kathys-blog | Personal Training

What Your Daughter and Malia Obama Have in Common

August 18th, 2010 by Kathy Ekdahl

Mmm. Intriguing title isn’t it? Can you think of one thing both young ladies may have in common? Of course your daughter and Malia are great kids, getting older, becoming teens, playing sports. But, aside from this, can you guess? No? Well, suprisingly, it is a high risk for knee injury during sports.

Last week, I was watching video of Malia and her family disembarking from a helicopter at The White House. As Malia was descending the stairs, her left knee caved in on each stair. This is called “medial deviation” and is a sure sign that Malia’s knees are not “prime time” ready.

As a strength and conditioning coach, and a high school sports coach, I see knees like this every day. Knees that cave in when athletes are jumping, running, stopping and starting, or even just going down stairs. The “caving in” puts excessive stress on the medial aspect of the knee, and more importantly, is an indicator of a risk for serious knee injury. Knee pain and injuries are an epidemic in adolescent girls. Women are 2-5 times more likely to have a knee injury, and often it is an ACL tear, a serious injury usually necessitating surgery. The reason for the heightened risk in women and young girls is not totally clear. Some researchers believe it is genetic and structural, others believe that hormones may play a role in the loosening of the knee joint. But, two things are clear from my viewpoint: young women are weaker and less conditioned than most young men their age, and young girls are playing too much of the same sport without cross training or proper conditoning.

As a coach and a trainer and a Mom, my first goal is to empower young ladies to become stronger and more aware of their physical fitness. However, parents need to be at the front line when it comes to watching out for their daughters. Yes, I know, your daughter is the best (fill in the blank)_____ player in your town and is SURE to get a college scholarship, right? Not if she injures herself first! Parents-Do NOT allow your daughter to play one sport, year after year. Soccer comes to mind here. The girls in my town play soccer all year round. Soccer creates significant muscle imbalances in the legs and hips, UNLESS these ladies get proper conditioning and a good physical assessment to determine weak areas of the body.

The key to decreasing injury risk is to get your athletes stronger. Strengthen the glutes, the hip muscles, the anterior core. Stretch tight areas post exercise, and always warm up properly before practice or games. Contact a certified trainer or strength coach to assess your athletes biomechanics. DON’T rely on your doctor or even your local orthopedist for the best answers either. I have found, overwhelmingly, that most MD’s just do not understand biomechanics, and they all recommend the same thing: strenghthen the quadriceps. This is poor advice, and for some girls, could actually increase the risk of knee injury even further.

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Shape-Ups Should Ship Out

May 3rd, 2010 by Kathy Ekdahl

Yesterday was a beautiful day and all of Hudson was out walking. This is a good thing- like many communities, Hudson is struggling with obesity among its residents. But, I was very surprised to see how many people were sporting the new “Shape-Ups” sneakers that have been advertised so much over the last few months. So- WARNING! WARNING! Rant and rave begins here……..

The commercials for Shape-Ups, Masai Barefoot Technology, or any other mimic of these shoes are downright misleading. Do you really think that the 18 year old, 5’9 ,110 pound model wearing these shoes got her butt and legs from wearing Shape-Ups? Of course not. Do you really think that these sneakers will produce the same results as a gym workout without the effort? Of course not. These commercials are no different than any other misleading “Miracle Cure” pill, potion or exercise gadget. The commercial even goes on to say it will help with weight loss and tone legs and buttocks. ALL of these claims are false and an exaggeration. Let me tell you why…

Masai Barefoot Technology has been around for a decade or more. It is a shoe designed to mimic the rolling gait of barefoot Masai Warriors on soft sand and grass. The inventor surmised that Masai Warriors have a lower incidence of leg and hip injuries due to their barefoot walking. While this is most likely true (not to mention they don’t sit at a computer all day nor eat junk food)-there ARE many exercise physiologists who encourage barefoot walking- the idea that we can achieve the same healthy gait as the Masai by putting ourselves way up on a platformed shoe is ridiculous. Furthermore, the notion that you will “tone” (I hate that word) muscles and increase weight loss is so highly exaggerated it is close to a downright lie. A miniature study with only 22 participants showed a 2.5% increase in oxygen consumption while wearing these shoes. What does that mean for you? Nothing. This amount of increased oxygen consumption could be as little as a few calories! This same study showed an increase in neurological stimulation of some leg muscles- but again, this will NOT increase tone, act as weight training or substitute for a gym workout. The ONLY thing which the shoes may do is increase ankle workload and improve balance through increased neurological stimulation/proprioception- something that could easily be done by….. ready……. GOING BAREFOOT! WOW. What a revelation!

