214-736-9365 info@electwellness.com
Stay in the Game: Injury Prevention Tips for Fitness

Stay in the Game: Injury Prevention Tips for Fitness

Injury Prevention for Fitness

Hitting the gym, pounding the pavement, or dominating the yoga mat – we all love that post-workout feeling. But injuries can sideline even the most dedicated fitness enthusiast, putting a halt to progress and dampening our spirits.

Fear not! By incorporating smart prevention strategies into your routine, you can significantly reduce your risk of injury and stay on track to achieving your goals. Here are some key tips to keep in mind:

Warm Up and Cool Down:

Think of your warm-up as priming your engine for action. Gentle movements like dynamic stretches and light cardio get your blood flowing, loosen up your muscles, and juice the joiints for the workout ahead. Similarly, a cool-down with static stretches helps your body unwind, preventing muscle soreness and reducing the risk of injury.

Address Imbalances:

Uneven workload on the joints can lead to a variety of injuries. By strengthening the weaker muscles and stretching the tighter ones, you distribute the workload more evenly, reducing the risk of compensation patterns and subsequent injuries.

Perfect Your Form:

It’s tempting to grab the heaviest weights or crank up the intensity, but proper form is paramount. Sacrificing form for weight or speed is a recipe for disaster. Focus on controlled movements, engaging the correct muscle groups, and maintaining good posture throughout each exercise. Don’t hesitate to ask a trainer for guidance if you’re unsure about the technique.

Listen to Your Body:

Your body is a finely tuned instrument, and it will tell you when something’s off. Don’t ignore pain or discomfort. Pushing through pain can lead to serious injuries. Take rest days when needed, modify exercises if necessary, and don’t be afraid to scale back the intensity if you’re feeling drained.

Fuel Your Fitness:

Your body needs the right fuel to perform at its best and recover properly. Eat a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. Stay hydrated throughout the day, especially before, during, and after your workouts.

Rest and Recover:

Recovery is just as important as the workout itself. Give your muscles time to repair and rebuild by scheduling rest days into your routine. Adequate sleep is also crucial for overall health and injury prevention. Aim for 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night.

Gear Up:

Invest in proper fitting shoes and clothing designed for your specific activity. Worn-out shoes or ill-fitting gear can contribute to injuries. Replace your running shoes regularly and choose supportive garments that allow for freedom of movement.

Listen to the Pros:

Seek guidance from a qualified personal trainer, especially if you’re new to exercise or have a history of injuries. They can help you design a safe and effective workout program tailored to your individual needs and fitness level.

Listen to Your Doctor:

If you have any pre-existing medical conditions, consult your doctor before starting any new exercise program. They can advise you on appropriate activities and potential risks to consider.

By incorporating these injury prevention tips into your fitness routine, you can minimize your risk of getting sidelined and stay on track to achieving your fitness goals. Remember, consistency and smart training are key to long-term success and enjoyment. So, lace up your sneakers, grab your water bottle, and get ready to conquer your workouts – safely and effectively!

Bonus Tip:

Track your progress! Monitoring your workouts and noting any changes in your body’s response can help you identify potential issues early on and adjust your routine accordingly.

Staying injury-free allows you to enjoy the many benefits of fitness and training, from improved physical health and mental well-being to increased energy levels and boosted confidence. So, prioritize prevention, listen to your body, and train smart – your body will thank you for it!

Happy training!

10 Tips for a Healthier Workplace

10 Tips for a Healthier Workplace

Men walking in office

In our fast-paced and often sedentary work environments, maintaining good health can be a challenge. However, creating a healthier workplace is not only possible but also essential for the wellbeing and productivity of employees.

An increased focus on health and wellness in the workplace has shown to im In this article, we’ll explore ten practical tips to foster a healthier, more vibrant workplace for everyone.

