Who called Charley??

As I ran in Deanna Jefferson’s Warrior Workout, I along with a few others felt an intense cramping pain in various parts of our  muscles! This is what we call a Charley Horse (Muscle spasm).  Basically we experience an INTENSE involuntary muscle cramp in which a painful contraction occurs. g.   The most prone sites are in your lower body, but no muscle is off-limits (including your arms, chest, and abdominal).  One of the absolutely worst times to get them is when resting or sleeping

Reasons why we might get a Charley Horse:

• Insufficient stretching
• Dehydration
• Imbalanced electrolyte level (potassium, sodium, chloride, calcium, and phosphate)
• Overused/Injured muscle
• Irritated nerve (Dr. visit REQUIRED)
• Exercising in the heat (even though you can get it in the cold also)

Possible Treatments:

Tags: charley horse, dc, exercise, fitness, muscle cramp, pain, powerade, workout

Stretch It OUT!

I admit, I have been accused of this act of foolishness numerous times; I DON’T STRETCH! Alot of people downplay the importance of stretching due to lack and or misinformation.  It is definitely a vital part to your fitness and over all well being.  There are numerous benefits to stretching such as:

• Better flexibility and range of motion
• Improved circulation
• Stress Relief
• Better Posture
• Improved muscle Coordination

It is often mistaken that you should stretch BEFORE a workout but that is a myth!.  Now I’m not saying that you should start a workout with your muscles cold because you should perform a low intensity dynamic WARM-UP. Low intensity warm-ups include jogging, jumping jacks, jump rope, light weight workouts such as curls.  This “warms” your muscles there by preventing the chances of injury.

If you Stretch before an exercise it can actually increase your chances of injury.  Compare your muscles to a rubber band, if you stretch it out before use then its intended purpose is limited since it isn’t as strong as before the stretch, right? USA Today

A great benefit to post workout stretching is the reduction of DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness), basically it’s the feeling of extreme soreness in your muscles the morning after, approximately.  Stretching improves CIRCULATION, which aids in the removal of waste by products of muscle tissue breakdown (lactic acid…etc).  This greatly improves recovery time so that you can get on to your next workout!

For a list of Stretches and how to perform each one correctly check out ———–>Sports Injury Clinic Stretches

Also check the links below for more information. ProjectSwole.com has great information on Isometric Stretching!

USA Today, Physical Therapy, SPorts Medicine, Project Swole

Tags: advice, dc, exercise, fitness, health, injury, stretch, stretching

ToastGlance: RunWashington.com

Everybody has different motivating factors!  There is no mystery in that.  One of the greatest motivators is to strive for something higher than the level you are now, so why not decide to train for a marathon or even a short race?

www.RunWashington.com has that exact motivation waiting for you.  It is a site that has numerous races scheduled to happen in the DMV area and even Florida.  It has a list of races, a calendar, and you can even register for the race in an easy hassle free application.  Training/Racing in a marathon has the positive attribute of the group support that you receive to keep you going (there are NO losers)

For the variety of races (5k, 10k, 20k, etc…) there’s a section dedicated to resources in which you can get gear, facilities and trails that you can train at to prepare for your race.  A training section is also available that advises you on nutrition and workouts needed to prevent injury and increase performance.

This site is definitely worthwhile your time to check whether you are getting ready for a race now or later!

SO check it out ——–>Run Washington

Tags: dc, dmv, events, fitness, health, marathon, race, run, running, runwashington, training

Start-Up Gym WOrkOUt!

This is a quick gym workout on how to utilize dumbells, machines, and barbells to achiever your fitness goal while targeting different areas of your body.  It is a startup gym workout just in case you are a little confused on what to do when you are in the gym! Enjoy

*Click each exercise to see how it’s performed

Warm-Up

10-20 min treadmill 4-6 mph

Main WOrkout - 3 sets 10-12 repetitions

Dumbell Bicep Curls -Arms
Dumbell Shoulder Press/Shrugs – Shoulder
Barbell Squats – Thighs (Use self spot Squat rack for safety)
Leg Press – Thighs/Hips
Machine Chest Press – Chest
Dumbell Calf Raises – Calves
Seated Rows – Back

Check out ExRx.net exercise directory to learn how to properly perform each movement —–> CLICK

Tags: confused, dc, exercise, fitness, gym, start up, workout

Out with the Flu!

A very TOASTY Christmas!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!! From Toast2Fitness to YOU!

It has been a great year and am thankful for a lot.  Your health has been a gift to me and can’t ask for more.

Remember these tips as you eat Christmas dinner and you’ll prevent the famous Santa Belly:

1. Eat in portions.
2. Limit the amount of cookies and sweets (don’t neglect)
3. Still find time to workout before or the day after (NO EXCUSES)
4. DOn’t drink the whole gallon of egg nog alone; see Liquid Calorie AttaCk!
5. Most importantly have fun…..don’t forget it’s a lifestyle change so no days off.

Tags: advice, christmas, dc, diet, fitness, health, merry, workout, xmas

Are you exercising under the right Personality?!

Have you ever tried working out according to someone else schedule but find out that you can’t keep it up?!  Well the D.C Express wrote an article on choosing the RIGHT workout plan to match-up with your personality.  Going along with the wrong one will leave you bored and unmotivated (causing you to fall off faster than a motorcyclist going 100mph down a rocky road)

The Aesthete- Thrives on the artistry of sports and exercises so a mirror is much needed during workouts to constantly readjust their form if needed.  (A little vanity included too)

The Thrill-Seeker- You need more of an adrenaline flow, so include running on stadium  steps and/or plyometrics at various heights.  Linear workouts might not work for you so include sports such as mountain climbing and such.

The Social Activist- Being in the gym alone is your major downfall, so create a buddy system in which you and a friend agree exercise together.  Also you can participate in gym classes or start a fitness group!

Tags: D.C, dc, exercise, Express, health, men's health, motivation, personality, workout