Can You Do Cardio With Bad Knees?

“I was wondering which cardio workouts are best for people with bad knees? I'm 21 and I love to run but I already have bad knees. So, I'm torn between running or quitting cardio altogether because I don't know what else to do that’s as good a workout as running. Help!”

Because cardio often involves repetitive motion of the knee joint, it can be especially aggravating to injured knees. I personally had to avoid running for nearly a year when I developed knee pain, and was convinced I’d never run again. But many “bad” knees can be addressed with proper training. Here are 3 easy tips to get the most out of your bad knees:

1) Train Your Quads
A weak quadriceps muscle can allow the knee to track improperly in its bony groove, which results in knee pain and soft tissue damage. Often, the fix for this is as simple as doing exercises for a specific knee muscle called the vastus medialis, which is the teardrop-shaped muscle on the inside of the knee. Cable kick forwards are my favorite exercise for this, and you can do 3 to 4 sets of 15-20 reps per leg every other day.

2) Stretch Your Hamstrings
Tight hamstrings on the back of your legs can also significantly affect your knee mechanics. If you have knee pain, you should stretch your hamstrings 2-3 times each day for at least 60 seconds. One of the best moves for this is the lying hamstring stretch.

3) Use Low Impact Training
To maintain your cardiovascular fitness as you implement the tips above, engage in low impact training like bicycle riding (make sure seat is high) and water running.

With these 3 steps, most individuals can significantly reduce knee pain.

KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS AND THE SPINNING® PROGRAM

Osteoarthritis is a condition caused in part by gradual wear and tear on the joint, and occurs commonly in the knees and hips. The condition may be a leading cause of disability in adults, but it doesn’t have to limit you. For a fitness-training experience that will keep your knee joints stronger longer, go to a Spinning class!

For years, it was commonly believed that exercise might worsen the joint integrity and decrease function. However, a study conducted by cycling enthusiast Greg Marchetti, Ph.D., and rheumatologist Kelly Krohn, M.D., has brought to light the positive aspects of the Spinning program for those with osteoarthritis of the knee.

The study followed 41 volunteers with an average age of 57, all with confirmed osteoarthritis. Participants in the Spinning group took part at least twice a week in a class designed specifically for their condition, while the control group continued their regular fitness routines.
After the 12-week evaluation, participants in the Spinning group had greater improvements in walking performance, experienced less pain when walking and had less symptom-related disability than the control group.

Spinning is a non-impact exercise that delivers a great cardiovascular workout while strengthening the leg muscles that help to stabilize the knee joint. Stick to the following guidelines for a safe and effective ride.

Movements:
To keep weight off the knees and reduce the risk of hyperextension of the knee joint, keep to these core movements: Seated Flats, Seated Climbs and limited Standing Flats for saddle relief. Avoid Jumps, Jumps on a Hill, Sprints and other advanced movements.

Remember that the goal of riding for those with osteoarthritis of the knee is to improve function and mobility of the joint while improving cardiovascular fitness through aerobic training.


Cadence:
To decrease the physical forces of the flywheel and to protect joint integrity, the following cadence ranges should be observed: 80–100 rpm on flats and 70–80 rpm on hills.

Resistance:
Light to moderate resistance will allow for a smooth pedal stroke while avoiding undue stress to the knee.

Intensity:
Moderate-intensity exercise provides a good aerobic training program for health and well being. To achieve aerobic training, you should stay at 65–80% of your maximum heart rate.

Starving off the compulsion

I try to keep it 100 with those in my classes and share my struggles with food, and body image.  In a way, it’s cathartic to write about it to an “anonymous” audience (though I’ve definitely connected with a few of you on a more personal level—thanks you internet!) but also, I am hoping that in sharing there will be a solidarity amongst those with similar struggles, and the realization that one is not “alone”.  

I have come to realize that day times are easy—I  have a very structured routine, and I go about it easily and with lots of good control. At night, though, when I’m at home and left to my own devices (I live alone), that’s when the real struggle begins.  Yes, I know that to prevent crazy binge eating, or even obsessions about food, one should eliminate food from their home. But, it’s not like I am going to keep NO food in my house. But even then, it’s a struggle at night to fight whatever urges might exist to not just go and binge on even the “healthy” foods sitting around.  It’s not easy.   

There’s this obsessional component to it (that thinking about the food in the house) followed by a need to act upon the obsession and eat (there’s that pesky compulsion). Yes, it’s easy for anyone to say “just don’t eat then!” but if you’re someone who struggles in their relationship with food, you will know it’s not an easy cycle to break, and it’s not so easily handled by oneself, and alone at night.   

For those of you who have been successful in doing so, perhaps you might share with the rest of us some tips that help you stave off the compulsions?

Keepin' it real...

