Couples Oblique Twists Using a Resistance Band

Here is a fun exercise you can do with a partner to strengthen and tone your obliques, and get rid of that spare tire around your waist.  I call this exercise a couples oblique twists using a resistance band.  This is also a great exercise to tighten-up your butt and thighs.  Watch as two of my favorite clients demonstrate the proper technique.



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Dumbbell Biceps Curl Standing on a BOSU

I believe in working as many muscle groups as possible in one exercise because your body is dynamic in every activity you do.  Using a BOSU as a part of your strength training program is one of the best ways of hitting all your muscle groups in an exercise, especially the small stabilizing muscles of your legs, hips, and core.  Dumbbell biceps curls standing on a BOSU is one of my favorites.  Watch as I demonstrate the technique in the video below.



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Pullups, One of The Best Overall Upper Body Exercises

A properly executed pullup is one of the best exercises for strengthening and developing your upper body.  Pullups strengthens your arms, upper back, and your core, it's one of my favorite exercises when I want to get a good upper body workout in a limited amount of time.  Watch the video below as I demonstrate how this exercise should be properly performed.



You can see many more of my favorite exercises by visiting my website at www.personaltrainerinraleighnc.com

Ed Weadock, One of the Most Inspirational People I've Ever Met

I've been in the health and fitness industry for over 20 years and Ed Weadock is one of the most inspirational people I've ever met.  I first met Ed at the North Ridge Country Club Fitness Center a little over 12 years ago.  The first thing I noticed about Ed was how healthy and fit he looked and when I found out he was in his 70s I was blown away.

Ed is now in his 80s and he seems to defy age.  He is a model for what the benefits of regular exercise, and eating a balanced diet looks like.  I'm honored to have interviewed Ed for this blog post.  Read it and be inspired.

Me: Ed where were you born and where did you grow-up?

Ed:  Born in New York City (Manhattan) and grew up in the combination of New York and Connecticut.  At the time the city was not as confining as it is now.  The kids could roller skate and play stickball in the streets without being smushed by a bus, so we were pretty active.  Connecticut in the summer was full of outdoor adventure and things to be discovered.

Me: What's your age?

Ed: 84

Me: How do you stay in such great physical condition?

Ed:  Not sure if its cause and effect, but have been in the habit of exercising for a couple of hours every day since I was in my early thirties.  It just becomes a routine that you miss if you do not do it.  Also have several other interests that have both a physical and a mental component.  As a change of pace I find a lot of enjoyment in reading .  These things along with a glass of wine make a for a special day every day, as long as family and friends are there too.

Me: What advice would you give someone who's starting an exercise program in their 50s, 60s, and 70s plus?

Ed: There are several things I try to remember about exercise.  You are better off if you do it because you want to do it rather than if someone is telling you that you must.  You should believe that your exercise will get easier as you get more practice, and that your body, over time, can do much more than you think possible.  There is no shame in starting slow and looking like a doofus compared to others—they likely did too in the beginning.  Have progression goals and change things up from time to time to keep it interesting.

Me: What's your diet like?

Ed:  My wife is the diet watchdog.  Left to my own devices I would deviate towards donuts, chips etc. but Louise insists on something called vegetables.  We eat much more fish and chicken than red meat, but have the occasional hamburger.  We do not ascribe to the various food fads that always seem to pop up, rather try to stay reasonable in what and how much we eat.

Me: I believe you use to run some distance races, how many have you done?

Ed: We used to think of “distance” races as those that were longer that half marathons, and they were mostly marathons of which I did about twenty-five and “ultra” marathons which come in different sizes up to one hundred miles, and we finished about twenty of those.

Me: What was your training regime when you were competing in distance runs?

Ed: The training for distance running is pretty straight forward in that it requires a lot of running.  For special races like the Western States 100 miler which runs ninety-five percent in the Sierra Nevada Mountains we would go out to Lake Tahoe two weeks before the race and train by running segments of the trail.  When steep grades are involved it is important to get used to them before the race.  There is this axiom that you always must eat pasta before a long race.  I was never sure whether there was any validity in this rule, but since I enjoy spaghetti a lot I never tested this conventional wisdom and still don’t know if it makes a difference.  I really think, though, that you should just eat what appeals to you in training or in a race.

Me: What race do you remember the most and why?

