Club Blog

by: Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D.

Fitness Psychology has a great deal to bring to the table, but it’s a table piled high with health and wellness in the coming year, if prognosticators are reading consumers correctly.

The buzzword of 2011 is undoubtedly “wellness.” The American Council on Exercise (ACE) lists “added-value wellness services” as the second highest fitness trend for next year.  They predict, “More gyms and clubs will begin to hire other allied healthcare professionals to serve the expanding needs of their health-conscious members.”

ACE’s third top trend is stress reduction programming. “ACE predicts we’ll see more people turning to exercise to help manage stress and you may even see more fitness programming focusing on stress reduction.”

Members of health and fitness clubs, international exercise associations, and industry trend watchers all seem to agree that the newest perspective on wellness cuts across outmoded “silos” that health care professionals have occupied.  From exercise, mental health and nutrition professionals to mind-body practitioners, and from conventional medical professionals to complementary and alternative healthcare providers, 2011 will see the emergence of true synergy to promote health and wellness for mind, body and spirit.

The Sporting Club, with its growing Sports Medicine Team, has been far ahead of this trend and continues to lead the way on the health and wellness continuum among America’s elite fitness and wellness centers, distinguishing itself from traditional cardio and weight gyms in so many ways.

The club’s exercise professionals and Sports Medicine Team work in a synchronized way with each other as therapeutic lifestyle change specialists in order to provide members with opportunities to enhance and preserve fitness, prevent injuries, maintain control of chronic health issues with exercise prescriptions, repair injuries and restore health, and find comfort in daily life.  By bringing together comprehensively bundled solutions, members are assured that 2011 will be a year where their specific health, fitness and wellness goals can be met seamlessly.

Industry insiders who look into crystal balls predict that fitness programs for older adults, more focus on strength training, and dealing with overweight/obese adults and children will be prominent throughout the fitness world. It’s likely that goals for overweight and obese people will change using a two-step approach.  The first step will be to stabilize weight and stop further weight gain. The second goal will be achieving and maintaining a five to ten percent weight loss, since the primary goal will likely no longer be to achieve “normal” or “ideal” weight for most people.  Changing our “obesogenic environments” will be critical.

Ready for more predictions? Forget on-line interactive classes.  Consumers want human contact!  But Facebook, Twitter, and other social media will be there to add additional motivation from primary support from trainers.

Boot camp, Zumba and fitness dance, San Diego TRX, interval training, cognitive fitness workouts, wellness coaching, and prescriptive-personalized exercise are all going to be more prevalent if fitness fortune-tellers are right.  And companies are going to have  growing recognition of the value of wellness for their employees by offering discounts to employees for club memberships, in-house wellness programs, incentives to employees who work out and corporate weight-control programs.

Taken together, these trends make 2011 a very exciting year to be a part of The Sporting Club—your wellness center–and a professional in the health and wellness industry.  Watch for more integrated solutions to meet your specific goals for weight management, healthy living and active aging as well as blending multidisciplinary expertise for overall therapeutic lifestyle coaching.

(ARA) – Part of the excitement of travel is the thrill of the unexpected, never quite knowing what will happen. While most of the time that’s a good thing, every now and then, surprises can be less than enjoyable, especially if it involves getting sick or hurt while away from home.

All it takes is a little foresight and effective planning to ensure that your trip – wherever you’re headed – is safe, fun and memorable in all the right ways. Below are some essential tips for staying healthy while traveling away from home. 

Don’t forgo first aid
You might think it’s a waste of space in your already tight suitcase, but a small first aid or medical kit is always a smart idea. You’ll want to stock it appropriately for wherever you’re headed, but some good general items to have on hand are bandages, gauze, disinfectant, pain relievers, tweezers, allergy pills, antibiotic cream, sunscreen/aloe and medicine for stomach upset.

Protect against problems
Whether you are traveling 50 or 5,000 miles from home, there is always a possibility that you’ll get sick or be involved in an accident. Purchasing a membership from a travel and medical emergency assistance company like On Call International before you leave will help eliminate your worries. Travelers can purchase a single-time trip or annual membership which include medical and travel assistance services like a 24-hour nurse helpline, emergency medical transportation, 24/7 emergency travel arrangements, worldwide legal assistance and more.

