health link
june 2016
This is a question I ask many of my patients when they come into my
office. Although I primarily treat many different types of injuries and
my immediate goal is to get people out of pain, the ultimate path that I
try to get all of my patients on is one of a fit and active lifestyle so that
they are not continually getting injured and struggling with pain.
When examining one’s overall fitness, there are 4 categories that I look
at to determine if they are doing everything physically required to stay
at their optimal health and fitness levels. I call these the 4 pillars of
fitness.
Pillar 1: Flexibility
This pillar is required not only for increased range of motion, but also
for several other reasons including: injury prevention, enhanced
muscular strength and coordination, improved posture and circulation,
relaxation and stress relief, etc. The list of benefits extend far beyond
this, and this is one thing that many people neglect, especially us guys
are we start getting older. A daily stretching routine addressing all
muscle groups is recommended. Activities like yoga and pilates would
be examples of this.
Pillar 2: Core strength
Core is the big buzz word these days. A strong core is required for
practically every physical thing we do. I view core strength like I do the
foundation of a house. Your house could continue to get bigger and
more beautiful, but if the foundation is compromised the whole thing
could come down. Incorporating core strength is a must. Not just
crunches, but addressing all the little muscle that support your whole
entire spine. Pilates, Gyrotonics, are great resources to ensure that
your core is strong.
Pillar 3: Cardio
Your cardiovascular system is the most important system in your
body. Without good cardio you are at risk for several life threatening
illnesses including heart attacks and strokes. Benefits of cardio are
Resistance training
Masters ART, FDM, SFMA Certified
Cardio
by Dr. David Lee, Chiropractor
Core strength
HOW FIT ARE
YOU REALLY?
also many including improved
circulation, energy, reduction
in stress, anxiety, depression
etc. Adequately challenging
your cardio means to have your
heart rate at least 70% of your
maximum (calculated by 220
minus your age) for at least 30
mins, at least 5 days per week.
flexibility
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Pillar 4: Resistance training
Everyone benefits from an
increase in lean muscle mass.
Lean muscle starts to deteriorate rapidly as you get older. A reduction
in lean muscle mass not only does the obvious by decreasing
your strength, but also has many other negative effects including a
reduction in metabolism, negative effecting hormonal levels including
testosterone, growth hormone and cortisol, and make you more
prone to poor posture and injuries. The recommended resistance
training is to adequately challenge every muscle group at least once
per week. The minimum resistance required to do this is an exercise
that you can NOT do more than 15 reps of. If your resistance is light
enough that you can easily do more, then you are likely not adequately
challenging that muscle. Another note here, is while many of you are
doing resistance training, many of you are not lifting properly or are not
balancing your routines and muscle groups adequately.
So how fit are you?
While I understand that there is some overlap with certain activities,
i.e. someone who runs will have more muscle tone than someone who
does nothing, I find that many people are lacking most of these pillars.
When someone tells me that they are fit, and all they do is run and
nothing else, then my response is they are 1 of 4. Someone who just
lifts weights, just stretches, or just does core strength again are all just
1 of 4. If you are anything short of 4 of 4, then just like any structure
the fewer pillars you have, the more unstable and susceptible you are
to injuries and illness.
If anyone would like more help or advice on how to get to be 4 of 4, I
would be happy to have a free consultation with you to help you figure
out how to get there. I am proud to say that I work with many amazing
fitness professionals in our club including personal trainers, pilates and
gyrotonic instructors, and group exercise instructors, and will utilize all
of our staff to ensure you have all the tools you need to get there.
reinventing health care
[email protected]
adelaideclinic.com