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TonyaTittle

by TonyaTittle
October 15, 2020
Blog

How Personal Trainers Differ and How to Hire The Best

So you want to hire someone to help you get fit or take your fitness to the next level? How do you find the right personal trainer for you? Of course at Energy Fitness, personal training studio of over 19 years we want to recommend that you find someone that doesn’t just have a weekend certification. It is after all, your health we are talking about protecting and protecting you from injuries and helping you get the best out of your investment. Not only is it an investment but you don’t want a trainer that does the same workout for everyone of his/her clients or the same exercises ALL the time.

Did you know there are over 300 certifications available for fitness instruction and states don’t have a governing body that requires more stringent qualifications and education of a personal trainer or fitness instructor. Massage therapists unlike personal trainers must be licensed in all but 5 states as of 2014, the states of Kansas, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Vermont and Wyoming. Those states do not require licensing but some local governments may.  Alaska started requiring licensure in 2015.

There are two companies/certifications that are considered the Gold Standard. These are American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM very science related and the one I obtained), National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA for performance based training). These two also require that you have a Bachelors Degree or higher to obtain their certification making you show official transcript as proof. Then the certifying agencies trickle down to other top and common ones in which you can google their abbreviations NSCA, NFPT, NASM, ISSA, NCSF, NESTA. More inexpensive ones are AFTA and ACE.

The top level certifications are going to require the trainer to take and submit more continuing education credits which means they are likely staying abreast of changes, trends and learning new stuff to help you reach your goals. My certifications are listed below if you are reading this and don’t already know me and my background. Of course you can see my bio on the staff page of my website.

Keep in mind that personal trainers come from a variety of backgrounds and fitness experience thus have different philosophies on how to train their clients. Some trainers look like they don’t exercise at all and look bored while training their clients or are too chatty making the clients not be able to focus properly. Some trainers just do the same body building style workouts with their clients having the client sacrifice form over function. Some trainers are chronically late, no show for their clients with no respect for their time or text on their phone during the session. Some trainers just make up the exercises as they go along and don’t write down a thing to track progress.

Then you have those great personal trainers in which fall into the following category which I believe I fall into (tooting my own horn). The best trainers do fitness assessments on their clients often and continually check in especially when it’s time to switch programs every 6-8 weeks.

Ninety-nine percent of the time I have client’s do a functional movement screen, ask them fitness history and health history questions via paperwork and conversation. I also assess different biomarkers like heart rate, blood pressure, pictures against a posture grid, body fat, girth measurements, flexibility assessment, push up test unless client has shoulder issues and  of course goal setting. I pick the program then have clients do twisting and bending exercises and base their program from where their body is now to where I want to lead them. The best trainers also correct clients form and strike the balance between heavy weights and realizing that’s it too heavy causing the client to end up adjusting the body however necessary to get the movement done with the possibility of hurting themselves. I have to watch clients closely and monitor my desire for them to get results with the desire for them to just move their body and do it correctly and with precision.

If you are ready to let us be your personal or nutrition coach, just give us a ring, text or email today.

You can get an onsite or virtual assessment (via zoom or google duo) so we can access the quality of your body’s movement and discuss your goals. We have streamlined our custom take out fitness programs in a way our clients really like and come back for more. How? We assess them, ask what equipment is available if any, write program for them, send via email or text along with a short 5-10 minute video demonstration of the 2 programs. Interested in this? Call or text to see how we can help you 901-466-6242.

Call, text or email us to get started Personal Training or utilize our Massage Therapy Services today! 901-466-6242 or energymemphis@gmail.com

CLICK HERE IF YOU WANT A VIRTUAL FREE FITNESS CONSULT OR IF YOU ARE READY TO MEET ONSITE FOR OUR PERSONAL TRAINING OR NUTRITION or GIVE US A TEXT OR CALL AT 901-466-6242

 

 

 

 

Tonya Tittle, M.S., ACSM
Owner/Dir. of Training, Energy Fitness (established 2002)
ACSM, TPI Level 1 Certified, Rock Tape, Rock Pods (cupping therapy), Rock Tape Blades & Blades Advanced
FMT Basic, Metagenics FLT, more certifications, qualifications and awards listed in my bio on website.

Massage services resumed June 1, 2020 and we have new guidelines that will be followed such as staff will be wearing face coverings as well as clients for massage. You will have to sign a Covid19 release form, wash your hands upon arrival, etc. All clients onsite must sign Covid form, successfully answer health Covid questions and socially distance.

Click  here for information on our Healing Arts Services

CONTINUE READING
by TonyaTittle
October 8, 2020
Blog

Quick Pick 4 – Challenge Do These Exercises Each Week for 6 Weeks

As a personal training studio owner of Energy Fitness for over 19 years, personal trainer and former collegiate athlete I have high expectations in the gym and cardio workouts for myself which I pass on to my clients.I admit sometimes I get overzealous and may add too many exercises for the client. I just want them to have a balanced body and work in all planes of motion.

Prescribing too many exercises can leave some individuals confused and wondering if they can even workout on their own. This is especially true for clients that I just assess and write a take out program for them to do on their own (and some even give a video demo of the actual workout). Individuals go to trainers for a bundle of different reasons such as motivation, learn how to not get injured, expertise, nutrition coaching and accountability.

This blog post is intended to get you thinking about just doing even 4 exercises as opposed to my own workouts which I just counted often
involves up to 20 different exercises.

I must also admit that I have learned from experience that when new clients especially older clients or newbies to strength training seem apprehensive that I should take that cue and dial it down. This can help them from getting hurt and overcome the obstacle of not even starting the training program if doing it on their own. We all learn everyday and each new learning experience helps us to be better at our craft/profession.

All that said is in this post I tried to think of the most functional movements (fancy word for moving your body well and in different directions) for you to try if you are someone that hasn’t been doing anything or maybe you want to add an additional day with a few body weight exercises.

The best for your Quick Pick 4 is asking yourself

DO YOUR WORKOUTS MOVE YOU
IN EVERY DIRECTION?
Not doing any strength training?
Maybe this can get you jump started!
THE CHALLENGE….. Do 1 set of 12 reps of each exercise 2 times per week skipping a day or two in between.

Here’s a few exercises to get you started thinking this way and incorporate these planes of motion in all your workouts going forward.

  1. Step Ups – HOLD ON TO SOMETHING FOR GOODNESS SAKE as this is one of those exercises where balance comes into play as well as ankle stability and firing those glutes (butt muscles). Find a set of stairs in your house, apartment, work or find a tall enough aerobic step or bench at the gym?  What plane does this work?
    Sagittal –This plane divides the body into right and left sides. Movements in the sagittal plane are flexion and extension. You can move forward and backward or up and down. Other exercises in this plane are squats, leg press, leg curl lunges, bench press, bicep curls and buttkicks.THE CHALLENGE….. Do 1 set of 12 reps of Step Ups each leg with no rest between sides 2 times per week (skipping a day between them)!

