Ask the Certified Personal Trainer

[Greg Aucoin]

Stretching

So, I discussed imbalances earlier. If you missed that, check the top of page 1 for reference. Once your muscles are in good balance as far as strength and length, it's easier to stay relatively pain-free. What creates problems are repetitive stress/relaxation of the same muscles. Sitting in a car/at a desk for hours, running, and throwing discs over two or three rounds are all prime examples of what can lead to problems. The key is to do certain stretches and training to alleviate these problems ASAP, rather than let them build up to create dysfunction and pain.

To keep things simple, just take note of the problem areas you have pain/tightness/soreness in during the day, or during and after disc golf rounds. These are areas that either have some sort of muscle imbalance as the root of the problem, or are the result of repetitive stress like throwing 120 or so shots over a couple rounds. For example, as a right handed, primarily sidearm driver, my typical sore/tight spots during and after a round are my right hip and lower back, and right behind my right shoulder blade.

Once you've established what your typical problem areas are, preventing or reducing the amount of tightness and soreness in those areas is much easier. Using a foam roller (as seen in the video a couple posts earlier) is a great way to prepare your muscles for activity. I use it the night before, and the morning of tournaments to make sure there are no really tight spots that will prevent me from having a full range of motion in my joints, and a nice, smooth throwing motion. The other key to warming up/stretching prior to your rounds is dynamic stretching/warm up. You want to prepare your muscles and joints for the speeds and ranges of motion that they'll be going through as you're throwing real shots on the course. Examples of a dynamic warm up for shoulders are: arm circles forward and backwards, straight arms up and down, and slightly bent arms alternating patting yourself on the back. The legs and torso also need a good dynamic warmup, and probably very few of us do something like this before playing. The following video has a ton of great dynamic warmup ideas, especially @ 3:22 in. You can get a very good idea of which muscles/joints are targeted by watching and then trying some of these exercises. Pick the ones that warm up your problem spots, and do them before you play. I guarantee you'll notice a major difference!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyX4olA6 ... re=related

This video is packed full of great ideas, as well. Take bits and pieces of what interests you and looks like it'll benefit you most, and try them out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S1q6abG ... re=related

The key is using movement patterns that mimic what you'll need on the course, or whatever activity you're preparing for. These could also be used as quick workouts as well.

You can go through them again at lunchtime of a tourney, before the 2nd round, or to stay loose in colder weather between shots/holes. Static (regular hold it for 30 second type) stretching can be done post rounds, but I'd also recomment using a foam roller or other massage tools like a tiger tail after strenuous activity to prevent tightness and soreness that many of us are used to feeling later that night and the day(s) that follow.

[Maureen McErlin]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJLxruO3 ... re=related

mmmm..... alex poole. nice to look at AND THAT ACCENT. omg. ladies, this is a must watch.

i'll be trying these - scott showed me his new excersize moves last night. along with his stenosis, i have degenerative discs, with two gone beyond repair in my lower back from volleyball related accidents.

we will keep you posted! thanks greg!

[Greg Aucoin]

Right on, you're welcome, Maureen.

[Greg Aucoin]

I've been very pleased with the latest results of moderate workouts and thorough stretching/foam rolling the night before tournaments. Less tightness at lunchtime has been great, and less soreness in my right leg and shoulder muscles the day after is a nice bonus.

For those of you who commonly see dropoffs from 1st to 2nd round scores, check out the dynamic stretching and foam rolling videos in previous posts!

Any other fitness or nutrition questions, hit me up, I'm ready!

[Greg Aucoin]

Although counterintuitive, and despite the fact that I am typically exhausted after a tournament due to waking up in those insane AM hours...I've found that doing a few resistance training exercises that night, or ASAP after playing a couple back to back rounds is a great method of active recovery. Basically, the science behind it is that you're increasing bloodflow to the broken down muscle tissues, which brings nutrients and helps speed up the rebuilding process, and reduce soreness.

Many times, the next day, problem areas are sore (for me as a RHFH dominant player, throwing shoulder, behind the right shoulder blade, right side lower back, and right hip are typical sore/tight spots). So, getting after it right away and working those areas makes me feel better, faster, and I don't waste what needs to be an intense workout day. If I waited, and juts rested, it may take until Wednesday in the worst cases to feel "recovered" again.

From most of what I've read, one of the keys to active recovery is working the muscles in a different way/rep. range/weight range. Obviously, disc golf Saturday and Sunday, and weight training on Monday is a great way to mix it up. Certain power and endurance muscle fibers will be worn down and sore from disc golf, and other fibers will be used in the weight training. Another example would be if you're sore from "lifting heavy" on Monday, Tuesday would be a great day to use body weight exercises such as lunges, pushups, etc. as a form of active recovery.

