Archive for September, 2008
September 23rd, 2008
It’s the first full day of fall, a time of year I like a lot more now that I no longer live on a three-quarter acre lot crowded with mature oaks and elms.
The motion of raking leaves isn’t very different from the push-pulls you would perform if you were doing a chest and lats workout in the gym. In addition, a pile of leaves, especially wet ones, can be surprisingly heavy so some warm-up stretches might be in order to keep falling leaves from dropping you on the doctor’s doorstep.
Start by slowly rotating your shoulders in a windmilling fashion, kind of like an old-time pitcher winding up or one of those flying duck yard ornaments. Rotate in both directions. Follow this up by reaching across your chest — right hand as far across to the left as you can, left hand as far as possible to the right.
Stretch your hamstrings and lower back by placing one foot against a low step, keeping the knee straight but not locked out and reaching forward to touch the toe, if possible. Switch feet and repeat.
If you’re going to be lifting heavy loads, you should squat down — not bend over at the waist — bring the load as close to you as necessary to get a good grip on it and then stand up with the load.
Pay attention to keeping yourself safe and a weekend on the lawn shouldn’t leave you aching when you return to the desk job on Monday morning.
September 19th, 2008
Rockford runners and cyclists are fortunate to have a pretty good system of recreation paths that provide them with limited exposure to vehicular traffic while they exercise.
But, as daylight gets shorter again, more of our runs and rides — not to mention bicycle commutes to work — are going to be done in the dark. So it’s a good idea to give drivers at least an even shot at seeing us before we become a hood ornament.
Get lit — Light up your workout with reflective clothing — virtually every major manufacturer makes it — front and back. You could also pin cheap reflectors that you can get at any hardward store to your workout gear. If nothing else, wear white or light-colored clothing or you could carry a small flashlight. I noticed a cyclist wearing a clip-on light on his headgear this morning.
Be appropriate for traffic — Pedestrians are supposed to face oncoming traffic, so run in the left lane facing the cars. Cyclists are subject to the Illinois Rules of the Road, the same as an automobile, and should ride on the right.
Can the music — I like my iPod, but if I’m running in the dark in a place where I need to be alert for cars, it stays on the charger. Yours should too.
Find a partner — Not only is having a partner good for motivation when dark also means cold and nasty, but it means an extra pair of eyes to keep alert for traffic.
The Rockford Road Runners circuit already has two races devoted to the memories of former members who were hit by cars. They don’t need a third.
September 15th, 2008
I’ll probably never get this “appearing on TV” thing down, but my attempt to illustrate a golf conditioning exercise during Monday night’s 5 o’clock news was particularly wretched.
So, if you were subjected to it, one, I apologize and, two, here is what I meant to say.
The golf swing, like any other sports performance, is a matter of balance, strength and flexibility. To break it down simply, it’s a shoulder rotation around a stable head.
Almost every muscle in the body plays some role in the golf swing, but the power comes mostly from the core muscles — rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, and obliques.
One of my favorite golf conditioning exercises — and you’d never guess from Monday’s disaster that I actually have a certification as a golf conditioning specialist – is a simple ball toss to a wall.
To perform it, you hold a ball in front of you as if it were your golf club and take your normal golf stance. Stand at a 90-degree angle to a wall and imitate your full golf swing, from backswing to follow through, letting the ball go at the time in your swing that you would be striking a golf ball. The ball should hit the wall and bounce back to you.
Perform a set of about 10 to 12 repetitions and then turn around and do the exercise in reverse (if you’re a right-handed golfer, turn around and perform it as if you were a left-handed golfer).
If you’re not already a regular exerciser, you could start with a volleyball or a soccer ball (deflate it a little so it doesn’t come rebounding off the wall and smack you in the face, you just want it to bounce once or twice before you catch it). After you progress, you will want to use a small medicine ball — you shouldn’t need anything heavier than a four to six-pound ball.
Perform three to four sets of 10 to 12 repetitions in each direction two to three times a week in the off-season and you should see an improvement next year.
One more thing, make sure the wall is something strong like cement or brick unless you need another home repair project.