2. C-Bend (standing or kneeling) Which plane does this work? Frontal – This plane divides the body into front and back sides. Movements in the frontal plane are abduction where you move your limbs away from the mid-line of your body into a lateral motion. Think arms out to your sides like you are flying. Front plane is also adduction where you move your limbs towards the mid-line of your body like when doing a jumping jack and bringing the arms back down to your sides. This lateral movement applies to any part of your body moving side to side.Other exercises in this plan are side lunges, side kicks, side raises for shoulders, shoulder presses, slide board or rollerblading, lateral trainer cardio machine and outer thigh side walks.

If you try the standing version be sure to align your spine correctly. If you tend to have a sway back (anterior tilt of the pelvis) then rotate your pelvis by thinking tucking butt/lengthening hip flexors. If you have a flat back then you will need to create a little arch by doing the opposite of sway back instructions. Want to try the kneeling version by clicking here.

3. IT Band Leg Cross Over (Do this move aiming to keep your shoulders on the ground) This exercise is great because as you are trying to rotate your lower body you are also trying to keep your shoulders on the ground feeling the rotation move up your body as you try to bring your leg back to the starting position. Too easy with one leg? Then do both by all means and that means keep both feet together when coming back up after aiming the toes to the armpits. Which plane does this work? Transverse – This plane divides the body into top and bottom halves. Movements in the transverse plane are rotational, both internal and external rotation.Think golf, tennis, swimming with good rotation, canoe, kayak, paddle board, chopping down a tree with an ax and bowling. Other exercises in this plane are chop squats, lunge with high to low or low to high chops, roman twists or throwing the medicine ball with a twist of the upper body.


or click here for the two legged advanced version.

4. Multi-Planar move Curtsey with cross chop.This movement goes across several planes.  Other rotational exercises are squat to rotational shoulder press or split leg lunge with chop motion or a Curtsey with cross chop (you can use a heavy book or a small handbag, get creative if you don’t have actual medicine balls, dumbbells, cables or bands. Battling ropes are a great tool to work your body in every plane of motion. You can do alternating waves or stagecoach to work in the sagittal plane.

YOU GOT THIS! Chart it on a calendar or on your phone to see your visual progress!

If you are ready to let us be your nutrition coach or personal train you, just give us a ring, text or email.

You can get an onsite or virtual assessment so we can access the quality of your bodies movement and discuss your goals. We have streamlined our custom take out fitness programs in a way our clients really like and come back for more. How? We assess them, ask what equipment is available if any, write program for them, send via email or text along with a short 5-10 minute video demonstration of the 2 programs. Interested in this? Call or text to see how we can help you 901-466-6242.

Call, text or email us to get started Personal Training or utilize our Massage Therapy Services today! 901-466-6242 or energymemphis@gmail.com

CLICK HERE IF YOU WANT A VIRTUAL FREE FITNESS CONSULT OR IF YOU ARE READY TO MEET ONSITE FOR OUR PERSONAL TRAINING OR NUTRITION or GIVE US A TEXT OR CALL AT 901-466-6242

 

 

 

 

Tonya Tittle, M.S., ACSM
Owner/Dir. of Training, Energy Fitness (established 2002)
ACSM, TPI Level 1 Certified, Rock Tape, Rock Pods (cupping therapy), Rock Tape Blades & Blades Advanced
FMT Basic, Metagenics FLT

Massage services resumed June 1, 2020 and we have new guidelines that will be followed such as staff will be wearing face coverings as well as clients for massage. You will have to sign a Covid19 release form, wash your hands upon arrival, etc. All clients onsite must sign Covid form, successfully answer health Covid questions and socially distance.

Click  here for information on our Healing Arts Services

 

 

 

CONTINUE READING
by TonyaTittle
September 30, 2020
Blog

3 Tricks to Eating Smaller Meals or Snacks

Food is something that we all have to eat to survive. If you can begin looking at food as a source of nutrients that you must consume several times a day instead of a distraction from stress, a reward or a solution to other emotional issues then this can be the first step in reaching or maintaining your ideal body shape and size.Cutting back on portion sizes can be an effective way to trim excess calories, fat and sugar from your diet, but it can also be quite challenging. Restaurant and fast-food portions are far larger than those appropriate for a healthful diet or food pushers are offering you what they feel is love on a spoon or fork.

Ask yourself these questions as the answers may be the link for you need for 
re-creating and implementing new tricks/habits and consuming smaller meals:

When is the last time you weighed the amount you wanted and kept it there for two years?

How did you feel when you were at that size and shape?

Were you keeping busy or distracted?

Were you happy or in a better state of mind?

Was someone else in charge of your meals or meal prep?

Were you in charge of cooking for someone else?

Did you live in a different city? (a healthier minded city)

Did you have friends that had healthier habits?

Getting used to eating smaller portion sizes is a matter of being mindful about what you put on your plate, over and over, until it becomes second nature. Of course, in a perfect world we’d be precisely measuring all our food before we eat it. But in the real world, it helps to have hacks.

3 Tricks to Eating Smaller Meals or Snacks

  1. Don’t skip breakfast. Break-the-fast. Ideally you will have at least 20-26 grams of protein for breakfast. I recommend that you either have fruit first and wait 30-60 minutes and then consume a higher protein meal or have a shake for breakfast first then a mid morning snack within 2-3 hours later. People that skip breakfast tend to back load on calories at the end of the day right before bed. This is not ideal as you are less active at night and likely tired from the day. You may find yourself sitting around or going to sleep on an overfull digestive system. I still believe it’s ideal to have 12 hours from your bedtime meal until the next meal so if you need to have breakfast later in the day and all your meals get pushed back to odd times then so be it. My preferred time for lunch is 1-2 p.m. which is right before the 3 p.m. snacking craving for carbs most people have arrives with your body cycle.

2.  Keep restaurant meals in mind for take home meals– We all know that many restaurants serve larger portions than needed for one sitting. One client often says during his workouts “I was over served at X restaurant last night!”  Isn’t this a funny saying? I think so, it’s true that our society has many signals and cues that make it difficult to eat the proper portion size or even the right foods. Wait…am I defending the restaurants and deflecting the blame off of you? You are responsible for what and how much goes into your mouth! When the meal comes and you see it’s too much, immediately ask for a to go box and put the “over-served” amount in there for a later meal that week.

3.  Love your carbs correctly – do you know the difference between carbs? Root veggies like squash, sweet or regular potatoes, carrots and other night shade veggies are labeled category 2 veggies. Individuals that are trying to lose or maintain their weight need to have only one serving per day. The best way to do this is by combining your category 2 vegetable with a few category one veggies like green leafy ones in your lunch time meal if possible or reduce your portion and have at night. This means no sneaking potato chips or crackers when you are starving. Have those carbs and enjoy them properly and this will be the correct combination and meal timing your body needs.

