Soccer – The Right Weight Training Workout

August 22, 2017/in Blog, Muscle Building, Personal Training, Workout Advice

Soccer has got to be one of the most demanding sports played today. When you consider the players in a soccer game cover an estimated 8-12 km of ground in a single game, you realize just how physically demanding the sport really is.

Not only that, but they do not have the rest periods in a soccer game that are typical in other sports, so the conditioning of the athletes is crucial for them to be able to play a good game. It is important for these players to find a good soccer weight training workout that will help them to improve their endurance and strength.

Although aerobic training is very important to a soccer player to be able to stay in a game, muscle strengthening and building is just as important for endurance, not to mention giving them the ability to sprint and kick the ball with necessary force to be at the top of their game.

Strength training has become a very crucial part of the soccer players’ training program. They need to have balance and power in their bodies in addition to the endurance to cover the ground required in a game.

Soccer players are prone to having larger quadriceps muscles in relation to their hamstrings, which can put them in danger of injury to the smaller muscles. That is why muscle strengthening and building is very important for creating balance in the muscle groups for a soccer player.

While it is true that upper weight training is not as important to the game as lower muscle workouts, it is still important to work out the upper body to improve overall performance and stamina. It is advised to do a lower body workout one day, with one day off in between, and an upper body workout the next day, with another day off, and so forth during the training program.

One of the most effective exercises for the lower body is performing squats with a weight. Lift the weight with your legs about shoulder width apart, with the weight resting on the back of your shoulders. Then lower your body into a squatting position, then rise back up slowly to a standing position. It is recommended to start with a weight that you can comfortably lift, and do 20 squats per session. Take a 5 minute break between sessions, and repeat each session 2 more times.

That is just one of the weight strengthening exercises that work on the lower body. If you are starting a soccer weight training workout, it is important to consult a professional who can design a training program that will be tailored to your specific needs, and which can help to improve your overall performance and soccer playing abilities.

Training Aids for Youth Soccer

August 21, 2017/in Blog, Fitness Programs, Personal Training

Youth soccer is becoming more and more competitive at an earlier and earlier age. Children are learning the sport early and competing for spots on the grade school, high school and college teams as well as for scholarships and a chance to play on an international team.

The days when children could practice in the backyard with just a ball and a net are long gone. Today children are practicing with training aids that give them a distinct advantage during practice, games and tryouts. Those advantages take the form of faster footwork, response time, sharper kicking and trapping, blocking and juggling.

One of the first aids that’s been around for quite some time are the free-standing goal nets that allow players to practice getting past the goalie. These products range between $25.00 and $65.00 depending upon the quality of the product and whether you just the net this time or the support mechanism also.

Another training aid that has been available for some time are the soccer balls which return at the end of the kick. Most are anchored to the body of the player but there is another product, the Kick-Medic, which is anchored to the ground and can accommodate a kick in the backyard or on the practice field. The company states that players of all skill levels and those who play in any position will benefit from use.

The Soccer Pro is a product that also addresses the kick of a player. This is a sensor that is placed on the shoe and detects the proper contact with the ball. It then provides immediate feedback to the play using lights and sounds so the player knows what needs to be changed to improve the kick. The housing is moisture resistant and it can be placed on the top, right or left side of the shoe to accommodate all players.

A soccer defender wall is a 1 piece, fully-welded frame with spikes to implant it into the ground. These are natural height pieces to help the player play defense and improve their foot skills.

A jump rope is a standard piece of a young person’s equipment that actually helps soccer players to improve their quadriceps and lower leg strength. This also helps to improve a players foot speed and ability to juggle the ball. The jump rope should be an appropriate length. Hold the handles in the hands and step on the rope. There should be just enough length to hold the handles waist high. Jump ropes that have slightly weighted rope are easier to turn without getting tangled. There are ropes that have computer chips in the handle that recognize the number of times the rope is turned and the time the player has used it. But a basic rope does the same job.

A ladder is a youth soccer training aid that is indispensable. A ladder is a piece of equipment that bears a striking resemblance to an actual ladder. However, it isn’t stiff but rather made of nylon rope and plastic pieces. The ladder is laid on the ground and the player does foot work drills each day to improve foot speed and control. These generally cost between $50.00 and $75.00 depending upon how long and portable they are. Coaches ask their players to use them at least three times a week to improve their skills.

