Happy New Year!!

Another year gone, another year to look forward to. But I just realized how much I've aged. Five or six years ago, I would have been getting ready right now to drink an insane amount of alcohol with the hopes of getting some unlucky girl to kiss me at midnight. Now, I'm sitting at my computer with my dog at my feet, putting together another blog post.
Anyways, I want to wish everyone a happy, healthy and safe New Year. Cheers.

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: Val Slide Reverse Lunge

Have you seen the Val Slide? It's basically a portable slide board and a pretty simple training tool. And simple works for me. This simple piece of training equipment can be used for a number of upper body, lower body and core training exercises. This week's exercise, the Val Slide Reverse Lunge, is a single leg, lower body exercise. It's an exercise that should be used as you progress to forward lunges and variations (Forward lunges are an exercise that should be worked up to, not started with. That is another entire post).
To perform the Val Slide reverse Lunge:

1. Start in an upright position, with one foot resting on a Val Slide.
2. Slide the Val Slide back, allowing your supporting or front leg to bend and dropping your hips down toward the floor.
3. Return to the starting position by sliding the back foot forward.

Simple, but effective. For more information on the Val Slide click on the image below.





Or for more great training tools, visit
Performbetter.com

What is Functional Training?

First, I hope everyone had a very nice Christmas and Santa was good to all of you. Next, I want to open up a discussion about functional training. This is a term I hear being used on a daily basis. The functional training craze took off about 6-7 years ago. Now it's what a good majority of trainers are selling. They're selling themselves as functional trainers as opposed to just you're old, boring, high top wearing personal trainer. But what is functional training? How is functional training different than any other type of training? Does it involve balance devices? Does it involve medicine ball training? I want to know what readers of this blog think functional training is. Throw your answers at me. Let's get some active participation from my millions of readers. Ok, may be not millions, but tens of my readers. And next week I'll tell you what I think functional training really is.

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: Circuit Workout

I'm going to mix it up a bit this week just because it's Christmas season (if that makes any sense). Rather than an exercise of the week, how about a workout of the week? Yesterday I was pressed for time and I wanted to get a quality total body workout in in about 45 minutes. Actually, I wasn't pressed for time, but I pretended like I was. It's been tough to workout lately. Anyways, here is what I came up with:

• 5 minute upper and lower body dynamic flexibility warm up
• A total body circuit consisting of the following exercises, with no rest between exercises until the end of the circuit.

A1) Zercher Sandbag Step Up x15 each leg
A2) Shoulder Sandbag Squat x15 each shoulder
A3) Kettlebell Swing x15
A4) Prone Alternating Kettlebell Row x8-10 each side
A5) Kettlebell Push up x 15

• Before I performed the first set, I though I might need 2 minutes rest after the last exercise. When in reality, after 2 minutes I was still trying to pick myself up off the floor. So I decided on 4 minutes.
• The first run through took about 3.5 minutes. The second time dropped off to about 4 minutes. And the last set I didn't even bother timing. I just wanted to finish.
• Call me a wuss, but this is one of the harder workouts I've done. I'm usually a guy who does a set, rests 90-120 seconds and then does another set. I'm not in good enough condition to go from one exercise to the next with minimal rest. But hopefully, over time I will be.
• What I did like about this workout is that it brought me out of my standard alternating sets type of workout. This was mentally and physically demanding.
• Don't have a sandbag or kettlebell lying around? I'm sure many of you do not. Substitute a barbell and dumbbells instead.

If anyone has any tough circuit conditioning workouts they'd like to pass along, please do. I'm always game for trying something new. It might only be once, but I'm always game.

10 Habits to Success (Part II)

Here are my remaining five tips to nutritional success:

6. Avoid fruit juices, sodas and other sugary beverages. Drink a ton of water.
7. Eat wholes foods instead of supplements whenever possible. I see people relying on protein bars way too much. One a day is alright. Also be sure to check the ingredients of these bars. They may not be as healthy as you think they are.
8. Plan ahead and prepare meals in advance. If you do not know what your next meal is, chances are it will be that 1500 calorie Whopper or Big Mac.
9. Eat a wide variety of foods. You should be getting your nutrients from a bunch of sources.
10. Supplement with fish oil. I do not know why people are still missing the boat with fish oil. The benefits are numerous: cardiovascular health, reduced joint pain, increased insulin sensitivity, etc..
I'll be the first one to tell you that following all of these tips is not easy. If it was, there would be no McDonald's and everyone would have the six-pack of a cover model. But it can be done. It requires discipline. It requires awareness. It requires preparation. Good luck.

10 Habits to Success

In order to get you through the next week or so without eating everything in sight, or if you want to get a head start on your New Year's resolutions, I'm going to provide you with 10 habits to nutritional success. Here are the first five:

1. Eat every 2-3 hours. This will keep that metabolism stoked and your insulin levels even, preventing you from that enticing food binge.
2. Eat protein with every feeding. This too helps manage your insulin levels.
3. Eat vegetables or fruit with every feeding. Are you getting 3-5 servings of fruit and vegetables per day? Probably not.
4. Most of your carbs should come from fruits and vegetables. The other carbs (rice, pasta, potatoes, etc.) should come after an exercise session only.
5. Eat healthy fats daily. About 30% of your calorie intake should come from fat. Just avoid eating fat and carbohydrates together.

There's five tips to get you started. I'll follow up with another five tips later in the week. Remember, a lousy diet will defeat a good workout program all the time.