Consider these guidelines or bright lines you don’t cross for your optimal body success. Success for you might look different than someone else living in your household or that you work with. Remember that you are worth making the changes for.

A saying I like so much more than “I was over served” is “Feeling good and being beach body ready is better than constantly caving and making excuses for my lack of results” Of course I also like having a flat belly all the time and not having to look in my closet for clothes to hide my bad choices in which many of you can relate to now or sometime in your past.

If you are ready to let us be your nutrition coach or personal train you, just give us a ring, text or email.

You can get an onsite or virtual assessment so we can access the quality of your bodies movement and discuss your goals. We have streamlined our custom take out fitness programs in a way our clients really like and come back for more. How? We assess them, ask what equipment is available if any, write program for them, send via email or text along with a short 5-10 minute video demonstration of the 2 programs. Interested in this? Call or text to see how we can help you 901-466-6242.

Call, text or email us to get started Personal Training or utilize our Massage Therapy Services today!
901-466-6242 or energymemphis@gmail.com

CLICK HERE IF YOU WANT A VIRTUAL FREE FITNESS CONSULT OR IF YOU ARE READY TO MEET ONSITE FOR OUR PERSONAL TRAINING OR NUTRITION or GIVE US A TEXT OR CALL AT 901-466-6242

 

 

 

 

Tonya Tittle, M.S., ACSM
Owner/Dir. of Training, Energy Fitness (established 2002)
ACSM, TPI Level 1 Certified, Rock Tape, Rock Pods (cupping therapy), Rock Tape Blades & Blades Advanced
FMT Basic, Metagenics FLT

Massage services resumed June 1, 2020 and we have new guidelines that will be followed such as staff will be wearing face coverings as well as clients for massage. You will have to sign a Covid19 release form, wash your hands upon arrival, etc. All clients onsite must sign Covid form, successfully answer health Covid questions and socially distance.

Click  here for information on our Healing Arts Services

 

 

 

CONTINUE READING
by TonyaTittle
September 25, 2020
Blog

Fast Forward Example of Custom Strength Training Program From Tonya Tittle

Well..How are you holding up with your workouts? Energy Fitness has been holding clients accountable for over 18 and a half years. Personal trainers aren’t just for celebs, they are for people that don’t know where to start designing a balanced program or those that need accountability and that extra push. Let’s face it, learning the ins and outs of how to work around injuries, prevent injuries from overuse or bad form, how to get faster at a sport, have more flexibility in your muscles and joints isn’t knowledge you are born with. I’ve been in the fitness profession over 30 years and still learning skills to sharpen my tools as I coach and teach others. This teaching and coaching can be something clients pick up bits and pieces along the way and eventually feel they have enough to fly on their own or it could be that they know they will never remember all of it or be inspired to change their program every 6 weeks.

That’s right even though you may know what to do how often do you actually change your selection of exercises we call a program? That’s where this post comes in, to teach and show you a few tools you can use on your own or hire us to teach you to do.

I’ve been recording 7-10 min videos for individuals or current clients showing what their program looks like so they can have an example of proper form and how many sets & reps I think they should do and with what weight. They tell me what they have access to or equipment they have at home (if any) and what their goals are.I also get a health history, release of liability and general sense of their lifestyle if it’s active or not and many other questions that may be helpful in creating an effective strength program to do twice a week about 20-30 minutes. Some clients additionally want us to suggest cardio workouts and flexibility. Where would we be without nutrition coaching? Well, that depends on the client and if they wish to include it in the program. We all know of course you can’t work off a bad diet.

Let’s just focus on strength training for this post.
Can you name the benefits of strength training as they are kind of motivating.

Here’s a quick 16 Benefits of strength training:

  • increases your confidence
  • increase quality of sleep
  • decrease blood pressure
  • improve skin tone (sweating can help detoxify skin)
  • increase muscle tone
  • decrease body fat
  • decrease symptoms from depression, anxiety, moodiness, anger
  • increase focus and work productivity
  • boost immune system
  • increase bone mass helping to keep bone diseases at bay
  • increase muscle mass
  • increase joint flexibility
  • increase balance (now if you only doing bench press and bodybuilding exercises this is limited) Try doing some bicep curls or shoulder presses balancing on one leg or use a stability ball!
  • helps control weight (that is if you don’t justify your way into more food just because you work out)
  • keeps your heart and lungs healthy
  • increases your stamina

Moving on..Take a look at this and decide if you wish to reach out to me or motivate you to hire a trainer to take your fitness to a beginner or the next level. This one of two I created for a client that lost a lot of weight on he own and wanted to tighten up to help fill out her body more with muscle. I send her links to her private videos then additionally sent her the typed version in a nice tracking worksheet format.This program would be performed one day per week and the one paired with it another day of the week making sure there is at least one day of rest between the programs. We recommend at least 3-4 days of cardio per week totaling the  American College of Sports medicine recommended dosage of 150 min per week of exercise with more being prescribed as needed based on goals and starting fitness baseline.

The video is in fast forward so you can see and hear if you listen some of the exercises and see the transitions.

Here is the typed version: (an example of what you will get should you hire me to create a program for you)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another client (Julie) that was a neighbor and our kids played soccer together had me create a program for her. She went one step further and had me virtually take her through both programs. The first workout she texted me the next day she was so sore and that she needed more than a day to recover for me to show her the other workout plan in her program. She’s an avid runner and super healthy so she couldn’t believe how much it kicked her butt. She knew she needed to do it to make some of her nagging injuries go away and be a fast runner again. Those programs will help keep her balanced and give her a jumping off point of moving her body the right way based from her virtual functional movement screen we did. The movement screen showed me she needed to improve range of motion in certain areas of weakness which is why I chose lots of twisting, balance and core exercises.

What about you? Are you ready to kick it in gear slowly or amp it up? Programs range from $87-$200

You can get an onsite or virtual assessment so we can access the quality of your bodies movement and discuss your goals. We have streamlined our custom take out fitness programs in a way our clients really like and come back for more. How? We assess them, ask what equipment is available if any, write program for them, send via email or text along with a short 5-10 minute video demonstration of the 2 programs. Interested in this? Call or text to see how we can help you 901-466-6242.

Call, text or email us to get started Personal Training or utilize our Massage Therapy Services today!
901-466-6242 or energymemphis@gmail.com

CLICK HERE IF YOU WANT A VIRTUAL FREE FITNESS CONSULT OR IF YOU ARE READY TO MEET ONSITE FOR OUR PERSONAL TRAINING OR NUTRITION or GIVE US A TEXT OR CALL AT 901-466-6242

 

 

 

 

Tonya Tittle, M.S., ACSM
Owner/Dir. of Training, Energy Fitness (established 2002)
ACSM, TPI Level 1 Certified, Rock Tape, Rock Pods (cupping therapy), Rock Tape Blades & Blades Advanced
FMT Basic, Metagenics FLT

Massage services resumed June 1, 2020 and we have new guidelines that will be followed such as staff will be wearing face coverings as well as clients for massage. You will have to sign a Covid19 release form, wash your hands upon arrival, etc. All clients onsite must sign Covid form, successfully answer health Covid questions and socially distance.