  1. Encourage Regular Physical Activity – Promote physical activity among employees by providing on-site fitness facilities, organizing group workouts, or encouraging short breaks for stretching and walking. Physical activity can boost energy levels and reduce the negative effects of a sedentary work life.
  2. Ergonomic Workstations – Ensure that workstations are ergonomically designed to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal problems. Properly adjusted chairs, desks, and computer monitors can make a significant difference in employee comfort and health.
  3. Healthy Snacking Options – Stock the workplace kitchen with a variety of healthy snacks like fresh fruits, nuts, and yogurt. Encourage employees to make nutritious choices by making these options readily available.
  4. Offer Standing Desks – Standing desks allow employees to alternate between sitting and standing during the workday. This reduces the negative impact of prolonged sitting on health and can improve posture.
  5. Mental Health Support – Provide resources and support for mental health, such as access to counseling services and stress management workshops. A supportive environment for emotional wellbeing can lead to more content and productive employees.
  6. Hydration Stations – Encourage employees to stay hydrated by offering water stations with clean, filtered water. Proper hydration is essential for overall health and can help improve concentration and energy levels.
  7. Promote Healthy Meetings – Encourage walking meetings or provide healthy snacks instead of sugary treats during meetings. This fosters a culture of wellness and mindfulness during work gatherings.
  8. Prioritize Breaks – Employees should take regular breaks to rest their eyes, stretch, and relax. This helps prevent burnout, reduces stress, and increases overall work satisfaction.
  9. Health Challenges and Incentives – Organize health challenges and incentive programs, such as step-count competitions or wellness rewards. These initiatives can motivate employees to stay active and make healthier choices.
  10. Set the Example – Leading by example can create a culture where health and wellbeing are valued and embraced throughout the organization.

A healthier workplace benefits both employees and employers. By implementing these ten tips, you can create an environment that promotes physical and mental wellbeing, fosters productivity, and helps employees achieve a better work-life balance. Remember that the investment in a healthier workplace leads to happier, more engaged employees and ultimately, a more successful and thriving organization.

Want to Be Stronger? Start Drinking.

Want to Be Stronger? Start Drinking.

water filling a glass cup

Slight dehydration, just 1.5% of your total body mass, can inhibit max strength by 6%.

Did you know that water can make you stronger? A whopping 70% of your muscle tissue is water. If that isn’t a dead giveaway of water’s importance on strength, I’ll share a few more insights.

One study that looked at the effects of water on strength output found that, in a slightly dehydrated state, a shortage of only 1.5% of your total body mass, you can only lift 94% of your maximum.

Now, that may not seem like a huge decrease at first, but let’s explore what that means. In an intense 45-minute workout, the amount of reps you can do with any given weight is directly proportional to your 1-rep max in the movement.

Everyone is a little different, but for example, if one’s dumbbell military press 1-rep max is 60 lbs in each hand, then they can likely do 15 reps with 40 lb dumbbells. If the 1-rep max (120 total pounds) is reduced by 6% to 112.5 lbs due to slight dehydration, they have to reduce the weight to 32 lbs per hand to get the reps. That’s a reduced work output of 16 total pounds per set.

Over 3 working sets, that’s 48 fewer pounds hoisted. Now that’s just one exercise. Over a 12-exercise full body workout, for example, with that being the average weight (not unreasonable considering the demands of squats/deadlifts/chest press, rows etc), that’s 576 pounds NOT lifted!

That makes a big different in total work output, a big difference in total calories burned, a big difference maximum strength gained, and a big difference in excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (or EPOC – the “after-burn” effect that can continue for 24-48 hours).

So stay hydrated, maximize your exercise sessions, get leaner, get stronger, and get it all faster.

Staying hydrated is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to maximizing your strength and performance. Strength training itself offers a wealth of benefits that extend far beyond the gym, improving everything from functional movements to posture and even bone health. If you’re curious about how lifting weights can enhance your daily life, check out How Strength Training Helps You Beyond the Gym for a deeper dive into the practical advantages of strength training.

8 Tips To Increase Your Testosterone

8 Tips To Increase Your Testosterone

personal training client performing bicep curl

We lose a little testosterone as we age, and it’s reflected in a body that becomes a lot tougher to keep lean and mean than it was in our twenties.

Sure, you can take illegal or dangerous shortcuts with pills or injections from your local doctor or gym-rat dealer and grow your muscles at the expense of your … well you get the point. But what if there was a way to NATURALLY increase your testosterone without anything but POSITIVE side effects?

Alas, science has shown that there IS such a way. In fact, here are eight of them for you:

1. Run sprints instead of marathons. Yep, sorry to break it to you. I know everyone is disappointed that they need to quit marathon training now after learning this, but what can you do … science is science. When it comes to running, the manliest men go really fast, and then rest. Chronic long-distance endurance training actually limits testosterone. But sprinting increases it. Perhaps this begins to explain the look of the sprinter’s body vs the marathoners. You’ve watched the Olympics. Which one do you want to look like? Keep in mind, however, that running 100 meters at a marathoner’s pace will not yield the results you seek. If you are going to rely on sprints, you better actually sprint (and you may need to jog for a bit first for safety’s sake).