Watch what you eat
While it’s particularly true when you’re traveling abroad, being careful about what you eat and drink is often applicable on trips within the United States as well. One common culprit is buffet food. While a vast array of edibles laid beautifully out for your indulgence seems inviting, it is notoriously difficult to keep foods at their proper temperatures on a buffet line. Make sure that the hot foods are hot, and the cold foods are cold. If you’re traveling to a country where the water supply is not potable, make it a rule to only eat foods that have been peeled or thoroughly cooked – skip the salads and go for the sautees.

Don’t fear the needle
When you’re traveling to destinations with endemic diseases like malaria or yellow fever, make sure that you do your research and make an appointment with a travel health clinic. Some shots only need to be updated after quite a few years (like tetanus, with boosters recommended for adults every 10 years), but it’s always a good idea to face your fears and take the jabs. If you’re staying within the country, flu vaccinations should be a priority, since disease spreads easily in busy airports and on airplanes.

By planning ahead and making smart decisions, your travel plans are even more likely to go off without a hitch. When your trip is free of health-related hassles, you can be sure it’ll be one to remember. For more information about safe travel and medical assistance memberships, visit www.oncallinternational.com.

(ARA) – Working out, exercising, training, conditioning – it all puts stress on your body as you stretch, tone and build your muscles.

But these stresses could cause you injury and pain, especially if you do an exercise incorrectly, or push your body too hard.

Hiring a certified or personal trainer to help you develop a workout can really help you achieve your goals – safely. Here are some situations in which a certified trainer could come in handy.

* Training for a specific sport – A certified San Diego personal trainer knows you need to develop strength and flexibility in specific muscles and areas of your body for different sports. Having a trainer will help you to target those muscles with unique workouts.

* Losing weight – Losing weight is hard to do by yourself. It’s difficult to keep motivated, and if you were to become injured, the setbacks could be tremendous. Hiring a personal trainer who gives you encouragement, keeps you focused on your goal and provides you with healthy methods for losing weight can make the process a lot easier.

One of the newest exercise trends is exercising with hula hoops, and Sports Hoop Inc. is holding a certified trainer program, providing you with the knowledge and tools needed to facilitate your own class. Using Sports Hoops can energize your body, empower your self confidence, help you to relieve stress, strengthen your core muscles, assist in losing weight and slim your waistline.

* Toning muscles – Get Michele Obama’s arms or abs like “The Situation” from “Jersey Shore.” If you’re going for a specific toned look, a trainer can help you target those specific areas of your body.

* Training for a special event – If you are planning to participate in a long run, swim, hike or need to get into shape for a certain kind of physical event, a trainer will help you prepare safely so you are in the best shape possible at the time of the event.

Getting into shape and helping your body to stay healthy is great, but make sure you train safely so you don’t get sidelined by an injury.

(ARA) – Getting fit makes you feel good inside and out. When you exercise, your clothes fit better, your energy levels get a boost and it helps the stresses of your life melt away in a pure endorphin rush. Luckily, no matter where you live, it’s easier than ever to get exercise all year round so that you can maintain your health and fitness.

Whether you’re pounding the pavement or hitting the gym, keep in mind that beauty and working out aren’t mutually exclusive. With a bit of smart preparation, you’ll be feeling good during your fitness routine and gorgeously glowing afterward. Keep these ideas in mind to help you look great, even between workouts.

* High and dry: High temperatures might be what we crave during colder months, but when you’re being active, they can make you feel less than your best. For a new way to stay fresh and dry, The Body Shop offers its DeoDry collection – it gives you 24-hour protection and contains no aluminum salts or parabens. Powered by a volcanic mineral that has powerful absorption abilities, the deodorants will help you stay dry during your hardest workouts.

* In the drink: As you work out, it’s natural that your body will shed water in the form of sweat, and it’s essential that you keep your body’s fluid levels up. Dehydration can cause everything from discomfort to serious sickness, so don’t let your body down. Even when you’re not working out, hot days call for extra hydration. The added benefits are that drinking more water can help to keep your skin clear and your appetite sated.

* Face forward: The exertion of exercising can be a pore-clogging nightmare. That’s why it’s particularly important to have a good skin care regime adapted to your skin’s needs. To keep your skin radiant and in balance, keep products like a refreshing mist spritz and an exfoliating cleanser on hand and in your medicine cabinet. The Body Shop Vitamin C skincare line has those two essential items and more – including a must-have SPF 30 daily moisturizer.