Using these training aids has brought young players to a higher level of play at earlier ages without using equipment that may eventually cause injury or harm to the joints of the young players. And these training aids are also easily purchased, most available over the Internet and cost effective prices.

Basketball Pro-Be The Master Of The Court- FREE DOWNLOAD-

Youth Boxing – A Great Cardio Workout

August 18, 2017/in Blog, Personal Training, Workout Advice

Many kids these days are too sedentary. Technology has kept them indoors watching television and playing video games. For a kid, as well as for the rest of us, getting proper physical exercise is important. Have you ever considered youth boxing?

With the incidence of childhood obesity on the rise, something has to be done to get our kids moving. One of the ways that kids can get a good workout and have some fun is through boxing. Kids love to hit things when we don’t want them to. How about encouraging them to hit for a change?

Youth boxing programs work for kids of all ages. Once seen as a way to channel anger in kids with emotional or societal issues, boxing can help any child to make great strides in their lives.

First, let’s talk about the physical health benefits. When you box, you are always moving. That is how you stay away from your opponent’s blows. That constant motion keeps the heart and lungs working. Over time, they’ll find out that they run out of breath less easily and are able to stay in the ring longer.

Boxing is a great resistance workout. Just practicing on the bag, doing push-ups, crunches and sparring teach young pugilists how to perfect their stance and use their muscles. In addition, they get to have fun with kids their own age.

What about the emotional benefits of boxing? Kids are constantly learning and growing. While they are trying to discover just who they are, their self-confidence may take a hit.

Learning to master their body provides a boost for their self-esteem. As they learn more and accomplish more in the ring, their self-confidence increases. They also learn how to manage their stress and anger for a better emotional adjustment in social situations.

Boxing teaches not only physical strength but also mental strength. While they are moving in the ring, they are always thinking about their next move. This takes focus, which many young people don’t have the hang of yet. Learning how to focus is helpful in the classroom. They concentrate on what the teacher is saying and do their work instead of participating in distracting behavior.

There is also an element of discipline in boxing. You have to know when to strike and when to hold back. You also have to listen to your coach. This is useful when it comes to using the same courtesy and manners with teachers and parents.

Besides all of these benefits, kids love to compete and succeed. Boxing teaches success on a personal level. Even if you only win a few matches, you have learned how to master your body and your emotions. Visit a boxing gym near you to see if this sport is right for your child.

What is Matrix Weight Training?

August 17, 2017/in Blog, Personal Training, Workout Advice

You may wonder what Matrix Weight Training is. This type of training is not commonly shown on television, or on the internet, but it is not a secret in training facilities. Matrix weight training was developed by Doctor Laura Ronald almost 30 years ago.

However, in recent years, other popular exercises instructors have attempted to come forward with claims that they created the exercise program. Even though these claims have been made, documentation does support that Ronald Laura is the inventor of Matrix training.

What Makes Matrix Training Different?

When we preform normal exercises, we only exercise on one plane. This means that we are moving parts of our body up and down, side to side. The Matrix Weight Training system forces the participant to utilize a series of exercise methods that activate muscles that are not utilized in standard exercise routines.

Health care professionals who stand beside the Matrix Weight Training System have openly stated that the exercises allow participants to reach their maximum potential and build muscles faster and easier than ever before. Since muscle groups that are normally ignored are targeted, building and sustaining muscle density is a lot simpler.

Another magnificent advantage of the Matrix Weight Training system is that the participant is not completely reliant on heavy weights, which risk straining or injuring muscles. There is a dramatically lower injury rate with this system, than with traditional weight training systems. These two advantages have provided a lot of benefits to people of all ages. Since the system is intensity based, the workouts take less time to complete than traditional weight training systems.

Applying Matrix Weight Training

Have you ever noticed that exercising using the same patterns, the same weights, and the same cardio exercises, the changes to your body slowly come to a stall? This is because the body becomes used to the work that is put out, the strain it takes to perform the exercise, and it stops making improvements over time. This is the same theory used to explain why weight loss slows over time. People who change the number of calories they take in on a daily basis, and keep their body wondering what to expect next, are the ones who lose weight on a continuous basis.