E

Drink Drink Drink

Ah, the battle of the bulge: for most of us, there is no love lost between our hips, our thighs, our stomachs and our extra pounds. With the world - and most notably the United States - becoming increasingly overweight, diets, and exercise routines have popped up around every corner. Still, there is a bit of a conundrum: people aren't only looking for a way to lose weight, they are looking for an easy way. Well, what do you know, H2O may be the easiest way yet.

Drinking water isn't an end all be all to weight problems: anyone who chokes down two double cheeseburgers for lunch won't be saved from extra baggage simply by sipping on a liter or two of water. But, for those who eat sensibly and exercise regularly, the consumption of water may help speed up metabolism and take a few calories right off the top (or, perhaps, the bottom).

According to a recent study, water may increase your metabolic rate by as much as thirty percent on a daily basis. It doesn't take a mathematician to know that's quite a bit. Normally, in regards to weight loss, water was shoved down our throats (forgive the pun) in an attempt to make us feel full and thus, more likely to pass on that third slice of pizza. Nowadays, however, water is proving to do more than fill us up: it's a much more talented liquid than we previously thought.

In 2003, an article was published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. It spoke of a study involving seven healthy men and seven healthy women. All participants were of normal weight. Each participant consumed 500 ml of water per day. When their metabolic rates were measured, the researchers found that all metabolic rates were
increased by roughly 30 percent.

This spike in the metabolism, according to the study, occurred quickly after water consumption: the metabolism was at its greatest spike within a half an hour and was maintained for more than an hour. The reason for this? Well, it's all really pretty simple: the water enters the body cold and must be warmed up in the stomach. This "warming up" causes the body's metabolism to skyrocket.

This study further substantiates the idea that ice water, in particular, can help burn calories. Just as the researchers stated above, the ice water in your system must be warmed up by your body. It goes in cold, but when it exits - unless you find yourself peeing icicles - it's no longer freezing. The conversion from ice water to warm water burns calories.

A person who consumes the recommended eight glasses of water a day - and adds in a few ice cubes - can burn around 70 extra calories on a daily basis. While 70 extra calories doesn't seem like much, over time it does add up.

Drinking water without adopting other weight friendly goals probably won't get you fitting into your tight jeans anytime soon, but it can help. It's easy, it's simple, and it provides all sorts of other benefits so why not raise a glass to H2O. Bottoms Up!

How many calories do you burn AFTER your workout?

Last week a member came up to me after class with a great question so I want to share this with you because this applies to many of us. Enjoy!

Member's Question: How many calories do you burn after your workout?

My response: After a tough workout instead of being tired have you ever felt totally energized? Maybe you are still sweating a little (or a lot) even after a shower?

Some people call it the after-burn or a workout high. It's actually called the Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption or EPOC. Technically EPOC is the increased oxygen consumed after strenuous exercise or activity to reduce the oxygen debt created by said exercise or activity resulting in caloric expenditure. In layman's terms this means the additional calories you burn after exercise while your body is recovering back to it's normal resting state.

Due to these extra calories being burned because of this "after-burn", your EPOC can play a very significant role in weight loss.

When we exercise we are utilizing a massive amount more of oxygen than normal, our heart rate and body temperature can greatly increase, we are burning a lot more glycogen from both the muscle cells and blood stores, and we are producing more by-products. So after exercise we need to stock back up on oxygen and glycogen we have used, reduce our body temp and heart rate, and deal with those by-products. All of this post-exercise work requires energy and this is where EPOC comes in.

The amount of calories burned post-exercise depends on the amount of oxygen consumed during EPOC and how long it lasts (it can last as long as 24 hours or as little as 90 minutes.) The amount of post-exercise oxygen consumed can also vary greatly from person to person and is dependent on a number of factors including the person's level of fitness and type of training. We do know that EPOC is present after both cardiovascular exercise and strength or resistance training. We also know that one factor that can have a big effect on EPOC is workout intensity. The amount of EPOC is directly related to the intensity of your workout. Both heavy strength training workouts and high intensity interval style training have been shown to have the greatest effect on EPOC.

Here are some tips to help maximize your EPOC:

• Add Some Intervals - Beginning June we will move forward into Interval SPINNING rides and I will be introducing and including 'Sprints' into our rides. Not only will they help you burn more calories while you are performing them, they can also crank up your EPOC levels, not to mention make SPINNING a little bit less boring.

• Lift Heavy -  Those doing R.I.P.P.E.D. choose weights that make it difficult (but not impossible) to complete 8-10 reps. For the women who are afraid they will turn into a female Arnold Schwarzenegger overnight, don't worry you won't. For the guys who wish they could turn into Arnold overnight, sorry it ain't that easy. Some studies have shown that heavy resistance training can have an even greater overall effect on EPOC than aerobic or cardiovascular exercise.