Ed:  I most remember the 1982 Western States 100 race.  It was the first race of that length for me and the first in those (it seemed to me) enormous mountains, and it was intimidating.  Only about half the field typically finishes so I did not think too much of my chances.  My family was there to crew for me led by Louise and daughter Lora, so it was special for the support I had as well as the race itself.  The time limit is 30 hours and my time was 29:41—and I was not the last finisher.  The course of the Western States Trail goes through a spectacular wilderness with several deep canyons cut by the American River, an adventure in itself—and that year the first twenty five miles were in snow!  We did the Western States five more times, but the first one has a special place for us.

Me: What do you consider your greatest accomplishment in life?

Ed:   So many people do wonderful things in their lives that it is better to admire what they have done than to compare them, one to the other.  If we are able to set our values in a way that is good for other people as well as ourselves, and then have the gumption to stick to them, it will be a pretty good trip.

Me: Who has had the greatest influence in your life and why?

Ed:  My wife Louise has had the greatest influence on my life, and it has very little to do with vegetables.

Strengthen Your Legs and Core, and Improve Your Balance With Squats on a BOSU

Squats on a BOSU is a great exercise for strengthening your legs and core while improving your balance.  Watch as I demonstrate the technique in the video below.



You can find many more of my favorite exercises by visiting www.personaltrainerinraleighnc.com

A Complete Shoulder Exercise Routine Using a Bosu

Watch as I demonstrate one of my favorite exercises for working my entire shoulder girdle.  Standing a Bosu to perform this exercise also strengthens your core, and increases the intensity of this movement immensely.

Daily Accessing Your Spiritual Energy is Important For Your Health and Well-Being

There is more to your overall health and well-being than just taking care of your physical body. You are an energetic being made up of spirit, mind, and body. You exist as spiritual, mental, and physical energy. All three of these energies vibrate at different frequencies and must be balanced in order for you to live a happy, balanced, and fulfilled life. Thus, you have to have a fitness practice for all three aspects of your existence in order to live a fully. Most people focus mainly on the energies of the mind and the body, and pay little attention to the most important aspect which is the energy of spirit.

You are a part of the Eternal Divine Spirit which is the life behind all things. This is where the energy resides that orchestrates all life. It keeps the planets in alignment, causes the sun to rise, provides the air that you breathe and is the core of your very existence. This Loving Presence is always working on your behalf for It created you out of Itself. It contains the answer to your every problem, and it provides for your every need. It resides in you and all you need do is connect with this Loving Presence and It will guide you easily and harmoniously through life.

If you use this consciousness of Love as your starting place each day you will find that your daily tasks will flow easily and harmoniously with very little stress and strain. For this Loving Presence has unlimited organizing power to bring about results in your life with very little effort on your part.

In order to connect with your spirit and create harmony in your life you have to learn to quiet your mind and control your thoughts. You learn to control your thoughts through the regular practice of sitting in silence. Some people call this meditation, I call it self-contemplation. This is the most proven way to access your spiritual energy which is your true identity. Your spiritual energy will always reveal truth in your life, showing you errors in your thoughts and beliefs which materialize as inharmonious conditions in your life. Meditation is a top down approach to making changes in your life with the least effort.

Sitting in silence can be very difficult at first, because your mind is filled with chatter and you are constantly jumping from one thought to another. Thoughts are like little children competing for your attention, they say “look at me, look at me” and you have to train yourself to ignore them. Don’t get discouraged. The practice of silence is just like physical exercise, you get stronger and better at it the more you do it. Here are some techniques for learning to quiet your mind.

• Go to a quiet place where you will not be interrupted for about 30 minutes. Sit upright in a comfortable chair. Close your eyes, take deep controlled breaths, and slowly count backwards from 100 to zero. The counting will cause your mind to focus on the numbers and shut out any other distracting thoughts.

• While in your quiet place for 30 minutes, while you are closing your eyes and taking deep controlled breaths, think about your favorite outdoor spot. It could be the beach, the mountains, or watching a beautiful sunset. Imagine that you are physically at your favorite place. Hear the birds singing, feel the sun on your skin, experience the sound of the waves crashing on the shore. The object is to train your mind to focus on one thought at a time.

• Take a relaxing walk in nature. Listen to the birds sing, marvel at the beauty of the trees, flowers, and plant life. Again, the object is to train your mind to focus on one thought at a time.

• My favorite technique for quieting my mind is to read some inspirational passage and then to contemplate its meaning.

You will find that once you become efficient at quieting your mind, things will be revealed to you. It could be the solution to some situation that you’ve been struggling with, or the vision of completing a project. Whatever is revealed to you in these times of silence comes from the core of your existence and from your unity with the Divine. Trust that it is right for you.