Click  here for information on our Healing Arts Services

 

 

 

CONTINUE READING
by TonyaTittle
September 18, 2020
Blog

Infrared Sauna Health Benefits & Info About Hot Springs BathHouse Row

Have you heard the buzz the last few years about the benefits of infrared saunas? They are so popular that there are increasingly more options available to the public. Boutique day sauna’s are now available and sessions can be purchased individually, packages or monthly unlimited memberships. The main types are wood burning, electrically heated, infrared and steam room.

Spas are of special interest to me as my hometown is Hot Springs, Arkansas which is home of BathHouse Row as well as Mountain Valley mineral water. Buckstaff Baths is still in operation today. I recommend the Whirlpool mineral Bath package for a mere $38 which includes: Whirlpool Mineral Bath(20-minute tub bath with whirlpool at a maximum temperature of 102 degrees).This bath package includes, hot packs, sitz bath, vapor cabinet (pic below where just your head sticks out-awesome and so old school), needle shower (doesn’t hurt), and whirlpool turned on in your tub.

Sorry, I was getting carried away with memories of my past bath experiences at Buckstaff.

The focus of this article is mainly to bring to your attention the benefits of an infrared sauna and the options available for infrared saunas at home (portable units). Portable Infrared Saunas are becoming alarmingly alluring to the public – and, for a good reason. They offer an array of healing benefits for both the mind and the body. Sweating has long been used as therapy. The Mayans use sweat houses 3000 years ago. In Finland, saunas have been used for thousands of years, and 1 in 3 Finns still use them. In the United States (U.S.), there are thought to be over a million saunas. A regular dry heat sauna is typically a room heated to between 158° to 212° Fahrenheit.Traditional Finnish saunas usually use dry heat, with a relative humidity that is often between 10 and 20 percent. In other sauna types, the moisture is higher. Turkish-style saunas, for example, involve a greater level of humidity.

Is this a fad or will it stay around for a bit? Who knows as many people thought spinning was going to be a fad and almost 25 years later it’s still around, In fact, the demand of the Peleton bike is such that customers often wait 6 weeks for delivery or more.

Then of course you have some businesses take it to the next level and offer 24 hours a day access and/or combine exercise in the infrared saunas via virtual instruction like weight exercises, body weight exercises, band exercises, core, barre, treadmill, kickboxing, cycling, rowing, or yoga. Me, no way I would want to exercise in this environment! The selling point for the exercise infrared saunas is that the you receive the benefits of infrared heat absorption, while completing a 30-minute isometric (yoga / pilates) workout or 15-min High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) session for some businesses or a 30 minute circuit for other business models and some with heart rate monitoring. As the infrared heat penetrates your body causing you to sweat, the isometric postures further accelerate detoxification by physically removing the toxins from your organs through muscle contraction. By the way massage and exercise not in a heated room also has the ability to detoxify your body via sweat and muscle pumping contraction.

The main benefits for infrared saunas are as follows:

  • Increases in cellular metabolism, blood circulation, tissue oxygenation and collagen production
  • Production of inflammatory mediators that reduce cellular inflammation
  • Production of growth factors that assist cellular regeneration
  • Increased cellular and tissue growth
  • Activation of anti-aging systems (when we repair both the DNA architecture and the gene transcription systems, we are restoring the optimal Epigenetic state of the cell. When we test clients biomarkers with our BIA (bioelectrical impedance analysis) machine I am often telling client that the machine also measures Phase Angle which is the overall health of the cells. We want our cells to be like grapes not raisins!
  • Other more laymen terms for results are relaxation, stress relief, anxiety and depression relief, better sleep, detoxification

KEEP IN MIND……………A sauna may not be suitable for everyone. Check contraindications before using.

What is the Ideal For Infrared Sauna Temperature?

An ideal temperature is between 110-130 degrees. However, it depends on what you want to accomplish. In an infrared sauna, you will have a better detoxification at lower temperatures and you will sweat more at higher settings.

Remember that infrared is what heals, not sweating (which is what marketing sells). What is important is getting as much infrared as possible.

According to one blog post I read as part of my research for this post, ‘If you set your control panel at too low of a temperature and wait to enter until it has reached the desired reading, the heaters will short cycle off and on and you do not fully benefit from the infrared. This is one of the most misunderstood aspects of infrared sauna use”.

You want the heating elements to be on and delivering infrared the entire time, regardless of the temperature setting. So ideally you want to set the temperature at a higher level around 140. Then you can enter the sauna when it reaches 110 or 115.

Using an infrared sauna at the lower temperatures of 110-125 degrees results in a sticker, more fat-laden sweat and less electrolyte loss. In fact the sweat from an infrared sauna session is comprised of up to 20% toxins compared to only 3% toxins in the sweat produced in a high temp steam unit. This is a main reason it is the better choice for detox purposes.Some users report beginning the session at a low 110-125 degrees for the first 20 minutes and then raising the desired temperature to around 135 to produce a more profuse sweat for the final 10 minutes.

So What’s Best Temp for an Infrared Sauna?

According to someone praising the benefits of the brand Heavenly Heath if you are a beginner or not in great health then 100 degrees or less until you get use to the heat. For most others set the control panel to at least 130 degrees. A setting above 140 is even better. Begin your session when it is between 100-115 degrees. This brand has a ceiling vent.

Should I invest in one for my home?

One of our clients which is totally immersed into holistic and natural care in so many areas of her life showed me her infrared sauna in which she keeps in her walk in attic.

Here’s what she had to say about her “I have not been sick, it relieves stress and detoxes the body really well!” Kathy Y. She has the Luminati Sauna model from www.saunaspace.com (It’s an investment for sure and it has a Lifetime warranty!) They have payment plans available as well.

Another client Energy Fitness has trained for many years is a nurse and mother of two grade school children. She recently shared that her new guilty pleasure is a membership to Hot Works and sometimes she goes twice a week. It makes her feel calmer and more zen. She does some Yoga but many times just lays down and soaks up the heat and rays. This is a great mind calmer for those with overactive brains and thought patterns.

Here’s an image from SaunaSpace.com website.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HAPPY DETOXING OR GETTING YOUR RAYS ON!