• Reduce Your Rest - Another simple yet highly effective way to increase your EPOC is to reduce your rest intervals in between sets while working out. Instead of taking 1-2 mins between sets cut it down to 45 secs. Shorter rest basically gives you less time for recovery thus requiring more time after the workout to replenish the overall oxygen consumed during the workout.

One very important point to remember is that while intensity is a key factor in determining the size or amount of EPOC you still need to adhere to the basic principles of rest and recovery in between workouts. You can't ALWAYS go balls to the wall every workout trying to rev up your EPOC and expect to see big results. There must be a balance between high intensity workouts and adequate rest and recovery.

Have a great Memorial Weekend

No class this coming Monday

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Maximum Heart Rate

Calculate your numbers here: Maximum Heart Rate

Does there come a time that your body says you are where you need to be?

Answer: You may be at a plateau, which eventually happens to everyone. As you get in shape, you become more efficient at burning calories (like getting a tune-up for your car) which means that you burn fewer calories than you used to.  If you tend to do the same thing for your cardio workouts, consider changing it up (Stairmaster one day, bike the next, jog the next, or try the elliptical or rowing machine).

You’ve probably had to reduce your food intake and increase your activity level a lot during the time you’ve been losing weight. If you choose to continue to lose fat, make sure you have room to add activity and/or lower calories and still enjoy what you are doing. If not, stay where you are for now until you feel like taking another run at losing weight.

You must be able to maintain the lifestyle that got you to your current level of fitness. If it is too hard to maintain, you won’t. You may be where you need to be from a health standpoint.

How to Deal With Bad Dogs

By Fred Matheny and Ed Pavelka of www.RoadBikeRider.com

Dog attacks are high on the list of cycling fears. Maybe you can’t stop Fang from giving chase, but you can outsmart him if you know how dogs think—assuming that stinkin’ mutt even has a brain! 

• Know dog psychology. The majority of dogs who chase cyclists are merely defending their territory. When you pedal off the section of road that they consider their turf, you no longer pose a threat to their ancestral instincts and they lose interest. Incidentally, this is why you’ll rarely be chased by a dog you encounter way out in the boonies. He’s not on his turf so he couldn’t care less about you.
  
• Know dog tactics. Dogs want to attack from the rear, coming up from the hindquarter. Even one who sits up in his yard ahead of you may wait till you pass before giving chase. You can use this to your advantage in the next tip because it gives you a head start.
  
• Sprint! You often can outsprint Fido when he’s more interested in fooling around than in actually attacking. You can tell his intent by how hard he’s running and his expression. An easy gait with woofing and ears and tail up, no problem. A full-out sprint with ears back, tail down and teeth out, problem. Still, the territorial gene can save you. If the road is flat or downhill, stand up and sprint to get past the dog’s invisible boundary.
  
• Guard your front wheel. When a dog sees you coming, he might make a beeline for your bike, then attempt to turn up beside you. The danger here is that his poor little paws will skid on the pavement and he’ll plow into your wheels. If he hits the front one, you’ll crash. Sprint so that you move forward faster than he expects, and give him a margin for error by steering farther into the road—if traffic permits!
  
• SCREAM! Most dogs know what happens when a human is angry with them. A sudden shout of “No!” or “Git!” or “Stay!” will surprise Fluffy and probably make him hesitate for just the second you need to take the advantage. If he’s hard of hearing, raise your hand threateningly as if it contains a rock. Outlaw mutts usually have had experience with bad things flying at them when a human makes a throwing gesture.
  
• Play douse the Doberman. If you see big, fast Prince up ahead and know that he sees you, sprinting might not work. Especially if the road is tilting up. Take out your water bottle. Just having it in your hand may make him stay away. If he does come near you, give him a faceful and a loud yell. This distraction will slow him down, though he may come back for more. Just don’t distract yourself and ride off the road.
  

Some riders swear by Halt pepper spray that they clip to their handlebar. This stuff works great—if you hit your target. That’s a big if when you and Spot are going different speeds, the air is moving, and you’re trying to stay on the road. Pepper spray stings a dog’s eyes, nose and mouth, but it doesn’t cause lasting damage. It also works on human attackers, but that’s a different story.

• Give up and get off.  If nothing works and Toodles has the upper hand, dismount quickly and hold your bike between you and those sharp teeth. Swing it like a weapon if necessary, and start calling for help. Someone may eventually come out of a house and yell, “Oh, he won’t hurt you!”
  
• Call the cops. If you are attacked and bitten, report it to the county sheriff or other authority immediately. Include the location, a description of the dog and the owner’s name and address if you know them. Get medical attention without delay. If the dog was rabid, you are at risk of serious illness or even death. Demand proof of rabies vaccination or insist to authorities that the dog be quarantined.
  

If the same dog accosts you every time you ride the road, report this to the authorities, too. You have a right to use public roadways free from fear for your life, liberty and pursuit of cycling happiness. Keep following up with calls to make sure steps are taken to put PupPup on a rope.

