Tips From a Trainer

Every week we will post a new “tip from a trainer,” courtesy of Robert Geter.

Tip #5 Athletic Walking Technique

When walking for aerobic exercise keep your body upright and tall.  Do not lean or bend forward.  Keep your ears over your shoulders and hips, and your chin parallel to the ground.  Look forward about 20 feet in front of you.  Your shoulders should be down and relaxed.  Swing your arms naturally from your shoulders with a 90o bend in your elbows.  Your arms should move forward and back, not side to side.  When taking steps strike the ground with your heel close to the front of your body, roll through the step onto your toe, bring the back leg forward, and repeat.  Like your arms, your hips should move front to back, not side to side.  When walking uphill or downhill shorten your steps and lean forward slightly to keep your balance.  To walk faster quicken your pace do not take longer steps.  For more information, contact me at robertgeter@verizon.net.

Tip #4 Warm-up

A warm-up is a pre-exercise activity designed to prepare your body and mind for the effort to follow.  You should first spend a few minutes easing into your run with a brisk walk or slow jog.  Your objective should be to work up a light sweat.  After about five minutes or so, your muscles should be warm enough to stretch.  There are many ways to stretch your leg muscles.  I recommend the following because they are effective, and because they can be executed from a standing position, you will not need to sit on a wet or cold ground.

You should then stretch your hamstrings, quadriceps, calf muscles, and inner thighs.

• Hamstrings – While standing, position your feet under your shoulders, bending at the waist touch the ground with your fingertips.  Depending on your hamstring flexibility, you may need to move your feet further apart or closer together to feel a slight pull in the back of your legs.  Repeat the stretch on your other leg.
• Quadriceps – With your feet under your hips, shift your body weight to your left leg.  Bend your right knee back moving your right heel to your butt.  Reach back and grab the top of your right foot with your right hand.  You will feel a stretch in the front of your thigh.  Repeat the stretch on your other leg.
• Calves – To stretch your calf muscle shift your body weight to your left leg, without bending your knee lift your right leg about six inches off the ground and point your right toe up toward your right shin.  You will feel a stretch in your right calf. Repeat the stretch on your other leg.
• Groin – To stretch your inner thigh muscles stand wide, with your feet under your shoulders, toes pointed out.  Squat down and place your elbows on the inside of your knees.  Press out with your elbows until you feel a slight pull in your upper, inner thigh.

Hold each stretch for approximately 15 seconds and repeat.  For more information, contact me at robertgeter@verizon.net.

Robert Geter NSCA-CPT

Tip #3 Athletic Shoes

In preparation for the Azalea Classic, you should consider investing in appropriate athletic shoes.  The type of athletic shoe your purchase should fit not only the sport or activities in which you spend most of your time, but also your foot type.  There are 5 foot types: flat feet, high arches, neutral, overpronators, and supinators.  If you participate in multiple sports or activities, consider a multipurpose shoe like a cross trainer.  If your primary exercise is running, you should purchase running shoes and replace them after every 350 to 500 miles of running, depending upon factors like your weight and running style.  Purchase your shoes from a store that specializes in athletic footwear and ask the salesperson to evaluate your foot type and possibly running style.  For more information, contact me at robertgeter@verizon.net.

Robert Geter NSCA-CPT

Tip #2 February 21, 2010

Exercising in the Cold

If you intend to train for the Azalea Classic by walking or jogging outdoors in the cold, you should do a few things to stay safe and warm.  First, do not exercise in dangerous weather conditions, (e.g. wind chill factor -20o F).  Second, dress in layered cold weather gear to keep your body dry and warm.  Your aim should be to prevent the loss of body heat by wearing clothing that traps air next to your body but allows sweat to pass through.  Third, keep your head covered and your hands, and feet warm.  To prevent heat loss from your head wear a hat.  When your body is cold, blood will be shunted away from your hands and feet to the center of your body to keep your internal organs warm.  When your torso temperature returns to normal blood will return to your hands and feet.  To prevent tissue damage when exercising in the cold wear a hat, gloves, appropriate footwear, and layers of clothing.  For more information, contact me at robertgeter@verizon.net.

Robert Geter NSCA-CPT

Tip #1 February 10, 2010

Doctor’s Approval to Exercise

Even though almost everyone can do some type of exercise, people with existing conditions and risk factors should check with a doctor before becoming more physically active.  If you are between age 15 and 69, answer yes to one or more of the questions below, taken from the participant activity questionnaire (PAR-Q), you should consult a physician before becoming more physically active.

• Has your doctor ever said that you have a heart condition and that you should only do physical activity recommended by a doctor?
• Do you feel pain in your chest when you do physical activity?
• In the past month, have you had chest pain when you were not doing physical activity?
• Do you lose your balance because of dizziness or do you ever lose consciousness?
• Do you have a bone or joint problem (for example, back, knee or hip) that could be made worse by a change in your physical activity?
• Is your doctor currently prescribing drugs (for example, water pills) for your blood pressure or heart condition?
• Do you know of any other reason why you should not do physical activity?

Once you have your doctor’s approval you are ready to begin preparing for the Azalea Classic.  Following your doctor’s advice, you should start slowly and build up gradually.  If you are unsure of exactly how to structure a progressive walking or running program, consider hiring a personal trainer.  For more information, contact me at robertgeter@verizon.net.

Robert Geter NSCA-CPT

Robert Geter NSCA-CPT

Robert Geter Fitness offers client-site group and personal fitness services to individuals, groups, and employers/employees in the Baltimore-Washington area.  Services provided by Robert Geter Fitness Associates include: Aerobics classes, Boot Camp sessions, Dance-based fitness classes, Personal Training, Pilates, Wellness Consulting, Salsa dancing, Weight Management coaching, Yoga, and Zumba.  For more information, contact Robert Geter at robertgeter@verizon.net.