4 Moves to a Fantastic Body!!!

I've compiled a list of my favorite moves to get a sexy and sculpted body. These moves are multi-joint exercises and can be done in a circuit or combined with other exercises. Be sure to use precise technique with these moves (I've listed a few tips). If you feel unsure in your ability to master these moves, get a trainer. Yes, you'll spend a few bucks, but you'll get the most out of your exercise, avoid injury, and you'll have the reassurance and confidence of a health professional.

Happy Workouts!!!!
Deadlift: I love love love this exercise. Not only does it work the core and hamstrings, it works the glutes and some calves too. It is my one stop exercise stop to work all areas below the waist on the back side. Of course there are different methods to this exercise. A stiff-legged deadlift with target more lowback and hamstrings. Personally, I prefer to bend my knees a bit, shift the weight into my heels consciously and isometricly contract all of my muscles in my legs to create more resistance, and sync the lifting of my upper body with the micro-movement straightening of my legs. If you want to lift your butt, firm your hamstrings, activate your quads, and strengthen your core, try this move.

Bench Press: I love the results I get with my bench press. I like to mix it up and do wide and close grip presses to hit slightly different areas of the chest. To get the maximum results from this exercise, it is best to have a buddy or trainer there to spot you. I like to go to exhaustion; to where a would not be able to complete a rep unless I had someone there to give me a boost at the end. Some tips for this move, make sure your traps are down and your shoulder blades are rolled up, back, and down into place and make sure the bar is right across the center of the chest.

Arnolds: I don’t know about you, but I love sexy defined shoulders and this move is full-spectrum. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Arnolds, you hold your barbells right in front of you to start with palms facing you and elbows together. The first move is reminescient of a reverse fly so you will end with your palms facing straight away from you. Once you’ve opened up your elbows and shoulders press up like a standard shoulder press and almost touch the weights together at the top. Bring the weights down and go wide again so your elbow are out to your sides. Rotate the weights so your palms with face each other and elbows and wrists come close together. You can also reverse this move and start by lifting up the weights and your palms face you and the weights are together and then spread them at the top. Either way, if you can pound out a couple sets of these bad boys, your shoulders are on their way to becoming sexified.

Lat Pull Down: When I was first personal training, this move was my first love. You can vary this move in so many different ways. You can use a standard cable or modify with lighter hand weights and keep your arms in a V. I also picture my elbows going into my ribcage as I pull down and I always make sure my wrists stay straight and that my chest pops out so I can hit my lats and really squeeze them good. One caution with this exercise…if your traps are really tight, they’re going to steal the exercise from your lats. If this is the case, try taking a tennis ball or a body rolling class and roll out any tight spots or knots around the shoulder blades.

4 Moves to a Fantastic Body!!!

I've compiled a list of my favorite moves to get a sexy and sculpted body. These moves are multi-joint exercises and can be done in a circuit or combined with other exercises. Be sure to use precise technique with these moves (I've listed a few tips). If you feel unsure in your ability to master these moves, get a trainer. Yes, you'll spend a few bucks, but you'll get the most out of your exercise, avoid injury, and you'll have the reassurance and confidence of a health professional.

Happy Workouts!!!!
Deadlift: I love love love this exercise. Not only does it work the core and hamstrings, it works the glutes and some calves too. It is my one stop exercise stop to work all areas below the waist on the back side. Of course there are different methods to this exercise. A stiff-legged deadlift with target more lowback and hamstrings. Personally, I prefer to bend my knees a bit, shift the weight into my heels consciously and isometricly contract all of my muscles in my legs to create more resistance, and sync the lifting of my upper body with the micro-movement straightening of my legs. If you want to lift your butt, firm your hamstrings, activate your quads, and strengthen your core, try this move.

Bench Press: I love the results I get with my bench press. I like to mix it up and do wide and close grip presses to hit slightly different areas of the chest. To get the maximum results from this exercise, it is best to have a buddy or trainer there to spot you. I like to go to exhaustion; to where a would not be able to complete a rep unless I had someone there to give me a boost at the end. Some tips for this move, make sure your traps are down and your shoulder blades are rolled up, back, and down into place and make sure the bar is right across the center of the chest.

