Shin Splints

Shin splints seem to occur with everyone at one time or another. I believe shin splints are preventable, however, people don’t usually realize this until it’s too late.

If you’re already experiencing shin splints, know the same measures taken for prevention, can also help speed your recovery.

SHIN SPLINT PREVENTATION / HEALING

1. BE AWARE OF YOUR TRAINING - DO NOT TRAIN AIMLESSLY

In other words, if you’re going to run all week, plan your runs. This means planning the distance, routes, intensity, and type of run. Also note the various surfaces you’ll be running on. Note distances in both uphill and downhill as well. Look over the week and be sure everything pans out. If you notice you’re running on a surface such as concrete or asphalt most of the time, you might want to vary it up and find a gravel path, track, or even grass, for various sections of your run. Hard surfaces can cause too much jarring, especially at long distances, and/or when fatigue sets in.

2. BE AWARE OF YOUR TRAINING SCHEDULE

Pay attention to the hours you’re putting in. Log intensity, days you did sprints, biked, hiked, climbed, etc. Be sure to spread out activities according to your training level and knowledge. Be aware of the signs of overtraining. Be aware of attempting too much, too soon. If you’re going to partner up or work as a team, be sure you’re a compatible fit.

3. KNOW THYSELF

If you’re feeling ill, overtired, or just plain stressed out, use caution when exercising. It’s easy to become lax during these times, and loose attention to form, technique, detail, even breathing, which can lead to injuries faster than anything else. If you’re a runner and shin splints are a constant, have a Pro take a look at your stride, how your feet hit the pavement, follow through, and form. Remember to stay light on the feet, and stay in tune to the muscles working, and their level of fatigue.

4. GOOD SHOES

Good shoes are a must. Just because shoes look like new on the outside doesn’t mean they haven’t seen their days. Make note of when you began using a pair of shoes, and keep a general log on the number of hours/miles you’ve put on them. Replace every 500-600 miles. Better yet, have several pairs of shoes, and rotate through them.

5. INSERTS

We all have different feet. A pair of shoes that started off okay for short distances, but wreaks havoc on long runs could very well indicate you need an insert. Most inserts found at stores will work just fine. Be sure to try several types, gel, etc., and replace accordingly.

6. CHIROPRACTORS

It would be nice to think our structural system is perfect, however, sometimes we need an adjustment. The adjustment could very well be in the hips, knees, or ankles. Chiropractors can suggest specific exercises to strengthen the surrounding muscles around a loose joint to keep the issue in check, and eventually eliminate it. For instance, performing various types of calve raises will strengthen muscles surrounding the area of the shin.

7. WARM-UP / STRETCH

Proper warm-up and stretching cannot be emphasized enough. Never shortchange yourself on your warm-up or cool-down, ditto pre and post-workout stretches. Be sure to include a direct stretch for the shin(s) as well. Basically, this involves standing on both feet. Slightly bend your right leg, and tuck your left foot back, placing the top of the foot onto the floor. Simply rotate through the shin area until you feel a good stretch, repeat with your other leg. Be sure to stretch and utilize the full range of motion (ROM) regardless of the stretch you’re doing.

8. ICE

After any type of intense or long duration workout, ice can help reduce swelling and in turn, lessen and even control pain. I don’t suggest using anti-inflammatory medications, or painkillers, both have negative side effects and take a toll on the liver. I suggest icing the first 24 hours as much as needed, and continue a few times a day for up to three days. At this point, I would introduce hot/cold applications then massage the area entirely. If progress has not been made in 14 days or a bit less, I’d see a doctor to make sure you haven’t done some other type of damage.

9. DIET

Be sure to include lean meats, fish, dairy, fresh fruits and vegetables (especially the dark green leafy kind), whole grains, and pecans in your eating plan. These foods are wholesome and contain good amounts of calcium, magnesium, potassium, Vitamins A, C, and E, B Vitamins, and zinc. All are necessary for repair and rebuilding of damaged tissue, and cells. Be sure to include essential fatty acids as well. I suggest ground flaxseed, perhaps 1 tablespoon daily.

10. HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES

Homeopathic remedies are safe, non-toxic, and are not habit forming. Two I suggest using for shin splints and/or any type of trauma to physical body are:

- Arnica Montana

- Magnesia Phosphorica

Both can be found at a health food store. Take according to the directions on the bottle. Arnica Montana is also available as a gel and cream to work into the skin of the inflicted area, as well.

BOTTOM LINE

We must be aware of our exercise habits, eating regimen, rest/sleep cycles, and mental state of mind. All keep us in good health, and reduce our chances of injury by simply being mindful of them. When you feel pain STOP what you are doing and figure out where the pain is coming from, do not ignore it. Pain is the body’s way of letting us know something is amiss. If you have shin splints, have taken time off, and are beginning to exercise again and feel pain, stop. You need more time to heal, and healing cannot be rushed. Go swimming instead, take advantage of other opportunities, and allow your body to heal.

OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES

Please read my blogs on:

- Stretching

- Overtraining

- Recovering from Wounds/Injuries

Health!

Water vs. Coke

As many of you already are aware, I'm a huge advocate of water. I highly discourage people from drinking 'soft'drinks that are anything but 'soft'. 

A friend sent me these interesting facts on water vs. Coke. It did not have a link so I'm just sharing it as is. I hope you find this not only valuable to your health, but also use it as a motivating factor to keep yourself and those you love, well informed, and hydrated, with good clean fresh, pure water. 

For those addicted to, or have formed bad habits with sodas, may I encourage you to overcome the habit, see it for the destroyer of health it is and commit yourself from this moment forth to wean yourself down to nothing but H2O.

Thanks to whomever compiled this wonderful information, and for sharing it with others to educate and help us realize the value of clean water. It truly is a priceless asset. 

WATER

1.  75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. (Likely applies to half the world population)

2.  In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is mistaken for hunger.

3.  Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as 3%.

4.  One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pains for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.

5.  Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

6.  Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

7.  A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.

8.  Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%., and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer. 

Are you drinking the amount of water you should drink every day?

COKE

1.  In many states the highway patrol carries two gallons of Coke in the trunk to remove blood from the highway after a car accident.

2.  You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of Coke and it will be gone in two days.

3.  To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl and let the 'real thing' sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous china.

4.  To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers: Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola.

5.  To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion.

6.  To loosen a rusted bolt: Apply a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.

7.  To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca-Cola into the baking pan, wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake.  Thirty minutes before ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix with the Coke for sumptuous brown gravy.

8.  To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of Coke into the load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains. It will also clean road haze from your windshield.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION:

1.  The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid.  It will dissolve a nail in about four days. Phosphoric acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase of osteoporosis.

2.  To carry Coca-Cola syrup (the concentrate), commercial trucks must use a Hazardous Material Placard reserved for highly corrosive materials.

3.  The distributors of Coke have been using it to clean engines of their trucks for about 20 years.

DRINKING WATER AT THE CORRECT TIME

Drinking water at the correct time maximizes its effectiveness on the Human body:

- 2 glasses of water after waking up -  helps activate internal organs

- 1 glass of water  30 minutes before a meal - helps digestion

- 1 glass of water before taking a bath - helps lower blood pressure

- 1 glass of water before going to bed - avoids stroke or heart attack

Drink to good health!

The Power of Perseverance

Ever wonder why some people succeed, an even excel, with extreme circumstances, and others can't seem to overcome? The answer lies in perseverance. Yes, good old perseverance. 


WHAT IS PERSEVERANCE?
Perseverance is to persist at what it is we are trying to achieve, until it is indeed a done deal. It's to keep moving forward, pressing on, despite the obstacles, or difficulties we may encounter along the way. It's a resolute and unyielding desire to hold on, to stay the course, no matter what. It's applying our best efforts for an undesignated time, with no certainty of an end result. Does this sound appealing to you? For many, it does, IF they are determined to get what they desire, no matter the cost. To others, it is not appealing, as it requires mental, physical, emotional, spiritual work and endurance. This is the age of "get it now", and let's face it Team, the things worth striving for in life take time to achieve, and perhaps a lifetime to conquer. For many, if they cannot 'get it now', they'd rather not have it. 


