Thursday, January 28, 2010
Public Health Nursing- Why I love it
Beth F. Lamanna, RN, WHNP, MPH, clinical assistant professor, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill School of Nursing, chair, Public Health Nursing Section of the American Public Health Association
Q: When did you decide to pursue nursing as a career and why?
A. When I was 16 years old, I attended Case Western Reserve University to pursue a five-year nursing program. After a semester, I switched my major and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. Still having the heart to pursue nursing, I returned to Cornell University School of Nursing to earn a Bachelor of Science in nursing. I believe my interest in public health benefited from my liberal arts education.
Q: What inspired you to become a public health nurse and how have you influenced or educated your community?
A. My strength lies in my ability to understand the social determinants of health and health’s impact on a community. Both of my parents were social anthropologists, so I understand the importance of individuals helping shape and define public health. After earning a master’s degree in public health nursing, I wanted to raise awareness of environmental health injustice with a concentration in lead testing.
Q: What advice would you offer to nurses interested in becoming a public health nurse?
A. Experience in community organizations and an appreciation for the dynamics of communities. A public health nurse can be a community leader if they focus on health concerns pertinent to the community. Since the nursing profession is very respected and trusted, public health nurses need to advocate on behalf of their communities for system and policy change.
Q. How has nursing impacted your life?
A. Public health nursing allows me to enlighten future nurses as an undergraduate faculty member, and be a health leader for my community. As a public health nurse, I have been given the opportunity to serve as the health policy fellow for the North Carolina Center for Nursing and chair of the Public Health Nursing Section of the APHA. Those positions have permitted me to promote system and policy change.
Public Health Nurses Care for a Community
When most nurses are focused on caring for a handful of individual patients, public health nurses are caring for an entire community. Through education, these nurses improve health and safety and increase access to care in the communities they serve.
Public health nurses often work for government agencies, non-profit groups, community health centers and other organizations that aim to improve health at a community level. The day-to-day tasks can vary, depending on the agency for which a nurse works. Some nurses travel to various communities all over the globe to help improve the health of individuals who have poor access to healthcare, while others work in their own community at the local health center.
“The key to being a successful public health nurse is being able to synthesize all available resources – including people as resources – when working within a community,” said Rita Lourie, RN, MSN, MPH, consultant, Department of Nursing at Temple University and faculty member, Thomas Edison State College.
Public health nurses follow similar educational requirements for other nurse specialties. They must earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing and become a registered nurse by passing the national NCLEX-RN exam. Certain management positions may require a graduate degree as well.
Those interested in the specialty can get practice by volunteering with a community group, home health provider or hospice organization. For those more interested in the policy side of the specialty, working with a health advocacy group is a good way to learn about public health issues.
“The pace tends to be much slower day to day compared to working in a hospital setting,” said Lourie. “Mable Morris, a now deceased public health nurse, put it well when she said, 'change in a critical care unit of a hospital takes seconds, but change in a community takes a decade!'”
For more insight into the different avenues available in public health nursing, visit Lourie’s public health nursing channel on YouTube. The channel contains more than 50 videos revealing the unique and inspiring faces of public health nursing.
For more information on a career in public health nursing, visit www.discovernursing.com.
Q: When did you decide to pursue nursing as a career and why?
A. When I was 16 years old, I attended Case Western Reserve University to pursue a five-year nursing program. After a semester, I switched my major and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. Still having the heart to pursue nursing, I returned to Cornell University School of Nursing to earn a Bachelor of Science in nursing. I believe my interest in public health benefited from my liberal arts education.
Q: What inspired you to become a public health nurse and how have you influenced or educated your community?
A. My strength lies in my ability to understand the social determinants of health and health’s impact on a community. Both of my parents were social anthropologists, so I understand the importance of individuals helping shape and define public health. After earning a master’s degree in public health nursing, I wanted to raise awareness of environmental health injustice with a concentration in lead testing.
Q: What advice would you offer to nurses interested in becoming a public health nurse?
A. Experience in community organizations and an appreciation for the dynamics of communities. A public health nurse can be a community leader if they focus on health concerns pertinent to the community. Since the nursing profession is very respected and trusted, public health nurses need to advocate on behalf of their communities for system and policy change.
