Sassy Shoulders

That's right, I said sassy! How many times have you seen someone and admired the way their shoulders look? One key element to actually getting those fabulous shoulders is to work them just as much as you do the rest of your body. People often forget how important it is to fit shoulder exercises into their routine. Working those deltoid muscles properly can not only benefit the way your arms look, but also improve posture. Performing each exercise with proper form or movement is crucial to increasing strength.

Here are a few of my favorite shoulder moves:

1) Bosu Lateral Raise: Muscles worked:deltoids and core. Do 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions.



2) Squat Shoulder Press: Muscles worked:deltoids, triceps, core and legs. Do 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions.



3) One Arm Reverse Fly on Bench: Muscles worked: Everything! Do 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions on each side. This one is a more advanced move and can be challenging for the core muscles. Start out with 3 or 5 lbs. As pictured, starting with weight it left hand and left knee on the bench. Right leg is extended and straightened back (squeezing the right glute and keeping core still).




4) One Arm Cable Chest Fly with Front Hold: Muscles worked: anterior deltoid, chest and core. Do 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions on each side. Another advanced move, so start with lighter weights using 10-25 lbs for the cable weight and 3-8 lbs for the dumbbell. Feet are going to be shoulder width apart. The hand with the dumbbell will be held in front of you and remains still (an isometric hold) as you do a one arm cable chest fly.

MAT Recommendation

"Being a sports agent and working with professional athletes over the past 12 years, I have dealt with a wide variety of injuries with my players. Stephanie Turner introduced me to the Muscle Activation Techniques and first implemented it during my pro camp four summers ago. Needless to say, it has be a huge hit with my athletes. They look forward to using MAT and also working with Stephanie on a daily basis. She has been a significant part of my players pre and post training routine."

-NHLPA Agent

Belly Buster Abs

What is a sure way to get those abs done? Do them before your workout! Get the core warmed up before you even start your cardio. That way your feeling your abs and core support your body as you go through your full workout. Here are 6 moves to get you started:

1) Side Planks: Hold each side for 20-45 seconds. Repeat 3 times.

2) Lateral Leg Lifts: Do 10-15 on each side. Should be done with slight hold at the top of the movement. Repeat 3 times.

3) Medicine Ball Bosu Crunches: Do 15-20 reps. Repeat 3 times.

4) Scissors: Do 14-30 reps. Repeat 3 times.

5) Medicine Ball Stretch Back Crunch: Do 15-25 reps. Repeat 3 times.

6) Bicycle: Do 20 -30 reps alternating elbow to knee. Repeat 3 times.

Momma Needs A New Routine

Depending on the type of delivery, coming back from having a baby can be challenging. Most physicians recommend waiting 6-8 weeks before beginning an exercise routine. Women who have worked out on a regular basis typically want to jump right back into their routine. However, it's important to remember to take things slowly because the body needs some time to adjust. Making sure everything is functioning properly before resuming a full body exercise routine is important. And I have one word for you gals...CORE!!!

You can't just assume that everything is going to be the same once you get approval from your doctor to workout. Your core muscles are going to need a tune-up! These muscles include your rectus abdominis, external/internal obliques, and your spinal erector (lower back) muscles. Not only those muscles, but really anything that surrounds the pelvis. So doing a ton of crunches just isn't going to cut it...there's more to getting back into shape.

Here are a few exercises to get started in the first couple of weeks:

Hip Hikes - On your back with your feet on the ground and shift your hips alternating to each side, shortening the pelvis in towards the ribs. Go slow and do 20-40 reps. Muscles worked: obliques and spinal erectors.

Superman - On your stomach with arms down to side, raise upper body and head up so they don't touch the ground and hold for 8 seconds 5 times through. This is similar to an updog yoga position, which you can start with if you don't feel strong enough to lift yourself up. Muscles worked: spinal erectors.

Planks - Holds in push-up position either on your knees or feet. Hold for 20-60 seconds. Make sure the bum is not sticking far up in the air! Challenge the core by keeping it down, but not sinking too low. Muscles worked: all core.

Crunches with a Towel - Just like regular crunches except you are going to roll up a towel and put it underneath your lower back. Why? Because in order to work your abs properly, as you go back, you should have a slight curve in your lumbar spine. Crunch up and lift the shoulder blades off the ground....go SLOW! and even hold it as you get to the top of the crunch for an extra second. Do 10-30 reps. Muscles worked: abs and spinal erectors.

Adding Some Zsa Zsa to Your Cardio

I am the first to admit it...during the summer, when it comes to doing cardio, my routine is so much easier. Making the most of the weather while it's gorgeous outside is my focus, so going running and playing tennis are my main sources of cardio. As the weather changes, moving my routine inside can sometimes be a challenge because I easily get bored doing cardio machines. Sound familiar?

So let's look at some ways to mix it up:

Circuit Training. If you don't have time for cardio and you really want to get your weight training routine in, then try some circuit training. This means keeping your body moving between sets with very little rest time. Break your routine down by choosing 5-7 exercises and do short bursts of cardio in between. This keeps the heart rate up and ultimately give you a better workout. You can do each exercise for 45 seconds each with a 15 second transition time into the next exercise. You will be alternating a strength exercise with a cardio move.

