Thoughts on Core: Part 1

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The Core. It’s a very popular topic. Why? Because most of us want ours to look better. There’s nothing wrong with that. Why don’t I talk about it more? Well, I do, kind of. I talk a lot about a balanced lifestyle. Why? Because all roads of a balanced lifestyle lead to everything we want, including the improved appearance of our waistlines. A balanced lifestyle typically does a lot to improve health, fitness, happiness and yes, the way we look. Why then does the fitness industry talk so much about special “core” exercises that “target” and “melt” away unwanted fat…and other things like controversial Supplements, Drugs and other Nutritional protocols. Why? Profit. Exercises that target the Core typically won’t do much to improve the way it looks, at least not until very lean. Taking expensive, possibly even dangerous, nutritional supplements, drugs; following questionable nutritional practices, etc…will most likely just deplete your bank account and could possibly even damage your health. And all we wanted was a flatter stomach, right. Instead, seek BALANCE. ✨>Quality sleep. Hydration with clean water. Consume adequate amounts of fibrous Veggies & Plants, adding in some lean proteins & healthy fats. Laugh more, have fun more…after your responsibilities are done, of course! Don’t exercise too much or too little. Do move every day. Walking is a great choice most days. Enjoy time alone and with friends. Have something or someone to Love, something to always do and something to always look forward to. Repeat and tweak as needed…till the end of time. #bssbbooks #blueskystrongbox #healthandwellness #healthandfitness #coreexercises #coreexercise

A post shared by Blue Sky Strongbox (@blue_sky_strongbox) on Mar 11, 2019 at 11:18am PDT

Workout that only requires a Shoe (Turkish Getup – Part 1 ) – Time Warner News’ ACTIVE NOW

Time Warner News’ (Austin) “Active Now” spot showed me a little love last week. Here, I do my best to demonstrate the main first move of the Turkish Getup using a shoe. It’s like a sit-up but much much more.

http://www.twcnews.com/tx/austin/lifestyles/2015/10/30/workout-that-only-requires-a-shoe.html

http://www.twcnews.com/tx/austin/lifestyles/2015/10/30/workout-that-only-requires-a-shoe.html

Ideas for a better warmup:
THE “Old” WARMUP (5-15min): Most people just hop on a treadmill or stationary bike for anywhere from 5-20 minutes to “warmup”. This works but it’s most likely not as effective as other options. Guys who plan on lifting “heavy” weights often ONLY warmup by doing light warmup-sets of their chosen exercise(s) for the day. Again, this also works but considering the fact that most of us know we need more stretching in our lives, including at least a few simple stretches in the warmup might be more optimal. Often guys are also scared to stretch before they lift because, “rumor has it”, you won’t get as big and strong. While it may be true that doing a marathon stretching session before lifting might be counterproductive for some, including other “types” of stretching has proven to actually increase strength & performance when done correctly. Lastly, some folks do their “cardio” first before lifting “weights”, i would assume in hopes of losing some unwanted body fat. Again, this is probably not the best idea UNLESS you are primarily seeking to increase your endurance for a specific event, competition or occupation. But for everyone else, i don’t recommend it. Ever, really. Normally, too much “cardio” before “lifting weights” interferes with… you guessed it, the weights. (And just to clarify, “weights”, “lifting”, “lifting weights” “strength machines”, “strength training”, “resistance training”, “body weight training”, “calisthenics”, “hard yoga”, “hard pilates”, etc are ALL basically the same thing!) “The primary purpose of resistance training is to get stronger, and for some, also build muscle. Both these things can also indirectly aid with fat loss. But keep in mind, getting stronger and building muscle both require INTENSITY to get the desired results. So don’t empty your fuel tank too early by doing too much in the warmup. If your goal is fat-loss, getting stronger or packing on more muscle, try including a short, intense 10-minute “interval session” after “weights” (aka “a finisher”). I’d also recommend doing your longer “cardio” workouts or group classes on another day, all by themselves, if you have the time available.