So- who did I see wearing the Shape-Ups around town? A woman smoking a cigarette and four obese women. I think they would be much better served by attacking the larger issues at hand- poor nutrition, lack of exerise and smoking. And, if you are looking for improved ankle stability and posture, I suggest you contact a trainer,strength coach or physical therapist who can show you the correct way to improve these fitness parameters.

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Vitamin Supplements- Do They Work?

April 18th, 2010 by Kathy Ekdahl

Over the last few weeks, several of my clients have asked me about what vitamin supplements to take. Some clients are seeking weight loss, some better energy and some want plain old better health. Since this seems to be the time of year when we think about improving our health, I thought I would give you a short summary of what I know and what I believe is right when it comes to supplements.

Vitamins and minerals are essential for all of the cellular and metabolic activities of our bodies. Everything from blood, to skin, to disease prevention, to immune system function, to overall health, to exercise metabolism, depends on adequate vitamins and minerals. These things are so vital to our health, that if we are lacking in certain vitamins and minerals, disease and aging can and will occur. There is no debating that adequate vitamins and minerals are essential for healthy living and disease prevention, but the debate occurs when we consider how we should get these vitamins and minerals.

To get the recommended dietary allowance of adequate minerals and vitamins, it is recommended that all of us get 9-14 servings of fruit and veggies each day. This is way up from the old standard of 5-8 servings (which very few of us got anyway!). This is partly because our soil is very depleted, and vegetables and fruits no longer contain the high amounts of vitamins and minerals they used to contain, but this is also partly due to how horrible most of us eat. We need a lot more fruits and veggies to counteract McDonald’s! (Research has shown that one high fat meal can cause coronary artery spasm and inflammation, and is often the cause of sudden heart attacks post gorgeing). Since so few of us take in enough fruits and veggies, and clearly, rarely approach the 9-14 servings recommended, many of us reach for vitamin supplements to help us get the daily requirements our bodies need to function well. The question is: do they work? Are we wasting our money? My feeling is yes, we are wasting our money. And worse, Big Food Inc. and supplement manufacturers are benefiting from our ignorance. Why have I concluded that multivitamins are a waste of money? Research and science.

Recent significant, large, research studies have shown that many synthetic vitamins do not offer the disease protection we thought they did. In one study, participants who took large doses of antioxidants had a greater risk of early death, and in another study, a greater risk of lung cancer. In a recently published study, 10,000 women taking multi vitamins were followed for 10 years. They had a 19% greater chance of getting breast cancer than women who were not taking multivitamins. Here, the exact reason is unknown, but scary none the less. In another recent study, research was conducted as part of the Women’s Health Initiative Clinical Trials and the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) Observational Study. This study included data from 161,808 postmenopausal women ages 50 to 79. Of that group, 41.5 percent used multivitamins over 15 study years. This latest study found no overall associations between multivitamin use and breast, colorectal, endometrial, kidney, bladder, stomach, ovary, or lung cancer. Researchers also found no association between multivitamin use and cardiovascular disease and death. These startling studies have really rocked the medical world and have made us all think twice about vitamin pills!

It is believed that synthetic vitamins do not work because they are not contained or derived from the foods from which they originated- foods which contain phytonutrients, enzymes and other natural chemicals which are what make the vitamins work in the first place. In addition, many of the synthetic vitamins may not contain the amounts of the ingredients that the manufacturers claim and, worse, they often contain additional ingredients that may be hazardous to our health. Beware of supplements that make outrageous claims such as rapid weight loss, increased muscle, or increased energy. Vitamin and mineral supplements do not speed up weight loss by themselves. Nor do they provide “energy”; only foods with calories provide energy. Particularly stay away from any supplement which includes herbs or other chemicals that claim to “speed up metabolism” or “give you more energy”. These often contain dangerous ingredients which have been associated with stroke, cardiac arrhythmias and even sudden death. The FDA can not keep up with the myriad of supplements and “diet and health” products on the market, so we need to be smarter consumers and not rely on the FDA to catch all of these ridiculous claims. Being a smart consumer means getting back to basics.

