"Sometimes Ya Gotta Lose 'Til Ya Win"

During this week of work I realized the most important thing I learned in school and when being an intern: it's all about the basics. This week my exercise prescriptions for all my clients were simple basic exercises, and it yielded the best results. Keeping it simple with perfect form = very happy clients. Why you ask? All because they "feel" it working! Sometimes we all get carried away with new and technical exercises, but when you stop and think sometimes it's not the best choice of exercise. I'm not saying we don't need variety and jazzed up routines, but when in doubt fall back to the basics... it never fails. That goes for anything in life. With that said, i've had a rough couple of weeks of running. I had a mini breakdown last week and wanted to throw in my running towel and call it quits for awhile. However, I talked it over with some awesome people and thought about what makes me happy. It was time to regroup and just focus on running... not power, pace, distance, or even getting faster. Just run. Honestly, if you know me that is one of the toughest challenges for me. Relax?! Me?! Ha. I'm not going to lie, it was tough to put my ego aside and not care about the results of my runs, but just run at whatever pace and distance I felt on that day. It was the best thing I could have done. It's been one of the best weeks of running I have had a in a long time. I felt refreshed, and managed to get two 8 milers in along with my shorter weekly runs of 4 miles each all with my normal pace. It's true... If you just relax and keep things simple you will find the best results! If you find yourself stressing out about exercise just step back and breath. Regroup yourself and do what makes you happy! You'll never see any gains in exercise if you don't relax and your body is in a constant state of stress. Crack a smile during your next workout/run and it'll make you remember why you are there and what makes you happy! :-)

Training Exercise: Front Dumbbell (DB)/ Medicine Ball (MB) swings. This is a great exercise for your core and shoulder stability. Having good shoulder stability as a runner will help aid in good breathing because you will be less likely to rotate your shoulders inward, impeding your breathing.

Front DB/MB Swings:

• Grab 2 light DB (about 8-10 lbs) or a MB if you don't have access to DB.
• Stand with your feet shoulder width apart.
• Grab both DB/MB holding them close together in the middle of your body.
• Keeping your arms straight, bend your knees in a squatting position, use the momentum to drive the weights up over your head while your arms are straight. (The end position: Standing straight up with your arms straight over your head.)
• Keeping your arms straight, return to the starting position: Move your arms from over your head back down to the squatting position.
• That is 1 rep, repeat for 15-20 reps for 3-5 sets.

Tips: The starting position your body is in a squatting stance with your arms straight holding the wights in between your legs. The end position you are standing straight with your arms straight over your head. The motion between the start and end position (the swing) will feel like a plank.

Training Tip: Remember while running or exercising your shoulders are always rotated back. Runners have the tendency to internally rotate our shoulders (the motion of rolling your shoulders forward towards your chest). By rotating the shoulders back, you will "open" up your chest making it easier for air/blood to flow. Shoulders back helps the oxygen flow correctly from your lungs, heart, and your mouth. This will help correct your breathing patterns to be more efficient. The more efficient you are the less likely you will cramp from lack of oxygen.

Training Songs: It's getting close to the half so that means I need lots of upbeat songs to get me through these last weeks of training! Feel free to suggest any new songs! Enjoy!

1. Little Miss- Sugarland

2. Who Dat Girl- Flo Rida ft Akon

3. Buzzin (Remix)- Mann ft. 50 Cent

4. Yeah 3X- Chris Brown

5. Shake Me Down- Cage The Elephant

Training Lagniappe: Why do you run? Everyone has their own reason of what inspires them to run and go the distance! I think this video covers it all! Enjoy! Thank you active.com :-).

Happy Running,

Jayme Bergeron, BS

ACSM Health Fitness Specialist

"That Creole Sexy Is All Over Me"

For the past couple of weeks I have sat down with so much to say, but nothing comes to mind. I've left my blog open for hours pondering what genius advice I can give this time. Part of my New Years Resolution to is organize my health/fitness knowledge and present it in a more timely manner to all my blog followers. I feel, like in a way, I have let y'all down... I promise I will stop being lazy and get my thoughts back in order.