Q. How has nursing impacted your life?
A. Public health nursing allows me to enlighten future nurses as an undergraduate faculty member, and be a health leader for my community. As a public health nurse, I have been given the opportunity to serve as the health policy fellow for the North Carolina Center for Nursing and chair of the Public Health Nursing Section of the APHA. Those positions have permitted me to promote system and policy change.
Public Health Nurses Care for a Community
When most nurses are focused on caring for a handful of individual patients, public health nurses are caring for an entire community. Through education, these nurses improve health and safety and increase access to care in the communities they serve.
Public health nurses often work for government agencies, non-profit groups, community health centers and other organizations that aim to improve health at a community level. The day-to-day tasks can vary, depending on the agency for which a nurse works. Some nurses travel to various communities all over the globe to help improve the health of individuals who have poor access to healthcare, while others work in their own community at the local health center.
“The key to being a successful public health nurse is being able to synthesize all available resources – including people as resources – when working within a community,” said Rita Lourie, RN, MSN, MPH, consultant, Department of Nursing at Temple University and faculty member, Thomas Edison State College.
Public health nurses follow similar educational requirements for other nurse specialties. They must earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing and become a registered nurse by passing the national NCLEX-RN exam. Certain management positions may require a graduate degree as well.
Those interested in the specialty can get practice by volunteering with a community group, home health provider or hospice organization. For those more interested in the policy side of the specialty, working with a health advocacy group is a good way to learn about public health issues.
“The pace tends to be much slower day to day compared to working in a hospital setting,” said Lourie. “Mable Morris, a now deceased public health nurse, put it well when she said, 'change in a critical care unit of a hospital takes seconds, but change in a community takes a decade!'”
For more insight into the different avenues available in public health nursing, visit Lourie’s public health nursing channel on YouTube. The channel contains more than 50 videos revealing the unique and inspiring faces of public health nursing.
For more information on a career in public health nursing, visit www.discovernursing.com.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
HEALTHY YUMMY RECIPES
Turkey pastrami Reuben
Ingredients
* 2 tbsp fat-free Thousand Island dressing
* 4 pieces rye bread
* 1/2 cup sauerkraut
* 1 1/2 slices lite Swiss cheese
* 6 oz turkey pastrami
Preparation
1. Place 3 ounces of turkey pastrami on a microwavable plate in the shape of the bread.
2. Microwave for 1 minute.
3. Toast 2 slices of rye bread while the turkey pastrami is heating up.
4. Place 1/4 cup of sauerkraut on top of the pastrami, and place it in the microwave for 40 seconds.
5. After it has cooked, place 1 1/2 slices of lite Swiss cheese on top.
6. Microwave for 1 minute.
7. Layer 2 tablespoons of lite Thousand Island dressing onto 2 slices of toasted rye bread.
8. Take the turkey pastrami out of the microwave, and place it on the toasted rye bread.
9. Top with the other piece of rye bread and serve.
TURKEY PASTA PRIMAVERA
Ingredients
* 8 oz fettuccine
* 1 cup broccoli florets
* 1 cup julienned carrots
* 1/2 cup red bell pepper
* 1 3/4 cup 2% milk
* 8 oz reduced-fat cream cheese
* 1/2 cup green onion
* 3/4 tsp Italian seasoning
* 1/4 tsp garlic powder
* 1/8 tsp pepper
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 2 cups cooked turkey
* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 1/4 cup flour
Preparation
1. Cook 8 ounces of fettuccine pasta as directed on package.
2. Add 1 cup of broccoli florets, 1 cup of julienned carrots, and 1/2 cup of diced red bell peppers to the water for the last 5 minutes of cooking.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, stir together 1/4 cup flour and1 3/4 cup of 2% milk over low heat. until smooth.
4. Cube 1 package of cream cheese, and add it to the mix.
5. Stir in 1/2 cup of chopped green onions, 3/4 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/8 teaspoon of pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
6. Cook for 2 minutes until cream cheese melts.
7. Place 2 cups of chopped turkey to the pan and 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese.
8. Drain pasta, then top with the turkey and cheese sauce.
TURKEY ENCHILADAS
Ingredients
* 4 cups cooked turkey
* 2 cups shredded Cheddar/Monterey Jack cheese blend
* 1 chopped onion
* 2 oz black olives
* 24 corn tortillas (6 inch)
* 1 can enchilada sauce (19 oz)
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Lightly grease 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
3. In a bowl, combine 4 cups of cooked turkey (chopped), 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese, 1 chopped onion, and 2 ounces of black olives.