* Hair apparent: Swimming’s a great way to stay active – whether in the pool or the ocean – but it can take a toll on your locks. Whatever your activities, it’s important to use an eco-friendly shampoo – after all, a good choice for the environment can be a good choice for you, too. The Rainforest Hair Care collection from The Body Shop will leave your tresses shiny and manageable and is free of parabens, silicone and colorants. Even better, all the formulations are biodegradable so they are not harmful to organisms living in the water. If your tresses are stressed out, be sure to give them a deep conditioning treatment, too.

Whether your inspiration is getting healthy or a beauty boost, exercise is the best way to do it. Taking advantage of the opportunity to work out, regardless of the season, with these thoughts in mind will help you look your best, throughout the year. For more information, go to www.thebodyshop-usa.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Some of the advantages of joining a San Diego fitness center

• Regular work out sessions

By joining a gym you can make sure that you work out regularly. Working out regularly enables you to maintain a fit body and keep away from those health aliments. Once you realize that you have paid for joining a gym, you will make sure that you do not skip your work out sessions. Also make sure that your fitness center is near your house or workplace, so that it is easier for you to visit your gym regularly.

• Environment and motivation

Just being in a gym, can make you feel motivated. As you begin to work out regularly, you come across so many people in the fitness center who are committed to working out and being healthy. This also encourages you to stay committed and motivated towards your fitness regime. Believe it or not, studies have shown that being around people pursuing the goal as yours can also motivate you to keep going. Being in a healthy and friendly environment also proves to be one of the motivating factors.

• Knowledge about latest equipments

Another important benefit of joining a fitness center is that most of us will stay aware about the latest and best technology equipments. Most of the gyms in San Diego use the latest technology equipments which enable us to include variety of exercises in our exercise routine. It is almost impossible for someone to afford a workout session at home with the latest technology equipments as compared to the workout sessions at a gym.

“No smiling – There is to be no smiling or laughter in the gym. Working out is not fun. It’s a way of life. There is nothing fun about it. Anyone caught smiling or laughing will have his or her gym membership suspended for one month.”

          Can you imagine working out in a health club with that as one of the rules?

After all, research demonstrates that smiling improves and strengthens our immune system and can help prevent a number of diseases. Laughter therapy has curative agents that assist in treating several diseases such as hypertension, ulcers, arthritis, stroke, diabetes and even heart diseases. It offers good relaxation and helps you relieve stress and depression.

Laughing reduces levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, and gives us a quick burst of energy. A good laugh can be beneficial to the lungs, boost immunity, and can even burn off calories.

          The physical act of smiling can use as little as 5 muscles or well over 16 of the 44 muscles in our faces (an average smile involves 14 muscles) and just like any muscle the more you use it, the stronger it is. When we smile and laugh our blood pressure goes up and then comes down.  We stretch our lungs, relax our chests, and breathe easier.

Lower Body Plyometric Exercises: Designed to improve power and explosiveness in the musculature of the lower body. This can be key for football players, particularly linemen and running backs, who rely on lower body power for explosiveness. Obviously, basketball players benefit from plyometric techniques, as well, when the goal is to play “above the rim.” The focus should be for plyometric exercise to mimic movements executed during the game.

Jump Squats-Jump squats are performed without added resistance (body weight only) and are performed in the following manner: Assume the squat position with the back straight, torso tilted slightly forward, and knees bent approximately 90 degrees (thighs parallel to the floor). The arms should also be at the sides and bent to roughly 90 degrees (forearms parallel to the floor). On exertion, explode through the legs, jumping as high as possible while simultaneously extending arms straight overhead. When the feet re-establish contact with the ground (this is considered one repetition), methodically and thoughtfully return to the starting position. Caution: do not allow the knees to bend beyond the toe-line or the thighs to descend beyond parallel to the floor, on return. Once you are back at the starting position-repeat the movement. Regarding the number of repetitions in the set, one should start with minimal reps, and then progress incrementally.

· Lateral Jump- A lateral jump is similar in execution to the jump squat with obvious differences. Instead of exploding straight-up, the movement will be to the left or right. The adaptations to the movement are similar; however, the stimulus has been changed by the lateral movement of the exercise. This particular exercise may employ the use of a box, or platform, assuming one has the coordination to safely land on the box. If using the box technique, do not jump from the box to the floor. Step off instead prior to the next repetition. The box is not necessary to perform this movement.

The techniques listed above are considered basic, low-intensity plyometric movements that will enhance strength and power in the major muscle groups of the legs. There are a plethora of variations of these basic movements that are designed to alter the exercise stimuli; however, this article won’t get into those variations.