Arnolds: I don’t know about you, but I love sexy defined shoulders and this move is full-spectrum. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Arnolds, you hold your barbells right in front of you to start with palms facing you and elbows together. The first move is reminescient of a reverse fly so you will end with your palms facing straight away from you. Once you’ve opened up your elbows and shoulders press up like a standard shoulder press and almost touch the weights together at the top. Bring the weights down and go wide again so your elbow are out to your sides. Rotate the weights so your palms with face each other and elbows and wrists come close together. You can also reverse this move and start by lifting up the weights and your palms face you and the weights are together and then spread them at the top. Either way, if you can pound out a couple sets of these bad boys, your shoulders are on their way to becoming sexified.

Lat Pull Down: When I was first personal training, this move was my first love. You can vary this move in so many different ways. You can use a standard cable or modify with lighter hand weights and keep your arms in a V. I also picture my elbows going into my ribcage as I pull down and I always make sure my wrists stay straight and that my chest pops out so I can hit my lats and really squeeze them good. One caution with this exercise…if your traps are really tight, they’re going to steal the exercise from your lats. If this is the case, try taking a tennis ball or a body rolling class and roll out any tight spots or knots around the shoulder blades.

Evolution of Diet and Mindset

I must say that I have been evolving and changing my diet for the past 3 years. I like to think of it as weeding. For some background on me, a little over 3 years ago I became very sick with some sort of bacterial infection in my digestive system. I dealt with sharp pains in my stomach, unbearable heart burn, fatigue, fuzziness in thinking and concentrating, and many other ailments. That kept on until one day I just could not get out of bed. I called in sick and I called my doctor (that’s what you’re supposed to do right)?

I wish I knew then what I know now. My doctor spent 7 minutes with me….yes, just 7 minutes and he told me I had an ulcer and something else he wasn’t sure of, so he sent me off with 3 packs of antibiotics and requested testing and x-rays at the hospital. He gave me 4 pints of barium that I was to drink the night before the exam. Can I just say that banana flavored barium does not taste like bananas. It tastes awful like sugared chalk.
So I drank all 4 pints and I went to the hospital and waited for 2 hours for them to finally tell me that my insurance wouldn’t cover any of the tests and they had called my doctor a week ago to have him tell me. Frustrated, I said aloud, “Alright then, I’m going into work.” At that point the nurse told me that as soon as I have a cup of water, barium acts as a laxative. I showed the greatest restraint when the nurse handed me a bill for the barium.

That was when I realized that I had to do something. The healthcare system had failed me, my ailments were worse than ever and my flora was unbalanced (thank you anti-biotics). I couldn’t continue to live like this….sick all the time, too tired to be coherent, constant pain. I was 23. Is this what it’s like to get old? Man, they sure don’t make em’ like they used to. I had to take matters into my own hands.

During this turning point, I began the long process of cleaning up my diet. For some people this maybe simple, like grabbing a trash bag and with one easy swoop, emptying out the cupboards. For me, it was a process. I began paying more attention to food labels and reading almost anything I could get my hands on about nutrition, organic produce, GMOs, Sugar cravings, Food and Mood, Herbal Remedies, Orthomolecular Science, Japanese Cook Books, and so forth. I started meeting with nutritionists, other personal trainers, and I began going to seminars.

As time went on my pantry and refrigerator evolved many times. For example, I went from Jif peanut butter to Nutella to organic peanut butter to almond butter and finally to sun butter (sun flower seed butter). I eliminated things like MSG, HFCS, Sodium Benzoate, Soy and Canola Oil (non organic), anti-biotic laden meats and dairy, and recently gluten and wheat. Now if I have meat or dairy, it is almost always organic and I eat lots of veggies and I feel better everyday.

The toughest part about this evolution is that America’s concept of diet is so backwards. Your diet should not be a “one size fits all” concept. It should be tailored to meet your individual needs and lifestyle. Although it is common, it is not healthy to have to rely on coffee or sugar to get you through the day. Just because a sandwich comes with toppings, doesn’t mean you have to eat it that way. Stand up for your Mind Body Spirit and treat yourself with respect. Consider and evaluate any food allergies or sensitivities. Pay attention to your mood and energy levels after eating a meal. Educate yourself about the dangers of GMOs and preservatives and then start weeding them out of your diet. Keep a food diary so you can accurately keep track of what you ate, at what time you ate it, and how you felt afterwards. The first step is always the toughest, but do this for yourself. It can only lead to good things

“To be passive about health is to be lacking in self-respect and taking for granted our own capacity for beauty and happiness.” ( The Truth About Beauty, James).