To me, this is a pretty big deal, because I like to work out hardest Mon-Thurs. and focus more on disc golf prep. and playing Fridays through Sunday. The hardest part is actually getting motivated and exercising when you're still sore from a long weekend of discing...but it's worth it. This is of course speaking to soreness, and not INJURY, which you should be resting at least the first 24-48 hours.

[Doug Callaghan]

I started a yoga program a couple weeks ago (3 to 4 times a week only 25min per). Wow thats all i can say. My bad knees, back feel so much better after just a couple weeks. I can notice my flexibility and range of motion (especially in my knees) is also much better. Totally unexpected but even my throwing arm feels better and isnt as sore after playing.

[Greg Aucoin]

That's awesome, Doug, glad to hear it! This is pretty much exactly what I hear from every athlete who adds a form of yoga to their routine.

It's interesting you mention the 25 min. duration. Many of my clients' training sessions are 30 minutes, and that's plenty of time for an intense, comprehensive total body workout. When I do sprint interval training (jog 1 telephone pole, sprint the next, walk back), that workout takes no more than 20 minutes, and has really helped improve my cardiovascular health and DG performance. So, for those of you who still think working out is an hour or more of machines in the gym, think again! 20-30 min. bouts of exercise are probably better for most everyone, especially if you end up doing it more frequently .

[Greg Aucoin]

Bump. What's everyone doing to stay fit this summer besides BBQ'ing and drinking beer?

[Ben Keegan]

lol aside from the burger and beer diet I been using some some Tabatas for Calorie Burning Workouts!!

[Mike Dussault]

What should I be doing for Plantar Fasiaitis?

[Scott Selders]

Bike 100+ Miles A week-Off+On Road.

Teach Tennis 8+ hours a week.

10-15 Minute Eliptical Workouts every other day.

Practice Putting+Throwing in the Fields-

Hackey Sack

Shoot Hoops

At night I Streak up and down the street-Go Pool Hopping, and Swim-Feels Weird, but Awesome!!

Last Night I was joined by none other than-Jerel Davis.

[Ben Keegan]

What should I be doing for Plantar Fasiaitis?

Plantar Fascitis can be due to a many of factors, but stretching and keeping your achilles flexible should help you out. They also make a special sock to wear at night. Also, try rolling a tennis ball, baseball or another solid type ball up and down on the bottom of the foot to help as a self, manual massage. Good Luck with that!

[Greg Aucoin]

Dug out of the depths, yet still likely hidden in the T&S section...

You have questions and I have answers; fire away!

[Matt DeAngelis]

I'm 6 ft, 176 lbs, 14% body fat. I work out every morning with interval cardio and weights. However, I am unable to lose fat around my belly! I've cut out beer during the week and eat salad with chicken at work. How do I get rid of that fat? Will more sit ups do anything?

[Scott Selders]

You Mentioned how important it is to know your Blood Sugar levels. Can you Refresh us with this important information?

[Stephen Ditter]

Cardio at the begining or end of gym visit? Or does in matter at all?

-sd

[Titan Bariloni]

I'm 6 ft, 176 lbs, 14% body fat. I work out every morning with interval cardio and weights. However, I am unable to lose fat around my belly! I've cut out beer during the week and eat salad with chicken at work. How do I get rid of that fat? Will more sit ups do anything?

Greg,

send him those videos you sent me awhile back for "core" workout..

Matt,

Talk about intense,basic,effective...but my current inability to quit cigs makes it tough to even workout.

they say that "belly fat" is the worst and most risk for about everything bad...

I look like a giraffe swallowed a hippo myself right now

[Greg Aucoin]

I'm 6 ft, 176 lbs, 14% body fat. I work out every morning with interval cardio and weights. However, I am unable to lose fat around my belly! I've cut out beer during the week and eat salad with chicken at work. How do I get rid of that fat? Will more sit ups do anything?

Great questions, Matt! Sounds like you are on the right track with a few things, and need to tweak a few others. First, I'll answer your easiest question, and this applies to everyone: DO NOT DO SIT UPS. EVER! They are awful for your entire spine, and absolutely ineffective at doing anything but building the surface abdominal muscle, which will push belly fat out more, and...well you get the picture. So, they're a double no-no. Instead, opt for planks (elbows and toes as only contact points on floor) and other core exercises that don't involve crunching or sitting up. I'll post a few of my favorites in a disc golf-specific workout soon.

