HolidazeWritten by Deborah Caruana RN, MES, CPT
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Feeling good. Eyes wonder out to blanket of snow and everything feels safe and warm. The last place I would want to go is out into cold (‘reality’ I think). All is swell; until that transition day when you walk back into doors of your own home…. if you can fit. All good times, and intoxication are fading into never ever land. I look at myself in mirror and think “I did my duty”. Then dreamily go into a fond reverie….until I try on those tight jeans!!! It’s time to take action, I feel passionate again, my workouts are inspired. I’m like Rocky Balboa. Underdog to champion. As long as I try my best I am guaranteed results, I can only get better from here. It’s back to clean living and motorvation. More than anything I think it’s transitions that are harder than anything. Resisting surrendering to holidaze, then resisting leaving them. And it’s exactly this change that fuels fire within. Change, is like a breath of fresh air. The air causes a conflagration, of fire for inspiration.Deborah Caruana RN, AAHRFP, NASM, ACE email: deb@vitalsignsfitness.com web: www.vitalsignsfitness.com
DEBORAH is a highly respected authority in personal training for overall health and fitness, with more than 22 years of experience and success.
| | REAL PEOPLE, REAL SITUATIONSWritten by Deborah Caruana RN, MES, CPT
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There is a highly credentialed school of thought that advocates: "Every exercise, every movement and every activity you do is an abdominal exercise if you draw your belly button in and brace your abdominal muscles. Sit-ups and crunches waste your time and do not produce results." I personally believe that there is not one formula for all bodies. For those that have no lower back problems, ever, plus perfect balance, coordination and that conditioned response to pull navel in to spine, I say yes, you don’t need to do abs. But for us mere mortals who at times twist, bend and pull things (or children!)and forget to brace…well you still need to do your abs. Remember practice makes perfect and that bracing response at varying resistances and degrees is not innate but practiced. So based on this article I will let Jeanne be her own judge and in an informed way let her decide whether she needs to do her abs or not. PS. If she decides to not do them I will monitor carefully her balance, strength , coordination and lower back response and if I do see any signs of weakness I will discuss with her need to suffuse an ab workout intermittently. TWO WEEKS LATER Jeanne has since clarified that she doesn’t want muscle definition but most of all she doesn’t want any roundness of belly. So, we entirely ommitted crunches. By eliminating crunches and working abs through whole body movements and engaging twisting and bending movements her abs have flattened out entirely again. She has not lost balance, strength or coordination and her conditioned response is now to pull navel in and brace her abs. She will not have that 6 pack definition that is so sought after, but that is her personal choice. For myself personally and all clients who choose to do so I will continue to do crunches, coming up and working only to point where navel can stay in towards center of gravity(spine). If abdominals pop out at all belly will develop roundness, and that conditioned response to pulling in may be weakened. But isn’t it great to know that you can be working your abs all day long, in whatever you are doing, just brace them and pull in! Voila! Flat abs.Deborah Caruana RN, AAHRFP, NASM, ACE, www.vitalsignsfitness.com email deb@vitalsignsfitness.com
DEBORAH is a highly respected authority in personal training for overall health and fitness, with more than 22 years of experience and success.
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