The Matrix Weight Training system the intensity of exercise changes through full or partial movement, which make the muscles inhibit the momentum at various intervals. When using an up motion, the participant must utilize their muscles to inhibit upward movement, and during downward phases, they must force their body to resist the pull of gravity. These exercises were designed with the overall goal to neutralize the adaptive response muscles have when they are able to anticipate what is going to happen next, decreasing the automatic response, and forcing an alternative response.

Applying the Concept

If you are trying to apply this concept to a familiar topic, think of a basketball player. In order to be successful, a Basketball player must practice the same exact shot from the same place on a court over and over. This allows their arm’s neuro-muscular fibers, their core, and their legs to create habits of response, allowing them to make the basket even when they are not completely focused. A weight lifter unknowingly does the same thing. Each time they workout, their body learns to interpret what is going to happen next.

Since the Matrix Weight Training System can be used with weights, or without weights, it can even be used by children, the elderly, during rehabilitation, and by people who are obese. Dr. Ron Laura has developed adequate documentation that this type of weight training can be used to build lean muscle, tone the body, maintain fitness level, and help people develop strength as they lose weight.
By utilizing the Matrix Weight Training System, there is no excuse for not getting in shape, or staying in shape.

Certification and Function of Athletic Trainers

August 16, 2017/in Blog, Personal Training, Workout Advice

We have all heard of athletic trainers, but what exactly do they do? An athletic trainer is a trained health care professional whose goal is to prevent and treat injuries. An athletic trainer is not a personal trainer and they are not the person that pushes you past your comfort level.

For a person to develop a fulfilling, long-term career as an athletic trainer, they are required to bachelor’s degree in medical sciences. While a bachelor’s degree as a minimum requirement, many athletic trainers hold a master’s or even a doctoral degree in health sciences.

Upon completing their degree program, at least forty-six states have a requirement for students to pass a rigorous examination to obtain certification. This certification allows them to obtain a license to perform the work duties of an athletic trainer in the state they reside in.

After obtaining their license, they must continue to take classes in medical related topics if they wish to keep their license active. In total, an athletic trainer must have at least 80 hours of continuing education credits every three calendar years in order to keep their certification active.
An athletic trainer will need to work under the supervision of a doctor of medicine, and in combination with other health care professionals, and even sports teams.

The purpose of an athletic trainer is to help athletes use their bodies in a way, that prevents illnesses. When injuries do happen, the athletic trainer is tasked with the duty of evaluating the injury during games or practices, sometimes with minimal resources. Once the injury is identified and treated, the athletic trainer will work with the player to rehabilitate them and prevent further injury.

Athletic trainers can work in a large variety of settings. The most effective place one can find a career is in a public or private school setting. The American Medical Association (AMA) recommends that every elementary, middle, and high school with a sports team have an athletic trainer on staff.

Another place athletic trainers find work is at a college or university. They work as part of the athletic staff, usually as an athletic trainer and a teacher.

Sports teams also hire athletic trainers for education and treatment purposes. However, professional sports team positions are limited, and the work is seasonal. Therefore, they usually call the same athletic trainer back in year after year because their players are used to working with them, and they have built a strong rapport with players.

Athletic trainers may also find employment at a sports focused clinic. In these settings, the trainer will have a chance to work with a wide range of patients with diverse backgrounds. Many schools use these clinics as outreach programs to attend games and educate students on injuries as the season progresses.

Athletic trainers may also find a valuable position in the military to help train personnel coming in. They can also be involved in rehabilitating soldiers after various injuries, and getting them back to their everyday responsibilities.

The outlook for an athletic trainer is very bright. The career is expected to grow exponentially over the next several years. This is in response to the increasing need for preventative health care, and the increasing percentage of aging population.

An athletic trainer is considered to be an important person in any health care team. Technology is constantly changing which makes the need for athletic trainers who are capable of utilizing it more urgent.

Is High Intensity Training Dangerous?

August 15, 2017/in Blog, Personal Training, Workout Routines

We all know that for all the individuals wanting to exercise, there are many ways to do so. Some individuals prefer stretching and toning to high impact aerobics. Others may have a preference for Zumba over walking.

While there are many different variations and just as many preferences, it is important to know as much as you can before taking on any type of exercise regime.

