What the Squat?

The squat is a very practical exercise. We do it during our everyday lives several times a day in one form or another. We all do variations of a squat when we get in and out of a bed, a chair, or a car. This movement is also the cause of a lot of back injuries because it is commonly performed incorrectly.

If you can get up from a chair, even if you need assistance getting up, you can do a squat.
If you need help of any kind getting up and sitting down in a chair, then the squat is the exercise for you. Like most exercises, the squat can be modified so that anyone of any fitness level can perform and benefit from it it.

The basic squat:
• Start in a standing position.
• Put a chair behind you. If you normally need assistance getting in and out of a chair make sure there is a sturdy table in front of you.
• Feet should be hips or shoulders width apart.
• Your weight should be in your heels. If you find this hard to do lift your toes (just your toes) up.
• If you don’t need assistance put your arms straight out in front of you or cross them in front of you with hands on opposite shoulders. If you need assistance put your hands on the table.
• Bend your knees and push your butt back towards the chair.
• Your knees should be over your ankle and should not go past your toes.
• Slowly lower yourself down into the chair
• Coming up is the same as going down (only in reverse).
• Feet and knees hips or shoulders width apart.
• Weight in your heels, toes lifted if needed.
• Lean your shoulders forwards slightly.
• Press weight down into your heels.
• Slowly straighten you knees by lifting your butt up and pushing your hips forward.

Once this becomes easy you can do the squat in a lower chair or bench. The next progression would be to do it without a chair or bench. After that you can start adding weight. Start by holding a 5lb weight in each hand. Let your arms hang at your side. Remember this is just to add weight to your body so your arms should not move, keep them as still as possible.

This is just one way to start and progress this exercise. As always if your are unsure about this or any exercise you should consult a professional. We are always happy to answer any questions you may have. Happy squatting.


Written by Joann Agoglia
Edited by Rob Marshall

A Shot of Fitness Starting a Routine

How many times have you been to the gym and have seen some pretty big people pounding it out on the treadmill? Many people know that running with poor form can damage the cartilage in the knees. Knowing that, why would these people continue? A lack of understanding is the biggest contributing factor.

When you start a routine, you need to evaluate yourself first. Are you overweight? Do you have any strength training or cardio experience? Do you have any injuries or health problems? These are all questions you should ask yourself before you step into a routine. The next question should be, “What are my goals, and how will I achieve them?” It’s time to consult a professional if you aren't sure.

Strength training is a great way to start out a routine, but, like anything else, it will take time and some learning to understand how to perform the exercises correctly. If you lift improperly, you will increase your chances of getting injured. My best advice is this: do not start lifting without help from someone that has experience. Learning from a personal trainer or other professional will give you a good foundation. The muscle that is developed during strength training will help consume more calories and support bone structure.

In addition to strength training, you will want to learn how to properly stretch. Notice the word “properly.” Stretching is about relaxing and elongating the muscles that are shortened during regular use, and, just like lifting, it takes time and understanding to perform a stretch correctly. You might be able to learn some stretching techniques from a book, but you may learn more from a yoga instructor or from a personal trainer (one that actually stretches!).

When beginning a cardio routine, begin with low impact exercise. This can include ellipticals and bikes. If you are intent on using a treadmill, you can set the incline above 45 degrees to reduce the impact on your joints.  Another tip for a beginner is that you should just still be able to speak while you are working out. That is only a tip and should not be considered the only way to do cardio. There are a lot of opinions on what cardio should look like. Do your research and find what works for you. A big priority for cardio should be your heart since cardiovascular exercise will strengthen it.

Those are three aspects of physical fitness. However, they are not the complete picture. Remember that nutrition is an enormous part of fitness. Two people that exercise the same will get different results if one eats well and the other eats poorly (consider our previous articles to see our understanding of good and poor nutrition).

If you have questions or comments, please let us know! We will be glad to answer you.