Ideally, it is best to get our vitamins and minerals from whole food. As mentioned, all vitamins and minerals work best, and in some cases, only work, when they are in and come from the foods we eat. You must take in the “whole” food- any way you can. Many health conscious people choose to juice fruits and veggies with a juicer (this is fabulous if you have the time); some may choose “superfoods” like wheat grass and green algae which contain tremendous amounts of vitamins and minerals. There is a product on the market called Monavie- which is juice from the Acai Berry- rich in vitamins and antioxidants. This can be a good choice for some, but it is pasteurized, which kills many of the naturally occurring enzymes, and, it is also high in calories (it is a very concentrated juice which means concentrated fructose=sugar) and may not be appropriate for everyone.

Now, here is where my opinion comes in- and it is a biased one, I admit! There is also on the market a pill form whole food supplement called Juice Plus. It also comes in chewables for children and adults. I have been taking it for quite some time- and many of you may not know that I do, as I do not want to push this product on you. However, as so many of you have been asking about vitamins, I thought it was time to share this with you.

Juice Plus is 17 assorted fruits and vegetables, desiccated- sugar and water taken out- and put into pill form. For me, this is the easiest way to supplement my diet. Again, ideally, whole food is best- but clearly, a product like this is second best. Since taking Juice Plus, the most remarkable thing I notice is how infrequently I get sick. And, when I do get sick, the duration is usually 3 -4 days, compared to others who get the same type of cold for weeks on end. Since I am self-employed, being sick costs me money. Staying well makes me money!

So, as we think about our overall health and preventing diseases like cancer, diabetes and heart disease, vitamins and minerals from fruit and vegetables must be an important part of our diet. If you are not getting the recommended servings of fruits and veggies, consider a whole food supplement. Not a synthetic vitamin, as you may be wasting your money! And, if any of you want more information about Juice Plus, please contact me. It is the only whole food supplement backed by years of medical research, and it is the ONLY thing I recommend!

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Tiger Woods, Your Hips, and The X factor

April 1st, 2010 by Kathy Ekdahl

Boy, talk about double entendre! You’ve seen my previous posts about Tiger; how I personally feel he failed all of us, especially his family and himself, so I won’t go on here about that topic! To me, his apology seemed sincere, but only time will tell. So I’d like to get back to what makes Tiger most famous, besides his voracious appetite for sex- Golf!
One of the things that makes Tiger Woods’ golf swing so amazing is his ability to rotate his hips on the downswing to insure lots of power at ball strike. Transferring weight from the ground, up through the hips, and into the clubface, is all about hip rotation.
As you know, I am not a golf pro, so please don’t break this description down as if I were a pro…. but here goes the explanation WHY hips are so important for golf:
In order to store up potential energy and thus power, the hips must be able to rotate separately from the torso. On the takeaway, torso/shoulders should turn without excessive movement of the hips. You will get a very slight internal rotation of the hips, but otherwise they should stay still. As you transfer weight from the front foot to back foot, if the hips are still, you are storing up power. If the hips turn with the shoulders, or you sway right, this results in a power leak. On the downswing, now is the time to rotate hips before shoulders, transferring weight from back foot to front. It is this ability to rotate hips separately from the torso/shoulders that is called the X factor. It is this separation that is the key to power, which is a big part of why some people can hit the ball long, and others can’t.
It’s hard to teach a speedy hip turn, but it can be done. However, before you begin to work with speed, you must have baseline optimal flexibility and core strength. How do you know where you stand? Well… here’s a little test. Stand at address with arms crossed over the body. Rotate torso/shoulders as if you were at the takeaway. Do your hips move too? If so- then you’ll have a real problem trying to train your hips for improved power and distance. Next, get in same position, but move HIPS only. Does your upper body move too? Same thing here; hips must be able to rotate without torso moving. This is both a flexibility and a core strength issue. You may have tight hips, or tight, rounded shoulders/torso, or a weak core. A TPI Certified Golf Fitness Professional- like myself- can test for all of these physical issues. Once you have identified your tight or weak areas, you can then correct them with exercise, building your baseline of flexibility and core strength. Only then can you move on to training to increase power. I often use medicine balls and cable equipment to teach hip rotation and weight transference- but, you must first work on your flexibility and core strength. One step at a time!