4. Divide mixture between tortillas.
5. Roll 1/2 of the tortillas, and place them in the baking dish.
6. Spread 1/2 can of enchilada sauce over the top of the enchiladas.
7. Repeat the process for a second layer.
8. Top with the remaining 1/2 can of enchilada sauce and 1/2 cup of shredded cheese.
9. Bake for 20 minutes.
http://www.coreperformance.com/knowledge/recipes/turkey-pasta-primavera.html?utm_source=Publicaster&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Type%20an%20email%20subject%20line%20here...
Ingredients
* 2 tbsp fat-free Thousand Island dressing
* 4 pieces rye bread
* 1/2 cup sauerkraut
* 1 1/2 slices lite Swiss cheese
* 6 oz turkey pastrami
Preparation
1. Place 3 ounces of turkey pastrami on a microwavable plate in the shape of the bread.
2. Microwave for 1 minute.
3. Toast 2 slices of rye bread while the turkey pastrami is heating up.
4. Place 1/4 cup of sauerkraut on top of the pastrami, and place it in the microwave for 40 seconds.
5. After it has cooked, place 1 1/2 slices of lite Swiss cheese on top.
6. Microwave for 1 minute.
7. Layer 2 tablespoons of lite Thousand Island dressing onto 2 slices of toasted rye bread.
8. Take the turkey pastrami out of the microwave, and place it on the toasted rye bread.
9. Top with the other piece of rye bread and serve.
TURKEY PASTA PRIMAVERA
Ingredients
* 8 oz fettuccine
* 1 cup broccoli florets
* 1 cup julienned carrots
* 1/2 cup red bell pepper
* 1 3/4 cup 2% milk
* 8 oz reduced-fat cream cheese
* 1/2 cup green onion
* 3/4 tsp Italian seasoning
* 1/4 tsp garlic powder
* 1/8 tsp pepper
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 2 cups cooked turkey
* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 1/4 cup flour
Preparation
1. Cook 8 ounces of fettuccine pasta as directed on package.
2. Add 1 cup of broccoli florets, 1 cup of julienned carrots, and 1/2 cup of diced red bell peppers to the water for the last 5 minutes of cooking.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, stir together 1/4 cup flour and1 3/4 cup of 2% milk over low heat. until smooth.
4. Cube 1 package of cream cheese, and add it to the mix.
5. Stir in 1/2 cup of chopped green onions, 3/4 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/8 teaspoon of pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
6. Cook for 2 minutes until cream cheese melts.
7. Place 2 cups of chopped turkey to the pan and 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese.
8. Drain pasta, then top with the turkey and cheese sauce.
TURKEY ENCHILADAS
Ingredients
* 4 cups cooked turkey
* 2 cups shredded Cheddar/Monterey Jack cheese blend
* 1 chopped onion
* 2 oz black olives
* 24 corn tortillas (6 inch)
* 1 can enchilada sauce (19 oz)
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Lightly grease 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
3. In a bowl, combine 4 cups of cooked turkey (chopped), 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese, 1 chopped onion, and 2 ounces of black olives.
4. Divide mixture between tortillas.
5. Roll 1/2 of the tortillas, and place them in the baking dish.
6. Spread 1/2 can of enchilada sauce over the top of the enchiladas.
7. Repeat the process for a second layer.
8. Top with the remaining 1/2 can of enchilada sauce and 1/2 cup of shredded cheese.
9. Bake for 20 minutes.
http://www.coreperformance.com/knowledge/recipes/turkey-pasta-primavera.html?utm_source=Publicaster&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Type%20an%20email%20subject%20line%20here...
Monday, January 25, 2010
Maximize Your Workout!
By psquaredblog.com
As personal trainers, we are very strong believers of making time for exercise. It only needs to be 30 minutes a day, but those 30 minutes need to count. This doesn't mean you have to be panting and breathing so hard you think you are going to pass out. In fact, we don't recommend that :)
These are the key things we teach our clients to maximize their time in the gym with us and their workouts outside of the gym....
