Trainer Tips: Lifting Straps

from FT Trainer Joe Caruso

Lifting Straps are a cheap way to add poundage to some of your overall big lifts that can be limited due to grip strength. Usually back exercises such as deadlifts, pullups, rows, and pulldowns are the most common lifts that straps are beneficial. The back exercises are usually where grip strength is the weak link in the chain and is what holds a person back from lifting their maximum amount of weight. Usually with lifting straps a person has a better grip on the bar and almost takes your grip strength out of the equation which results in heavier weight being lifting and usually the breaking of weight plateaus.

The main drawback is that a person becomes reliant on the straps for almost all lifts and then grip strength is never really built up. This is not of concern to your average person in the gym just trying to add weight to the bar and break lifting plateaus and try to achieve new results. Grip strength is important to anyone in a gym but is mostly important to Powerlifters, Strongman Competitors, and high level athletes.

If a person is not working to become better at those aspects then lifting straps are a great tool to add to a persons training gear.

Lifting straps are usually under 20 dollars and can be found at any exercise equipment store. You can see a whole range of Schiek straps here.

__________

Lynn Williamson, one of our recent FT Success Stories trains with Joe at our FT Norwell Studio

Our other FT Studios across Eastern New England can be found on FTGetsResults.com

 

Success Story: Lynn Williamson

I came to FT because I was in the worst shape of my life and wasn’t happy with how I looked or felt. My goal was to lose weight and be in overall better shape. Never could I have imagined the transformation I’ve been through.

Today, I’m much healthier, feel great and I love how I look and feel. I’ve lost 18% in body fat, 14 inches off my waist and a total of 55 pounds. I run road races and cut 4 minutes off my mile time. I did a duathlon (bike/run) and next up is a half marathon.

I am able to lift heavy weights and keep pushing myself to train harder and build more strength. I recently dead-lifted 185 pounds – 60 pounds more than my bodyweight! So not only did I lose weight and become healthier, I am much more muscular and an all around athlete thanks to FT.

THE PROGRAM

FT Trainer JOE CARUSO noted that Lynn’s amazing progress has been due to multiple styles of training tied together. Joe created this program specifically for Lynn to match her own goals and needs.

Cardio/Muscular Endurance
High repetition full body movements. And long distance cardio/half marathon races.

Power Training
Explosive low repetition lifts for overall power development and plyometric training such as box jumps and explosive pushups.

Basic Compound Movements Basic Compound lifts hitting every muscle group. The range is normally in the 8-12 repetition range.

High Intensity Interval Training:
Sprint intervals for short duration combined with jogging at different speeds for short time duration.

Speed/Agility Drills
Using the agility ladder and pliometric boxes we work on Lynn’s footwork and speed working on her overall athleticism, which crosses over to the other training methods.

Lynn trains with Joe at Fitness Together Norwell

More inspirational success stories at FTGetsResults

Success Story: Bob Petersen

Overcoming An Injury

In April of 2010, I met with Karen Isgur to discuss a possible fitness program at Fitness Together. During the conversation, Karen answered many of my questions about Fitness Together and stressed that fitness programs were designed to help each person reach their individual fitness goals. Karen then asked me about my fitness goals.

I responded as I suspect that most people do. I wanted to improve my overall fitness, with a focus on losing weight and reducing my waist line. I also indicated that I wanted to improve the strength and flexibility of my left ankle. I had injured the ankle almost two years previously, resulting in a partially torn tendon. While I had attended multiple sessions of physical therapy, the ankle had never regained proper strength or flexibility and I often experienced pain from even minor activity. As we continued our discussion, I also realized that I should have indicated the need to improve core and upper body strength and cardio among my goals. We discussed the type of program that would be designed for me, the number of sessions that I should attend each week and other details regarding a program that would work for me.

As I was getting ready to leave, I indicated to Karen that there are two other goals that would be very important me. Since my injury, I had been unable to participate in an annual backpacking trip with a group of friends and that I had also been unable to downhill ski. Both activities were really important to me and I was very discouraged by not enjoying these activities for the past two years. My challenge to Karen was that, regardless of any achievements in my fitness program, I would ultimately judge my success or failure with Fitness Together on whether or not I would be able to hike and ski again.