The fact that you're doing interval cardio and weights frequently is awesome! They are two of my top choices for workouts. The most important part of each that I think most exercisers fall short on is INTENSITY. Especially if you enjoy working out daily, your workouts should be intense in that they take you out of your comfort zone, and no longer than 40 minutes in duration, total. Some of the most effective workouts will be in done 20 minutes. So, you'll want to move from one exercise to the next without breaks, and use the heaviest weights you can to perform around 10-12 quality repetitions (for many of your standard exercises, some others, like pushups, will be higher in reps). One of my favorite ways to do this is to pick the harder resistance training exercises first, use heavy weights for them, then finish off the "mini-circuit" with a plyometric or "cardio blast" move. Here's an example of how I do it:

Split Squats w/ 20 lb. Dumbbells (12 per leg)
20 T-Pushups (10 each side)
10 Wide Grip Pull-Ups
35 Jumping Jacks

No breaks between exercises, but I'll take a minute after all 4 to let my heart rate come back down, and use dynamic stretching for quick muscle recovery. Then, I'll do:

Split Squats w/ 25 lb. Dumbbells (10 per leg)
10 Pushups w/ scoops (I think some call them "dive-bombers")
10 Reverse or close-grip pull-ups
35 Jumping Jacks

No breaks between those sets, and I'll rest for a minute again after the mini-circuit. Then, I'll move on to:

Lateral Lunges, 8-12 reps per leg, holding a 25. lb. plate
Alternating DB Chest Presses on stability ball, 10 reps per side w/ 70 lb. DB's
Inverted Rows w/ wide grip and feet up on bench, up to 15 reps
Running Buttkicks in place or on the racquetball court (20 seconds)

Rest a minute, then:

Diagonal Lunges, 8-12 reps per leg, 25 lb. plate
Alternating DB Chest Presses on ball, 8 reps per side w/ 75 lb. DB's
Inverted Rows w/ reverse grip, feet up, up to 15 reps, but usually 12 max if I'm really pushing the pace
Running Buttkicks 20 sec.

So, in these examples, you can see that it's very possible (and very challenging) to use progressive resistance training principles of increasing weights, get a far more effective workout for your heart and lungs than most people get doing "cardio", and do a lot of "functional" exercises that will help with everyday activities and disc golf motions. I highly suggest AVOIDING ALL LEG MACHINES, as they are awful for joints, and do nothing to prepare your body for "functional" activities. I also highly suggest performing exercises unilaterally, where one side works at a time. You'll get a lot more core and stabilizer muscle recruitment, and even out imbalances (perfect for disc golf)! I can confidently say that this is by far the most effective, and well-rounded way to train your body. Depending on how much lean muscle mass you have (and you will build lean muscle with this type of workout), your body will be in a heightened calorie-burning state for several hours, sometimes 24 hours later! This is a huge difference, compared to most short-sighted cardio workouts, where the only calories you burn are during that workout.

For interval cardio, I'd suggest doing it in between resistance training workouts, if you're working out every day or almost every day, otherwise definitely do it AFTER, to answer your question, Ditterman. Here's my favorite one that I found most effective this past summer/fall:

5 minute warm-up jog, low intensity
(4) 30 second runs, followed by 30 second recovery walks (these runs should focus on long strides and moderate intensity, not quite sprints)
(2) 20 second sprints, each followed by 40 second recovery walks
(2) 15 second sprints, each followed by 30 second recovery walks
(2) 10 second sprints, each followed by 20 second recovery walks
5 minute cool-down job, low intensity

The shorter the sprint durations, the harder you should be pushing yourself, and the shorter the recovery times will feel : )
If you're doing it at the proper intensity, you'll probably be pretty cooked by the 15 second sprints, but the key is to give it full effort, and a stop watch and/or a training partner help a ton! This workout is designed to be a fat-blaster, and it definitely will get you to your leanest state, especially mixed with resistance circuits like the ones above. It can also be applied to a bike and elliptical/treadmill.

For a routine, you could do:

Monday - resistance circuit, 40 minutes
Tuesday - cardio interval training - 15-20 minutes
Wednesday - resistance circuit 20 minutes
Thursday - day off or different cardio, such as a less intense interval style
Friday-resistance circuit 40 min.
Saturday - cardio intervals intense
Sunday - off day, stretching session, yoga, etc...

Just an idea for an avid exerciser, such as yourself, Matt. So, in summary, make sure your intensity for each workout is high, and use heavy weights that challenge you to get 10-12 repetitions with great form. Unless you are taking in lots of extra calories on a daily basis (and probably not even then, if you do the above) you are not going to "bulk up", you'll simply get stronger and leaner, getting your body fat down to 8-10% and stay around the same weight range. For example, I'm also right around 6', maybe a little more, and weigh in at 190 at my heaviest, but usually closer to 180 during disc golf season, when I'm doing those sprint intervals outdoors.

