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Often running on empty, new moms may need a bit more flexibility and support to ease back into exercise after giving birth, according to a Kansas State University researcher.

Emily Mailey, assistant professor in kinesiology, said when a mom has survived the first several weeks of having a new baby and is ready to start adding exercise -- and all of its benefits -- back into her life, a more flexible approach works better than a specific regimen. That's according to Mailey's study, recently published in the Journal of Health Psychology.

"Specific exercise programs can seem like an insurmountable barrier to new moms," Mailey said. "The results of this study suggest that the idea of encouraging new moms to fit in any kind of activity any way they can might be the best approach for easing back into exercise after giving birth."

As part of the intervention study, Mailey hosted workshops for mothers who had given birth between six weeks to 12 months before the start of the study to discuss strategies for increasing physical activity. All participants wore accelerometers for a week to measure activity before the workshops, immediately after the workshops and six months later. Mailey also specifically measured mothers' perceptions of barriers to exercise.

"Even people who were really active before having kids tend to decrease their physical activity after having kids because they prioritize the baby's needs first," Mailey said. "In the workshops, we talked specifically about guilt and the idea that doing something for yourself is not selfish -- it actually might help you be more patient or have more energy for your kids."

Mailey divided the workshop participants into two groups. One group got general advice to increase activity and help with barriers while doing any exercise they chose, including exercise with the baby. The other group got the same advice but it was centered around a regimented running program that is designed to help a sedentary person gradually increase running with 30 minutes of exercise three times a week.

"I went into the study to see if the running program would help new moms find success with getting back into exercise," Mailey said. "It seemed to me that it would be especially appropriate for new moms because it laid out the steps they need to be successful. That's the opposite of what I found."

Moms that were in the flexible group -- the group that chose their favorite exercise -- increased physical activity slightly more than the regimented running group over six months, but all moms became more proficient at planning exercise into their lives as new moms and perceived time and guilt to be more surmountable barriers.

"It's difficult for a mom to get out of this mindset that her main role is to care for her family," Mailey said. "In the workshops, we talked about how that didn't necessarily need to be at odds with exercising. Being active might actually help moms be better equipped to care for their family by enjoying some of the mental health benefits of exercise."

Time and type of physical activity may have been why the flexible approach had a slight increase in prolonged physical activity.

"Some people hate running and this program didn't change that," Mailey said. "So, the type of exercise might have been one barrier, but another was time. I was surprised by how many people said finding a 30-minute block of time that they can dedicate to exercise was too difficult."

Building confidence in planning around potential barriers is one way moms can successfully balance the demands of motherhood and exercise. For example, Mailey said a kid's sleepless night might make her too tired for her morning workout so she has a backup plan -- like a noontime walk or evening dance party. The backup plan gives moms confidence to follow through with exercise.

The exercise shouldn't be something the person hates to do, Mailey said. In the flexible group, she discussed the importance of finding an activity that the moms enjoyed doing and talked about how that activity can be broken into three 10-minute bouts of activity if needed instead of one 30-minute session a day.

"Maybe all you can do is fit in five minutes here or do 10 minutes there," Mailey said. "By changing your mindset so that everything counts, you can build it into your day and it's more feasible than these 30-minute chunks."

She also advised moms in the flexible group to set realistic measurable goals. For example, the 10,000 steps guideline may be too much for new moms.

"I don't think there is a magic number for steps," Mailey said. "Though 10,000 steps per day is what is thrown out a lot, I encourage people to start with a baseline week just to see how many steps they get normally and then try to increase gradually."

Overall, the workshops gave mothers support and strategies to overcome barriers, but Mailey also tried help mothers see exercise differently.

"Modeling healthy behaviors for our children and talking positively about exercise will help them have a healthy view of exercise, what it is and what it is for," Mailey said.

Go here to read the rest:
Less is more: New moms need workout programs that are less structured, more flexible - Science Daily

Larry R. Miller, For the Headlight Published 1:42 p.m. MT March 26, 2017 | Updated 5 hours ago

Columnist Larry R. Miller(Photo: Courtesy Photo)

Researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia have shown the right kind of targeted weightlifting exercises and certain jumping workouts, done over a six-month period, can strengthen bones, increase bone density and bone mass even if some density and strength had already been lost.The research was done on middle-aged men.

About 2 million men in the US currently suffer from osteoporosis (serious bone-thinning) and another 16 million have weakened bones that lead to osteoporosis.According to The American College of Sports Medicine, the program will transfer to women with a change in intensity and weights used.

