HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN APP FOR CHEAP

Are you a trainer? Therapist? Or fitness professional?  If you've been in the field for long enough, I'm sure you have a Facebook, Twitter, blogger or Instagram account. Social media is part of our lives and there are great tools for putting yourself out there. My latest adventure involves making an app. I found the "APPER" app easy and relatively cheap to make. The yearly cost is 50$/year or 6$/month. It took me an hour or two to play with the template and get interesting results. Here is the results of my test trial...

GET THE MOBILE APP. And the best part it's FREE!

IT'S a QUICK an EASY APP TO USE: http://samurai99.igenapps.com/stretchingsamurai

THE 80/20 RULE AND GETTING YOUR DREAM BODY

We all love cheat days and im sure everybody has their own idea of what a cheat day looks like. A friend of mine is a bodybuilder and his favorite cheat is banana-chocolat pancakes with candies on top(ANY!!!!) .

The reason for this blog is to remind you to treat yourseld once in a while. I have nothing against determination & ambition but its good to reward yourself sometimes. In most cases, people never get to their goals because they forget to use the 80/20 rule. Its a simple rule: 80% of the time, stick to your diet and exercise regiment & 20% of the time, feel free to indulge yourself.  For me, sunday is a good day for a cheat meal or like many, have a few beers! So, for all of you that likes a cold one, here is a list of Beers by menshealth magazine you have to try!

http://thebestlist.menshealth.com/node/1587

HOW TO BE CREATIVE IN YOUR TRAINING

Tip of the day: In life and in training you must always be creative. Always think outside of the box. Here is a good example: A few year ago, I broke my wrist (styloid fracture) and ended up in a cast for 3 month. My sport doctor said to move my fingers everyday and prevent stiffness and atrophy.What was my rehab? ...Guitar Hero(lol) !

I played 3 songs a day and got actually good at the game. They asked me what i did to rehab it because when they took off the cast, my wrist was in amazing shape! When i told him how i did it, he didn't believe me!

Well just shows that a little imagination goes a long way! So never be afraid of trying new things.

EXTREME PUSHUPS - CALISTHENICS with Edouard ''The Pushup Magician'' Archer

THE REAL DEAL/TRUTH - HOW MUCH MONEY YOUTUBERS MAKE : WHAT YOU WILL NEED!

AN EASY WAY TO ACTIVATE THE VMO!

Here is a tip to activate the VMO in people that are quad dominant. This tip was given to me by Bob McAtee.Take a can of coffee and put it under your knee. Then do the extension that is available while pressing on the inner thigh close to your knee cap, 2sets of 15 reps. Beware if you have hypermobility locking you knee at full extension may NOT be a good idea! With more stability in your knee, squat away...

MOTRIN OR ADVIL? WORTH THE MONEY or HEALTH HAZARD?

Im sure all of us have at one point & time has taken Motrin or Advil but what do we really know about them? At the C.H.E.K institute they recommend to take Cod Liver oil. Its been known to have the same effects as Motrin or Advil but in a natural state. Also today, Here's an article by Bob McAtee on the subject that will surprise you! How sure are you of the benefits of anti-inflammatory drugs? A must read :

http://massagemag.com/massage-blog/massage-art-science/2011/02/24/nsaids-interfere-with-tissue-healing/

HOW TO AVOID BACK PAIN FOR EVERYONE WITH OFFICE JOBS

Tip of the day: The most common injury today is lower back pain. Sitting on a chair has been proven to increase spinal compression by 40%. In Primal Patterns, just performing 1 or 2 sets of squats with no weight during your day is an excellent way to decompress the spine and keep your spine with the ability to rotate and stay healthy. Another way is to incline your chair in a +/- 5 degree tilt while respecting your posture.If your chair cannot tilt, just buy a Sitfit or a dynadisc.

GOOD FATS AND HOW THEY REACT TO HEAT

How well do you know your Cooking oils? How do they react to heat in order to stay healthy?