Call, text or email us to get started Personal Training or utilize our Massage Therapy Services today!
901-466-6242 or energymemphis@gmail.com

You can get an onsite or virtual assessment so we can access the quality of your bodies movement and discuss your goals. We have streamlined our custom take out fitness programs in a way our clients really like and come back for more. How? We assess them, ask what equipment is available if any, write program for them, send via email or text along with a short 5-10 minute video demonstration of the 2 programs. Interested in this? Call or text to see how we can help you 901-466-6242.

CLICK HERE IF YOU WANT A VIRTUAL FREE FITNESS CONSULT OR IF YOU ARE READY TO MEET ONSITE FOR OUR PERSONAL TRAINING OR NUTRITION or GIVE US A TEXT OR CALL AT 901-466-6242

 

 

 

 

Tonya Tittle, M.S., ACSM
Owner/Dir. of Training, Energy Fitness (established 2002)
ACSM, TPI Level 1 Certified, Rock Tape, Rock Pods (cupping therapy), Rock Tape Blades & Blades Advanced
FMT Basic, Metagenics FLT

Massage services resumed June 1, 2020 and we have new guidelines that will be followed such as staff will be wearing face coverings as well as clients for massage. You will have to sign a Covid19 release form, wash your hands upon arrival, etc. All clients onsite must sign Covid form, successfully answer health Covid questions and socially distance.

Click  here for information on our Healing Arts Services

 

 

CONTINUE READING
by TonyaTittle
September 9, 2020
Blog

Trainers Favorite Quad (front thigh) Stretch

As a personal training studio, Energy Fitness trainers are always showing our clients different stretches that can help increase range of motion as well as decrease pain.With all the sitting that we all do for hours a day this stretch can be especially helpful in reducing back, knee or calf pain.It helps to stretch out the quadriceps, hip flexor and shin (front of lower leg) muscles.

See the video below and attempt to get into this quadriceps stretch position. Hold onto something if you feel like you are so tight that you think you can’t imagine bringing your torso into an upright position. We will caution you that if you feel a cramp on the front of your foot at your toe is up the wall that this happens quite often it is a sign that this too is an area in need of stretching love and care.Once you have placed yourself in this position be sure to tilt your butt under (pelvic tilt/posterior tilt) and breathe. Hold the stretch from 30 seconds to optimally 3 minutes.

Tip: If you find the foot up wall an impossible position to get into at first then try, try again (unless of course you have serious knee issues in which case try less advances poses). Try post exercise of at least 20 minutes or even after a hot bath. Fascia that covers the muscles is more pliable when it is warmer as well as the underlying muscles. Also, you may wish to place a pillow or soft yoga block under your back knee for either a more comfortable or advanced stretch.

Want to know if you are progressing? Keep a note pad of when you first started doing the stretch and try every day or every other day. Rate yourself on a scale of 1-10 comfort level. You might give yourself a 2 if you couldn’t even get the back knee close to the wall or get up. You get the picture! A score of 10 would be you get into the pose quick and have no cramping or making facial expressions of discomfort and can hold the pose easily continually making adjustments of getting deeper into the stretch.

Think how proud you would be of yourself for mastering what trainers think of as an advanced stretch pose. You just might be so proud you demonstrate friends and family of your feat! Okay, maybe I’m the only exercise nerd that does that kind of show and tell.

Attempted and not there yet? That’s okay, it can be a goal. Here’s a few more to build up to the one above that I put in a blog post over 2 years ago.

Happy Stretching!

Call, text or email us to get started Personal Training or utilize our Massage Therapy Services today!
901-466-6242 or energymemphis@gmail.com

You can get an onsite or virtual assessment so we can access the quality of your bodies movement and discuss your goals. We have streamlined our custom take out fitness programs in a way our clients really like and come back for more. How? We assess them, ask what equipment is available if any, write program for them, send via email or text along with a short 5-10 minute video demonstration of the 2 programs. Interested in this? Call or text to see how we can help you 901-466-6242.

CLICK HERE IF YOU WANT A VIRTUAL FREE FITNESS CONSULT OR IF YOU ARE READY TO MEET ONSITE FOR OUR PERSONAL TRAINING OR NUTRITION or GIVE US A TEXT OR CALL AT 901-466-6242

 

 

 

 

Tonya Tittle, M.S., ACSM
Owner/Dir. of Training, Energy Fitness (established 2002)
ACSM, TPI Level 1 Certified, Rock Tape, Rock Pods (cupping therapy), Rock Tape Blades & Blades Advanced
FMT Basic, Metagenics FLT

Massage services resumed June 1, 2020 and we have new guidelines that will be followed such as staff will be wearing face coverings as well as clients for massage. You will have to sign a Covid19 release form, wash your hands upon arrival, etc. All clients onsite must sign Covid form, successfully answer health Covid questions and socially distance.

Click  here for information on our Healing Arts Services

 

CONTINUE READING
by TonyaTittle
August 29, 2020
Blog

Ditch RICE Method For Injuries-Recanted 5 years ago!

Many of you have heard of this acronym RICE which refers to four elements of treatment for soft tissue injuries: rest, ice, compression, and elevation. The mnemonic was introduced by Gabe Mirkin in 1978. He has since recanted his support for the regimen. FYI..He is a physician, author, professor, columnist, former guest lecturer, and a former marathon runner who hosted a radio show on health and fitness for more than 20 years and wrote several books on sports medicine, nutrition, and health.I found this on Wikipedia: He is commonly known for his recommendations on standard medicine as well as his non-standard recommendations on health concerns and his criticism for preliminary medical research findings without appropriate verified resources.

Recantment………In 2015 he wrote, “Coaches have used my ‘RICE’ guideline for decades, but now it appears that both ice and complete rest may delay healing, instead of helping. Here’s a link to a post by him:  Why Ice Delays Recovery. Gary Reinl (veteran sports medicine trainer) has written forcefully that Ice is also wrong, and delays healing and is on a mission to show us all why icing is an illusion and something that has been done for far too long and really for no good or evidence backed reason at all. We challenge you to listen and really challenge the ideas you’ve had when it comes to this argument on using ice or not. Reinl, for his part, believes the answer lies in a new acronym: ARITA—active recovery is the answer.Great video of him talking about it in a blog.I watched it and love the part speaking about lymphatic system (which is what massage therapists help stimulate during treatment and bodywork) and was eating up the science explained of why RICE doesn’t work.

What happened to big news of the recantment?

Have you heard it?  I only just saw it in print for the first time in a massage therapy trade magazine.

People including myself followed that RICE rule for over 37 years especially fitness professionals as to stay in guidelines and legal kickback. I have taken RockTape classes where they have shown research studies that movement and tape or other treatments are much more effective than ice and that ice can actually delay healing. Remember that the body can help repair itself if given the right opportunity.

3 Ways to Ice an Injured Ankle - wikiHow

Recently, a Toronto-based trainer and exercise physiologist, John Paul Catanzaro, coined a new acronym to deal with soft tissue injuries – METH.