The researchers believe specific exercises can ward off osteoporosis (bone weakening) and significantly stimulate new bone growth in the middle-aged.Weight-lifting programs exist to increase muscular strength, but less research has examined what happens to bones during these types of exercises, says researcher Pam Hinton. Our study is the first to show that exercise-based interventions work to increase bone density in middle-aged men with low bone mass who are otherwise healthy. These exercises could be prescribed to reverse bone loss associated with aging.

To make individual bones stronger, specific exercises were used to target those particular bones. Study subjects did squats, deadlifts, lunges and overhead presses. Those specific exercises put a load on the hip and spine, areas that are especially vulnerable to fractures when bones weaken with age. Researchers stated that the exercises are a preventative and that its not a good idea to do these types of exercise if you already have osteoporosis.

Study participants did weight lifting exercises for one to two hours a week and took vitamin D and calcium supplements to help their bones grow.(Note: I would suggest also taking a magnesium supplement.) As with most exercise programs, its advisable to take a few days off from resistance exercises now and then to give bones, and muscles, a chance to strengthen and catch up with the new stresses demanded of them.Not taking some time off contributes to overuse injuries.

If youre not doing any exercise theres no better time to start than now, before your bones are too weak to benefit.A personal trainer can check your form to make sure you are doing the lifts correctly.

For more health information plus outdoor and nature photography, follow me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/larry.miller.14268769.

Source:http://munews.missouri.edu/news-releases/2015/0714-exercise-may-reverse-age-related-bone-loss-in-middle-aged-men/

Read or Share this story: http://www.demingheadlight.com/story/news/2017/03/26/bone-weakening-and-age/99591236/

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Bone weakening and age - Deming Headlight

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive condition that often results in mobility impairments and can lead to decreased health-related quality of life (HRQL) and death. There is evidence that physical activity can delay decline in PD patients. In a study in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease, researchers determined that that people who exercised regularly had significantly slower declines in HRQL and mobility over a two-year period.

Lead investigator Miriam R. Rafferty, PhD, of Northwestern University and Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, describes the main findings of the study. "We found that people with Parkinson's disease who maintained exercise 150 minutes per week had a smaller decline in quality of life and mobility over two years compared to people who did not exercise or exercised less. The smaller decline was significant for people who started the study as regular exercisers, as well as for people who started to exercise 150 minutes per week after their first study-related visit."

The data came from the National Parkinson Foundation Quality Improvement Initiative (NPF-QII), an international, multicenter, prospective clinical study of care and outcomes that has recorded data from 21 sites in North America, the Netherlands, and Israel identified as Centers of Excellence by the National Parkinson Foundation. Over 3400 participants provided data over two years, with information collected during at least three clinic visits. The NPF-QII study collects demographics, disease duration, Hoehn and Yahr stage (HY), brief cognitive assessments, as well as data on pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic management of PD symptoms. These observational study visits are scheduled on a yearly basis. At each visit, exercise is measured by the self-reported number of hours per week of exercise.

The Parkinson Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39) is used to measure patient-reported, PD-specific HRQL. Functional mobility was measured by the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, in which performance is tested by timing participants as they rise from a chair, walk three meters, turn, and return to a sitting position.

Although this study did not determine which type of exercise is best, it suggests that any type of exercise done with a "dose" of at least 150 minutes per week is better than not exercising. "People with PD should feel empowered to find the type of exercise they enjoy, even those with more advanced symptoms," remarked Dr. Rafferty.

An unanticipated finding from the study was that the HRQL benefit associated with 30-minute increases in exercise per week was greatest in people with advanced PD. These data have significant implications for making exercise and physical activity more accessible to people with more severe disability. People with more advanced PD may have poor access to regular exercise, as their mobility impairments would limit their independent participation in existing community and group exercise programs.

"The most important part of the study," according to Dr. Rafferty, "is that it suggests that people who are not currently achieving recommended levels of exercise could start to exercise today to lessen the declines in quality of life and mobility that can occur with this progressive disease."

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Exercising 2.5 hours per week associated with slower declines in Parkinson's disease patients - Science Daily

Washington D.C. [USA], Mar. 26 : When it comes to new moms' workout programs, less is more and so, according to a Kansas State University researcher, new moms may need a bit more flexibility and support to ease back into exercise after giving birth.

Emily Mailey said when a mom has survived the first several weeks of having a new baby and is ready to start adding exercise and all of its benefits, back into her life, a more flexible approach works better than a specific regimen. That's according to Mailey's study.

