6 Moves in 6 Minutes (or less!) Core Blast

Check out our acpcorefit channel on You Tube for an amazing 'CORE BLAST' consisting of 6 moves to target the core, midsection, glutes and postural muscles. This circuit may be done as many as 3-4 times through for a more intense fitness workout. Have fun sweating! Let me know how you make out. -Tina

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT0_bVm6auA

New Blog Site

For those of you who are clients of ours following this site, please note that we have a new blog site that is geared specifically to our clientele. Please visit this blog at corefit.acprehab.ca or visit our website at www.acprehab.ca and follow the link to our CoreFit blog. Available for viewing now on this site is our '6 Moves in 6 Minutes (or less!) Core Blast.

The same exercise videos, nutrition information, recipes, injury prevention tips, etc. will be available via both blogs. However, the blog linked to our website will also include internal announcements about classes, fundraising events, new staff, etc.

Thanks to all!
Tina

Think Pink Week

It is Think Pink Week across the country! An annual event to help raise breast cancer awareness and funds for research and early detection. Please visit www.cbcf.org to learn more about breast cancer and how you can help create a future without it!

FIVE STEPS TO BEING BREAST AWARE

1. 
   Know how your breasts normally look and feel.
2. 
   Know what changes to look for.
3. 
   Look and feel for changes.
4. 
   Report any changes to a doctor.
5. 
   Go for a free mammogram if you are of the appropriate age, or if recommended by a doctor. By finding breast abnormalities in the early stages, mammograms can save lives. Women at the appropriate age can get a free mammogram through their regional breast screening program.

The 'Dead Bug'

The Dead Bug: A great Beginner-Intermediate Core Exercise

Start: Begin by lying on your back with belly button drawn slightly in toward your spine and internal and lower abdominal musculature contracted. Lift legs such that hips and knees are bent at a 90 degree angle. Lift arms such that straight up from shoulder at 90 degrees.

(as demonstrated by the lovely 'CoreFit' Lacey)

Movement: Extend 1 arm overhead and opposite leg outward, taking the hand and foot away from one another. Maintain abdominal contraction throughout the movement and be sure to keep the back aligned on the floor. Return to start position repeat with alternate arm and leg. Complete 20 repetitions.

Variations:

Beginner: Extend only the arms overhead one at a time followed by only the legs one at a time. (Please note that the further you extend the leg, the more physically demanding and challenging the exercise-do not go beyond your maximum). When you have become stronger and proficient at this, you may then extend the opposite arm and leg away from one another as above.

Advanced: Do this same movement with your body on the BOSU ball (lower back vs. the Ball).

Watch for a more 'Athletic' Core Exercise next week!

Believe In Your Own Success

Believe in your own success. More importantly, ALLOW yourself to succeed!

So often I work with individuals who have committed time and money to achieving a result, but they often give so much to everyone and everything else in their lives, they feel guilty (whether consciously or subconsiously) allowing themselves to actually succeed in this venture. Believing in yourself and allowing yourself to succeed is the best step you can take in moving foward in your journey to a healthier, fitter you!

"It is better to believe then to disbelieve; in so doing you bring everything to the realm of possibility." -Albert Einstein

Being Active Together

The absolute BEST thing you can do for someone you care about is to help them be more active! If you have someone if your life who needs to improve their health invite them to participate in an activity with you that you will both enjoy. For example: take your mom to a beginner yoga class, hit the trails with your sister, hit the golf course with your dad, join a group exercise class with your best friend, enlist an exercise coach for yourself and your spouse...the ideas are endless!

Most importantly, if you have children be sure to set the stage for an active lifestyle. Be an example to your kids by being active yourself and by engaging in family activity. Not only will you and your children be physically healthier, you will be a closer knit unit as a result of your active time together.

Taking an Active Role in Your Therapy

Time and time again I encounter clients who have been willingly participating in various therapies to alleviate pain and correct a physical pathology causing said pain. The problem in many of these cases is that the client continues to see a practitioner without always understanding the underlying problem.

This is why it is this Athletic Therapist's opinion that our most important role as a physical health practitioner is to educate the client on what is happening with that individual's body. So what you need to do as a client is to ask your physical health practitioner(s): "What can I do for myself to help my body heal?". In many cases one can continue to attend therapy appointment after therapy appointment, but unless an individual takes an active role in their healing, this person will continue to need these appointments and 'corrections' of the body.

An analogy put forth to me by a colleague and osteopathic student is the following. The body is like an electrical circuit and the spine is like the panel. You may have your osteopath, your chiropractor, your physiotherapist, your athletic therapist, etc. do mobilizations to 're-set' the 'breakers' or the spinal segments in this electrical panel. But continuing to do so without addressing the problems in the circuit (the body) will eventually wear that breaker down and cause the whole system to set fire. I.e. pain and dysfunction.

The take home message: find out what you can do for yourself to correct the faults in the system such that what your health practitioner does for you will maintain and you will move better and feel better :)

Going Live

Hi! Just wanted to post a message so that you can see I am here and will be keeping this blog site current from this point forward. I hadn't sent out the official 'invite' since this site's creation. As of today I will be letting everyone know about this site and hopefully many of you will join as followers to receive lots of great information about health and fitness.

May this be a FANTASTICALLY FIT day for you! :)

Getting Max Results in Minimal Workout Time

Finding time to workout is always one of our biggest challenges. This is why it is key to select FUNCTIONAL, multi-plane, multi-joint exercises and incorporate these with bursts of cardio when only working out 3-4x/week. Examples of great exercises would be a forward lunge combined with an overhead press, a push-up with a mountain climber worked in, or a woodchopper with a dumbbell. This will take care of our musculoskeletal system. But challenging our cardiovascular system with bursts of intense cardio will ensure that our heart and lungs are in good shape too. This will improve metabolism, body composition and maybe surprisingly-endurance as well. And after all, our heart and lungs are the most important muscles we have. Without them we couldn't use the conscious efforts of our brain to think about reasons we should or should not workout... :)

Welcome

Welcome to ACP Rehab's official blog site! This site will contain tips on core fitness, strength & conditioning, injury prevention and healthy eating. Please log on often to stay informed in an effort to reach your optimal state of physical health and fitness.