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7 Treadmill Do’s and Dont’s

March 1st, 2010 by Kathy Ekdahl

A treadmill is a great investment, especially here in the northeast where weather can prevent us from getting outside for exercise. While it may seem simple to walk on a treadmill, I am constantly surprised by what I see at the many gyms I visit through my work. I have seen people running on treadmills while holding on, people using 10 pound hand weights- but leaving their arms at their sides. I’ve seen people using ankle weights, performing bizarre arm movements and lots and lots of reading while on a treadmill. Then, of course, there are the walkers who are going at a pace so slow that even your grandmother could beat them. So, I guess it’s not as simple as we thought! Thus, here are several important tips I’d like to share with you:

1- If you have not been exercising, work up slowly. Start with 20 minutes, and work up to 40-45 minutes in 5 minute increments week to week. Even though “it’s only walking”, it still is possible to acquire musculoskeletal injuries from over use. Especially if you are coming from no exercise or very little exercise.

2- Warm-up before hand with a slow walk, and then stop and briefly stretch your muscles. I say briefly- 8 seconds or so should do it- no need to hold stretches for a long time before exercise. Post exercise, DO hold stretches for 30-45 seconds to insure normal flexibility. Especially concentrate on calves, hamstrings and quadriceps.

3- Never hold on to the treadmill railing, unless you have problems with balance, and then only briefly if possible. Humans locomote by swinging arms opposite to the legs, so when you hold on, you shut off that normal movement pattern. This could cause back injury. You also burn fewer calories holding on. If you are walking so fast or on such an incline that you need to hold on, then you should slow down or decrease incline.

4- Never read while on the treadmill. If you are reading, then you obviously are not working hard enough. You should be breathing hard and sweating…as, after all, this is exercise!

5- Never walk or run on a steep inline for extended periods of time. This could cause serious injury to your muscles. Try intervals of incline, or higher speeds, and then return the treadmill to a lower incline or slower speed for a brief rest. Then repeat.

6- Make sure you are maintaining good posture while walking. Spine straight, shoulders down, head straight ahead. Do not lean forward from the low back. If you choose to watch TV while walking, remember that turning your head right or left, or looking up if the TV is on the ceiling, can cause neck and shoulder problems. Keep head in neutral alignment.

7- Never use hand weights or ankle weights. They can cause injury to shoulders and/ or knees, and do not increase calorie burning enough to warrant that risk.

Lastly, at some point, you should supplement your treadmill exercise with strength training and more intense exercise like higher intensity intervals or jogging. We’ve been walking for quite a few years- and walking is not nearly as intense an exercise regimen as many of us need to get healthy and lose weight. If you only walk for exercise, eventually you will plateau and begin to lose fitness and gain weight. And, since walking does not build strength nor bone density, it can not fulfill all of our fitness needs.

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Is Your Poor Desk Posture The Cause Of Your Chronic Pain?

February 17th, 2010 by Kathy Ekdahl

I have alot of clients who come to me with chronic pain of some sort. I can take one look at their posture and know why, and yet they seem mystified. “Oh I don’t know how I got this shoulder pain? I think it was from yoga class/an exercise I did/putting groceries in the car”……insert one of hundreds of scenarios here. If you sit all day for work, or for leisure, eventually you’ll screw up your posture bad enough that you’ll get injured doing something as mundane as putting clothes in the dryer. Let’s face it- sitting at a desk all day is disastrous for the human body on so many levels, but it is often chronic pain that first gets someone to be aware of the dangers of a sedentary life. Neck, shoulder and back pain are the most common complaints. It’s a wonderful “side effect” of working at a computer or your desk all day. Combine poor posture- rounded low back, rounded shoulders, head forward- with prolonged static postures like sitting at your desk without a break- and you’ve got a recipe for pain, and eventually, even injuries. As I have discussed before, we are really designed to move our bodies all day in order to stay healthy. Sitting for prolonged periods of time is detrimental not only for our strength and posture, but also, as a recent research study indicated, detrimental to our overall health and longevity. Those individuals who sit the most have been shown to have the highest incidence of diseases like diabetes and heart disease.