High intensity training (also known as HIT) works the same way. The more you know, the more you can judge for yourself whether or not HIT is the exercise regimen for you.

What Is High Intensity Training?

Originally, high intensity training utilized intense weight lifting and repetition. The goal back then in the 1970s was to produce a greater muscle mass in a shorter period of time. Limited yet frequent and highly intense weightlifting is the foundation behind this type of high intensity training.

Today’s version of high intensity weight training works similarly. Repeated bouts of intense, but short courses of movement followed by a less intense form of movement is part of what makes up today’s high intensity training.

Success in High Intensity Training

Research is beginning to show that there is success when using high intensity training. For example, a study done at the American College of Sports Medicine shows that two weeks of high intensity intervals improves your aerobic capacity as much as 6 to 8 weeks of endurance training.

If such is the case, that is a benefit pointing to the success of high intensity training. Another benefit points to the ability to burn fat long after a high intensity training workout.

Some studies are showing that individuals who utilize high intensity training are able to exercise for longer periods of time at a higher rate than before.

The Downside of High Intensity Training

As with any exercise regimen, if you do not know what you are doing or do not have the help of professional, there is always the chance for risk of injury or harm.

Taking on high intensity training without the advice of a doctor and at the very least a healthy heart check-up is risky and dangerous.

Performing high intensity training on an empty stomach could result in many dangers such as:

Fainting
Dizziness
Injury
Nausea
Vomiting
Physical injury
Muscle weakness

So before starting this type of exercise, make sure you see your doctor to ensure your heart is able to cope with this strenuous activity.

Exercise Programs and Training for Weight Loss

August 14, 2017/in Blog, Personal Training, Workout Routines

Weight loss and getting into shape can be a continuous battle for a lot of people. Dieting is not enough for most people, and implementing an exercise program is typically needed. The primary focus in a weight loss based exercise program should be to find a regimen you enjoy.

This makes it more likely that you would stick with the exercise program, instead of leaving it behind due to disdain. If you do not like to jog, why put your mind and body through it? By finding exercises that you enjoy, you will be more likely to stick with it.

Before you start an exercise program, you should check with your primary care doctor to ensure you are healthy enough for the level of activity required. After you have established that you are healthy enough for the activities you plan to do, set your long-term goal and short-term goals. After determining your long-term goal, break it down into more manageable, smaller tasks. For example, if your overall goal is to lose thirty pounds, you can break the goal down further by saying you want to lose two pounds per week.

When you are involved in any weight loss based exercise program, it is important that you take the time to warm up properly before you begin exercising. Warming up before working out helps you avoid muscle and tendon injuries, and results in a lower risk of developing strains and sprains.
While you are exercising, make sure you have plenty of water. It is essential that you keep plenty of room temperature water on hand while you are exercising. This is because cold water can cause stomach cramps while you are working out, and your body is hot. Keeping yourself hydrated at all times will keep your muscles performing at their best, and prevent them from becoming extremely sore the day after your workout.

During your exercise routine, it is important that you switch between cardio exercises and weight training exercises. By switching up your exercise, your body will experience maximum results, and you will be able to burn more fat than if your body can predict what will happen next.

At any time, if you become tired during your exercise, take a break. When your body is tired, you are more likely to become injured. If your goal is to lose weight and get back into shape, the last thing you need is to put yourself in a situation where you can become injured.

Some people who have developed a weight loss exercise program have found that it is better to exercise in groups. If you are someone who is more likely to push themselves when you are in a group, joining a gym or exercise club may have great benefits. And when you are working out with other people, is possible that you will have more motivation, which will translate to more overall success.

If you are trying to lose weight, do not depend on diet alone. It is essential that you make a total lifestyle change for future success. Exercising to lose weight is one of the best methods to shed extra pounds. Not only will you feel better because of the exercise, you will be able to build lean muscle mass and look better too.

Massage Therapy vs. Chiropractic Therapy

August 11, 2017/in Blog, Massage Therapy, Personal Training, Senior Fitness

If you are anything like me, you probably prefer staying away from providers of conventional Western medicine as much as possible and I cannot say that I blame you. Although I have full medical coverage for that “you never know when you might need it” time of my life, I have not seen any of my doctors in well over ten years, and I hope to continue not seeing them for the rest of my life.

