How to Design a Successful Exercise Program
February 22, 2010 in Blog
Read about the components of a successful exercise program.
Welcome
How to Shop Smart at the Grocery Store
February 17, 2010 in Blog
How to make the right choices at the grocery store.
What is good for the Heart is good for the Brain: How Exercise makes you Smarter
February 15, 2010 in Blog
What is good for the brain is good for the heart. I came across that statement while listening to an episode of one of my favorite podcasts: the Brain Science Podcast with Dr. Ginger Campbell: http://docartemis.com/brainsciencepodcast/. While most fitness professionals concentrate in what exercise can do for your heart, bones and muscles there is one important [...]
What I learned from my experience working at the Spa at Trump
February 12, 2010 in Blog
The Spa at Trump is the premier luxury fitness and wellness facility in Chicago. I was fortunate to work there for two years as the Lead Personal Trainer. Here are a few things I learned.
7 Guidelines to Help You Loose Weight, Build Muscle and Live Better
February 11, 2010 in Blog
7 guidelines that will help you loose weight, build muscle and live better.
Client Testimonial
February 11, 2010 in Testimonials
“Luis is not only the best personal trainer, but the most informative and caring human being. He has a zen-like quality to him. Luis has changed our family and friends’ lives through fitness coaching. We miss his beach workouts and his presence at the Spa at Trump already. Miami is lucky to have Luis.” Olivia [...]
Testimonial from UIC Swim Coach Paul Moniak
February 10, 2010 in Testimonials
“Luis’ passion for, and knowledge of personal training is virtually unmatched. I’ve known Luis for almost ten years and feel confident in saying he is one of finest fitness instructors I’ve met!” Paul Moniak, Head Swim Coach at University of Illinois-Chicago
Targeting glute activation to reduce low back and knee pain
February 10, 2010 in Blog
The glute muscles: maximus, medius and minimus are an essential component of efficient movement and lowering risk of chronic pain. The biggest difference between human beings and other animals is that we have proportionally large butts. This proportionally larger glute complex is one of the main reasons why we can walk on two feet and keep an erect posture. Weak glutes can lead to poor posture, poor posture leads to poor movement patterns which causes muscle imbalances and pain.
Here are a few simple exercises you can do at home that will help activate the glute complex and have proven to be efficient helping to correct muscle imbalances and fighting low back and knee pain. I use a Perform Better mini-band you can buy by checking the link on the Affiliates page. Here we go:
1 Lateral mini-band walks: make sure that the step with the leading leg is a big step to create as much resistance as you can handle. The trailing leg should take a very small step to keep the tension in the band. Take 10 steps to each side for 2 rounds.
Side steps with mini-band
2.Single leg balance with multi-plane movements: this is a more advanced exercise and you might need to hold on to something at the beginning then progress to full balance. While standing on one leg, move the opposite leg sideways, backwards and to the front. The order of movement is not important, creating tension on the band is. For this exercise I recommend you do 30 to 45 seconds or about 10 rounds of the 3 movements for each leg.
Leg abduction or lateral movement
Front movement on the same leg
Backwards leg movement on same leg
3.Single leg pelvic tilts: for this exercise, the band should be over the knees.Lay on the ground and extend one leg into the air while keeping the mini-band under tension. If balancing on one leg is too difficult put both feet down and keep the tension of the band. Perform 10 to 15 repetition on each leg.
Single leg pelvic tilts with mini-band
And there you have it. Three simple exercises you can do anywhere that will help you keep the glute complex strong.
Have a great workout!
Luis
If you want to purchase mini-bands check out the Perform Better Catalog by clicking on the link below. There are different resistances for every level. Here is the link:
http://kimerafitness.com/?page_id=48
Spotlight on the Mango: the King of Fruits
February 9, 2010 in Blog
I really do not know if the mango is the “King of Fruits” but they at least it is a strong candidate for the throne. I must confess to have a strong bias towards this fruit because my grandfather and I used to plant mango trees in his garden. It was just one of the ways we connected, going to see how much the trees had grown from day to day and count how many mangos were in them. We would make contests to see who could spot all the mangos in the trees faster and then have fun picking them out. Eating the delicious fruit was just the culmination of a process that brought us closer together, two generations united by the art of growing one delicious fruit. One thing I did not know back then as a child was actually how good these fruits were for me.
The mango, turns out, is a nature masterpiece packed with antioxidants, vitamins and fiber. Here are a few nutrition facts about mangos
-Mangos are rich in vitamin C which plays an important role in supporting the immune system as well as growth and repair of tissues throughout the body.
-Mangos are rich in beta carotene which is converted to vitamin A through the digestive process. Vitamin A contributes to healthy vision as well as strong bones and teeth. Vitamin A also plays an important role in improving immune system function.
-Mangos are rich in fiber, low in fat, low in cholesterol and low in sodium. The calories in mangos are packed with minerals and antioxidants that will improve your health without a negative impact to your waistline.
-The sugar in mangos as well as all fruit is fructose which can be easily digested by the body unlike the glucose and high fructose corn syrup in artificial treats such as sodas.
-Mangos contain enzymes which facilitate digestion giving you an added good feel after eating them. This enzyme is also found in papayas.
-Mangos are also a good source of potassium which is an important mineral and electrolyte which contributes to heart function and plays a key rol in smooth and skeletal muscle contraction.
I know that my grandfather would have gotten a kick out me writing a about mangos but I do not think he would have been too surprised. After all these things are delicious!
Buen provecho!
Luis
“Luis is not only the best personal trainer, but the most informative and caring human being. He has a zen-like quality to him. Luis has changed our family and friends’ lives through fitness coaching. We miss his beach workouts and his presence at the Spa at Trump already. Miami is lucky to have Luis.”
Olivia L. , Spa at Trump Member