To help yourself, get up frequently from your chair/desk/computer, once very 45 minutes at least. Make sure your desk set up is ergonomic, but even with ergonomic desk stations, you still need to move. Make sure that when sitting, your shoulders are relaxed with arms at your side. Feet should be on the floor and you should be sitting up straight. Some research has shown that excessively straight posture does not help back pain, so again, the message is to sit with awareness, but move every opportunity you can get.

Specifically, neck and shoulder pain is often caused by forward head and rounded shoulders, so throughout the day, stretch your chest muscles and shoulder muscles and tuck your chin in. To address pain in the low back, you can try stretching the muscles of the hips- the glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors, lateral hip rotators. Stretching will not solve the entire problem, however, as strength training and core training are also necessary to strengthen the muscles that hold your spine safe and give you the muscle endurance to maintain good posture throughout the day. Without strength training, muscles shut off from lack of movement and become weak. So, not only do we need to stretch tight muscles, we need to strengthen weak ones. As always, with either or both conditions, you should consult your doctor first.

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Ease Chronic Pain and Improve Exercise Performance with Self -Massage

January 25th, 2010 by Kathy Ekdahl

Foam rollers are a “new” self massage tool that, in my opinion, are an absolutely essential part of any workout. Foam rollers, tennis balls, massage sticks and other devices can be used to roll and knead tight, overused muscles and fascia to soften the tissue and prepare it for exercise, or soften the tissue to release unnecessary tightness and painful trigger points from sedentary posture. Muscles/tendons and fascia that are abnormally tight can cause the joints to become misaligned and function improperly, eventually resulting in chronic pain. Self- massage techniques are also called Myofascial Release Techniques. (Fascia is a translucent connective tissue which winds around muscles and if wound too tight, can cause pain and dysfunction).
All athletes, from runners to baseball players, from recreational athletes to professionals, can greatly benefit from using these rollers on a daily basis. But I also find that foam rolling is wonderful relief for sore and tight muscles that can occur from sitting at a desk or shoveling snow too. Massaging soft tissue has always been an important part of keeping tissue healthy, but up until recently, that required going to a massage therapist for treatment. Now, we can massage our muscles on a daily basis ourselves, and then supplement with massages performed by a massage therapist.
To use foam rollers it takes instruction and some practice, but it is easy to learn. I suggest foam rolling for 5 minutes before any workout, and then perform your brief stretches and other dynamic warm-ups. I also recommend foam rolling for those who do not exercise, to address muscles that are tight and aggravated from sitting too much. Areas to concentrate on are gluteus, low back, front and sides of thighs and upper back. Foam rollers can also be used for various core and balance exercises- so they have many uses. Smaller balls like tennis or lacrosse balls can be used for concentrated areas such as calves and shoulders. Be advised- it is often slightly painful. And, the less healthy the tissue, the more painful it is. Remember-if it hurts- you need it! Or, you KNEAD it!

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Great Golf Website for Women

January 10th, 2010 by Kathy Ekdahl

Tiger Woods was one of my golf heroes. I guess I should’ve known that you can’t rely on men with money and power to have morals too. What a shame!