Written by Robert Marshall

Edited by Joann Agoglia

Women and Weight Loss: The Heavier, the Better

We have trained many different people of all ages with different body types and fitness levels.  Each one is as unique as the next, yet almost all of the women seem to share one common concern. This concern always pops up at the same time during their training. The second they lay their eyes on ten pound dumbbells we hear, “I don’t want to lift heavy weights! I don’t want to look like a body builder,” or “I don’t want big, bulky muscles.” Many clients do not understand that big weights do not equal big muscles despite constant reminders that I lift heavier weights and by no means would be considered bulky. Any trainer will tell you that if a person’s head isn’t committed to what they are doing, they will not be able to perform. This is especially true for women trying to lose weight. So listen up all you women who refuse to lift anything more than 5 pounds or do nothing but cardio workouts hoping to lose weight that never seems to come off.  Here is the truth about lifting those heavy weights.


Let’s start with the reason why heavier weights will not “Pump You Up.”  It is the lack of hormones and body structure that makes most women genetically unable to produce large muscles.  Testosterone is the hormone that helps bulk up.  Women have 15-20 times less testosterone than men.  This hormone is what makes it easy for men to gain muscle so quickly.  Unfortunately, it is the abuse of this hormone that produces abnormally large muscles on men and women.  So if your trainer isn’t slipping you anything in you water or injecting you with something, bulking up should not be a concern.


Now let’s talk about the many reasons why women need weight training.  I haven’t looked at any research numbers or Googled any studies, but I am willing to bet that the number one reason why women start a fitness routine is to lose weight.  There are, however, studies that support me when I say women typically stick to cardio exercise in an attempt to lose weight.  This would explain why the treadmills are always filled up at the gym, and the fast paced cardio step/dance classes are always packed.  The need to lose weight is also the reason why diet pills and so called “healthy eating plans” have become a billion dollar industry. Ahh, how great would it be if all you had to do to lose weight and keep it off was to take a pill or eat prepared meals all day?  But as many of you already know from experience, this doesn’t work, and cardio exercise alone will not be able to give you that trimmed, toned body you want.  As a matter of fact, low calorie diets cause your metabolism to slow down, causing your body to go into starvation mode.  Now add in cardio exercise. Where is your body going to get its energy from?  When your body is given a choice of using fat or muscle for energy, it chooses muscle.  Wouldn’t you?  Just think if you were given the choice of eating a bowl of fat or some lean chicken.  Most of us would pick the meat every time, and so would your body.  Strength training builds stronger connective tissue and increases stability in the joints.  The risk of injury is greatly decreased when joints are stronger and more stable. This makes it safer for you to attend that fast paced cardio class or go for 45 minutes on a treadmill.  By the way, strength training doesn’t take up much of your time. 20 minutes, 2-3 times a week can do the trick.  With a good personal trainer, cardio and strength training can be combined.  Imagine no more 45-60 minute workouts.

Another reason for strength training is increased strength.  The key word here is strength.  Increased strength does not mean large muscles.  Why is it so important?  There are several reasons why strength is vital to your health.  Let’s go over the obvious reasons first.  Muscles need to be strong to support your frame (your skeleton). “But this still doesn’t explain why we need heavier weight,” you may say.  The stronger your muscles, the easier it is to do your daily activities. You daily chores should not push your strength to the limit.  Lifting groceries, laundry, kids, or anything that involves pushing, pulling, and lifting can be potentially dangerous.  If your muscles are strong, you are less likely to have an injury.  Anyone throw their back out lately doing any of those things?

Bone density increases with weight training.  The support the muscles give the bones is critical.  Research shows that weight training can increase bone spinal mineral and enhance bone modeling.  In other words strength training reduces your risk of Osteoporosis.

One of the best reasons for weight training is that it helps you burn fat even when you are not doing anything at all.  Lean muscle increases the rate of resting metabolism; you can burn more fat even when you are sleeping!  For every pound of muscle you gain, you burn 35-50 more calories every day!  Strength train more if you want to lose weight and keep it off; don’t eat less.

Now it is not just about moving heavier weights. It is about knowing how and when to lift heavier weights.  Your muscles will not become stronger if they aren’t challenged, and it is important to work your muscles to fatigue.  It is also important to know how to lift weights.  Proper form is everything when you are weight training.  Without it, weight training can be a dangerous task.  Please seek out a knowledgeable professional. If you need help finding one, please let us know.

Written by Joann Agoglia

Edited by Robert Marshall