THE “New” WARMUP (5-10) So here we go. Here are some new things to try as your “warmup”. First and foremost, correct breathing is essential and often overlooked. This means breathing deeply from your diaphragm, through your nose. Keep this in mind as you warmup and proceed to the rest of your workout. I often tell people to do all movements at a pace that allows you sync your breathing with each repeat of that movement. Start your warmup by massaging some of the major muscles regions (back, legs, hips, calves) with a Foam Roller. (This is what most professional athletes do.)Most gyms have them. Walmart, Target, Amazon, etc all sell them for $30 or less). Then do a few safe Dynamic Stretches (aka “moving stretches”). Google this. Then perform a few easy body-weight warmup movements, focusing on stabilizing your spine and moving your many joints about (especially the hip & arm sockets). To summarize, you could very quickly Foam Roll 2-3 major areas of your body, do 2-3 full body stretches and 2-3 major body-weight movements (easy pushups, easy pulling & easy squatting), and be done in less than 10 minutes. You could even include 1-2 “core” exercises near the end or even devote some of the time to practice a new exercise (with no weight or a light weight) that maybe needs some practice. If you really want to hit everything, perform all the primitive movement patterns every time you warmup. (Check out any of Mark Verstegen’s Books). Research all this stuff! Educate yourself. It’s free. Keep things simple. Many things could work. Just keep this in mind, the purpose of a “warmup” is to get you prepared/ramped-up for the harder work ahead, not beat you done prematurely. The key is always to maximize your time, this should include not wasting any precious time doing useless sh*t during a warmup. You may want extend your warmup longer if you are sore or dealing with an injury, have specific “corrective exercises” you know you need to include, it’s really cold outside or you just woke up. We all know we need to stretch more, etc. Include these type things in your warmup and you can always get a lot done in each session, regardless of time. Density is the key.
– Carlton

p.s. Keep things simple. Always. I know i mentioned a lot of things, and that was just the silly warmup. lol. The reality is that the details of exercise and programming can easily start to bog any mind down. So don’t let it. Start by including just one new thing next time your workout. Build on that over time. The point is to move more, move better. There will probably never be a “perfect” way. And while some will waste time searching tirelessly for that, you should be out there getting work done. Time is of the essence. Ask for help if you need it. Work hard. Play hard. Enjoy.

New Weekly Tipz! Today i offer a simple & cheap suggestion (around 10$ on Amazon) that might help with acute back pain for all you out there that have to sit down all day long at your jobs… it’s worth a try. Back pain left unchecked can be debilitating, not to mention expensive. This video is under 3 minutes. You have time :)

New Weekly Tipz! This is a longer video (15 min or so) but a good video for anyone thinking about exercising while at work or while traveling. I go over some basics of what you need to know, things to consider, basic equipment and how to organize quick workouts that are very effective. Just so you know, you don’t have to watch the whole thing in one sitting. It’s ok to break it up. And by all means, feel free to recommend it to anyone you think might benefit from it.

New Weekly Tipz! This week i go over 10 or so “common” mistakes that most people make when it comes to attempting to improve fitness and health. They are common because so many people do them so often. Don’t let it be you. Feel free to ask any questions. And please share. I wish you all the best :)

New Weekly Tipz! Yes it’s true, there are a million exercises. I could show you any number of them. But instead, today, i am suggesting just one. One to add to your current collection. It’s simple, but it does a lot of things all at once. O f course, there’s nothing necessarily magical about any one exercise… unless you make it that way. There’s no need to do a bunch of exercises if you really focus your mind and body on just a few. Quality over quantity every time. Surely you have time for a 3 minute video today?

New Weekly Tipz! Today i talk about 5 things that i get asked about a lot. Things like “should i do cardio before or after resistance training?” and other common questions. I try to keep it short and brief, for me anyway. Spread the love.

New Weekly Tipz! Movement is, at the very least, a coordinated effort. It matters what we do, how we do it and when we do it. Don’t seperate “exercise” from the way you move when you are not exercising. We should all pay attention to our movement at all times. This week i give a little simple exercise that might help the spine and hips better learn to move together in harmony, as opposed to the typical slave/master type relationship that causes much low back pain. The question is, can you move your hips without your spine sneaking along for the ride?

New Weekly Tipz! I can talk about food and exercise till i’m blue in the face, but it probably won’t do anything to change how you feel about any of it at all. That part is up to you. It can be done but it will probably require a new approach. Some might call it a paradigm shift. Call it what you want. The fact is that much can be accomplished, especially with the right “set up” beforehand.