"Specific exercise programs can seem like an insurmountable barrier to new moms," Mailey said. "The results of this study suggest that the idea of encouraging new moms to fit in any kind of activity any way they can might be the best approach for easing back into exercise after giving birth."

As part of the intervention study, Mailey hosted workshops for mothers who had given birth between six weeks to 12 months before the start of the study to discuss strategies for increasing physical activity. All participants wore accelerometers for a week to measure activity before the workshops, immediately after the workshops and six months later. Mailey also specifically measured mothers' perceptions of barriers to exercise.

"Even people who were really active before having kids tend to decrease their physical activity after having kids because they prioritize the baby's needs first," Mailey said. "In the workshops, we talked specifically about guilt and the idea that doing something for yourself is not selfish -- it actually might help you be more patient or have more energy for your kids."

Moms that were in the flexible group - that chose their favourite exercise, increased physical activity slightly more than the regimented running group over six months, but all moms became more proficient at planning exercise into their lives as new moms and perceived time and guilt to be more surmountable barriers.

"It's difficult for a mom to get out of this mindset that her main role is to care for her family," Mailey said. "In the workshops, we talked about how that didn't necessarily need to be at odds with exercising. Being active might actually help moms be better equipped to care for their family by enjoying some of the mental health benefits of exercise."

Time and type of physical activity may have been why the flexible approach had a slight increase in prolonged physical activity.

The exercise shouldn't be something the person hates to do, Mailey said. In the flexible group, she discussed the importance of finding an activity that the moms enjoyed doing and talked about how that activity can be broken into three 10-minute bouts of activity if needed instead of one 30-minute session a day.

She also advised moms in the flexible group to set realistic measurable goals. For example, the 10,000 steps guideline may be too much for new moms.

Overall, the workshops gave mothers support and strategies to overcome barriers, but Mailey also tried helping mothers see exercise differently.

"Modelling healthy behaviours for our children and talking positively about exercise will help them have a healthy view of exercise, what it is and what it is for," Mailey said.

The study is published in the Journal of Health Psychology.

Go here to read the rest:
New moms need 'less structured, more flexible' workout programs - New Kerala

Exercising for at least 2.5 hours every week may help maintain physical health and quality of life for patients with Parkinson's disease, a new study suggests.

From an analysis of more than 3,400 patients with Parkinson's disease, researchers found that those who engaged in a minimum of 150 minutes of physical activity a week experienced much slower declines in health-related quality of life (HRQL) and mobility over 2 years, compared with patients who exercised less than 150 minutes weekly.

What is more, the team found that patients in the advanced stages of Parkinson's may benefit most from increasing their physical activity by 30 minutes each week.

Study leader Miriam R. Rafferty, Ph.D., of the Center for Education in Health Sciences at Northwestern University in Chicago, IL, and colleagues recently reported their findings in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson's disease is a progressive condition characterized by tremors, stiffness of the limbs and trunk, poor balance and coordination, and mobility impairment.

According to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation, up to 1 million people in the United States are living with Parkinson's, and around 60,000 new cases are diagnosed in the U.S. every year.

Previous research has indicated that exercise may yield benefits for patients with Parkinson's. One study reported by Medical News Today in 2015, for example, found that patients with early Parkinson's who engaged in a 40-60-minute exercise program three times weekly experienced improved mobility and balance over 6 months, resulting in a reduction in falls.

For this latest study, Rafferty and colleagues set out to determine how regular exercise might benefit HRQL and mobility for patients with Parkinson's over a 2-year period.

The research included 3,408 patients with Parkinson's disease who were a part of the National Parkinson Foundation Quality Improvement Initiative (NPF-QII), which collects data on clinical care and outcomes for Parkinson's patients at 21 sites across North America, Israel, and the Netherlands.

Patients engaged in at least three clinic visits over 2 years. During these visits, data were collected on the number of hours patients exercised each week, as well as information on functional mobility and HRQL.

Functional mobility was assessed using the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, which times patients as they rise from a seated position, walk 3 meters, turn around, and sit back down. HRQL was self-reported through The Parkinson Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39).

Compared with patients who engaged in less than 2.5 hours of physical activity each week, those who did at least 2.5 hours of exercise weekly demonstrated a significantly slower decline in HRQL and mobility over the 2-year period.

This finding was true for patients who exercised regularly from study baseline, as well as those who began exercising for at least 2.5 hours a week during follow-up.

"The most important part of the study is that it suggests that people who are not currently achieving recommended levels of exercise could start to exercise today to lessen the declines in quality of life and mobility that can occur with this progressive disease," says Rafferty.