Well here is how much heat to use when cooking with them:

1- No Heat (up to 120 F) ; flax,Borage,Cod liver oil.
2-Low Heat (up to 212 F);Sunflower,Safflower,Pumpkin oil.
3-Medium Heat (up to 325 F); Sesame,Olive, Hazelnut oil.
4-High Heat (375 F); Coconut, Ghee, Palm, Lard.

What is your favorite?

PROGRESSIONS & REGRESSIONS OF LUNGES

Are you bored with your training program? Well, here is a way to spice up your workout and have multi levels of stimulations that starts from low to high. Its called descending & ascending of Primal Patterns. Here is an example: Lunges

1-Smith machine
2-Both arm support.    "DESCENDING"
3-Single Arm support
-------------------------------
LUNGES
-------------------------------
4-Walking
5-Jumping                     "ASCENDING"
6-Wobble Board Lunges

 This can be done with any exercise and there you have it... 6 progressions to the lunge.

IO HAWK - 2 WHEEL SELF BALANCING SCOOTER: THE BEST SHOES FOR YOUR HOVERB...

TABATA INTERVALS BODY PART TRAINING : ACTIVE RECOVERY FOR THE PARASYMPATHETIC SYSTEM?

Welcome to all! I'm sure that everybody knows the benefits of tabata interval training. The principle is actually simple, 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest for 4 minutes. Lately, I have been experimenting with this technique on how my body reacts to shorter workouts due to a high physiological loading of my everyday life.

Like a lot of people, I work around the clock getting very little sleep and reached severe levels of adrenal gland fatigue. One of the first steps is using Active Recovery. By reducing your workouts to 60% of intensity and volume, one can slowly allow your body to recover and make the training sessions parasympathetic to your body.

The big challenge of trainers today with cases such as myself is always the ability to keep the client interested & motivated in their training sessions. How could one be goal oriented and still have amazing results with a modified short Tabata training sessions? Here are the two rules i use to get results and feel i accomplished something in my workout.

1- I never go to failiure on any of my sets and use open and closed chained movements.
2- I make myself a 4  day split program workout using bodypart training principles of bodybuilding.

Example 1: My chest workout was an open/closed chain program using 2 exercises :

- Close grip press with neutral grip on a vicore bench
- Pushups on the Powerplate machine

Example 2: My Back workout was an open/closed chain program using 2 exercises :

- Trap bar Deadlifts
- Seated Rows on hammer strength machine

Of course these are only examples but these can be tweaked to include a bicep on back day and a triceps on chest day. Which i do for a pump!

Nevertheless, i never feel drained  and still feel like i got a decent workout. Now combine this with stretching and zone exercises and you got yourself a cool little program.

TUDOR BOMPA'S QUICK TIP ON MUSCLE HYPERTROPHY

How to increase muscle mass by none other than Tudor Bompa! There are 2 types of muscle hypertrophy... 1 and 2. Hypertrophy one increases the diameter of the muscle fibers and hypertrophy 2, the length of the muscle fibers. So be sure to mix both in your training programs. Remember that no.1 is simply a set followed by a rest of 60 to 90sec.  No.2 is any Bodybuilding technique: Supersets, tri-sets, Drop sets etc..

RHYTHMIC STABILIZATION : A MUST IN ALL TRAINING PROGRAMS

I see a lot of people asking me why do i give my clients exercises with the "Bodyblade" ?  Simple, it is called the principles of Rhythmic Stabilization. The use of this type of exercise encourages optimal recruitment of agonist and antagonist simultaneously. Its also amazing to improve joint stability in sports that requires static and dynamic stability such as Surfing, Skiing and running.

Here is a few examples:

What does push ups on a bosu and kettlebell presses have in common? Probably the most important part of shoulder stability known today. It's called dynamic stability. It's one of the three components important to keep a shoulder healthy while strengthening the internal and external rotators cuff. There are two types of dynamic stability. You can have open chain movements and close chain movements. In this picture, push ups on a bosu is a great close chain movement and the kettlebell press, an open chain movement.