Do not try and do too much too soon. Enthusiasm is great, but doing too much weight or cardio too soon will just lead to injury. You will also get the "burned out" feeling and most likely want to quit before you even get started. Work your way into it gradually. Most important, listen to what your body is telling you...I'm tight, sore, achy, feeling great.
Not enough push. This means you're not doing enough weight or not picking up the pace on your cardio. Don't be afraid to increase your weights. This will increase your lean muscle mass, which is your 24/7 calorie burner. Women don't have the hormones men do to bulk up, so don't be afraid to leave those 5 lb dumbbells behind. You have to keep challenging the muscles by increasing the weight.
Incorrect form. Fatigue and distraction will lead to poor posture. Optimal form means pulling your abs in, keeping your pelvis from tilting forward or backward, pulling your shoulders back and keeping your chin slightly pulled in. Almost as if you were standing up against the wall. When doing cardio you should be able to maintain this form without rocking or bouncing up and down.
Improper breathing. Breathing allows oxygen to get to your muscles which improves your strength output. Take your breaths with each rep, focusing on exhaling during the lifting and inhaling when lowering the weight. During cardio your breathing should not be choppy, forced or irregular. You should be able to carry on a conversation and not gasping for air.
As personal trainers, we are very strong believers of making time for exercise. It only needs to be 30 minutes a day, but those 30 minutes need to count. This doesn't mean you have to be panting and breathing so hard you think you are going to pass out. In fact, we don't recommend that :)
These are the key things we teach our clients to maximize their time in the gym with us and their workouts outside of the gym....
Do not try and do too much too soon. Enthusiasm is great, but doing too much weight or cardio too soon will just lead to injury. You will also get the "burned out" feeling and most likely want to quit before you even get started. Work your way into it gradually. Most important, listen to what your body is telling you...I'm tight, sore, achy, feeling great.
Not enough push. This means you're not doing enough weight or not picking up the pace on your cardio. Don't be afraid to increase your weights. This will increase your lean muscle mass, which is your 24/7 calorie burner. Women don't have the hormones men do to bulk up, so don't be afraid to leave those 5 lb dumbbells behind. You have to keep challenging the muscles by increasing the weight.
Incorrect form. Fatigue and distraction will lead to poor posture. Optimal form means pulling your abs in, keeping your pelvis from tilting forward or backward, pulling your shoulders back and keeping your chin slightly pulled in. Almost as if you were standing up against the wall. When doing cardio you should be able to maintain this form without rocking or bouncing up and down.
Improper breathing. Breathing allows oxygen to get to your muscles which improves your strength output. Take your breaths with each rep, focusing on exhaling during the lifting and inhaling when lowering the weight. During cardio your breathing should not be choppy, forced or irregular. You should be able to carry on a conversation and not gasping for air.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Time Management = Life Management
By JB Glossinger
We've all been back and forth on all the various time management techniques that successful people use in order to grow and evolve no matter what their goals are. Lets now go over some of the motivating principles involved. Everyone has a time management goal, so what's the logic that many use to motivate? How do you avoid the barriers to personal growth?
1) Appreciation and Gratitude. Our time does not last forever and life is short. Each day wasted is one less day we have. Simple as that. Mindfulness and clarity.
2) "Time Is Money" - Benjamin Franklin.
I do not think this needs explanation.
3) How Much Time Are You Wasting? Now that we understand the value of time, how wisely or unwisely are we using it? Clarity with regard to your GOAL and efficiency with regard to your time management are vital to your success.
So find your clarity, organize your day and wake up at the crack of dawn. Time is wasting and so is your unbelievable talent, not matter what you do or what your goal is.
Inspiring quotes: “You don’t get to choose how you are going to die. Or when. You can only decide how you are going to live. Now.” - Joan Baez
“I shall pass through this life but once. Any good therefore that I can do, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it. For I shall never pass this way again”- Etienne de Grellet
We've all been back and forth on all the various time management techniques that successful people use in order to grow and evolve no matter what their goals are. Lets now go over some of the motivating principles involved. Everyone has a time management goal, so what's the logic that many use to motivate? How do you avoid the barriers to personal growth?