The researchers also looked at the effects of 30-minute increases in weekly exercise among patients with Parkinson's.

The team found that increasing physical activity by 30 minutes each week led to improvements in both HRQL and mobility. Interestingly, the greatest improvements in HRQL were seen among patients in the advanced stages of Parkinson's.

The researchers say this finding has important implications for making physical activity more accessible to patients with advanced Parkinson's disease. They note that such patients may have more severe mobility impairments, making participation in current exercise programs challenging.

The study was not designed to pinpoint what types of exercise are best for patients with Parkinson's, but the authors say that engaging in any form of physical activity is better than being sedentary.

"People with [Parkinson's disease] should feel empowered to find the type of exercise they enjoy, even those with more advanced symptoms."

Miriam R. Rafferty, Ph.D.

Learn how blocking a brain enzyme could improve the motor symptoms of Parkinson's.

The rest is here:
Parkinson's: 2.5 hours of weekly exercise benefits mobility, quality of ... - Medical News Today

But it wasn't that long ago that the YMCA had humble beginnings in Woodbury.

"This is how the Y starts in most communities," said Heidi Bardwell, executive director at the Woodbury YMCA. "The community wants the Y."

In the late 1980s, a young city was growing and its leaders petitioned the Y in St. Paul, offering to lend financial support to the effort to bring the organization to Woodbury.

In 1990, the nonprofit YMCA started without a building. It provided swimming lessons at Woodbury High School, day camp and summer basketball. It had a 20-member advisory board, and a service area that includes Woodbury, Oakdale, Afton, Lake Elmo and Landfall.

The first fitness classes took place at Woodbury Community Church (now Trinity Presbyterian Church), with child care provided.

In 1993 the capital campaign was launched, in 1995 the building housing Southeast Area YMCA was partially opened, and in 1996 the second floor opened.

The first year, the YMCA consisted of a gym and a pool but no fitness center.

"It's hard to think of this space without it," Bardwell said.

In 1996, the Y's preschool started at Woodbury Baptist Church.

Offerings have continually evolved and expanded as the Woodbury area's needs shift on a regular basis. Years ago, the Y offered a climbing wall and racquetball, no longer emphases at the facility.

Now, group exercise and swimming lessons are two of the most popular uses at the facility, which along the way changed its name to Woodbury YMCA.

In 2006, the Y underwent a building expansion, adding a family locker room and bringing the preschool on site.

In a 2012 reconfiguration, a third group exercise room was added and the senior center and teen center were christened. More changes are on the way for The Scene and The Zone.

"Got lots of things on our wish list for that," Bardwell said.

Free coffee is available all day.

The fitness floor is busy and large, and its equipment is rented for adequate maintenance and constant updates.

"We always have the nicest, the newest, the most advanced," member service director Teresa Moes said.

Local partnerships continue, with recent exchanges involving Math and Science Academy and Woodbury Leadership Academy. Off-site programs include the Y Camp at Lake Elmo Park Reserve and various other parks. Y instructors also go to Landfall and Cimarron in Lake Elmo to teach water safety.

At the Y, summer is crazy but the other seasons are also busy, and group exercise offerings recently included yoga, relaxation, dance, zumba, cardio, bootcamp and tabata, among many other things "a real variety," Bardwell said. Children ages 10 and younger can even take fitness classes. A family bootcamp occurs during the holidays. LiveStrong provides a one-year free membership for cancer survivors.

Classes change depending on member feedback and the Y association's constant looks at industry trends, Moes said.

Kids Stuff is drop-off child care and programming that includes playing, singing, reading and craft making.

Hardcore training occurs at the Y, all while maintaining the emphasis from the beginning on family.

"We have it all," Moes said.

But the Y's biggest success since its inception is measured by growth to 2,900 membership units about 10,000 members.

"We're welcoming and open," Bardwell said. "I don't think it's a program or a thing. But we've also done a good job of keeping up with the community what's the next thing? We've done a good job of changing."

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YMCA offers more than workout classes - Woodbury Bulletin

March 23, 2017 by Emily Mailey Research by Emily Mailey, assistant professor of kinesiology at Kansas State University, confirmed new moms need flexibility and support to restart fitness programs. Credit: Kansas State University

Often running on empty, new moms may need a bit more flexibility and support to ease back into exercise after giving birth, according to a Kansas State University researcher.

Emily Mailey, assistant professor in kinesiology, said when a mom has survived the first several weeks of having a new baby and is ready to start adding exerciseand all of its benefitsback into her life, a more flexible approach works better than a specific regimen. That's according to Mailey's study, recently published in the Journal of Health Psychology.