2. Lift heavy instead of lite. If your workout routine looks like your wife’s group exercise class, good luck getting a large testosterone boost. Once your joints are up to the task, you need to seriously overload those muscles. You’ll not only get stronger faster, you’ll also get leaner, in large part due to the nice testosterone increase that heavy lifting yields. So grab the bigger dumbbells and force yourself into failure at a lower rep. Sure, it’s going to take more focus and effort, but when you look in the mirror a month from now, you’ll be glad you put in the work (be sure to safely work your way up to heavy).

3. Allow yourself a little rest between sets. That’s some seriously good news, considering you are going to be lifting a lot heavier now, isn’t it? Researchers have found that enough rest to attack the next set allows for a better mind-muscle connection, fuller recruitment of muscle fibers, more intensity, and more testosterone release. But don’t get it twisted. 60-120 seconds of rest is more than enough. Getting distracted by talking on the phone or watching TV for 5 minutes yields quite a different result than pausing to reflect on what you just lifted, and gearing up to conquer another big hoist. In fact, even simply alternating muscles groups instead of complete rest can give much of the benefit.

4. Improve your stress response. Notice I didn’t say to eliminate stress in your life. That’s unrealistic. And even if it were possible, you’d then be a worthless bum. Instead, focus on how YOU interpret and respond to stress. The same events or circumstances can affect 2 people entirely differently. One person can fall apart while the other marches on strong. Why is that? Because one has learned how to handle it and one hasn’t. How you handle stress in your life will have a large impact on your testosterone levels. When things challenge you, reflect on your priorities and be thankful for what you have and what you have already achieved. Remind yourself of how you got through previous struggles and know that you will handle the current situation too. No need to freak out and lower testosterone.

5. Avoid estrogen-mimicking obesagens like soy, artificial flavors & colors, heated plastics, canned tomatoes, etc. I’ve talked about these before. Remember the men that actually grew breast tissue after working in the plastics factory for years? This stuff is serious. Eat real food, and you’ll avoid a lot of these pitfalls. Don’t live on microwavable meals in soft plastic containers. Don’t drink from water bottles left out in the sun. Buy your tomatoes in glass jars, not tin cans. And don’t try to lose weight with fake, hundred-calorie snacks filled with synthetic preservatives. Finally, though avoiding dairy milk can have its benefits, don’t replace it with estrogenic soy milk. At least step it up to almond, and organic almond milk isn’t a bad choice considering all the random companies jumping on that bandwagon now.

6. Train the large muscle groups of your legs. There are some photos floating around the internet that I suggest doing a search for if you want a good laugh. With statements like “friends don’t let friends skip leg day,” plastered over guys at the gym with massive chests and shoulders teetering on top of toothpick legs that would embarrass even your anorexic niece – they make a great point. For too long, guys obsessed with the size of their biceps have neglected the largest muscle surface area of the body – the legs. At the end of the day, if you want a massive testosterone boost, train (what should be) the most powerful part of your body – the lower half.

7. Lose estrogen-holding body fat. Yes, I know that’s kind of your goal with this whole testosterone increase thing, but hear me out. It goes both ways. If you exercise a bit more and eat a bit less, stimulating the shedding of body fat from your frame, you will lower your estrogen levels and make room for more testosterone. You see, bodyfat stores estrogen, and then estrogen calls for the storage of more bodyfat. It’s a terrible cycle of increasing softness. If you can man up (pardon the pun), grit your teeth, and force the beginning of change through good old self-discipline, it will help you get your hormones back on your side. Then it will get easier with time.

8. Get plenty of deep sleep. Easier said than done, right? In spite of your challenges to getting your 8 hours, here are some tips: focus on time in bed with eyes closed – the part you can control. Don’t stress about how well you are or aren’t sleeping. That just makes it worse. Keep a schedule for the brain to get used to, and keep the room dark and devoid of electronic devices (as much as possible). If you hate your mattress or pillow, don’t be afraid to spend money to change them. That’s one area where you will definitely get a return on investment when you get it right.

5 Reasons Your Knees Hurt, and How to Fix the Pain

5 Reasons Your Knees Hurt, and How to Fix the Pain

Over 200,000 people a month search google for information on knee pain. Needless to to say, it’s a common problem. You may be surprised, however, to learn that the knees are seldom to blame for the discomfort experienced. I’ve outlined 5 of the most common sources of knee pain below, and some ideas to correct the root causes.