1) Appreciation and Gratitude. Our time does not last forever and life is short. Each day wasted is one less day we have. Simple as that. Mindfulness and clarity.
2) "Time Is Money" - Benjamin Franklin.
I do not think this needs explanation.
3) How Much Time Are You Wasting? Now that we understand the value of time, how wisely or unwisely are we using it? Clarity with regard to your GOAL and efficiency with regard to your time management are vital to your success.
So find your clarity, organize your day and wake up at the crack of dawn. Time is wasting and so is your unbelievable talent, not matter what you do or what your goal is.
Inspiring quotes: “You don’t get to choose how you are going to die. Or when. You can only decide how you are going to live. Now.” - Joan Baez
“I shall pass through this life but once. Any good therefore that I can do, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it. For I shall never pass this way again”- Etienne de Grellet
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Breathe Deep!
By: Paul Lederman
A nice long breath brings great health and transformation. It oxygenates the body ans nurtures the life force.
But living in constant rush and overactivity we are insensitive to the most beautiful gift jewel we carry inside of us. A nice long guided breath can improve productivity. A nice breath oxygenates, energizes and cleans our bodies. It clears our mind and helps to balance our emotions. It is preventive medicine. The immeasurable health effects of physical exercising, the pleasure of sex or the silence of meditation are all directly related to our breathing. Mindful breathing is a way toward self empowerment and conscious evolution.
One very important function of our breathing is hugely forgotten: it gives our body a healing massage from the inside. The movement of our diaphragme, which is the big breathing muscle in the center of our body, gives a constant massage to our inner organs in belly and chest. It cleanses them from waste, allows good circulation, oxygen supply and keeps us young and healthy.
The ayurvedic breathing technique known as PRANAYAMA is a very complimentary practice to your health.
Quote:
Our moments of inspiration are not lost though we have no particular poem to show for them; for those experiences have left an indelible impression, and we are ever and anon reminded of them. - Henry David Thoreau
A nice long breath brings great health and transformation. It oxygenates the body ans nurtures the life force.
But living in constant rush and overactivity we are insensitive to the most beautiful gift jewel we carry inside of us. A nice long guided breath can improve productivity. A nice breath oxygenates, energizes and cleans our bodies. It clears our mind and helps to balance our emotions. It is preventive medicine. The immeasurable health effects of physical exercising, the pleasure of sex or the silence of meditation are all directly related to our breathing. Mindful breathing is a way toward self empowerment and conscious evolution.
One very important function of our breathing is hugely forgotten: it gives our body a healing massage from the inside. The movement of our diaphragme, which is the big breathing muscle in the center of our body, gives a constant massage to our inner organs in belly and chest. It cleanses them from waste, allows good circulation, oxygen supply and keeps us young and healthy.
The ayurvedic breathing technique known as PRANAYAMA is a very complimentary practice to your health.
Quote:
Our moments of inspiration are not lost though we have no particular poem to show for them; for those experiences have left an indelible impression, and we are ever and anon reminded of them. - Henry David Thoreau
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
10 Ways to Get More Out of Training
By Scott Quill
Consider how many repetitions you typically do in a training session. If you perform a handful of exercises and a few sets of each move, you’re probably cranking out at least 200 or 300 reps. Now imagine the impact of improving the quality of each movement you make, while making every repetition more challenging. You’ll significantly increase the demand on your muscles and your metabolism. Simply put, you’ll get more quality work done in the same time and see better results.
1. Shrug Your Shoulders Down
When performing lat pulldowns, drawing your shoulder blades back and down can save your shoulders and focus your efforts more on your middle back muscles and latissimus dorsi, aka, your lats. Here’s another way to think about it, says Murphy: Shrug your shoulders down while pushing your chest up to initiate the movement. So before you sit on the bench, shrug your shoulders up and down a few times. Then sit down and grab the bar overhead. Keeping your arms straight, shrug your shoulders down and lift your chest while pulling the bar to your chest, then return to start. Continue this “reverse shrug” to initiate each repetition.
2. Push the floor Away From You
The classic pushup trains your upper body and core, but to train your muscles harder, think about pushing the floor away from you instead of simply trying to push yourself up off the floor, says Cosgrove. Push the floor down until your upper back rounds at the very top, then lower your body and repeat.
