Thanks to all the clients who took time out of their busy schedules to add to my website and show their appreciation. Remember it’s the combination of the CORE programs you perform regularly . . . → Read More: NEW CLIENT TESTIMONIALS!]]> Click on the client testimonials tab and see what other clients have to say about their experience training with CORE Conditioning.

Thanks to all the clients who took time out of their busy schedules to add to my website and show their appreciation. Remember it’s the combination of the CORE programs you perform regularly plus your hard work and determination that has helped you reach where you are today.

Remember…….

”ABILITY IS WHAT YOU’RE CAPABLE OF DOING. MOTIVATION DETERMINES WHAT YOU DO. ATTITUDE DETERMINES HOW WELL YOU DO IT.” Lou Holtz

TRAIN FOR LIFE AND BE READY FOR ANYTHING!!

Michelle
Director, CORE Conditioning

Check out these videos of Michelle in the . . . → Read More: NCCP Club Coach Olympic Weightlifting Technical Course]]> Michelle took part in the NCCP Club Coach Olympic Weightlifting Technical Course this past weekend in Vancouver, BC.  Two, eight hour days of learning and perfecting proper technique in Olympic weightlifting exercises such as the clean and jerk, the power clean, the snatch, and the back squat, for example. 

Check out these videos of Michelle in the last day of the course performing a clean and jerk with 37 kilos and 40 kilos as part of a mock Olympic weightlifting competition.

. . . → Read More: Named Strength and Conditioning Coach for Kwantlen Basketball]]> We are happy to announce that Michelle has been hired on as the official strength and conditioning coach for the Kwantlen University Eagles Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams for the 2010-2011 season.  Michelle will be working with the teams through the summer and into the winter creating and overseeing their off-season, pre-season, and in-season conditioning programs.

http://www.kwantlen.ca/athletics.html

Renee and her “Carebear” teammates rode from Surrey, BC to Redmond, Washington in two days to raise money for the BC Cancer Foundation.  All of her hard work and . . . → Read More: Congratulations Renee!!]]> CORE Conditioning would like to congratulate Renee Reiss for completing The Ride To Conquer Cancer this weekend.  Renee is the first CORE client to attempt and complete this amazing achievement! 

Renee and her “Carebear” teammates rode from Surrey, BC to Redmond, Washington in two days to raise money for the BC Cancer Foundation.  All of her hard work and commitment to her training allowed her to be successful in this remarkable feat. 

Renee, CORE Conditioning was glad to be a part of your training and preparation for the ride and we are very proud of your accomplishment!

YOU GO GIRL!!!!

Pros: Efficient strength-training exercise that tones without adding bulk.

“It’s almost like a hard-core . . . → Read More: CORE Interviewed Again in The Vancouver Sun]]>

We asked Surrey certified strength and conditioning specialist Michelle Roots of Core Conditioning to review the Bar Method. Here’s what she said:

Pros: Efficient strength-training exercise that tones without adding bulk.

“It’s almost like a hard-core version of Pilates and yoga — a hard-core strengthening class,” Roots said.

Cons: Cost. At $195 for an unlimited one-month pass and $22 per drop-in class, this is in line with higher end yoga and Pilates classes in Vancouver.

How it works: Traditionally people wanting to tone and sculpt lean muscles would do high- repetition and low-weight exercises, Roots said. Those wanting to lengthen their muscles would take yoga or Pilates. The Bar Method combines both.

Holding a muscle contraction through high repetitions recruits deep muscle fibres not often stimulated in traditional cardiovascular exercise and weight- training programs, Roots said. “Muscles are still stimulated because they are forced to work, but you are not focused on creating tears in the muscle fibres, which is how muscles gain size and bulk in traditional strength-training exercises.”

The idea behind the “shaking” while holding each pose is to recruit deep muscle fibres, which increases strength further and makes these once “sleeping” muscle fibres available to burn fuel and boost metabolism throughout the day, Roots said. Following each exercise with a stretch promotes muscle lengthening because the muscle is very warm after being worked maximally.

Cautions: “Because it’s low impact, I think it’s fairly safe, and it’s a good idea for people who do have joint problems and can’t go for a run or have knee pain when they do squats,” Roots said.

jennylee@vancouversun.com

Twitter . . . → Read More: Follow CORE Conditioning on Twitter!]]> You can now follow CORE Conditioning on Twitter for daily informative tips and updates!
If you are not on Twitter, simply watch the live feed on our homepage each day for all the fitness and health tips.

Twitter address: CORECondition

Photograph by: Ric Ernst-Canwest News Service

Adding a little strength training to your running and walking program will help you prevent injury and increase running efficiency.