how to fix knee pain

1) Far too much sitting

How does this affect your knees? You may wonder. I’ll explain. Your gluteus maximus is the antagonist to your hip flexors, the muscles that lift your knees upward toward your torso. As you sit on your glutes, they relax and lose tone, much like pressure point massage therapy. The hip flexors, on the other hand, get extremely short and tight with long periods of sitting, because of the 90* angle between your femurs (upper leg bones) and torso. This creates unnatural pulling and twisting forces when you do try to stand up, walk, jog, run, squat, or jump. Please note, I didn’t say they are too strong, just too short. They should be at least strong enough to do a full set of sit-ups or knee raises. But they need to be worked and/or stretched through a full range of motion, which includes hip extension. Walking is tremendous for accomplishing this, as one femur extends behind the torso as the other reaches forward for the next step. Strengthening the glute maximus muscles with exercises like lunges, hip bridges, and donkey kicks will help create tone in the glutes that will produce a constant gentle lengthening of the hip flexors.

2) No lateral hip strength

This is a big one, and it’s very common. When we were younger, we did jumping jacks, played foursquare and hopscotch, roller skated and swam, among other sports and activities. We actually moved our legs side to side! That strengthened a group of muscles called our abductors, which connect the outside of our hips to our upper legs. When we were younger, strong hip abductors kept our femurs (upper leg bones) from caving in toward each other. These days though, too many of us have lost that lateral hip strength, and therefore suffer knee pain due to misalignment of the bottom of our femurs with the top of our tibias (shin bones.) What was supposed to be a smooth-operating hinge joint has now become an uncomfortable mess of clicking, grinding, catching, and pinching. It’s not simply bad cartilage, old age, or too much weight. Those may be small contributing factors, but they don’t excuse a legitimate postural dysfunction. I promise you – the path that returns you to pain-free days with be filled with lateral strengthening movements like lying and standing side leg raises, hip hikes, single leg stands, side planks, and resistance band side steps. Keep in mind – if you let the foot rotate outward during these exercises, you will severely limit he effectiveness of the movements and fail to help yourself. So be sure to keep the angle of your feet parallel to each other throughout every exercise.

3) Shoes are too small

This is an all-too common mistake. People often decide whether or not a shoe fits based on the amount of room left in the toe while standing. That’s actually the least important aspect. It’s much more vital to make sure you match your arch length, and have enough room in the forefoot to move and splay your toes, including that neglected little toe. If you are going to use the foot-measuring device, make sure you measure both feet, and use the inside slide to measure your arch length as opposed to looking at total foot length. Many of us have lost some of the arch over time, resulting in a longer foot – but we are still trying to wear the size we wore 15 years ago! Give those toes room – lateral room. They help balance you and keep your knee aligned properly.

4) Externally rotated femurs

If we allow ourselves to become less coordinated and less athletic year after year, we will start to compensate for our lack of strength and balance with an altered gait. What do I mean? Visit a mall and just watch people walk for a while. You will see that we are starting look more like waddling penguins than gliding humans. Our legs and toes are turned out. Instead of simply moving forward, we end up fighting the other half of our body. The right side takes a step toward the right. The left side takes a step toward the left. Yet our goal is straight ahead! What a waste of time and energy. More concerning, however, is that this puts added stress on the knees. Both the toes and the knees should be pointed in the direction we are trying to move. Sometimes, just one femur is rotated. This can actually be caused by “toe-out” driving for long periods, where the heel stays under the brake but the toes are out over the gas pedal. This can add up if you spend a lot of time behind the wheel. If you are going to be on the gas for a while anyway, try moving your heel over underneath the toes. You’ll feel your femur internally rotate back towards normal, and your knee may be better for it. It’s a good idea to check yourself for symmetry e wry now and then, especially on road trips.

5) An unlevel pelvis

Perhaps you sleep on the same side every single night. Maybe when driving, you always lean into the center console. Or it could be you always carry a heavy briefcase or purse on the same shoulder. Any and all of these could add up over time to shorten the distance between your lower ribs and your hip bone on one side versus the other. We have 2 quadratus lumborum muscles that complete this connection – one on each side. If the right muscle is much shorter and tighter than the left muscle, the hips will be unlevel, often resulting in a short leg. (fyi, sometimes the shoulders and neck take the hit instead) This will add stress to the knees – sometimes the one on the “short” leg, sometimes the one on the “long” leg. Remember though, the problem is really in the core. The knees are just displaying the symptoms. Try sleeping on the other side, carrying your bag on the other shoulder, and/or leaning the other direction in your car for a while. Be sure to incorporate core exercises in your workouts, and challenge both sides with equal force. Stretching both sides with equal distance is another good idea. With equal force and distance, the weak side will eventually catch up to the strong side. Furthermore, total strength, balance, and flexibility will increase, making you less likely to develop the postural dysfunction again when doing necessary daily activities like sleeping in bed, carrying items, or driving your car.