"Specific exercise programs can seem like an insurmountable barrier to new moms," Mailey said. "The results of this study suggest that the idea of encouraging new moms to fit in any kind of activity any way they can might be the best approach for easing back into exercise after giving birth."

As part of the intervention study, Mailey hosted workshops for mothers who had given birth between six weeks to 12 months before the start of the study to discuss strategies for increasing physical activity. All participants wore accelerometers for a week to measure activity before the workshops, immediately after the workshops and six months later. Mailey also specifically measured mothers' perceptions of barriers to exercise.

"Even people who were really active before having kids tend to decrease their physical activity after having kids because they prioritize the baby's needs first," Mailey said. "In the workshops, we talked specifically about guilt and the idea that doing something for yourself is not selfishit actually might help you be more patient or have more energy for your kids."

Mailey divided the workshop participants into two groups. One group got general advice to increase activity and help with barriers while doing any exercise they chose, including exercise with the baby. The other group got the same advice but it was centered around a regimented running program that is designed to help a sedentary person gradually increase running with 30 minutes of exercise three times a week.

"I went into the study to see if the running program would help new moms find success with getting back into exercise," Mailey said. "It seemed to me that it would be especially appropriate for new moms because it laid out the steps they need to be successful. That's the opposite of what I found."

Moms that were in the flexible groupthe group that chose their favorite exerciseincreased physical activity slightly more than the regimented running group over six months, but all moms became more proficient at planning exercise into their lives as new moms and perceived time and guilt to be more surmountable barriers.

"It's difficult for a mom to get out of this mindset that her main role is to care for her family," Mailey said. "In the workshops, we talked about how that didn't necessarily need to be at odds with exercising. Being active might actually help moms be better equipped to care for their family by enjoying some of the mental health benefits of exercise."

Time and type of physical activity may have been why the flexible approach had a slight increase in prolonged physical activity.

"Some people hate running and this program didn't change that," Mailey said. "So, the type of exercise might have been one barrier, but another was time. I was surprised by how many people said finding a 30-minute block of time that they can dedicate to exercise was too difficult."

Building confidence in planning around potential barriers is one way moms can successfully balance the demands of motherhood and exercise. For example, Mailey said a kid's sleepless night might make her too tired for her morning workout so she has a backup planlike a noontime walk or evening dance party. The backup plan gives moms confidence to follow through with exercise.

The exercise shouldn't be something the person hates to do, Mailey said. In the flexible group, she discussed the importance of finding an activity that the moms enjoyed doing and talked about how that activity can be broken into three 10-minute bouts of activity if needed instead of one 30-minute session a day.

"Maybe all you can do is fit in five minutes here or do 10 minutes there," Mailey said. "By changing your mindset so that everything counts, you can build it into your day and it's more feasible than these 30-minute chunks."

She also advised moms in the flexible group to set realistic measurable goals. For example, the 10,000 steps guideline may be too much for new moms.

"I don't think there is a magic number for steps," Mailey said. "Though 10,000 steps per day is what is thrown out a lot, I encourage people to start with a baseline week just to see how many steps they get normally and then try to increase gradually."

Overall, the workshops gave mothers support and strategies to overcome barriers, but Mailey also tried help mothers see exercise differently.

"Modeling healthy behaviors for our children and talking positively about exercise will help them have a healthy view of exercise, what it is and what it is for," Mailey said.

Explore further: Dads face guilt about workouts, just like moms do

More information: Emily L Mailey et al, Is a general or specific exercise recommendation more effective for promoting physical activity among postpartum mothers?, Journal of Health Psychology (2017). DOI: 10.1177/1359105316687627

(HealthDay)Fathers face many of the same family and work barriers to exercise as mothers, new research indicates.

(Medical Xpress) -- Guilt is a major obstacle working mothers face for staying active, according to Emily Mailey. She is a Kansas State University assistant professor of kinesiology who researches and develops interventions ...

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New moms need workout programs that are less structured, more flexible - Medical Xpress

Editors Note: The views expressed in the following column are those of the writer only and do not necessarily represent the views of the Collegian or its editorial board.

Since its initial 2001 gym opening, CrossFit has amassed an enormous following. As recently as 2015, the exercise program and fitness philosophy was reportedly being used in over 13,000 gyms, and between 2 and 4 million individuals identified as CrossFit affiliates. However, despite CrossFits popularity, many often neglect the sports illogical foundation, deleterious social dynamic, and altogether dangerous nature. CrossFit is by no means the first fitness fad to come with risksthere are diets that tell you to eat cotton balls for gods sakebut the inherent hazards of this program seem to so greatly outnumber its benefits so much so that I question whether it can honestly be advertised as a fitness regimen.

