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Monday, August 14, 2006
Top10 Exercises You Can’t Do Without
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
*Although fitness experts are constantly discovering new ways to target muscles there are a few staples that can never be left in the dust of your new fitness program. The American Council on Exercise (ACE) has compiled this list of exercises you simply can’t live without:
Squats - Great for glutes, hamstrings, quads and calves.
Lunges - Great for your lower body, as well as the stabilizers that help you balance while you lunge.
Push - ups - Work your chest, triceps and core. Nothing multitasks like the old-fashioned push-up. Place your feet on a stability ball for added intensity.
Pull-ups Sculpt your lats, shoulders and biceps with this key move.
Shoulder Press- This is the best exercise you can do to target the front delts and can be done sitting or standing (we recommend standing).
Triceps Dips- Just find a bench or a chair and you’re all set to zap flab from your triceps, chest and anterior delts.
Seated Rows - Build your dream back with the classic move. It targets the upper back, rhomboids, lats and bis.
Abs Training - Strong abs are key for maintaining a strong core. Do a variety of moves every other day.
Walking - It’s simple but low-impact and a great form of cardio for all fitness levels.
Running - Burn calories quickly and improve your cardiovascular fitness with running. Build up to distance running slowly.
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Health and Fitness Myth #1: All You need is a Cholesterol Screening or Stress Test to Determine You are at Risk for Cardiovascular Disease
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This is my first health and fitness myth, versus the regular weight loss and fitness myths I typically have been covering. Even though you may not be “overweight,” you can still be vulnerable to certain health risks.
When I get a new client, one of the things I have them do is complete what as known as a health history questionnaire. As a matter of fact, I have them complete more than one. Each of which is pertinent in determining what is the best course of action (if any taken at all) for prescribing exercise.
Some of the questions asked are related to your risks of having a cardiac event while doing exercise. For example, one of the questions asked is, “is your LDL cholesterol greater than 100 mg/dL?” It’s really kind of interesting, but most people have no idea. However, even if you do have high cholesterol, most likely your doctor would have you taking some kind of medication to take it down. If you’re a certain age, your doctor may have you take a stress test. So long as the results are negative, you’ll be considered to have a clean bill of health. However, is that enough?
Recent studies show that it probably isn’t enough. You can have cardiovascular disease and not even know, even if your blood cholesterol and stress test are within the guidelines. If you’re wondering how this is possible, let me explain.
Damage to the arteries in the heart can occur regardless of the amount of cholesterol levels. As much as 50% of arteriosclerosis cannot be explained by diet, smoking, or lifestyle. Most sudden cardiac event deaths are attributed to blockages in the arteries at as little as 50% occluded. In regards to the stress test, the stress test doesn’t even recognize that there is a problem until the artery is 75% occluded. Therefore, if you are at high risk at 50% occlusion, you can be in a whole lot of trouble and the stress test won’t even pick it up. If those statistics don’t alarm you, listen to this one. More than a quarter (that is 25%) of those who recognize having heart disease results in sudden death. That’s not a good way to find out!
So, what do you do? Much in the same way that I explain that weight isn’t enough to determine one’s physical health, you have to do body fat measurements, do a health history, flexibility tests, etc. The same is true in detecting heart disease. Some of the other tests you should take are also non-invasive. These tests include family history, waist-to-hip ratios, looking for C-reactive protein and homocysteines, and most notably a CT scan.
Recently, I have had the pleasure to interview Dr. Robert Superko on my show Fitness Mythbuster, at www.RadioSandySprings.com. He works out of the Fuqua Heart Center located at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, GA. Dr. Superko is a medical researcher that has been exploring risks associated in the realms of cardiology for the past two decades. At his facility, you can have these tests done at a relative low cost. In some cases Medicare will cover it; however, at this time hardly any insurance programs will cover the costs.
To mention a little more about costs, if it is determined that you have heart disease you will not have to spend as much money on medications. This is the result of alternative treatments such as taking niacin and changing diet, plus incorporating (the dreaded) exercise components. Moreover, if you have a heart attack and survive, think about all the costs involved. Even if you have insurance, there will he a huge price to pay. As it is said, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
If you want to learn more about the services at the Fuqua Heart Center, you can call 404.605.5003 and ask for Brenda Garrett. You can also go to www.FuquaHeartCenter.com to learn more. From what I understand, there are satellite programs throughout the USA. They can explain a heck of a lot better than I can about all of the programs that they offer and why they work.
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