Do You Have a “Bad Back”?

It is not uncommon for people to experience low back pain sometime in their life.  However, because the human body is so complex, the problem area is generally not where the pain seems to point.  Unless you have disc herniation or fractures it is important to look at other areas of the body to reduce the low back pain.  It is important to understand the function of the low back, or lumbar spine.  Physical Therapist, Gray Cook, promotes the Joint By Joint Theory.  This theory states that joints alternate between mobility and stability as their primary functions.  The lumbar spine primarily serves as a set of stability joints. The thoracic spine (upper back) and the hips are joints that are meant to provide mobility.  When these joints are no longer as mobile as they should be then stress is placed on the low back and core stability is compromised. The low back muscles tend to be overactive and overworked because the glutes, hamstrings and abs are not being used efficiently.  Often times we are not using our glutes therefore the hamstrings are working overtime. Not only do we need to focus on increasing our mobility in hips and thoracic spine, but we also need to work on core stability. You can’t work on one and not the other or else the problems will persist.  Here are some suggestions on exercises you can perform to increase mobility and stability:

Mobility:

-Use foam roller or lacrosse ball on glutes and hamstrings

-Pinwheel or Pigeon Stretch

-Foam roll upper back

-Bretzel Stretch

Stability:

-Planks

-Deadbugs

-Birddog

-Leg Lowering

If you are experiencing a “Bad Back” talk to the coaches at GFNH so that we can help you determine the best exercise to promote mobility, stability and function.

-Coach Erin

Ski, Skate, and Shred Seminar

Winter is right around the corner; while this may not be the best way to start this announcement off…it is indeed the case!  With that comes all the activities that can make winters in New England awesome! That’s why Coach Adam and Get Fit NH will be offering a 6 week Ski, Skate, and Shred class!  This class will be aimed at helping to create balance, and other forms of dynamic strength and stability that are aimed specifically towards winter sports.  

The smaller class size will enable use to implore different techniques, exercises, and patterns than in a large group setting.  These will be aimed at making you as prepared as possible for winter activities. Some of the things we will be working on will aim to:

• Create more balance on your skis.

• More control and body differentiation.

• Single leg stability and strength.

• Active mobility increases in order to remain strong in these positions

• Increases in lateral power

• Core strength and control

• Learning how to absorb and control larger forces

• ^ An absolute MUST for anyone who skis or boards on anything that is not totally flat terrain, especially those of you who like woods or glade skiing. 

I have skied and skated for most of my life and that along with the principles that will be implored in this class will help you to have your strongest season yet.  While also helping drastically decrease your risk of injury when you do get outside in the coming months. 

Here are the details:

• Where: Get Fit NH

• When: Saturday mornings from 8-9am

• How long: 6 weeks beginning Saturday November 9th

• With the exception of the weekend after Thanksgiving

• No Class will be held 11/30/19, the final 3 weeks will resume the following Saturday morning (12/7/19). 

• Who can join: Anyone, Get Fit NH clients and non-clients are both welcome to join us!

• Cost: $139 for the entire 6 week class.

• (Alternate arrangements can be made if you know ahead of time you will be away for multiple classes)

First thing I want you to do is to think about all of your best and worst days in training, I am sure you can vividly remember both of them! I am sure there are days where you lifted more weight than you ever thought you could and felt on top of the world, and there were probably days where everything felt terrible. These type of days happen here and there but what is usually forgotten is all the days inbetween. I like to call those days the medium days. 

Medium days are those days where things may not have been fantastic and you crushed the world, but they also weren't terrible and everything felt wrong. You came in to training, did the work you needed to, moved your body, and went home feel.... well ok. You may not have felt the most motivated that day but still wanted to com train because you know you should, and it was just another training day.

I am a big believer that these medium days are the magic that moves us towards our goals and what we want. I would bet that in all your training days you have had more medium days versus great/terrible days, you just tend to remember the other days more! Everyone talks about needing more motivation to reach their goals when in reality its consistency that will help accomplish them. Consistency will also help you get motivation since you are taking steps in the right direction.

The medium days are the train tracks to your goals, with bad days being little hills that may slow you down a bit and fantastic days being a downhill making you go faster! Either way the consistently going in to those medium days are so important and if it is every a day where you just feel ehh... that's ok! The important thing is you made it, you're moving, and your body is so happy for those medium days! 

Keep Making It Happen!

-Coach Brian

I’m sure you have heard your coaches say, “squeeze those glutes” or “pinch your back” during training. This is to help you focus on the muscles that we want you to contract during a specific workout. The more we can focus mentally on the action we are performing and which muscles groups we are using, the more effective our workouts can be. This can be referred to as mind-muscle connection, or MMC for short.

Research shows that consciously focusing on the target muscle as it works through a full range of motion can help recruit a greater percentage of muscle fibers to “fire up”. Just by doing this alone you can get and feel a better contraction of your muscles. Which in turn can greatly enhance your muscle development during your training. This is why it’s important to try and not let yourself just “go through the motions” of an exercise. Otherwise, we can lose out on maximizing the potential for muscle growth.

 To improve your mind-muscle connection, really try to feel your muscles contract every single rep. For example, when doing band hammer curls. As you work through the concentric contraction of the workout, (lifting the band up towards your shoulders), really concentrate on your biceps pulling the band up. Once you get to the isometric contraction, (when your at the top of your motion and you’re holding the band up by the shoulders), really squeeze and flex your biceps and hold that tension for a quick second. Then control the band as you lower it down towards your legs.

You will notice a distinct difference when performing your reps this way. The same can be said for every exercise you perform while working out this way. Feel free to try it out the next time you come in to train. The mind is a powerful thing.

-Coach Dylan 

What is self-control?

Self-control is defined as the ability to manage your actions, feelings and emotions. It is important for us to understand and practice self-control in our lives. This can help us cope with certain emotions and feelings, as well as help control our actions. Preventing us from saying or doing something we know we will regret, or the regret of not doing something at all. By practicing self-control, we can improve our health and quality of life. Both physically and mentally. 

I didn’t understand the significance of self-control until my senior year in high school. I was always a very active individual who played sports, basketball in particular. But a quarter of the way through my season, I sprained my knee and tore my meniscus. I couldn’t walk and was on crutches for about 3 months while I went through surgery and physical therapy. For me, it was the most difficult time in my life.

Not being able to do the things I once could was hard for me to cope with. It was even harder mentally for me, as I didn’t want to be viewed as a handicap or someone who was vulnerable. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized I was vulnerable. I realized that it was ok to receive someone’s help from time to time. That’s when I started to change my mentality about my situation. 

Rather than be upset about my condition and what I couldn’t control, I started to focus on what I could control. That was my attitude, I wasn’t gonna let my injury bring me down and I needed to be more positive as I recovered. For my physical therapy, I was limited. But I focused on what I could do, no matter how small or simple the exercise. Some nights I would just lie in bed trying to fire up my leg muscles. It wasn’t much, but I knew I was working towards my long-term goal. Over time, I got stronger and was back to my active self. I gained a new perspective from my injury, and I believe I am stronger because of it. As I learned to focus more on what I can control rather than what I can’t control. 

The same can be said for you when it comes to your own health and fitness. Learn to practice self-control, so you can better understand your feelings and actions and how to handle them to benefit yourself. Whether that’s practicing healthier eating habits. Or making sure you make it to training, even though you are tired. Once you stop saying “I can’t” and start saying “I can” you will start to notice the positive impact it can have. It’s your life, take control of it.

-Coach Dylan