THE THINGS IN LIFE WHICH ARE OF GREATEST VALUE CANNOT BE SEEN...ONLY FELT. CANNOT BE RECOGNIZED...ONLY UNDERSTOOD. CANNOT BE BOUGHT...ONLY EARNED.  - Jill Nix


THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS
Think about what and who means the most to you in your life, and why. Write down three things you would like to achieve during your lifetime, and why. Rate yourself on a scale of 1-10 on the totem pole, and assess where you are at with each of them. Decide if they are truly worth your effort in giving it all you have to accomplish. This means strength of character. It means sacrifice. It means facing your fears. It means practicing self-control, self-restraint, and self-discipline. It could be a long, long, road, with many turns, and unsuspecting obstacles. It will mean inconvenience, hardships, and heartaches along the way. You will grow weary from time to time. You will question your own abilities. You will question your own self-worth. Others will judge you. Do you still want to do it? If the answer is 'yes', then this is one of your life's purpose's, and you should not shun it, fear it, or turn from it.


THE PAY-OFF
The pay-off? Yes, the pay-off. It's in overcoming what you once believed was the impossible. It's in a feeling of fulfillment that only comes through perseverance and none other. It's looking at the progress you've made over the days, weeks, months, and years. It's accomplishing something that only you can fully comprehend as valuable. You will many times feel as though you walked alone, and in the end realize you were never alone for long, just long enough to learn a lesson, and perhaps a tough one at that. You will gain an inner strength that cannot be described. You will indeed have an impact on many. The pay-off is priceless my friends.


MAY WE ALL KNOW WHAT WE'RE AFTER - AND PERSEVERE! 

SELF-IMPOSED LIMITATIONS

We all have them, experience them, give in to them, or stand up to them, every single day of our lives.

TOP 10 AREAS THAT WILL AFFECT YOU DAILY :

- Relationships

- Work (career)

- Diet

- Exercise

- Finances

- Education

- Daily goals

- Life goals

- Talents

- Spirituality

You name it, a self-imposed limitation is literally right around the corner.

WHAT IS A SELF-IMPOSED LIMITATION?

In my book, it’s nothing but a mere excuse, and a poor one at that. It’s rambling on about why one ‘can’t’ do this, and ‘can’t’ do that, so on, and so forth. Sure, there are some valid reasons at times that something honestly cannot be done in the manner in which we would consider the ‘ideal’, however, this doesn’t mean we need to cancel it out entirely, and write it off forever, as a ‘can’t’.

“START WHERE YOU ARE AT, WITH WHAT YOU HAVE, AND GO FROM THERE”

IT’S ALL ABOUT ‘WILLINGNESS’

That’s right. What are you ‘willing’ to do? No, it won’t be comfortable going out of your comfort zone. No, it won’t be convenient. No, no one will be there to sugar coat it for you, and no, no one will be your cheerleader!

In other words,

IT TAKES COURAGE AND SELF-CONTROL TO TAKE THE FIRST STEP

No one can do this for you. No one wants to do this for you. You must do for yourself whatever it takes to get to where you desire to be in life, in relationships, in your job, with your health, finances, hobbies, dietary habits, exercise programs, education, talents, and to reach any goals worth achieving in your life. YOU are the driver. YOU are the planner. YOU are the fuel. YOU are the taskmaster. YOU are your own cheerleader.

PEOPLE OVERCOME SELF-IMPOSED LIMITATIONS ALL THE TIME

I witness this with TIGHT on a regular basis. My athletes will look at me as though I’m crazy when I tell them what’s next on the agenda, and who’ll be doing it. No, they can’t do it to begin with, only because they still believe they can’t. They have set their own limitations, many times without even realizing it, only to be astonished when they perform the given task. Seriously, they are almost shocked.

When I say TIGHT changes lives, I mean it. TIGHT is different from anything you’ll ever experience. As one overcomes their limitations, they begin to see how foolish it was to think in such a negative way for so long, and how it affected not only their ability to reach their fitness goals, but other areas of their life, too.

I have received many letters from athletes thanking me for what TIGHT has done for them. How TIGHT has changed their lives, because it has allowed them to change their perspective of themselves, and their potential. I smile. I give thanks. I wish them well in their life endeavors, as they now have an inner newfound energy to guide them.