The first few sessions of my program were somewhat discouraging. I found out that I was significantly less fit than I hoped or wanted to admit. This was not something that my trainers needed to tell me. It became painfully apparent after a few sessions and my initial fitness assessment. Interestingly enough, after a few weeks in the program, it also became very clear that I was improving much more quickly than I expected. I lost six or seven pounds quickly and I felt much more comfortable doing the exercises during my sessions.
I have been a client of Fitness Together for almost a year now and I plan to continue that relationship. I look forward to my fitness sessions twice each week and have incorporated workouts at home into my fitness plan. My primary trainer is Jessica Devoid who has done a great job in balancing encouragement with pushing me to work harder. I especially enjoy the variety of exercises built into my program and the fact that we are continually assessing and updating my goals.

In closing, it should be noted that I continue with Fitness Together as I consider my fitness program to be a success by any and all measures. In September 2010, I hiked 8 miles with a 40 lb. backpack on the annual hike with my friends. In January 2011, I skied for 2 days in New Hampshire. In neither situation did I experience any pain or difficulty with the injured ankle. Additionally, I feel that I was in much better condition to participate in those outdoor activities than I had been prior to my injury. I give full credit Fitness Together and Jessica for providing me with the opportunity to hike and ski again.

Bob Petersen

Bob trains with Jessica Devoid at Fitness Together Westborough

Other FT Success Stories can be found at FTGetsResults

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Not Dead Yet: Team Type 1 Phil Southerland’s Book

My Race Against Disease: From Diagnosis to Dominance

By Phil Southerland and John Hanc

Part memoir, part sports adventure, Not Dead Yet tells the inspirational story of Phil Southerland’s battle with Type 1 diabetes and how from diagnosis to sheer determination, Phil Southerland beat all odds and turned his diagnosis and his passion for cycling into a platform. From leading a Race Across America to now managing a world-class cycling program, his journey on and off the bike is changing the way the world views diabetes.

When Phil Southerland was seven-months-old, he lost ten pounds in a week, his body was limp and his breathing slowed to what his mother called a “death rattle.” Rushing him to the ER, she was informed that tiny Phil displayed the youngest case of diabetes on record in the world at that time. Blindness, kidney failure and death were all predicted for him by age twenty-five.

Twenty-nine years later, not only is Phil alive and well but as the founder of Team Type 1, he and his team of championship cyclists — many of them diabetics—have become health and fitness role models for people the world over. Together, they have taken on some of the most challenging endurance events in the world, including winning the Race Across America—a grueling 3,000-mile endurance competition—twice.

Today, Phil continues to lead Team Type 1 as its professional cycling team, among one of the top 30 teams in the world, races toward an invite to the world’s top cycling event, the Tour de France in 2012.Leading the pack is a serious challenge for any athlete, but for Phil and his teammates, it presents two daily battles: one to stay in razor-sharp race-fit condition, the other, to stay alive.

Not Dead Yet is Phil’s powerful story: his account of his relationship with his mother, and how she struggled to keep him alive; growing up quickly in the New-Old South of the 1990s, learning at the tender age of 6 years old how to check his glucose and give himself injections; of how he fulfilled his dream of becoming a professional athlete using his team and the bike as a platform, inspiring thousands of individuals and families around the world who are battling diabetes to not just chase, but catch, their dreams.

PHIL SOUTHERLAND is the founder of Team Type 1, a team of championship bike racers. He and Team Type 1 have been profiled in numerous cycling and diabetes publications, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, and the Atlanta Journal Constitution. He lives in Atlanta, where Team Type 1 is based. Visit him online at http://www.teamtype1.org.

JOHN HANC teaches writing and journalism at the New York Institute of Technology. He is a long time contributor to Newsday and a contributing editor to Runner’s World magazine, as well as the author of The Coolest Race on Earth. He lives with his wife and son in Farmingdale, New York.

“This book is a must read for all of us with type 1 diabetes and for our support team of family and friends as well. Phil Southerland’s account of his battle with diabetes and triumph over it seeks to and succeeds at being an educational and inspirational guide for reaching the full potential that exists in all of us.” – Show business legend and New York Times bestselling author of Growing Up Again Mary Tyler Moore

“Not Dead Yet is an uplifting and incredibly true adventure of a young man who beats the odds. Phil Southerland is an inspiration to those who live and struggle with diabetes as well as any individual who faces seemingly insurmountable challenges.” –Steve Edelman, MD, University of California-San Diego, Founder and Director of Taking Control of Your Diabetes

Read Chapters 1 & 2 of Not Dead Yet

For more on Team Type 1 and the book.

