Exercise | Mark Moxom

Exercise More Fun When Friends Join You, New Research Shows

by Jan Michael | Nov 8, 2013 | Exercise | 0 comments

If exercise isn’t your idea of fun, maybe you should invite some friends: A new study suggests people enjoy physical activity more when they’re with others, according to new research presented here on Tuesday (Nov. 5).

For the study, researchers asked 117 people ages 27 to 73 to carry small mobile phones with them for four days. Eight times a day, participants received a prompt on their phone that asked them what they were doing, who they were with, where they were, and if they were outdoors, how much “greenness” was in the area. They also ratedhow happy they were, and how much they were enjoying the activity they were doing.

About 84 people reported at least one bout of physical activity over the four days. [10 Fitness Apps: Which Is Best for Your Personality?]

Those doing physical activity were happier, and enjoyed the physical activity more, when they were with their spouse, friends or co-workers, compared with when they were alone, according to the findings. People also said they were happier when they were exercising outdoors in green areas.

If the findings are confirmed in future studies, researchers may be able to provide recommendations that encourage people not only to be active, but to participate with people and in places that help them to enjoy the activity more, said study researcher Genevieve Dunton, an assistant professor of research at the University of Southern California’s Department of Preventive Medicine. Studies show that people are more likely to repeat activities that they enjoy or find rewarding, and sustain them over the long-term, Dunton said.

Fast 5 Minute Cool Down and Stretching Workout for Busy People

by Jan Michael | Nov 7, 2013 | Exercise | 0 comments

Workout Details

When you workout you should always incorporate a warm up before and a cool down afterward. Warm ups are best for loosening and preparing cold muscles and joints for intense workouts but stretching moves (particularly non-dynamic, static stretches held for any period longer than 5-10 seconds) should be saved for after your workout is complete.

Coming in at under 5 minutes in length, this cool down was built especially for people with limited time for exercise – just because your schedule is tight doesn’t mean your body will forgive you for skipping warm ups and cool downs! These feel good stretches are enough to bring your heart rate down gradually and stretch out the muscles, without adding a significant amount of time to your overall exercise session.

Workout Structure

– Start with very light cardio to bring down the heart rate, then move into stretches for a wide variety of muscle groups
-15 Seconds per exercise or stretch
– Under 5 minutes in length, total
– You will need: an open wall

In this Routine:
Boxer Shuffle
Roundabout Toe Touch
Torso Twist
Shoulder Rolls
Arm Pull and Hip Flexor Stretch (Left and Right)
Wall Shoulder Stretch
Wall Chest Stretch (Left and Right)
Wide Toe Touch Stretch
Bent Over Quadricep Stretch (Left and Right)
Standing Glute Stretch (Left and Right)
Inside Thigh and Over Head Tricep Stretch (Left and Right)

Though it might be sometimes hard to justify taking the time to include the warm up and cool down portions of your workout, especially if your free time is limited, it’s an important part of your routine that’s not only good for the body and helpful in avoiding injuries, but also an important variable that allows you to push yourself harder and perform at a more intense level than if you tried to leave it out.

Watch the video here

Adventure To Fitness Offers Healthy Halloween Tips

by Jan Michael | Oct 31, 2013 | Exercise | 0 comments

On Halloween Eve, NYC-startup firm Adventure to Fitness has five “healthy Halloween tips” for kids and parents to keep in mind this year. The company’s popular series of educational fitness videos are now used by over 90,000 teachers in all 50 states.

“Halloween is the beginning of a generally less-healthy time of the year for kids and adults alike,” stated Michael Rhattigan, Chief Adventure Officer for Adventure to Fitness. “We understand the need for fun – it’s what our program is all about. We want communicate that there are some practical ways to stay healthy during Halloween and the upcoming holiday season that don’t interfere with the fun of the festivities.”

The company distributed the following 5 tips to the more than 8 million kids using the program, and encouraged industry leaders to deliver the message to their audiences as well.

Adventure to Fitness’s 5 Healthy Halloween Tips:

1. Make sure children always walk from house to house. They should never run. Always accompany children while they trick-or-treat, and make sure they wear reflective gear.

2. Do something active each day to counteract holiday treats and sedentary time. Even if the weather is poor, there are always activities you can do inside. Fun fitness videos are a great idea for kids.

The 3 Best Exercises for Shoulder Health

by Jan Michael | Oct 29, 2013 | Exercise | 0 comments

When you’ve been in the fitness industry for a considerable amount of time, it becomes very clear that shoulder-joint health is super important. I don’t know any active person that hasn’t suffered from either an official injury or at least discomfort in the neck and shoulder area.

Shoulders, or the joints associated with your shoulders, are amazing. You have so much mobility and move so dynamically in that area of your body. Stop and think about how many positions you can get your shoulders in compared to other joints. However, because the shoulder joint is so mobile, it sacrifices stability. This tradeoff means taking the time to strengthen your shoulders is paramount.

When I consider the shoulders in training programs, I approach them as part of the core. It’s very easy for people to become shortsighted and think that abs are the only part of the body that makes up the core. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Additionally, because one should always look at one’s body as a unit that wants to work together, one has to realize if he or she lacks shoulder stability or rotator cuff strength, he or she may also suffer from other weakness throughout the body. Believe it or not, poor posture caused by neglected shoulder-joint work can manifest itself through hip or back pain.

One fancy term used to describe how the shoulder joint works is scapulahumeral rhythm. This term is used because the scapula and the humerus, two major parts of the shoulder joint, move together in patterns to help joint actions occur. When the rotator cuff muscles are strong, they help support the shoulder joint by holding the head of the humerus tightly in the glenoid socket as the humerus moves. Furthermore, when the deltoids are strong your arms can move well when away from the body.

I’ve simplified a lot about the shoulder above. I don’t want this to become an anatomy lesson. There are actually many more tendons, ligaments, smaller joints and an array of connective tissue that play serious roles in all the movement and health of the shoulder joint. However, the point is simply to illustrate that the shoulder joint is complicated, often not trained properly and essential to core strength and overall health.

For me, training and working out are not just about looking better. Regular exercise should help you feel better and move better, too. A proper training program should help you to stay active and possibly even continue to play sports that you enjoyed in your youth.

With those thoughts in mind, I have listed here my go-to shoulder movements. Whether for strengthening or mobility, these exercises are a regular part of my programs. I use them myself and with all of my clients. Continue Reading

Exercise Could Help Kids Do Better In School

by Jan Michael | Oct 28, 2013 | Exercise, General Health | 0 comments

Want your teen to do well in school? Encouraging him or her to hit the gym (or track, court or pavement) could help, according to a new study.

Researchers from the University of Dundee, University of Bristol and University of Georgia found that the more time teens spend exercising, the better they tend to do on tests for English, math and science.

The study included data from 4,755 youths in the U.K., part of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, who were followed as they took national exams in English, math and science at ages 11, 13 and 15/16. Researchers took note of their amount of moderate to vigorous physical activity, which was monitored with accelerometers over a three-to-seven day period when they were age 11.

They found that the more active the child was at age 11, the greater their academic performance was during the tests in the following years. This held true even after taking into account other factors such as socioeconomic status, weight and the child’s puberty status.