If you’ve never really strength trained before, it’s important to begin slowly. All strength building sessions should start with a warm-up (3-5 min of walking/jogging/jumping jacks, etc.) to increase blood flow to the muscles and reduce the risk of a pull or tear. Resist the urge to immediately begin lifting the heaviest weights you can. Until you get a good feel for where your strength levels are, it’s best to err on the lighter side and challenge yourself gradually.

Strength building exercises are performed using sets of repetitions (or reps). The number of reps and sets depends on your goals. In general, use heavier weights with fewer reps to increase muscle size and strength, and lighter weights with more reps for a leaner look and greater endurance. The amount of weight lifted shouldn’t be so heavy that you can’t complete the set, but it should be enough that the last few reps are quite challenging. So for example, a man wishing for bigger biceps may curl 70 lbs. only a few times, while his wife (to avoid bulking up) will curl 12 lbs. for 3 sets of 15 reps.

Especially for strength building newbies, expect some soreness after your first session. This is called delayed onset muscles soreness (DOMS), and it’s a sign your body is growing stronger in response to a new challenge (though it may not feel like it at the time). DOMS can be lessened by gentle stretching, using ice therapy (place ice on sore areas for 20 minutes at a time, several times a day), or for the very brave, an ice bath. It’s also important not to strength train on consecutive days; you need time to rest and recover between sessions.

You don’t have to live in the weight room to see the benefits of strength training. By incorporating 15 minute sessions, 2-3 days/week into your fitness program, you’ll soon see a stronger, more confident you. Keep moving, my friends!

- Alan

Muscles are fascinating things. Merriam-Webster defines muscle as “a body tissue consisting of long cells that contract when stimulated and produce motion,” but of course, it’s much more complex than that. Muscles come in three types: 1. Cardiac muscle (the muscle of the heart, also called myocardium), 2. Smooth muscle (which controls involuntary actions, such as swallowing and focusing your eyes), and 3. Skeletal or striated muscle (which produces movement). Despite their varied jobs, all muscles are made of the same material – elastic-type fibers which stretch, relax, and contract during their performance duties. And when muscles are combined with the powers of nerves, blood, bone, and tendons, the result is the human body, a movement machine capable of infinite possibilities.

As with many things, muscle falls under the “use it or lose it” category. Underused muscles shrink, lose strength and endurance, become prone to injury, and in extreme cases, waste away in a process called muscle atrophy. This is why it’s important to include regular strength training as part of your complete fitness program. Performed 2-3 times a week (on non-consecutive days), strength training increases strength, endurance, and the size of your muscle fibers, and it also causes the growth of more capillaries around the muscle (which speeds the delivery of nutrient-rich oxygen). And perhaps best of all, because muscle is the most metabolically active tissue in the body, you’ll burn more calories throughout the day, not just when you exercise.

Strength training can be a complex topic, and while it’s not necessary to research every single piece of information out there, it is important to know a few basics. Next week, I’ll discuss how to safely add strength training to your fitness routine. Until then, keep moving, my friends!

- Alan

You can probably already name many cardiovascular activities – walking, running, cycling, swimming, dancing, and playing sports are just a few fun ways to get your cardio. However, I find that many people aren’t sure how much cardio they need or how high their heart rate should be while exercising.

Current guidelines by the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association recommend a minimum of 30 minutes of moderately intense cardio five days/week, or 20 minutes of vigorously intense cardio three days/week. If this sounds a little complicated, a good rule of thumb is simply to get moving for at least 20-30 minutes on most days of the week. In the case of cardio, the adage “more is better” almost always applies. It doesn’t have to be all at once either; you’ll get equal benefits from two 15 minute sessions or three 10 minute sessions if that’s what your schedule allows.

You’ve probably heard terms like “target heart rate” and “fat burning zone” with regards to cardiovascular exercise, but I find the easiest way to judge your heart’s effort level is by using the “talk test.” If you’re breathing so hard that you can’t carry on a conversation, then slow down. Conversely, if you’re able to sing, you may want to pick it up a notch. Of course, this doesn’t apply to advanced training methods (such as intervals or tempo workouts), but for the Average Joe exerciser like me, it’s a great way to make sure your heart rate is where it needs to be during your cardio sessions.

