin stretch (10-25 seconds *keep your heels close to your body); see picture 2 below
-Lying Quadriceps stretch (10-30 seconds for each leg); see picture 3 below
-Lying Hip stretch (10-25 seconds *this is a very important stretch for men)
-Calf stretch (10-30 seconds for each leg)
Upper Body
-Shoulder stretch (10-30 seconds for each arm *this does not stretch the lateral or anterior parts of the shoulder)
-Triceps stretch (10-30 seconds for each arm); see picture 4 below
-Side bends (10-30 seconds *make sure to stretch both sides)
-Neck rotations (10-20 seconds); see picture 5 below
-Forward Neck flexion stretch (10-20 seconds)

Stretch 1

Stretch 2

Stretch 3

Stretch 5

Stretch 4

Posted on March 26, 2015 by Buddy Broncho

Keeping your Motivation to Exercise

By Alex Myers

As someone in the fitness professional field, one of the biggest problems I see with clients in keeping their motivation to exercise. It’s easy to stick with a workout routine in the beginning, but a lot of the times it will end becoming boring or just not fun anymore to the client. Here are a few tips to try and keep that motivation up and keep going!

• Role models. Find someone that has what you are looking for in your fitness goals, weather it be a super flexible gymnast or an amazing athlete, having someone that you can strive to be more like will help keep your motivation going. It is a great way to remind yourself why you’re in the gym day in and day out.
• Smart goals. One of the biggest things we try and do with our clients is set smart, attainable goals that can be reached. You want a goal that is challenging enough to keep you going but not something that is too easy to reach. Start with something like, “I will workout 3 times this week.” And once you have a routine then move up to something a little tougher.
• Rewards. Rewarding yourself for hitting each one of your smart goals is a great way to keep your motivation up. Remember that the reward should match your goal, if your working out to loose weight you don’t necessarily want to reward yourself with food.
• Buddy system. Having a partner that you can workout with is one of the most motivating things you can do to keep yourself going. It not only gives you someone to relate with while exercising but it will also hold you accountable to exercise. If your buddy is waiting for you at the gym everyday you are less likely to not show up.
• Make it fun. If your in the gym doing the same thing everyday it will begin to become boring and stale. Try to mix up your workouts, if you’re only doing cardio try and do different types of cardio a few times a week. Instead of just running on the treadmill you might try playing basketball or soccer, or just try a different machine like an elliptical.

These few simple tips will help you to stay motivated and continue to work out. Try to remind yourself everyday why you are putting in your time and hard work and the result will follow. Before you know it, you will fall in love with exercising and it will be what you look forward to everyday!

Posted on March 24, 2015 by Buddy Broncho

Three minutes of exercise?

By Garrett Dunagan

Not everyone likes to spend an hour or more each day working out; running, jogging, swimming, lifting, etc. What if I told you there was another way? There has been a recent surge in popularity in a type of exercise called high-intensity interval training (HIIT), but why has it become so popular in the past few years? In the past weight loss and improving one’s health has been associated with aerobic training which usually requires you to exercise at low to moderate intensity an hour or more 3-5 days a week. Through HIIT routines you can achieve an equal amount of cardiorespiratory and weight loss improvements, but over a shorter period of time.

So how can three minutes of exercise a week be beneficial? A group of European researchers discovered that completing a short-term interval training (SIT) session on a stationary bike just once a day three times a week can have phenomenal physiological benefits. These benefits included improvements in cardiorespiratory health, cardio-metabolic health, and insulin activity all which benefit everyday living. While this exercise routine has proven benefits for those wanting to improve their physiological health, I would not recommend it to those who are new to exercise, solely using this routine to gain large improvements in body composition, or individuals that have any cardiovascular diseases, due to the high intensity intervals.

Stationary Bike SIT Routine (3 times a week):
(Warm-up)
Adjust the seat of the bike to where it is most comfortable.
Start with performing a 2 minute warm up; peddling at moderate-intensity (50km).
(Intervals)
At the end two minutes began peddling at max intensity for 20 seconds.
Between each 20 second interval you will bring your pace back down to moderate or low-intensity and pedal for 25-30 seconds (this will keep your heart rate from dropping, and allow you to slightly recover).
You will repeat this until you’ve completed one full minute of max-intensity intervals.
(Cool down)
2-3 minutes of low-intensity pedaling combined with lower body static stretches of your choice.

Biking Intervals

Posted on March 21, 2015 by Buddy Broncho

Exercising in Cold Weather

When winter arrives in Oklahoma, most people try to avoid exercising outdoors because of the temperature, but exercising in cold weather actually has some benefits. It may help burn more calories, gives you more energy, and even can enhance your mood. Most peoploe who exercise do know that exercise releases endorphins that make you feel good, but your body has to work even harder when it is cold out to keep your body warm, therefore burning more calories and releasing more of those endorphins.

TIPS FOR EXERCISING IN COLD WEATHER:

1)    Try to stay on heavily traveled routes. This can help decrease risks of injury. If someone were to fall and get injured and they are out by themselves where there is no one to see them, they could potentially develop hyperthermia if the temperature is too cold and they cannot get back to warmth quickly.

2)    Get a better warm up before the activity. Prolong your warm up indoors before going outdoors to exercise because muscles take longer to warm up in cold weather and do not stay as warm while exercising in the cold temperatures. When you first start your exercise, try taking 30-second breaks every so often to minimize risk of injury.

3)    Try to stay on paths that are blocked from the wind. Running on trails near trees or walls help you stay warm by blocking the wind and elements of winter.

4)    Cool down progressively. You do not want to just stop at the end of your exercise. Try to slow your pace for the final 3 or 4 minutes of exercise and go in doors to stretch afterward.

5)    Drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after your workout. Try to keep your water bottle underneath your layers so it will not freeze. Since sweat is not as visible during cold weather, most people do not realize that they sweat just as much as when it’s hot out, therefore, they do not pay as much attention to hydrating as they should.

Posted on November 18, 2014 by Buddy Broncho
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