But, despite Tiger Woods’ crash and burn, despite how Tiger obviously showed a total disrespect for his wife, his kids, and marriage in general, I’m still hopeful that golf will continue to grow, and especially for women. My goal this year- to find a WOMAN Golf hero and continue to promote golf fitness for the average golfer, not just the pros. Happily, I will be writing for a new website, www.golfgurls.com this upcoming year. Check it out for the latest info on golf, fitness, golf tips and camaraderie. The direct link to my article is:http://golfgurls.com/2010/01/07/stay-fit-for-golf-exercises-for-flexibility/

Golf is just a few months away! Look for more pre season golf fitness tips here in this blog, as well as www.golfgurls.com

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The 5 Easiest Things You Can Do For Your New Year’s Weight Loss Resolution

January 8th, 2010 by Kathy Ekdahl

I’m not a big fan of New Year’s Resolutions. Most people make overly challenging resolutions that have not been thought through or planned at all. When they fail after just a few short months, they exclaim sadly “ I give up!- I can never lose weight!”
This then lets them off the hook entirely for another full year when….. guess what?
It’s New Year’s again! Remember the definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Sound familiar?

I have NEVER…… let me repeat, NEVER met anyone who has “tried everything” and still can’t lose weight. What this usually means is that they tried some crappy diet or exercise regimen that was just a quick fix, or was so extreme they could not sustain it. That’s our typical New Year’s Resolution, right? Of course it’s never going to work. No planning, no patience, no long term follow through.

My goal today is to get you to think about a different type of New Year’s Resolution. Resolutions you can actually stick with! Our motto for today is: Under promise, over deliver. We all know weight loss requires major nutritional changes. But they can’t be made all at once, and the changes must be changes you can live with forever. Change is not an on/off switch, it is a dimmer switch. We are capable of ramping up our changes over time only once we master our initial goals. Here are 5 easy to master nutritional changes that you can live with forever, and will start you on your way to long term, permanent success.

1-Commit to eating a serving of vegetables at every meal. YES every meal- even breakfast. If you enjoy veggies, commit to eating them at every snack as well. This does not mean you ONLY eat veggies- it just means you ADD them in. Oh, by the way, potatoes don’t count as veggies!

2-Cut in half your consumption of refined carbs. You don’t have to give up carbs entirely, just cut them in half. Have a sandwich with just 1 piece of bread. Have just 1 cup of pasta rather than two.

3-Commit to 15 minutes of exercise a day. Just 15 minutes. You can ramp it up later.

4-Post sticky notes with reminders or inspirational messages in your car or around your home. “Just Do it” is one of my favorites. Or even just the word “NO” posted on the fridge or cabinet to remind you to not eat mindlessly.

5-Keep a food log. OOPS! This one is harder. But it must be done. No negotiating. Dieters who keep food logs are 60-70% more likely to be successful. Keep them even if you are eating poorly. Just keep them.

Once you’ve mastered these 5 tips, you can ramp up, but you must walk before you run. Patience, planning and preparation are necessary parts of permanent weight loss. These 5 resolutions are the start to your weight loss success.

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Random Musings as we approach the New Year

December 27th, 2009 by Kathy Ekdahl

A few things I have been thinking about….

I hate New Year’s resolutions. They are made after a period of overindulgence, overeating and overdrinking. They are often spur of the moment, made without planning or thought. It’s easy to say ” I’ll never have cookies again” when you’ve just had 5 cookies a day for two weeks. Your tank is still full- and it’s hard to imagine it being empty and deprived, so you make the promise. The hard work comes later-three months from now, or sooner, after the honeymoon period, when you survived on willpower alone. So- if you are going to make a resolution- do the real work. The planning, the strategizing, the support systems, all must be in place for when willpower- which has a limited life expectancy- fails.

“Just Do It” is the simplest yet best slogan ever created. Thanks Nike. So- this year, when the excuses rise up- the “I’m too tired” the “I don’t have time” the ”Skipping one day won’t matter”, get back to Just Do It. Just Do It.

Most people fail in their attempts to succeed with weight loss because they have not retrained their brains properly. They see exercise as a punishment and food as a reward. If you think this way- you’ll NEVER lose weight permanently. Exercise is NOT a punishment. It is a REWARD. Food is not just a REWARD, it is fuel. What does your body NEED versus what does your body want?

There is not a single diet, supplement nor fitness product advertised on TV that will be your miracle weight loss answer. Weight loss takes hard exercise and a perfectly healthy diet- adhered to forever. Forever. If you can’t handle this truth, then don’t ever expect to lose weight permanently.