Let me catch everyone up to speed on what's been happening in Atlanta since the start of 2011:

• I turned 24. I'm almost half way over the hill. It's depressing when you start thinking about it. No more golden birthdays... I'm just getting old! Okay, I won't be a debbie downer... 24 just means i'm wiser and more mature, right?
• Atlanta had one of the worse winter storms in years last week. Snowmageddon shut the city, pretty much the entire state, down for most of the week! The snow blanketed the state last Sunday night very quickly. I felt like a kid again when I woke up Monday morning. We geared up, played in the snowy streets, threw snowballs, and walked around the city! Monday night came around and cabin fever was beginning to set in, already. Tuesday: everything froze over and there was no escaping. Wednesday: More snow flurries and the streets were still frozen. That meant there was still no driving... so we walked to the store for more staples. Cabin fever was at it's peak. After a very icy walk to the grocery store, and falling 3 times on Piedmont earlier in the day, it was wine time! FYI: wine does help relax :-). Thursday: The city started, slowly, to thaw out. It was back to work... well, half a day. Friday: More thawing. Saturday: Almost all thawed out.

SNOWMAGEDDON WINE TIME!

• Call me crazy, but I couldn't stand to be inside much during the winter storm so I geared up for some runs. The sidewalks were frozen and the temperatures were brutal. I was stopped one day by the local news to be told how "serious" I was about running. Another pedestrian yelled "YOU'RE AWESOME" as I passed her. It totally brought a smile to my face :-). I, of course, cut my mileage down for obvious reasons but also because it was such a strenuous workout running up the icy hills. By the time Friday rolled around my legs/hips were at "marathon sore". Having to keep traction and balance up and down all the hills took more of a toll on my body than I thought it would. Then we come to Saturday... the day of my epic fall. I never fell while running on the ice until Saturday. However, Saturday was the nicest day of the week with temperatures above freezing. There was still one spot on Piedmont that was in the shade and very icy. I took caution going up the hill, but coming back down I tried stepping to the side to dodge the ice.... both feet came out from under me and I landed right on my tail bone. I thought at the moment it was broken and I was dying. I sat, well I couldn't really get up, for a couple minutes while people walked right on by like nothing happened... I'm sure they laughed inside and thinking it was well deserved for running in such weather. It's still bruised as of today...
• Here are a few pictures from the Atlanta Snowmageddon:

The view from our balcony

Lindbergh Drive (Where most my runs took place)

Piedmont Park

Training Exercise: Oblique Rotations with Knee Lifts. This exercise is good for not only your abs, but also for your hips and balance. You can make this exercise as hard as you want by increasing the weight, however, remember quality before quantity. Good form is a must before increasing the weight; otherwise, you increase the chance of injury.

Oblique Rotations with Knee Lifts:

• Grab a medicine ball or dumbbell that is a reasonable weight.
• Stand with your feet together holding the weight next to your chest.
• Lift one leg off the ground.
• While your leg is lifted, turn to the right, back to the middle, to the left, and then back to the middle.
• Lower that leg to the ground. That is 1 rep.
• Now left the other leg and repeat.
• Complete 15-20 reps for 3 sets.
• Remember to concentrate on your balance. If you can not keep balance on one leg, lower the weight.

Progression Oblique Rotations with Knee Lifts:

• Grab a medicine ball or dumbbell that is a reasonable weight.
• Stand on a BOSU ball.
• Stand with your feet together holding the weight next to your chest.
• Lift one leg off the ground.
• While your leg is lifted, turn to the right, back to the middle, to the left, and then back to the middle.
• Lower that leg to the ground. That is 1 rep.
• Now left the other leg and repeat.
• Complete 15-20 reps for 3 sets.
• Remember to concentrate on your balance. If you can not keep balance on one leg, lower the weight.

*Take caution when on the BOSU. This will challenge your balance more since you will be on one leg.

Training Tip: If you run/workout with headphones it is a good idea to make sure you can still hear your surroundings. This is especially important if you are running outside on a busy street or not. It's other drivers that can not be trusted. You want to make sure you can hear people talking and car horns. If your music is too loud and you can't hear the person next to you, turn down your music just a tad. Also, run on sidewalks... not train tracks. This may be more encouraging to do so: Jogger Killed.

Training Songs: I've downloaded a lot of newbies this week! I've found some on my own and others by friends! Thanks y'all for all the recommendations. Please feel free to add any recommended songs you've found! Enjoy!

1. Creole- Beyonce

2. H*A*M- Kanye West ft. Jay-Z

3. Breaking Dishes- Rihanna

4. All I Want To Do- Sugarland

5. The Toadies- Possum Kingdom

Training Lagniappe: OMG The Mardi Gras Half Marathon is only 25 days away!! I am to the point in my training where I am ready to tapper! I always get this way about a month before a race... worn down. However, when it comes to race day I feel refreshed and ready to conquer! I'm aiming for a new PR of a time below 1:45. These last few weeks of training I am going to focus on relaxing during my runs, kicking butt up those hills, and a few more long runs! I'm ready NOLA!

Happy Running,

Jayme Bergeron, BS

ACSM Health Fitness Specialist