Please do not miss understand me and think that I am some sort of superhuman creature who never gets ill. I do have my weak moments of pain and sniffles just like everyone else, or at least everyone else who takes good care of him or herself. So, when my body seems to need a boost, I visit one of my two favorite practitioners of alternative medicine; my massage therapist or my chiropractor.

I know that it all sounds very simple and straight forward but it is, in fact, somewhat challenging at times, because I do not always know which one of these wonderful professional to seek out. So, I often first opt to visit my chiropractor for a good therapeutic session of adjusting and aligning my skeletal structure and then, as an extra bonus to me and my one and only body.

I also make an appointment with my massage therapist for some hefty digging and rubbing. Between the two of them, I come out feeling like a million bucks although my finances are sadly depleted. I figure that we, my body and I, are worth it.

Now, you might ask and rightfully so, “What is the difference between a massage therapy and chiropractic therapy?” Well, I will be happy to tell you:

Chiropractic Therapy.

For the most part, chiropractic therapy focuses on the hard tissues such as the spine and other joints for adjusting and realignment. Chiropractors have some training in massage techniques but that is never their first and foremost priority.
Chiropractors are authorized to make medical diagnosis, order x-rays or blood works.
Chiropractors cannot prescribe conventional medications but they can sell supplements or homeopathic remedies.
Chiropractors do not need medical referrals to perform their work.

Massage Therapy.

Massage therapists perform wonderful work on the soft body tissues such as the muscles, tendons and ligaments but they have not been trained nor are they licensed to adjust the spine or any other joints.
Massage therapists may not legally make medical diagnosis, order x-rays or any blood work.
Massage therapists are not permitted to dispense medications of Western medicine but they can and do provide or recommend alternative herbal remedies.
Massage Therapists do not required referrals from anyone to conduct their massage sessions.

A highly acclaimed national non-profit magazine recently conducted a study in which more than 34,000 participants in the United States were asked to rate which alternative treatments worked best for their two biggest health problems for the past two years and the overwhelming majority voted just as I would have; for deep tissue massage therapy and chiropractic therapy in equal measures for such conditions as back pain, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, respiratory problems, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, depression, insomnia and prostate problems.

Of course, as far as alternative medicine is concerned, one should not discount acupuncture and reflexology for they too are beneficial in their own very special ways.

Massage For Young Children

August 10, 2017/in Blog, Massage Therapy, Personal Training

Countless studies and pediatric research have shown that massage therapy is supremely beneficial for a wide variety of conditions in young children. As a matter of fact, these studies revealed that massage therapy for young children is a crucially important supplemental treatment to conventional medicine.

However, these studies further showed that, in many cases, massage therapy on its own works better in relieving symptoms of many disturbing conditions than do medications and other standard procedures associated with Western medicine.

According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMA), more than twenty percent of all children, from newborns to toddlers and early school year children, are afflicted with eczema at some point in their young lives and roughly the same percentage is true for infants and young children suffering from traumatic burns. For that reason, the pain and suffering of trauma burns and eczema are counted among the most common pediatric skin conditions in the United States. Most studies bring to light the following findings:

Young burn trauma patients who were treated with a massage therapy sessions for approximately thirty minutes before any kind of medical or nursing procedures, were more relax physically as well as mentally through the process and they, therefore, experienced less discomfort or pain.

It is important to stress here that the massage treatment was applied only to areas which were not affected by burns.

Young children suffering from eczema (also known as atopic dermatitis) who were given massage treatments before and while being treated with skin medications such as emollients and ointments exhibited less apprehension and they were more willing to cooperate. In addition, the physical conditions of their skins dramatically improved as redness subsided, as did lichenification, scaling, excoriation and pruritus.

The therapy in these conditions ideally consists of two phases. First phase — to ensure smooth strokes during the massage treatment, the child’s body is moisturized with a dermatitis medication. Second phase — being very careful to avoid particularly sensitive areas of the body, a series of varied massage techniques is used on the child’s face, chest, stomach, legs and arms.