According to its official website, CrossFit is an exercise program designed to improve fitness and health by using constantly varied functional movements performed at high intensity. The term functional movements refers to multi-planar, multi-joint actions that can improve ones biomechanics in certain situations. Some FMs may be sports-specific, such as kicking a soccer ball or swinging a baseball bat, while others are more generalized, like running or performing a biceps curl.

The CrossFit program was developed by former gymnast Greg Glassman, and not only does the regimen incorporate elements of gymnastics, but it also emphasizes Olympic weightlifting movements (i.e. snatches, cleans, and jerks) and aerobics, primarily in the form of high-intensity interval training.

Adherents to CrossFit follow what is known as a Workout of the Day (WOD), posted every morning on the programs website. Nation- and worldwide, thousands of individuals participate in these workouts, which are typically led by a certified CrossFit coach (certification requires little more than attendance at a 2-day course). Participants can also complete the workouts by themselves.

WODs vary greatly in the exercises they include; one day might consist of pull-ups and squat snatches, while the second entails nothing but 800m intervals of running, and the third a brutal circuit of deadlifts, wall-ball shots, rowing, and handstand push-ups. If these workouts seem to have no consistency or structure, thats because they dont. By its nature, CrossFit is designed to be constantly varied, so the body never becomes used to performing exercises in the exact same order.

I respect what Greg Glassman, CrossFit founder and former gymnast, was trying to accomplish with this. He was probably jumping on the antiquated idea of muscle confusion, which asserts that adding variety into your workout prevents stagnation in strength, power, and endurance. Unfortunately, muscle confusion has proven to be an ineffective method for such goals.

Instead, most experts (coaches, physical therapists, exercise scientists, etc.) implore athletes to utilize a method known as progressive overload, wherein stress (i.e. weight) placed on the body gradually and consistently increases over time. By alternating periods of heavy lifting (work) with periods of lighter exercise (rest), the body is exposed to an appropriate amount of strain for muscle breakdown while also being given ample recovery time to repair the damaged tissue into stronger muscle fibers.

It is progressive overload which allows PowerLifters to deadlift three times their bodyweight, and Olympic lifters to snatch two-and-a-half times their own mass. But even for the non-elite, average gym-goer, this method has been shown to improve overall endurance, strength, agility, and even bone and joint health.

But CrossFit, rather than stressing progressive overload, glorifies an ever-changing, non-routine approach to fitness. Why? In all likelihood, Glassman, who trademarked CrossFit into a for-profit fitness brand, wanted to make his product as appealing and interesting as possible. Most people arent enticed by the idea of doing the same movements and following boring old training programs that aim to improve strength, solely because they arent as zesty as, say, a Zumba class.

Glassman clearly recognized this: if youre going to market a fitness program and make it profitable, you have to make it interesting. I doubt Glassman achieved greatness as an athlete by practicing a different gymnastics routine every single day. But, as stated earlier, this is essentially what his program touts: constantly modified exercise. As stated so aptly on the CrossFit website: Our specialty is not specializing.

CrossFits dismissal of progressive overload and scientifically supported training routines is dangerous. Its downright idiotic to think you can improve fitness when youre constantly changing your routine. Thats like trying to find a cure for a disease by taking a handful of twenty different drugs. You could potentially feel a little better, but youll have no idea what caused that improvement, and therefore wont be able to replicate the beneficial action. Conversely, you could also feel a lot worse, and besides, who the hell would take twenty different drugs at once? No sane person would.

Im not discounting the fact that a lot of CrossFit participants are in great shape. Chances are, however, that these individuals have been performing the prescribed exercises (with proper form) for years, while increasing intensity at a reasonable, consistent pace. On top of this, the best CrossFit athletes usually follow a strict diet and consistent gym routine to which most working individuals cannot adhere.

Followers of CrossFit also know that the program is characterized by an uber-competitive social dynamic. During workouts, participants are often in a race against the clock to complete their prescribed exercises as quickly as possible. When taken in a class setting, a CrossFitter is bound to encounter individuals who take the sport so seriouslyand so desperately want to be the fittestthat such people might enter the gym with the very intention of doing harm to their bodies.

These factors may push people too far past their limits. Its good to feel challenged during a workout, but there is a difference between racing to run a mile with a friend and trying to deadlift 275 pounds faster than the ripped dude next to you. Because of the motivational yet highly competitive atmosphere, CrossFitters are constantly trying to outdo their fellow teammates.