METH refers to Movement, Elevation, Traction and Heat

Movement and traction are very similar in the METH approach. Both focus on the importance of moving the injured soft tissue area frequently but with caution. Avoid keeping the area still or resting for too long (I would say for over 30 minutes). Remember, movement will assist in preventing stiffness, pain, as well as swelling, however, do this with caution!

Ice is great at removing immediate pain and swelling following an injury, however, it will also constrict blood flow. This constriction in blood flow may limit the flushing of inflammation out of the injured region, thus, creating more pain and making healing time longer.  Applying moist heat (around 5-10 minutes at a time) can be found to do the opposite – it increases circulation and healing times.In terms of muscle strain. This moist heat can help warm up the muscle and fascia making movement easier and less painful. So hot tubs may not be a bad idea after all, just not for open wounds.

Certainly there are soft tissue or ligament injuries which will call for a little easier movement therapy and pain will be the guide.Some people’s intuitive meter is not calibrated so properly navigating pain and injury may be out of whack which might mean seeking multiple opinions and finding holistic solutions for what ailes you.

So when I constantly tell our personal training and nutrition coaching clients and our massage therapists tell their clients that YOU have to be your own health detective and do what’s best and intuitively right for your body that is the reason why, I mean really 37 years of RICE!!! I recall having a conservation over 20 years ago with my sister-in-law’s brother who is a physical therapist and broke his arm and opted to not be in a cast but healed with movement therapy thus resulting in better degree of motion after traditional “rest” cast treatment. I know when I have had injuries myself back in college and they stuck me in an ice bath for hamstring strain and calf cramping but they also did contrast treatment as well cold/heat/cold/heat then manual manipulation (massage) and taping to assist in proper mechanics to help heal but I think heat and massage would have aided in faster recovery.

The use of ice as a healing mechanism is a bad idea. That said, it still has its function. Reducing swelling is important for fractures before putting on a cast. The more a broken arm or leg is swollen when the cast goes on, the looser the cast will become as the healing continues. Ice helps with that.

The bottom line is to be open-minded in our approach to treating soft tissue injuries.  What works for one person, may not work well for someone else. Next time you think RICE, consider the METH method or ARITA for treating that acute soft tissue injury. Here’s the device they keep mentioning in the video mentioned above. Looks like an e-stem unit to me in which I have always wanted after getting treatments from professionals over the years (about $700) Marpro.

Seems like everyone wants to have an acronym so here’s another food for thought on this topic from a massage therapist post on fb:

New recommendations are to provide soft tissue injuries with the PEACE & LOVE protocol. This helps encourage optimal loading of the joint and tissue around the affected injury which can impact the amount swelling and lead to a faster recovery.
✌ PEACE makes up the first steps you would take after an injury. Immediately after the injury you would want to protect (P) the injured structure, followed by elevating (E) the limb higher than the heart, avoid anti-inflammatory (A) both over-the-counter or prescriptions and ice, as they slow down tissue healing. Compress (C) the injured area to decrease swelling. Ensure patient education (E) on the risks of overtreatment.
💘 LOVE makes up the progressive return to activities a few days after the injury. Gradual load (L) will facilitate healing, optimistic (O) influences the perception of pain and recovery speed. Loading and progressive return to activity will facilitate vascularization (V) of the injured tissues. The last step involves activity exercises (E) can help recover range of motion, strength and proprioception.
Reference. Dubois, B., & Esculier, J. F. (2020). Soft-tissue injuries simply need PEACE and LOVE. British journal of sports medicine, 54(2), 72–73. https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/54/2/72.long

Call, text or email us to get started Personal Training or utilize our Massage Therapy Services today!
901-466-6242 or energymemphis@gmail.com

You can get an onsite or virtual assessment so we can access the quality of your bodies movement and discuss your goals. We have streamlined our custom take out fitness programs in a way our clients really like and come back for more. How? We assess them, ask what equipment is available if any, write program for them, send via email or text along with a short 5-10 minute video demonstration of the 2 programs. Interested in this? Call or text to see how we can help you 901-466-6242.

CLICK HERE IF YOU WANT A VIRTUAL FREE FITNESS CONSULT OR IF YOU ARE READY TO MEET ONSITE FOR OUR PERSONAL TRAINING OR NUTRITION or GIVE US A TEXT OR CALL AT 901-466-6242

 

 

 

 

Tonya Tittle, M.S., ACSM
Owner/Dir. of Training, Energy Fitness (established 2002)
ACSM, TPI Level 1 Certified, Rock Tape, Rock Pods (cupping therapy), Rock Tape Blades & Blades Advanced
FMT Basic, Metagenics FLT

Massage services resumed June 1, 2020 and we have new guidelines that will be followed such as staff will be wearing face coverings as well as clients for massage. You will have to sign a Covid19 release form, wash your hands upon arrival, etc. All clients onsite must sign Covid form, successfully answer health Covid questions and socially distance.

Click  here for information on our Healing Arts Services

CONTINUE READING
by TonyaTittle
August 20, 2020
Blog

Castor Oil Packs For Detox and Other Benefits

Whilst reading about the benefits of massage, different modalities and treatments offered in the massage therapy industry to stay abreast of information we share with you I discovered information on Castor Oil Packs. Energy Fitness offers body detox wraps and use M’Lis Contour to help the body detox via the lymphatic system but not everyone wants to come to us or pay for this type of service or wish to make time for it. Massage therapists are also trained in lymphatic drainage massage. Castor Oil has been around for many years as I recall my grandmothers and mother talking about using it.

Castor oil packs involve the application of externally administering castor oil to the skin’s surface so that it can slowly be absorbed. Castor oil packs have many potential therapeutic uses including the ability to treat the following conditions: (you can make your own or buy kits: check out this site for a recipe)

  • Skin conditions such as fungal infections, rashes, acne, warts, callouses, eczema, allergies, and other inflammatory skin problems
  • Parasitic infection such as ringworm
  • Dry eye
  • Liver disorders including cirrhosis
  • Headaches
  • Appendictis
  • Gallbladder inflammation
  • Epilepsy
  • Arthritis
  • Menstrual cramps
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Intestinal problems such as constipation
  • Induce labor
  • Cancer

Castor Oil Promotes Lymphatic Drainage

Illustration of human lymphatic system with skeleton.

 

 

 

 

Castor oil exhibits anti-cancer properties by promoting the lymphatic system to remove the buildup of debris and toxins in the body. When the lymphatic system is not functioning properly, liquid can accumulate within the network of tubes responsible for filtering bacteria and become stagnant.

Other research has found that when oil is absorbed through the skin, not only is there an increase in both lymphatic drainage and blood circulation, but there is also an increase in lymphocyte production. Lymphocytes are critical to the immune system because they signal a call for aid when the body is under attack from foreign substances. Keep in mind that your skin (your largest organ) absorbs good stuff and bad stuff. It may also be possible that castor oil can have health benefits when simply massaged onto the skin.