More Success Stories from Team Type 1

Diabetes Daily Dish: Osso Bucco

This is a fabulous winter dish, great for this time of the year, right on the cusp of spring when the air is crisp. It’s warm, filling, and festive. You can serve it with pasta, risotto, polenta, or on it’s own with a salad. Don’t forget about the marrow in the shank. That’s the best part! Eat it with a piece of whole grain bread, if you can.

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 veal shanks, about 2″ thick each
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 6 Roma tomatoes, finely chopped
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cups white wine
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 cup parsley, chopped

Gremolata

• 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 Tablespoons parsley, chopped

Make the gremolata first, by mixing together the lemon zest, the garlic and the parsley. Set aside.

Combine the flour with salt and freshly ground black pepper in a bowl. Toss the veal shanks in the flour mixture and shake off any excess.

Heat 1 Tablespoon of the olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, brown the veal on both sides. Remove from the pan, and set aside.

Heat the remaining 1 Tablespoon of oil in the same skillet and cook the onion for about 2-3 minutes over medium heat, until tender. Add the veal back in and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Mix together the tomatoes, tomato paste and wine and pour the mixture over the meat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and cook for 1 1/2 hours.

Remove about 1 cup of the cooking liquid from the pan and set aside to cool. Put the cornstarch in a small bowl and mix in the cooled cooking liquid. Stir in the garlic, chopped parsley and add back to the pan. Simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, or the meat is very tender and the sauce has thickened. Top with gremolata just before serving.

NutriFacts
Servings: 4

Amount per Serving
Calories: 500
Carbohydrates: 21g
Dietary Fiber: 3g
Sugars: 7g
Fat: 12g
Saturated: 3g
Trans: 0g
Sodium: 313mg
Protein: 69g

Diabetes Daily

For more on Fitness Together’s Type 2 Diabetes Program

FTGetsResults

Fitness Tip from Steven Jonas: The 5 Steps

5 Steps to Hit Your Fitness Goals!

Steven Jonas has completed 217 multisport events. He’s written five books ontriathlon training. He’s a professor of preventive medicine at Stony Brook University in New York who has written extensively on “mobilizing motivation.” So he knows a few things about setting training goals for a new year and harnessing the motivation to bring those goals to reality. At 74, Jonas also recognizes that athletic goals must be adjusted with age. Jonas’ “Ordinary Mortals” program-a five-step pathway to mobilizing motivation-is especially applicable this time of year.

1. Assess Your Motivation

Take a moment and assess where you are as an athlete (and, yes, we’re all athletes). “What do you like about what you’re doing?” Jonas asks. “What would I like to change?” This is a simple exercise, but many people don’t take a moment to examine their motivations.

2. Define Success

Jonas has completed three Ironman triathlons, the last coming in 1996. He no longer defines success by finishing one of the most grueling endurance challenges in sports, focusing on shorter distance triathlons. “Let’s say you’ve reached a plateau,” Jonas says. “It could be that you’re bored or stuck or need to change your training. But it could be that your definition of success is unrealistic. I’m 74 and I want to stay in this sport as long as I can. So I’ve had to redefine success.” Success, Jonas says, has to be something that’s “reasonable, realistic and conceivably achievable for you given who you are as a person and what else is going on in your life.”

3. Set Goals

Once you’ve defined success, you can set goals for yourself that are related to the self assessment. It’s important to aim high, but they also should be rational and reasonable goals. Ask yourself questions. Why do I want to get there? What do I expect to get out of the change, should I achieve it? What do I think I can reasonably expect to do? What are the sacrifices and can I commit to them? (Do I really want to?) “Answering those questions provide the focus and concentration you must have in order to have the best chance of success,” Jonas says.

4. Establish Priorities

If you have set more than one goal, where do they rank? What’s the most important to achieve? Which is the least? What about priorities between your new goal(s) and other aspects of your life such as family and career? If juggling needs to be done, it will be very helpful to do some thinking about that. “Some people train 30 hours a week and their family life suffers,” Jonas says. “Keeping everything in balance is key.”