And this brings me to my last point: CrossFits high risk of injury. Because the program incorporates so many different exercises, it is all too easy to commit the sin of improper form. Some exercises, such as the Clean and Jerk (an Olympic compound movement), can take years to master, not only due to their technical nature, but because of the amount of strength required to perform them correctly.

Some first-time CrossFitters dont know the difference between a dumbbell and a kettlebell. They are most likely just starting out on their journey to a better self, and do not have a considerable amount of muscle mass and strength. If these newcomers walk into a CrossFit gym and see other people throwing around weights like toys, they may falsely believe they are capable of doing the same.

Concerningly, despite the potential for injury and the need for extensive education on certain exercises, CrossFit assumes that either a) participants will take the time to learn proper form (most dont), or b) decrease the weight if something feels wrong (most wont).

A perfect example of the newbie-injury phenomenon is perhaps best demonstrated by the association between CrossFit and rhabdomyolysis. Though rare, rhabdomyolysis is a potentially fatal condition that occurs when muscle rapidly breaks down. If the tissue cells are injured to a point in which they rupture, they release toxic substances into the blood that cannot be processed by the kidneys. If untreated, rhabdomyolysis can lead to kidney failure and death.

The high-rep weightlifting exercises that are a mainstay of CrossFit are the perfect catalyst for onset of this affliction, for they expose muscle tissue to extreme strainrepeatedly. The likelihood of developing Uncle Rhabdoa mascot that unsympathetic CrossFitters use to personify the maladyis much higher for those who have not exercised for some time and suddenly decide to engage in strenuous exercise. Thus, many people may run the risk of rhabdomyolysisand even deathif they exert maximum effort during their initial encounters with the CrossFit program.

As I said earlier, any exercise program has inherent risks. Im not saying that if you try CrossFit, youre going to die from renal failure. All I want to get across is that if youre going to try a fitness regimen that prides itself on unproven methods, maniacal competition, and dangerous exertion levels, please, for the love of Uncle Rhabdo, educate yourself first.

Lauren can be reached at letters@collegian.com and online @LaurenKealani

Continued here:
Willson: CrossFit is a bastardization of fitness - Rocky Mountain Collegian

By Danielle Koffenberger

Ever wonder why you lose motivation when it comes to your exercise program? Why do some of us start and stop exercise programs and nothing seems to stick?

Researchers suggest that there are two factors associated with lack of motivation to exercise, and we know them well. The first is that some people are just not interested in exercising. They don't enjoy it and may not appreciate or fully understand value the health outcomes enough to make it a priority in their lives. Barriers to regular exercise include lack of time, family, work or school obligations.

The second factor is some people may have had a negative experience in the past and don't have the confidence to be physically active. Some may have physical limitations that prevent exercise from being enjoyable.

These factors contribute to the current national physical activity data. Currently, less than 28 percent of American adults, less than 40 percent of European adults and less than 15 percent of Canadians adults meet recommended guidelines for physical activity. The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate exercise or general physical activity per week for general health and improved well-being.

It seems that science has found the long sought-after "Fountain of Youth." It's called exercise, and Memorial Hospital has introduced a new initiative that promotes healthy aging for those 50 and older. As the first step in this initiative, Memorial is now offering classes directed by well trained professionals, promoting a variety of exercises to help people get started in a safe and friendly environment. Memorial currently has available a six-week exercise series that includes cardio, strength, balance, core, stretching, Pilates and yoga. The classes are held on the second floor of the physical therapy building, just north of the hospital. Series cost is $69, and class size is limited. The program is part of the hospital's Community Health Improvement/Population Health focus on healthy aging. Population Health Director Susan Ruka, RN Ph.D., believes this kind of community outreach is critically important. "We know that exercise is the best prescription for healthy and successful aging. Our job as health-care leaders is to engage people in activities that can make a difference in the quality of their daily lives. Exercise can boost your energy level, mobility and overall health as well as build your knowledge and confidence. Participants interested in attending the classes should speak with us to determine what program is the best fit."

Danielle Koffenberger, program coordinator at Population Health, said, "Our goal is to help you get and stay fit and healthy and meet the expectations of what feels more comfortable to you."

