Journey towards becoming a Personal Trainer

This post is about my journey towards becoming a trainer. I figure that keeping track of my progress online will help me stay focused on my goal and on track with the studying I have to do. My goal is to become certified by August, 2008. I hope to begin training clients in the DC/MD area soon after.

I will keep you updated by sharing what I have learned from studying. Perhaps the most interesting thing that I have learned so far is that muscles only have the capability of eccentric (elongating) motion because muscles cannot push against the bones to which they are attached. So what enables you to return to the starting position? In most exercises, gravity will pull the muscle back to the starting position. I don’t know why I found this so fascinating, but I did.

Next I will be learning about how a muscle grows, and posting about having fun with medicine balls.

Work that core Pt. 3

I haven’t written in a while due to school, but the good news is that I am going to grad school at American University on a full scholarship, so I guess the hard work paid off.

Hard work in the gym also pays off, giving you not only a healthier, but also a very aesthetically pleasing body. One of my other favorite exercises for the core is the plank. This exercise works the back and your abs in a very challenging way, and you all know how much I love multifunctional exercises (as opposed to working only one muscle at a time). I sometimes even feel my shoulders working when I do this exercise.

What do you do?

For a regular plank, get into a pushup position and rest your body on your elbows. Hold that position for as long as you can. Try to work up to holding for 30 seconds, then 45, then 60. You can increase the time for as long as you want once you get the form and the exercise down.

There are also several variations of the plank, including the side plank to work your obliques. You can hold the position as shown in the video, and you can also challenge yourself by dipping your hips down to the ground and bringing them back up to the starting position.

Work that Core, Pt. 2

Whew! It’s been a while since I’ve last written, but that’s what happens during midterms time and the pre-spring break week. On another note, I was able to create a few designs and launch a store on CafePress (http://www.cafepress.com/bewhatyouwant), but I’m here to talk about another move for your core.

One of the most effective, and yet simple exercises for your core is the bicycle, when done correctly. When done correctly, this exercise creates a total core workout, targeting the lower back, obliques, and upper/lower abs. So what’s the right way to do this?

Lie down on your back and bring your knees up as if you are going to do a regular crunch. Put your hands behind your ears or on your neck (but do not pull on your neck when executing the exercise) with your elbows sticking out to the sides.

Move as if you are doing a crunch while bringing your left leg knee to your chest, straightening out the right leg, and bringing the right elbow to the left knee that is close to your chest. Then move your legs as if riding a bicycle and do the same thing with the other leg. The key to getting this right is to completely straighten the one leg and not just flop your legs around when doing the “cycling” part of the exercise. Straightening the legs challenges the core more, and there is constant tension in the core, making this a great exercise.

When you get the movement down you can create a variation of this exercise by adding weight.

Enjoy! More posts coming soon…spring break is next week

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