HOW SUGAR AFFECTS YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM

Hi everybody,i was wondering what to talk about in today`s article. Well In my life my biggest weakness has always been sugar. Let`s face it! its EVERYWHERE! And in a time when a lot of people are getting sick, sugar can be harder on your system than you think. Did you know that as little as 15gr of sugar can suppress the immune system for 4 hours! Now knowing this, imagine someone eating 60 pounds of sweet stuff a year! Yes, this is an average in the United States for most Americans.

Assessing trunk rotation just got easier!

MUSCLE INHIBITION OR UNBALANCED DIAPHRAGM?

Lately, I've been experimenting with inhibitory patterns while repositioning the upper and lower diaphragm. I usually do all my experiments on myself before trying it on my own clients.

Here is the situation : I've been doing some clinical testing on how short tonic muscles of the pelvis influence the condition of my lower back. Even after a total myokinetic repositioning, I have noticed that I still have some serious inhibitory patterns to solve due to tight iliotibial bands and possibly the psoas major on the right side.

The next step would be use facilitated stretching on these culprits. Once the pelvis is balanced, I have noticed that my body still has a contralateral rotation on the upper body. In modern posturology, this would be an indication of a malocclusion of my jaw. Which I do have and wear a mouthpiece "new age performance" to remediate the situation. So my next step would be to use some postural restoration of the upper diaphragm to fix the issue. Then like magic, my trunk rotation is now perfect and my IT band and lower back seems to be back to normal.

So the question is ... Should I stretch the short tonic muscles of my pelvis first after the myokinetic restoration of the lower body ? Or do a full diaphragm repositioning of the upper and lower body followed by facilitated stretching.

I guess I'll find out has the clinical testing continues in the following weeks!

So stay tuned...

AC JOINT IMPINGEMENTS: YOU ASK THE QUESTION, HERE IS THE ANSWER!

AC joint impingement frequently asked questions

TO VIEW THE VIDEO IN QUESTION SEE: https://youtu.be/2y5jWZbh4XI

Starvin Marvin
I've spent many years surfing and lifting weights, plus work an office job. So lots and lots of internal rotation. I've been focused on releasing internal rotators and strengthening external rotators and have seen huge improvement. In my case, would I need to incorporate internal rotation in? no more weights, but I do still surf when I can, so I get some internal rotation?

A-yes definitly! the subscapularis is the stabilizer of the front of the shoulder.....

Dean Morrissey
Hey man I have had pain in my front delt for almost a week now. I am a college student and have a terrible mattress and on top of that slept on my shoulder and it has not allowed me to lift. I also did a ton of pressing and i think that combined with lack of voume for my back may have messed me up a bit. Overall I have always have great shoulder health. Whats strange is I have done a ton of foam rolling and stretching and all and It feels painless for a while then goes back to hurting with any horizontal pressing. Can you please help me !!

A-To start off there is a lot of thing that can contribute to that pain. An AC joint impingement is often overuse and repeated movements that created impingements. Also in the same area there could be an Anterior labrum tear in the front of the shoulder. What improtant is to find out how and when it started to narrow it down. Example doing Db flys can create bursitis in the shoulder if someone goes too heavy and over stretches the gleno-humeral ligaments... please tell me if before the incident, you felt a twinge or someting that you found insignificant but could give me a clue of what might off contribited to that pain. retrace your steps and tell me any detail that could be pertinent ! thks waiting for news...

Prangan Duarah
Very nice video.. very helpful.. I would like to ask something abt my AC Joint seperation grade 3. I had a motorbike injury and seperated AC Joint 5 weeks back. Now I am having a dull pain. How to progress as per exercise prospects

A-That my friend is a compliacted problem. Sometime Grade 3 seperations may take up to 12 weeks to recover and may need surgery(most likely!). The first amd most impostant thing is bringing the inflammation down and having your arm in a sling may be needed to speed up recovery. Ask your doctor if surgery is needed & and once the sweeling settle down and the joint is stable, concentrate on soft tissue release and rehab. Keep me posted! i would like to know the diagnostic... Stay positive and don't rush it!