5. Take Control

This means putting yourself in charge of the whole process, adopting a can-do attitude and perspective, given that the first four steps have been followed, of not depending on anyone else but also not taking anyone else’s direction. Advice on both process and content (from coaches, trainers, mentors) is important, but avoid direction in the sense of “you must do this.” You’re solely responsible for success or failure. “Think of this as a five-step, continual feedback loop,” Jonas says. “The key is to be ready to explore your limits while recognizing limitations.”

Source: coreperformance.com

More on Steven Jonas’ Triathlon Training

Go to FTGetsResults.com to view our client success stories and for more information on Fitness Together studios across Eastern New England.

Massachusetts Is Looking For A Few Great Employers

Working On Wellness

One in every 3 Massachusetts adults is affected by a chronic disease. The total hospital charges cost nearly $3.5 billion
every year (Policy, Fiscal Year 2005).

Mass in Motion

Mass in Motion is an innovative wellness initiative which promotes wellness and the prevention of overweight and obesity in Massachusetts – with a focus on healthy eating and physical activity.

Worksite Wellness / The Bottom Line
Worksite Wellness Programs have been shown to :

• reduce sick time by 28%
• reduce health care costs by 26%
• reduce workers’ compensation by 30%
• produce a $5.93-to-$1 savings-to-cost ratio

The Program
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is recruiting employers to participate in a training program that will guide employers on developing an infrastructure that best addresses the needs of individual employers and employees. Up to 12 employers are recruited to participate, and each employer receives:

An evidence-based toolkit with information on:

• Obtaining a mandate for Wellness
• Composing a Wellness team
• Assessing health status, needs & interests
• Formulating goals and objectives
• Developing an action plan
• Plan approval
• Plan implementation
• 4 training sessions using the toolkit as basis for the training
• Monthly conference calls with field experts on topics including program evaluation, making policy changes, etc
• Technical assistance conference calls with a worksite wellness expert
• Opportunities to network with peers

Testimonials
“The Commonwealth’s Working on Wellness initiative, sponsored by the Department of Public Health, has made it possible for Division of Health Care Finance and Policy employees to learn strategies for leading a healthier lifestyle inside and outside of the
office. The Working on Wellness initiative benefits management and staff on a number of levels. Division employees report that they are more likely to engage in physical activity, seek out more nutritious foods, and practice stress reduction techniques. Importantly, the program helps to boost morale and increase productivity among employees. It is a wonderful resource that promotes awareness, provides education, creates opportunity, and achieves results.”
Harry O. Lohr, Jr., DHCFP Wellness Works Program Sponsor
Emily O’Brien, DHCFP Wellness Works Program Champion

“The University of Massachusetts Medical School was fortunate to become part of the Department of Public Health “Working on Wellness” initiative in January, 2009. The training, technical assistance and support that they have provided to us has
been invaluable. As a large organization with over 6500 employees, it was difficult to know how to prioritize our goals and organize our structure so that we could meet our employees’ needs. After seven months we know our employees needs and interests, have specific interventions in place and Wellness is slowly becoming a common thread in our environment. We are incredibly grateful to be included in the Working on Wellness initiative!”
Janet Hirsch, LICSW
Wellness Champion

“I’ve learned an entirely new skill: how to introduce, launch, and manage workplace wellness initiatives to improve employee’s health and well being. Our employees were excited to see that they were asked to get involved in the process. They felt valued, respected, and enthusiastic. I learned additional management skills on how to plan, launch, and implement this process which can be transferred to a variety of projects. Many thanks for the exceptional training and support throughout the extensive learning process.”
Gail Corcoran, Gail B. Corcoran and Associates

For more information on MASS IN MOTION, contact Lisa Erck at Lisa.Erck@state.ma.us

Fitness Together

One of our missions at Fitness Together is to help employers and insurance companies lower healthcare costs through our proven preventative health and fitness programs. Our type 2 diabetes study is a good example of how we’re helping people lose weight, lower their blood sugar and reduce their medications. Ultimately, this may help lower the incidence (and cost) of heart disease and save lives.

For more information on how we can help you and your company lower healthcare costs, email Steve Lichtman.