Here's an example:

Squat Shoulder Press
Jump Rope
Wide Grip Row
Step Ups
Bicep Curls
Burpees (push ups with a jump up)
Ball Crunches

Repeat circuit 2-3 times

Hit the Track. You can do this workout inside or outside. Depending on your individual running level, you can do as many laps around the track as you like. The key is to do something different on the straight aways and then jog/walk around the curves of the track. Some options for the straight aways are side shuffles, karaoke (like side shuffles but alternating one leg in front of the other), skipping with jumps, frog leaps, high knee jogging, or lunges (forward or lateral). If you really want to work hard, you can sprint the straight aways.

Short Bursts on 3 Machines. If you feel like you get "exercise ADD" when you're on cardio machines, you're not alone! One way to make it easier is to shorten your time on each machine to 10-15 minutes instead of spending 30-45 minutes on one machine. Changing up the programs or increasing levels will give you some variation.

Here are a few routines to get started:

Routine #1
Stepmill (or gauntlet) - Hill or interval program for 10-15 min
Elliptical - Cross Training or random program for 10- 15 min
Treadmill - Speedwork 2 min fast to 1 min jog for 10-15 min

Routine #2
Spinning Cycle - Alternating sitting and standing for 1 minute each for 10 to 14 min total. Remember to increase the resistance when you stand.
Treadmill - Walk/jog increasing incline by 1.0 every other minute for 15 min.
Ski Slide - 2 to 3 minutes sliding with one set of "climbers" or plank ups in between. Repeat 3 times.

Routine #3
Rowing Machine - 5-10 min.
Upright Bike - Hills or Heart Rate Training program for 15 min.Elliptical - Aerobic Training, Reverse, or Intervals for 15-20 min.

A Deeper Look Into Shoulder Pain

If you haven't experienced shoulder pain before first hand, I am sure that you have heard someone talk about it. Depending on the severity of injury, it can take from 1 to 6 months to heal. Physicians often refer to it as a rotator cuff injury, tendonitis, bursitis, or even impingement syndrome. But what does that really mean?

The rotator cuff is actually comprised of four different muscles (supraspinatus, teres minor, infraspinatus, and subscapularis). Each has a different role in providing the shoulder joint with stability. These muscles along with others (traps, serratus anterior, levator scapula, and the deltoids) act as force couples on the shoulder blade (scapula) to move it away from the spine (or abduct) as we raise our arms. In order for the joint to function properly, these muscles should be balanced to maintain a smooth motion as we raise our arm out to the side or overhead. Having muscular imbalances involving any of the rotator cuff muscles may lead to an inability to move the scapula outward and can ultimately cause abnormal wear on the joint. As a result, pain often will occur on top of the shoulder.

So where do you start if you have been diagnosed with a shoulder injury? Whether you are working with a physical therapist or a MAT specialist, they should be able to identify what muscles are not working properly by doing a range of motion evaluation and muscle testing. According to what muscles are found weak, you can begin with corrective exercises. One other thing to keep in mind is that even though you have pain in your shoulder, it could be related to another area of the body. The trunk, spine, hips, and knees can also affect shoulder joint motion because all of the joints in your body are interrelated.
Here are some common exercises for shoulder injury prevention and rehabilitation. Any of these exercises can be done with bands or cables:

1) Scapular Retraction - This is actively squeezing the shoulder blades in toward the spine with arms in front of you, to the side or overhead. This can be done standing or even seated at your desk. A progression to this exercise would be a row (as shown below).

2) Arm External Rotation - Starting without a band, keeping your elbow at 90 degrees in close to the side of your body, rotate hand and lower arm out to side while squeezing shoulder blade in towards the spine. This exercise can be done at multiple angles and with bands as you get stronger.

3) Front Raises - Arms are straightened hanging down to sides then raised up to shoulder height.

4) Lateral Raises - This exercise is often the last one to be added in rehab because usually there is pain associated with movement out to the side. Arms are slightly bent and raised out to the side to shoulder height.

Baby Got Back

That's right, how many times have we all heard how important it is to strengthen the back muscles? If you train with me, you know that I stress the importance of a strong back. Whether you're working a desk job or standing all of the time like I do, strengthening the back side (including lower back and glutes) is beneficial. I like to include the glutes (or hip extensors) because they act to help the lower back in spinal extension.

Here are some key exercises to include in your routine. Working out your back 2-3 times a week is ideal for the best results. If you haven't spent much time working on your back, then make sure that you start with lower weights and progress slowly. For all exercises, make sure your abdominals stay tight to stabilize so that you can work the muscles properly. Included are recommended weights to get started for men and women. Do 2-3 sets of 12 repetitions.


1) Seated Cable Row (middle back/scapular stabilizers/biceps)
-Women 30-60 lbs
-Men 45-80 lbs

2) Reverse Fly (upper/middle back/scapular stabilizers)
-Women 10-30 lbs
-Men 30-50 lbs

3) Wide Grip Cable Rope Row Standing or Seated
(upper/middle back/scapular stabilizers/biceps)
-Women 40-60 lbs
-Men 55-85 lbs

4) Weight Assisted Pull-Ups (lats/biceps)
-Women and Men start with assistance equal to 2/3 of your
body weight

5) Lat Pulldown (lats/biceps)
-Women 35-60 lbs
-Men 55-90 lbs

6) Back Extension (middle/lower back)
-Do 8-12 reps prone on the floor moving into "Superman"
position with arms to side lifting head and chest off of
ground

7) Hip Extensions on ground or ball (glutes)
-Do 10-15 reps prone on the floor or ball. Leg is bent to 90
degrees at knee and lift heel up toward ceiling using glutes
with a small movement. Both sides should be done
individually.