The ability of castor oil packs to promote lymphatic drainage and both digestion and elimination, castor oil packs ultimately aid the body to naturally detoxify. Understanding the clues your body is signaling to you is necessary to help you understand how effectively your body is currently able to promote detoxification.

When you talk detox I would be remiss if I didn’t remind you that the liver is your largest filter in your body so you can’t have a clean colon and lymphatic system without additionally addressing the liver. The liver serves vital functions in the body and is absolutely essential for the process of detoxification. A weakened lymphatic system increases the buildup of debris, toxins, and pathogenic bacteria; weakens organs; and increases the risk for cancer.

The liver helps circulate fluid in the body and transforms toxins into a substance in which then can be:

  1. Dissolved
  2. Flushed down the bile ducts
  3. Relocated into the small intestine
  4. Eliminated from the body as stool

 

Here’s an example below of a castor oil wrap available online. It’s pricey at $44. Ideally you are looking for a wool or flannel material. Surely you can find something around the house that would fit this bill.  Just soak and place around the area in need of attention such as the abdomen, knee, wrist or elbow. Leave on area for 45 minutes to an hour. Remove the pack and wipe the area clean with a warm damp towel. You can store the castor oil pack in the container used to soak them. Cover and refrigerate. Reuse each castor oil pack up to 30 times.

Some people may be allergic to castor oil. It may cause a skin rash or reaction when used on the body. If you haven’t used a castor oil pack before, do a patch test:

  1. Rub a few drops of castor oil into your skin and leave on for 24 hours.
  2. If you don’t have any reaction, a castor oil pack should be safe to use.

 

Amazon has a book on kindle that may interest you: Castor Oil: How To Grow Longer Hair, Get Rid Of Scars, Remove Wrinkles, And Other Health And Beauty Recipes (Homemade Body Care Book 4)

Call, text or email us to get started today!
901-466-6242 or energymemphis@gmail.com

You can get an onsite or virtual assessment so we can access the quality of your bodies movement and discuss your goals. We have streamlined our custom take out fitness programs in a way our clients really like and come back for more. How? We assess them, ask what equipment is available if any, write program for them, send via email or text along with a short 5-10 minute video demonstration of the 2 programs. Interested in this? Call or text to see how we can help you 901-466-6242.

CLICK HERE IF YOU WANT A VIRTUAL FREE FITNESS CONSULT OR IF YOU ARE READY TO MEET ONSITE FOR OUR PERSONAL TRAINING OR NUTRITION or GIVE US A TEXT OR CALL AT 901-466-6242

 

 

 

 

Tonya Tittle, M.S., ACSM
Owner/Dir. of Training, Energy Fitness (established 2002)
ACSM, TPI Level 1 Certified, Rock Tape, Rock Pods (cupping therapy), Rock Tape Blades & Blades Advanced
FMT Basic, Metagenics FLT

Massage services resumed June 1, 2020 and we have new guidelines that will be followed such as staff will be wearing face coverings as well as clients for massage. You will have to sign a Covid19 release form, wash your hands upon arrival, etc. All clients onsite must sign Covid form, successfully answer health Covid questions and socially distance.

Click  here for information on our Healing Arts Services

 

 

CONTINUE READING
by TonyaTittle
August 15, 2020
Blog

Electrolytes (fancy word for Sodium & Potassium) and Why You Need Them

Electrolytes are analogous to the motor oil in your car—they don’t make the engine run, but they’re absolutely necessary to keep everything running smoothly. Proper functioning of the digestive, nervous, cardiac, and muscular systems depends on adequate electrolyte levels.

One aspect of the personal trainers job at Energy Fitness personal training studio in Memphis is educating clients on pre & post workout nutrition as well as proper hydration. Electrolytes are chemicals that form ions in body fluids. They help make sure specific bodily functions run at optimal levels. Too few electrolytes will cause the body to cramp.

To see this science first hand and how the numbers can change as opposed to the illusive “they say I’m suppose to drink electrolytes” has been fascinating. Several years ago Energy Fitness purchased a Bioelectrical Analysis Machine as part of Tonya’s Metagenics First Line Therapy Certification suggestion. The BIA machine really gives in depth reports. There are numerous biomarkers in one of the reports with three of them being level of hydration, percentage of extracellular water and intracellular water. Ideally you want 60% intracellular to 40% extracellular water. When the report would say as it often would for me that my extracellular water was well above what it should be that meant a combination of things that I might need to change. Extracellular water is important because it helps control the movement of electrolytes, allows oxygen delivery to the cells, and clears waste from metabolic processes. 

Side note…Benefit to lifting weights or body resistance exercises. A major influence on our body is the amount of fatty tissue and lean body mass that we carry. Lean body mass carries much more body water than body fat. An adult man will be about 60% water compared to an adult woman that will be about 55% water. If you are physically active, that number will increase depending on your lean body mass.

With so many people trying these low carb or keto diets, fasting, sweating, breathing and overall just being active it’s important to know and track your body’s hydration level. This can mean the difference from being able to think clearly to performing well while working out or doing daily chores. An obvious monitor of hydration is the color of your urine. If your urine is faint yellow to clear then you are NOT getting enough electrolytes or water. If you are peeing often then you are also not hydrated properly. If you are or have had bouts of loose or runny stools then you are not hydrated properly. If you are sweating or breathing hard you are losing body water.

So do YOU need to focus on electrolytes balance?

The biggest take away for you today in this post is for you to know that sodium and potassium aka electrolyes are carriers of nutrients into and out of your cells.

If you aren’t hydrated properly what needs to
GET INTO the cells CAN’T
and what needs to (toxins) GET OUT of the cells CAN’T. 

The truth is that the human body needs only a minute amount of sodium to function normally. We require a mere 500 mg of sodium each day, athletes maybe 2,000 mg. This is easily supplied by natural, unprocessed foods. However, the average American consumes approximately 6,000-8,000 mg per day, well above the upper end of the recommended dose of 2,300 – 2,400 mg/day.

“Going to a party and want to avoid drinking but don’t want to answer a lot of questions or pressures to drink wine or other alcoholic beverages? Why not pack your own electrolytes. They come in different flavors and hence different colors. You can get the fizzy tablets or the powder you just stir or shake in water.”

For those of you that don’t know how active I am I don’t have time or space nor does anyone wish to read a diatribe of my activities, just know that I feel I am performing better getting in 32oz. of doctor recommended electrolytes daily. I knew for many years that I didn’t get enough but I didn’t want to drink the sugar laden ones available on the market. With so many advances in supplements there are so many more natural and sugar free alternatives out there now.