5 Variations of Plank

First I would like to take a moment to discuss the form for a standard plank before we get into anything fancy. We can always build and modify, but we need a foundation first.

A true plank, I mean, one that will have you shaking, keep you in proper alignment, and really activate your core, takes a bit of cueing and focus.

So the basic idea of plank is this:
You are on your hands and the balls of your feet, your core is tight, the ribcage is stitched in, the muscles above your knee caps are pulled up, you are constantly pulling up out of the shoulders, the shoulders are rolled back so you don’t wear them as earrings, you neck in alignment with the spine, shoulders are over the hands, spine is stretching with length (pretending there is an invisible string pulling on the top center of your head and elongating all of your muscles) and belly button is pulled into the spine.

Once you have mastered the basic plank, you can now move on to some of the variations I have provided below. Even if you have done plank before, check yourself with all the above cues and make sure that you are doing all of them. Most of the time you can’t get all of those details from a written source…eh hem…except mine ^_^

Variation #1: Side Plank
You may have seen this plank if a magazine or you may have tried it yourself. I would say that most people find this variation very difficult. The challenge with this variation is keeping stability while in proper form. The hand stays under the shoulder just like with the standard plank as well as lifting up out of the shoulder. I like to cross the legs like scissors at the bottom to avoid slipping by stacking the feet. This is fine as long as the hips stay squared up. Now this is the basic pose, but here’s some cues to really milk that side plank for all it’s worth. Pretend there’s an invisible string pulling up on your top hip, causing you to lift up, keep your neck in alignment with the spine, keep the ribcage stitched in, the belly button becomes a part of the spine, slow deep breaths.

Variation #2: Reverse or Incline Plank
From a seated position, place the hands shoulder width apart behind the back with the fingers pointing towards the feet. Press the hands down and lift the buttocks and take the weight of the body on the hands and feet. The legs can be stretched out in front of you or the knees can bent. Straighten the arms and lift the hips as high as possible.

Some cues: The thighs should be rotating inward, the hips lift until you can’t see your toes, the chest lifts until you can’t see your hips, press the floor away with the palms. Take deep breaths and hold for 5-7 breaths.

Variation #3: Tree Pose plank
From the standard plank position, take one foot and place that foot on the inner thigh. Hips remain square and the core remains very tight. Avoid shifting the hips to one side or popping the hips up. Now, bend the elbows and breath in short blasts. Hold for 10-15 short breaths and switch sides

Variation #4: Alternate Leg and Arm Reach
Start this plank in the basic position. Gently shift some of your weight over to one foot (stay on the ball of it though) and lift the other leg. Keep strength and length in the leg. Once you’ve adjusted here, lift up an opposing arm and pretend like your reaching. Breath in short blasts. Hold for 10-15 short breaths and switch sides.

Variation #5 Rotating Plank
This plank is an advanced pose and requires a lot of core stability, so try it with caution
Start from side plank; variation #1. Take the top arm and reach towards the ceiling. With the bottom leg, extend it in front of you so it’s as even with your hips as possible and then raise it so the foot is pointing up towards the ceiling. Inhale, and rotate your ribcage open and allow the arm to reach back while the leg lowers down almost to the ground in front of the hips. Exhale and pull the arm and leg back to the start position. Repeat this 7-10 times and switch sides.

Well, that’s it for some creative variations. Some you may have heard of, others you may not have. Try them at home or at the gym to add some spice to your workout.

Just to hold you over....

Hello Everyone,

I'm getting ready to post my 5 variations of plank as promised, but it's taking a little longer than expected. Soooo, I typed this up to hold you over ^-^

The Keys to an Optimistic Outlook

1. Stop being your own worst enemy. Be your own best friend.

2. Don't put yourself down. Pull yourself up.

3. Don't permit others to define who you are.
You cannot be a failure without your own consent.

4. Respect yourself. Place a high value on yourself.

5. Take stock of who you are and what you're capable of.
Work on weaknesses and find new strengths every day.

6. Replace "I can't" with "I can" and "I will."

7. Treat yourself generously, the way you want others to treat you.

8. Be compassionate. Love yourself, and others will love you.

9. Remember that you are an individual expression of God. As a work of God’s art, you are priceless and irreplaceable.

10. Visualize what you want from life, then work toward it.
See it, then be it.

11. Allow time to be by yourself, with yourself. Take time to appreciate yourself.

12. Enjoy your uniqueness. Out of all the billions of people since the beginning of time, there has never been, and never will be another you.