3. Lift With Your Toes
The dumbbell step-up is an effective way to train your glutes, but according to Cosgrove, a common mistake people make is pushing off primarily with their back leg instead of contracting their glutes and pushing off their front foot. Here's a trick to do it right: Start by placing one foot on the bench or box in front of you and the other foot on the floor, then lift the toes of your down foot so the front of your foot rises off the floor. Push hard into the bench with your front foot to straighten your front leg. By lifting your toes, you won’t be able to push off of your down foot, forcing your front leg and glutes to do the work.
4. Press Your Head Forward
When performing a shoulder press, push your head forward as you press the weight up, Murphy says. If you don’t press it forward, you’ll inevitable press it back. By keeping your head forward, your center of mass stays directly beneath the weight, allowing you to produce greater force. But this also reduces the likelihood of hyper-extending your back, which can cause pain and injury.
5. Use Physics to Your Advantage
If you can’t complete a single pushup, don’t bother doing one on your knees. A more effective “modified pushup” involves creating an incline with your body by placing your hands on a bench or chair. This reduces the amount of weight you need to press up, making it easier, but still allows you to extend your legs and brace your abs, which will result in a better workout for your pillar—all the muscles from your hips to your shoulders.
6. Don't Fear Back Soreness
It’s amazing how many people like the feeling of sore abs after a hard ab workout, says Cosgrove, but get scared if their lower back is sore. The muscles on your backside, including your rear shoulders, lower back, and glutes, are typically the weakest on people, which eventually result in poor posture and pain. So make sure you’re doing at least an equal amount of pulling movements compared to pushing movements, and mix some back extensions and glute bridges into your program.
7. Take a Swing at Fat
The kettle bell swing or dumbbell swing trains your whole lower body and can be used as a cardiovascular challenge when performed for time. For instance, try doing swings for 20 seconds, rest for 10, and repeat for 4 minutes. This technique, known as the Tabata protocol, has been shown to increase aerobic capacity more than 60 minutes of cardio. Here's how to do it: Stand holding a weight with both hands in front of your body. Push your butt back and bend your knees to lower your body into a squat. The weight should hang at about knee height. Keeping your biceps pinned against the outsides of your chest, stand up so the weight swings forward and up, then lower back down and continue this motion without pausing.
8. Ditch a Dumbbell
You can make an exercise more challenging with less weight. Don’t believe it? With a weight in each hand, try a standard dumbbell step-up—arms at your sides, one foot on the bench or box, step up, then down. Now put one dumbbell down and repeat. Harder to balance? Good. Now raise the weight to your shoulder and place your opposite foot on the bench. As you step up, push the weight overhead. Then reverse the move. Coined a “contralateral step-up,” this movement trains your shoulders and hips, while simultaneously challenging your core stabilization.
9. Rise Up
Whether you’re doing split squats or pushups, elevating a foot makes it more challenging, Cosgrove says. For a pushup, place your feet on a chair, bench, or physioball. For the split squat, place one foot straight back behind you on a bench and hop forward a few inches with your front foot. This is called a Bulgarian split squat and it’s a highly effective move for your glutes and quadriceps. Hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides and lower your hips straight down, then push back up to a standing position and repeat for a full complement of reps.
10. Go Heavier
Most people make the mistake of using weights that are too light when performing circuits, according to Murphy. Just because you’re moving swiftly from one movement to the next doesn’t mean you need to drop all the weight you typically lift. If your form breaks down, the weights are too heavy, but if you make it through the entire circuit with picture-perfect technique on every repetition, you’re not challenging your muscles and you’re cheating yourself out of results.
Consider how many repetitions you typically do in a training session. If you perform a handful of exercises and a few sets of each move, you’re probably cranking out at least 200 or 300 reps. Now imagine the impact of improving the quality of each movement you make, while making every repetition more challenging. You’ll significantly increase the demand on your muscles and your metabolism. Simply put, you’ll get more quality work done in the same time and see better results.