The great part about cardio is you can do it almost anytime and anywhere. All you need is a pair of sneakers and a go-get-’em attitude. Keep moving, my friends!

- Alan

Every fitness program should include three components – cardiovascular exercise (or cardio, for short), strengthening exercises, and stretching exercises. Together these components challenge your body in a comprehensive way so you will build muscle, burn fat, and gain endurance. This is also crucial for maintaining function and independence as we grow older and our bodies naturally begin to break down. Bodies that are in shape are bodies that can fight off the effects of aging for a longer period of time.

Cardio is any activity that raises your heart rate, like walking, jogging, dancing, cycling, skiing, or playing sports, for example. Strengthening exercises are those in which your muscles must work against a form of resistance (such as weight or gravity), thus becoming stronger; this not only includes lifting weights, but also calisthenics like pushups and sit-ups. Stretching exercises help muscles to remain long and flexible rather than succumbing to the shortening and tightening effects of aging and inactivity.

Right now, all this may seem like a lot to fit in, especially if you have a busy schedule. That’s why in future posts, I’ll go into more details about each exercise component, plus tips on how to exercise if you’re short on time or resources.

Until next week, keep moving, my friends!

- Alan

It’s too easy to leave our health for tomorrow. “I’ll start my diet Monday” or “I’ll get in shape once the kids are older, and I have more time to myself” or “I’m an old man now, so it’s too late for me to get healthy” are just a few drops in the giant bucket of excuses that help us leave worrying about our health for another day. And trust me, I know – I’m guilty of this too, more often than I’d like to admit.

To be healthy (to eat right, to exercise, to reduce our stress, etc.) is a choice we have to make today, not tomorrow. Say “I will be healthy today,” and then take steps to make it happen. Don’t worry about tomorrow; that’s not part of the deal. Be healthy only when it’s “today,” because today is when we effect change, when we establish new habits, when we become the person we want to be. “Tomorrow” can’t do any of those things. They are unique talents of “today.”

Because we firmly believe in today, we at Idaho Physical Therapy have started this weekly blog to help our friends, family members, and community be healthy today. We’ll discuss tips to help you reduce pain, get (or stay) in shape, and live your best. For daily tips and fun facts, you can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Be healthy today, and keep moving, my friends!

- Alan

Soccer is one of the world’s most popular sports. It is a physically demanding one, and athletes who participate are vulnerable to injury. Common injuries include ligament sprains/tears, muscle strains, tendonitis, contusions (bruises), cartilage tears, fractures, Iliotibial band syndrome, blisters, shin splints, concussions, and patellofemoral pain syndrome (knee pain). These injuries could result from overuse, lack of proper rest, poor conditioning, or lack of a specific exercise/stretching program geared towards soccer players.

Flexibility and strength are very important in preventing soccer injuries. With higher performance demands placed on today’s athletes, off-season training and conditioning play an essential role in preventing injury during the season. A good 15 minute warm-up before games and practices, followed by a cool down after the activity, will greatly decrease the risk of injury.

Some other basic protective measures that all soccer players should take include the use of mouthpieces and shin guards, as well as an emphasis on rehydration. Side line first aid kits should include bandages, sterile gauze pads, rubbing alcohol, instant ice paks, and anti-inflammatory medication.

Small nagging aches or pains can often grow into debilitating injuries if not treated early with rest, ice/heat, and stretching. All injuries that involve high levels of pain, swelling, and loss of function should be seen by your doctor. Your physician may prescribe physical therapy as part of your treatment.

At Idaho Physical Therapy, our experienced therapists will aid you to the quickest, most complete recovery possible so that you can get back to the soccer field. In addition, we can design a personalized off-season training program that can help soccer athletes perform at their best while preventing new and reoccurring injuries.