WANT TO KNOW MORE ... SEE THE COMMENT SECTION ON THE LINK!

TO VIEW ALL THE COMMENTS OF THE VIDEO SEE: https://youtu.be/2y5jWZbh4XI

IS YOUR THYROID DEFICIENT? HERE IS HOW TO FIND OUT!

Tip of the day: There are many ways to find out if your thyroid is deficient.Take an old thermometer and take your temperature when you wake up for 8-10min. Wait 30min, have breakfast and then re-take your temperature for 8-10min.Finally re-take temperature 3hours after breakfast.If your temperature stays the same, its deficient!

HOW TO PREVENT VARICOSE VEINS

Tip of the day: I see a lot of women getting treated for varicose veins.To fix the situation women will pay up to 100$ a shot to get rid of them. I believe that prevention is the key in most cases. In the end, all you need to do to prevent these veins is to fix the posture in question(Lowercross Syndrome) and strengthen the knees (hypermobility).So here is the solution: Stretch the hip abductors (It band and Tfl) and hip flexors(Psoas and Rectus Femoris),then perform some Box Step Ups for knee and hip stability.

FACILITATED STRETCHING by Robert McAtee , a must for all libraries

Tip of the day:Want an easy exercise to strengthen your rotator cuff? This one comes from Robert McAtee's book ''Facilitated Stretching''.This is also good for tendinitis or bursitis but always make sure to work in a pain free range of motion.Standing or sitting,hold your arms straight out in front at shoulder height,with thumbs pointing towards each other.Move your arms outward to 45 degrees and turn your thumbs down, and lower to your side.Repeat 8 to 10 times.Remember to use a slow to moderate tempo.To know more about the stretches before strengthening, I highly recommend ''Facilitated Stretching'' Third Edition or get the 4th Edition!

HICCUPS: HOW CAN I GET RID OF HICCUPS, BEST TRICK, CNS DISORDERS & CAUSES

AC JOINT IMPINGEMENT:PROBLEM SOLVING THROUGH POSTUROLOGY & PRI (PART 1) ...

FAT LOSS: BETTER IN a HEATED OR A COLD ENVIRONMENT?

Tip of the day: I love to read about new studies and research done on fat loss. What do we know about fat loss? Most of us rely on heat to lose weight but what if a mild cold was the key to success? In the 80's Weider Int'l published an article on Saunas and fat loss.Then a colleague of mine with Bachelors in Kinesiology told me that to burn fat you have to be in an aerobic state(in presence of oxygen!).So a sauna would be useless! Well ever heard of Brown fat cells? Its what happens when your sick and your body turns your body to a human inferno. As humans we have brown fat cells and this study demonstrated that our metabolism increases by 80% in a slightly cold environment.Its a fun article and if you are like me, it will have you wondering about the whole process.


http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/25/health/brown-fat-burns-ordinary-fat-study-finds.html?_r=1&smid=tw-nytimeshealth&seid=auto

GOOD FATS and NUTS... THE BEST CHOICES

Tip of the day: For todays tip,I am sure we all know the value of good essential fats in our daily requirement. I was reading this nutrition book yesterday and i saw an odd piece of information...I have learned the value of nuts depending on the protein content.This book classified them in order of most Alkaline to most Acidic! Interesting as my favorites and highest were named the most Acidic. So the conclusion is what do you need? More protein or to eat more Alkaline?

Nevertheless here are the best nuts with the highest Protein counts:
1-Walnut
2-Pumpkin
3-Peanuts

The most Alkaline:
1-Almonds
2-Cashews
3-Chestnuts
Remember to always eat them raw and Organic.