1. Shrug Your Shoulders Down
When performing lat pulldowns, drawing your shoulder blades back and down can save your shoulders and focus your efforts more on your middle back muscles and latissimus dorsi, aka, your lats. Here’s another way to think about it, says Murphy: Shrug your shoulders down while pushing your chest up to initiate the movement. So before you sit on the bench, shrug your shoulders up and down a few times. Then sit down and grab the bar overhead. Keeping your arms straight, shrug your shoulders down and lift your chest while pulling the bar to your chest, then return to start. Continue this “reverse shrug” to initiate each repetition.
2. Push the floor Away From You
The classic pushup trains your upper body and core, but to train your muscles harder, think about pushing the floor away from you instead of simply trying to push yourself up off the floor, says Cosgrove. Push the floor down until your upper back rounds at the very top, then lower your body and repeat.
3. Lift With Your Toes
The dumbbell step-up is an effective way to train your glutes, but according to Cosgrove, a common mistake people make is pushing off primarily with their back leg instead of contracting their glutes and pushing off their front foot. Here's a trick to do it right: Start by placing one foot on the bench or box in front of you and the other foot on the floor, then lift the toes of your down foot so the front of your foot rises off the floor. Push hard into the bench with your front foot to straighten your front leg. By lifting your toes, you won’t be able to push off of your down foot, forcing your front leg and glutes to do the work.
4. Press Your Head Forward
When performing a shoulder press, push your head forward as you press the weight up, Murphy says. If you don’t press it forward, you’ll inevitable press it back. By keeping your head forward, your center of mass stays directly beneath the weight, allowing you to produce greater force. But this also reduces the likelihood of hyper-extending your back, which can cause pain and injury.
5. Use Physics to Your Advantage
If you can’t complete a single pushup, don’t bother doing one on your knees. A more effective “modified pushup” involves creating an incline with your body by placing your hands on a bench or chair. This reduces the amount of weight you need to press up, making it easier, but still allows you to extend your legs and brace your abs, which will result in a better workout for your pillar—all the muscles from your hips to your shoulders.
6. Don't Fear Back Soreness
It’s amazing how many people like the feeling of sore abs after a hard ab workout, says Cosgrove, but get scared if their lower back is sore. The muscles on your backside, including your rear shoulders, lower back, and glutes, are typically the weakest on people, which eventually result in poor posture and pain. So make sure you’re doing at least an equal amount of pulling movements compared to pushing movements, and mix some back extensions and glute bridges into your program.
7. Take a Swing at Fat
The kettle bell swing or dumbbell swing trains your whole lower body and can be used as a cardiovascular challenge when performed for time. For instance, try doing swings for 20 seconds, rest for 10, and repeat for 4 minutes. This technique, known as the Tabata protocol, has been shown to increase aerobic capacity more than 60 minutes of cardio. Here's how to do it: Stand holding a weight with both hands in front of your body. Push your butt back and bend your knees to lower your body into a squat. The weight should hang at about knee height. Keeping your biceps pinned against the outsides of your chest, stand up so the weight swings forward and up, then lower back down and continue this motion without pausing.
8. Ditch a Dumbbell
You can make an exercise more challenging with less weight. Don’t believe it? With a weight in each hand, try a standard dumbbell step-up—arms at your sides, one foot on the bench or box, step up, then down. Now put one dumbbell down and repeat. Harder to balance? Good. Now raise the weight to your shoulder and place your opposite foot on the bench. As you step up, push the weight overhead. Then reverse the move. Coined a “contralateral step-up,” this movement trains your shoulders and hips, while simultaneously challenging your core stabilization.
9. Rise Up
Whether you’re doing split squats or pushups, elevating a foot makes it more challenging, Cosgrove says. For a pushup, place your feet on a chair, bench, or physioball. For the split squat, place one foot straight back behind you on a bench and hop forward a few inches with your front foot. This is called a Bulgarian split squat and it’s a highly effective move for your glutes and quadriceps. Hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides and lower your hips straight down, then push back up to a standing position and repeat for a full complement of reps.
10. Go Heavier
Most people make the mistake of using weights that are too light when performing circuits, according to Murphy. Just because you’re moving swiftly from one movement to the next doesn’t mean you need to drop all the weight you typically lift. If your form breaks down, the weights are too heavy, but if you make it through the entire circuit with picture-perfect technique on every repetition, you’re not challenging your muscles and you’re cheating yourself out of results.
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