[Greg Aucoin]

Cardio at the begining or end of gym visit? Or does in matter at all?

-sd

Definitely on a separate day, or AFTER. 5 min. warmup before is plenty.
Read my very lengthy response for several key points .

[Greg Aucoin]

You Mentioned how important it is to know your Blood Sugar levels. Can you Refresh us with this important information?

Awesome question, Scott. I'm going to play some racquetball right now, but I'll write a detailed response to this one later.
It'll also answer part of Matt's question about belly fat, as we should all make some very important tweaks to our diets, in addition to the exercise types I described.

[Matt DeAngelis]

Thanks Greg! Will give that a shot. I try to make Friday a lighter day, so I am well rested for disc golf on the weekend. Wish you lived closer, as the wife and I could use a PT!

[Greg Aucoin]

You're welcome, Matt. The other part of the equation is diet, and it sounds like you're on the right track. Here are a few ideas that'll help everyone:

1. Eliminate sugar wherever you can! Topping the list are beverages, such as fruit juices, soda, alcohol, "energy drinks", cow's milk (unless raw from a farm), anything with added sugar. I'm shocked at how many people still think that fruit juice of any form is healthy. If you're eliminating the fiber by not eating the whole fruit, you're just getting a blood sugar spike, which will quickly be gone, and you'll be really hungry and eat way more than you need. So, eating whole fruits is great, but drinking fruit juice is awful!

Milk, in its supermarket form, esp. skim, is very high in sugar (lactose), was pasteurized, killing all the enzymes that help you digest it, and important vitamins and minerals. They then re-add those vitamins in minerals, in their cheapest forms, and are of little use to our bodies. I'd recommend a swap to unsweetened or original almond milk, if you must drink or use milk.

Everyone hates hearing this one, buuuut, bread/wheat/gluten sucks. Basically, if you want to add belly fat and get absolutely no nutritional value at all, eat bread and other "whole grains" that are pushed on us as "healthy". Am I getting too harsh and preachy yet?
I thought I'd have a lot of trouble feeling full, getting rid of unhealthy grains a couple years ago, but found plenty of tastier, healthier substitutes. Veggies like Broccoli, Kale, Cauliflower, Spinach, and pretty much anything dark green top the list of being high in fiber, nutrients, antioxidants, and belly fat and disease-fighters! Once you make the switch, and see the pounds shed, more energy, etc...you'll realize what a no-brainer it is.

2. Eat a huge breakfast, full of protein, good carbs from fruit or veggies, and fiber. Protein and fiber help keep you satisfied longer, and you burn more calories eating protein vs. carbs, a lot more! Studies have proven that eating a large breakfast means you end up consuming fewer calories throughout the rest of the day, and you'll end up grazing, both of which are great, especially if you're looking to lose fat. Eggs are the best source of protein available to humans, but the key is to eat the yolk and white, and ideally, don't cook the yolk. This starts to get technical, but the more you cook eggs, especially at higher temps, the cholesterol that starts off good, becomes bad for us.

3. The best times to go "carb crazy", if you must, are first thing in morning, and right after a RESISTANCE TRAINING workout, so energy will be stored in your muscles, rather than being stored as fat.

[Titan Bariloni]

I spent the nite at gregs house once...insert jokes here____

but no bs he had one of the most interesting breakfasts I ever saw..although it did look tasty

I think it was
almond milk w/ just fruit in a bowl
cottage cheese and rice cakes

sound about right greg?

might have been something else as well

I love carbs more then bobs mom loves @===>

[Matt DeAngelis]

Sounds very similar to what ekap has going for eating plan. Though he cuts out all fruit. I need to eat more for breakfast. I eat a high fiber oatmeal and glass of water as soon as I wake up. Half hour later, in the gym. Protein powder mixed in a fruit smoothie with yogurt, or mixed just with a glass of milk. A cup of coffee and that's it. Around 10, I eat some almonds. I drink a ton of green tea and water in between meals. Lunch of salad and protein. Snack in afternoon of some kind of fruit. Then a full dinner that is pretty balanced. It's really hard to get rid of carbs!

[Greg Aucoin]

Hahaha, lots of disc golfers have seen me eats lots of crazy food. I know Tim C. likes to make fun of me for bringing 32 oz. containers of plain greek yogurt w/ fruit for lunch to tourneys.