“It’s like building a strong foundation when building a house,” said Surrey, B.C., certified strength and conditioning specialist, Michelle Roots of . . . → Read More: Vancouver Sun Run Feature-Feb 2010]]>

Fortifying the body’s foundations

 

Strength training helps prevent injury and improves performance

Photograph by: Ric Ernst-Canwest News Service

 

 

 

Adding a little strength training to your running and walking program will help you prevent injury and increase running efficiency.

“It’s like building a strong foundation when building a house,” said Surrey, B.C., certified strength and conditioning specialist, Michelle Roots of Core Conditioning.

“You need to start from the bottom. If all your stabilizer muscles are strong, you’re creating a stronger foundation, which means you’re going to be more efficient in your running.”

Strength training will also help your body withstand the impact forces of running on hard surfaces, Roots said.

Start with just a few simple exercises. Try to do them two to three times a week on your non-long-run training days. When you’re starting out, the first thing to focus on is proper form. Try to do the exercises perfectly.

Runners and walkers are prone to overuse injuries often caused by muscle imbalances. One of your goals is to even out some of those imbalances to help prevent injury and improve performance.

When out for your training runs and walks, remember to warm up your muscles before starting. Warm muscles work more efficiently.

Walkers

Goal: Strengthen your lower body, particularly the front and back of your thighs, to decrease strain on your ankles, knees and hips.

Exercise: Wall squats. Stand with your back against the wall, feet about a foot and a half away from the wall. Keeping your back flat against the wall, slide your back down the wall until your knees reach a 90-degree angle and your thighs are horizontal to the floor. Hold for three to five seconds, slide back up. Repeat.

Goal: Strengthen core. When you’re tired or have a weak core, you tend to collapse forward, your head goes down, shoulders roll forward and the spine curves in, creating lower back pain and decreased breathing efficiency.

Exercise: To strengthen your core muscles, lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Notice the gap between your lower back and the floor. Imagine someone is pulling a string from your belly button into the floor. Squeeze your abdominal muscles until you feel your back flat against the floor and the gap has disappeared. Hold this position for five seconds. Repeat nine more times.

Runners

Goal: Focus on hip strength. The stronger your hips are, the more stable your pelvis will be. If your hip is unstable, your pelvis can become misaligned or unstable, which can lead to problems with your knees and ankles. Every time your foot hits the ground in a run, if your left hip isn’t strong enough to hold your pelvis stable, that hip will sway outward and other body parts will need to compensate for that weakness.

A common injury among people with weak hips is iliotibial band friction syndrome. Weak hips cause strain on the IT band, which is a fibrous band that runs from the hip, down the side of the leg, to just below the knee. When this band is irritated from overuse, you may feel pain on the outside of the knee.

Exercise: Strengthen the gluteus medius to create hip stability. Stand facing a mirror. Raise one foot off the ground. Watch the opposite hip. You don’t want it to pop or sway outward. Squeeze your butt and hip to keep the hip in. Hold five to 10 seconds. If this becomes too easy, stand on an unstable surface such as a pillow.

Intermediate runners

Goal: Work on each side of your body independently, so each side is pulling its own weight. You might be surprised to find how your right side, for instance, might be covering for a weaker left side. Focus on increasing core strength.

Exercise: Try a side plank that works your shoulders, core and hips, one side at a time. Lie on your right side with your right elbow on the ground. Lift yourself up into a plank so your body is in a straight line and your weight is resting on your elbows and feet. Squeeze your abdominals and butt. Hold 20 seconds, then switch sides. If this is easy, you can balance your elbow on a ball or another unstable surface.

You could also do some one-legged squats to increase single leg strength, and lunges instead of squats so you can focus on hip and knee alignment, one leg at a time.

jennylee@vancouversun.com

© Copyright (c) Canwest News Service

ONLINE LINK TO ARTICLE ON CANADA.COM-http://www.canada.com/health/Fortifying+body+foundations/2618539/story.html

Photograph by: Ric Ernst-Canwest News Service

The Lunge should be performed as follows:

1.) Begin in a staggered stance with one foot in front . . . → Read More: Lunge]]> Strengthen quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteals

The lunge is a very common exercise used to increase strength in the quads, hamstrings, and gluts.  There are many different variations of this exercise, but this is the most basic form of a lunge.

The Lunge should be performed as follows:

1.) Begin in a staggered stance with one foot in front of the other.  Ensure the back is straight throughout the whole exercise and put your hands on your hips.

2.) Lower the body down until the front knee is at a 90 degree angle.  Watch that the front knee does not go over your toe, as you should have a 90 degree angle at the ankle, the knee, and the hip.  This will avoid excess strain on the knees and avoid injury.

3.) Return back up till the legs are straight again and repeat 10 to 12 times per leg.  Perform 2 to 3 sets approximatley 2 to 3 times per week to begin to see and feel results.