How to Lose Fat Quickly

Spring is in the air, which mean summer is quickly approaching. Before you know it, swimsuits, tank tops, shorts, trips to the beach, and pool parties will be in full swing--and there’s a high likelihood that you’ll be exposing the backs of your arms, stomach, thighs and calves.

But don’t panic! In this two part series on how to lose fat quickly, you’ll learn how fast you can safely lose fat, and about the best fat loss exercises and fat loss workouts.

How Do You Lose Fat?

Imagine you have a big barrel of crude oil in the trunk of your car. Even though your car’s engine uses gasoline, and crude oil is used to make gasoline, all that crude oil in your trunk isn’t doing you a bit of good unless it somehow gets converted into gasoline and put into your engine!

Your body is no different. Think of all that fat around your waistline like the crude oil in your car’s trunk. You can’t just take the fat and burn it right where it sits on your waistline, because your body must first convert the fat into a form of fuel that your body can actually burn for energy. Your body accomplishes that by taking the fat, sending it to the liver, and breaking it down in something called “free fatty acids,” which can then be used for energy.

What Must You Do to Lose Fat?

Why do I use this gasoline analogy? Because to lose fat, you must put your body into a state where it needs to burn its crude oil (fat) for energy. If you’re constantly pulling over at gas stations and getting more gasoline, your body will never even think about tapping into that crude oil in your trunk. So to burn through that crude oil you need to A) avoid frequent gasoline stops and B) drive your car.

What Happens if You Lose Fat too Quickly?

Before we can talk about safely losing weight quickly, we must first discuss what happens if you lose fat too quickly. You body, just like a car, doesn’t operate very well on fumes. But unlike a car, your body will actually start to break down its parts and turn them into fuel if you don’t have enough energy on board.

In other words, you will literally start to cannibalize non-fat tissue, stop making hormones, slow down your metabolism, and have lots of other nasty effects if your calorie deficit is too low!

That is why very low-calorie diets, such ones where you just drink juice made from cayenne pepper, lemon juice, and bits of maple syrup, seem to work very well at first, but then rate of weight loss slows, the immune system weakens, exercise and muscle toning become impossible, and eventually, you return to eating lots of food and yo-yo-ing until your weight comes right back up. The same effect can happen if you exercise too much, but in that case, you not only pay the metabolic price, but you can also do permanent damage to your joints.

How Fast Can You Safely Lose Weight?

So when it comes to calorie intake, how little is too little, and how much is too much exercise? Although the numbers vary widely, because people come in all shapes, sizes and weights, a safe and permanent fat loss strategy is approximately 1-3% body fat loss per month, which comes out to around 2 pounds per week for most people. Most people can achieve this with an hour of moderate exercise a day combined with a daily calorie deficit of approximately 500 calories.

However, if you’re willing to put up with fatigue, nausea, constipation, or diarrhea, a very low-calorie diet of 800 calories per day or less can increase your weight loss to 3-5 pounds per week. Although this type of diet shouldn’t be combined with exercise, you could mimic the effects of a very low calorie diet by eating 1500-2000 calories per day and exercising for 1.5-3 hours per day--in which case the gym and treadmill will become your very close friends.

What Are the Best Fat Loss Exercises?

Usually, multi-joint, full body exercises such as a squat to overhead press, deadlift to curl, or uphill run on a treadmill are the fastest way to burn calories, increase fat-burning hormones, add lean muscle, and lose fat. But if you’re doing a high amount of exercise for fast fat loss, such as 1.5-3 hours per day, you’ll want to include non-weight bearing or non-impact exercise to protect your joints--such as riding a bike, using an elliptical and, rowing machine, swimming, and performing cable or elastic band movements.

What Is The Best Fat Loss Workout?

If you’re just getting started, and especially if you are obese, this type of routine can be tough, so you may need to simply start with a daily routine of light, aerobic cardio, such as a 30 minute walk each morning, combined with easy resistance training, such as three sets of 12 repetitions for each of your muscles, using a weight machine or set of home dumbbells.

After 4-6 weeks of this type of activity, you should be able to add cardiovascular intervals mixed with weight training. If you need to lose weight more quickly than that, and you’re not currently completely inactive or obese, you can combine weight training with cardiovascular intervals 6 days per week, with one easy, aerobic recovery day, and continue this type of training for 4-6 weeks, before taking an entire easy, recovery week to give your hormones, joints, heart and mind a break.

Is There A Fast Fat Loss Diet?

As mentioned earlier, severe calorie restriction will certainly accelerate weight loss temporarily, but may have lasting health effects, and be intensely uncomfortable. In reality, when total calorie intake is equal, large studies haven’t shown that eating low-carbohydrate is any better for weight loss than high-carbohydrate, high-fat, or high-protein.

Good Luck!