STRESS AND YOUR LIFESTYLE

Tip of the day:Their are many factors that influence stress in our bodies.Im sure you have been told at least once in your life that you need to relax.LOL easier said then done! We all have hectic lives and sometimes,it is not an option.So why not just look at the source of the problem.There are six factors that come into play.(Taken from Eat ,Move and be healthy;Paul Chek)

1-Physical Stress (Bad:Over-Exercising)
2-Chemical Stress (Bad:Too many Medical Drugs in your system)
3-Electromagnetic Stress (Bad:Too much use of , Cell phone,TV,Microwave)
4-Mental Stress (Bad:Being Rushed or taking on too much responsibility...)
5-Nutritional Stress (Bad:Food Preservatives or food colorings etc..)
6-Thermal Stress (Bad:Working in Cold or Hot Environments)

If you can recognize yourself in a few or all these listed above maybe you should cut down on the use or change your lifestyle ...1 goal at a time! One rule i have learned ''BE REALISTIC ''.

Oil of Oregano: MASK THAT AWFUL TASTE AND BURNING THROAT SENSATION & Dos...

GYM MEMBERSHIPS... WASTE OF MONEY?

Here is a nice statistic for you. Did you know that only one person on three will actually use their memberships this year? Yup 100% have a good resolutions but only 33% will follow through.When i worked at Energie Cardio, we had 1737 members and 600 used their  memberships.In the end, the gyms are the clear winners in this transaction. I got a great idea, let's make them work for you're hard earned cash and actually use the membership!The trick is simple, start small (30min/2-3X week) and increase as you get in a routine. Start with realistic goals! Make your money and efforts count!

THE DOWNFALL OF NAUTILUS MACHINES

Tip of the day:
 It is important NOT to fall in Pattern Overload. Briefly, If  you use the same machines repeatedly and lock your joints into a fixed pattern, the results will cause the body to recruit the same muscle fibers causing long term injuries. Remember that the body is designed to work in 3D, so avoid using the same movement (machines) too many times. You can add primal patterns to your training program like : a one arm cable push to your chest workout. Always be careful and prevent trauma to the same muscle tissue. All i am saying is that free range motions are essential!

WHAT was NEW IN FUNCTIONAL TRAINING APPARELS (2012)

Tip of the day:Well the Canfitpro was awesome.I made some new contacts and met some great trainers.I came to the convention this year with the intention of seeing where fitness was going. I was very surprised to see that everybody is going functional these day. Today, I wanted to review a few good products that came out that year.

1-VICORE: A company making training benches(Inclined,declined,Flat) but in bosu form. Interesting bench but the price that was a little steep as a bench will set you back (700 to 1200$)

2-Core Stix Fitness System:A product that uses a flat board surface(52pds) with an anchor system and bending rods that vary from (5pds to 60pds). This one will set you back 1400$ for the premium package.

3-Gyroboard:An amazing tool for testing balance and core in more ways than one. At a price of Around 250$,its a great tool and i am probably going to order one!

Now the Icing on the cake...

6- The SYNRG360 by LifeFitness:WOW now that is a tool.I would recommend for any gym serious about functional training. I do believe a picture is worth a thousand words.

www.lifefitnesscom/synrgy360

HOW TO PREVENT INJURIES IN THE GYM

Tip of the day: I am fortunate to work with a lot of athletes in ten different sports. When I teach my main concerns are always 1-Posture and 2- Proper form. One day,I was teaching a Bent over row to a student when at the same time, I had a football player using a more sport specific form for the same exercise. So he wondered why could he not use the same form? I told him that his position on the field requires him to work in same the pattern (EX. Offensive lineman). So the question is, ''when can you break form?''. I say the most strict of form(neutral spine) should always be used at the beginning. It takes 300 repetitions to learn a movement and retain the pattern. Then you could tweak it to more of a sport specific form. In the end,if you are not pursuing a sport or it is just for pleasure, then just remember that neutral spine in all exercise is the key to injury prevention.