So don’t be disheartened if you’ve been led to believe that irreversible damage in your knee joint is the cause of your problems and pain. The often thrown around “bone on bone” idea is VERY seldom true. If you can bend or extend your knee at all, you are likely not “bone on bone,” no matter what you’ve been told. And even if you’ve experienced some cartilage damage, your body can regenerate it given healthy alignment, exercise, and nutrition. You have cells called chondrocytes, and the pumping action that MOVEMENT and pressure creates actually stimulates the production of cartilage. As you can see, sitting around because you have knee pain only makes things worse. Take action, but take safe and smart action to begin your healing and strengthening journey. Contact us if you need or want help making it happen!

And if knee pain isn’t the only discomfort you’re dealing with, you might want to take a closer look at your feet—plantar fasciitis is another common issue that can throw off your movement patterns and contribute to pain higher up the chain.

10 Secrets to Soaring Self-Control

10 Secrets to Soaring Self-Control

wrapping string around hand

Research shows that self-control, or willpower, is an essential tool for success in any long-term endeavor that involves the accumulation and execution of particular habits. Improving one’s health and fitness is no exception. So how can we harness more of it? How can we leverage and grow the willpower necessary to overcome the urges and impulses that threaten to derail us off the track to our goals?

1) Wait

I can’t stress how powerful this trick is. The next time a derailing urge hits you, instead of gritting your teeth and immediately fighting back, try simply giving yourself 15 minutes before acting on the urge. Commit to nothing more than waiting that long. You’d be amazed how many urges completely subside with a little time.

2) Snack

Eating frequently actually helps you eat better. When we go too long between meals, our blood sugar drops, our brains fatigue, and the signal to eat a little something grows into a craving to consume everything. So snack early and often on healthy, natural foods and watch your ability to turn down large unhealthy meals improve considerably.

3) Forgive

It may sound strange, but this is a big one. You must realize that nobody has perfect self-control. No one is even close. So don’t expect it of yourself. You are going to mess up and give into some temptation along the way. Failing to forgive yourself will only develop anger that will ruin your relationship with food and start a vicious cycle of self-destruction. Just like failing to forgive someone else only hurts you, failing to forgive yourself can hurt you even more.

4) Sleep

Ever notice how efficient and productive a day is after a great night’s sleep? It’s in part due to a higher level of self-control. Our ability to overcome distractions and temptations is escalated with sleep. Going to bed is step number one in eating clean.

5) Practice

Self-control is a muscle that must be trained. Leverage any small situation where you find an urge is present, and use it to intentionally restrict yourself to some degree. Conversely, when you would rather not do something, even if skipping it would be rather inconsequential, try forcing yourself to go through with the action anyway. You’ll be glad you trained your self control when the moment of real need arises.

6) Exercise

Research shows that exercise’ improvement in blood flow, oxygenation of the brain, elevation of electrical activity, and secretion of hormones all contribute to heightened self control. The sense of achievement provides a winning mentality that can flow into our diets. Yes, exercise can increase hunger, but it’s easier to reach for the right stuff because we’ve done it.

7) Reflect

This strategy can take a variety of forms. Meditation and/or daily devotion has been proven to increase self-control. So has church. Spending a moment at least each week, or better yet – each day – on your spiritual side, can give you the power you need to act in congruence with your long-term goals, rather than short-term impulses. Even reading a book that provides a new perspective can cause you to step back long enough to re-evaluate your current habits, and act intentionally to change them for the better.

8) Drink

Your body is about 70% water, but your brain nears 90% water. Just like a lack of food and sleep can cloud decision-making abilities and self-control, so too does a lack of water. If you know your lean body mass, aim for 70% of that number in ounces of water per day. If you don’t know your lean body mass, aim for 1/2 your body weight in ounces per day. A well-watered brain is a well-tempered brain.

9) Replace

This is a cornerstone of self-control. The ability to avoid doing something you really don’t want to do often hinges on your ability to find something else to do in its place. For example, if you always find yourself overeating from 9-10pm, try scheduling game time with a friend or spouse during that period instead. Try to pre-determine alternate courses of action for particular urges. Ones that give you a similar feeling of reward are best.

10) Talk

It may sound weak or corny, but reaching out to an appointed accountability partner at the “time of temptation,” whether it be a friend or coach, is a great way to keep yourself on track. Sometimes we just need someone to either talk us away from a particular anti-goal action, or talk us into taking a particular pro-goal action. Ironically, making yourself this vulnerable is often the key to making yourself that strong.