My typical breakfast now is a solid 16 oz. of plain greek yogurt, maybe 8 to 10 oz. of frozen organic blueberries and raspberries, sometimes pineapple, strawberries, blackberries, a bunch of chia seeds, sometimes flaxseed meal, and some organic granola (one of my slightly less healthy splurges, but it tastes great), all smashed together. Then, I eat an apple w/ cinnamon and almond butter, or a banana with almond butter. Then, some 85% dark choc. and walnuts, haha. I'm pretty much chewing for an hour straight, but it's my favorite meal of the day.

I do feel it's important to note that eating well 5 out of 7 days of the week, on average, will yield great results, with exercise. Obviously, I enjoy craft beer as much as anyone out there. I'm able to "get away with" taking in quite a few of those "junk" calories because the only other things I ever drink are a gallon+ water every day, green and white tea, and when I'm running low on calories and doing a resistance training workout, I'll make a protein shake w/ almond milk. I'd say on average, I eat well 5 out of 7 days.

There is overwhelming evidence that proves "cheat days" are an excellent way to shed fat, rather than constant restriction and perfect eating all the time. So, basically, the cheat day resets hormones that tell your body to go into fat-burning mode, and can be enhanced by a fasting day on the next day. I don't get into that, but the science behind it is sound. Basically, stick with 5 out of 7 days, and some workouts as I detailed above, and you are good to go.

Also worth noting, good fats. Hopefully, there aren't too many of you that still fear fats, when sugar is the real enemy...but if so, have no fear! Healthy fats are essential, very powerful and good for us, and if we take in proper amounts, or bodies are much more likely to shed stored fat. Examples of healthy fats are: eggs, organic butter, avocados, seeds such as chia, hemp, flax, nuts (especially raw) such as almonds, walnuts, pecans, grass-fed, organic meats such as bison, beefalo, chicken, turkey, and wild-caught fish such as salmon. The only real downside is that they pack a dense calorie punch that can add up fast, if you're not careful.

[Greg Aucoin]

OH, can't believe I forgot one of my favorite foods, that fills you up and is really versatile - Quinoa! It has all the essential amino acids (great for building lean muscle and revving metabolism), packed with fiber, gluten-free, the list goes on...cheap, tastes great, especially toasted. I buy a lot of this stuff from Ocean State Job Lot or Trader Joe's. There is one that blends quinoa with wild rice that's really tasty, and a nice transition, if you're used to regular rices.

[Tim Carter]

But I don't make fun of your love handles, do I Greg? And isn't that the point!

Good posts very helpful. Pass the Cheetos.

[Titan Bariloni]

you know those old exercise stations that some places have outside...where you run a lil hit a station then ditto...ditto...they kinda faded away..but I think would compliment a DG course nicely

some just don't get what they need physically from DG incorporating ones of those exercise loops might attract a different crowd

I bet I would beat Greg in a round where every tee you had to pop off 20 push ups and 20 situps...

ok back to the thread

[Stephen Ditter]

About 4 months I had promised my GP that I would try and get my weight, cholesterol and BP down through diet and exercise (I really didn't want to start on medicine). He gave me 3 months; my appointment was supposed to be at the end of Dec. I did almost nothing besides play disc golf, darts and walk Isaac. I therefore canceled my appt. and asked for another 3 months. About 2 weeks ago I jumped on the scale and did not like what I saw.

The next day I started going to the gym everyday to ride the bike for 35 mins.(approx. 10&1/2 to 11&1/2 miles depending on my stamina) I have lost about 4-6 lbs (my goal is 10). My BP is still a little high for my age and I have no idea what my cholesterol is, but I have been trying to eat healthier.

I am now ready to branch out and do more than just ride the bike at the gym. Looking at the workout that was in the Matt response post was a real eye opener. I actually had to go to YouTube to show me what some of those exercises were (I guess I’m getting old) I’m not sure I can do that whole routine but I plan on doing some sort of variation starting this weekend.

Big thanks to Greg for sharing his knowledge and time.

-ditterman

PS I eat so much bread every day, just love it. That will be a hard one to give up.

PSS When you say no situps, does that also mean crunches on the big rubber ball?

[John DeBois]

I eat a high fiber oatmeal and glass of water as soon as I wake up

The Quaker instant packets?

Ingredients: WHOLE GRAIN ROLLED OATS, MALTODEXTRIN, SUGAR, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, SALT, CALCIUM CARBONATE, GUAR GUM, OAT FLOUR, SUCRALOSE, NIACINAMIDE*, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, REDUCED IRON, CARAMEL COLOR, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE*, RIBOFLAVIN*, THIAMIN MONONITRATE*, FOLIC ACID*.

I just go with traditional Quaker Oats. 1 ingredient: 100% Natural Whole Grain Quaker Quality Rolled Oats.

Then I add milk & cinnamon.