You have to just pick the right one for you and just consider it part of your monthly food/health budget. Here’s a few below I recommend:

Dr. Prices I tried but didn’t work for me as I felt like it made me constipated. My family does fine with this mix so I gave rest to them. It comes in many flavors and avail online (amazon).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nuun…This is my favorite and they are convenient as they come in tubes and can be found at several local grocery stores and available online (i get mine from amazon in Tropical flavor, I hate grape flavor as it tastes like wine…you might like that though). I consume one tab per day and one vega serving as seen below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Metagenics has one that’s great also. Here’s a link to purchase. I haven’t tried the Hammer endurolytes fizz tablets but when I was training and competing in long races I loved their other products.

Remember that just drinking water may not cut it. If you are eating a hefty amount of carbs your body is storing 3-4 grams of water per every 1 gram of carbohydrates which is why if you go on a low carb diet you start losing weight quickly (it’s water weight….aka electrolytes possibly) and here come the headaches for many.

There are many factors involved in keeping your body running optimally.

Be your own health expert and take care of what you have like it’s a prized racehorse.

Happy Hydrating!

Call, text or email us to get started today!
901-466-6242 or energymemphis@gmail.com

You can get an onsite or virtual assessment so we can access the quality of your bodies movement and discuss your goals. We have streamlined our custom take out fitness programs in a way our clients really like and come back for more. How? We assess them, ask what equipment is available if any, write program for them, send via email or text along with a short 5-10 minute video demonstration of the 2 programs. Interested in this? Call or text to see how we can help you 901-466-6242.

CLICK HERE IF YOU WANT A VIRTUAL FREE FITNESS CONSULT OR IF YOU ARE READY TO MEET ONSITE FOR OUR PERSONAL TRAINING OR NUTRITION or GIVE US A TEXT OR CALL AT 901-466-6242

 

 

 

 

Tonya Tittle, M.S., ACSM
Owner/Dir. of Training, Energy Fitness (established 2002)
ACSM, TPI Level 1 Certified, Rock Tape, Rock Pods (cupping therapy), Rock Tape Blades & Blades Advanced
FMT Basic, Metagenics FLT

Massage services resumed June 1, 2020 and we have new guidelines that will be followed such as staff will be wearing face coverings as well as clients for massage. You will have to sign a Covid19 release form, wash your hands upon arrival, etc. All clients onsite must sign Covid form, successfully answer health Covid questions and socially distance.

Click  here for information on our Healing Arts Services

 

 

 

CONTINUE READING
by TonyaTittle
August 6, 2020
Blog

Japanese Towel Method for Smaller Belly & My Take On It

One of my team members suggested I do a blog post on the Japanese towel method for losing belly fat and does it work? I researched it and put a twist on it to customize for different body types.

What is the Japanese Towel Method?

Look at the picture below. Lie on your back with a rolled up towel just under your navel with your legs straight, your toes touching and lying with your arms above your head and palms down(I had palms up for pictures-oops!) – your pinkies must also touch each other. According to a Japanese physician named Toshiki Fukutsudzi, this exercise helps you to improve your posture and, after some time of training, lose weight due to the skeleton correction it causes. Do this for 5 minutes. The idea is that it helps to stretch your spine which can help your posture which in turn may help with digestion, nerve stimulation and reduce back pain.

Although this might work for some it doesn’t work for all which is why I’m going to give you my take and customization on this method. The reason we do functional movement screens before we see our clients is to customize based on your body. What is your normal standing posture? Do you have a normal curve in your low back, S-Curve/Sway back, Flat Back or elevated/rotated hip? You must think about this before you just jump right in on some magazine suggested workout or a workout your friend swears by.

Stand in the mirror and look to see what type of posture you have or ask a friend or family member. 

The picture below on top left is the Japanese towel method. When I took this picture it actually was hurting my back.  I have S-posture which means my hips are tilted forward in anterior tilt. We have many clients with S-Posture and the Extreme Flat Back posture so have to adjust exercises as necessary to counter this. If you need more curve in your back (Flat back) then try the towel or smaller foam roller, exercise disc cushion or a pillow directly under your navel. If you have S-posture you may wish to try placing the foam roller, yoga block or rolled up towel under your sacrum. This will help you also lengthen your hip flexors which are tightened when your hips are rotated in anterior tilt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Think about this…All our organs and limbs, including the intestine and stomach, connect to the brain via the vertebral column so it is true that misalignment of the bones, reflected in bad posture, can mean that nerve pathways are constricted.The part of the spine between the ribs and the small of your back is where the intestine nerves are connected, so if you slouch or push your pelvis too far back, it may result in digestion issues, such as constipation, bloating, gas and acid reflux. While constipation and bloating make your belly appear bigger, it is not fat; it’s just the waste that is not being eliminated.You should be eliminating 2-3 times per day. Of course there may be all kinds of reasons your belly is bigger than you want, maybe food allergies you haven’t considered, allergy to alcohol, wheat or daily or even something as common as onions that may be hidden in some of your foods, eating fruit when your other food isn’t completely digested. I digress..I just can’t help myself to talk about nutrition when we talk about smaller bellies.

Back to the Towel method…The exercise introduced by Fukutsudzi implies lying on a rolled towel for five minutes three times a day. What???? 3 times a day that’s a lot more than most people may be willing to do including me and I exercise a lot. Well as with anything creating a habit and changing behaviors takes commitment so do what you are willing to do and you will get the results you have put into your efforts. Maybe start with a minute and work up to 3-5 minutes 1-2 times per day. At least having an awareness and going in the direction of correction will lead you down the path of better digestion and posture.

Call, text or email us to get started today!
901-466-6242 or energymemphis@gmail.com

You can get an onsite or virtual assessment so we can access the quality of your bodies movement and discuss your goals. We have streamlined our custom take out fitness programs in a way our clients really like and come back for more. How? We assess them, ask what equipment is available if any, write program for them, send via email or text along with a short 5-10 minute video demonstration of the 2 programs. Interested in this? Call or text to see how we can help you 901-466-6242.

CLICK HERE IF YOU WANT A VIRTUAL FREE FITNESS CONSULT OR IF YOU ARE READY TO MEET ONSITE FOR OUR PERSONAL TRAINING OR NUTRITION or GIVE US A TEXT OR CALL AT 901-466-6242

 

 

 

 

Tonya Tittle, M.S., ACSM
Owner/Dir. of Training, Energy Fitness (established 2002)
ACSM, TPI Level 1 Certified, Rock Tape, Rock Pods (cupping therapy), Rock Tape Blades & Blades Advanced
FMT Basic, Metagenics FLT

Massage services resumed June 1, 2020 and we have new guidelines that will be followed such as staff will be wearing face coverings as well as clients for massage. You will have to sign a Covid19 release form, wash your hands upon arrival, etc. All clients onsite must sign Covid form, successfully answer health Covid questions and socially distance.

Click  here for information on our Healing Arts Services

 

 

 

CONTINUE READING

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