The new program is an addition to several others already underway, including A Matter of Balance and Tai Ji Quan, Moving for Better Balance. Kate Soule, one of the instructors, explained that as the body ages, it goes through many degenerative processes. "Muscle, bone and joint changes that come with age really can be reduced through exercise," she said. "Each week, our class will focus on a different aspect of strength and balance including ways to improve one's strength, metabolism and flexibility." Research continues to show that regular physical activity not only improves the quality of life for older adults, it also decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease and many other illnesses and disabilities. Even if you start late, exercise increases the likeliness of aging free from chronic disease, memory loss and depression. People who are physically active also tend to have better immune systems, fewer falls and more daily social interaction. Ruka and Koffenberger want people to know that they don't need to be currently engaged in exercise to take the course. "This is an opportunity to learn about the impact of aging on our bodies and what you can do to stay strong and fit," they said. "As you get older, the key is to be able to keep doing the things you like to do. By making physical activity a regular part of your life, you can improve your health and maintain your independence as you age." The Population Health team is also working in partnership with Memorial's Heart Health and Wellness Center to promote its new program, "The Fresh Start Wellness Program." The program includes nutritional evaluation, blood pressure monitoring and one-on-one support. Some participants can benefit from starting their journeys with the individual support provided by our qualified staff and then move on to the group classes after a few weeks. Long-term success will come when one looks at behaviors i.e., what we truly like, what are goals are, the lifestyle that we want, etc., and begin to transition to more intrinsic motivators. Research demonstrates that when individual psychological needs are met, there is a greater sense of vitality and well-being. When we align with what is and feels most natural for us, we will have greater success. Here are a few helpful tips to get you thinking on how to get started.

Explore different activities to see what gives you the most enjoyment.

Be honest with yourself and your limitations and be open to make adaptations to help you to succeed.

Do you like exercise equipment or prefer exercising outdoors?

Do you like to exercise alone or in a group?

Danielle Koffenberger is Population Health Program coordinator at Memorial Hospital.

Read this article:
To Your Health: Memorial Hospital introduces healthy aging and wellness exercise programs - Conway Daily Sun

March 23, 2017

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive condition that often results in mobility impairments and can lead to decreased health-related quality of life (HRQL) and death. There is evidence that physical activity can delay decline in PD patients. In a study in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease, researchers determined that that people who exercised regularly had significantly slower declines in HRQL and mobility over a two-year period.

Lead investigator Miriam R. Rafferty, PhD, of Northwestern University and Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, describes the main findings of the study. "We found that people with Parkinson's disease who maintained exercise 150 minutes per week had a smaller decline in quality of life and mobility over two years compared to people who did not exercise or exercised less. The smaller decline was significant for people who started the study as regular exercisers, as well as for people who started to exercise 150 minutes per week after their first study-related visit."

The data came from the National Parkinson Foundation Quality Improvement Initiative (NPF-QII), an international, multicenter, prospective clinical study of care and outcomes that has recorded data from 21 sites in North America, the Netherlands, and Israel identified as Centers of Excellence by the National Parkinson Foundation. Over 3400 participants provided data over two years, with information collected during at least three clinic visits. The NPF-QII study collects demographics, disease duration, Hoehn and Yahr stage (HY), brief cognitive assessments, as well as data on pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic management of PD symptoms. These observational study visits are scheduled on a yearly basis. At each visit, exercise is measured by the self-reported number of hours per week of exercise.

The Parkinson Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39) is used to measure patient-reported, PD-specific HRQL. Functional mobility was measured by the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, in which performance is tested by timing participants as they rise from a chair, walk three meters, turn, and return to a sitting position.

Although this study did not determine which type of exercise is best, it suggests that any type of exercise done with a "dose" of at least 150 minutes per week is better than not exercising. "People with PD should feel empowered to find the type of exercise they enjoy, even those with more advanced symptoms," remarked Dr. Rafferty.

An unanticipated finding from the study was that the HRQL benefit associated with 30-minute increases in exercise per week was greatest in people with advanced PD. These data have significant implications for making exercise and physical activity more accessible to people with more severe disability. People with more advanced PD may have poor access to regular exercise, as their mobility impairments would limit their independent participation in existing community and group exercise programs.

"The most important part of the study," according to Dr. Rafferty, "is that it suggests that people who are not currently achieving recommended levels of exercise could start to exercise today to lessen the declines in quality of life and mobility that can occur with this progressive disease."

Explore further: Exercise benefits people with Parkinson's disease: study

More information: Miriam R. Rafferty et al, Regular Exercise, Quality of Life, and Mobility in Parkinson's Disease: ALongitudinal Analysis of National Parkinson Foundation Quality Improvement Initiative Data, Journal of Parkinson's Disease (2017). DOI: 10.3233/JPD-160912

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