12. Realize that you are important to the entire world; what happens to the world begins with you.

Excerpts from “The Path to Success is Paved with Positive Thinking,” Blue Mountain Arts Inc., 2008.

Profound Transformation Doesn’t Happen Until You Find Your Motivation Trigger

When I first started working as a personal trainer I was asked to picture myself the way I wanted to be…the perfect me. In the image, I was to visualize every detail from the sharp curviness of my calves to the suppleness of my biceps and the contrast of my rounded hips to my slender waist. I was able to focus long enough to create my personal paragon of fitness and it made me smile. Afterwards, I was told to picture my face and imagine the way I would feel. That was when I felt an emotional surge. I felt happy and satisfied with myself, I felt relieved, I felt energized and confident, and I felt in tune with my mind, body, and spirit. I almost started crying. It was overwhelming. My motivational trigger was not a fitness model cut body; my motivation was being satisfied with myself, being healthy, and being relieved.

Since that day, my focus shifted from teaching clients to count calories and follow a set routine of cardio and strength according to the book, to really finding their motivation trigger and using that to develop a program to reach that goal. If the journey ends with a goal that is set in the deepest held values of the individual, success becomes easier to reach and maintain.

So, my advice to find your true motivation is to be true to yourself. What do you hope to attain from starting a fitness program? What was the pressing issue or feeling that made you walk through the gym doors and sign a 2 year contract? Remember, be honest with yourself and if you need support or if you work better in a group, hire a personal trainer or join a bootcamp. Personal trainers can give you perspective on what you need to do to reach your goal and boost your training and knowledge. This will give you additional tools you will surely need along the way.

Ganbare!!!!

Erin Geraghty-Balent
CPT/Yoga/Martial Arts
www.fitlorenzo.com

3 Simple things you can do every morning to improve circulation and energy

3 simple things you can do every morning to stay healthy

During my one month excursion in Japan, I took a few yoga workshops. It was refreshing to learn from international teachers and I’ve adopted a new morning routine that has improved my circulation and energy levels. It took about a week for me to notice a difference and after two weeks other people were noticing a difference. This practice should be done upon rising, before eating, and in the order I presented them.

1. Brush your tongue- It’s simple. Take your toothbrush or some toothbrushes have a tongue brushing side and brush in outward strokes. This breaks up the collected plague on the tongue, stimulates the sinuses and tear ducts, and rids the body of accumulated mucous and toxins.
The instructor gave us some side notes I will share. He said when brushing the tongue, you get the very back of the tongue. This may cause a gag reflex which is actually beneficial because it assists in the expulsion of mucous and the body will more effectively flush out the tear ducts. After brushing, always blow your nose and rise your face.

2. Dry Brush your body- This removes fatty and fibrous toxins in the skin, cleans the lymphatic system, clears away dead skin layers, stimulates blood circulation, improves nervous-system function, and helps digestion.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with this practice, you should dry-brush your body with a brush that has somewhat stiff bristles. You can find a brush like this at a beauty salon shop. When brushing, always brush towards the heart. So, start with the soles of the feet, and brush upwards to the hip, then begin the process with the other foot. After the legs are done, you can work the arms starting with the hands. After the arms, brush the entire core section and then brush the upper back outwards from the neck across towards the shoulder blade (this is the only part of the brushing not towards the heart). Brush the neck downwards being sure to brush over the collarbone and towards the heart.
*Be sure to hit the soles of the feet and the palms of the hands to stimulate those nerves.

3. Take a hot/cold shower- Brightens and clears the mind, heals the stomach, digestive tract, heart and brain, charges the cells, purifies unhealthy blood, flushes all the organs and glands.
Below is the process
Start with hot and then cold and massage body towards heart (just slipping the hand around the body). Repeat this 3xs and end on cold. Try your best to take some deep belly breaths when massaging (although the shock of the cold water can make this difficult)
This one takes some getting used to but it really energizes the body.

And that’s it. Those are 3 simple things to add to your morning routine for a healthy, happy body and mind.