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: Scapular Wall Slide

I like the scapular wall slide for a couple of reasons:

1. It's a great exercise to use as part of your upper body warm up. It'll really get your low trap muscles firing.
2. It'll help open up your chest and bring your shoulders back if done enough.
3. A lot of shoulder injuries have been linked to scapular dysfunction. This exercise tries to address this dysfunction
4. It makes you aware of what ideal posture is (chest up, shoulders down and back).
5. You don't need any equipment, just a wall.

Start the exercise by leaning back against a wall. Your feet will be about 6-8 inches of the wall, but your hips, shoulders and head are going to be against the wall the entire exercise. Starting with your arms up, slide your forearms down along the wall. Think about forming a "W". In the bottom portion of the slide you should really feel a pinching sensation between your shoulder blades. Hold for a count of 2, then return to the starting position by sliding your arms back up the wall. Just like you were signaling "Touchdown" (I hope to see about 10 of those scored on the Jets this weekend). The real key is to try and keep your forearms back against the wall the entire movement.
As I mentioned before, this exercise can be used as part of your warm up where I'd suggest one set of 8-10 reps. Or you might want to include this as a pre-hab or re-hab exercise in your routine and perform multiple sets.

Question to RichRuff Training

Hi. I would like to strengthen the muscles in the front and sides of my thighs. How do I do it? Also, how do I strengthen the core muscles of the trunk: back, buttocks and abdomen?

Erica

Hello Erica. Without getting into too much detail, the basics work. Squats, lunges, deadlifts and all their variations are going to strengthen your thighs. These exercises will also help strengthen your back, buttocks and abdomen. As you can see these compound lifts are great for a number of muscle groups and should make up a the bulk of your training.

"Use your Abs!!"

How many times have you heard a trainer mutter this phrase to a sweat drenched client. Sometimes trainers will coach their clients to "Use your abs" with every single exercise. Push ups, "Use your abs!!". Squats, "Use your abs!!". Single leg donkey calf raises, "Use your abs!!". I can see the client thinking, "What exactly does he mean?. How is using my abs going to get me to to move this weight?". It's not!! Your moving body parts are going to move the weight for you. How are you supposed yo use your abs during a push up? How are your abs going to get your chest off the floor? I do not know.
A more appropriate term to use might be "Brace". Tighten up your abdominal section like George Forearm was about to punch you in the midsection. Bracing is not going to help you move the weight, but it is going to help you stabilize your core. When performing any type of compound movement, you know how important core stabilization is. It's going to protect you from injury and help you move optimally. "Brace", don't "Use".

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: Pallof Press

This is a pretty cool exercise that I picked up from strength coach Eric Cressey. At first, this looks like an upper body exercise and looks pretty simple. Yes, you are pressing your arms out in front, but that is not the key aspect of this exercise. The key to this exercise is resisting rotation back towards the pulley by firing your obliques. (remember, your obliques are just as important for resisting rotation as they are for promoting rotation). You want to think about bracing your abdominal area as if you were about to get punched in the stomach. It's a core great stabilization exercise. Take a look at the video.

Holiday Survival

The average American puts on 7lbs between Thanksgiving and New Years. I see that stat every year, yet, it still amazes me every year. And what's even more amazing to me is people accepting this stat. They have no problem of putting on that 7lbs of belly jelly. Since when did the holiday season become a time to eat as much and whatever you want and not exercise? Yeah, I know. You have have less time to exercise. You have more parties to go to. Desserts are everywhere. The eggnog tastes so good, especially with a little bit of rum in it. I've seen it all. I've heard it all. Just because Santa Clause has that big belly, doesn't mean you have to. Here are a couple of tips to surviving the holiday season without being mistaken for a relative of the Claus family:

1. Make time for exercise. It can be a stressful time of year, so what better way to work off that stress than exercise. If you have time to go shopping, you have time to get in 45-60 minutes of exercise three times a week.
2. Do not go to a party hungry. The chances of you stuffing your pie hole when you're on an empty stomach are pretty good. Have a small bite to eat about an hour or two before the party.
3. Just because alcohol is a liquid, doesn't mean it does not have calories. A couple of drinks is fine, not 10-15.
4. Get your normal amount of sleep. Sleep is the body's best restoration tool.
5. Ask for a healthy gift (sneakers, gym membership, workout clothes, etc.). This will help you get a jump start once the holiday season is over.

Happy and healthy holiday's to everyone.

Strength Focus

I'm going to make it easy for all of you. For all of you that are looking to lose weight. For all of you that are trying to stay healthy. For all of you who want to look good in the mirror. If you focus on getting stronger all those goals and many more are going to fall into place, especially if you're new to the game. Getting stronger may or will result in:
*Increased lean muscle muscle mass which leads to an increased metabolic rate which may lead to weight loss.
*Increased speed which may lead to increased power which may lead to increased performance.
*Increased connective tissue strength which leads to a decreased rate of injury.
*Increased joint stabilization which leads to increased balance which leads to decreased rate of injury.
It's not that hard to understand. Focus on strength and watch everything else fall into place.

RichRuff Training Exercise of the Week: Inverted Row

Going off last week's exercise of the week, I'm going to give you another exercise using the Jungle Gym or Blast Straps. If they're up, you might as well use them. And this exercise is going to balance out your push ups. When designing a program or workout out you should strive for some sort of balance. The volume of pulling exercises should equal the volume of pushing exercises. Even more importantly, the volume of horizontal pulling exercises should equal the volume of horizontal pushing exercises.
For the inverted row, you're basically going to reverse your position and movement of the suspended push up. You'll start face up underneath the handles. The closer you are to a horizontal position, the more difficult the exercise will be. From the starting position, pull yourself towards the handles, bringing your elbows by your side and emphasizing a squeeze of the shoulder blades.
Another body weight exercise to add to your training arsenal.