FTGetsResults.com

Eat Greek & Be Healthy: Diet Lowers Risk Of Heart Disease, Diabetes, Cancer

The Mediterranean diet includes lots of olive oil. (Credit: iStockphoto)

By David Freeman from CBS.com

If you want to stay healthy, eat like a Greek.

That’s the message from new research linking the so-called Mediterranean diet to all sorts of health benefits, including a lower risk for obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

The large-scale study, published in the March 15, 2001 issue of the “Journal of the American College of Cardiology,” also showed how effective the Mediterranean diet is at lowering the risk for the “metabolic syndrome.” That’s the name used to describe a set of cardiovascular risk factors, including abdominal obesity, elevated cholesterol and blood pressure, and an inability to process blood sugar properly.
Fifty million people are believed to have the metabolic syndrome, according to the American Heart Association – and that’s just in the U.S.

“The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome is increasing rapidly throughout the world, in parallel with the increasing incidence of diabetes and obesity, and is now considered a major public health problem,” study author Dr. Demosthenes Panagiotakos, associate professor in biostatistics-epidemiology of nutrition at Harokopio University of Athens, said in a written statement issued by the American College of Cardiology.

Just what do Greeks eat? Traditionally, they eat lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grain cereals, and low-fat dairy products on a daily basis, according to the statement. In addition, they frequently consume fish, poultry, tree nuts, legumes, and lots of monounsaturated fatty acids, mostly in the form of olives and olive oil.

Red meat? Not so much.

But alcohol is part of the Mediterranean diet. It’s typically consumed on a daily basis – in moderate quantities and during meals.

Cheers!

 

CBS News

The Study online

American Heart Association

30 Healthy Snack Ideas

Ahi Beef Jerky photo from bestbeefjerky.org

Great snacks with less than 200 calories

By Wendy Giman from Self.com

Craving salty?

1. • 5 olives (any kind) (45 calories)
2. • 1 small Martin’s pretzel (50 calories)
3. • 2 oz Applegate Honey and Maple Turkey Breast wrapped around 2 bread-and-butter pickles (80 calories)
4. • 1/4 cup hummus, 3 carrot sticks (80 calories)
5. • 1 Laughing Cow Light Swiss Original wedge, 3 pieces Kavli Crispy Thin (85 calories)
6. • One 1-oz package tuna jerky (90 calories)
7. • 1 oz buffalo mozzarella, 1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes (94 calories)
8. • 1 bag Baked! Cheetos 100 Calorie Mini Bites (100 calories)
9. • 15 Eden’s Nori Maki Crackers rice crackers (110 calories)
10. • 1 cup unshelled edamame (120 calories)
11. • 50 Eden’s Vegetable Chips (130 calories)
12. • One 1-oz package of Planters NUT-trition almonds (130 calories)
13. • 1/4 cup Trader Joe’s Chili con Queso, 18 baked tortilla chips (140 calories)
14. • 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds in shell (143 calories)
15. • 2 pieces (30 grams) prosciutto, 4 dried figs (154 calories)
16. • 1 Subway Turkey Breast Wrap (190 calories)

Craving sweet?

1. • 1 package Original Apple Nature Valley Fruit Crisps (50 calories)
2. • 1 packet O’Coco’s Mocha cookies (90 calories)
3. • 1 Jelly Belly 100-calorie pack (100 calories)
4. • One 100-calorie pack Trader Joe’s Chocolate Graham Toucan Cookies (100 calories)
5. • One 100-calorie Balance Bar (100 calories)
6. • 1 Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino bar (120 calories)
7. • 1 package Back to Nature Honey Graham Sticks (120 calories)
8. • 1/2 banana rolled in 1 tbsp frozen semisweet chocolate chips (123 calories)
9. • 2 tbsp Better ‘n Peanut Butter, 4 stalks celery (124 calories)
10. • 1 bag Orville Redenbacher’s Smart Pop Butter Mini Bags topped with a spritz of butter spray and 1 tsp sugar (126 calories)
11. • 24 Annie’s Chocolate Chip Bunny Graham cookies (140 calories)
12. • Half of a 1.08-oz container of M&M’s Minis mixed with 1/3 cup lowfat granola (145 calories)
13. • 1 McDonald’s Fruit ‘n Yogurt Parfait (160 calories)
14. • 1 container Fage Greek Total 2% fat yogurt, 2 tsp honey (173 calories)

Self.com