              TIGHT FORCES ONE TO EITHER FACE THEIR WEAKNESSES

                                                         OR GIVE UP!

It’s that simple. We make these type of decisions day in and day out. Even those who have given up, have walked back in to say, “Thanks”. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to bring TIGHT to people of all nations. My desire is to help people see and reach their full potential. Every minute counts. Every choice matters. Life is a gift. Live it to it’s fullest. Grasp the vision. Embrace the challenges. Look that demon marked FEAR straight in the eyes, and press forward. Do not be distracted by what is going on around you, and whatever you do, don’t look back.

Health!

Importance of Proper Form and Technique

WHAT IS FORM?

There are many variations in the meaning of form, however, in regards to my blog today, I’m referring to form as being the manner in which you produce a habit, and the correctness of performing movement, particularly in the area of exercise execution.

WHAT IS TECHNIQUE?

Technique is the skillful, efficient manner in which one executes a particular exercise.

WHY IS PROPER FORM AND TECHNIQUE SO IMPORTANT?

Proper form and technique are crucial when performing an exercise to obtain the desired outcome, which is strength, and full range of motion (ROM). Let’s take the squat, for example, if ones stance has the left foot an inch or so upward of the right foot, what happens? It’s only an inch. If this is a squat with no weight, nothing of negativity may be felt, however, over time, or given a significant load, this placement in footing will lead to not only ankle issues, but also knee, back, and if left unchecked, shoulder issues, as well.

HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?

The feet misalignment will affect the hip alignment, which affects the back, and in turn the shoulders. Just like the old song goes, “The hip bone’s connected to the_____bone”, and so forth. It’s the domino affect. Add to this a moderate load, and it speeds the process. Heavy loads can do serious damage in seconds.

Another problem with poor form and technique is the producing of bad habits. If one begins with poor form and technique, it generally goes downhill from there. I account all injuries to five categories: 1) Lack of proper warm-up and/or cool down, 2) Lack of proper stretching, 3) Improper form and/or technique,  4) Direct unforeseen accidents, and 5) Fatigue/Illness.  As you gather from this equation, seventy-five percent of all injuries are preventable. Look around you at the gym. Keep your eyes on a piece of equipment many people use, such as the leg extension. Watch how each person uses the machine, interesting. Ditto the free weight area.

Once a habit is formed, it’s harder to break than learning correctly to begin with. If you’re new to a sport, athletic endeavor, or fitness program, be sure to take the time to master the basics. Ask someone who’s knowledgeable to take a look at what you’re doing BEFORE you begin adding weight, distance, height, etc. 

One can be in the fitness field for decades, and they are no different than the beginner when beginning a new program, they must master the basics. There are no short cuts, my friends.

THE BENEFITS OF PROPER FORM AND TECHNIQUE

1. Your body is much happier when it is in alignment.

2. Your skeletal frame can do its job efficiently, and effectively.

3. It improves your posture.

4. It creates symmetry.

5. Creates balance.

6. Spreads tension across skeletal frame most efficiently.

7. Allows you to carry heavier loads.

8. Allows you to carry heavier loads, farther.

9. Keeps primary and opposing muscle groups in balance.

10. Decreases your odds of injury, significantly.

11. Feels better when executing the movement.

12. Looks better when executing the movement.

13. Allows for greater Range of Motion (ROM), which can increase your strength up to 20%!

14. Saves you time and money in the long run.

BOTTOM LINE

If you experience aches and pains other than the norm after your workouts, or pain that keeps popping up in the same area time after time, go back to the basics of the exercise, equipment, sport, etc., you’re involved in, in regards to that specific area, and examine your habits when executing various movements. Begin with the basics again, it will be worth your time.

You’re form and technique carry over into every area of your life, whether you realize it or not. You could be carrying boxes, pulling hose, throwing heavy artillery, or simply toting your toddler day after day. How you practice, is how you will train. How you train will determine your habits of movement. Your habits of movement will, in large part, determine your level of potential injury.

Begin at the start with good habits. If you notice poor habits along the way somewhere, stop and correct them, no procrastinating.

Health.!