The Children’s Mercy Hospital of Kansas City, Missouri has been using massage therapy to alleviate chronic pain from headaches and migraines in young children and, in the process, also relieving their levels of anxiety and distress, lowering their heart rates, improving their gastrointestinal systems, promoting the release of endorphins and bringing their entire bodies to a state of calmness. And all these positive effects seem to be immediate or nearly immediate.

Applying massage therapies to infants and young children is not at all a newly discovered concept as it has been a daily practice in the Eastern and African cultures for many generations. They understood that the first sense to develop in humans is the sense of touch and that it is essential to health and wellness. Massage treatments for the young members among ancient cultures served to heal, to energize, to calm and to reinforce close bonding and the sense of trust and security.

Having been working zealously on the subject of massage for young children for the past ten or so years, Dr. Tiffany Field and her associates at the Touch Research Institute (TRI) in Miami, Florida insist that, “Every child, no matter the age, should be massaged at bedtime on a regular basis.”

Massage Therapy for Senior Citizens

August 9, 2017/in Blog, Massage Therapy, Personal Training, Senior Fitness

With the baby boomers aging and with the help of higher technology and greater innovations in medicine and geriatric science, life is not merely being prolonged but more and more senior citizens today have the opportunity to take advantage of more quality life than ever before.

This translates into a generation of more senior citizens of more advanced ages living among us, and that is, in my opinion a very good thing.

National demographic studies tell us that nearly 40 million Americans are currently 65 years of age or older and over 2,000 more reach age 65 every single day. To accommodate the ever grown demand for massage therapy among senior citizens, many massage therapists are choosing to expand their expertise by studying the art of age-specific massage therapy which is often referred to as senior’s massage or geriatric massage.

For the most part, massage therapy for citizens is extremely beneficial and of utmost importance to relieve the aches, the pains, the stiffness and the great number of health condition which are so often associated with aging; such as inflammations in the joints; arthritis; skin discoloration and other dermatological conditions; deteriorating muscles and bones; fading eyesight and loss of hearing, reduced appetite and therefore weight loss, poor blood circulation; sleep disorders; weakened mental capacity, tendinitis; bursitis; asthma; emphysema; high blood pressures; diminished functions of the internal vital organs such as the heart, the liver, the brain, the thyroid, the stomach and the intestines; and so much more.

Most importantly, however, lonely and isolated, depressed, anxious and fearful senior citizens derive priceless valuable benefits from the simple pleasure of the caressing human touch and the intimate companionship afforded them during massage therapy sessions.

The Weaver’s Tale Retreat Center in the State of Oregon recently conducted a two-year study examining the effects of massage therapy for senior citizens and they found that at least 50 percent of the elderly who were tested showed a reduction in their rates of breathing, an increase in their range of motion, an improvement of their postures, development of more body awareness, their skin took on healthier colors and their muscle tones were enhanced. The same study also showed that 100 percent of the senior citizen who were tested showed a dramatic improvement in their moods and their attitudes toward life in general.

Massage therapy for senior citizens does not differ in technique but it does differ, and it differs greatly in the application of that technique, whichever that technique may be. In other words, just about any of the different massage techniques can be used on senior citizen but they must be modified enough to accommodate the facts that, very often, the skin of senior citizens have become thinner while growing much less pliable and much more easily broken, their bones are thinner and more brittle, their joints are more stiff with reduced range of mobility, their blood vessels are more prominent and closer to the surface of the skin and their overall health, vigor and vitality have been downgraded through the years.

Taking all that into consideration, extra care musts be taken when positioning them on the massage tables, they should never be expected to perform the same movements as younger adults, and wheelchair-bound or bedridden senior should get their massage treatments while remaining seated in their chairs or reclining in their beds.

Most massages for senior citizens are limited to anywhere from thirty to forty five minutes because the elderly seem to respond better to shortened sessions with greater frequency. Furthermore, greater time is usually spent on massaging their hands and feet than any other part of their bodies. That is especially true for those senior who have lost the use of their hands and feet as massaging them will enhance their body awareness as well as increase sensations and blood circulation throughout.

We all need plenty of TLC (tender love and care) but The potential risks involved in performing massage therapy on cancer patients do not inevitably discard the entire concept of massage therapy but it does mean that extra caution must be practiced and, perhaps, moderate to extreme alteration of the treatment is in order. And the health risks are the following:citizens need and deserve quite a bit more of it.