JACK LALANNE, APOLO OHNO, DR. DANIEL AMEN – Part 1

THREE INCREDIBLE PEOPLE, THREE INCREDIBLE LIFE STORIES

By Monika Tarkowska-Carter, CPT, LWMC, HLC 2

Jack LaLanne's wife, Elaine with me at the IDEA World Fitness Convention

 Recently, I attended the biggest annual event in the fitness industry – the IDEA World Fitness Convention, in Los Angeles. I have been a fan of the convention for many years, with its amazing array of lectures, workshops and workouts, as well as a large scale expo showcasing everything new and hot in the fitness world.

IDEA Health and Fitness Association will be celebrating its 30-th anniversary next year. I am proud to be a member of the organization that has helped bring the status of health and fitness professionals of every specialty to a completely new and higher level. The organization has 55,000 members worldwide and 5000 of them were present at the recent convention. It is not only inspiring to see so many like-minded people under one roof, but more than anything, it is uplifting and heartwarming to see that so many people of all ages, from all over the world, are committed to spreading the word about health through exercise. Now, more than ever before, the world needs us, as obesity epidemic, as well diabetes, heart disease and other lifestyle related diseases, have reached alarming proportions.

“INSPIRE THE WORLD TO FITNESS” is the recent initiative undertaken by IDEA. It has met with great enthusiasm on the part of all of us who see the devastating results of the health crisis worldwide. Each year, during a special keynote address, the organization honors individuals who, in some special way, have inspired the world to fitness and health. This year, IDEA bestowed an inaugural Jack LaLanne Award, though posthumously, to Jack LaLanne for introducing the country to weight training and helping to spread the knowledge about the importance of regular physical activity.

JACK LALANNE was 97 years old when he died of complications from pneumonia. His sudden death came almost as a shock since he was always a symbol of eternal health and longevity. A sickly teenager, who lived on a diet of sweets,  in rather poor health, whose doctors did not predict a long life, was so inspired by a lecture by one of the famous nutritionists of the 1930-ies, Paul Bragg that he changed his diet almost instantaneously and started working out on a regular basis. Within a short period of time, he realized that his life had changed forever. The incredible strength, vigor and energy, and almost inhuman acts of endurance he became known for, were well documented by the US and world media for many years. He was the first person to have an exercise show on TV. He opened the first real weight training gym in Northern California. He was the one to develop many of the exercise machines currently used in health clubs. He was a spokes person for healthy nutrition and daily exercise, often before doctors knew much about either one. In the early years, many of them spoke furiously against him and his recommendations. He was the one to prove, year after year, that one’s age doesn’t matter when it comes to working out – whether you are young or old, a man or a woman. He showed that exercise, and especially strength training, has amazing anti-aging benefits: being old doesn’t have to mean being weak, sick, and dependant. He set out to prove, by his own example, that if one pays attention to good nutrition and takes care of one’s body, one can remain youthful, energetic, and full of stamina well into the 90-ies and beyond. He worked out every day in the early morning to remain in great condition until his death. His contribution to the health of Americans (and most likely many other people around the world who had heard of him), has been enormous.

Jack’s wife Elaine accepted the award on his behalf. At 85 years old, she is one vibrant and spunky lady. After giving her acceptance speech and sharing some jokes and interesting stories about Jack, she dropped on the floor and started doing push-ups to standing ovation from the audience.

 Jack LaLanne will always remain a symbol of health and, one might say, immortality. But in my mind, more than anything, he will remain a symbol of inner strength and strong motivation it takes to make the decision to be healthy. All of us are capable of it, yet so few of us chose this path. It is not easy, and sometimes requires sacrifices, but in the end it can bring everlasting rewards.

If all of us take care of our own health, there will be so much less suffering in the world; fewer diseases and debilitating conditions; less money spent on health care; more quality time to spend with our families and friends; and more time to enjoy life for all it has to offer.

YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR OWN HEALTH. YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE DECISION TO BE HEALTHY. YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO IT. NOW IS YOUR CHANCE.

 The story of Apolo Ohno – an Olympic athlete with zero regrets – coming in the next blog post.

SIMPLE EXERCISE TIPS TO STRENGTHEN, TIGHTEN AND TONE

MY RECENT INTERVIEW FOR BRENTWOOD PATCH.COM

http://brentwood.patch.com/articles/simple-exercise-tips-to-strengthen-tighten-and-tone?ncid=M255

WHAT IS THE BEST EXERCISE FOR: ABS, BUTT, TRICEPS, ETC.?

FROM THE SERIES “ASK THE TRAINER”

By Monika Tarkowska-Carter, CPT, LWMC, HLC 2

There is really no ONE best exercise for a particular muscle group. There are some exercises that are better, because they work a particular muscle through the full range of motion and some that assure the highest stimulation of all muscle fibers. However, to truly give any muscle a nice, well defined shape, you have to work it in many different ways and especially at many different angles, choosing exercises that will use all the functions of the muscle in question.

Also, performing exercises that require a high level of stabilization can be very helpful in getting toned in a nice, even way, because you will be incorporating many different muscles around the one you are trying to work, and therefore getting a better challenge overall.

For more challenging exercise ideas, please visit my You Tube channel: PersonalTrainer90049.

TOTAL ABS AND CORE - Part 1 and 2

GET ROCK HARD ABS AND SUPER STRONG CORE WITH THESE ADVANCED MOVES THAT WILL CHALLENGE YOUR WHOLE BODY

By Monika Tarkowska-Carter, CPT, LWMC, HLC 2

These two videos show different variations on exercises for abdominals using the stability ball. In Part 1 I talk about the simpler exercises that most people know, adding slight variations to make them more challenging. Part 2 consists mostly of more advanced exercises. The ball is used here to challenge balance and core stabilization to a higher degree.

Make sure to do at least a 5-10 minute warm-up before beginning any exercises.

Do the level of exercises that fits your ability. Perform them slowly and correctly, through the full range of motion if you can. Make sure your abdominals are contracted at the very beginning and at the end of the movement.  Your lower back should never be sinking down or be overarched. Your butt shouldn’t stick up into the air, unless you have back problems, in which case to protect it, you might want to lift your butt a little bit higher than the straight line.

Start with 1-2 sets of 12 and build up to 15-20 repetitions and up to 3 sets OR do 1 set of different exercises to work the abdominal muscle fibers in many different angles and positions. No matter how effective the exercise or how much you like it, it’s always good to vary your routine. Your muscles get used to the same movement and are not pushed enough if you are doing the same exercise over and over. That’s when you experience plateaus. You will see results faster this way and the routine will be less boring.

Some of these exercises don’t look as hard as they actually are. If performed slowly and correctly you will see how your whole body will feel the burn. You are using a lot of muscles to stabilize the holding positions as well as other muscles to help you with the movement itself. In Part 2, you will particularly feel your shoulders, scapular stabilizers, triceps, lower back, glutes, legs, inner thigh muscles, and of course all the abdominal muscles.

You may want to have a spotter for some of the more advanced exercises, especially at the beginning, until you get used to them, and are sure you are doing them correctly. It is sometimes good to have someone else’s feedback because it’s hard to see your form in some of these advanced moves.

Please, always consult a physician before starting any exercise program.